Lesson 187 - Senior
Memory Verse
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18).
Cross References
I The Greatness of God's Power
1. People of all lands are exhorted to sing praises unto God, [PS:66:1-2]; [PS:100:1].
2. God will eventually bring His enemies into subjection by His power, [PS:66:3-4]; [PS:65:5]; [PS:18:44]; [PS:46:8]; [ISA:45:22-23].
3. God's power is universal and eternal, [PS:66:5-7]; [EXO:14:21]; [JOS:3:14-16].
II Fiery Trials for Purification
1. We are exhorted to bless and praise God, who holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved, [PS:66:8-9]; PS:66:12]); 1.
2. The Lord purifies His people in the furnace of affliction, [PS:66:10-12]; [PS:17:3]; [ISA:48:10]; [ZEC:13:9]; [1PE:1:6-7]; [1PE:4:12-13].
III The Payment of Vows
1. David paid the vows he made when he was in trouble, [PS:66:13-15]; [PS:116:14]; [ECC:5:4].
2. He told what God had done for him, [PS:66:16-17]; [PS:34:1]1.
3. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us, [PS:66:18-20]; [JOB:27:9]; [PRO:15:29]; [ISA:1:15]; [JHN:9:31]; [JAM:4:3].
Notes
Praise to the Lord
In this glorious Psalm, David recalled some of the great things the Lord had done for the people of the world. David's soul became exuberant, and he exhorted all nations to sing and give praise and honour and make a joyful noise unto God.
When we truly count our blessings -" one by one -" we, too, shall become so overwhelmed with God's love and mercies that we will want to cry aloud: "Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD."
It is the genuine gratitude to God in the soul that makes singing such an inspiration. It was not with a mournful melody and harmony that David exhorted the people to sing, but, instead, he told them to "make a joyful noise unto the LORD." "Make his praise glorious." Then he gave a sublime prophetic statement of the coming Millennial Reign of Christ: "All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name."
The Invitation
The Psalmist David, who, we can see, was also a prophet, became so carried away with the magnitude of God's works that he seemed to step out and send an invitation to everybody in the world to "come and see the works of God." This is the true spirit of the Gospel. God's call is to the "whosoever will." All we have to do is first to come, and then to "taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8).
This reminds us of the woman of Samaria, who, when she had found the Messiah, ran back into town and said to her people: "Come, see... is not this the Christ?" (John 4:29).
And it also reminds us of the incident when Philip found Nathanael and told him about Jesus. Nathanael could not believe that any good thing could come out of Nazareth, but Philip said, "Come and see" (John 1:46). Here, then, is the universal call of the Gospel: "Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men."
God's Wonderful Works
The Psalmist began to enumerate some of the things the Lord had done. He remembered the miracles that had been performed when the Children of Israel were led out of Egypt, and that the sea had been turned into dry land and the people went through on foot. This caused his soul to be overwhelmed with gratitude, and he exclaimed; "O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard."
If we would take more time to enumerate God's blessings to us, and remember that He brought us out of sin and delivered us from the bondage of the enemy, our own souls would be filled with more praises to God.
A Tried People
But amidst the exultations and praises to God, the Psalmist remembered that they were not always borne on eagles' wings high above all trouble and anguish. The Lord always proves His people. He has said that they are to be a tried people. God led the Children of Israel through the wilderness to humble them, to prove them, to know what was in their hearts. David says in this Psalm: "Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins." The Lord has ways of trying us that we would never dream of, and He may choose to allow a "strange thing" to come to any one of us. He let ambassadors come from Babylon to Hezekiah that he might try Hezekiah and "know all that was in his heart" (II Chronicles 32:31).
The Lord tries us to let us know what is in our own heart. He knows our condition. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our failures. One writer has aptly said: "To know thyself is a lesson which no man can learn but from the Spirit of God." And though our afflictions and trials may seem severe, at times, and we feel as if we could not bear another straw's weight, yet Paul refers to them as our "light" afflictions and tells us that they work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
Israel bowed down heavily under the lash of the taskmasters of Egypt before they walked through the Red Sea on dry ground. They went through the furnace of affliction; and were tried, as silver is tried, before they saw the deliverance from God. The Lord lets us suffer until we go entirely through the refining fire. He knows what is best for us, and we believe and know that we profit by each trial we go through.
When the Lord saw that it was enough, He brought Israel out into a wealthy place -" the Land of Canaan. And when He sees that our trials and purgings are sufficient, He brings us out into a wealthy place of spiritual blessings.
The Payment of Our Vows
When the true children of God have gone through the furnace of affliction, and the Lord has brought them out, they feel humble, grateful; and, like David, they want to go into the house of God and pay the vows which their lips uttered when they were in trouble. They realise it is the Lord who has brought them out of their trouble, and with thankful hearts they give praise to His name, and are eager to give praise in the congregation of the righteous.
But many people soon forget their vows and all that God has done for them. They cry loudly for help when they are in distress, but after the Lord delivers them they soon forget Him and feel they are able to steer their own course. The Word of God says, "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it" (Ecclesiastes 5:4). Severe penalties will come to us if we are neglectful in this. God demands that we pay Him what we promised when we were in trouble.
When they came with their praises and payments of their vows, the Israelites were also to bring their sacrifices -" the best of the flock, with "increase of rams." Do we always remember to do that? "God loveth a cheerful giver"; and, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
When a friend has done something very special for us, it is just natural for us to want to reward him in some way. When the Lord does much for us, it is spontaneous act on our part to want to give Him something in return. We could never pay Him back for what He has done for us, for that is impossible. But a love offering seems to be appropriate. It may be several things. God wants our willing service, our devotion, our testimony, our means, and whatever he has blessed us with. He wants our all!
A Testimony
When David considered all the wonderful things that the Lord had done for Israel, he cried out for the people to "come and see." But after going to the house of God to pay his vows and offer his sacrifices, he cried out for the people to "come and hear." He wanted to declare to them what the Lord had done for his soul. What a testimony! He really wanted to give it! It, no doubt, was the same testimony that he gave when he said: "Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:1-5). He had paid his vows. He had brought his sacrifice to God. He had come to the house of God with praises. And, because of that, God bless him.
The Barrier of Iniquity
After reading such a testimony we can readily see that David was clear and clean in his soul. He knew the Lord had heard his prayer. He also knew what was necessary to insure God's hearing his prayer. He said: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: but verily God hath heard me." This was also a further testimony as to the righteousness of David. There was no iniquity in his heart. It was perfect toward God.
Sin separates from God. If we harbour sin we cannot be clear before God. Before a soul can be justified in God's sight, he must forsake sin. He must turn from it with all his heart, and tell God he is through with it. When he does that, his prayers go through to Heaven, and God looks down and pardons his sins. The Spirit will apply the Blood to wash away the guilt of sin and he stands clear and clean in God's sight. It is then that he, too, can sing aloud the praises of God and say, with David; "Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."
This Psalm is in reality a grand thanksgiving hymn, and the theme of it is an admonition to sing, to rejoice, and to bless God. It is the song of every true Christian, every member of the household of faith, and every member of the true body of believers.
Questions
1. What is the theme of this Psalm?
2. Who did David want to sing it?
3. Why did David go to the house of God?
4. What did he do there?
5. Why does the Lord try His people?
6. When will the Lord not hear our prayers?