Bless our God, you peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard. He keeps us alive and does not allow our feet to slip. For you, God, tested us; you refined us as silver is refined. You lured us into a trap; you placed burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us out to abundance. I will enter your house with burnt offerings; I will pay you my vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke during my distress. I will offer you fattened sheep as burnt offerings, with the fragrant smoke of rams; I will sacrifice bulls with goats. Come and listen, all who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth, and praise was on my tongue. If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. However, God has listened; he has paid attention to the sound of my prayer. Blessed be God He has not turned away my prayer or turned his faithful love from me. —Psalm 66:8-20
God is
“Bless our God, you peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard. He keeps us alive and does not allow our feet to slip.” —Psalms 66:8-9
The
“For you, God, tested us; you refined us as silver is refined. You lured us into a trap; you placed burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us out to abundance.” —Psalms 66:10-12
“What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?” —Romans 8:31-32
“Our God is in heaven and does whatever he pleases.” —Psalms 115:3
By his love and power, his desire is to
“Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.” —Thomas Merton
The psalmist gives two kinds of praise:
“I will enter your house with burnt offerings; I will pay you my vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke during my distress. I will offer you fattened sheep as burnt offerings, with the fragrant smoke of rams; I will sacrifice bulls with goats.” —Psalms 66:13-15
“Come and listen, all who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth, and praise was on my tongue. If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. However, God has listened; he has paid attention to the sound of my prayer. Blessed be God! He has not turned away my prayer or turned his faithful love from me.” —Psalms 66:16-20
“Bless our God, you peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard. He keeps us alive and does not allow our feet to slip.” —Psalms 66:8-9
Jesus is the
For further study:
Scripture: Acts 17:22-31; 1 Peter 3:13-22; John 14:15-21
Resources: “Every Moment Holy, vol. 2: Death, Grief, and Hope”
Community Group Guide:
When you think about the future of the world or your life, how does your faith in God influence those thoughts?
How has God refined your life through hard times?
What story can you share about the work of God during a difficult time in your life?
To prepare for next week: Times of Uncertainty; 1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11