Psalm 65 - God is good and kind

In this psalm, David reflects on why God should be worshipped. He thinks about worship features at the sanctuary as well as about the Lord’s works in providence.

At the sanctuary, people could draw near to God personally and communally. Often they came to keep vows that they had made when the Lord had helped them. The vow usually involved offering a sacrifice, a public acknowledgement of the Lord’s goodness shown in a difficult situation. God should be praised because he answers prayer.

Another reason for praising God that was connected to the sanctuary was that it was the location where atonement was made for sin. We can see from the pronouns in verse 3 that while a worshipper had an individual sense of sin he joined with others in experiencing the remedy. His sense of his personal sin was strong, but the remedy provided by God was the same for all who confessed their sins.

A third reason for praising God at the sanctuary was gratitude for the work of those who lived there, the priests and Levites, who took their turns in serving in different roles so that the worship system functioned well in the way that God had set it apart. It was the place where his grace was given and received in a soul-satisfying manner by the worshipper (v. 4).

As we look back at the forms of worship at the tabernacle and temple, we may be tempted to dismiss them because they were inferior to the greater privileges and understanding that we now have. Yet it was a profound experience for believers to go there and worship the holy God.

In verse 5, David turns to think about other examples of God’s work in providence. One obvious example is his displays of power everywhere. When he describes God as the hope of people faraway, I think he means that God’s involvement is so constant in the natural order that people recognise his sovereignty even although they do not sense his mercy. They knew that Someone was keeping the mountains in their places, that Someone was calming the stormy seas, that Someone was even controlling disturbances that arose in different societies, that Someone was in charge of the daily cycles. They felt compelled to worship him, but they did not know he was. But David and his people did (vv. 5-8).

The section beginning at verse 9 could indicate that this psalm is a harvest song. But it could also be a general psalm thanking God for his bountiful provision and noting how he worked in providence to bring it all about by sending rain to produce pastures for animals and grain for humans. 

As with the divine arrangement of day and night in verse 8, the divine arrangement for provisions in verse 13 highlights the joy experienced through common grace. Perhaps there is an echo of what was lost in Eden and an anticipation of what will be seen in the new creation when it comes.

The obvious lesson from the psalm is that Christians should be glad that they know God, that they know that the One who pardons is also the One who provides, that the One who answers prayer is also the One who is active in providence continually, that the One who has arranged for us to worship him is full of grace and kindness.