Today’s Verse, Psalm 66:18, is a “blanket” statement about prayer. Yet even it must be coupled with tomorrow’s Verse, Psalm 66:18, to give the Psalmist’s complete thought.

Yet Verse 18 alone does give us plenty of “meat” on which to chew!

Now … here’s our thought: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Psalm 66:18

Oh, the danger of sin in a person’s life!

It can, apparently, even concern one’s prayer life.

To “regard” iniquity (in Hebrew “raah,” meaning to “look at, inspect, consider”) is to “allow” it and “savor” it, not to repel it! It’s the opposite of Paul’s command to us, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” 1st Thessalonians 5:22

Then the noun “iniquity” translates “aven,” a wide ranging word meaning “wickedness, evil, falsehood” and even “idol” once!

Anything displeasing to God!

Wow!

Thus our verse presents a “cause-and-effect” sequence in reality. If I do _____________ … as a result this will thereby occur _______________.

Look once again please. “If I regard iniquity in my heart (cause), the Lord will not hear me (effect).”

The noun “Lord” is “Adonai,” a word meaning “Master, Ruler,” even “Owner!”

And the “hearing” verb is “shama,” that is, “to listen, to understand,” with a “hint” of “obeying” what’s been heard! As in “answered prayer!”

The inverse is also being implied! If I have confessed and forsaken all my “iniquity” … the dear Lord WILL HEAR me!

What a comfort!

By the way, even when God does hear me, after I have abandoned all known sins … answered prayer is still a matter of GRACE! God’s undeserved “gift” or “gifts” to us! We can never earn His favor!

Yet again, He does bless and reward our faithfulness and purity and diligence … living hour by hour for Him!

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The “genre” of Psalm 66 must be that of a “Poem of Praise.” And today’s verse proves such an assertion. The writer, a lover of God, a sincere worshipper, pens: “I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.” The pronouns, both “him” and “he,” have the same Antecedent … our Lord Himself!

In fact, to make that more apparent, I will restate the verse, capitalizing the two references to God. “I cried unto Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue.” Psalm 66:17

The first clause might be simple prayer; intercession or supplication or even thanksgiving. The verb “cried” is vocal, audible speech. Not silent at all! The Hebrew noun “mouth” is interesting. It is derived from a root verb meaning “to crush to pieces!” That’s exactly what many of our mouths do, “hurt” and “demolish” others, their reputations and testimonies and character.

Then again, if the verse’s two clauses are parallel (as is most often the case in Hebrew poetry), the Psalmist’s plea is one of adoration and exultation, magnifying the Lord in prayer. “I cried unto Him with my mouth …” Asking nothing, just thanking Him, uplifting Him!

Then the last part of verse 17 … “He was extolled with my tongue.”

The verb “extolled” is “rum” in Hebrew, pronounced “room.” It means “raised up, made lofty, heaved higher.” The verb here is written in an “intensive” form, too. Diligently, emotionally, fervently, praising God!

This is as good as Psalm 119:164. “Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.”

Wow!

This is worship, indeed.

Maybe each of us today could do the same.

“I cried unto Him, my Lord, with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue.”

What a lifestyle.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

One of the most thrilling verses in the Old Testament!

That’s how I characterize Psalm 66:16. A thrilled worshipper of God, our True God, exclaims: “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.”

This is certainly an invitation!

Maybe it could be labeled a “Call to Worship!”

Using two main Hebrew verbs, “come” (in Hebrew “yalak” used 1043 times in the Bible) and “hear” (in Hebrew “shama” used 1159 times). And both verbs are imperatives, commands! And they are also the first two words of the Hebrew Text, Psalm 66:16, giving them dominant influence in the whole statement.

Who are being summoned?

Those, all those, who “fear” God!

And now “fear,” (in Hebrew “yare”) means “reverence,” the idea of “awe,” a respectful fear. Like this: “fear you might offend” One so Great!

And once his congregation has been assembled, what is the Psalmist planning to do?

To declare what God has done for his soul!

Wow!

Again: “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.”

The verb “will declare” translates “saphar,” a word basically meaning “to count!” To enumerate! Thus to list one by one, many things usually!

All the things God has “done,” spelled “asah,” and implying “made, fashioned, accomplished, prepared, wrought!”

Bragging on God!

Uplifting, exalting His Name!

Magnifying our great Creator/Redeemer!

Again I say, a great Verse!

And a great Text to obey, to apply in our own lives!

May these words be our words as well. “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.”

Amen!

Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Today’s Verse is somewhat “dated.”

It is “Old Testament” to the core!

A worship verse, though. “I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.” Psalm 66:15

This is Mosaic ritual, at its best.

Giving to God animal sacrifice, no doubt each little creature being (in  some lovely way) a “picture” of the coming Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ. Who died on the Cross to forgive us of our sin.

But two words suffice to give us the “essence,” the “sprit” of the Text.

I will capitalize those words now. “I will OFFER unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the INCENSE of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.”

In both cases (the verb “will offer” and the noun “incense”) the idea is something wafting upward, gently rising to the heavens! Toward God, to be received at His Pleasure!

“To offer” literally is “alah” in Hebrew, “to go up, ascend, climb!”

And “incense” is “qetoreth,” meaning “odor, perfume, odor,” in a good way. The aroma does rise, you know!

And even “Selah” may have the same idea. It’s some sort of musical term, maybe even indicating the use of “high” voices, sopranos we would say today. My computer software defines “selah” as a “lifting up” of some sort!

BUT …

How does one transfer this Old Testament Truth into New Testament practice?

Hebrews 13:15 beautifully does so, a single verse. “By him (Jesus) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

Not the smoke of dead, burning animals any more … but the sincere words (sounds) of our mouths (lips) thanking and praising Almighty God for His daily benefits! Our words too, surely, drift upward, toward His Listening Ears!

Even Hosea says about the same thing, that long ago! “Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.” Hosea 14:2

Wow!

Our lips, our expressions of adoration … as good as “calves” or “sheep” or “doves,” once offered to God above!

Let me close for today by saying …

“The Lord is good!”

“Praise His Name!”

“Hallelujah!”

Get the idea?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Actually Psalm 66:14 is not a complete sentence!

It’s part of a thought that began earlier in the Psalm. Nonetheless the verse houses a thought that I can’t forget.

I’m going to call today’s lesson, “What to say when we are in trouble!”

Now, Psalm 66:14, word for word, King James Version. “Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.”

“What I said … when I was in trouble!”

The concept of “trouble” as used here means “a narrow, tight place!” More and more constricting circumstances … heavier and heavier pressure!

But … what did I say then?

Did I complain?

Did I doubt God?

Did I question the Lord’s Wisdom, or Power?

The Psalmist certainly said something! Just go back one verse and you can easily discern what he declared. “I will go into Thy House (the house of the Lord) with burnt offerings: I will pay Thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.”

The author of our Psalm here “promised” God some things, when he was in trouble.

And he plans to fulfill those commitments too!

When in trouble … David prayed.

When in trouble … Paul witnessed.

When in trouble … Jeremiah wept and trusted, then preached.

When in trouble … Peter repented.

When in trouble … John worshipped.

God loves to hear what we say … when in trouble.

Job said, when in trouble … having just heard of the deaths of all 10 of his children … “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21

As Job’s troubles intensified … he still said things like this. “When he (God) hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10

And when doubt began to attack … “I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” Job 19:25-26

In sum, with more troubles than nearly any other person in Scripture, Job said: “Though he (the Lord) slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Job 13:15

Wow!

Let’s pray the Lord will help us speak rightly … when trouble comes our way as well.

Psalm 119:71 presents the right idea. “It is good for me that I have been afflicted (endured trouble); that I might learn thy statutes.”

Second Corinthians 12:9, Paul in trouble: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (weaknesses), that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Let’s “talk” when trouble comes, all right. Let’s talk rightly to God! Oh, one more Job verse. In great trouble … “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” Job 1:22

Wow!

Dr. Mike Bagwell

Oh yes, another prayer to help. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

Even when in trouble!