April 23 2025; Wednesday Night

Order of Service

• Scripture Reading — Psalm 66
• Sermon
• Pastoral Prayer

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Sermon Title: A Call to Praise, Reflection, and Thanksgiving

Scripture: Psalm 66

I. The Call to Praise — Psalm 66:1–7

A. A joyful, universal invitation — all the earth is called to praise God

1. Psalms 65–68 are notable for including all nations, not just Israel, in the call to worship
2. Verse 1 begins with shout, verse 2 with sing, verse 3 with say — every mode of expression enlisted for praise

B. The sacrifice of praise

1. Hebrews 13:15 — praise is a spiritual sacrifice, the fruit of lips that acknowledge God's name
2. Praise and thanksgiving are intertwined; praise without thanksgiving becomes sterile ritual, and thanksgiving without praise becomes self-centered

C. God's awesome deeds declared

1. Verse 3 — enemies cringe before God's great power
2. Verse 5 — "Come and see what God has done" echoes the invitation in John 1:39
3. Verse 6 — the crossing of the Red Sea and the crossing of the Jordan River on dry land (Joshua 4) cited as evidence of God's saving acts
4. Verse 7 — God rules by might forever; his eyes watch the nations and he can act at any time

II. Reflection on God's Works — Psalm 66:8–12

A. Recalling God's deliverance and testing of Israel

1. God tested and refined his people as silver is tried (verse 10)
2. Images of net, burden, fire, and water describe hardship and oppression; may also allude to the pillar of fire and the waters of the Red Sea — a possible double meaning
3. Despite all trials, God brought them out to a place of abundance (verse 12)

B. The New Testament parallel — 1 Corinthians 10:6–11

1. Israel's wilderness experiences were recorded as examples and instruction for believers
2. God still disciplines and refines his people today for their good and growth

III. Personal Thanksgiving — Psalm 66:13–20

A. The psalmist's commitment to offer sacrifices and fulfill vows (verses 13–15)

1. Burnt offerings entirely consumed by fire; other sacrifices — rams, bulls, goats — underscore the gravity and sincerity of the moment
2. New Testament equivalent: presenting ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1); prayer and thanksgiving as spiritual offerings

B. Personal testimony — "Come and hear" (verse 16)

1. The psalmist shifts from corporate praise to personal witness of what God has done for his soul
2. Verse 18 — if he had cherished iniquity in his heart, the Lord would not have listened; the focus falls on the psalmist's own condition
3. Verse 19 — the focus shifts to God: God has truly listened and attended to his prayer

C. God's steadfast love is the ultimate ground of assurance (verse 20)

1. Blessed be God who has not rejected prayer or removed his steadfast love
2. None could stand on the basis of their own righteousness; God's mercy covers sin
3. Old Testament saints were saved by the same grace, the same faith, and the same God — the psalmist's confidence points forward to the righteousness of Christ