PSALM 65. An encouraging song from David the shepherd of Israel

Study by Jack Kelley

"Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come. When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. 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.

You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.

Those living far away fear your wonders; where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy. 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. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing."

If we ever stopped to consider all the things that have to happen in the universe every day just so we can survive, we’d find ourselves spending the whole day praising God. Minute changes in the composition of our air or water, gravitational force, magnetic pole alignment, temperature range, orbit around the Sun, rotation speed, etc. would render the earth unfit for human habitation and cause our immediate demise. Who keeps all these things in their delicate state of balance?


On top of that there are spiritual forces at loose here with mischief on their minds. These demonic spirits are not above harming or even killing us as part of their daily attempt to steal us from our God. They’re also the ones who brought disease and pestilence into our world. Our question shouldn’t be, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” but rather, “How does anyone escape?” Who fends off these constant attacks against us?


“Jesus is the answer,” as the old saying goes. He really is. From the smallest detail to the largest obstacle, if you look for the One holding everything together, you’ll find Him.


Consider this passage:


He is the (visible) image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17)


Or how about this one:


The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Hebrews 1:3)


He’s the glue holding everything together, and the Bible tells us that one day He’s going to stop doing it.


But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)


This means that we have two great reasons to be glad we follow Jesus.


1) Like a shepherd protects his sheep, the Lord has promised to protect us, so long as we remain in fellowship with Him. During our time on Earth we have nothing to fear. In addition to holding everything together, He brings us to quiet places amid the turmoil of our lives, restoring and refreshing us and showing us favor even when our enemies confront us from every side. No matter what the problem He’s always there with a ready solution. All we have to do is let Him implement it. As Moses told the Israelites on the shore of the Red Sea, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.” (Exodus 14:13)


2) Having turned from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath, (1 Thes. 1:9-10) we have no fear of the catastrophe that will come on the Earth when He stops holding things together. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thes 5:9)

It’s true Lord. 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.