Thou crownest the year with thy goodness

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness.   Psalm 65:11a

In the providence of God I turned to Psalm 65 this morning and quite honestly it is so full of our great God that I believe we could spend all the days of the rest of our lives in it and not mine all of its wealth! Truly HE is worthy of all our praise, honor and love! Blessed be God who chose us (the unworthy ones) and causes us to approach him(the high and holy One) and makes us fit (worthy) to approach him, in order that we may dwell in his courts, that we may be satisfied with him and his goodness! Who is He? He is the God of our salvation; the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea! Blessed be His name!

Before reading the entire psalm please take note of verse 11,  the psalmist writes:

"Thou crownest the year with THY goodness; and thy paths drop fatness". 

Oh how the people of God have much to rejoice in as we close another year in the history of our lives,  always remembering that history is nothing less than 'His story'. He who goodness is, he that is full of goodness from eternity to eternity, he crowns our year with goodness! Oh that we might fellowship with Him, that we might lay our head on his breast and rest and then as we rise to walk in this world may we more fully realize his goodness to us and in us and around us. Because in HIS paths drips the very fat of this goodness. Oh that we might continue in His way! Also as we walk his paths may we call others to come and go with us.


Father, we give you thanks, you who alone are worthy of our thanksgiving and praise. Thank you for calling us out of darkness and into the kingdom of your dear Son. Praise your holy name for washing us in the precious blood of Jesus, thank you for adding His righteousness to our account. Thank you for crowning our year with your goodness. Help us now as we begin a new year, give us grace that we may serve you acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Guide us into your path, the path where the goodness drops fatness, in order that the world may know that you have sent your Son, and that you have loved us just as you have loved your Son!

Psalm 65

Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.  O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.  Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:  Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:  Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.  Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.  Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.  They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.  The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

my prayer today

Psalm 28

Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.   Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.  Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.  Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

 Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.  The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.  The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.  Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

Psalm 66

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:  Sing forth the honor of His name: make His praise glorious.  Say unto God, How terrible art Thou in Thy works! through the greatness of Thy power shall Thine enemies submit themselves unto Thee.  All the earth shall worship Thee, and shall sing unto Thee; they shall sing to Thy name. Selah.

Come and see the works of God: He is terrible in His doing toward the children of men.  He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in Him.  He ruleth by His power for ever; His eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of His praise to be heard:  Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.  For thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Thou broughtest us into the net; Thou laidst affliction upon our loins.  Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.  

I will go into Thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay Thee my vows,  Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.  I will offer unto Thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul.  I cried unto Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue.  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:  But verily God hath heard me; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer.  Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me.

Augustine quote

You awake us to delight in Your praise; for You made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless, until it rest in You.                      Augustine - Confessions Book One

This quote (perhaps his most famous) from Augustine's writings brings to my mind certain passages of scriptures. Do you see a connection between his quote above and the passages below? Perhaps this quote brings other scriptures to your mind. Feel free to share.


But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.           Ephesians 2:4-7



Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee? Psalm 85:6

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9


Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11

Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. 
Matthew 11:28-30

Psalm 111

Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
2 The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
6 ¶ He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.