Psalm 66

Psalm 66

How the Lord keeps our feet from slipping.

This Psalm that calls for and expresses praise to God because of His wonderful works and answers to prayer holds for us some unexpected insights that help prepare us for the realities of life.  Notice in the first section, “Because of the greatness of Thy power Thine enemies will give feigned obedience.” We are sometimes surprised that we find wicked people in worship or that wicked people in positions of power, social or cultural, pretend to be an adherent of God.  There are those who give deceptive obedience because they perceive in that an advantage for themselves.  Often it is these people who are the source of our hardship and suffering.  It is understandable that we might be disappointed, but with such warnings we should not be surprised.

God preserves our life and keeps us from slipping (vss. 8-9), but have we considered how He does this?   We see in the middle of this Psalm the “secret formula” that prevents our slipping.  The list provided in vss. 10-12 is no vacation brochure and is not very likely to be a popular message for those wanting to please a shallow audience.  What is that formula that keeps us from slipping?

He tries us.

He refines us like silver (read into this a smelting furnace).

He entraps us in a net, like the capture of a bird or animal

He places oppressive burdens on our loins-this may refer to the burning pain we feel in extreme terror or fear.

He makes men ride over our heads.  This likely refers to defeat in battle, after which the beaten army is made to lay down before the victors.

We have gone through fire and water either of which is fatal for people, but used by a blacksmith finishes the work and provides maximum strength to the metal.

How does God keep our feet from slipping by the training of difficulties?  Only after these do we find the last line of verse 12, “Thou didst bring us out into a place of abundance.”

The third insight comes from the last section of the Psalm.  God has delivered and rescued and the Psalmist praises, but he notes that if he had “regarded wickedness” in his heart God would not have heard him.  There is a necessary integrity, not to be mistaken for perfection, that we must have or God will reject our pleas no matter how pious they may sound.  No doubt these struggles will purify us and of the things that must be removed are the hidden agendas of our hearts. People who are thoroughly corrupt can obtain earthly wealth. But the great blessings of God, temporal and relational, only come in our walk with Him and that sometimes requires significant heart conditioning.