4. God of Creation
God of Creation
(PSALMS 65—68)
Before you begin …
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and wisdom as you go through this lesson.
• Read Psalms 65—68. This lesson references content in Be Worshipful. It will be helpful for you to have your Bible and a copy of the commentary available as you work through this lesson.
Getting Started
From the Commentary
Psalm 65 is the first of four psalms (65—68) that focus on praising the Lord for His manifold blessings in nature and for His gracious dealings with His people. He is the God of creation and the God of the covenant. Psalm 65 acknowledges our total dependence on the Lord to provide both our spiritual and material needs.
—Be Worshipful, page 210
1. Why is it important to praise God for His creation? How does the psalmist do this in Psalm 65? What does God’s care of nature tell His people about His care for His followers?
More to Consider: The phrase “crown the year” (Ps. 65:11) suggests a harvest festival in October, the first month of Israel’s civil year. How might previous experience with drought and famine—brought on by God Himself as discipline—have prompted this hopeful phrase?
2. Choose one verse or phrase from Psalms 65—68 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here.
Going Deeper
From the Commentary
The opening phrase in Psalm 65 is literally “To you praise is silence,” which doesn’t convey very much. The New American Standard Bible combines both: “There will be silence before You, and praise in Zion, O God.” The Hebrew word for “silence” is very similar to the word for “fitting, proper,” so some translate it, “Praise is fitting for you,” that is, “It is fitting that your people praise you.” But silence is also a part of worship, and we must learn to wait quietly before the Lord (62:1).
—Be Worshipful, page 211
3. What strikes you about the tone of the opening verses in Psalm 65? What does the psalmist mean that “praise awaits you”? What does this tell us about the psalmist?
From the Commentary
Psalm 65 opened in the tiny land of Israel (God’s grace) and moved from there to the nations of the earth (God’s government). Now in Psalm 65:9–13 the entire universe comes into the picture, for the Creator of the universe provides the sunshine and rain in their times and seasons so that people can plow the earth, plant seeds, and eventually harvest food.
—Be Worshipful, page 212
4. What does Psalm 65:5–8 tell us about God’s role as ruler? What do verses 9–13 tell us about His role as provider? Why would these descriptions of God have been particularly important to the small nation of Israel? In what ways do they help underscore the chosenness of God’s people? How do they speak about God’s relationship to the church today?
From the Commentary
At the close of Psalm 65, you hear nature praising the Lord, and Psalm 66 exhorts all mankind to join creation in celebrating God’s greatness. It appears that Israel had gone through severe trials (vv. 8–12) and yet won a great victory with the Lord’s help. Some students believe that this event was the Lord’s miraculous defeat of Assyria (Isa. 36—37) and that the individual speaking in verses 13–20 was King Hezekiah, whose prayer the Lord answered (37:14–20). The exhortation to praise the Lord begins with the Gentile nations (vv. 1–7), moves to Israel (vv. 8–12), and concludes with the individual believer (vv. 13–20).
—Be Worshipful, page 213
5. If you didn’t know the context in which Psalm 66 was written, what would stand out to you about the message? Review the defeat of Assyria in Isaiah 36—37. How does the meaning of this psalm change if verses 13–20 specifically refer to that event? What does a psalm like this teach us about how God’s Word can speak to specific circumstances in history and also far beyond those events?
From the Commentary
The change in Ps. 66:13–20 from “we/our” to “I/my” is significant, for corporate worship is the ministry of many individuals, and God sees each heart. During his times of trial, the psalmist had made vows to God, and now he hastened to fulfill them. He brought many burnt offerings to the altar, the very best he had, and they symbolized his total dedication to the Lord.
—Be Worshipful, page 214
6. What would have prompted the psalmist to make vows to God, as referenced in Psalm 66:13–20? How does this kind of commitment to God compare and contrast to the way Christians commit to God today? How might the psalmist rewrite this psalm today, in light of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf? What does the last verse (v. 20) tell the reader about prayer? Why is this important to the psalmist? To us today?
From the Commentary
Except for verses 1 and 6, each verse in Psalm 67 mentions “all nations” or “all peoples” and in that respect fits in with Psalms 65 and 66. It’s a psalm of praise to God for all His blessings, as well as a prayer to God that His blessings will flow out to the Gentiles, especially His salvation.
—Be Worshipful, page 215
7. Read Genesis 12:1–3. How does the message of Psalm 67 align with God’s covenant with Abraham? Whom is the psalmist asking God to bless? What is the purpose of God’s blessing?
From the Commentary
What does the harvest (Ps. 67:6–7) have to do with the conversion of the nations of the world? The phrase “Then shall the earth yield her increase” (v. 6) is a quotation from Leviticus 26:4, and Leviticus 26 is a summary of God’s covenant with Israel. (See also Deut. 28—30.) God made it clear that His blessing on the land depended on Israel’s obedience to His law (Lev. 26:1–13). The blessings He would send Israel would be a witness to the pagan nations that Jehovah alone is the true and living God, and this would give the Jews the opportunity to share the Word with them (Deut. 28:1–14). But if Israel disobeyed the Lord, He would withhold the rain, and their fields would yield no harvest (Lev. 26:14–39), and this would put Israel to shame before the Gentile nations (Jer. 33:1–9; Joel 2:17–19; Deut. 9:26–29).
—Be Worshipful, page 216
8. God’s covenant with Israel associated blessing with obedience. After reading some of the psalms, what can you tell about the effects of Israel’s obedience or lack thereof? How is this cause-effect illustrated in the words of the psalms? How does Jesus’ sacrifice redefine the relationship between blessing and obedience?
More to Consider: Read Judges 5 in preparation for studying Psalm 68. Note the comparisons between the two chapters. (For example: Ps. 68:4 and Judg. 5:3, 7–8).
From the Commentary
Psalm 68:1 is a quotation from Numbers 10:33–35, Israel’s “marching cry” whenever they set out on their journeys. The quotation is fitting because the psalm pictures the Lord “on the march” on behalf of His people. He fights their battles, leads them into the land of their inheritance, and takes up residence in the sanctuary on Mount Zion.
—Be Worshipful, page 217
9. How does David use Psalm 68 both as a record of history and as an encouragement to the Israelites? What is the significance of the phrase “father to the fatherless”? What does it mean that God “sets the lonely in families” and “leads forth the prisoners with singing”? How are these assurances applicable to the church today?
From the Commentary
In Psalm 68:7–18, David reviewed the triumphant march of Israel, beginning with their exodus from Egypt and the journey to Sinai (vv. 7–8). The rain can be taken literally, but it might also refer to the manna that came down six days a week (Ps. 78:24, 27; Ex. 16:4; Deut. 11:10–12). Then Israel entered the land and conquered it (Ps. 68:9–14) because the Lord spoke the Word of victory (v. 11; see 33:11). He had promised Israel they would take the land, and they did (Ex. 23:20–33; Deut. 11:22–32).
—Be Worshipful, page 217
10. Where in the psalm does the shift take place from “God is marching before us” to “God is dwelling with us”? Why was it important to acknowledge God’s presence on Mt. Zion? In what ways might Psalm 68:28–35 be considered prophetic?
Looking Inward
Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of Psalms 65—68. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.
Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press for people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.
11. What does your praise for God look like? In what ways do you praise Him for His creation? Make a list of some good reasons to praise God for creation. What implications does this list have for how you go about your daily life?
12. What are some of the “battles” God has won for you? How have you shown your gratitude to Him for those victories? What are some of the battles you’re currently facing? Is it easy to praise God in the middle of trials? Why or why not? What would it take for you to be able to praise God anyway?
13. In the Old Testament, God’s covenant was all about obedience and blessing. In what ways do you live your life according to a similar belief? What are the dangers of believing we can earn God’s blessings, in light of the sacrifice God made through His Son, Jesus? How do God’s blessings rain down on Christians today?
Going Forward
14. Think of one or two things that you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).
Do you need to learn how to praise God for His creation? How to thank Him for the ways He has helped you through trials? Be specific. Go back through Psalms 65—68 and put a star next to the phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Consider memorizing this verse.
Real-Life Application Ideas: Take some time to focus on God’s creation. Go for a walk. Visit a park or nature conservatory. Keep in mind that God’s creation is more than nature—it’s animals and people, too! During this focused time, record your praises in a journal.
Seeking Help
15. Write a prayer below (or simply pray one in silence), inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas you’ve previously noted. Be honest about your desires and fears.
Notes for Small Groups:
• Look for ways to put into practice the things you wrote in the Going Forward section. Talk with other group members about your ideas and commit to being accountable to one another.
• During the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to continue to reveal truth to you from what you’ve read and studied.
• Before you start the next lesson, read Psalms 73—75. For more in-depth lesson preparation, read the related commentary in Be Worshipful.