PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW

PSALM 65

SCRIPTURE READING

Please click PSALM 65

"Don't pull your hat down over your eyes and then complain that you cannot see God's sunlight and flowers. Have an eye to the bright and beautiful things of life. No outward lot can give content to a grumbling soul. And a contented spirit can be found in the humblest home. `It is a great blessing to possess what one wishes,' said a man to an ancient philosopher. `It is a great still,' was the reply, `not to desire what one does not possess.'"

Our God is worthy of praise for He is the source and bestowal of the believer's blessings. Have you missed the evident tokens of God's goodness in your life? See again with eyes of faith then you shall respond like the psalmist did. It seemed impossible to be silent and keep quiet for one who has such a rich experiential knowledge of the good hand of God in his life. Hence the psalm opens with an almost cannot be contained desire to praise God for His goodness - "Praise waiteth for thee, O God in Sion." (v 1 ). This psalm begins with "a period of awesome silence in anticipation of praise to the Lord" (Complete Word Study Dictionary of Old Testament) in verse 1 andworks a climatic elation of shouting for joy (v 13 ). The respond of the psalmist therefore is to perform the promises he made to God as an evident token of gratitude. This is a "Song of David" as stated in the preface (v 1 ). The blessings of God are categorically listed by the psalmist composed into a song of praise. How is God worthy of praise?

The Christian doctrine of effectual calling, justification, sanctification is summarized in verse 2-5 ,Romans 8:29-30 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

Verses 6-8 is an elaboration of the process of sanctification through trials and afflictions in life that comes with natural disasters and affliction from wicked men. But out of it all God delivers His own.

Verses 9-13a gives to us the providential care of God overall the earth especially His special providential care over His children.

Testimony

Below is the testimony of a murmurer who refuges to acknowledge the good hand of God in his life. This is the direct opposite of the exuberant joy in the heart of the psalmist who saw the good hand of God in his life.

"There are some persons who are always complaining. They are miserable and unhappy throughout the year, or, or least, they seem to be. The world is constantly at fault with them, and they rarely smile. Address them with the ordinary compliments of the day, and they are sure to find something to grumble at. The weather is never the right kind. It is too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry; and thus they move on among their fellow-creatures, as a sort of personified chill. Their very appearance casts a shadow-like gloom over all around and about them.

At home their meals for badly cooked, the children noisy and disobedient. Nothing goes on as it should. Everything has a drawback. The poor wife, however, obedient, is complained of, while, if she should be so fortunate as to commit an error, it is magnified into a crime.

These gloomy persons are never in good health. They are always troubled with some ache or pain. They are born to be miserable. At least, they so contend, and they often make themselves unhappy without the slightest cause. Life to them is a cursing instead of a blessing. They will not or they cannot appreciate the beneficence of Providence." (Character Sketches for Boys and Girls, Henry Davenport Northrop)

Is there then no cost in praise? The vow of consecration where the Christian commits his life to the care of God to obey and walk according to His Word is most blessed (v 1 )! This is the psalmist's testimony of praise. A Christian writer testifies - A sacrifice of praise will always cost you something. It will be a difficult thing to do. It requires trading in our pride, our anger, and most valued of all, our human logic. We will be compelled to voice our words of praise firmly and precisely, even as our logic screams that God has no idea what he's doing. Most of the verses written about praise in God's Word were penned by men and women who faced crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other intolerable situations."

Verse 13b is the respond of a child of God praise Him with joy and singing.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.