Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion: and unto Thee shall the vow be performed.
A harvest hymn
This is a psalm of thanksgiving for plentiful rain, falling at the critical time in a year of drought and ensuring a plentiful harvest. To an agricultural people this was a memorable mercy.
I. The attitude of the worshippers (Psalms 65:1-4). The opening words, “Praise is silent for Thee, O God, in Zion,” describe the hush of a multitude just ready to burst forth in song. The air is full of an intention which has not yet expressed itself, but it will utter its thought immediately, because the nation has assembled to perform the vows made during the drought, when dearth was feared. The worshippers acknowledge their dependence on the Hearer of prayer: they are part of frail humanity (“all flesh”), which can never be equal to its own requirements, but must ever be dependent on a higher Power. But there is a still deeper cause for humility, which ought always to be kept in mind when an approach is made to God: “Iniquities,” says the psalmist, “prevail against me.” What mortal has ever existed who did not require to say so? Iniquities press in from without and they press outwards from within; and man is not able to withstand their force. Yet the psalmist has discovered the secret: “As for our transgressions, Thou shalt purge them away.” God can overcome this terrible force, by blotting out the guilt of past sin and breaking the power of present sin. And the next verse supplies a description of the blessedness of those who, thus liberated, have free access to the throne of the Divine grace and full enjoyment of its privileges.
II. The object of worship (Psalms 65:5-8). He is not a God unknown, but in all the centuries of the history of Israel has shown Himself mighty on behalf of His people, by acts of salvation which have struck terror into their enemies. And not only in the events of history has His power from time to time been shown; it is exhibited continually in the great aspects of nature.
III. A picture of plenty (Psalms 65:9-13). After weeks of rainless weather, when the hearts of the husbandmen were quaking with fear, the showers, earnestly prayed for, had come at last. In the clouds sweeping over the landscape the happy inhabitants saw the footsteps of the passing Deity dropping fatness as He went. Hill and dale and wilderness had all partaken of the benefit. The flocks were full of life on the mountain sides and the fields and the valleys stood in all the bravery of healthy and abundant crops; till it seemed to the poet as if a great shout of joy were going up from all the revived objects in the landscape to the heaven from which the blessing had come. (J. Stalker, D. D.)
God as He appears in human history
I. God as He appears in human history.
1. As a prayer-answering God (Psalms 65:2). That this title belongs to Him as He appears in human life is--
(1) Suggested by universal consciousness.
(2) Proved by the universal experience of the good.
(3) Declared by the mouth of God Himself. “Call upon Me,” etc. “Ask, and ye shall receive,” etc.
2. As a man-needed God. Sooner shall the Mississippi keep away from the ocean or the earth from circling round the sun, than your soul keep away from your Maker.
3. As a sin-removing God (Psalms 65:8).
4. As a world-trusted God (Psalms 65:5).
(1) All men require some object to trust in. They must lean on something.
(2) Their condition, whether happy or otherwise, depends on the object they trust. The great misery of man is, that he rests on the unworthy, the changeable, and the insecure.
(3) The only safe object of trust is God.
II. God as He appears in human history, worshipped.
1. The kind of worship. “Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion.” Are we to understand “waiteth,” in the sense of silence? Then the essence of worship is silent--it is in the profoundest thoughts, the deepest feelings, the strongest aspirations, which are independent of language or sound. The deepest things of the soul are unutterable.
2. The blessedness of worship (Psalms 65:4). The idea is, fellowship with God, going into His courts, dwelling in His temple.
(1) The fellowship is chosen. “Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest.” What a distinction is thus put on man! No other creature in the world can hold fellowship with the Infinite.
(2) The fellowship is permanent. “Dwell in Thy house.” Not a mere visitant for a terminable period. But a resident so long as existence endures.
(3) The fellowship is satisfying. “We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house.” This is, and nothing else, the satisfaction of the soul. “In Thy presence is fulness of joy.” (Homilist.)
Praises and vows accepted in Zion
Upon Zion there was erected an altar for the offering of sacrifices. Burnt offering was only to be offered there. In fulfilment of this type, “we have an altar whereof they have no right to eat that serve the tabernacle.” There is but one altar, Jesus Christ our Lord.
I. The holy offering of worship which we desire to present to God. There is--
1. Praise. It is the chief part of the worship of heaven, and therefore should be much regarded upon earth. It is to be rendered only to God. “For Thee, O God.” For Thee only, and for Thee all. Not to virgins, or saints. And our praise is not to be formal, of lips and sound, but of the soul. And let it be continual--“waiteth for Thee.” And humble; let it wait as the servants wait in the king’s palace. And let it be expectant: on the look-out for more of God’s blessings. What abundant reason we have for praise. Mercies temporal and spiritual.
2. The vow. “Unto Thee shall the vow be performed.” We are not given to vow-making in these days. But there have been some we have made. At our conversion, at our uniting ourselves to the Church of God; when we entered on our work as Christian ministers; and, perhaps, in times of affliction. Let us keep them.
II. The blessed encouragement.
1. God hears prayer. “O Thou that hearest prayer.”
2. And all prayer, if it be true. “Unto Thee shall all flesh come.”
3. Let none of us exclude ourselves. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Zion’s praise ready for her Lord
If not always soaring we may be as birds ready for an instant flight, always with wings, if not always on the wing. Our hearts should be like the beacons made ready to be fired. When invasion was expected in the days of Queen Elizabeth, piles of wood and combustible material were laid ready on the tops of certain hills, and watchmen stood prepared to kindle the piles should there be notice given that the ships of the enemy were in the offing. Everything was in waiting. The heap was not made of damp wood, neither had they to go and seek kindling; but the fuel waited for the match. The watch-fire was not always blazing, but it was always ready to shoot forth its flame. Have ye never read, “Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion”? So let our hearts be prepared to be fired with adoring praise by one glimpse of the Redeemer’s eyes. (C. H. Spurgeon.)