Psalms 66:16-19
v. 16: David invites everyone who fears God to listen to his story: Come and hear, all you that fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul . He wants believers to join him in giving thanks to God. By sharing what God has done, he hopes others will be encouraged and strengthened in their faith (Psalm 34:2; Psalm 119:74 a). David shares these things not to brag, but to honor God and help others trust Him more. God’s people should talk to each other about the good things God has done, especially about spiritual blessings. v. 17: David says that God gave him a heart to pray: I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue . God helped him to pray and praise at the same time. Being able to pray is a gift from God. When we pray, we also honor God, because we seek His help and praise His name, even before we see the answer. v. 18: David explains that sin in the heart can block our prayers: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me . If someone loves sin or refuses to give it up, God will not accept their prayers. Secret sins, even if only in the heart, will make our prayers empty and powerless. God wants us to be honest and to turn away from sin when we pray (Matthew 5:27–28 b). v. 19: But David is happy because God has answered his prayers: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer . Even though David knows he is not perfect, God was kind and listened to him. This shows how good God is to those who seek Him.
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