RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PSALMS 66 AND PSALMS 67
LESSON #21/P2
A SONG OF RESTITUTION: THE GOD OF MANY
MEMORY VERSE: PSA 66:16
AS MENTIONED IN THE LAST PSALM, PSALM 66 IS ALSO A PSALM OF RESTITUTION SUNG AT HARVEST
TIME. IT, TOO, IS PROPHETIC IN THAT GOD PROMISES TO RESTORE SOMETHING.
- THE PRIMARY AND THE PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION: PSALMS 66
READ PSA 66:1-4 THE FIRST STANZA
- A JOYFUL NOISE OF GLORIOUS PRAISE TO GOD (1-2)
- ALL NATIONS ARE CALLED TO WORSHIP THE LORD.
- OF COURSE, NO TIME IN HISTORY HAS THIS EVER OCCURRED. THEREFORE, IT IS A PROPHETIC
STATEMENT THAT REFERS TO THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST.
- WHAT A MARVELOUS SIGHT THAT WILL BE! ALL NATIONS OF THE WORLD PRAISING THE ONE TRUE GOD.
(ZEC 14:16)
- PRAISE TO GOD FOR HIS VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY NATIONS OF THE WORLD (3)
- WHEN WILL THIS VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY NATIONS OCCUR?
- IT WILL BE FULFILLED AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BATTLE OF
ARMAGEDDON. CHRIST WILL VANGUISH THE ARMY OF THE ANTI-CHRIST AND THE NATIONS THAT FOLLOW
HIM.
- IT IS AFTER THIS VICTORY OVER THE NATIONS THAT CHRIST WILL ESTABLISH HIS MILLENNIAL
REIGN ON EARTH AND RULE FOR 1,000 YEARS.
- WHEN THE MILLENNIUM BEGINS, ONLY BELIEVERS WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THAT IS WHY
AT THAT TIME ALL NATIONS WILL WORSHIP CHRIST. (4)
- "SELAH":
- LET US PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT THAT!
- IN OUR SECULAR WORLD TODAY, IT IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TWO NATIONS TO AGREE COMPLETELY
ON ANYTHING, MUCH LESS ALL NATIONS OF THE WORLD.
- YET, IN THE MILLENNIUM, ALL NATIONS WILL RECOGNIZE THE UNDENIABLE POWER OF CHRIST WHO IS
WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE.
- THAT AGREEMENT TO WORSHIP CHRIST WILL EXIST FOR 1,000 YEARS. HOWEVER, MANY NEW SOULS
WILL BE BORN DURING THAT 1,000-YEAR PERIOD. THEY, TOO, WILL HAVE TO BECOME BORN AGAIN
BELIEVERS.
- IF ANY NATION REBELS AND DOES NOT WORSHIP CHRIST, THEY WILL HAVE NO RAIN.
- READ ZEC 14:16-21
READ PSA 66:5-7 THE SECOND STANZA
- "COME AND SEE THE WORKS OF GOD…" (5-7)
- READ ZEC 14:4-9
- "…HE IS TERRIBLE IN HIS DOING…"(5)
- THE WORD, TERRIBLE, MEANS = AWESOME IN POWER.
- "HE TURNED THE SEA INTO DRY LAND…" (6)
- THIS IS REMINISCENT OF THE ISRAELITES CROSSING OF THE RED SEA WHEN THEY CAME OUT OF
EGYPT.
- HOWEVER, IT IS ALSO PROPHETIC OF THE END OF THE FUTURE TRIBULATION PERIOD WHEN THE LAND
AND SEA MASSES WILL BE CHANGED ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
- "HE RULETH BY HIS POWER FOREVER…" (7)
- THE BIBLE SAYS THAT CHRIST WILL RULE IN THE MILLENNIUM WITH A ROD OF IRON. (REV
19:15-16)
- IN OTHER WORDS, IT WILL BE A JUST RULE, BUT A RULE BY STRICT LAW ACCORDING TO THE WORD
OF GOD.
- CHRIST’S RULE BEGINS IN THE MILLENNIUM AND LASTS FOR 1,000 YEARS ON EARTH DURING
THE MILLENNIUM KINGDOM.
- HOWEVER, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT VERSE 7 SAYS HE WILL RULE "FOREVER".
- AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM, THERE WILL BE A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH THAT BEGINS THE
ETERNAL KINGDOM. (REV 21-22)
- HE RULES BY HIS UNIVERSAL KNOWLEDGE (7)
- "…HIS EYES BEHOLD THE NATIONS…" (7)
- ONLY AN OMNISCIENT, OMNIPRESENT GOD COULD KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERY NATION EVERYWHERE
ALL AT THE SAME TIME. BUT THAT IS WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR A RULER TO RULE WITH PERFECT
JUSTICE.
- "…LET NOT THE REBELLIOUS EXALT THEMSELVES. SELAH" (7)
- THIS IS THE SECOND "SELAH" AND THE SECOND THING WE SHOULD STOP AND THINK
ABOUT. THIS IS A WARNING THAT GOD GIVES TO THE PEOPLE OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
- IF CHIRST IS RULING WITH A ROD OF IRON BY STRICT LAW AND WITH PERFECT JUSTICE, THEN ANY
KIND OF REBELLION WILL BE DEALT WITH HARSHLY. BUT, WHO WOULD WANT TO REBEL IF CHRIST IS
RULING? IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE!
- HOWEVER, REMEMBER THAT NEW BABIES WILL BE BORN TO HUMANS LIVING IN THE MILLENNIAL
KINGDOM. THESE NEW PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A PERSONAL DECISION FOR CHRIST JUST LIKE
TODAY. IF A PERSON DECIDES NOT TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST, HE WILL BE ALLOWED TO LIVE IN THE
MILLENNIUM AS LONG AS HE OBEYS CHRIST’S LAWS. HOWEVER, REBELLION MEANS IMMEDIATE
DEATH. (ISA 66:23-24)
- THIS IS A WARNING WORTH HEEDING, EVEN TODAY!
READ PSA 66:8-15 THE THIRD STANZA
- "…
MAKE THE VOICE OF HIS PRAISE TO BE HEARD." (8)
- PRAISE TO GOD SHOULD INCLUDE ORAL PRAISE.
- JAMES TELLS US THAT THE TONGUE IS AN UNRULY MEMBER OFTEN GIVEN TO VILE SPEECH. (JAM
3:5-8) THEREFORE, HOW PLEASED GOD IS WHEN WE USE OUR TONGUES TO BLESS HIM ORALLY.
- THE TWO REASONS FOR BLESSING GOD WITH PRAISE (9):
- =1= GOD HOLDS OUR SOULS IN HIS HANDS AND GIVES US ETERNAL LIFE.
- =2= GOD DOES NOT ALLOW TRUE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS TO BE REMOVED FROM HIS HANDS. (JOH
10:29)
- ISRAEL’S EXPERIENCE: (10-12)
- THE PSALMIST (POSSIBLY DAVID) USES THE HARSH EXPERIENCES OF THE ISRAELITES TO PROVE
GOD’S FAITHFULNESS.
- THE WRITER ALSO PROPHETICALLY RELAYS THE PROMISE OF GOD THAT ISRAEL WILL ONCE AGAIN HAVE
THE LAND GOD PROMISED THEM IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS. HOWEVER, THIS PROMISED LAND WILL BE
DIFFERENT.
- IN THE MILLENNIUM, GOD WILL GIVE THE JEWS ALL THE LAND FROM THE RIVER EUPHRATES
TO THE RIVER NILE. THEY WILL BE A FAVORED NATION POSSESSING MUCH WEALTH AND HONOR. (12)
- THE PSALMIST’S EXPERIENCE IN THE FUTURE MILLENNIUM: (13-15)
- THE WRITER OF THIS PSALM SEES HIMSELF IN THAT FUTURE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM RULED BY CHRIST.
HE PICTURES HOW HE WILL OFFER SACRIFICES IN THE MILLENNIAL TEMPLE.
- "SELAH". WHAT IS IT THAT WE SHOULD STOP AND PAY ATTENTION?
- DID YOU NOTICE IT? YES, ANIMAL SACRIFICES WILL BE A PART OF WORSHIP IN THE MILLENNIUM.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHY SEEING THAT CHRIST’S SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS WAS THE
ULTIMATE AND FINAL SACRIFICE. (HEB 10:5-6,10) HOWEVER, NUMEROUS SCRIPTURES INDICATE THAT
THIS PART OF THE OLD MOSAIC LAW WILL BE RESTORED IN THE MILLENNIUM…PROBABLY MORE AS A
MEMORIAL FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE BORN DURING THE MILLENNIUM AND NEED TO LEARN OF
CHRIST’S SACRIFICE AND THE COSTLINESS OF REDEMPTION. (EZE 43:18-46 ZEC 14:16 ISA
36:6-8 ISA 66:21 JER 33:15-18 EZE 20:40-41)
READ PSA 66:16-20 THE FOURTH STANZA
- "
COME AND HEAR…" (16)
- THE WRITER IS WILLING TO TELL EVERYONE AND ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN TO HIM ABOUT WHAT GOD
HAS DONE FOR HIM. ARE YOU JUST AS WILLING?
- WHAT IS IT THAT THE WRITER WILL TELL PEOPLE?
- HE WILL TELL PEOPLE HOW HE PRAISES GOD.
- "…HE WAS EXTOLLED WITH MY TONGUE." (17)
- THE WORD, EXTOL, MEANS = PRAISE.
- THE WRITER WILL TELL PEOPLE HOW GOD ANSWERS HIS PRAYERS BECAUSE GOD HAS FIRST FORGIVEN
HIM OF HIS SIN. (18-19)
- IT IS SIN THAT SEPARATES US FROM GOD. IF WE ARE STILL IN OUR SINS, GOD DOES NOT HEAR US.
IN OTHER WORDS, GOD CHOOSES NOT TO LISTEN. THE ONLY PRAYER GOD CHOOSES TO HEAR FROM A
NON-BELIEVER IS ONE OF REPENTANCE FROM SIN. (18)
- THE WRITER WILL TELL PEOPLE OF THE MARVELOUS MERCY OF GOD WHO FORGIVES SIN, EVEN THOUGH
WE DO NOT DESERVE HIS MERCY.
THE PRIMARY AND PROPHETIC INTERRETATION: PSALMS 67
THIS PSALM IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE LAST TWO PSALMS REGARDING THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
READ PSA 67:1-7
- THE SUB-TITLE: "
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or
Song."
- "
NEGINOTH" = A STRINGED INSTRUMENT.
- THIS SONG IS TO BE PLAYED ON THIS KIND OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.
"God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us.
SELAH" (1)
- THIS IS A POPULAR BENEDICTION IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES AND NEW TESTAMENT TIMES, EVEN
TODAY.
- READ NUM 6:24-26
- THIS BENEDICTION OR BLESSING REFERS TO THE TRINITY:
- "THE LORD BLESS THEE AND KEEP THEE" = REFERS TO GOD, THE FATHER.
- "THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE AND BE GRACIOUS UNTO THEE" = REFERS TO
JESUS, THE SON.
- SOME TEACHERS IN ISRAEL REFERRED TO THE FACE OF GOD AS A REFERENCE TO THE MESSIAH.
- "THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON THEE AND GIVE THEE PEACE." = REFERS TO
GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT.
- THIS THREE-FOLD BLESSING WILL BE FULFILLED IN THE MILLENNIUM ACCORDING TO PSA 67.
- "SELAH"
- WHAT IS IT WE SHOULD STOP AND THINK ABOUT IN THIS VERSE?
- GOD’S MERCY IS UNDESERVED.
- GOD’S BLESSINGS ARE WITHOUT MEASURE AND UNMERITED.
- GOD’S FACE SHINING ON US MEANS A CLOSE, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE WITH THE
HOLY, ALL POWERFUL CHRIST WHO CREATED THE UNIVERSE.
GOD’S WAY AND GOD’S HEALTH AMONG THE NATIONS: (2)
- IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF CHRIST ON EARTH, ALL PEOPLE WILL BE TAUGHT THE WAY OF GOD.
- IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, GOD WILL PROVIDE HEALING AND HEALTH TO ALL.
GOD’S WORSHIP AND GOD’S GOVERNMENT ON EARTH: (3-5)
- IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF CHRIST ON EARTH, ALL PEOPLE WILL WORSHIP CHRIST.
- IN THE MILLENIAL KINGDOM, CHRIST WILL RULE THE WORLD WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE.
- "SELAH"
- REGARDING THE UNIVERSAL WORSHIP OF CHRIST, PSA 65 DETAILS IT.
- REGARDING THE UNIVERSAL REGIN OF CHRIST, PSA 66 DETAILS IT.
- GOD WILL FULFILL HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM THAT THERE WOULD BE A MULTITUDE AS MANY AS THE
STARS OF HEAVEN WHO WOULD WORSHIP GOD BY FAITH AS ABRAHAM DID. (GEN 22:17-18)
GOD’S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS: (6-7)
- IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, THE EARTH WILL PRODUCE ABUNDANTLY, HUMAN BEINGS WILL PRODUCE
ABUNDANT CHILDREN, AND THE BLESSINGS OF GOD’S PEACE AND LOVE WILL FILL THE EARTH.
- GOD WILL BE HAPPY TO POUR OUT HIS BLESSINGS UPON HIS PEOPLE DURING THE MILLENNIUM
BECAUSE ALL PEOPLE WILL WORSHIP AND PRAISE GOD.
SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
- THE PSALMIST PRAISES GOD FOR HIS PROMISES OF RESTITUTION. WHAT IS IT THAT GOD HAS
PROMISED TO RESTORE THAT ALL BELIEVERS WILL ENJOY?
- IN PSALMS 66 WE SEE:
- =1= THE PROMISE OF A MILLENNIAL KINGDOM ON EARTH
- =2= THE PROMISE OF A MILLENNIAL KING WHO WILL REIGN ON EARTH
- =3= THE PROMISE OF A MILLENNIAL KING WITH POWER TO RULE JUSTLY
- =4= THE PROMISE OF A FAVORED NATION STATUS FOR THE JEWS IN ALL THE PROMISED LAND
- =5= THE PROMISE OF THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND ANSWERED PRAYER
- =6= THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH GOD.
- IN PSALMS 67 WE SEE:
- =7= THE PROMISE OF ABUNDANT MULTI-FACETED BLESSINGS.
- IN THESE PSALMS THE WRITER TALKS ABOUT PRAISING GOD.
- THIS IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF MAN’S LIFE ON EARTH. WE LIVE TO LEARN HOW TO PRAISE
GOD.
- THIS IS THE MAIN PURPOSE FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL. WE PREACH THE GOSPEL THAT MEN MIGHT
COME TO PRAISE GOD.
- EVERYTHING
IS SO THAT GOD MIGHT BE GLORIFIED!
HOMEWORK
PSALMS 68
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR
CORRECTION.
- APPLICATION OF PSA 66 AND 67:
- HOW WELL DO YOU DO AT TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT HOW GOD HAS BLESSED YOU IN COMPARISON WITH
THE WRITER OF THESE PSALMS?
- IS THERE SOMEONE GOD WANTS YOU TO SPEAK TO THIS WEEK ABOUT CHRIST AND HIS BLESSING?
- MAKE A COMMITMENT TO BE OPEN TO GOD’S LEADING AS YOU GO THOUGH THE WEEK.
- PREPARATION FOR PSA 68
- READ PSA 68:1-35
- WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD DO YOU SEE IN THIS PSALM?
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 68:1