Psalms 66:18

_IF I REGARD INIQUITY IN MY HEART, THE LORD WILL NOT HEAR ME:_ If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me - rather 'If I had regarded iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have heard me' (Job 35:12; Isaiah 1:15; Isaiah 59:2; John 9:31; 1 John 3:22). Integrity of aim, with purity as to secret or open sin and habitual hypocrisy, not absolute sinlessness, is meant....

13-20 We should declare unto those that fear God, what he has done for our souls, and how he has heard and answered our prayers, inviting them to join us in prayer and praise; this will turn to our mutual comfort, and to the glory of God. We cannot share these spiritual privileges, if we retain the love of sin in our hearts, though we refrain from the gross practice, Sin, regarded in the heart, will spoil the comfort and success of prayer; for the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination of the Lord. But if the feeling of sin in the heart causes desires to be rid of it; if it be the presence of one urging a demand we know we must not, cannot comply with, this is an argument of sincerity. And when we pray in simplicity and godly sincerity, our prayers will be answered. This will excite gratitude to Him who hath not turned away our prayer nor his mercy from us. It was not prayer that fet...

Verse Psalms 66:18. _IF I REGARD INIQUITY IN MY HEART_] "If I have seen (ראיתי _raithi_) iniquity in my heart," if I have known it was there, and _encouraged_ it; if I _pretended_ to be what I _was not_; if I _loved iniquity_, while I _professed to pray_ and be _sorry for my_ _sin; the Lord_, אדני Adonai, my Prop, Stay, and Supporter, would not have heard, and I should have been left without _help_ or _support_....

IF I REGARD INIQUITY IN MY HEART - literally, “If I have seen iniquity in my heart.” That is, If I have indulged in a purpose of iniquity; if I have had a wicked end in view; if I have not been willing to forsake all sin; if I have cherished a purpose of pollution or wrong. The meaning is not literally, If I have “seen” any iniquity in my heart - for no one can look into his own heart, and not see that it is defiled by sin; but, If I have cherished it in my soul; if I have gloated over past sins; if I am purposing to commit sin again; if I am not willing to abandon all sin, and to be holy. THE LORD WILL NOT HEAR ME - That is, He will not regard and answer my prayer. The idea is, that in order that prayer may be heard, there must be a purpose to forsake all forms of sin. This is a great and most important principle in regard to prayer. The same principle is affirmed or implied in...

EXPOSITION THIS is another song of thanksgiving, and is connected with a special deliverance (Psalms 66:10). The composer is about to offer a sacrifice to God in his holy place, in performance of a vow which he had made when he was in trouble (Psalms 66:13), and has prepared the psalm as a liturgical formula to be used on the occasion. It is an ode in four strophes: an opening one of four verses—a simple rendering of praise (Psalms 66:1); then a short strophe of three verses, celebrating God's might against his enemies (Psalms 66:5); next a statement in general terms of the deliverance experienced, a

IF I REGARD INIQUITY IN MY HEART,.... There was iniquity in his heart, as there is in every good man's heart, and a great deal too; it is full of it; and it should be regarded in some sense, so as to guard against it, and pray to be kept from it, that it may not break forth into action; and so as to loath it, abhor it, and be humbled for it; but not so as to nourish and cherish it, to take delight and pleasure in it: or "if I look upon it" h, as it may be rendered; that is, with approbation of it, and satisfaction in it, and ordered his conversation according to it; or acted the deceitful and hypocritical part in prayer; or had any evil intention in his petitions, to consume on his lusts what he asked for; THE LORD WILL NOT HEAR [ME]; for the Lord hears not sinners that delight in sin, and live in it; neither profane sinners nor hypocrites; see John 9:31. h אם ראיתי

Psalms 66:1. _Make a joyful noise unto God all ye lands: sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious._ In a company of advanced saints, silence may be sometimes profitable. The first verse of the previous Psalm should read, according to the Hebrew, «Praise is silent for thee, O God, in Zion.» Full-grown saints may have their times of waiting in silence before the Lord, but when the heathen are to be brought in, and when new hearts are to be taught new songs, then there must be a noise, and not merely a noise, but a noise that is full of joy: «Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.» This should be the chief point about it, that it should be a joyful noise. Many of the newly invented tunes, which have put the good old tunes out of favor, appear to have been made to rattle through the hymn as quickly as possible, as though the composer had written, «Let us praise

Psalms 66 The Praise and Worship of the Millennium _ 1. What God hath wrought! (Psalms 66:1)_ 2. Israel's praise and worship (Psalms 66:8) “Shout aloud unto God, all the earth! Sing the glory of His Name, ascribe to Him glory, in His praise.” This will be done in the coming kingdom age. And Israel will be the leader of that praise, calling upon the nations to join into the glory song. “All the earth shall worship Thee, and shall sing unto Thee, they shall sing Thy Name, Israel will worship in the beauty of holiness, and this people, now a holy nation and kingdom of priests, become His witnesses.” “Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul.”...

LXVI. A AND LXVI. B. Here again we have two Pss., rather unskilfully joined together, for the former ends, the latter begins abruptly. In Psalms 66 A (Psalms 66:1) the speaker always uses the first person plural in speaking of himself. He represents the people, or at least a section of the people. He deals with matters of public concern. In Psalms 66 B (Psalms 66:13) the poet uses the singular number and thanks God for grace bestowed upon himself personally. LXVI. A. The author invites the Jews, and indeed the whole world, to praise God's wondrous deeds. God had guided the Hebrews in their trials, as He had led them long ago through the Red Sea and across the Jordan dry-shod. The most notable thing in the Ps. is its universalism. The heathen, though no doubt in a subordinate position, are t

INIQUITY. Hebrew. _'aven._ App-44. THE LORD*. One of the 134 places where the _Sopherim_ say they altered Jehovah to Adonai. App-32. HEAR. answer....