TEXT: Psalm 66:16-20
READING: Psalm 65
SUBJ: Personal testimony to what the Lord has accomplished and the expression of a redeemed soul.
AIM: That we should realize what the Psalmist realized and that we should make similar declarations.
INTR: Personal witness comes from personal experience and knowledge:
1. A twofold invitation is given in this Psalm – consider v. 5 and v. 16 – “come and see” and “come and hear.”
2. The comparison to the typical invitation today where human agency is invoked in the place of true witness. Consider what is here as an element of Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
3. The importance of that which is expressed here comes first to the witnessing believer and then to them that fear the Lord.
THESIS: The first realization of divine accomplishment is what God has done for an individual soul. Before that all is hearsay.
I. My Invitation (Come and hear) v.16
1. Consider first what has been done:
1) Redemption Psalms 116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
2) Pardon – There is forgiveness with Thee
3) Joy – “Rejoice and again I say rejoice” Philippians 4:4
4) Victory – “Sin shall not have dominion” Romans 6:14
5) Assurance – “That ye may know” 1 John 5:13
6) Hope – “Christ in you…” Colossians 1:27
2. And how it has come about – God decreed, Christ has purchased, and the Holy Spirit has regenerated…
3. For whom it was done: consider the thought of “my soul.”
4. The nature of such evidence of Christ in the life of the true believer:
1) It is most accessible – compassed by so great a cloud of witnesses as opposed to intellect, methodology and logic.
2) It is most convincing – To the possessor (blind see, lame walk, dead raised and so on) and to the observer (we note the frustration of the Pharisees et al.
3) It is most enduring – There is a long history of the Gospel witness in perpetuity in the lives of believers – we are forever changed, and such is the ongoing saga of true Christian testimony.
II. My experience (personal encounter with God) vv. 17-19
1. A twofold approach and we observe the distance between them.
1) The verbal cry (with my mouth) of the contrite heart
2) The praise for God uttered in stark contrast to the hopeless condition of the petitioner.
2. Of iniquity in the heart:
1) It is there!!!
2) Regarding that it is to entertain, to enjoy, accepting as a way of life.
3) Such prohibits true communication with God (God is not mocked and to hear such prayers would be mockery to God).
3. But, God heard and does hear because sin had been exposed and despised and God regarded his prayers as evidence of his merciful favor.
III. My Song (Blessed be God) v. 20
1. Matthew Henry wrote: “What we win by prayer we must wear with praise.”
2. There is no merit in prayer. It is rather an avenue of mercy.
3. God is to be praised and acknowledged in all our ways and it is of His mercy that we are enabled to do so.
4. “Blessed be God” is the response to and explanation of v. 19.
5. It is my prayer that we ever be in the way of declaration as to what God has done for our souls:
1) We may not know much about many things (even scripture).
2) But we know that the scripture bears witness to what is experienced in salvation and to:
3) What He hath done for my soul – may we ever reflect on His goodness and mercy towards us.
