Read Psalm 65:8–13
Questions from the Scripture text: Where do the people in Psalm 65:8a dwell? Of what are they afraid? Which signs in particular (verse 8b)? What are these “outgoings” doing? What does Yahweh visit, with what blessing, and what results in Psalm 65:9a,b,c? What does God do in verse 9d? Why (verse 9e)? Who is being described as doing what in Psalm 65:10? With what does God crown the year in Psalm 65:11a? And what drips with abundance in verse 11b? What does this dropping (Psalm 65:12a) make the little hills to do (verse 12b)? What two blessed things in Psalm 65:13a,b do what two things in verse 13c?
In what ways does the almighty and redeeming God of Psalm 65:1-7, display His great goodness and our expected response? Psalm 65:8–13 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that in His care of creation, and use of it to provide for us, the Lord displays not only the exceeding abundance of His goodness, but a picture of how we should repeatedly and constantly rejoice over that goodness.
Before the greatness of God’s almighty power, man would do well to consider that he is but dust. No wonder that those who dwell in the farthest parts of the earth are afraid of the sun and moon and stars and other comparatively glorious creations of God (Psalm 65:8a)!
But they are creations of God. As Psalm 19:4–6 so poignantly teaches, the sun’s apparent march through the sky is designed to teach us to rejoice in whatever God gives us to do (Psalm 65:8b). Are we not also creations of God? We too, ought to rejoice, though we are but dust.
For, God is a God Who is merciful even to dust! Psalm 65:9-11 gush (literally!) with rich poetry about the generous, kind, skillful attention and provision that the Lord lavishes upon the dirt. And that’s not even dirt into which He breathed the breath of life (cf. Genesis 2:7) to form it into His image (cf. Genesis 1:26–27). The year is not just crowned with creation’s produce, but with God’s goodness.
As we sing of the tender, abundant, detailed, persistent, lavish goodness of God to the inanimate dirt in these verses, a marvelous “how much more” argument should swell in our hearts. If His care of His creation is like this for other creatures, how much more it must be for us whom He made in His image!
So, we ought to respond like the little hills, pastures, and valleys (Psalm 65:12-13). He has made them beautiful, and He has made their produce in flock and grain to be the very picture of rejoicing. Every year, we should see springtime and harvest time as examples to us of how we should rejoice before God from our hearts. O, let us always see His goodness in the great acts of redemption, but let us not fail to see it also in every little care and provision for His creation!
What beauties of creation have you stopped to behold lately? What were they telling you about the Lord? How were they modeling for you to respond to the Lord? What is the greatest display that He has made of this generosity and care?
Sample prayer: Lord, You have created all things, and they exist for Your glory. You are so good to all Your creatures! You visit the earth and water it richly and abundantly. You crown the year with Your goodness. As You have made us Your creations Who receive the greatest goodness, so also make us the greatest rejoicers among all Your creatures as we shout for joy and sing Your praises, which we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP65B “The Far and Distant Peoples Fear” or TPH65C “Praise Waits for Thee in Zion”
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