Commentary - Psalm 66:1-4

Bird's-eye view

This psalm is a summons, a universal trumpet blast, calling the whole planet to worship. It is not a polite suggestion offered in a committee meeting. It is a royal command issued from the throne room of the cosmos. The psalm moves from this global call to worship (vv. 1-4) to the specific historical reasons for that worship, grounding it in God's mighty acts of deliverance for His people (vv. 5-7). It then speaks of the refining fire of affliction that God's people endure (vv. 8-12), and concludes with the personal testimony and vows of the psalmist, who has come through that fire with a sacrifice of praise (vv. 13-20). This is how worship works; it begins with God's general call to all mankind, is rooted in His specific redemptive acts, is tested in the furnace of trials, and results in a personal, heartfelt, and public testimony to His goodness. It is a thoroughly God-centered affair from start to finish.

The first section, our text for today, establishes the bedrock foundation for everything that follows. The praise of God is not a niche activity for a select few. It is the chief obligation of every man, woman, and child under the sun. The reason for this is also made plain: God's works are "fearsome," and His power is absolute. This is not the sentimental God of modern evangelicalism; this is the sovereign Lord of history before whom all enemies must eventually bow, whether in sincere faith or feigned submission.

Outline

Context In Psalms

Psalm 66 is a psalm of thanksgiving, but it carries a robust, declarative, and public force. It is not a quiet, private "thank you" whispered in a corner. It is a public proclamation intended for "all the earth." This fits squarely within the Psalter's broader insistence that the God of Israel is the God of the whole world. The worship of Yahweh is not a tribal religion; it is the destiny of all nations. This psalm anticipates the Great Commission, where the disciples are sent to all nations. The global scope here is unapologetic and triumphant. The God who redeemed Israel at the Red Sea is the same God who demands and will receive the worship of every nation. The movement from the corporate and global to the intensely personal is also a common feature of the Psalms. The faith of Israel was never an impersonal, collective abstraction; it was always grounded in the living experience of individual saints who could say, "come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul" (v. 16).

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 1 Make a loud shout to God, all the earth;

The psalm opens with a command, not a suggestion. And the command is for a "loud shout." The Hebrew word here implies a joyful noise, a blast of sound, like a trumpet. This is not the quiet, introspective, slightly embarrassed worship that is so common in our day. This is exuberant, uninhibited, and noisy praise. God is not hard of hearing, but our praise should be of such a quality that it demonstrates a heart overflowing. A tiny trickle of praise indicates a tiny trickle of gratitude. A loud shout indicates that the worshiper has understood something of the magnitude of the God he is addressing. And notice the audience for this command: "all the earth." Every last person. This is a totalitarian demand for worship, and it is glorious. God is the sovereign of all, and so all are commanded to acknowledge that fact with a shout.

v. 2 Sing praise for the glory of His name; Establish His praise as glorious.

The shout is now given lyrical content. We are not just making noise; we are to "sing praise for the glory of His name." The "name" of God in Scripture refers to the sum of His revealed character. We are to sing about who He is and what He is like. His glory is the weight, the substance, the magnificent reality of His being. Our task in worship is to reflect that glory back to Him. The second clause here is potent: "Establish His praise as glorious." Or, as the King James has it, "make his praise glorious." This does not mean we add any glory to God that He does not already possess. That would be impossible. Rather, it means our worship should be fitting. It should correspond to the object of our worship. We are to offer praise that is itself glorious in its execution, its passion, and its truthfulness. We are to treat His praise as a weighty, substantial, and honorable thing. No half-hearted, sloppy, or trivial worship will do. If God is glorious, then the praise offered to Him must be handled as a glorious thing.

v. 3 Say to God, “How fearsome are Your works! Because of the abundance of Your strength Your enemies will cower before You.

Now the psalmist gives us the script. What are we to say in our glorious praise? We are to speak directly to God and testify to the nature of His works. And His works are "fearsome." The word means terrible, awesome, worthy of reverence and fear. We live in a generation that wants a tame God, a divine buddy. The Bible knows nothing of such a deity. The God of Scripture is the one whose works make men tremble. Why are they fearsome? Because of the "abundance of Your strength." His power is not limited, rationed, or constrained. It is an overflowing abundance. And this power has a direct effect on His enemies. They will "cower before You." The Hebrew here is interesting. It can be translated as "feign obedience" or "submit themselves deceitfully." This is a profound bit of realism. In the end, because of God's overwhelming power, every enemy will bend the knee. Some will do so joyfully, as redeemed saints. Others will do so because they have no other choice, their hearts still full of rebellion, but their mouths forced to confess His lordship. God's ultimate victory does not depend on the sincere cooperation of His foes. His power is sufficient to bring them to heel regardless.

v. 4 All the earth will worship You, And will sing praises to You; They will sing praises to Your name.” Selah.

This is the great prophetic conclusion to the opening summons. The command of verse one will one day be a universal reality. "All the earth will worship You." This is not a hopeful wish; it is a settled prophecy. History is moving toward this grand finale, a day when every corner of the globe is filled with the worship of the one true God. This is the postmillennial hope that courses through the veins of the Psalter. The kingdom of God is not a failing enterprise; it is a mustard seed that will grow into a tree that fills the whole earth. The worship will be joyful and musical, for they will "sing praises to You." And again, the focus is on His character, for they will sing praises to His "name." The Selah invites us to pause and consider the weight of this. Stop and think about it. The cacophony of rebellion and idolatry that currently fills the airwaves will be replaced by one global song of praise to God. This is where everything is headed. Therefore, we should get with the program now.

Application

First, our worship should be robust. It should be loud, joyful, and unashamed. The command is to shout. This is not a personality type; it is a biblical command. We are to cultivate a culture of exuberant praise because our God is an exuberant God, and His salvation is a dramatic, world-altering reality.

Second, our worship must be grounded in the truth of who God is. We are to sing of the glory of His name and speak of His fearsome works. This means our worship must be deeply theological. We cannot praise a God we do not know. Our songs and prayers should be filled with the doctrinal truths of Scripture, celebrating His sovereignty, His justice, His mercy, and His awesome power.

Finally, we must have a victorious outlook. The psalm does not end with a question mark. It ends with a confident declaration that all the earth will worship Him. This should fuel our evangelism and our cultural engagement. We are not fighting a losing battle. We are on the side of the God whose strength is abundant and before whom all enemies will one day submit. Therefore, we should live and worship now in light of that coming, certain victory. Let us say to God, "How fearsome are your works!" and live like we actually believe it.