◄ Psalm 66:14 ►
the vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke in my distress.
Study Bible
the vows that my lips promised
In ancient Israel, making vows to God was a common practice, often seen as a solemn promise or commitment made during times of need or distress. Vows were considered binding and were to be fulfilled as an act of worship and gratitude. The importance of vows is highlighted in passages such as Numbers 30:2, which emphasizes the necessity of keeping one's word to the Lord. The act of making vows can be seen as a demonstration of faith and reliance on God, acknowledging His sovereignty and ability to deliver. This phrase reflects the psalmist's personal commitment and the sincerity of his devotion, as vows were not to be made lightly.

and my mouth spoke in my distress
The context of distress often led individuals to seek divine intervention, as seen throughout the Psalms. Distress could arise from various situations, including personal affliction, national crisis, or spiritual turmoil. In the biblical narrative, distress frequently serves as a catalyst for deeper reliance on God, prompting individuals to cry out for His help. This phrase underscores the human tendency to turn to God in times of trouble, seeking His mercy and deliverance. It also reflects the psalmist's honesty and vulnerability before God, recognizing that in moments of desperation, one's true dependence on the divine is revealed. The connection to other scriptures, such as Psalm 18:6, where David calls upon the Lord in his distress, illustrates a consistent theme of seeking God's aid in challenging times.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Psalmist
The author of Psalm 66, traditionally attributed to David, who is expressing gratitude and commitment to God.

2. God
The recipient of the vows and the one who delivers the psalmist from distress.

3. Distress
The unspecified situation or event that prompted the psalmist to make vows to God.

4. Vows
Promises made by the psalmist to God during a time of need, reflecting a deep commitment and reliance on divine intervention.
Teaching Points
The Seriousness of Vows
Vows made to God are not to be taken lightly. They reflect a solemn promise and commitment that should be honored.

Vows in Distress
Often, vows are made in times of distress when we seek God's intervention. It's crucial to remember these commitments even after the distress has passed.

Faithfulness to God
Our faithfulness in fulfilling vows is a reflection of our trust and relationship with God. It demonstrates our integrity and devotion.

Reflection on Past Promises
Regularly reflect on past vows and promises made to God. Are we fulfilling them, or have we forgotten them in times of peace?

God's Deliverance and Our Response
Recognize that God's deliverance often prompts a response from us, which can include vows, thanksgiving, and renewed commitment.
Bible Study Questions
1. What are some vows or promises you have made to God in times of distress, and how have you worked to fulfill them?

2. How does understanding the seriousness of vows in the Bible influence your approach to making commitments to God?

3. In what ways can you ensure that you remember and honor the vows you have made to God, especially when the distress has passed?

4. How can the practice of making and fulfilling vows enhance your relationship with God and your spiritual growth?

5. Reflect on a time when God delivered you from distress. How did you respond, and what commitments did you make as a result? How do these commitments align with the teachings in Psalm 66:14?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
This passage warns about the seriousness of making vows to God and the importance of fulfilling them, emphasizing the gravity of promises made in times of distress.

Jonah 2:9
Jonah, in the belly of the fish, vows to God, showing a similar pattern of making promises during distress and the importance of fulfilling them.

James 5:13
Encourages believers to pray in times of trouble, which can be seen as a form of making vows or commitments to God.
Sermons
God in HistoryW. Forsyth Psalm 66:1-20
ProvidenceJ. Stalker, D. D.Psalm 66:1-20
WorshipHomilistPsalm 66:1-20
Religious IndividualismHomilistPsalm 66:13-15
Religious Vows a Help to GodlinessPsalm 66:13-15
Vows Fulfilled and Experiences RelatedC. Short Psalm 66:13-20
People
Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Distress, Keeping, Lips, Mouth, Opened, Promised, Spake, Spoke, Spoken, Trouble, Uttered
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 66:14

     5164   lips

Psalm 66:13-14

     5741   vows
     7476   thank-offering

Psalm 66:13-15

     4651   goat

Library
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

But, after that He had Made Mention of These Evils...
30. But, after that he had made mention of these evils, he added and said, "On account of which cometh the wrath of God on the sons of unbelief." [1923] Surely it was a wholesome alarm that believers might not think that they could be saved on account of their faith alone, even although they should live in these evils: the Apostle James with most clear speech crying out against that notion, and saying, "If any say that he have faith, and have not works, shall his faith be able to save him?" [1924] …
St. Augustine—On Continence

The History of the Psalter
[Sidenote: Nature of the Psalter] Corresponding to the book of Proverbs, itself a select library containing Israel's best gnomic literature, is the Psalter, the compendium of the nation's lyrical songs and hymns and prayers. It is the record of the soul experiences of the race. Its language is that of the heart, and its thoughts of common interest to worshipful humanity. It reflects almost every phase of religious feeling: penitence, doubt, remorse, confession, fear, faith, hope, adoration, and …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

The Heart's Desire Given to Help Mission Work in China.
"Sept. 30 [1869].--From Yorkshire L50.--Received also One Thousand Pounds to-day for the Lord's work in China. About this donation it is especially to be noticed, that for months it had been my earnest desire to do more than ever for Mission Work in China, and I had already taken steps to carry out this desire, when this donation of One Thousand Pounds came to hand. This precious answer to prayer for means should be a particular encouragement to all who are engaged in the Lord's work, and who may …
George Müller—Answers to Prayer

In Death and after Death
A sadder picture could scarcely be drawn than that of the dying Rabbi Jochanan ben Saccai, that "light of Israel" immediately before and after the destruction of the Temple, and for two years the president of the Sanhedrim. We read in the Talmud (Ber. 28 b) that, when his disciples came to see him on his death-bed, he burst into tears. To their astonished inquiry why he, "the light of Israel, the right pillar of the Temple, and its mighty hammer," betrayed such signs of fear, he replied: "If I were …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Shewing Wherein all Saving Grace Does Summarily Consist"
The next thing that arises for consideration is, What is the nature of this Divine principle in the soul that is so entirely diverse from all that is naturally in the soul? Here I would observe,-- 1. That that saving grace that is in the hearts if the saints, that within them [which is] above nature, and entirely distinguishes 'em from all unconverted men, is radically but one -- i.e., however various its exercises are, yet it is but one in its root; 'tis one individual principle in the heart. 'Tis …
Jonathan Edwards—Treatise on Grace

I Will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding Also-
OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING PRAYER; WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY DISCOVERED, 1. WHAT PRAYER IS. 2. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT. 3. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO. WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1662. PUBLISHED, 1663. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:--the Spirit--helpeth our infirmities" (Rom 8:26). ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. There is no subject of more solemn importance to human happiness than prayer. It is the only medium of intercourse with heaven. "It is …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act.
(at Feast-Time at Jerusalem, Probably the Passover.) ^D John V. 1-47. ^d 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [Though every feast in the Jewish calendar has found some one to advocate its claim to be this unnamed feast, yet the vast majority of commentators choose either the feast of Purim, which came in March, or the Passover, which came in April. Older commentators pretty unanimously regarded it as the Passover, while the later school favor the feast …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Why all Things Work for Good
1. The grand reason why all things work for good, is the near and dear interest which God has in His people. The Lord has made a covenant with them. "They shall be my people, and I will be their God" (Jer. xxxii. 38). By virtue of this compact, all things do, and must work, for good to them. "I am God, even thy God" (Psalm l. 7). This word, Thy God,' is the sweetest word in the Bible, it implies the best relations; and it is impossible there should be these relations between God and His people, and …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

Question Lxxxiii of Prayer
I. Is Prayer an Act of the Appetitive Powers? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer based on Friendship II. Is it Fitting to Pray? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer as a True Cause S. Augustine, On the Sermon on the Mount, II. iii. 14 " On the Gift of Perseverance, vii. 15 III. Is Prayer an Act of the Virtue of Religion? Cardinal Cajetan, On the Humility of Prayer S. Augustine, On Psalm cii. 10 " Of the Gift of Perseverance, xvi. 39 IV. Ought We to Pray to God Alone? S. Augustine, Sermon, cxxvii. 2 V. …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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