Psalm 66: Spurgeon

v1 the languages of the lands are many, but their praises should be one, addressed to one only God.

v2 to honour God should be our subject, and to honour him our object when we sing. To give glory to God is but to restore to him his own.

Heart worship and spiritual joy render praise more glorious than vestments, incense, and music could do.

v3 Until we see God in Christ, the terrible predominates in all our apprehensions of him.

Power brings a man to his knee, but love alone wins his heart.

v4 Acceptable worship not only praises God as the mysterious Lord, but it is rendered fragrant by some measure of knowledge of his name or character.

...expected by the writer of this psalm; and indeed, throughout all Old Testmanet writings, there are intimations of the future general spread of the worship of God.

Perverted Judasim may be exclusive, but the religion of Moses and David and Isaiah was not so.

v5 such glorious events, as the cleaving of the Red Sea and the overthrow of Pharaoh, are standing wonders, and throughout all time a voice sounds forth concerning them 'come and see.'

..this same God liveth and is to be worshipped with trembling reverence.

v6 it is to be remarked that Israel's joy was in her God and there let ours be. It is not so much what he has done, as what he is, that should excite in us a sacred rejoicing.

v7 he has not deceased, nor abdicated, nor suffered defeat. The prowess displayed at the Red Sea is undiminished: the divine dominion endures throughout eternity.

After a survey of the Red Sea and Jordan, rebels, if they were in their senses, would have no more stomach for the fight but would humble themselves at the Conqueror's feet.

v9 at any time the preservation of life and especilly the soul's life is a great reason for gratitude but much more when we are called to undergo extreme trials whici of themselves would crush our being.

v10 God has one son without sin but he never had a son without trial.

Since trial is sanctified to so desirable an end, ought we not to submit to it with abounding resignation.

v11 As in Egypt every Israelite was a burden bearer, so is every believer while he in in this foreign land.

We too often forget that God lays our afflictions upon us; if we remembered this fact, we should more patiently submit to the pressure which now pains us.

v12 Many an heir of heaven has had a dire experience of tribulation; the fire through which he has passed has been more terrible than that which chars the bones, for it has fed upon the marrow of his spirit, and burned into the core of his heart; while the waterfloods of affliction have been even more to be feared than the remorseless sea, for they have gone in even unto the soul, and carried the inner nature down into deeps horrible, and not to be imagined without trembling. Yet each saint has been more than conqueror hitherto, and, as it has been, so it shall be.

v13 The child of God is so sensible of his own personal indebtedness to grace that he feels that he must utter a song of his own.

v15 he who is miserly with God is a wretch indeed

In these three verses we have gratitude in action, not content with words, but proving its own sincerity by deeds of obedient sacrifice.

v16 Before they were bidden to come and see. Hearing is faith's seeing.

v17 Since the Lord's answers so frequently follow close at the heels of our petitions, and even overtake them, it becomes us to let our grateful praises keep pace with our humbles prayers.

Those who are least fluent with their tongues are often the most eloquent with their hearts.

v18 If you refuse to hear God's commands, he will surely refuse to hear they prayers.