Psa 66:10-12 | KingComments | STEP | The goodness of God in the history of the redemption of His people causes a new call to bless or praise God ( ). This is a call from the remnant of Israel to the peoples to bless or praise God for what He has done to Israel. The occasion is what is stated in , which we see by the word “for” with which that verse begins. All peoples who have come into contact with God are called upon to bless or praise “our God”, which is the God of the remnant or the God of Israel. The point is that the glory of God, His great Name and fame, is to be proclaimed loudly. His glory is what He has done in the deliverance of His people. God’s glory here is directly connected to giving life again to His people and keeping them standing firm in the way of faith ( ). God is to be praised because of His unique ability to give life. He is the Only One Who can do that, because He is the living God. He is also the Only One Who brings this life to maturity and leads and sustains it, and through the trials stands firm in the way of faith, so that it does not waver. The remnant has gone through all kinds of trials and tribulations ( ). In these they, that is, their faith, have been “refined … as silver is refined” (cf. ; ; ). The trial has been tough, but they see the suffering as the way and the hand of God with them. This is also how they express it in the following verses. They see that they have been brought by God “into the net” of captivity ( ; cf. ). They are like a bird caught in a net. He can no longer spread his wings, is powerless and at the mercy of the will of the bird-catcher. God has also laid “an oppressive burden” upon their loins, rendering them powerless and unable to walk. It is also God Who has caused “men”, in whom we recognize the antichrist and his followers, to ride over their heads ( ; cf. ). It refers to the surrender into the hand of the enemy and the deep humiliation He brings upon them. They went “through fire and through water”, describing the severe tribulation into which they fell with the danger of burning and drowning, of destruction and death (cf. ). In our lives it can also be the case that people ‘walk all over us’. They make our lives particularly difficult. How important it is then to look to God above these people, Who has deemed this necessary for our good. All the trials that are inflicted on us by people, regardless of whether they are believers or unbelievers, we may accept from the hand of God. This gives us peace in the midst of affliction. Then we no longer see the hand of men, but the hand of a loving Father. When the trial comes to an end, it is also brought about by God Himself. God does not test beyond what someone can bear, but also gives the outcome at the right time ( ). The people who seemed doomed to death, He keeps in life ( ). They appeared to be close to the fall, but He sustained them ( ). They were caught in a net, but He gave them room ( ). They had a squeezing band around their waist, but He broke it ( ). After all His acts of deliverance, He brought them “out into [a place of] abundance” (cf. ). His purpose with the tribulation is “to do good” for them “in the end” ( ). We will also say this once when we are with the Lord and look back on our entire life’s journey together with Him. So can we also say this now when we look back on difficult times in our lives. Then we see that He has always been with us, even though we have sometimes felt alone, and has led us out of the difficulties into the enjoyment of an abundance of spiritual blessing. On earth, God’s intention with the trials is that “we should partake of His holiness” ( ). For eternity, it means that He will eventually lead us into the abundance of the Father’s house.

‏ Psalms 66:10-12

Refined and Brought Out Into Abundance

The goodness of God in the history of the redemption of His people causes a new call to bless or praise God (Psa 66:8). This is a call from the remnant of Israel to the peoples to bless or praise God for what He has done to Israel. The occasion is what is stated in Psa 66:10, which we see by the word “for” with which that verse begins. All peoples who have come into contact with God are called upon to bless or praise “our God”, which is the God of the remnant or the God of Israel. The point is that the glory of God, His great Name and fame, is to be proclaimed loudly. His glory is what He has done in the deliverance of His people.

God’s glory here is directly connected to giving life again to His people and keeping them standing firm in the way of faith (Psa 66:9). God is to be praised because of His unique ability to give life. He is the Only One Who can do that, because He is the living God. He is also the Only One Who brings this life to maturity and leads and sustains it, and through the trials stands firm in the way of faith, so that it does not waver.

The remnant has gone through all kinds of trials and tribulations (Psa 66:10). In these they, that is, their faith, have been “refined … as silver is refined” (cf. Mal 3:3; Zec 13:9; 1Pet 1:7). The trial has been tough, but they see the suffering as the way and the hand of God with them. This is also how they express it in the following verses.

They see that they have been brought by God “into the net” of captivity (Psa 66:11; cf. Lam 1:13). They are like a bird caught in a net. He can no longer spread his wings, is powerless and at the mercy of the will of the bird-catcher. God has also laid “an oppressive burden” upon their loins, rendering them powerless and unable to walk.

It is also God Who has caused “men”, in whom we recognize the antichrist and his followers, to ride over their heads (Psa 66:12; cf. Isa 51:23). It refers to the surrender into the hand of the enemy and the deep humiliation He brings upon them. They went “through fire and through water”, describing the severe tribulation into which they fell with the danger of burning and drowning, of destruction and death (cf. Isa 43:2).

In our lives it can also be the case that people ‘walk all over us’. They make our lives particularly difficult. How important it is then to look to God above these people, Who has deemed this necessary for our good. All the trials that are inflicted on us by people, regardless of whether they are believers or unbelievers, we may accept from the hand of God. This gives us peace in the midst of affliction. Then we no longer see the hand of men, but the hand of a loving Father.

When the trial comes to an end, it is also brought about by God Himself. God does not test beyond what someone can bear, but also gives the outcome at the right time (1Cor 10:13). The people who seemed doomed to death, He keeps in life (Psa 66:9a). They appeared to be close to the fall, but He sustained them (Psa 66:9b). They were caught in a net, but He gave them room (Psa 66:11a). They had a squeezing band around their waist, but He broke it (Psa 66:11b). After all His acts of deliverance, He brought them “out into [a place of] abundance” (cf. Deu 8:7). His purpose with the tribulation is “to do good” for them “in the end” (Deu 8:15-16).

We will also say this once when we are with the Lord and look back on our entire life’s journey together with Him. So can we also say this now when we look back on difficult times in our lives. Then we see that He has always been with us, even though we have sometimes felt alone, and has led us out of the difficulties into the enjoyment of an abundance of spiritual blessing. On earth, God’s intention with the trials is that “we should partake of His holiness” (Heb 12:10). For eternity, it means that He will eventually lead us into the abundance of the Father’s house.