God Is Awesome

International Sunday School Lesson
Study Notes

Lesson Text: Psalm 66:1-12
Lesson Title: God Is Awesome

Introduction

Some scholars believe Psalm 66 was written by King Hezekiah and resulted from the Lord’s miraculous defeat of the Assyrians recorded in Isaiah 36-37. That event did reveal the awesomeness of God and His mighty power. The author of Psalm 66 remembers some of the other major miracles in Israel’s history and testifies that God has always been faithful in the midst of serious troubles. Because of the history of God’s faithfulness the author exhorts all nations to praise the Lord (Psalm 66:1-7), then he focuses primarily on Israel (Psalm 66:8-12), and then concludes with individual praise (Psalm 66:13-20).

This psalm is designed to be sung as well as spoken. It celebrates the great deeds of God on behalf of His people and calls upon all nations to rejoice with them. It is without question a call to worship our awesome God!

God’s Praise (Psalm 66:1-4)

Verse 1

“Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands” is a universal invitation for all the nations to join in Israel’s praise of God for all He had done for His people. A “joyful noise” is a shout of triumph, a cry, an alarm. “God” is the Hebrew word El-ohim which is one of the primary names for God and refers to God as the strong Creator (Genesis 1:1). The psalmist is not recognizing everyone’s god he is speaking of the one true and living God.

Behind everything is the hand of our God. If men everywhere were brought to saving faith and a relationship with God through the salvation offered in Jesus Christ, the result would be bowed hearts in worship and praise to God. Giving a correct interpretation and witness of who God is to a lost world is still the calling of God’s people. The whole world needs to know about the goodness and greatness of God. And while the world may be blinded to that truth it is our calling to tell the world about our God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 2

“Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.” God’s name reveals Who He is and His nature; and the glory of His nature is his greatness and goodness. This is a call for men to recognize Who God is as we sing and praise Him. “Make his praise glorious” simply means “make your song about Him.” When people hear us sing and praise the Lord they should know it is about the Lord.  It is quiet obvious that we live in an age when the name of God has become essentially meaningless to people. His name is thrown around as casual as any other word in our language. Yet God made it plain that we were to be careful how we use His name, especially in worship (Exodus 20:7; Ezekiel 36:20-23). Surprisingly, the time God’s name is used in vain the most today is not during a ball game or in a bar, but during our worship services (Philippians 2:9-11). Much of the use of God’s name is casual, careless, and in laughter and entertainment. God is not pleased!

Note: In past generations much, if not most, of the church music was written by called men of God, Issac Watts, John Newton, and Charles Wesley, to name a few. There were also songs written by men and women whose theology was based on Scripture, not the singing charts! The results were songs that were doctrinally correct and music that exalted Christ instead of stirring the flesh. Who has enough Holy Spirit discernment today to tell the difference?

Verse 3

A worshipping and thankful heart should reflect back to God in song and praise “how terrible art thou in thy works.” In other words, “O Lord, I’m amazed at all the wonderful and mighty things you do.” The author of Psalm 66 just didn’t know about God, he knew God. God’s “enemies submit themselves” unto God because He is so powerful. The power of God is so awesome that even His enemies shall be brought to forced submission under his feet. Say those words to God. He wants to hear us worship Him for Who He is and praise Him for what He has done!

Verse 4

This verse is similiar to verse 1 where the psalmist exhorted “all ye lands” to “make a joyful noise unto the God.” “All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name.” This praise is not only an acknowledgment of God’s universal Lordship, but also a sign of the people’s belief in a future worldwide kingdom where God was worshiped (Isaiah 66:23; Zechariah 14:16). God’s purpose is that all the nations praise Him (Psalm 98:4; Romans 15:9-12), but they can’t do that until they are saved. Nations are still lost today and the majority of the Jewish people are blinded and hardened by unbelief. However, when Israel sees her Messiah and trusts Him, then the world situation will change (Zechariah 13-14). One day there will be universal praise lifted for Jesus Christ (Revelation 11:15-18).

“Worship” is the Hebrew word “shachah” {shaw-khaw} and means “to bow down, to prostrate oneself in the presence of a superior.” It means you show the person to whom you are before that they are greater than you. Is there much biblical worship taking place today?

God’s Power (Psalm 66:5-7)

Verse 5

“Come and see the works of God…” is another invitation to the nations to review the power of God. “He is terrible in his doing toward the children of men” means God has a proven track record of His awesome power to which the psalmist is about to write about in the following verses.

Verse 6-7

It is obvious that the author is writing about the glorious event of the crossing of the Red Sea by the children of Israel (Exodus 14), the crossing of the Jordan (Joshua 1-3), and the defeat of the nations in Canaan (Joshua 4-24). The “exodus” was the birthday of the Jewish nation and has always been Israel’s testimony of the power of God. The “exodus” was to Israel what the “resurrection of Jesus Christ” is to the church.

“He ruleth by his power forever; his eyes behold the nations” is a reminder that God keeps a constant watch over his people and is still able today to handle any enemy or threat to his own. “Let not the rebellious exalt themselves” means that at any time in history some enemy to Israel may “flex her muscles” and try to overthrow God’s people but they best beware of God’s power. If you question God’s power and purpose then what about Pharaoh, Hitler, Herod, Pontius Pilate, Saddam Hussein, and every hater of God’s people who have attempted to harm God’s people? Where are they now? Remember, “He ruleth by his power forever.”

Alexander Maclaren wrote, “God’s work is never antiquated (too old to be useful). It is all a revelation of eternal activities. What He has been, He is. What He did, He does. Therefore faith may feed on all the records of old time and expect the repetition of all they contain.” Hallelujah to the faithfulness and power of our God!

God’s People (Psalm 66:8-12)

Verse 8-9

“O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard.” “Bless” means “say good things about God.” We should make known Who He is and what He has done. Although the world will one day praise Him, the people of God must lead the way. Our voices must be heard long and loud in praising the Lord who gives us life and enables us to keep it as stated in the words “Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.” If King Hezekiah is the author of this psalm, these words would be very fitting because God had just “suffereth not our feet to be moved” and God had just “holdeth our soul in life” by sparing them from the mighty Assyrian army. The phrase “thou broughtest us into the net” (Psalm 66:11) could also have reference to the snare of the Assyrian army which had Jerusalem completely surrounded.

If any nation had a reason to praise the Lord, it is Israel. God saved them from Egyptian bondage, guided them through the wilderness, and led them into a land of milk and honey. He defeated their enemies and gave them their inheritance. They are recipients of God’s law and grace, His temple, His priesthood, and His prophets. And there are great promises that await them in the future.

Verse 10-12

“For thou, O God, hast proved us; thou hast tried us, as silver is tried” speaks of the many calamities and trials sent to Israel to purify them and show the world that they were God’s people (Psalm 7:9; 11:5). The prolonged process of refining “silver” is compared to the prolonged purpose of God in refining and purifying Israel.  “Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins” also speaks of the occasions when Israel was dealt with by God. Whey they obeyed His blessed. When they disobeyed, He disciplined them. Like a careful craftsman and a loving Father, He put them through the stuff of life designed to make them like Him.

“Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads” is an obvious reference to God allowing men such as Pharaoh and Sennacherib to temporarily lord themselves over Israel. “We went through fire and through water” speaks of the deadly situations through which God had delivered His people. The author may have been then about the fires of the brick kilns in Egypt and the waters of the Nile which both speak of times of oppression. “But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place” is a reference to the land of Canaan and the fact that God did not forsake them but kept His promise to them of a better country. This has always been the testimony of God’s people. And so it is with the church. Like Israel, when men cry out for salvation, He saves. When men obey, He leads through the difficulties of life and purges us from our sinful ways. And for all who trust, He will one day take us to a better country!

Conclusion

Psalm 66:13 says, “I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows.” Evidently, the psalmist, during his times of trial and difficulties, had made promises to God. After writing about God’s activities to the nation and how the whole world should praise Him, it all got personal and he said, “I will go in thy house…I will pay thee my vows.”

It is an undeniable and undisputable fact that God is awesome! It is also undeniable that in the future “…every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” But what about you today? Is God awesome to you this very moment? He is God enough to cause you to bow, testify, sing, and serve Him as you have promised? If not, then He really isn’t that awesome, is he?

Amen.