“Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.”– Ps. 65:11
To write that the past two years have been “different” would be an understatement. This year, God willing, we plan to be back to the normal we once knew as a church. Even though the recent past has hamstrung many of our plans, it did not budge God one iota from His throne. The Lord has allowed us to experience a famine of sorts, but I am praying this year will be a great year for God’s people. Psalm 65 is a song of wisdom. The whole nation was to sing this psalm. These inspired words are filled with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for His goodness and we are to sing about it. Three simple things can be seen in our song.
We see forgiveness (v. 1-4). The greatest of all God’s goodness’s is His forgiveness of our sins and iniquities. Romans 6:23a says, “For the wages of sin is death.” If we had to pay for even one sin we would go to Hell for all of eternity, never paying off the debt. Our righteousness is as filthy rags to God when compared with His absolute righteousness. Yet, God in His goodness has forgiven us of all our sin because of the work of Jesus on the cross.
We see the awesome works of God (v. 5-8). He delivered Israel over and over again. Perhaps no greater deliverance than the Red Sea experience ever took place in Israel’s history. God stopped Pharaoh’s army in its tracks with a pillar of fire, split the Red Sea into two halves, allowing His children to walk across the seabed on dry land. Then as icing on a cake, drew the Egyptian army into that same seabed and closed the water upon them, making Egypt and her Pharaoh memories. We in our lives see the awesome works of God. Salvation! Prayers answered! Sweet fellowship with the Lord and other believers! The privilege of having the very Word of God to read and get instruction.
We see the provision God gave to them (v. 9-13). As I write this article it is raining outside. Our Psalm speaks to the rain that God sends. There are a couple of pictures that I want you to visualize. One, I want you to visualize that the rain has come after a time of dryness, possibly a famine. Without the rains the drinking water had been scarce, and the crops did not grow. But now the rains have come, and God has provided in abundance. The wadis have filled, and the cisterns now teem with water. The fields are bursting forth with plants. The animals both domestic and wild are being fed. The year is “crowned with the goodness of God.” A second picture can be seen in the last part of verse 11 when the Psalmist says, “…thy paths drop fatness.” Close your eyes and think about a wagon filled with water. The entire bed of the wagon has barrels and barrels of water filled to the brim. The wagon is travelling along a bumpy road and each jolt tosses water from those barrels. Can’t you just see the water as it sloshes? The goodness of God can be seen as it showers us over and over again with blessings.
2022 can be a wonderful year for us. I am optimistic that we are going to see the Lord work in many ways this coming year. Are you optimistic? Are you looking for the goodness of God this next year? I certainly hope so. Do not misunderstand my statements. We will have trials, we will have sufferings, but through it all, this year will be crowned with the goodness of God. Let me close with a simple formula for having an abundant year. It was originally written in a church bulletin from the island of Fiji.
‘To achieve spiritual success, do not forget to give God the first hour of the day, the first day of the week, the first part of every paycheck, the first consideration in every decision, and the first place in your heart.’ – That’s a great way to start and to live through the year ahead!!!
What a simple yet profound instruction. 2022 is here. We have a new slate upon which to write. God willing it will be wonderful for all of us, but only as we live in obedience to the instruction book. You know, the book we call our Bible.