“Exhort one another daily, while it is called today” Heb 3:13
Psa 66:1-20

Psa 66:1 To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
Psa 66:2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
Psa 66:3 Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

“Make a joyful noise unto God”
“Sing forth the honour of his name”
and “Say unto God” “How terrible (H3372) art thou in thy works!”

Scripture shows us clearly that God gets our attention through fear (H3372) but then tells us to “fear not”. Just look at the first two entries of the word yârê‘ to begin to demonstrate this point.

H3372
ירא
yârê’
Total KJV Occurrences: 316
fear, 148
Gen_15:1, Gen_21:17, Gen_26:24, Gen_35:17, Gen_43:23, Gen_46:3, Gen_50:19, Gen_50:21, Exo_9:30, Exo_14:13, Exo_20:20, Lev_19:3, Lev_19:14, Lev_19:32, Lev_25:17, Lev_25:36, Lev_25:43, Num_14:9 (2), Num_21:34, Deu_1:21, Deu_3:2, Deu_3:22, Deu_4:10, Deu_5:29, Deu_6:2, Deu_6:13, Deu_6:24, Deu_8:6, Deu_10:12, Deu_10:20, Deu_13:4, Deu_13:11, Deu_14:23, Deu_17:13, Deu_19:19-20 (2), Deu_20:3, Deu_21:21, Deu_28:58, Deu_31:6, Deu_31:8, Deu_31:12-13 (2), Jos_4:24, Jos_8:1, Jos_10:8, Jos_10:25, Jos_24:14, Jdg_4:18, Jdg_6:10, Jdg_6:23, Rth_3:11, 1Sa_4:20, 1Sa_12:14, 1Sa_12:20, 1Sa_12:24, 1Sa_22:23, 1Sa_23:17, 2Sa_9:7, 2Sa_13:28, 1Ki_8:40, 1Ki_8:43, 1Ki_17:13, 1Ki_18:12, 2Ki_6:16, 2Ki_17:28, 2Ki_17:35-39 (5), 2Ki_25:24, 1Ch_28:20, 2Ch_6:31, 2Ch_6:33, 2Ch_20:17, Neh_1:11, Neh_6:14, Neh_6:19, Job_1:9, Job_9:35, Job_11:15, Job_37:24, Psa_23:4, Psa_27:1, Psa_27:3, Psa_34:8-9 (2), Psa_40:3, Psa_46:2, Psa_52:5-6 (2), Psa_55:19, Psa_64:4 (2), Psa_64:9, Psa_67:7, Psa_72:5, Psa_86:11, Psa_102:15, Psa_118:6, Psa_119:63, Pro_3:7, Pro_24:21, Ecc_3:14, Ecc_5:7, Ecc_12:12-13 (2), Isa_7:4, Isa_8:12, Isa_35:3-4 (2), Isa_41:10, Isa_41:13-14 (2), Isa_43:1, Isa_43:5, Isa_44:2, Isa_51:7, Isa_54:4, Isa_54:14, Isa_59:19, Jer_5:22, Jer_5:24, Jer_10:7, Jer_23:4, Jer_30:10, Jer_32:39, Jer_40:9, Jer_46:27-28 (2), Jer_51:46, Lam_3:57, Eze_3:9, Dan_10:12, Dan_10:19, Joe_2:21, Amo_3:8, Mic_7:17, Zep_3:7, Zep_3:16, Hag_1:12, Hag_2:5, Zec_8:13, Zec_8:15, Mal_3:5 (2)
afraid, 78
Gen_3:10, Gen_18:15, Gen_20:8, Gen_28:17, Gen_31:31, Gen_32:7, Gen_42:35, Gen_43:18, Exo_3:6, Exo_14:10, Exo_34:30, Num_12:8, Deu_1:29, Deu_5:4-5 (2), Deu_7:18, Deu_20:1, Deu_28:10, Jos_9:24, Jos_11:6, 1Sa_7:7 (2), 1Sa_17:11, 1Sa_17:24, 1Sa_18:12, 1Sa_18:29, 1Sa_21:12, 1Sa_28:5, 1Sa_28:13, 1Sa_28:20, 1Sa_31:4, 2Sa_1:14, 2Sa_6:9, 2Ki_1:15 (2), 2Ki_10:4, 2Ki_19:6, 2Ki_25:26, 1Ch_10:4, 1Ch_13:12, 2Ch_20:15, 2Ch_32:7, Neh_2:2, Neh_4:14, Neh_6:9, Neh_6:13, Job_5:21-22 (2), Job_6:21, Psa_3:6, Psa_49:16, Psa_56:3, Psa_56:11, Psa_65:8, Psa_91:5, Psa_112:7-8 (2), Psa_119:120, Pro_3:25, Pro_31:21, Ecc_12:5, Isa_10:24, Isa_37:6, Isa_40:9, Isa_51:12, Jer_1:8, Jer_10:5, Jer_26:21, Jer_41:18, Jer_42:11 (2), Eze_2:6 (3), Joe_2:22, Jon_1:5, Jon_1:10, Hab_3:2
feared, 39
Gen_19:30, Gen_26:7, Exo_1:17, Exo_1:21, Exo_2:14, Exo_14:31, Jos_4:14 (2), Jos_10:2, Jdg_6:27, Jdg_8:20, 1Sa_3:15, 1Sa_12:18, 1Sa_14:26, 1Sa_15:24, 2Sa_3:11, 2Sa_10:19, 2Sa_12:18, 1Ki_1:50, 1Ki_3:28, 2Ki_17:7, 2Ki_17:25, 1Ch_16:25, 2Ch_20:3, Neh_7:2, Psa_76:7-8 (2), Isa_41:4-5 (3), Isa_57:11, Jer_3:8, Jer_44:10, Eze_11:8, Hos_10:3, Jon_1:16, Mal_2:5, Mal_3:16 (2)
terrible, 30
Exo_34:10, Deu_1:19, Deu_7:21, Deu_8:15, Deu_10:17, Deu_10:21, Jdg_13:6, 2Sa_7:23, Neh_1:5, Neh_4:14, Neh_9:32, Job_37:22, Psa_45:4, Psa_47:2, Psa_65:5, Psa_66:3, Psa_66:5, Psa_68:35, Psa_76:12, Psa_99:3, Psa_106:22, Psa_145:6, Isa_18:2, Isa_18:7, Isa_21:1, Isa_64:3, Eze_1:22, Joe_2:11, Joe_2:31, Zep_2:11
dreadful, 5
Gen_28:17, Dan_9:4, Hab_1:7, Mal_1:14, Mal_4:5
reverence, 3
Lev_19:30, Lev_26:2, Psa_89:7
feareth, 2
1Ki_1:51, Psa_112:1
fearful, 2
Exo_15:11, Deu_28:58
affright, 1
2Ch_32:18
dread, 1
1Ch_22:13
durst, 1
Job_32:6
fearest, 1
Isa_57:11
fearfully, 1
Psa_139:14
fearing, 1
Jos_22:25
reverend, 1
Psa_111:9
see, 1
Isa_60:5
terribleness, 1
1Ch_17:21

We are called to “make a joyful noise unto God” and “sing forth the honour of his name”, and in doing this we will grow in our appreciation of God’s grandeur and mercy and “say unto God” “How terrible art thou in thy works!” as we come to learn that it is “through the greatness of thy power” that “thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.”

The Lord is blessing the elect today to be able to understand that we can be brought to a place of a joyful heart and lips of thanksgiving where we give thanks to God that the enemy within us can be made to be brought into subjection unto Him through “the greatness of thy power.”

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Isa 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

This submission to and praising of God is something that all the earth will eventually do. All mankind will one day worship God because of His great power and Sovereignty over all flesh. We rejoice today and are full of joy when we see the Lord putting us in trials and taking us out of them by His power on which is what this 66th Psalm is really focused.

Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Psa 86:9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Jas 1:9 Let the brother of low degree (G5011) rejoice in that he is exalted:

Psa 107:8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

Not knowing God is Sovereign makes it impossible for the flesh of man to give thanks to God for the trials, but in time and by the grace and faith that He gives, we are brought to a place of thanksgiving for these much needed wonderful works that the Master Potter is working in the lives of all humanity but mercifully revealing to us today what their purpose is as they perfect the saints and prepare them to be able to bind up all the wounds that God has allowed and will allow through the evil experience that we all must experience in this life.

Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Ecc 1:13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

No discipline or trial “seemeth to be joyous” as the King James expresses it “but grievous.” Nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness, and so in this study we will look at the process of praise and how it is formed through the fiery trials of this life that mature us in our appreciation of God’s greatness and His mighty hand, which is not shortened that it cannot save.

Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Heb 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

God does not need our praise or even our thankful hearts, but He knows how to form this within us through the gift of the holy spirit which brings us to deeply appreciate the trials and subsequent repentance to which enduring fiery trials brings us (Luk 17:17, Rom 2:4). It is for our benefit that we come to be able to praise God and think upon His “goodness and severity” (Rom 11:22) as He reveals His purpose for all that He does in our lives and the lives of all of humanity.

Our perception and understanding of God as a merciful and loving Father matures in understanding and conviction after we are received through chastening and scourging. It is God’s modus operandi to create a relationship with all men that will be founded on a deep reverence and love of God as we come to learn that He has always done all things for our good, including the chastening and scourging and bringing us to a place of worship and thanks unto Him for being our great Abba, Father.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Psa 66:4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
Psa 66:5 Come and see the works of God: he is terrible (H3372) in his doing toward the children of men.
Psa 66:6 He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot (H7272): there did we rejoice in him.

We know this is not just a history lesson about Israel of old but a witness, a type and shadow, of what God is going to do with all men spiritually (1Co 10:11, 1Pe 1:12), each man in his order (1Co 15:23). We will all eventually speak of the wonderful works of God that took us from the sea (humanity) and brought us into “dry land” (the church).

Notice that “they went through the flood on foot”, and that word “foot” has its root in the word râgal (H7270) which speaks to the slanderous spirit of the age of this spiritual wilderness we are in (Gen 8:9, condition of the world; Psa 15:3-4, flood and foot; Eze 32:2, spy; Luk 20:20, the sum of this world’s witness against Christ and his Christ is false Mar 14:56, Act 4:27, Mat 5:11).

We have to endure through the wilderness of sin (Exo 17:1) and have this spirit burned out of us (referring to verse 10 of our psalm) which will lead to our rejoicing “in him” the last part of this verse (verse 6).

H7272 regel reh’-gel
From H7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication a step; by euphemism the pudenda: – X be able to endure, X according as, X after, X coming, X follow, ([broken-]) foot ([-ed, -stool]), X great toe, X haunt, X journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.

H7270 râgal raw-gal’
A primitive root; to walk along; but only in specific applications, to reconnoitre, to be a tale bearer (that is, slander); also (as denominative from H7272) to lead about: – backbite, search, slander, (e-) spy (out), teach to go, view.

Continuing now with the last part verse 6: “they went through the flood on foot (H7272): there did we rejoice in him.”

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Psa 14:7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Psa 66:7 He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

We know that the rebellious will exalt themselves even with the elect ruling after a thousand symbolic years on the earth (Rev 20:8), so these words are written to remind us that this is what we do without the power of God causing us to “Selah” — to pause — and consider our ways.

Hag 1:5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Psa 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psa 66:8 O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
Psa 66:9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

We praise God because He truly does bring us to see that He “holdeth our soul (H5315) in life” and “suffereth not our feet to be moved” as we were so blessed to reminded on a previous study with these verses (Psa 91:12, Luk 4:11) to make the point that God uses the angels of God, the church, to minister to Christ’s body and hold us up and witness to those who will come after of the discipleship of Christ.

Some verses like those found in Luke 12 show us God who “holdeth our soul (H5315) in life.” We are reminded that we are in the same nephesh life as the sparrows and yet are of much greater value because God is destroying our soulishness to make it anew. Whereas the rest of the creation is being sacrificed for our sakes to demonstrate how God is destroying all the carnal realm (man’s heart) typified by beasts (Ecc 3:18).

Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Luk 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Luk 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luk 12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
Luk 12:9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
Luk 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
Luk 12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
Luk 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
Luk 12:13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
Luk 12:14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Psa 66:10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Psa 66:11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
Psa 66:12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

The result of God proving us and our being tried of the Lord is to be brought into a wealthy place.

These verses in Matthew best describe that wealthy place:

Mat 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Mat 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

In order to get to this place however, we know that there must be much tribulation (Act 14:22) which God brings about and describes in these words in verse 12: “Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.” and “Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water.”

The water and fire demonstrate the process of baptisms that we are called unto as well.

Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Psa 66:13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
Psa 66:14 Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
Psa 66:15 I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.

These verses remind us that it is upon a burnt offering (Lev 1:4) that our vows are paid and fulfilled as we saw so clearly demonstrated through the email string of late in regards to being salted with fire, which we know that every sacrifice must be, in order to be accepted of the Lord (Mar 9:49, Heb 12:6).

Our lips utter “my vows” to God that declare we are a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1) and come at times of duress “when I was in trouble” (Job 5:7). God holds us up through the fiery experience so that our sacrifice is accepted before our Father through Christ (Eph 1:6) who is represented by the fatlings, the rams, the bullocks and the goats of verse 15.

Psa 66:16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
Psa 66:17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.

What God has done for our soul is what we have been discussing all along, He has been purifying it through the fire of His word which must be tried and tested in this age if we are going to be able to reveal Christ to the world as Christ presented the Father to the world (Joh 5:43, Mat 11:27, Joh 6:38, 2Ti 2:12).

Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Psa 66:19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Psa 66:20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

A reprobate heart, as we have discussed in the past, is an unbelieving and faithless heart (2Co 13:5-6, Rom 14:23), and when we are in this state of mind, God tells us plainly that such prayers are not heard because of their faithless nature (Jas 1:7). Our prayer is that God will keep us from this spirit of unbelief which was given to the Israelites in the wilderness for our admonition.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2Co 13:6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

Heb 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Heb 3:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Heb 3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
Heb 3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

We can’t help it when we don’t have faith or are given over to a reprobate mind, but God does bring the elect to cry out and ask for help in our unbelief if we are his and he delivers us by the saving grace and faith (Eph 2:8) that come from Him alone and is manifesed through the body of Christ that “exhort one another daily, while it is called To day.”

2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

When God does not turn away from our prayer, we are experiencing His mercy in this age which acts upon those fervent and continual prayers which God grants the elect to abide in to His glory.

Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Joh 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Psa 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.