“Make His Praise Glorious” (Ps 66)

“Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious” (vs1-2).

God is just and will not let wickedness prosper (vs1-4). He says, “Say to God, How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall yield feigned submission to You. All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; they shall sing praises to Your name”.

He saves His church, subdues our sins, and brings the wicked to their knees in the end, forcing them to confess that Jesus is Lord, before He damns them. Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.

This GREAT God is glorious in producing holiness in His people and conquering sin. He is to be praised for it, for He alone is worthy because of the holy salvation that He gives, a salvation that makes us like Christ, even as it made Christ the reason for God to bless us. Holiness is God's gift, and only He can do it in us. Holiness is God's power subduing sin by the Spirit BECAUSE Christ has died. Romans 8:2 says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”. And, by sin's defeat, God reveals Himself as upright, wise, and good. Bless Him and praise Him publicly. Declare to all the earth with your life that He is King. Only those who are saved by grace can do it from the heart, because you love God for saving you.

Secondly, public praise is RIGHT (vs5-9). He says, “Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved”. Don't be ashamed of standing for the winning team. You are no fool to give honor to Jesus Christ, to believe on Him, confessing Him openly, even when challenged. Our Lord said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies will be those of his own household” (Matt 10:34-36).

Homosexuality and fornication run wild in many societies, churches are on every corner preaching lies, and we are judged as madmen for following Christ ZEALOUSLY. We're called “hard, blind, bigoted, and mean”, but we are only preaching and practicing the teachings of Christ. I've seen men look at the scriptures and say, “That's your opinion”, when it is really the plain teaching of Christ. They say, “I don't see it that way”, because they refuse to see at all. Yet, the venom of men and the rejection of friends and family is par for the course. We confess His greatness because He's worthy. Why live a lie?

Why pretend that man is deserving, when you know that Christ is the One that God's exalted? Why elevate men and play along with Satan's lies, when you know that Jesus is why you're saved from wrath, and no man can do anything to redeem his soul? He says, “Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him. He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; do not let the rebellious exalt themselves”. Why would you keep silent, by word and deed, when God has said “preach” and “make known”? You are living the best life, when you live to glorify the Worthy One, so that others may be saved. We are not thieves wickedly sneaking around in the night; we are messengers of TRUTH and saviors to those who hear us. James 5:20 says, “let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins”.

Finally, He chastened you sore, disappointed your ambitions, and then brought you back to His great abundance, satisfying your soul (Ps 66:10-20). Now you have something to say because you've experienced salvation, seeing Christ for yourself. He says, “For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment”.

He wouldn't let you get away with sin, for “if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are bastards and not sons” (Heb 12:8). But, He hurt you and made you repent - coming to Him in your needs, so that He could change you. Pain made you say, “Lord, I'll do it your way. I'll believe on Christ to live godly, and I'll believe that Christ is my life, ambition, message, and praise”. Bless the Lord's name for what He's done! He made you hurt, and He, being in charge of the pain, removed it when it had accomplished His purpose of good. He wasn't cruel to you, but gracious. He was not uncaring when He punished, but He lovingly spanked your bottom to spare you from wrath and improve your fruit of holiness. Heb 12 says again, “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (vs11). This great holiness producing God deserves to be praised for the holiness that He wisely, patiently, and lovingly put in you.