Practical applications, II

Psalm 66 also tells us to make sure our hearts are clean in God's sight. We might look A-OK to other humans, but God sees us as we truly are.

“I the Lord search the heart
    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” (Jeremiah 17:10, NIV) 

We dare not neglect frequent cleansing of our hearts. We must deal with sin on the heart level - in our innermost beings. Each day we might yield to the particular sins that are our "Achilles' heel," whether it be pride, lust, greed, anger, or selfishness. Just as quickly as we realize we have sinned, we need to ask the Lord for forgiveness and cleansing.

Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

Just as quickly as we ask, God will be faithful and forgive.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)

The last application for us from Psalm 66 is that we cannot neglect our prayer time with God, even if the answers we seek are a long time in coming. We may feel the answers are delayed, but we must not forget that Israel prayed for deliverance from Egypt for four-hundred years! Then He sent Moses to deliver them. In the situation that the songwriter describes in our psalm, the people of God didn't receive instant relief. They were bothered by this terrible enemy for longer than they'd hoped. 

But God's timing is not our timing. He hears our prayers. He hears our cries for help. But in His time, He will bring us into a place of abundance. He will deliver us.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)

There is no one else like our God. 

Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.” (II Chronicles 14:11)

He will answer our prayers. And when He does, let's give it our all! Let's praise and worship Him, and make His praise glorious!