Psa 66:13-20 | KingComments | STEP | From now on, the psalm continues in the first person singular. Here the psalmist, the king himself, is speaking. We can also say that here prophetically the Spirit of Christ is speaking. Not only the world will sing God psalms. The redeemed will enter God’s house to fulfill his vows made to God in his distress ( ). This sacrificial service will be performed by God’s people in the realm of peace. The burnt offering is in its entirety for God ( ). Burnt offerings speak of the work of the Lord Jesus that He accomplished entirely to the glory of God. A vow offering is attached to the fulfillment of vows ( ; cf. ). A vow offering is one of the forms of a peace offering. As a peace offering, a vow offering speaks of fellowship. We see this expressed in , where the psalmist involves “all who fear God”. The psalmist’s lips uttered those vows, and his mouth uttered them when he was in need ( ; cf. ; ). These are not carefully spoken words, but words that are the result of distress. What he has said may be full of emotion, but it is no less sincere. The psalmist remembers very well what he said out of his deep distress, and he also sticks to it when the deliverance by God is a fact. He will express his praise and thanks by entering God’s house with “burnt offerings of fat beasts” ( ). He wants to give the best as thanks for what God has done. The “smoke of rams” surrounds him as he comes to God. The ram is the special animal used in the consecration of the priests ( ). The ram speaks of the dedication of the Lord Jesus to God to the point of death. From His life, and particularly from His death, a soothing aroma ascended to God. His offering also includes “bulls with male goats” or burnt offerings with the accompanying sin offerings. Goats are used primarily as sin offerings ( ). The goat as a sin offering represents the Lord Jesus in the work He did on the cross for the purpose of removing the sins of those who believe in Him. The believer will never forget that His work was imperative for the forgiveness of his sins. It is an aspect of Christ’s work that he will always remember with profound gratitude.

‏ Psalms 66:13-20

Vow Offerings

From now on, the psalm continues in the first person singular. Here the psalmist, the king himself, is speaking. We can also say that here prophetically the Spirit of Christ is speaking. Not only the world will sing God psalms. The redeemed will enter God’s house to fulfill his vows made to God in his distress (Psa 66:13). This sacrificial service will be performed by God’s people in the realm of peace.

The burnt offering is in its entirety for God (Lev 1:9 ; 13). Burnt offerings speak of the work of the Lord Jesus that He accomplished entirely to the glory of God. A vow offering is attached to the fulfillment of vows (Lev 7:16; cf. Acts 21:23-26). A vow offering is one of the forms of a peace offering. As a peace offering, a vow offering speaks of fellowship. We see this expressed in Psa 66:16, where the psalmist involves “all who fear God”.

The psalmist’s lips uttered those vows, and his mouth uttered them when he was in need (Psa 66:14; cf. Jdg 11:30-40; Jona 2:9). These are not carefully spoken words, but words that are the result of distress. What he has said may be full of emotion, but it is no less sincere. The psalmist remembers very well what he said out of his deep distress, and he also sticks to it when the deliverance by God is a fact.

He will express his praise and thanks by entering God’s house with “burnt offerings of fat beasts” (Psa 66:15). He wants to give the best as thanks for what God has done. The “smoke of rams” surrounds him as he comes to God. The ram is the special animal used in the consecration of the priests (Lev 8:22 ; 29). The ram speaks of the dedication of the Lord Jesus to God to the point of death. From His life, and particularly from His death, a soothing aroma ascended to God.

His offering also includes “bulls with male goats” or burnt offerings with the accompanying sin offerings. Goats are used primarily as sin offerings (Lev 4:24 ; Lev 9:3 ; 15 ; Lev 10:16 ; Lev 16:15). The goat as a sin offering represents the Lord Jesus in the work He did on the cross for the purpose of removing the sins of those who believe in Him. The believer will never forget that His work was imperative for the forgiveness of his sins. It is an aspect of Christ’s work that he will always remember with profound gratitude.

Come and Hear

The answer to his prayer, the deliverance by God from his distress, brings the God-fearing to bear witness to it (Psa 66:16). He calls on “all who fear God” to come and hear “what He has done for my soul”. Of this he wants to tell, of this his heart is full.

After the invitation “come and see” (Psa 66:5) the invitation is now “come [and] hear”. ’Come and see’ is about what is perceptible to the eye: the public acts of God that someone can see. ‘Come and hear’ is about the hidden work that God has done in someone. This is a work that no one can see, but that can be apprehended by the ear.

The psalmist wants to give a personal testimony about what God has done in his soul, that is his whole life. This applies to all the circumstances in which he has been and in which God has supported him. He wants to pass on to others and thereby encourage them, Who God has been for him in this and what He has done for him, in order that they too may go to Him with their need.

The God-fearing who is speaking here has cried to Him with his mouth (Psa 66:17). At the same time he has extolled God with his tongue. To extol God means to honor and praise Him for His work. He has prayed and at the same time he has had the assurance that God hears him, for which he has thanked Him as he prayed. This is praying with confidence, a praying that God loves to hear and answer.

The basis for this confidence is that there are no hidden intentions in the heart while praying (Psa 66:18). God does not hear prayers that are made from wrong motives. If He and His interests are not the focus, but the one who prays has only himself and his own interests in mind, God will not answer (Jam 4:3; Pro 28:9; Isa 59:2; Jn 9:31).

It is clear: the people of God must first cleanse their heart from sin through confession. After that, the believer can cry out to God when he is in need. The psalmist experienced this. When he says: “But certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer” (Psa 66:19), it is proof that his heart has been free from iniquity during his prayer.

The God-fearing is impressed that God has “not turned away” his prayer “nor His lovingkindness” from him” (Psa 66:20). He says it in negative terms: not turned away. This emphasizes that he does not assert a right to be heard, but sees it as great favor. This makes his gratitude all the more intense and he blesses or praises God from the depths of his heart.