CLOTHED WITH FLOCKS

Psalm 65:13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys are also covered over with corn; they shout joy, they also sing.

This is a psalm of David - a psalm of praise and thanksgiving. How thankful we should be for God's plan for mankind living on His created earth, and for the hope of eternal salvation He established for His righteous children. It is a plan that includes both our physical life on earth as well as the spiritual life of our soul. The first life lasts for approximately 70 to 80 years; the latter life lasts for eternity. This psalm says, as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away (Vs. 3), allowing us the opportunity to spend eternity in heaven with our God and Creator. This heavenly promise of God is supported and reinforced by His earthly creation. This psalm gives us just a sample of His wonderful creation and its example of heaven.

Often the majesty of God's creation is expressed by quoting the first three verses of the 19th Psalm: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. These verses tell us that the universe, as we know it, was created and set in motion by God. Each day and night, the sun, moon, stars and planets, as well as the air we breath, the light that surrounds us, the rain, the dew; all of these things that make up the vast heavens and the firmament; all of these majestic things, God has created. They preach, teach and lecture to every human being on earth, in all languages; they declare to us the undeniable glory of God in His creation, which we experience daily.

This psalm, used as our text, also declares the glory of God, but uses different examples. It is a psalm of thanksgiving for all those things that sustain our live here on earth - the sunshine and rain that puts the life sustaining food on our tables. This psalm could possibly have been written after a drought that ended with the coming of rain, and which resulted in a bountiful harvest. The words paint a beautiful portrait of a pastoral scene of cattle grazing in rolling pastures beside fields of grain that gently wave in the breeze. What a picture!

Often people become smug with a self satisfied, complacent attitude that results from their personal accomplishments. We are smart enough to send people to the moon and even further in space. We have developed computing systems that have the capability of storing the entire bible in a space less than a pinhead. We can soar in the sky, dive to the depths of the oceans and carve ribbons of highways through mountains. The capability of mankind is simply amazing, and we've only scratched the surface of what can be accomplished.

However, here are just two things, suggested in this text, which put the capability of people in perspective. These two things declare the glory of God and frailty of mankind. They are cattle and corn. These aren't things we see as we observe the heavens and the firmament. We observe these earthly things daily.

If mankind is so great, why can't he or she we make a cow? Not clone a cow, but start from scratch and make a cow! Do you realize how complicated a cow is? Do you realize how important the cow has been to mankind by providing milk and meat that sustains life? If we are so great, why can't we make a stalk of corn? Not by planting a existing seed, but start from scratch and make corn! Do you realize how important corn has been to mankind by providing bread and other valuable by-products? These are two of God's basic creations; things that sustain our lives here on earth.

Yes, there is a God! Take a look around you. Observe the heavens and the firmament. Mankind is not capable of creating his own universe. Neither is he capable of making a cow or an ear of corn. O, how marvelous are these simple creations of God that confirm Him to be our Creator - our Giver of physical and spiritual life! Let all mankind say, Amen!