Obedience

Psalm 66

Has there ever been an occasion when you prayed to God, asking a request of Him, and then heard nothing from the Lord?  There are several reasons why one might not get a response from the Lord for one’s prayers, and in our psalm for today, the Scriptures gives one of those reasons.  Let’s look into this passage and see what we can learn on this topic, and a couple of other topics highlighted in the psalm, as well.

At the end of his psalm, our unknown psalmist declares that if he keeps sin in his heart, the Lord will not hear when he prays to Him (vs. 18).  This doesn’t mean we can never make a mistake. God understands our weaknesses. However, we must repent of all known sin in our lives, and avoid continuing in them.  When we defy God, and deliberately and rebelliously commit sin, He puts us in something akin to a “time out”, just like a parent does, and He won’t “hear” us. When a parent punishes a child for some wrongdoing they have done, the child may cry and squawk all they want, but the parent doesn’t “hear” the child until they have learned their lesson.

Since we continue to commit sins, large or small, after we’ve been saved, we must continue to confess them to the Lord as soon as we can. We might not always remember every sin we commit, but we should have an attitude of confession and obedience.  True confession requires us to listen to God, and to want to stop doing what is wrong. When we refuse to repent, or when we cherish some special sin of ours, we build up a wall between ourselves and God. It is that wall that blocks our prayers from being heard and responded to by God.  Our prayers will be hindered if we refuse to heed the Holy Spirit’s conviction when we sin. God blesses obedience, not stubbornness. When we do confess, and strive to live in accordance to the Word of God, we don’t have to wonder if God hears us when we pray (vs. 19-20). He reassures us over and over in His Word that He does.

There are a couple of other points that our psalmist brings out in our psalm for today that I would like to mention.  In verse 10 he says that God has tested us like when silver is refined. When silver or other precious metals are refined, they are put into very hot fire which brings out the impurities, which are then removed.  This process makes a much purer silver or gold. In like manner trials can refine our character if we allow them to (vs. 10-12). They can bring us wisdom, help us to discern truth, and give us the discipline to do what is right.  Above all, these trials can draw us closer to the Lord if we allow them to. Job learned the lesson that his trials would make his character like gold (Job 23:10). Another psalmist knew that his afflictions helped to keep him on the straight path with God (Psalm 119:67).

One final point that our psalmist brings up which I would like to look at is one of making and keeping vows and promises to God (vs. 13-15).  How many people make vows and promises to God when they are in some deep trouble? They vow this or that if God will only deliver them from what trouble they are in.  “Oh God, help me! If You will only rescue me I promise I will do ……..” As soon as they are out of the trouble, however, the promise is forgotten and the vow not kept.  Our psalmist here remembered his promise, and is prepared to keep it. We don’t know what brought about his vow to God, but whatever it was, once it was over, he remembered his promise and is faithfully going to carry it out.  Have we ever made a promise to God? Most of us have. Have we kept that promise? What about promises we have made to others? Are we diligent to keep them, as well? A person of integrity will keep their promises to others, and especially to God.

Like so many psalms, this one is filled with praise.  It summons us to sing praise to God. God is worthy of our praise.  Praise to God is the highest occupation anyone can have. We recognize that God is King on His throne.  Our whole purpose in coming before Him is to bring praise. God has saved us. He has delivered us. He has bestowed countless blessings upon us.  God has always remained faithful!