"Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul."
Psalm 66:16
Psalm 66 was written to praise Jehovah for freedom from bondage. Here the Israelites leaving Egypt through the Red Sea on dry ground are remembered by the psalmist. What he says in our verse for today should be told by every believer. The parallels between psalmist and today’s believer should cause us to think about what God has done for us.
“Come and hear,”
The psalmist was eager to communicate his personal testimony with others. The good that God had done for him he would freely share with others.
“Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him,” (Luke 8:38-39).
“All ye that fear God,”
Notice in this case that the psalmist’s testimony was not directed to the lost, but to the God-lovers, those who fear Him, the true worshippers of the true God. One of the times of encouragement in our corporate worship is when believers share with us how God has been working in their lives. To see the practical, everyday way that God has met a particular need, or provided in an unusual way can encourage and strengthen the courage and resolve of the brethren.
This should challenge our hearts to be ready to tell others what God is doing in our lives. One God-fearer telling what God is doing in his life, sharing with other God-fearers.
“And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee,” (Mark 5:18-19).
“And I will declare what he hath done for my soul.”
“Let me tell you what Jesus has done for me!” Many people will debate what they believe their theology teaches. Some will argue whether God exists or not. People dispute what the Scriptures say. But, no one can argue with a changed life! “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.”
“The words ‘for my soul,’ are equivalent to, ‘for me.’ Literally, ‘for my life.’ The phrase would embrace all that God had done by his gracious intervention in delivering the people from bondage. The language here is such as may be used by any one who is converted to God,…” (Barnes).
What has God done for your life? Go, tell others! Brag about how good your God is to you! Make His name great!
1. Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.