Read Psalm 65
For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.
1 Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
2 You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.
9 You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.
Go Deeper
God didn’t have to design the universe in the way that He did. We could have lived in a small, bland, and colorless world. Instead, He decided to give us a small taste of His splendor as he designed creation to be filled with deep oceans, powerful rivers, colorful plants, thousands of stars, and a wide variety of animals. He gave us senses to feel the sunshine on our skin, smell the fresh breeze of a new season, see the clouds rolling through the sky, run our fingers through the blades of grass, and hear the birds chirping. If you’ve ever wondered if God could do more than you can ask or imagine, just look at creation. Could you have imagined the display of a perfect sunset from scratch? Could you have ever created the grandeur of the lion on your own? Indeed, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1).
This is why the process in Psalm 65 is so helpful for our faith. Nature reminds us of the magnitude of our God. We don’t serve a small or unimaginative god. We get to know and love an innovative Creator. Here, when David lists out the wonders of the world, he falls more in love with his God. Have you ever had that happen to you? You couldn’t explain it, but standing at the edge of the ocean made you love God more. Or, perhaps you looked at the stars and felt your heart resound with praise. This is because we can learn about God through what He has made.
His creation speaks to us every single day about His character. Have you been paying attention? Or instead, have you been consumed with your phone, your job, your homework, or your to-do list? Take some time today to notice that which your God has made. Nature is His reminder to you that He is a big God who is worthy of praise. He has given us an invitation to see a glimpse of Him today, will you accept it?
Questions
- What does this chapter tell you about the character of God?
- Why do you think nature can make us stand in awe of God?
- What distracts you from noticing the creation around you?
Keep Digging
Check out this article entitled, “What does it mean that the heavens declare the glory of God?”
2 thoughts on “Psalm 65”
I’ve awakened this morning to the sound of thunder and rain has fallen throughout the night. It’s a sweet reminder to read “You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide grain, for so you have ordained it.” (v9)
Growing up as a country girl instilled in me an awe of creation. Springtime especially captured my attention as I would look at a peach tree budding, a bluebonnet or a newborn calf and say “only God”. The earth is full of living, growing things ordained by God. Creation seems to shout for joy before the Lord. Today, let’s notice and join in praise to our Creator who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
The language used in this Psalm suggests that God doesn’t just take care of the earth… but rather, that He lavishes it with His goodness. He “enriches it abundantly,” “drenches,” “blesses,” “crowns with bounty,” “overflows with abundance,” & “covers the meadows.” He overwhelms the earth with His beauty in an extravagant way. Nothing He does is simple- it’s complex & over the top! He goes above and beyond to take care of His creation- from plants, and meadows, and mountains…. to us. As Jesus reminds us in Matt 6- if God takes such care to clothe the grass of the field & feed the birds in the air, how much more will He take care of His children?! As this Psalm shows, in the same way that God goes over the top to provide for and bless the earth, so too will He bless and provide for us with more than we can imagine. We don’t need to worry, but rather look outside our window & remember to trust that we are in good hands.