Psalm 66 has become, nearly so, a “manual” on prayer! At least much of the Poem addresses that critical issue.

Including its last verse, today’s focus. “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.” Psalm 66:20

The participle “blessed” is “barak” in Hebrew. It means “to kneel” as well as “to bless.” Also “to congratulate, to praise” and “to salute.” It is translated all these ways in the King James Bible.

This Psalmist is determined to “uplift” His God! To adore and worship Him!

Two reasons for such exultation are mentioned. Both are “negative,” things which God DID NOT DO! Things He has NOT turned away! “To turn” (in Hebrew “sur”) actually means “to eschew, to avoid, to reject.”

First, is the Poet’s Prayer, which clearly has been heard of God!  “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer.”

The noun “prayer” is “tephillah,” 77 times translated “prayer” in the Old Testament. It means “to intervene, to interpose,” implying our idea of “intercession.” Asking God, most often for someone else, certain things, needs to be met. Breaking into God’s eternal routine … pleading for His Power or Wisdom or Guidance … in some area of life!

Wow!

Here is Almighty God, in Isaiah 45:11, commanding us to pray like that! “Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.”

Wow again!

“Ask Me!”

“Command Me!”

Thus says the Lord.

But back to today’s verse. The second matter that has triggered the writer’s worship of God. “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, NOR HIS MERCY From me.”

God’s Mercy!

Such a necessity has NOT been diverted from the Psalmist!

This little noun (mercy) is spelled “hesed” in Hebrew, a fundamental Old Testament word. (First cousin to “Grace” in the New Testament, I often say.) “Hesed” means “kindness, pity, concern for the suffering.” It suggests God “coming down” to meet the needs (especially salvation) of staggering humanity!

Praise the Lord!

See … I am reacting just as the writer did! “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.”

Has God hear your prayer, as of late?

Has His mercy still been extended toward you?

If so, break into song!

Let flow from your lips praise!

“BLESSED BE THE LORD!”

“BLESSED BE THE LORD!”

“BLESSED BE THE LORD!”

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yesterday we learned that God will not hear our prayers … if we harbor iniquity within our hearts. Then, the first step toward answered prayer, for the Christian, MUST BE asking for forgiveness of our daily sins!

But now (in his next verse) our little Psalmist says more. Telling us a lot about himself, I think. “But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.” Psalm 66:19

Yes. The Lord has “heard” this pious man’s prayers! And “attended” to his voice, his plea! This last verb is “qashab” in Hebrew, indicating God “inclined” His Ear toward the praying believer! God “cupped” His Ear, as if to hear better!

Truly we all know this. GOD INDEED ANSWERS PRAYER!

Yet the amazing thing is the “coupling” of the two verses, Psalm 66:18-19. And I had never noticed their “linkage” until recently.

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. BUT VERILY GOD HATH HEARD ME; HE HATH ATTENDED TO THE VOICE OF MY PRAYER.

Amen!

Cleansed from sins!

As David in Psalm 51 asked, perhaps. “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”

There’s more. “Purge me, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

Then this. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Yes … we can live lives that do not “regard” iniquity!

We can, put into New Testament language: “Confess our sins,” knowing that God “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1st John 1:9

Then we can all praise God and rejoice in our hearts. “But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.”

What a wonderful Lord we worship!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

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