THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Psalm 66:1-20
John 10:37-38

Trust in the Lord.

“IN GOD WE BOAST ALL THE DAY LONG”

The exaltation of God is the topic of this Psalm. After the first four introductory verses, the Psalmist invites his audience to come and see. Jesus uses this method, “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe …” (John 10:37, 38). In verses 5 to 7 the Psalmist testifies to God’s “terrible works” in the drying up of the Red Sea (or the River Jordan, which at its highest floodtide overflowed the banks, and looked like a sea, Joshua 3:15). The Psalmist recalls also the hard times that God’s children went through: “Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place” (Ps 66:12). Through thick or thin, with God we can come out victorious.

But the most effective sermon is the man himself. The Psalmist augments his case with a personal testimony. He tells how when he met with trouble in his innocency and vowed to God to save him, God heard his cry and vow and saved him.

Vows are the ultimate of earnest prayer made to God, in the hour of great danger, or emergency, and are regulated by God’s Word. “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?” (Eccles 5:4-6). The Psalmist, having been delivered, did not forget God as many do, but he performed that promise to God that he had uttered in desperation. He paid his vow in full, without discount.

Can you say with the Psalmist, “In God we boast all the day long?”

THOUGHT: “O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard.” (Ps 66:8)
PRAYER: (Use Psalm 66:13.)