John Calvin Commentary Psalms 65:4

"Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee], That he may dwell in thy courts: We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, Thy holy temple." — Psalms 65:4 (ASV)

Blessed is the man whom you have chosen. Having already acknowledged that the people had separated themselves from God by their sins and forfeited all right to be heard, he now takes refuge in the free grace of God, which secures the remission of sin among other blessings.

He thus casts additional light on what he had said about guilt being purged away, by pointing to God's own nature as favorable to poor sinners—a nature that can only be found in His fatherly love, leading Him to welcome them into His presence, however undeserving.

That pardon which we daily receive flows from our adoption, and on it also are all our prayers founded. How could the sinner venture into the sight of God, to obtain reconciliation with Him, if he were not persuaded of His being a Father? In the words before us, David does not speak of the grace of God as reaching to the Gentiles (which he had done in a preceding part of the psalm), but in terms that apply only to the times in which he wrote.

The Church of God was confined to the Jews, and they only were admitted into the sanctuary; whereas now, when the distinction has been abolished, and other nations called to the same privilege, we are all at liberty to approach Him with familiarity. Christ is our peace (Ephesians 2:14), who has united in one those who were far off and those who were near.

What has just been said may show the scope of the Psalmist. The Church and chosen people of God, being in possession of the promise of the remission of sin, he calls those blessed whom God has included within that number and introduced into the enjoyment of such a distinguished privilege.

His language intimates that the election did not at that time apply to all; for he insists upon it as the special prerogative of the Jews that they had been chosen by God in preference to the other nations. If it were supposed that man could do anything to anticipate the grace of God, the election would cease to be with God Himself, although the right and power of it are expressly ascribed to Him.

But the Jews had no excellence above others, except in the one point of having enjoyed the distinguishing favor of God. The middle wall of partition is now broken down, so that the Gentiles might be called in. It is evident, however, that all are not alike called; and observation proves the ignorance of those who will assert that the grace of God is extended to all in common, without any choice exerted on His part.

Can any reason be imagined why God should not call all alike, except that His sovereign election distinguishes some from others? Faith and prayer may be means for obtaining for us an interest in the grace of God; but the source from which it flows is not within but without us.

There is a blessedness in exercising trust in God and embracing His promises—a blessedness experienced when, through faith in Christ the Mediator, we apprehend Him as our Father and direct our prayers to Him in that character. But before this faith and prayer can have any existence, it must be supposed that we who are estranged from God by nature have been brought near by an act of His favor.

We are near Him, not as having anticipated His grace and come to Him of ourselves, but because, in His condescension, He has stretched out His hand as far as hell itself to reach us. To speak more properly, He first elects us, and then testifies His love by calling us.

It is noticeable, also, that though God separated the seed of Abraham to be a peculiar people, entitled as the circumcision to a place in His temple, there can be no question that David recognized a distinction even among those who were Jews, all not having been the subjects of God’s effectual calling, nor were they properly entitled to a place in His temple.

The Psalmist alludes, indeed, to the outward sanctuary when he speaks of the Jews as chosen to approach God. However, we must remember (as was brought to our attention in Psalm 15:1 and Psalm 24:3) that not all who walked in the court of the temple were real members of the Church; the great qualifications necessary were a pure heart and clean hands.

Accordingly, we must understand "those brought near to God" to mean those who present themselves before Him in the exercise of genuine faith, not merely those who occupy a place in His temple in outward appearance.

Furthermore, "being chosen" and "being called to approach God" are mentioned here together to correct any foolish idea that the sheep of God’s flock are allowed to wander at will for any length of time and are not brought into the fold. This coming to the sanctuary under the leading of the Holy Spirit is one way our gratuitous adoption is evidenced.

The Psalmist insists upon the fruit springing out of the blessed privilege of which he had spoken, when he adds that believers would be satisfied with the fullness of His temple. Hypocrites may go there, but they return empty and unsatisfied as to any spiritual blessing enjoyed. It is noticeable that the person is changed in this part of the verse, and that David associates himself with other believers, preferring to speak upon this subject from personal experience.

We are not to understand that believers are fully replenished with the goodness of God at any one moment; it is conveyed to them gradually. But while the influences of the Spirit are thus imparted in successive measures, each of them is enriched with a present sufficiency, until all are in due time advanced to perfection.

I might remark here that while it is true, as stated (Psalms 103:5), that God satisfieth our mouth with good things, it is also necessary to remember what is said elsewhere: Open thy mouth, and I will fill it. Our contracted desires are the reason we do not receive a more copious supply of blessings from God; He sees that we are restricted in ourselves and accommodates the communications of His goodness to the measure of our expectations.

By specifying particularly the goodness of the sanctuary, the Psalmist offers an implied commendation of the outward helps God has appointed for leading us into the enjoyment of heavenly blessings.

In those former times, God could have directly stretched out His hand from heaven to supply the wants of His worshippers, but He saw fit to satisfy their souls by means of the doctrine of the law, sacrifices, and other rites and external aids to piety. Similar are the means He employs in the Church still; and though we are not to rest in these, neither must we neglect them.