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Family Corner

Year 1-10

PSALM 66:1-6 Based on Scottish Psalter , 1650 , the Book of Psalms , 1871 and The Psalter , 1912

Verses 1 – 6
1 All lands to God in joyful sounds Aloft your voices raise ;
2 Sing forth the honor of His name , And glorious make His praise , And glorious make His praise .
3 Say unto God , How terrible In all Thy works art Thou ! Through Thy great power Thy foes to
Thee Shall be constrained to bow , Shall be constrained to bow .
4 Yes , all the earth shall worship Thee , And unto Thee shall sing ; And to Thy name most glorious Their songs of praise shall bring , Their songs of praise shall bring .
5 O come , behold the works of God , His mighty doings see ; In dealing with the sons of men Most terrible is He , Most terrible is He .
He turned the sea into dry land , So they a pathway had ;
6 They through the river went on foot ; There we in Him were glad , There we in Him were glad .
TUNE : MILES LANE CM (“ All Lands to God ”) William Shrubsole , 1779
Year 11-15

PSALM 16

1 Preserve me , O my God ; I put my trust in You . LORD , I confess , You are my Lord ; No good have I but You .
2 The godly ones on earth , Those holy in Your sight , 3 The noble and majestic ones , Fill me with great delight .
4 Their sorrows multiply Who after idols seek . To them I ’ ll no blood off ’ rings make ; Their names I ’ ll never speak .
5 The LORD the portion is Of my inheritance . He fills my cup , my lot prepares , Secures to me His grants .
6 The lines that fell to me Enclose a pleasant site . The heritage that I received To me is a delight .
7 I bless the LORD Who guides With counsel that is right . My heart within me He directs To teach me in the night .
8 I always keep the LORD Before me , Him to see . Because He is at my right hand I never moved shall be .
9 Thus gladness fills my soul ; My joy must be expressed With my whole being , for my flesh Securely finds its rest .
10 My soul You will not leave In death ’ s dark pit to be . Corruption You will not permit Your Holy One to see .
11 The path of life You ’ ll show ; Of joy You hold great store . Before Your face , at Your right hand , Are pleasures evermore .
TUNE : LEOMINSTER SMD ( 25A ) (“ Not What My Hands Have Done ”) Based on Book of Psalms , 1871 , and Psalm16A ,
The Book of Psalms for Singing , 1973 ; altered 1994
FEBRUARY 2018

PSALM SYNOPSIS

Psalm 66:1-6 Another of the great missionary Psalms ( with Pss 47 , 67 , 72 , 96 , 100 , etc .), the 66th calls “ all the earth ” to witness the great salvation wrought by God for His people at the Red Sea ( v 6 ), and join in His praise ( vv 1-12 ). It even affirms , “ all the earth will worship Thee ” ( v 4 ). The voice shifts from the world to individual praise ( vv 13-20 ) as individuals respond in dedication , testimony , and praise . The Psalm reminds us as well to keep short accounts with God , warning that
“ If I regard wickedness in my heart , the Lord will not hear ;” ( Ps 66:18 , NASB )
Psalm 16 David expresses the decisive insight of life : we have no good besides God ( v 2 ). All the good things of this world are lesser goods that point beyond themselves to God the summum bonum , the greatest good . From this then follows love for God ’ s people ( v 3 ), repudiation of false gods ( v 4 ), contentment with one ’ s lot in life ( 5,6 ), embracing of biblical counsel ( 7,8 ), assurance of salvation ( 9,10 ), and delight in fellowship with God . All this comes to us through Christ , whom to know is of “ surpassing worth ” ( Phil 3:8 ).
“ The theme of having one ’ s affections centered on God gives this Psalm its unity and ardour ,” says Kidner . The 16 th Psalm is rich in devotional expression :
“ I say to the LORD , “ You are my Lord ; I have no good apart from you . . . . in your presence there is fullness of joy ; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore .” ( Ps 16:2 , 11b )
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