Connect Psalm 65:13 with Genesis 1:31 on God's satisfaction with His creation. Setting the Scene - Scripture opens and closes with celebration: creation declared “very good” (Genesis 1:31) and the consummation pictured in a renewed earth (Revelation 21–22). - Psalm 65 situates us in the middle story line, displaying the same divine delight in ongoing, lush abundance. God’s Glorious Verdict in Genesis 1:31 - “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” - God’s assessment is definitive. Nothing is missing, nothing is flawed. • “Saw” (Hebrew ra’ah) implies a careful, satisfied inspection. • “Very good” (tov me’od) goes beyond moral goodness; it signals completeness, beauty, harmonious function. - The Creator’s pleasure is intrinsic to His character (Isaiah 46:10), and that pleasure is tied to what He has crafted. Overflowing Joy in Psalm 65:13 - “The pastures of the wilderness overflow; the hills are robed with joy.” • Overflow: a picture of super-abundance, not mere sufficiency. • Robed with joy: creation itself depicted as a worshiper, clothed in exuberant praise. - Verses 9-12 build the scene: softened earth, abundant grain, dripping paths. God’s ongoing governance sustains what He once declared “very good.” One Seamless Testimony of Delight - Genesis 1:31 is the inaugural shout of delight; Psalm 65:13 is the continuing echo. - Together they show: • Creation remains fundamentally good, upheld by God’s providence (Hebrews 1:3). • The natural world responds to its Maker with continual praise (Psalm 19:1-4). • God’s satisfaction was not a one-time verdict but an unbroken pleasure manifested season by season. Echoes Through the Rest of Scripture - Psalm 104:31: “May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in His works.” - Proverbs 8:30-31: Wisdom, personified, was “beside Him as a master craftsman… rejoicing in His whole world.” - Romans 1:20: Creation still speaks, revealing divine attributes. - Colossians 1:16-17: All things were created through and for Christ, and “in Him all things hold together.” Implications for Our Daily Walk - Receive creation as a gift: steward it with gratitude (Genesis 2:15). - Join the chorus: let hills “robed with joy” remind us to praise (Psalm 148:7-13). - Trust the Sustainer: the One who adorns wilderness pastures also meets every need (Matthew 6:26-30). - Anticipate restoration: the goodness pronounced in Genesis and celebrated in Psalms will culminate in a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13). |
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