Psalm 66:8–12 // Refined, not rejected // Fred Defendorf
A Call to Worship (vv. 8–9)
The psalmist begins by inviting everyone to bless God. This call to worship is not made from a place of ease, but from experience. God is praised as the One who keeps His people alive and steady when they are close to falling. The language suggests moments when life felt uncertain and stability was not guaranteed.
During Lent, this reminds us that worship often grows out of dependence. To bless God here is not to claim that everything is fine, but to recognize that God has carried us through moments when we could not carry ourselves. Worship becomes a response to being sustained, even when life has been hard.
The Refining Process (v. 10)
The psalmist describes God as One who tests and refines His people, like silver being purified by fire. In the ancient world, refining metal took time. Silver had to remain in the heat long enough for what did not belong to rise to the surface.
This image suggests that difficult seasons are not meaningless or random. They can become places where God is slowly shaping faith and character. Lent invites us to remain present in these seasons, even when they feel uncomfortable or confusing, trusting that God is at work in ways we may not yet see.
The Severity of Trials (vv. 11–12a)
The psalm does not soften the pain of what the people experienced. Being caught in a net, weighed down by burdens, overpowered by others, and passing through fire and water all point to deep suffering and loss of control. These words describe experiences that are exhausting, humbling, and frightening.
In Lent, this honesty matters. The psalm gives us permission to name suffering without trying to explain it away. It reminds us that faith does not shield us from hardship, and that God’s people have always walked through seasons that feel overwhelming.
The Purpose of Abundance (v. 12b)
The psalm ends with a quiet but significant turn. After the fire and the water, God brings His people into a wide and abundant place. This does not erase what they endured, but it shows that suffering was not the final word.
For Lent, this points us toward hope that does not rush ahead of the journey. God’s goal is not harm, but restoration. The same God who allowed the refining is the One who leads His people into space to breathe again—into a life shaped by trust, humility, and deeper dependence on Him.
Question to Consider
As you sit with Psalm 66, where do you sense yourself today—in the fire that feels refining and intense, in the water that feels overwhelming or disorienting, or in a longing for a more spacious place where you can breathe again? As you notice where you are, what desires, fears, or hopes are beginning to surface within you?
Prompt for Prayer
Set aside a few quiet moments to come before God, just as you are. You may want to name the places in your life that feel heavy, uncertain, or still in process. There is no need to resolve them or explain them away. If words come, speak them simply. If silence feels more honest, rest there. Trust that God is present with you in both the refining and the waiting—attentive to what is unfinished and held in His care.
