BEHOLD THE WORKS OF THE LORD
“Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.” Psalm 46:8
We miss opportunities for great encouragement and blessing by failing to observe our surroundings more closely. The world that we live in moves at such a fast pace that we are almost programmed to see only the obvious. And yet, our Scripture beckons us to “Come, behold the works of the LORD.” The word behold is defined as “to gaze at, perceive, to contemplate.” It means more than a look or a fleeting glance. It is to observe, and also to ponder the significance of that which we behold.
The first word of our text is, “Come.” We are invited to fully see and consider “the works of the LORD.” God’s great power is seen in His wonderful works. For instance, He would have us to behold His work in His creation and the elements of nature. I can remember when I first stood and gazed upon the vastness of an ocean. Our Bible tells us that He “measured the waters in the hollow of his hand” (Isaiah 40:12).
How clearly God’s works speak of His power and glory! He made the towering mountains, and He “weighed the mountains in scales” (Isaiah 40:12). Jeremiah says that He causes it to rain, makes the lightning, and brings the wind out of His treasures (Jeremiah 10:13). By God’s breath, the “frost is given” (Job 37:10). “The LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet” (Nahum 1:3). The stars in the heaven testify to God’s greatness. “He telleth the number of the stars, he calleth them all by their names” (Psalm 147:4). We have only discovered a portion of the vast universe, and yet God is so infinite that He can measure the heavens with His hand (Isaiah 40:12).
We can also behold His works as He transforms the lives of people. Of all His mighty works, this is one of the greatest. When a guilty sinner repents to God and receives Christ as Savior, He makes him a new creature in Christ. He births him into His forever family, gives new desires, and pardons all sins. He leads the Christian like a shepherd into God’s perfect will. What a great God we serve! It is good for us to “behold the works of the Lord.” Gazing at and contemplating His handiwork strengthens our faith in God. Our situations are not hopeless, and God has not forgotten to be good. Beholding His works reminds us that He is there and He is able.