PSALM 65. ANOTHER LOOK AT THE GOODNESS OF GOD. Vs.4. "Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach Thee." Here is an emphasis upon the joy of the chosen. No matter what our opinions are upon 'predestination' the Scripture is clear on one thing - we did not choose God; He chose us. There is a reason for this. God chose us to be BLESSED = Happy. I am sure we have a Happy God who desires a Happy People. This is not to say that we are peculiarly enthusiastic all the time. Some people confuse happiness with going around with an inane grin on their faces all the time. That is an empty-headed, O-be-joyful,type of existence. Our God gives real joy in the midst of sorrow. This is difficult to understand until it is experienced. When one looses a loved one in death, one suddenly realises that all God's promises are a bulwark to you, strengthening you in your grief. Then, slowly but surely you grasp the hope of the future in the promises of God, and a new joy is born in your grieving heart. The chosen person is satisfied with the goodness of God's House. We approach our God with the joy of the anticipation of His presence. We have a Good God. PRAISE waits for God in Zion. A miserable believer is a travesty of the truth. God waits to bless. God has made every provision for our salvation. He will always deliver the trusting soul. He has chosen those who are brought near to Him, and we come before Him with Praise. Praise is not the babblings of heathen repetition, but the heartfelt gratitude of a believing soul. Real gratitude is expressed in a Vow and its performance. Just ask yourself, "What do I offer God?". We have a bountiful God. We will bless Him fully, for we have been chosen to be satisfied. He is THE LIVING GOD; expressed here by the Psalmist with the couplet:- "O Thou that hearest prayer, Unto Thee shall all flesh come." From the seventh verse onward, the Psalmist dwells on the extent of God's Goodness. He begins by declaring the goodness of God in the natural realm. Vss.7-13. When the Ocean is lashed by the fury of the storm; it is stilled by Him. Wherever we go, even to the uttermost parts of the earth, God is revealed in nature. North, East, South, West, there is cause to rejoice in His goodness. The glorious sunrises, and the spectacular sunsets, move us to give Him the Glory. How strange it is that people adore the good sunrises and sunsets, and yet ignore Almighty God who makes each dawning and dying day sing its own anthem, with the music of light. "You visit the earth", cries the psalmist, using the verb VISIT in a way which denotes continuous action in progress. "You prepare them corn", indicating the care God takes for the crops. The ploughed land is watered by God's Almighty hand. Man ploughs and sows, then God takes over. "You crown the year with your goodness.". From the first flower of spring to the last Christmas rose, God is GOOD. It is only the greed of man which has changed large portions of the earth into dust bowls. David then continues to sing of the goodness of God in the Human Realm. Vs.5. "By terrible things in righteousness You will answer us." The people of God, reigned over by David, had indeed seen terrible things. They saw the acts of God upon the Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, Syrians, Babylonians. "O God of our salvation!" cries David. Thank God for His mercy to us. We are not preserved because we are good; we are kept because He is good. God will see us through every trial. God will take care of all who have hearkened to His call. No matter where we are, God is there. He is well able to take care of His people. Throughout my life in travelling in various parts of the world, I felt a safety in my passport. The feeling is no longer as valid as it used to be. BUT, wherever we go, God is there, and He is well able to look after His own. Kingdoms are held fast by Him; kingdoms also crumble at His command. He has, however, promised the return of His Son to set up a Worldwide Kingdom of Glory and Power. We have a good God who cares for all mankind. The best advice which can be given to all politicians in every land in this day and age is, "God is still in control." The psalmist does not omit the Spiritual Realm. David was conscious of very strong opinions against him. "Iniquities prevail against me!". Words, matters of iniquities, are getting the better of me. Our greatest problems are not in the world around us, but in the struggle within us. Some mornings we awake full of the joys of spring, and no matter what happens during that day, the joy takes us through. Another day, we awake to wish we had never woke up. The day seems to begin and continue in disaster. The problem is within us, and it is in this area that we can prove God's greatest goodness. His goodness in us, is greater than all his provision in the world around us. There is in every life the accusing power of sin. We cannot commit an evil act and forget it. Suddenly, at some later date, it comes back, like a boomerang, with renewed strength. It is then we feel great conviction of heart. It even works after it has been cancelled. But we have a god who not only breaks the power of sin; He also breaks the power of cancelled sin. The power of cancelled sin is able to make you feel that you are unforgiveable. There are times when, even though God has forgiven us, and other people have forgiven us, we discover that we are not able to forgive ourselves. That is a terrible predicament. Yet there is One who even delivers us from this. The psalmist, addressing God, makes this statement, "You will purge our transgressions away." God takes away the stain and memory of sin. The word for PURGE used in this Psalm, in the last 4 books of Moses is translated more than 50 times - "Make atonement" or "Make reconciliation". God has in Christ made atonement. We must shed the guilt complex of cancelled sin. We are made free; we are reconciled, for Christ has rectified the matter. In this we can rejoice. What a Good God we have!. Copyright (c) 1996, Hedley Palmer. All rights reserved. ---------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/hpalmer/psalms: ps-065.txt .