Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 66:16

"Come, and hear, all ye that fear God, And I will declare what he hath done for my soul." — Psalms 66:16 (ASV)

Come and hear, all ye that fear God — All who are true worshippers of God, the idea of fear or reverence being used for worship in general. The call is on all who truly loved God to hear what He had done, so that He might be suitably honored, and that due praise might be given Him.

And I will declare what he hath done for my soul — This is probably the personification of an individual to represent the people, considered as delivered from oppression and bondage. The words “for my soul” are equivalent to “for me.” Literally, “for my life.” The phrase would embrace all that God had done by His gracious intervention in delivering the people from bondage. The language here is such as may be used by anyone who is converted to God, in reference to:

• to all that God has done to redeem the soul;
• to all that He has done to pardon its guilt;
• to all that He has done to give it peace and joy;
• to all that He has done to enable it to overcome sin;
• to all that He has done to give it comfort in the prospect of death;
• to all that He has done to impart to you the hope of heaven.

The principle here is one which it is right to apply to all such cases. It is right and proper for a converted sinner to call on others to hear what God has done for him:

• because it is due to God thus to honor Him;
• because the converted heart naturally gives utterance to expressions of gratitude and praise, or wishes to make known the joy derived from pardoned sin;
• because there is in such a soul a strong desire that others may partake of the same blessedness, and find the same satisfaction and peace in the service of God.

It is the duty of those who are pardoned and converted thus to call on others to hear what God has done for them:

• because others have the same need of religion that they have;
• because the same salvation is provided for them that has been provided for those who have found peace;
• because all are under obligation to make known as far as possible the fact that God has provided salvation for sinners, and that all may be saved.

He who has no such sense of the mercy of God, manifested toward him, as to desire that others may be saved — who sees no such value in the religion that he professes as to have an earnest wish that others may partake of it also — can have no real evidence that his own heart has ever been converted to God. Compare the notes at Romans 9:1-3; notes at Romans 10:1.