Psalm 65 - Our Generous God

Message Introduction

Psalm 65 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song. 1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. 3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! 5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; 6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; 7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, 8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. 9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

Message Outline

1. The psalmist praises the God of amazing grace (Psalm 65:1-4)

2. The psalmist praises the God of awesome power (Psalm 65:5-8)

3. The psalmist praises the God of abundant provision (Psalm 65:9-13)

Message Exposition

1. The psalmist praises the God of amazing grace (Psalm 65:1-4)

- how we approach God

Seven things we are told about our gracious God

Psalm 65:1 ESV

1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.

1. God, who is worthy of praise (vs. 1)

2. God, to whom we should make vows (vs. 1)

Psalm 65:2 ESV

2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.

3. God, who hears our prayer (vs. 2)

Psalm 65:3 ESV

3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.

4. God, who forgives our sins (vs. 3)

Psalm 65:4 ESV

4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

5. God, who chooses His people (vs. 4)

6. God, who welcomes us into His presence (vs. 4)

7. God, who satisfies (vs. 4)

2. The psalmist praises the God of awesome power (Psalm 65:5-8)

Three things we are told about our strong God

- how God delivers His people

Psalm 65:5 ESV

5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;

1. God is our Savior (vs. 5)

Psalm 65:6 ESV

6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;

2. God is our Strength (vs. 6)

Psalm 65:7 ESV

7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,

Psalm 65:8 ESV

8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

2. God is our Sovereign (vs. 7-8)

3. The psalmist praises the God of abundant provision (Psalm 65:9-13)

- plenty - a harvest hymn

Psalm 65:9 ESV

9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.

Psalm 65:10 ESV

10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.

Abundant provision: Well-watered lands (vs. 9-10)

Psalm 65:11 ESV

11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.

Psalm 65:12 ESV

12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,

Abundant provision: Overflowing wagons (vs. 11-12)

Psalm 65:13 ESV

13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

Awesome Praise: Vibrant and joyous worship (vs. 13)

The Gospel in Psalm 65

Gospel Transformation Bible: English Standard Version Study Notes for the Psalms

Psalm 65 Like any good father, God provides reasons for doing what we ought to do (Rom. 12:1–2). In this case he explains why we should praise and obey him. God “hears” the prayers of those who come to him (Ps. 65:2; Rom. 10:13). But how can he listen to the prayers of sinful people? He can do so because he “atones” for transgressions and iniquities (Ps. 65:3; Rom. 3:23–26). And who will come to him for atonement? Only those whom God chooses to “bring near” and give new hearts to desire “holiness” (Ps. 65:4; John 6:44–45; Eph. 6:6).

Unlike false gods, whose promises are mystical and unseen, God has performed his “awesome deeds” of redemption within creation (Ps. 65:5; 1 Cor. 10:1–5). Unlike those philosophies that teach that divine power can be accessed only by transcending physical reality, the believer worships the true God whose decrees are carried out within creation.

Rather than despising the creation and seeking “true spirituality,” the Christian looks at the wonders of nature and exclaims, “This is my Father’s world!” Christians do so because the same God who provides atonement for sins is the One through whom the world was created. From the testimony of the New Testament, we know even more precisely what this means. John says not only that Christ was “in the beginning with God” but that “without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1–3). Behind the physical science of rainfall and germination, the believer sees Christ’s provision of daily bread (Ps. 65:9–11). And beyond the beautiful vistas of mountains and valleys, meadows and pastures, the Christian sees God rejoicing over his good creation (vv. 12–13), a creation that will one day be perfectly restored and cleansed of all that is fallen.

Discussion Questions

What new thoughts have you had since reading and studying Mark 1:21-45 or from Hearing James’ message on the passage?

What verse from this passage will you commit to meditating on and memorizing this week? Write it down. Share it with others.

Bringing It Home

Pondering the Passage:

What is the main point? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Learn

What did I learn?

Where has my thinking, beliefs, and values been challenged in this passage?

Do I find any of the characteristics ways of thinking or behaving of the ungodly in my life?

List and describe those areas in which I struggle.

Love

What does this passage teach me about God?

Has my thinking about God changed?

How have I learned to love God more and others selflessly as a result of this passage?

Have I learned ways that I have acted unlovingly towards others that I must change?

Live

What are the practical steps that I can take to apply to what I have learned in this passage?

Where must I change?

What do I need to repent and confess?

How will pondering and personalizing this passage change how I live my life today and moving forward?

Praying the Passage (ACTS)

What specific things can I pray adoring God because of what I learned in this passage?

What specific things do I need to confess based on what I learned from this passage?

What specific things do I need to thank God for based on what I learned from this passage?

What specific things do I need to request in prayer (supplication) based on what I learned from this passage?