Psalm 66:14-15

 Psalm 66:14-15

My vows to the Lord

We learn a little bit more here about the vows that the Psalm writer had made to the Lord. These were promises, made maybe under oath, that had been uttered when the individual concerned had been in dire straits. We do not know the nature of his troubles but can guess that there had been a conversation with the Lord God that went along these lines, “My circumstances are extremely difficult at this time Oh Lord. If you will deliver me, one of the first things that I will do is to go to Your Temple and offer the finest of burnt offerings. I will go to my flocks and herds and pick out the fattest of my rams and bulls and goats. I will select the best of each of these animals and take them to Your holy altar as a show of my gratitude for Your deliverance and protection.” These were generous offerings, people would have taken note, the priests would have looked on this as a memorable act of thanksgiving and God Himself would receive glory from the hands of a grateful worshipper.

Let us be clear here, we are not bound to make public exhibitions of generosity to God. Nor are we bound to offer vows to Him in some kind of religious deal, where He responds to our pleading, and we give Him the best of our possessions. In truth the Lord is looking out for us 24/7, His deliverance and protection are not singular events nor can they be merited. However, we should be willing to show our gratitude by generous giving and through humble service. It’s not our possessions or our fatted calves He wants, it’s us!

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