God is worthy of our praise! Psalm 65 overflows with praise for God because of all He has done.
Structure
Psalm 65 divides into three part. The first two parts have 5 verse lines each.
There are 7 verbs describing God's acts of power in verses 3-8. This list overlaps the first two parts of the psalm. These 7 acts appear to be in response to prayer as described in verse 2.
O you who hear prayer,
to you shall all flesh come. Psalm 65:2
Notice that the central act is to answer prayer, which points us back to verse 2 and assures us that God is using his power for the good of His people.
This list is immediately followed, in verses 9-11 by 10 acts of God's abundant provision leading to a final shout of joy in the last line of the psalm.
The meaningful center can be found in verse 7:
who stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples, Psalm 65:7
You Deserve Praise
Psalm 65:1-4
The very first words set the stage for Psalm 65.
Praise is due you, O God ... Psalm 65:1
Why? Because he answers prayers and therefore all people seek God.
What kind of acts does He do in answer to prayer?
Atone
Choose
Bring Near
Answer
Establish
Still
Make us shout for joy
Only the first three of these acts can be found in this section, though. But even this half list leads the psalmist to cry out:
We shall be satisfied by the goodness of your house Psalm 65:4
You Are Awesome
Psalm 64:5-7
Section two completes the list of 7 acts of God. As was mentioned earlier, we find "answered prayer" at the center of this list and at the start of this section. Clearly the psalmist wants us to join with him as he celebrates God's goodness in answering prayer. But notice also that the list can be read working from the outsides to the middle:
God forgives (atones) - so we shout for joy
God chooses - so we find peace (still)
God brings us near - so we find a place of security (established like a mountain)
And all of this is because God answers prayer!
It is in this section that we also come across the meaningful center, in verse 7. And how beautiful it is. As we meditate on all the goodness of God demonstrated on our behalf we find that the roar of this world - the tumult of fear and anger - the constant roaring of temptation, distress and pain - all fades into stillness in His presence.
Do you want stillness? Then the only answer is to turn to God in prayer and meditate on His goodness.
You Provide
Psalm 64:8-13
Section three begins a new list. This time of 10 signs of God's good provision. Most of us cannot fully appreciate the power of these words because we are not farmers. But for the majority of the original readers of this psalm their livelihood, their financial and physical health, were dependent upon the next harvest. A bad harvest not only meant financial hardship but possibly hunger as well.
So as you read this list picture instead that you are the ground and God is the rain pouring down His blessings upon you.
God visits, waters, enriches, provides, prepares, waters (again), settles, softens, blesses with growth, and crowns with bounty. This is what God is doing in your life.
God is blessing you in answer to your prayers. Do you see it? Maybe you are still in the planting or growing season. Maybe God is still settling and softening the ground in preparation for the blessing. But do not doubt. God is blessing!
Notice that God's blessing is not a mere drip, but it overflows with abundance. Look at the words used by the psalmist to express this: "full of water", "abundant", "growth", "bounty" and "overflow".
Application
The earth is so full of God's blessing that the final verses picture the pastures, hills, meadows and valleys shouting and singing together for joy (Psalm 65:12-13). And so should we!
God is using his power to bless, protect and provide for His people as we call out to Him in prayer and praise.
Do you want to experience His blessing and peace?
- Pray - God answers prayer (Psalm 65:5)
- Meditate on His goodness - God is constantly showing his goodness, but the place to begin is with the atonement we have in Christ. (Psalm 65:3-7)
- Recognize that He is already blessing you and his blessing is abundant. (Psalm 65:1-11)
- Be patient - the harvest comes in God's time, not ours. (Psalm 65:4)
- Rejoice - don't wait for the harvest to praise God. God has already provided atonement and He is working in your life for your good and His purposes.
Let's not be outdone by the hills and valleys. Let's shout and sing together for joy!
This post is part of a series on the Psalms.
by Jerry Wyrick, President of Worship Arts Conservatory