Psalm 66: A Prayer of Joy
LIFE WAS NOT intended by God to be a joyless ordeal. As much as it might surprise some of us, it is actually God's desire for us to experience joy. Joy is an act of relating to God with vulnerable, unselfconscious gratitude for the good gifts he gives. Joy comes when we experience and acknowledge God's love and care for us, when we allow ourselves to express our gratitude for his love with great energy. This psalm invites us to experience joy.
Warming Up to God
Think of a time when you experienced joy. What evoked this feeling in you?
Read Psalm 66. »
Discovering the Word
- The writer calls us to action (vv. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and 16). What all does he call us to do?
- How are each of these behaviors related to the experience or the expression of joy?
- What does the section in the middle of this psalm (vv. 8-12) tell us about the cause for this particular expression of joy?
- How might this kind of experience lead to joy?
- Verses 16-20 are a more personal account of what the Lord has done. What does the writer say the Lord has done for him?
- How might this kind of experience lead to joy?
Applying the Word
- What other ways of expressing joy to God would you add to the psalmist's list?
- Why is it important to allow ourselves to experience and express joy?
- How might this psalm help you to experience and express joy?
Responding in Prayer
What joy would you like to express to God?
For Further Study
How to Read the Psalms by Tremper Longman III