King David’s big questions about God and his Planet Earth of answers
One of the things I like about the Psalms is that they give voice to the questions we humans have about the maker of the environment around us. Did this Creator just leave us alone in the universe? If he is still involved in some way, what is he doing? When we try to talk to the Creator, does he listen? If we ask him for something, is he able to act? Is he willing to act?
In one of my favorite psalms, Psalm 65, David creates a Planet Earth of word pictures to suggest answers to many of these questions.
Does the maker of the universe hear our prayers? Yes! As a result all humanity turns to him, even those on the other side of the globe (65:2,8).
Does the Creator care about me and my plight? Absolutely. Even when I feel completely overwhelmed by a mess I’ve made, God forgives me, draws me near, and shares with me good things from his house (65:3-4).
Is this Creator powerful enough to act? David says, who are we talking about here? What did it take to make the mountains? How could the roaring ocean waves be controlled? The Creator still has this kind of power (65:5-7).
What do the Creator’s actions toward the planet look like today? Here David paints a picture that is like one of those stop-motion nature scenes in a David Attenborough documentary. God’s activity on the planet looks like water, rushing along a stream or falling gently from the sky. This water splashes down on a newly planted field, moistening and softening the ridges of soil, soaking the seeds. Pale green shoots push their way above ground, coloring the hills. Where there had been desert, flocks of sheep now graze across the grasses. On other hills, wheat grows up and the golden harvest fills wagons to overflowing (65:8-13).
Of course, this is just one person’s perspective, on a good day. In other psalms, like Psalm 13, David writes of times of suffering when his prayers seem unanswered. But here, David focuses on the lavish goodness God has created.
As created beings, how do we respond to God’s actions to give us abundance? David suggests that if we humans choose to sing out a song of joy, we will hear the animals and plants singing along.