“Come and See What God Has Done!”

[Psalm 66]

How is your spiritual life these days?
I often ask brothers and sisters I meet,
“How is your spiritual life?”

Of course, some people feel a bit caught off guard by this question, but most respond with something like:
“I’m serving at church in this or that way, attending prayer meetings, and going to Bible study.”

But personally, when I hear these kinds of responses, I get the sense that their spiritual life is more focused on doing rather than being. That is, when someone is asked about their spiritual life, we usually talk about what we are doing for God or for our faith, rather than saying something like:
“God has been working in my life in such and such ways, and by His grace, I am growing in faith and becoming more like Jesus.”

This reveals that we are often more focused on our actions rather than God’s actions — what God is doing in our lives and how He is working.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that our actions are unimportant. Faith that is alive must be accompanied by action, so our deeds are indeed important.

However, what must come first — our true priority — is God’s work, not our work.

In Psalm 66:5, the psalmist says:
“Come and see what God has done, His awesome deeds for mankind!”

Today, based on this verse, I would like to reflect on one or two things under the title:
“Come and See What God Has Done”, and humbly receive the grace God gives us through it.

First, we must consider God’s works.

(1) The psalmist says that God’s deeds toward humanity are awesome.

Look again at Psalm 66:5:
“Come and see what God has done, His awesome deeds for mankind.”

Among the many great and wondrous things God did for the people of Israel, one event we cannot leave out is when God parted the Red Sea during the Exodus, making it dry land, so the Israelites could cross on foot (verse 6).
This was a supernatural act of God.

That is why the psalmist declares that God’s deeds for mankind are awesome (verse 5).
In other words, he says that God’s supernatural works are “great and marvelous” (Revelation 15:3).
These supernatural and wondrous acts not only display God’s power but also show how deeply He loves and cares for His people (MacArthur).

When the later generations of Israel remembered that power and love of God, they rejoiced in the Lord (Psalm 66:6).

Another great and wondrous deed of God is recorded by the psalmist like this:
“He rules forever by His power, His eyes watch the nations—let not the rebellious rise up against Him.” (Selah) (verse 7)

This refers to God’s sovereign rule over the world by His power and providence (according to Park Yun-sun).
The Almighty God who rules and reigns also watches over the nations (see Psalm 11:4–5).
Therefore, the psalmist exhorts:
“Let not the rebellious exalt themselves” (Psalm 66:7).

Who are we, that our Lord should rule over us, watch us, and care for us by His power?
We cannot comprehend His great and marvelous purposes.

That is why we sing praise like this:
“I know not why God’s wondrous grace to me He has made known, nor why—unworthy as I am—He claimed me for His own.” (Hymn 410, verse 1)

(2) The Psalmist says that God does not allow us to stumble.

Look at today's passage, Psalm 66:9:
"He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping."

God, while ruling and governing the world in His sovereign power, cherished the lives of His people, the Israelites, and preserved them.
Therefore, He did not allow them to stumble.

How did God prevent the Israelites from stumbling?
The Lord refined them like silver (v.10), so that they would not stumble.

And how did the Lord refine them?
Look at verses 11–12:
"You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance."

The Lord refined them by bringing them into the net and placing heavy burdens on their backs.
Why did the Lord allow such suffering to the Israelites?
Because He wanted to reveal Himself to His people and shape their character through it (Psalm 11:4–5, 7b) (WBC).

After refining the Israelites, God brought them out from suffering into a place of abundance (Psalm 66:12).

Our Lord is the potter who molds us through suffering so that we may become more like Jesus.
Although He allows us to suffer for a time, that suffering is for our benefit (Psalm 119:71).
In other words, through suffering, the Lord reveals Himself to us and shapes our character.

Secondly, we should consider what we ought to do.

(1) We should glorify God through praise.

Look at Psalm 66:1–2 and 8:
"Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; give him glorious praise!" (vv. 1–2)
"Praise our God, all peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard." (v. 8)

Here, the phrase "give him glorious praise" (v. 2) means to make the act of praising God your glory (according to Park Yoon-sun, Aben Ezra, Calvin).

As the Psalmist meditated on the awesome deeds God had done for Israel and on His power to rule and govern the world, he exclaimed:
"Shout for joy to God, all the earth!"
and he made the act of praising God his glory.

The Psalmist also encourages us to praise God and say to Him:
"Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.' (Selah)" (vv. 3–4)

(3) We must proclaim the works that God has done for our souls.

Look at today’s text, Psalm 66:16:
“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for my soul.”

As the psalmist reflected on the grace of God that brought him salvation, he urged those who fear God to “come and hear,” and he testified to all of them about what God had done for him.

Dr. Yoon-Sun Park once said the following:
“Receiving the grace of God is the most precious thing. Not merely because of the grace itself, but because through such an event, one draws nearer to God in relationship. Therefore, one cannot and should not remain silent.”

The psalmist David also said in Psalm 39:2:
“I was silent and said nothing good; and my anguish increased.”

We must proclaim the works of God—what He has done for us, and the grace He has poured out upon us—we must declare it to everyone.

(4) We must pray to God.

Look at Psalm 66:17:
“I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue.”

The psalmist prayed to God and offered Him praise. Just like Paul and Silas in Acts 16 prayed and sang hymns to God, the psalmist meditated on what God had done and offered Him both prayer and praise.

In his heart as he prayed, he did not harbor sin. He knew that if he had, the Lord would not have listened to his prayer (Psalm 66:18).

He confesses:
“But God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.” (v.19)
“Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me.” (v.20)

Let us all meditate on the great and marvelous work that God accomplished about 2,000 years ago on the cross of Calvary.
Let us remember the great and marvelous work He did on the cross for our eternal life (salvation).

Let us deeply immerse ourselves in His grace—that He rules us in His sovereignty, watches over us, and takes care of us.
He is the God who does not allow us to stumble.
He disciplines us through suffering, and in the midst of that suffering, He reveals Himself and shapes us to become more like Jesus.

Furthermore, we must, in faith, meditate on the great and marvelous work that Jesus will do when He returns.
When He comes again, we will be transformed in an instant, and we will be clothed with glorious spiritual bodies.
He will lead us into eternal heaven.
We will attend the wedding supper of the Lamb, and we will worship and praise God forever before His glorious presence.

Therefore, we must glorify and praise God even more.
And we must offer Him wholehearted worship in spirit and in truth, with all our heart, soul, and mind.

We must also proclaim to everyone the work God has done for us.
And in prayer, like the apostle John, we must cry out:
“Maranatha—Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

“When my Lord Jesus returns to this world, He will lead me to that heavenly home…”
(Hymn #40, verse 4)

Shared by Pastor James Kim
(Praying that we all live a God-centered spiritual life)