What does Psalm 66:10 mean?

God chose Israel as His people (Deuteronomy 14:2). However, the nation defied Him not long after He'd rescued them from slavery in Egypt (Numbers 14:1–4). So, God sent the people into a forty-year wandering through the wilderness (Numbers 14:27–33). The psalmist refers to this using the Hebrew word tsâraph, referring to the process of melting precious metals to remove impurities. Israel's trials in the wilderness were meant to refine them in the same way silver is purified with fire (Psalm 66:12).

Further refining of Israel awaits during the end times. Malachi 3:3 predicts, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD." The purpose of God's testing is not to punish. Rather, He disciplines and proves the genuineness of His people's faith. Peter mentions the grief brought by hardships; he also points out that the purpose of the trials is to test the genuineness of faith. Tested, genuine faith will lead to blessings when Christ returns (1 Peter 1:6–7).