The Psalmist's Invitation
Psalm 66:16-20
Come and hear, all you that fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul.…


I. THAT GOD HAD DONE GREAT THINGS FOR HIS SOUL.

1. God had done great things for him, in a temporal point of view — making a king of a shepherd.

2. He here speaks, however, not as the King of Israel, but as a citizen of Zion. The soul, and not the body, the subject. Worldly riches and spiritual poverty are often combined.

3. What God did for the soul of David, He does for the soul of every believer.

(1)  He decreed its salvation.

(2)  He gave it to Christ.

(3)  He sent it: His Spirit.

(4)  He renews and sanctifies it by His grace.

(5)  He has arranged in subserviency to it, the events of His providence.

(6)  He has made present grace, the earnest of future glory, already prepared.

4. Has God done any of these things for you? If so, He has done them all.

II. THAT DAVID NOTICED AND RECORDED THE THINGS WHICH GOD DID FOR HIS SOUL.

1. Unless David had marked and treasured up God's dealings with him, he could not have told them.

2. The whole of his psalms show that this was his practice.

3. David's example is worthy of imitation — if we keep not a journal, let us at least recollect.

(1)  Such is the only course, dictated by respect for God, in His procedure towards us.

(2)  Such is the way in which we may be enabled intelligently to co-operate with God.

(3)  Such is the only way in which the answer to prayer can be perceived.

(4)  Such is the only way in which a song of thanksgiving can be learned.

4. Is the past a blank to you? Then you are not prepared to imitate David.

III. THAT HE FELT THE OBLIGATION OF DECLARING TO OTHERS THE DEALINGS OF GOD WITH HIS SOUL.

1. The general tendency and practice is to conceal God's dealings — though silence on the subject of experience is often necessary from ignorance.

2. The motives which influenced David might be various.

(1)  He would have others to learn what he had been taught.

(2)  He would have others to unite with him in praising the Lord for His mercies.

(3)  He would, in a practical way, acknowledge the unity of the Church.

(4)  He yielded to present and strong feeling: out of the abundance of his heart his mouth spake.

IV. THIS INVITATION IS ADDRESSED ONLY TO THOSE WHO "FEAR GOD."

1. Had he been preaching salvation to the lost, he would have addressed all.

2. But he is to speak of the experience of a living soul in its intercourse with God.

3. In such a case, believers only are addressed.

(1)  Because they only will listen from actual interest in such a subject.

(2)  Because they only can understand such a subject — these things must be felt to be known.

(3)  Because they only will make a right use of such communications.

(4)  Because David was seeking for Christian fellowship.

(J. Stewart.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

WEB: Come, and hear, all you who fear God. I will declare what he has done for my soul.




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