Ezekiel 20 and Psalm 66-67

In Ezekiel 20, like in Ezekiel 8, the elders come to the prophet for consultation. God is not anxious to share with the elders the direction they seek. D. A. Carson provides an explanation in his commentary,

The first is the sheer glory of God: that is one of God’s driving concerns behind the judgments that have fallen and are about to fall. For the sake of his own name God has done what would keep his name “from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight [he] had brought them out” (20:14; cf. 20:22). This theme is further developed in chapters 36 and 39. It is so central in Scripture that we are in danger of overlooking it precisely because of its familiarity.1

In Psalm 66, the psalmist offers up praise to God for all of the rich blessings He has given. The biggest impression for me from this psalm comes at the very end (Ps. 66:19-20). It is the praise that I hope to offer some day soon,

But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Psalm 67 is a plea for the blessing of God. “Lord, please make Your face to shine upon us!” (Ps. 67:1). How can God be please with me and happy with me? It is only because of the sanctifying work of Jesus in my life through the Holy Spirit. God is not please with me because of my appearance, because of the charitable works that I have, or because of how blessed my life is; He is pleased with me because of the redemptive work of His Son with my life.

1 D. A. Carson, For the Love of God: a Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word., vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998), 25.

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