INTRODUCTION TO
Psalms
CIRCUMSTANCES OF WRITING
Since the book is a collection of many different psalms written over a long time, there is not just one author for this collection. By far the most common designation in the titles is “Of David,” which may refer to David as the author of those psalms. David’s role as a musician in Saul’s court (1Sm 16:14-23) as well as his many experiences as a shepherd, a soldier, and a king make him a likely candidate for writing many of these psalms.
The problem is that the mention of his name in the titles consists of an ambiguous Hebrew construction. It is nothing more than a preposition attached to David’s name. The preposition could be translated “written by,” “belonging to,” “for,” or “about.” This does nothing more than relate the psalms bearing that title to David in some way but not necessarily naming him as author. The translation “Of David” accurately conveys this same ambiguity.
Other titles include the designations of Solomon (Pss 72; 172), Asaph (Pss 50; 70–83), the sons of Korah (Pss 42; 44–49), Ethan (Ps 89), Heman son of Korah (Ps 88), and Moses (Ps 90). All of these use the same Hebrew preposition as appears with David’s name and therefore have the same ambiguity about authorship. In the case of Asaph, although he was one of David’s chief musicians (1Ch 6:39), the name itself became associated with a group of musicians bearing the same name (Ezr 2:40-41). This might explain why an apparently postexilic psalm (Ps 74) includes the title “of Asaph.”
The book of Psalms consists of many different hymns and prayers composed by individuals but used by the community. If one were to take the names in the titles as authors, the date of composition ranges from the time of Moses (fifteenth century BC) to a time following the exile (sixth century BC or later). Some of the titles do contain historical information that might indicate the setting of the composition, although even this (like the authorship) is ambiguous. They might not refer to the date of composition but to the setting of its contents, being composed some time after the events had taken place. This is a more likely scenario since some of these psalms describe life-threatening situations, where composing a psalm in the heat of the moment would not have been a top priority. In many cases, these psalms include thanksgiving sections as well, showing that they were written after God had answered the prayers.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE BIBLE
The relationship between God’s activities in the lives of his people and their responses to them is the most significant contribution of this book. God never spoke directly in any of the psalms, as he often did in the narratives and prophets. Therefore, they are written from the human perspective as authors work their way through various life situations. The struggle to understand how God’s attributes, particularly his sovereignty and goodness, relate to life experiences is a major theme in the collection. These words are from people who had not lost their faith in God, although they might have been tempted to at times (Ps 73). They wrestled with how God was dealing with them personally and as a community.
STRUCTURE
The book of Psalms is, from first to last, a book of poetry. Hebrew poetry lacks rhyme and regular meter, but uses parallelism wherein two (or three) lines are balanced and complete a thought. Some parallelism is synonymous, where the second line echoes the first. Antithetic parallelism uses a contrast between the two segments, and in synthetic parallelism the second segment completes the idea in the first segment.
The psalms can be divided into classes. There are hymns (145–150) and songs of thanksgiving (30–32). Psalms of lament (38–39) are prayers or cries to God on the occasion of distressful situations. Royal psalms (2; 110) are concerned with the earthly king of Israel. Enthronement psalms (96; 98) celebrate the kingship of the Lord. Penitential psalms (32; 38; 51) express contrition and repentance, and wisdom or didactic psalms (19; 119) tend to be proverbial.
SPURGEON ON PSALMS
God permitted David to go through many experiences, not so much for himself as for the good of succeeding generations. Whenever we look into David’s psalms, we may somewhere or other see ourselves. I never get into a corner but I find David in that corner. I think I was never so low that I could not find that David was lower, and I never climbed so high that I could not find that David was up above me, ready to sing his song upon his stringed instrument, even as I could sing mine.
BOOK I (PSALMS 1–41)
THE TWO WAYS
1How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked
or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers!
QUOTE 1:1
The godly man, however, does not consider first how the world regards a thing but how God looks at it.
2Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
3He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams A
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
4The wicked are not like this;
instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
ILLUSTRATION 1:2
The “happy” person spends his time meditating on God’s Word. Reading reaps the wheat; meditation threshes it, grinds it, and makes it into bread. Reading is like the ox feeding; meditation is it digesting when chewing the cud. It is not only reading that does us good but the soul inwardly feeding on it and digesting it.
6For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
1:1 “How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers!” Everyone is seeking happiness. If that is true, then everyone should read this psalm, for it directs us where happiness is to be found in its highest degree and purest form. “Happy,” says David, “is such and such a man,” and the word which he uses is, in the original, exceedingly expressive. It implies a sort of plurality of happiness, and it is scarcely known whether the word is an adjective or a noun, as if the happiness qualified the whole of life and was, in itself, better even than life itself. Surely this is the highest to which the human heart can aspire! This happiness is as attainable by the poor, the forgotten, and the obscure as by those whose names figure in history and are trumpeted by fame. It is not to the hermit or the priest, but it comes to any man or woman who loves God and seeks to obey him. His position has nothing to do with it. His character has everything to do with it. The happy man is described as one who avoids the way of wicked persons. The tragic folly and sin of the wicked is that they have neglected the chief thing to be remembered, namely, that there is a God, that they are his creatures and, being his creatures, ought to live for him. They give God no part of their lives, and he is in none of their thoughts. The godly man, however, does not consider first how the world regards a thing but how God looks at it.
1:2 “Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.” People must have some delight, some supreme pleasure. A person’s heart was never meant to be a vacuum. If not filled with the best things, it will be filled with the unworthy and disappointing. The true Christian has his holy delights, and chief among them is his reveling in the law of the Lord, the Word of God. David did not have a fourth of what we possess—it was a little Bible then. We, therefore, should take ten times more delight in it than the psalmist did.
CORONATION OF THE SON
2Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth take their stand,
and the rulers conspire together
against the LORD and his Anointed One: B
3“Let’s tear off their chains
and throw their ropes off of us.”
4The one enthroned C in heaven laughs;
the Lord ridicules them.
5Then he speaks to them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath:
6“I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
7I will declare the LORD’s decree.
He said to me, “You are my Son; A
today I have become your Father.
8Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9You will break them with an iron scepter;
you will shatter them like pottery.”
10So now, kings, be wise;
receive instruction, you judges of the earth.
11Serve the LORD with reverential awe
and rejoice with trembling.
12Pay homage to B the Son or he will be angry
and you will perish
in your rebellion, C
for his anger may ignite at any moment.
All who take refuge in him are happy.
2:8-9 “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with an iron scepter; you will shatter them like pottery.” Observe the wonderful contrast between the violent excitement of the Lord’s enemies in this psalm and the sublime serenity of God. He is not disturbed though the heathen so furiously rage and their kings and mighty ones set themselves in battle array. He has them in derision. You and I are often downcast and depressed, and our forebodings are dark and dismal, but God sits in his eternal peacefulness and serenely overrules tumult and rebellion. He has already defeated their devices, and he says to them, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” By God’s decree the ever-blessed Son of the Highest is placed in power and exalted to his throne. The rulers cannot snatch the scepter from his hand or knock the crown from his head. Jesus reigns and must reign till all enemies are put under his feet. As if it were a banquet rather than a conflict, the Lord God, as King, speaks to the King’s Son, even to his anointed at his right hand, and having acknowledged his royal rank, confers on him the highest honors. At great feasts many monarchs have been known to say to their favorites, “Ask what I might give you, and nothing will be denied you today.” So here he bids him open his mouth wide and request a boundless dominion. He will give him distant nations and even the whole earth to be his kingdom. I wish we could enter in some measure into this sublime quiet. We may well be confident since God is. If the captain is assured of victory, the common soldier can also be bravely hopeful. The battle is the Lord’s; and since he is the Lord God all-powerful, fear about the issue of the conflict is foolish and wicked. All events are in his hands. What can stand against the almighty will? Who will say to Jehovah, “What are you doing?” In his eternal all-sufficiency is our rest; and we may, therefore, cease from anxiety. Jehovah can protect his own.
CONFIDENCE IN TROUBLED TIMES
3A psalm of David when he fled from his son Absalom.
1LORD, how my foes increase!
There are many who attack me.
2Many say about me,
“There is no help for him in God.”
Selah
3But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
4I cry aloud to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
Selah
5I lie down and sleep;
I wake again because the LORD sustains me.
6I will not be afraid of thousands of people
who have taken their stand against me on every side.
7Rise up, LORD!
Save me, my God!
You strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
8Salvation belongs to the LORD;
may your blessing be on your people.
Selah
A NIGHT PRAYER
4For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
1Answer me when I call,
God, who vindicates me. D
You freed me from affliction;
be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
CHRISTIAN
PROSPERITY AND ITS CAUSES
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful:
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit
in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Christian prosperity, one of the aims of a Gospel ministry. The Psalmist describes a prosperous Christian, and give[s] advice as to the arriving at the same.
I.THE CHARACTER HERE DESCRIBED. HERE IS:
1.Fatness, absence of want. Food convenient and sufficient. To such a man, the word, prayer, the ordinances will be rivers of water. His soul will be satisfied enjoying Divine manifestation and communion.
2.Healthful growth. Upward in love, downward in humility. He is increasing in all graces and in spiritual strength.
3.Stability. He is “set fast.” Trees are sometimes carried down rivers. He is ste[a]dfast. Neither adversity nor prosperity can move him. He is ste[a]dfast in principle, doctrine, and action.
4.Fruitfulness. To God’s glory he brings forth good works, and these are “in season.” When required: meekness under scorn, faith under trial, patience in endurance.
5.Happiness. Marked contrast near water courses. A flourishing Christian will be happy.
II.THE MEANS FOR ARRIVING AT THIS STATE:
1.Avoiding evil.
α.Not holding the principles of ungodly men, men without God.
β.Not acting in the same way as sinners or open transgressors.
γ.Not favouring, associating with scorners or contemners of religion. Grad[u]ation: “walk,” “stand,” “sit,” “ungodly,” “sinners,” “scorners.”
2.Cleaving to good.
1.Delight in God’s law. It may include the moral law, but it means the whole Christian dispensation.
a.Delight and love to the truth. Necessary to prosperity.
b.Meditation on divine things is like ruminating it. By day, it is good to take some passage and think on. By night, to think on him when we may.
Exhortation to a diligent use of these means in order that the end may be attained.
74.
2How long, exalted ones, A will my honor be insulted?
How long will you love what is worthless
and pursue a lie?
Selah
3Know that the LORD has set apart
the faithful for himself;
the LORD will hear when I call to him.
4Be angry B and do not sin;
on your bed, reflect in your heart and be still.
Selah
5Offer sacrifices in righteousness C
and trust in the LORD.
6Many are asking, “Who can show us anything good? ”
Let the light of your face shine on us, LORD.
7You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and new wine abound.
8I will both lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, LORD, make me live in safety.
4:3 “Know that the LORD has set apart the faithful for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him.” When David wrote this psalm, he had been pestered and troubled by certain ungodly men who had made a mockery of what was his greatest delight. They had turned his glory into shame and had proved they loved folly and falsehood. So he said to them, “How long, exalted ones, will my honor be insulted? How long will you love what is worthless and pursue a lie?” (4:2). In order that he might stop them from angering him, he reminded them of the two great facts stated in this verse. Why did David want these men to know those two facts? First, that they might cease to oppose him, for, if they knew that the man they mocked was really a child of God, set apart by the Most High by a divine choice to be his own favored one, surely they would not go on with their persecution. Those who put Christ to death did it in ignorance, “because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1Co 2:8). And we are persuaded that many who now oppose the servant of God would not do so if they knew he really was a servant of God and that God looked on him with delight.
David’s second reason was to describe the choice privileges of the people of God. He has set them apart for himself. For what purpose? That they may be his friends and that he may converse with them. God does not usually come to this earth to talk with kings and princes—the greatest king is but a brother worm like the rest of us—but God has often been here to converse and commune with his poor people. If men are faithful, whether they are rich or poor, God has fellowship with them. Thousands at this moment are speaking with God, but all of them are godly people. And God is speaking to them. The Holy Spirit is holding high communion with many of the sons and daughters of Adam but only with those who are faithful. Even now there is a great gulf between God and the ungodly. Their backs are turned to him, and at the last he will bid them keep on doing what they have been doing. He will say to them, “Depart from me, you cursed.” But his people are always coming, coming, coming to him, and at the last he will bid them continue to do what they are now doing, for to them he will say, “Come, you blessed of my Father.”
THE REFUGE OF THE RIGHTEOUS
5For the choir director: with the flutes. A psalm of David.
1Listen to my words, LORD;
consider my sighing.
2Pay attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for I pray to you.
3In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly.
4For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil cannot dwell with you.
5The boastful cannot stand in your sight;
you hate all evildoers.
6You destroy those who tell lies;
the LORD abhors violent and treacherous people.
7But I enter your house
by the abundance of your faithful love;
I bow down toward your holy temple
in reverential awe of you.
8LORD, lead me in your righteousness
because of my adversaries;
make your way straight before me.
9For there is nothing reliable in what they say;
destruction is within them;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongues.
10Punish them, God;
let them fall by their own schemes.
Drive them out because of their many crimes,
for they rebel against you.
11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them shout for joy forever.
May you shelter them,
and may those who love your name boast about you.
12For you, LORD, bless the righteous one;
you surround him with favor like a shield.
5:11 “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May you shelter them, and may those who love your name boast about you.” Christians should take care that we exhibit both holiness of character and joyfulness of spirit, for where these two things are in us and abound, they prove that we are not barren or unfruitful. Our joy should strikingly contrast with the unrest of the unbeliever. Note, first, concerning this joy, that it is to be universal to all who trust: “Let all . . . rejoice.” This is not only for the healthy but also for the sick—not only for the successful but also for the disappointed. It is not only for those who have the bird in the hand but also for those who only see it in the bush.
Second, this joy is to be as constant as it is universal. The believer has abiding arguments for abiding consolation. Next, our joy is to be manifested. “Let them shout for joy forever.” Some Christians are good enough people; they are like wax candles, but they are not lit. Oh, for a touch of flame! Finally, this joy is logical. It arises because we find “refuge” and “shelter” in the Lord. Emotions are not fired by logic, and yet reasons furnish fuel for the flame. A man may be sad though he cannot explain his sadness, or he may be greatly glad though he cannot set forth the reasons for his joy. But the joy of a believer in God has a firm foundation; it is not the baseless fabric of a vision. The joy of faith burns like coals, and yet it can be calmly explained and justified. The joyful believer is no lunatic, carried away by a delusion; he has a “because” with which to account for all his joy.
A PRAYER FOR MERCY
6For the choir director: with stringed instruments, according to Sheminith. A psalm of David.
1LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger;
do not discipline me in your wrath.
2Be gracious to me, LORD, for I am weak; A
heal me, LORD, for my bones are shaking;
3my whole being is shaken with terror.
And you, LORD — how long?
4Turn, LORD! Rescue me;
save me because of your faithful love.
5For there is no remembrance of you in death;
who can thank you in Sheol?
6I am weary from my groaning;
with my tears I dampen my bed
and drench my couch every night.
7My eyes are swollen from grief;
they grow old because of all my enemies.
8Depart from me, all evildoers,
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
9The LORD has heard my plea for help;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
10All my enemies will be ashamed and shake with terror;
they will turn back and suddenly be disgraced.
PRAYER FOR JUSTICE
7A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.
1LORD my God, I seek refuge in you;
save me from all my pursuers and rescue me
2or they B will tear me like a lion,
ripping me apart with no one to rescue me.
3LORD my God, if I have done this,
if there is injustice on my hands,
4if I have done harm to one at peace with me
or have plundered A my adversary without cause,
5may an enemy pursue and overtake me;
may he trample me to the ground
and leave my honor in the dust.Selah
6Rise up, LORD, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my adversaries;
awake for me; B
you have ordained a judgment.
7Let the assembly of peoples gather around you;
take your seat on high over it.
8The LORD judges the peoples;
vindicate me, LORD,
according to my righteousness and my integrity.
9Let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous.
The one who examines the thoughts and emotions C
is a righteous God.
10My shield is with God,
who saves the upright in heart.
11God is a righteous judge
and a God who shows his wrath every day.
12If anyone does not repent,
he will sharpen his sword;
he has strung his bow and made it ready.
13He has prepared
his deadly weapons;
he tips his arrows with fire.
14See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil,
conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit.
15He dug a pit and hollowed it out
but fell into the hole he had made.
16His trouble comes back on his own head;
his own violence comes down on top of his head.
17I will thank the LORD for his righteousness;
I will sing about the name of the LORD Most High.
7:12 “If anyone does not repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has strung his bow and made it ready.” This evil generation has labored to take away from God the sword of his justice. They have endeavored to prove to themselves that God will clear the guilty and will by no means punish iniquity, transgression, and sin. Two hundred years ago the predominant strain of the pulpit was one of terror. It thundered forth the dreadful wrath of God; and from the lips of a Baxter or a Bunyan, you heard most terrible sermons, full to the brim with warnings of judgment to come. Perhaps some of the Puritan fathers may have gone too far and given too great a prominence to the terrors of the Lord in their ministry.
But the age in which we live has sought to forget those terrors altogether, and if we dare to tell men that God will punish them for their sins, it is charged that we want to bully them into religion. And if we faithfully and honestly tell our hearers that sin must bring after it certain destruction, it is said that we are attempting to frighten them into goodness. We do not care what men mockingly impute to us. We feel it our duty, when people sin, to tell them they will be punished; and as long as the world will not give up its sin, we feel we must not cease our warnings. But the cry of this age is that God is merciful, that God is love. Yes, who said he was not? But remember, it is equally true God is just, severely and inflexibly just. If he were not God, he would not be just. And he could not be merciful if he were not just, for punishment of the wicked is demanded by the highest mercy to the rest of mankind.
GOD’S GLORY, HUMAN DIGNITY
8For the choir director: on the Gittith. A psalm of David.
1LORD, our Lord,
how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!
You have covered the heavens with your majesty. D
2From the mouths of infants and nursing babies,
you have established a stronghold E
on account of your adversaries
in order to silence the enemy and the avenger.
QUOTE 8:2
In conquering the opposition of the powers of evil, God displays a glory more remarkable than what he obtains by the greatest feats of creative power.
3When I observe your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you set in place,
4what is a human being that you remember him,
a son of man A that you look after him?
5You made him little
less than God B,C
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
7all the sheep and oxen,
as well as the animals in the wild,
8the birds of the sky,
and the fish of the sea
that pass through the currents of the seas.
9LORD, our Lord,
how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!
8:2 “From the mouths of infants and nursing babies, you have established a stronghold on account of your adversaries in order to silence the enemy and the avenger.” The power of God is displayed in human weakness—strength out of babies’ mouths—the way he glorifies himself by using the least and causing them to show forth his praise to the confusion of his adversaries. There is a glory of God to be seen in creation, but in redemption there are peculiarly bright manifestations. In creation there was no opposition. When God framed this world, there was no opposing force to fight against him. He spoke and it was done. Absolute nothingness was no hindrance to the creation. In the sphere of moral and spiritual things “the enemy” is met with, and here is a labor worthy of God—to overthrow this enemy and still the evil voice that curses the sons of men. In conquering the opposition of the powers of evil, God displays a glory more remarkable than what he obtains by the greatest feats of creative power.
CELEBRATION OF GOD’S JUSTICE
9For the choir director: according to Muth-labben. A psalm of David.
1I will thank the LORD with all my heart;
I will declare all your wondrous works.
2I will rejoice and boast about you;
I will sing about your name, Most High.
3When my enemies retreat,
they stumble and perish
before you.
4For you have upheld my just cause;
you are seated on your throne as a righteous judge.
5You have rebuked the nations:
You have destroyed the wicked;
you have erased their name forever and ever.
6The enemy has come to eternal ruin.
You have uprooted the cities,
and the very memory of them has perished.
7But the LORD sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.
8And he judges the world with righteousness;
he executes judgment on the nations with fairness.
9The LORD is a refuge for the persecuted,
a refuge in times of trouble.
10Those who know your name trust in you
because you have not abandoned
those who seek you, LORD.
11Sing to the LORD, who dwells in Zion;
proclaim his deeds among the nations.
12For the one who seeks an accounting
for bloodshed remembers them;
he does not forget the cry of the oppressed.
13Be gracious to me, LORD;
consider my affliction at the hands of those who hate me.
Lift me up from the gates of death,
14so that I may declare all your praises.
I will rejoice in your salvation
within the gates of Daughter Zion.
15The nations have fallen into the pit they made;
their foot is caught in the net they have concealed.
16The LORD has made himself known;
he has executed justice,
snaring the wicked
by the work of their hands.
Higgaion. Selah
17The wicked will return to Sheol —
all the nations that forget God.
18For the needy will not always be forgotten;
the hope of the oppressed A will not perish forever.
19Rise up, LORD! Do not let mere humans prevail;
let the nations be judged in your presence.
20Put terror in them, LORD;
let the nations know they are only humans.
Selah
ILLUSTRATION 9:18
To the mariner, who needs to know his position when far out at sea, even one lone star gleaming amid the clouds may be precious. So to those who are among the poor and needy ones, the light of God in this text will be most joyful to their heart. He who dwells in the valley of humiliation lives in a place where he may delight in safety because he is certain, while he abides there, to give all the glory for his delight to his God. It is not a land that every person chooses; it lies too low for some people’s tastes. Some love the high places of the earth where they can exalt themselves. But he who is wise will choose to be numbered among the hungry whom the Lord fills with good things and not among the rich whom he sends away empty.
9:18 “For the needy will not always be forgotten; the hope of the oppressed will not perish forever.” God the Son will not forget us. He paid too high a price for us ever to forget us. We are his bride! He loves us as he loves himself. We are part and parcel of him, so he will never forget us. And God the Father will not forget us. We have been his from all eternity and he has “given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1Pt 1:3). We may die soon, but we will not be forgotten, for the holy angels will carry us home to heaven.
NEED FOR GOD’S JUSTICE
10LORD, B,C why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide in times of trouble?
2In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue their victims;
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings;
the one who is greedy curses D and despises the LORD.
4In all his scheming,
the wicked person arrogantly thinks, E
“There’s no accountability,
since there’s no God.”
5His ways are always secure; F
your lofty judgments have no effect on him; G
he scoffs at all his adversaries.
6He says to himself, “I will never be moved —
from generation to generation without calamity.”
7Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8He waits in ambush near settlements;
he kills the innocent in secret places.
His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless;
9he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket.
He lurks in order to seize a victim;
he seizes a victim and drags him in his net.
10So he is oppressed and beaten down;
helpless people fall because of the wicked one’s strength.
11He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
he hides his face and will never see.”
12Rise up, LORD God! Lift up your hand.
Do not forget the oppressed.
13Why has the wicked person despised God?
He says to himself, “You will not demand an account.”
14But you yourself have seen trouble and grief,
observing it in order to take the matter into your hands.
The helpless one entrusts himself to you;
you are a helper of the fatherless.
15Break the arm of the wicked, evil person,
until you look for his wickedness,
but it can’t be found.
16The LORD is King forever and ever;
the nations will perish
from his land.
17LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble;
you will strengthen their hearts.
You will listen carefully,
18doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed
so that mere humans from the earth may terrify them no more.
10:14 “The helpless one entrusts himself to you; you are a helper of the fatherless.” If the history of the world is rightly read, it will be found that no case of oppression has been allowed to go long unpunished. The Assyrian Empire was a cruel one, but what is now left of Nineveh and Babylon? Go to the heaps of ruins by the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates and see what will become of an empire that is made to be only an instrument of oppression in the hands of an emperor and the great men under him. It has ceased to be more than a name; its power has vanished and its palaces have been destroyed. In later times the mighty empire of Rome sprang up. How came it to fall? Many reasons have been assigned, but you may rest assured that at the bottom of them all was the cruelty practiced toward the slaves and other poor people who were absolutely in the power of the aristocracy and oligarchy who formed the dominant party in the empire. There is a fatal flaw in the foundations of any throne that does not execute justice. Though the empire seems to stand high as heaven and to raise its pinnacles to the skies, down it must come if it is not founded on right. When ten thousand slaves have cried to God, apparently in vain, it has not really been in vain, for he has registered their cries and in due season has avenged their wrongs. And when the poor workers who have reaped the rich man’s fields have been deprived of their harshly earned wages and have cast their complaints into the court of heaven, they have been registered there; and God has, at the right time, taken up their cause and punished their oppressors.
B 10:1 Some Hb mss, LXX connect Pss 9–10.
C 10:1 Together Pss 9–10 form a partial acrostic.
D 10:3 Or he blesses the greedy
REFUGE IN THE LORD
11For the choir director. Of David.
I have taken refuge in the LORD.
How can you say to me,
“Escape to the mountains A
like a bird!
2For look, the wicked string bows;
they put their arrows on bowstrings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
3When the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do? ”
QUOTE 11:3
The righteous one cannot be a ruined man. We must not say, “I have lost everything.” We cannot lose everything. Christ is our all, and Christ cannot be lost.
4The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD—his throne is in heaven.
His eyes watch;
his gaze A examines everyone. B
5The LORD examines the righteous,
but he hates the wicked
and C those who love violence.
6Let him rain burning coals D and sulfur on the wicked;
let a scorching wind be the portion in their cup.
7For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds.
The upright will see his face.
11:3 “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” As the children of Israel spoiled the Egyptians and made themselves rich from the spoils of their oppressors, both when they left Egypt and after the passage of the Red Sea, so let us gather riches of comfort and arms for future warfare from this text that threatens to enthrall the minds of Christians and hold them in the chains of fear and doubt. God has laid in Zion certain spiritual foundations that can never be removed—against which the gates of hell cannot prevail, time cannot shake, and eternity will only confirm. The spiritual foundations cannot be removed, but the temporal foundations can be. The foundations of civil government, the foundations of commerce, the foundations of one’s estates, the foundations of trust between man and man—these may be removed. War may arise. What can the righteous do? We can say, “The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). If the ship is wrecked, our treasure is not aboard it. We know that if the banks should break, we will only part with some of our spending money, but our true treasure is up there—not in an iron chest where the burglar can break through. The righteous must not do as the unbeliever does, who puts his hand to his fevered brow and says, “I am a ruined man.” The righteous one cannot be a ruined man. We must not say, “I have lost everything.” We cannot lose everything. Christ is our all, and Christ cannot be lost. Just accept the blow, kiss the rod, touch the hand that smites, and say, “Blessed be you, my Father.”
OPPRESSION BY THE WICKED
12For the choir director: according to Sheminith. A psalm of David.
1Help, LORD, for no faithful one remains;
the loyal have disappeared from the human race. E
2They lie to one another;
they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts.
3May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and the tongue that speaks boastfully.
4They say, “Through our tongues we have power;
our lips are our own — who can be our master? ”
5“Because of the devastation of the needy
and the groaning of the poor,
I will now rise up,” says the LORD.
“I will provide safety for the one who longs for it.”
6The words of the LORD are pure words,
like silver refined in an earthen furnace,
purified seven times.
7You, LORD, will guard us; A
you will protect us B from this generation forever.
8The wicked prowl C all around,
and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.
12:5 “‘Because of the devastation of the needy and the groaning of the poor, I will now rise up,’ says the LORD. ‘I will provide safety for the one who longs for it.’” This text tells us three things. First, God’s people may be in a sad case. Second, God’s people have a divine friend at hand who can hear even their groaning. And, third, this friend will come to their aid and take their cause in hand.
David lived in evil times. When he wrote this psalm, the days were dark and his cry was, “Help, LORD, for no faithful one remains; the loyal have disappeared from the human race.” I gather from this that, bad as the times may be in which we live, there have been bad times before these. We are not the first persons who have had reason to complain of the evils by which we are surrounded. But see the power that there is in the sorrows of God’s children to touch the heart of their great Father when he hears their groaning. When those sorrows come to be so bitter that the sufferers can scarcely pray, when they cannot find any language in which to express their grief, when even their desires seem to fail and they are so broken down and made so weak by the various troubles that have crushed them that it comes to just this groaning and nothing more, then God cannot be still. He must get up. He may have hidden his face before, but now he sees that the time has come to manifest his unchanging love and grace. If we need a picture of this, we may read, “After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned because of their difficult labor; and they cried out; and their cry for help because of the difficult labor ascended to God” (Ex 2:23). The same God lives forever and ever and lives for us as he lived for Jacob’s seed in the land of Egypt. And we in our sorrow can still touch the heart of God with our groaning. And he will deliver us as he delivered them.
E 12:1 Or the descendants of Adam, also in v. 8
A 12:7 Some Hb mss, LXX, Jer; other Hb mss read them
A PLEA FOR DELIVERANCE
13For the choir director. A psalm of David.
How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2How long will I store up anxious concerns D within me,
agony in my mind every day?
How long will my enemy dominate me?
3Consider me and answer, LORD my God.
Restore brightness to my eyes;
otherwise, I will sleep in death.
4My enemy will say, “I have triumphed over him,”
and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
5But I have trusted in your faithful love;
my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.
6I will sing to the LORD
because he has treated me generously.
13:1,6 “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? . . . I will sing to the LORD because he has treated me generously.” This is a short psalm, only six verses, but what a change there is between the beginning and the end! The first two verses are distressed to the deepest degree, but the last verse is joyful to the highest degree. David begins many of his psalms sighing and ends them singing. I do not wonder that someone says, “One would think those psalms had been composed by two men of a different disposition.” If I were asked, “Are there two men here, or is there only one?” my answer would be that there is only one, but that one is two. Every person is two persons, especially every spiritual person. He will find within himself an old man and a new man, an old nature and a new nature. And even the new nature itself is subject to strange changes so that, like April weather, we have sunshine and showers blended. Sometimes it seems as if all the showers were poured on top of the sunshine and the sunshine itself is quenched and can scarcely gladden us. David was a wonderful man for changes of experience. God permitted him to go through many experiences, not so much for himself as for the good of succeeding generations. Whenever we look into David’s psalms, we may somewhere or other see ourselves. I never get into a corner but I find David in that corner. I think I was never so low that I could not find that David was lower, and I never climbed so high that I could not find that David was up above me, ready to sing his song upon his stringed instrument, even as I could sing mine. Now according to this psalm, what are the connecting links between the man complaining and the man singing? Like David, your first step toward comfort is to go and take the matter to your God. The next thing is that David, having prayed and brought his cause before God, trusted in the Lord. Verse 5 says, “But I have trusted in your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.”
A PORTRAIT OF SINNERS
14For the choir director. Of David.
The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.”
They are corrupt; they do vile deeds.
There is no one who does good.
2The LORD looks down from heaven on the human race E
to see if there is one who is wise,
one who seeks God.
3All have turned away;
all alike have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.
4Will evildoers never understand?
They consume my people as they consume bread;
they do not call on the LORD.
5Then F they will be filled with dread,
for God is with those who are G righteous.
6You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
but the LORD is his refuge.
QUOTE 14:6
Between the two classes, the saved and the unsaved, a great gulf is fixed. There is as wide a difference between the righteous and the wicked as there is between the living and the dead.
7Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come from Zion!
When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, A
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
14:6 “You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, but the LORD is his refuge.” God’s Word divides the whole human race into two portions. There is the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman—the children of God and the children of the devil—those who are by nature still what they always were and those who have been born again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. There are many distinctions among people, but they are not much more than surface deep. This one distinction, however, goes right through, and it is deep. Between the two classes, the saved and the unsaved, a great gulf is fixed. There is as wide a difference between the righteous and the wicked as there is between the living and the dead.
David in this particular psalm calls one class of people fools and another class the oppressed. He begins by describing the fool, by which he does not mean one particular person but the whole race as it is by nature—the whole of that portion of the human race that remains unregenerate. He describes another class as the oppressed, by which he means all the saved, all the godly, all the righteous, of whom our Redeemer has said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs” (Mt 5:3). Since the first, between the two seeds, there has always been hostility—an enmity that has never been mitigated and never will be. It displays itself in various ways, but it is always there. In some ages the hostility has burst forth into open persecution—Herod sought the young child to destroy it. Haman sought to destroy the whole generation of Israel. Stakes have been erected, and the faithful have been burned. Inhuman engines of cruelty have been fashioned by the art of man, through the malice of his heart, to exterminate, if it were possible, the children of the living God. At other times the warfare is not less bitter, but the restraints of providence do not allow it to display itself as it once did. Then it takes the form of cruel mocking so that this text is as applicable to us as it was in David’s time. The sinners charge that the godly man has been fool enough, as he calls him, to put his trust in God and to make this the main point and purpose of his life. All of us do this to some extent until we are born again. But the righteous rest in the living God, finding refuge in him.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE GODLY
15A psalm of David.
LORD, who can dwell in your tent?
Who can live on your holy mountain?
2The one who lives blamelessly, practices righteousness,
and acknowledges the truth in his heart —
3who does not slander with his tongue,
who does not harm his friend
or discredit his neighbor,
4who despises the one rejected by the LORD B
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his word whatever the cost,
5who does not lend his silver at interest
or take a bribe against the innocent —
the one who does these things will never be shaken.
CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD
16A Miktam of David.
Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you.
2I C said to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good besides you.” D
3As for the holy people who are in the land,
they are the noble ones.
All my delight is in them.
4The sorrows of those who take another god
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
and I will not speak their names with my lips.
5LORD, you are my portion A
and my cup of blessing;
you hold my future.
6The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places;
indeed, I have
a beautiful inheritance.
7I will bless the LORD who counsels me —
even at night when my thoughts trouble me. B
8I always let the LORD guide me. C
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
9Therefore my heart is glad
and my whole being rejoices;
my body also rests securely.
10For you will not abandon me to Sheol;
you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.
11You reveal the path of life to me;
in your presence is abundant joy;
at your right hand are eternal pleasures.
ILLUSTRATION 16:11
As two bank-divided streams flow side by side for a while and at last melt into one river—and you can scarcely say which river it is when they are joined in one—so Christ and his church are united in one mighty stream so that what is said of the one may, at least in some sense, be said of the other. We are one with Jesus, and, consequently, much that is said concerning him may also be said concerning us.
16:11 “You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” Often in the psalms we can scarcely tell whether it is David, or Jesus, or both of them to whom the writer is referring. Often we lose sight of David altogether and are certain he is not there, while at other times the words seem equally suitable either to David the type or to Jesus the antitype. It looks as if the Holy Spirit intended, even in those ancient times, to let God’s saints know that there is a mysterious union between Christ and his people, so that almost all things which may be said concerning him may also be said concerning those who are in him. They are so completely one—they are so intimately united in bonds of mystic, vital, eternal union—that it would not always be possible to keep the sayings concerning them apart.
In this psalm we are sure there is a clear reference to the Savior because to no one but to him could the words of verse 10 absolutely apply, “For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay” (see Ac 2:25-28). All other bodies see corruption, but his holy body did not. His birth was not according to natural generation. His human nature was perfect, untainted by evil. Such a body belongs to no one else, so these words are, in the fullest sense, only applicable to our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet we feel no hesitation, as believers, in taking them to ourselves, at least to a large extent, remembering that our Lord Jesus said to his disciples, “Because I live, you will live too” (Jn 14:19). And he prayed, “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory” (Jn 17:24). This proves we also will tread the path of life he has trodden; the presence of his Father, in which he is glorified, is the same presence that will make our heaven. The right hand of God, at which he sits, is the place to which he will also exalt us; and the eternal pleasures, in which he himself rejoices, are the pleasures with which he will indulge our souls, for it is his purpose that his joy will abide in us that our joy may be full.
C 16:2 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Jer; other Hb mss read You
D 16:2 Or “Lord, my good; there is none besides you.”
A PRAYER FOR PROTECTION
17A prayer of David.
LORD, hear a just cause;
pay attention to my cry;
listen to my prayer —
from lips free of deceit.
2Let my vindication come
from you,
for you see what is right.
3You have tested my heart;
you have examined me at night.
You have tried me and found nothing evil;
I have determined that my mouth will not sin. D
4Concerning what people do:
by the words from your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
ILLUSTRATION 17:8
In the providence of God, the pupil of the eye is defended with peculiar care and transcendent skill; those who have studied the formation of the pupil itself will tell you with how many coats the retina is preserved. The most common observer knows how the eyebrows, the eyelashes, and the eyelids are formed as outworks, fences, and barricades to protect the pupil of the eye, which is thus made to dwell securely like a citizen within the entrenchments of a fortified town. Being one of the tenderest organs of the physical frame, the eye should be well preserved, in view of its exceeding sensitiveness. Nor is it merely sheltered in its own fortification, but sentries keep watch lest it should be exposed to peril. Whenever it is threatened with even the appearance of danger, no time is lost in consultation with ourselves; but with agility so brisk that it seems almost involuntary, the arm is lifted up, and the hand is raised to screen it from harm or to resist attack. And if we are about to stumble, we naturally put out our hands to save our eyes. Instinct seems to teach us the value of eyesight, and our whole strength is put forth to preserve it. In fact, all the members of the body may be regarded as a patrol for the safekeeping of the eyes, and all the incorporated human powers are in constant vigilance to guard and protect that precious orb. Likewise the Lord has been pleased to surround his people with the strong bastions of his providence. And just as our eyes are protected and cared for even in our sleep, so the Lord’s care and protection of us is constant.
5My steps are on your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6I call on you, God,
because you will answer me;
listen closely to me; hear what I say.
7Display the wonders of your faithful love,
Savior of all who seek refuge
from those who rebel against your right hand. A
8Protect me as the pupil of your eye;
hide me in the shadow
of your wings
9from B the wicked who treat me violently, C
my deadly enemies who surround me.
10They are uncaring; D
their mouths speak arrogantly.
11They advance against me; E now they surround me.
They are determined F
to throw me to the ground.
12They are G like a lion eager to tear,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13Rise up, LORD!
Confront him; bring him down.
With your sword, save me from the wicked.
14With your hand, LORD, save me from men,
from men of the world
whose portion is in this life:
You fill their bellies with what you have in store;
their sons are satisfied,
and they leave their surplus to their children.
15But I will see your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with your presence. H
17:8 “Protect me as the pupil of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” The one who prays intelligently must have some knowledge of the God to whom he prays. He has learned the uselessness of all other sources of protection. The invocation is addressed to God, for he is well aware that no other can respond to his call or intervene for his aid. He who uses this prayer intelligently perceives the omniscience of Jehovah, who, better than a hundred eyes, can see all his foes from whichever quarter they may come. He believes also in God’s omnipotence, that no assailant is so strong as he who is Israel’s refuge and fortress. Nor is there any danger so imminent that he cannot anticipate and avert it. He relies, moreover, on the love of God whose willing heart will support his interests; he relies on the faithfulness of God to show the mercy promised to the fathers and on the unchangeableness of God who will never turn back but finally achieve the salvation of his servant and protect him to the end.
D 17:3 Or evil; my mouth will not sin
A 17:7 Or love, you who save with your right hand those seeking refuge from adversaries
B 17:9 Lit from the presence of
D 17:10 Lit have closed up their fat
E 17:11 Vg; MT reads Our steps
PRAISE FOR DELIVERANCE
18For the choir director. Of the servant of the LORD, David, who spoke the words of this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the power of Saul. He said:
1I love you, LORD, my strength.
2The LORD is my rock,
my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my rock where I seek refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold.
3I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I was saved from my enemies.
4The ropes of death were wrapped around me;
the torrents of destruction terrified me.
5The ropes of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6I called to the LORD in my distress,
and I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
7Then the earth shook and quaked;
the foundations of the mountains trembled;
they shook because he burned with anger.
8Smoke rose from his nostrils,
and consuming fire came from his mouth;
coals were set ablaze by it. A
9He bent the heavens and came down,
total darkness beneath his feet.
10He rode on a cherub and flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his hiding place,
dark storm clouds his canopy around him.
12From the radiance of his presence,
his clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals.
13The LORD thundered from B heaven;
the Most High made his voice heard. C
14He shot his arrows and scattered them;
he hurled D lightning bolts and routed them.
15The depths of the sea
became visible,
the foundations of the world were exposed,
at your rebuke, LORD,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16He reached down from on high
and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of deep water.
17He rescued me from my powerful enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too strong for me.
18They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the LORD was my support.
19He brought me out to a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
20The LORD rewarded me
according to my righteousness;
he repaid me
according to the cleanness of my hands.
21For I have kept the ways of the LORD
and have not turned from my God to wickedness.
22Indeed, I let all his ordinances guide me E
and have not disregarded his statutes.
23I was blameless toward him
and kept myself from my iniquity.
24So the LORD repaid me
according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25With the faithful
you prove yourself faithful,
with the blameless
you prove yourself blameless,
26with the pure
you prove yourself pure;
but with the crooked
you prove yourself shrewd.
27For you rescue an oppressed people,
but you humble those with haughty eyes.
28LORD, you light my lamp;
my God illuminates my darkness.
29With you I can attack a barricade, A
and with my God I can leap over a wall.
30God — his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is pure.
He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.
31For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is a rock? Only our God.
32God — he clothes me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
33He makes my feet like the feet of a deer
and sets me securely on the heights. B
34He trains my hands for war;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35You have given me the shield of your salvation;
your right hand upholds me,
and your humility exalts me.
36You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps,
and my ankles do not give way.
37I pursue my enemies and overtake them;
I do not turn back until they are wiped out.
38I crush them, and they cannot get up;
they fall beneath my feet.
39You have clothed me with strength for battle;
you subdue my adversaries beneath me.
40You have made my enemies retreat before me; C
I annihilate those who hate me.
41They cry for help, but there is no one to save them —
they cry to the LORD, but he does not answer them.
42I pulverize them like dust before the wind;
I trample them D like mud in the streets.
43You have freed me from the feuds among the people;
you have appointed me the head of nations;
a people I had not known serve me.
44Foreigners submit to me cringing;
as soon as they hear they obey me.
45Foreigners lose heart
and come trembling from their fortifications.
46The LORD lives — blessed be my rock!
The God of my salvation is exalted.
47God — he grants me vengeance
and subdues peoples under me.
48He frees me from my enemies.
You exalt me above my adversaries;
you rescue me from violent men.
49Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, LORD;
I will sing praises about your name.
50He gives great victories to his king;
he shows loyalty to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.
B 18:13 Some Hb mss, LXX, Tg, Jer; other Hb mss read in
C 18:13 Some Hb mss read voice, with hail and blazing coals
E 18:22 Lit Indeed, all his ordinances have been in front of me
A 18:29 Or a ridge, or raiders
C 18:40 Or You gave me the necks of my enemies
D 18:42 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg; other Hb mss read I poured them out
THE WITNESS OF CREATION AND SCRIPTURE
19For the choir director. A psalm of David.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.
2Day after day they pour out speech;
night after night they communicate knowledge. A
3There is no speech; there are no words;
their voice is not heard.
4Their message B has gone out to the whole earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun.
5It is like a bridegroom coming from his home;
it rejoices like an athlete running a course.
6It rises from one end of the heavens
and circles to their other end;
nothing is hidden from its heat.
QUOTE 19:7-9
For expanse, for loftiness, for brightness, for glory, the Scriptures are comparable to the heavens that declare the glory of God and to the sky that shows his handiwork.
7The instruction of the LORD is perfect,
renewing one’s life;
the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.
8The precepts of the LORD are right,
making the heart glad;
the command of the LORD is radiant,
making the eyes light up.
9The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are reliable
and altogether righteous.
10They are more desirable than gold —
than an abundance of pure gold;
and sweeter than honey
dripping from a honeycomb.
11In addition, your servant is warned by them,
and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.
12Who perceives his unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from my hidden faults.
13Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins;
do not let them rule me.
Then I will be blameless
and cleansed
from blatant rebellion.
14May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.
19:7-9 “The instruction of the LORD is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. The precepts of the LORD are right, making the heart glad; the command of the LORD is radiant, making the eyes light up. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are reliable and altogether righteous.” Like the heavens the Scriptures declare the glory of God, and like the sky above they show his handiwork. But while the sky shows God’s handiwork in creation, the Word of God shows that same handiwork in redemption, in that new creation by him who says, “Look! I am making everything new” (Rv 21:5). Who can measure the great curtain God has stretched out as a tent to dwell in? Who knows its height or its breadth? And the Scriptures are just as expansive as are the heavens. No one has yet circumnavigated all the truth of divine revelation. As we look up to the great doctrines that tower above us like the high mountains, we may well say, “It is lofty; I am unable to reach it” (Ps 139:6). The length and breadth and depth and height of Scripture surpass the comprehension of mortals. And though we do sincerely believe and devoutly rejoice in them, it is not within the range of our powers to fully comprehend them.
Some persons talk as if they know the whole circle of divine truth. They think they have put the great ocean of revelation into the small measure of their mortal capacity, but that it is not so. No one will ever be able to hold the heavens in his hand. But even if this were possible, the Word of God in all its wondrous immensity is too vast to grasp. We must hold firmly whatever we have learned of the truth of God, but we must always be prepared to learn more. To say of my Bible that I have attained to every height it reveals is as foolish as to say that I have reached the highest degree of spiritual life that is possible. Paul said, “Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus” (Php 3:12). And when I have strived my utmost to know the Word of God, I still feel the need to pray, “Teach me your statutes. Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders” (Ps 119:26-27). For expanse, for loftiness, for brightness, for glory, the Scriptures are comparable to the heavens that declare the glory of God and to the sky that shows his handiwork.
DELIVERANCE IN BATTLE
20For the choir director. A psalm of David.
May the LORD answer you in a day of trouble;
may the name of Jacob’s God protect you.
2May he send you help from the sanctuary
and sustain you from Zion.
3May he remember
all your offerings
and accept
your burnt offering.
Selah
4May he give you what your heart desires
and fulfill your whole purpose.
5Let us shout for joy at your victory
and lift the banner in the name of our God.
May the LORD fulfill
all your requests.
6Now I know that the LORD gives victory to his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories from his right hand.
7Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses,
but we take pride in the name of the LORD our God.
8They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand firm.
9LORD, give victory to the king!
May he A answer us on the day that we call.
THE KING’S VICTORY
21For the choir director. A psalm of David.
LORD, the king finds joy in your strength.
How greatly he rejoices in your victory!
2You have given him his heart’s desire
and have not denied the request of his lips.
Selah
3For you meet him with rich blessings;
you place a crown of pure gold on his head.
4He asked you for life, and you gave it to him —
length of days forever and ever.
5His glory is great through your victory;
you confer majesty and splendor on him.
6You give him blessings forever;
you cheer him with joy in your presence.
7For the king relies on the LORD;
through the faithful love of the Most High
he is not shaken.
8Your hand will capture all your enemies;
your right hand will seize those who hate you.
9You will make them burn
like a fiery furnace
when you appear;
the LORD will engulf them in his wrath,
and fire will devour them.
10You will wipe their progeny from the earth
and their offspring from the human race. B
11Though they intend to harm C you
and devise a wicked plan, they will not prevail.
12Instead, you will put them to flight
when you ready your bowstrings to shoot at them.
13Be exalted, LORD, in your strength;
we will sing and praise your might.
FROM SUFFERING TO PRAISE
22For the choir director: according to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A psalm of David.
1My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far from my deliverance
and from my words of groaning?
2My God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
by night, yet I have no rest.
3But you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4Our fathers trusted in you;
they trusted, and you rescued them.
5They cried to you and were set free;
they trusted in you and were not disgraced.
6But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by people.
7Everyone who sees me mocks me;
they sneer A and shake their heads:
8“He relies on B the LORD;
let him save him;
let the LORD C rescue him,
since he takes pleasure in him.”
9It was you who brought me out of the womb,
making me secure at my mother’s breast.
10I was given over to you at birth; D
you have been my God from my mother’s womb.
11Don’t be far from me, because distress is near
and there’s no one to help.
12Many bulls surround me;
strong ones of Bashan encircle me.
13They open their mouths against me —
lions, mauling and roaring.
14I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are disjointed;
my heart is like wax,
melting within me.
15My strength is dried up like baked clay;
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You put me into the dust of death.
16For dogs have surrounded me;
a gang of evildoers has closed in on me;
they pierced E my hands and my feet.
17I can count all my bones;
people F look and stare at me.
18They divided my garments among themselves,
and they cast lots for my clothing.
19But you, LORD, don’t be far away.
My strength, come quickly to help me.
20Rescue my life from the sword,
my only life A from the power of these dogs.
21Save me from the lion’s mouth,
from the horns of wild oxen.
You answered me! B
22I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters;
I will praise you in the assembly.
23You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
All you descendants of Israel, revere him!
24For he has not despised
or abhorred
the torment of the oppressed.
He did not hide his face from him
but listened when he cried to him for help.
25I will give praise in the great assembly
because of you;
I will fulfill my vows
before those who fear you. C
26The humble will eat
and be satisfied;
those who seek the LORD will praise him.
May your hearts live forever!
27All the ends of the earth will remember
and turn to the LORD.
All the families of the nations
will bow down before you,
28for kingship belongs to the LORD;
he rules the nations.
29All who prosper on earth will eat and bow down;
all those who go down to the dust
will kneel before him —
even the one who cannot preserve his life.
30Their descendants will serve him;
the next generation will be told about the Lord.
31They will come and declare his righteousness;
to a people yet to be born
they will declare
what he has done.
22:1 “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far from my deliverance and from my words of groaning?” We here behold the Savior in the depths of his agonies and sorrows. No other place so well shows the grief of Christ as Calvary, and no other moment at Calvary is so full of agony as that in which this cry rends the air. At this moment physical weakness brought on him by fasting and scourging was united with the acute mental torture he endured from the shame through which he had to pass. As the culmination of his grief, he suffered spiritual agony that surpasses all expression on account of the departure of his Father from him. This was the blackness and darkness of his horror. Then he penetrated the depths of the caverns of suffering.
Something in these words of our Savior is calculated to benefit us. When we behold human suffering, it afflicts and appalls us; but the sufferings of our Savior, while they move us to grief, have about them something sweet and full of consolation. Even here, in this black spot of grief, we find our heaven while gazing at the cross. Though a frightful sight it makes the Christian glad and joyous. Though we lament the cause, we rejoice in the consequences. With crime we always associate anger so that when Christ died and became our substitute, he became, for a time, the victim of his Father’s righteous wrath, for our sins had been imputed to him in order that his righteousness might be imputed to us. It was necessary that he should feel the loss of his Father’s smile—for the condemned in hell must have tasted of that bitterness—and therefore the Father closed the eyes of his love, put the hand of justice before the smile of his face, and left his Son to cry out these bitter words.
A 22:7 Lit separate with the lip
D 22:10 Lit was cast on you from the womb
E 22:16 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read me; like a lion
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
23A psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd;
I have what I need.
ILLUSTRATION 23:1
A sheep is one of the most unwise of creatures. It will go anywhere except in the right direction. It will leave a fat pasture to wander into a barren one. It will find many ways but not the right way. It would wander through a forest and find its way through ravines into the wolf’s jaws but never by its wariness turn away from the wolf. It could wander near his den, but it would not instinctively turn aside from the place of danger. It knows how to go astray, but it does not know how to come home again. Left to itself, it would not know in what pasture to feed in summer or where to retire in winter.
2He lets me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside quiet waters.
3He renews my life;
he leads me along the right paths D
for his name’s sake.
4Even when I go through the darkest valley, E
I fear no danger,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff — they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in A the house of the LORD
as long as I live. B
23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I have what I need.” No one can trust providence till he distrusts himself; and no one can say, “The LORD is my Shepherd,” until he has given up every idle notion that he can control himself or manage his own interests. Alas, we are, most of us, wise above what is written, and we are too vain to acknowledge the wisdom of God. In our self-esteem we imagine that our reason can rule our purposes, and we never doubt our own power to accomplish our own intentions. And then, by a little maneuvering, we think we can extricate ourselves from our difficulties.
D 23:3 Or me in paths of righteousness
E 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death
A 23:6 LXX, Sym, Syr, Tg, Vg, Jer; MT reads will return to
B 23:6 Lit LORD for length of days ; traditionally LORD forever
THE KING OF GLORY
24A psalm of David.
The earth and everything in it,
the world and its inhabitants,
belong to the LORD;
2for he laid its foundation on the seas
and established it on the rivers.
3Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not appealed to C what is false,
and who has not sworn deceitfully.
5He will receive blessing from the LORD,
and righteousness D from the God of his salvation.
6Such is the generation of those who inquire of him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. E
Selah
7Lift up your heads, you gates!
Rise up, ancient doors!
Then the King of glory will come in.
8Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
9Lift up your heads, you gates!
Rise up, ancient doors!
Then the King of glory will come in.
10Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD of Armies,
he is the King of glory.
Selah
C 24:4 Lit not lifted up his soul to
E 24:6 LXX; some Hb mss, Syr read seek your face, God of Jacob ; some Hb mss read seek your face, Jacob
DEPENDENCE ON THE LORD
25Of David.
LORD, I appeal to you. F
2My God, I trust in you.
Do not let me be disgraced;
do not let my enemies gloat over me.
3No one who waits for you
will be disgraced;
those who act treacherously without cause
will be disgraced.
4Make your ways known to me, LORD;
teach me your paths.
5Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
I wait for you all day long.
6Remember, LORD, your compassion
and your faithful love,
for they have existed from antiquity. G
7Do not remember the sins of my youth
or my acts of rebellion;
in keeping with your faithful love, remember me
because of your goodness, LORD.
8The LORD is good and upright;
therefore he shows sinners
the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10All the LORD’s ways show faithful love and truth
to those who keep his covenant and decrees.
11LORD, for the sake of your name,
forgive my iniquity, for it is immense.
12Who is this person who fears the LORD?
He will show him the way he should choose.
13He will live a good life,
and his descendants will inherit the land. A
14The secret counsel of the LORD
is for those who fear him,
and he reveals his covenant to them.
15My eyes are always on the LORD,
for he will pull my feet out of the net.
16Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am alone and afflicted.
17The distresses of my heart increase; B
bring me out of my sufferings.
18Consider my affliction and trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19Consider my enemies; they are numerous,
and they hate me violently.
20Guard me and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
21May integrity and what is right
watch over me,
for I wait for you.
22God, redeem Israel, from all its distresses.
PRAYER FOR VINDICATION
26Of David.
Vindicate me, LORD,
because I have lived with integrity
and have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2Test me, LORD, and try me;
examine my heart and mind.
3For your faithful love guides me, C
and I live by your truth.
4I do not sit with the worthless
or associate with hypocrites.
5I hate a crowd of evildoers,
and I do not sit with the wicked.
6I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, LORD,
7raising my voice in thanksgiving
and telling about your wondrous works.
8LORD, I love the house where you dwell,
the place where your glory resides.
9Do not destroy me along with sinners,
or my life along with men of bloodshed
10in whose hands are evil schemes
and whose right hands are filled with bribes.
11But I live with integrity;
redeem me and be gracious to me.
12My foot stands on level ground;
I will bless the LORD in the assemblies.
MY STRONGHOLD
27Of David.
The LORD is my light and my salvation —
whom should I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life —
whom should I dread?
2When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,
my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
3Though an army deploys against me,
my heart will not be afraid;
though a war breaks out against me,
I will still be confident.
4I have asked one thing from the LORD;
it is what I desire:
to dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
gazing on the beauty of the LORD
and seeking him in his temple.
5For he will conceal me
in his shelter
in the day of adversity;
he will hide me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.
6Then my head will be high
above my enemies around me;
I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy.
I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7LORD, hear my voice when I call;
be gracious to me and answer me.
8My heart says this about you:
“Seek A his face.”
LORD, I will seek your face.
9Do not hide your face from me;
do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my helper;
do not leave me or abandon me,
God of my salvation.
10Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the LORD cares for me.
11Because of my adversaries,
show me your way, LORD,
and lead me on a level path.
12Do not give me over to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing violence.
13I am certain that I will see the LORD’s goodness
in the land of the living.
14Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart be courageous.
Wait for the LORD.
27:13 “I am certain that I will see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living.” We all know this world is an unpromising field for faith. According to our varied experiences, we must all subscribe to the declaration that this earth is, more or less, a valley of tears, that it is not our rest, for it is polluted. There are too many thorns in this nest for us to abide comfortably in it. This world is under the curse, so it still brings forth thorns and thistles, and in the sweat of our brows we eat our bread until we return to the earth out of which man was first taken. Were this world really to be our home, it would be a terrible fate for us. It would be sad, indeed, for us to know that we had continually to dwell where the shadow of the curse always lingers and where we have only the shadow of the cross to sustain us under it. But faith comes into this unpromising field and believes she will see the goodness of the Lord even here. She rushes into the fiercest fight that ever rages, fully believing she will see the banner of the Lord’s mercy and truth waving even there. She bears the burden and heat of the earthly toil and expects to experience the Lord’s faithful love beneath it all. She knows she will see more of her God in the land beyond the flood, but still she expects to see the goodness of the Lord even in this land of the living that is so distracted and disturbed with sorrows and cares, trials and tribulations.
MY STRENGTH
28Of David.
LORD, I call to you;
my rock, do not be deaf to me.
If you remain silent to me,
I will be like those going down to the Pit.
2Listen to the sound of my pleading
when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
toward your holy sanctuary.
3Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with the evildoers,
who speak in friendly ways with their neighbors
while malice is in their hearts.
4Repay them according to what they have done —
according to the evil
of their deeds.
Repay them according to the work of their hands;
give them back what they deserve.
5Because they do not consider
what the LORD has done
or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and not rebuild them.
for he has heard the sound of my pleading.
7The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
Therefore my heart celebrates,
and I give thanks to him with my song.
8The LORD is the strength of his people; A
he is a stronghold of salvation for his anointed.
9Save your people, bless your possession,
shepherd them, and carry them forever.
28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart celebrates, and I give thanks to him with my song.” I think I see here a battle raging furiously, yet he whom it most concerns, after having displayed his prowess and fought valiantly, steps aside, and sitting down in a quiet place, bomb proof and almost out of earshot of the cannons’ roar, talks with his heart. He forgets the raging strife. He is expecting a joyful victory. He knows his weaknesses, but he has caught a glimpse of the divine strength that is guaranteed to him. He is trembling, perhaps, from the toil of the fight, yet he rests as one insensibly subdued to settled calm and mild composure; he rests in God.
The verse divides into three parts. The first tells us of an assured possession: “The LORD is my strength and my shield.” The second speaks of a definite experience: “My heart trusts in him, and I am helped.” There are no ifs, no buts, no suspense of the soul midway between hope and fear. He speaks without a trace of hesitancy, for he tells of his own actual experience. The third part of our text properly closes with an expressed emotion, a deep emotion: “Therefore my heart celebrates.” And then we see the inward emotion interpreted in a most proper fashion by an audible utterance: “I give thanks to him with my song.”
THE VOICE OF THE LORD
29A psalm of David.
Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings, B
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD
in the splendor of his holiness. C
3The voice of the LORD is above the waters.
The God of glory thunders —
the LORD, above the vast water,
4the voice of the LORD in power,
the voice of the LORD in splendor.
5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
and Sirion, like a young wild ox.
7The voice of the LORD flashes flames of fire.
8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth D
and strips the woodlands bare.
In his temple all cry, “Glory! ”
10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned, King forever.
11The LORD gives his people strength;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.
B 29:1 Or you sons of gods, or you sons of mighty ones
JOY IN THE MORNING
30A psalm; a dedication song for the house. Of David.
1I will exalt you, LORD,
because you have lifted me up
and have not allowed my enemies
to triumph over me.
2LORD my God,
I cried to you for help, and you healed me.
3LORD, you brought me up from Sheol;
you spared me from among those
going down A to the Pit.
4Sing to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and praise his holy name.
5For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor, a lifetime.
Weeping may stay overnight,
but there is joy in the morning.
6When I was secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
7LORD, when you showed your favor,
you made me stand like a strong mountain;
when you hid your face, I was terrified.
8LORD, I called to you;
I sought favor from my Lord:
9“What gain is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your truth?
10LORD, listen and be gracious to me;
LORD, be my helper.”
11You turned my lament into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12so that I can sing to you and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.
A PLEA FOR PROTECTION
31For the choir director. A psalm of David.
LORD, I seek refuge in you;
let me never be disgraced.
Save me by your righteousness.
2Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mountain fortress to save me.
3For you are my rock and my fortress;
you lead and guide me
for your name’s sake.
4You will free me from the net
that is secretly set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5Into your hand I entrust my spirit;
you have redeemed me, B LORD, God of truth.
6I C hate those who are devoted to worthless idols,
but I trust in the LORD.
7I will rejoice and be glad in your faithful love
because you have seen my affliction.
You know the troubles of my soul
8and have not handed me over to the enemy.
You have set my feet in a spacious place.
9Be gracious to me, LORD,
because I am in distress;
my eyes are worn out from frustration —
my whole being D as well.
10Indeed, my life is consumed with grief
and my years with groaning;
my strength has failed
because of my iniquity, E
and my bones waste away.
11I am ridiculed by all my adversaries
and even by my neighbors.
I am dreaded by my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street run from me.
12I am forgotten: gone from memory
like a dead person — like broken pottery.
13I have heard the gossip of many;
terror is on every side.
When they conspired against me,
they plotted to take my life.
14But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
15The course of my life is in your power;
rescue me from the power of my enemies
and from my persecutors.
QUOTE 31:15
He that can say, “This kingdom is mine,” makes a royal claim. He that can say, “This mountain of silver is mine,” makes a wealthy claim. But he that can say to the Lord, “You are my God,” has said more than all monarchs and millionaires can speak.
16Make your face shine on your servant;
save me by your faithful love.
17LORD, do not let me be disgraced when I call on you.
Let the wicked be disgraced;
let them be quiet A,B in Sheol.
18Let lying lips
that arrogantly speak against the righteous
in proud contempt be silenced.
QUOTE 31:15
To be entirely at the disposal of God is life and liberty for us.
19How great is your goodness
that you have stored up for those who fear you
and accomplished in the sight of everyone C
for those who take refuge in you.
20You hide them in the protection of your presence;
you conceal them in a shelter
from human schemes,
from quarrelsome tongues.
21Blessed be the LORD,
for he has wondrously shown his faithful love to me
in a city under siege.
22In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the sound of my pleading
when I cried to you for help.
23Love the LORD, all his faithful ones.
The LORD protects the loyal,
but fully repays the arrogant.
24Be strong, and let your heart be courageous,
31:15 “The course of my life is in your power.” David was sad; his life was spent with grief and his years with groaning. His sorrow had wasted his strength and even his bones wasted away. Cruel enemies pursued him, seeking his life. At such a time he used his best resource for grief, for he says in verse 14, “But I trust in you, LORD.” He had no other refuge but what he found in faith in the Lord, his God. If enemies devised to take his life, he did not meet violence with violence, but he calmly trusted in the Lord. Many are the fiery darts of the evil one, but our shield is one. Though the javelins of the foe were dipped in the venom of hell, yet our one shield of faith would hold us harmless, casting them off from us. Thus David had the grand resource of faith in the hour of danger. He uttered a glorious claim, the greatest claim man has ever made: “I say, ‘You are my God.’” He that can say, “This kingdom is mine,” makes a royal claim. He that can say, “This mountain of silver is mine,” makes a wealthy claim. But he that can say to the Lord, “You are my God,” has said more than all monarchs and millionaires can speak. What more can we have? We do not have the world, but we have the Maker of the world, and that is far more. There is no measuring the greatness of that treasure. Having made the grandest claim possible, the psalmist now steadies himself on a grand old doctrine. He sings, “The course of my life is in your power.” This to him was a most cheering fact; he had no fear as to his circumstances since all things were in the divine hands. He was not shut up by the hands of the enemy, but his feet stood in a large room, for he was in a space large enough for the ocean, seeing the Lord had placed him in the hollow of his hand. To be entirely at the disposal of God is life and liberty for us.
C 31:6 One Hb ms, LXX, Syr, Vg, Jer read You
D 31:9 Lit my soul and my belly
E 31:10 LXX, Syr, Sym read affliction
THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS
32Of David. A Maskil.
How joyful is the one
whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered!
2How joyful is a person whom
the LORD does not charge with iniquity
and in whose spirit is no deceit!
3When I kept silent, my bones became brittle
from my groaning all day long.
4For day and night your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was drained A
as in the summer’s heat.
Selah
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not conceal my iniquity.
I said,
“I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Selah
6Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to you immediately. B
When great floodwaters come,
they will not reach him.
7You are my hiding place;
you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.
Selah
8I will instruct you and show you the way to go;
with my eye on you, I will give counsel.
9Do not be like a horse or mule,
without understanding,
that must be controlled with bit and bridle
or else it will not come near you.
10Many pains come to the wicked,
but the one who trusts in the LORD
will have faithful love surrounding him.
11Be glad in the LORD and rejoice,
you righteous ones;
shout for joy,
all you upright in heart.
32:1 “How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!” Here is a man who has sinned against God, and he asks, “How can I be pardoned?” His first thought is, “I will seek to mend my ways. In the virtue of the future, I will atone for the follies of the past; and I trust a merciful God will be disposed to forgive my sins and spare my guilty but penitent soul.” He then turns to Scripture to see if his hopes are warranted, and he reads there, “No one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law” (Rm 3:20). Then the sinner says, “If I mend my ways in the future, there is the dark catalog of past offenses still pursuing me. Even if I run up no other debts, there are the old accounts. How can I get them paid? How can I get my past sins forgiven?” Man cannot help us. Angels cannot help us; the greatest archangel can do nothing for us. Where can we find forgiveness? Where is the priceless prize? The mine does not have it in its depths. Stars do not have it in their brilliance. It is hidden in the sacred counsels of the Most High. Then from the throne of God, I hear it said, “I am the substitute.” And looking up there, I see, sitting on the throne, a God and yet a man—a man who once was slain. I see his scarred hands and his pierced side. But he is also God, and, smiling benignly, he says, “I have forgiveness, I have pardon. I purchased it with my heart’s blood. This precious chest of divinity was broken open for your souls. I had to die—‘the righteous for the unrighteous’ (1Pt 3:18). I had to suffer for your sake, excruciating agony, unutterable pains, and woes such as you cannot comprehend.” And can I say that this amazing grace is mine? Has he enrolled my worthless name in the covenant of his grace? Do I see the blood mark on my pardon? Do I know that he purchased it with such a price? Then can I refuse to say, “How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!”
PRAISE TO THE CREATOR
33Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous ones;
praise from the upright
is beautiful.
2Praise the LORD with the lyre;
make music to him with a ten-stringed harp.
3Sing a new song to him;
play skillfully on the strings, with a joyful shout.
4For the word of the LORD is right,
and all his work is trustworthy.
5He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the LORD’s unfailing love.
6The heavens were made by the word of the LORD,
and all the stars, by the breath of his mouth.
7He gathers the water of the sea into a heap; A
he puts the depths
into storehouses.
8Let the whole earth fear the LORD;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9For he spoke, and it came into being;
he commanded, and it came into existence.
10The LORD frustrates the counsel of the nations;
he thwarts the plans of the peoples.
11The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
the plans of his heart from generation to generation.
12Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD —
the people he has chosen to be his own possession!
13The LORD looks down from heaven;
he observes everyone.
14He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth
from his dwelling place.
15He forms the hearts of them all;
he considers all their works.
16A king is not saved by a large army;
a warrior will not be rescued by great strength.
17The horse is a false hope for safety;
it provides no escape by its great power.
18But look, the LORD keeps his eye on those who fear him —
those who depend on his faithful love
19to rescue them from death
and to keep them alive in famine.
20We wait for the LORD;
he is our help and shield.
21For our hearts rejoice in him
because we trust in his holy name.
22May your faithful love rest on us, LORD,
for we put our hope in you.
THE LORD DELIVERS THE RIGHTEOUS
34Concerning David, when he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech, who drove him out, and he departed.
1I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2I will boast in the LORD;
the humble will hear and be glad.
3Proclaim the LORD’s greatness with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and rescued me from all my fears.
5Those who look to him are B radiant with joy;
their faces will never be ashamed.
6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him from all his troubles.
QUOTE 34:6
God gives us prayer as a basket, and then he pours the blessings of his grace into it.
7The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and rescues them.
8Taste and see that the LORD is good.
How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!
9You who are his holy ones, fear the LORD,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10Young lions A lack food
and go hungry,
but those who seek the LORD
will not lack any good thing.
ILLUSTRATION 34:10
Young lions are strong, yet their strength does not always suffice to keep them supplied. They are crafty; they understand how to ambush their game and leap on them with a sudden unexpected spring, yet they sometimes howl for hunger in the woods. Young lions are bold, fierce, and unscrupulous. They do not hesitate from any deed of depredation, and yet for all that, marauders as they are, they sometimes lack and suffer hunger. They are like many men in the world—strong and cunning men, thoroughly up-to-date—smart, sharp men. If anybody could be well supplied, one would think they should be. But how many of them go to bankruptcy and ruin in spite of all their cunning. And with all their unscrupulousness, they manage, at last, so often to come to a bitter end. They lack and suffer hunger.
11Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12Who is someone who desires life,
loving a long life to enjoy what is good?
13Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from deceitful speech.
14Turn away from evil and do what is good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry for help.
16The face of the LORD is set
against those who do what is evil,
to remove B all memory of them from the earth.
17The righteous C cry out, and the LORD hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.
18The LORD is near
the brokenhearted;
he saves those crushed in spirit.
19One who is righteous has many adversities,
but the LORD rescues him from them all.
20He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
22The LORD redeems the life of his servants,
and all who take refuge in him will not be punished.
34:6 “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him from all his troubles.” God gives us prayer as a basket, and then he pours the blessings of his grace into it. But frequently prayer is best described as a cry. What does this mean? This poor man did not make a grand oration. He was brief—it was only a cry. In great pain one will cry out. He cannot help it. A cry is short but it is not sweet. It is intense and painful, and it cannot be silenced. We cry because we must cry. One poor man cried, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner!” (Lk 18:13). That is not a long prayer, but it puts a great deal of meaning into a few words. Another was, “Lord, help me!” (Mt 15:25). “Lord, save me!” (Mt 14:30) is a notable cry. And so is, “Jesus, remember me” (Lk 23:42). Many prevailing prayers are like cries because they are brief, sharp, and uncontrollable. A cry is a sorrowful thing, the language of pain. And this man’s prayer was heard in heaven. He was all alone so that nobody else heard him, but the Lord heard him. Yes, the Lord, even Jehovah of Hosts, the Almighty, bowed his ear to him. In God’s ears the songs of angels are continually resounding. Yes, he hears all the voices of all the creatures he has made. Yet he stooped from his eternal glory and gave attention to the poor man’s cry. Never imagine that a praying heart ever pleads to a deaf God, or that God is so far removed from us he takes no note of our desires. God does hear prayer; he does grant the desires and requests of the lowly.
34:10 “Young lions lack food and go hungry, but those who seek the LORD will not lack any good thing.” The people of God are regarded as simpletons—such simpletons as to seek the Lord instead of adopting the axioms of universal worldly wisdom, namely, “Look out for yourself!” They have given up what is called the first law of human nature—namely, self-seeking, self-pleasing, self-serving—and have come to seek the Lord. And what comes of their simplicity? They “will not lack any good thing.” Notwithstanding their lack of power and cunning—and the limitation that conscience often puts on them so that they cannot do what others can to enrich themselves—they have a fortune ensured to them.
PRAYER FOR VICTORY
35Of David.
Oppose my opponents, LORD;
fight those who fight me.
2Take your shields — large and small —
and come to my aid.
3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers,
and assure me: “I am your deliverance.”
4Let those who intend to take my life
be disgraced and humiliated;
let those who plan to harm me
be turned back and ashamed.
5Let them be like chaff in the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away.
6Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7They hid their net for me without cause;
they dug a pit for me without cause.
8Let ruin come on him unexpectedly,
and let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it — to his ruin.
9Then I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will delight in his deliverance.
10All my bones will say,
“LORD, who is like you,
rescuing the poor from one too strong for him,
the poor or the needy from one who robs him? ”
11Malicious witnesses come forward;
they question me about things I do not know.
12They repay me evil for good,
making me desolate.
13Yet when they were sick,
my clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting,
and my prayer was genuine. A
14I went about mourning as if for my friend or brother;
I was bowed down with grief,
like one mourning for a mother.
15But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
they gathered against me.
Assailants I did not know
tore at me and did not stop.
16With godless mockery B
they gnashed their teeth at me.
17Lord, how long will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages;
rescue my precious life from the young lions.
18I will praise you in the great assembly;
I will exalt you among many people.
19Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me;
do not let those who hate me without cause
wink at me maliciously.
20For they do not speak in friendly ways,
but contrive fraudulent schemes C
against those who live peacefully in the land.
21They open their mouths wide against me and say,
“Aha, aha! We saw it! ” D
22You saw it, LORD; do not be silent.
Lord, do not be far from me.
23Wake up and rise to my defense,
to my cause, my God and my Lord!
24Vindicate me, LORD my God,
in keeping with your righteousness,
and do not let them rejoice over me.
25Do not let them say in their hearts,
“Aha! Just what we wanted.”
Do not let them say,
“We have swallowed him up! ”
26Let those who rejoice at my misfortune
be disgraced and humiliated;
let those who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and reproach.
27Let those who want my vindication
shout for joy and be glad;
let them continually say,
“The LORD be exalted.
He takes pleasure in his servant’s well-being.”
28And my tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praise all day long.
HUMAN WICKEDNESS AND GOD’S LOVE
36For the choir director. Of David, the LORD’s servant.
1An oracle within my heart
concerning the transgression of the wicked person:
Dread of God has no effect on him. A
2For with his flattering opinion of himself,
he does not discover and hate his iniquity.
3The words from his mouth are malicious and deceptive;
he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.
4Even on his bed he makes malicious plans.
He sets himself on a path that is not good,
and he does not reject evil.
5LORD, your faithful love reaches to heaven,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your judgments like the deepest sea.
LORD, you preserve people and animals.
7How priceless your faithful love is, God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8They are filled from the abundance of your house.
You let them drink from your refreshing stream.
9For the wellspring of life is
with you.
By means of your light we see light.
10Spread your faithful love over those who know you,
and your righteousness over the upright in heart.
11Do not let the foot of the arrogant come near me
or the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12There! The evildoers have fallen.
They have been thrown down and cannot rise.
INSTRUCTION IN WISDOM
37Of David.
Do not be agitated by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.
2For they wither quickly like grass
and wilt like tender green plants.
3Trust in the LORD and do what is good;
dwell in the land and live securely. B
4Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
QUOTE 37:4
He who fears God and is wholly God’s servant has no chains about him; he may live as he likes, for he likes to live as he ought.
5Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act,
6making your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like the noonday.
7Be silent before the LORD and wait expectantly for him;
do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way,
by the person who carries out evil plans.
8Refrain from anger and give up your rage;
do not be agitated — it can only bring harm.
9For evildoers will be destroyed,
but those who put their hope in the LORD
will inherit the land.
10A little while, and the wicked person will be no more;
though you look for him, he will not be there.
11But the humble will inherit the land
and will enjoy abundant prosperity.
12The wicked person schemes against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him.
13The Lord laughs at him
because he sees that his day is coming.
14The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the A bow
to bring down the poor and needy
and to slaughter those whose way is upright.
15Their swords will enter their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
16The little that the righteous person has is better
than the abundance of many wicked people.
17For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD supports the righteous.
18The LORD watches over the blameless all their days,
and their inheritance will last forever.
19They will not be disgraced in times of adversity;
they will be satisfied in days of hunger.
the LORD’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures,
will fade away —
they will fade away like smoke.
21The wicked person borrows and does not repay,
but the righteous one is gracious and giving.
22Those who are blessed by the LORD will inherit the land,
but those cursed by him will be destroyed.
23A person’s steps are established by the LORD,
and he takes pleasure in his way.
24Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,
because the LORD supports him with his hand.
25I have been young and now I am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned
or his children begging for bread.
26He is always generous, always lending,
and his children are a blessing.
27Turn away from evil, do
what is good,
and settle permanently.
28For the LORD loves justice
and will not abandon his faithful ones.
They are kept safe forever,
but the children of the wicked will be destroyed.
29The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it permanently.
30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;
his tongue speaks what is just.
31The instruction of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not falter.
32The wicked one lies in wait for the righteous
and intends to kill him;
33the LORD will not leave him
in the power of the wicked one
or allow him to be condemned when he is judged.
34Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land.
You will watch when the wicked are destroyed.
35I have seen a wicked, violent person
well-rooted, A like a flourishing native tree.
36Then I B passed by and noticed he was gone;
I searched for him, but he could not be found.
37Watch the blameless and observe the upright,
for the person of peace will have a future. C
38But transgressors will all be eliminated;
the future of the wicked will be destroyed.
39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD,
their refuge in a time of distress.
40The LORD helps and delivers them;
he will deliver them from the wicked and will save them
because they take refuge in him.
37:4 “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” The worldly person says, “I thought religion was all self-denial; I never imagined that in loving God we could have our desires. I thought godliness consisted in killing, destroying, and keeping back our desires.” The religion of most people consists in abstaining from sins they secretly love. Negative godliness is common; it is supposed by most that our religion consists in things we must not do rather than in pleasures we may enjoy. And they suppose us to be a crabby, miserable bunch, who undoubtedly make up for denying ourselves in public by some private indulgence. Now it is true that religion is self-denial; it is equally true that it is not self-denial. Christians have two selves. There is the old self, and there they do deny the flesh with its affections and lusts; but there is a new self, a newborn spirit, the new man in Christ Jesus. Our religion does not consist in any self-denial there. No, let it have the full swing of its wishes and desires, for all it can wish for, all it can pant after, all it can long to enjoy. When I hear persons say, “My religion consists in some things that I must do and in some things that I must not do,” I reply, “Mine consists in things I love to do and in avoiding things I hate and would scorn to do.” I feel no chains in my religion, for I am free, and no one is more free. He who fears God and is wholly God’s servant has no chains about him; he may live as he likes, for he likes to live as he ought. He may have his full desires, for his desires are holy, heavenly, and divine. He may take the full range of the utmost capacity of his wishes and desires and have all he needs and all he wishes, for God has given him the promise, and God will give him the fulfillment of it.
B 37:3 Or and cultivate faithfulness, or and befriend faithfulness
PRAYER OF A SUFFERING SINNER
38A psalm of David for remembrance.
LORD, do not punish me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
2For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has pressed down on me.
3There is no soundness in my body
because of your indignation;
there is no health A in my bones
because of my sin.
4For my iniquities have flooded over my head;
they are a burden too heavy for me to bear.
5My wounds are foul and festering
because of my foolishness.
6I am bent over and brought very low;
all day long I go around in mourning.
7For my insides are full of burning pain,
and there is no soundness in my body.
8I am faint and severely crushed;
I groan because of the anguish of my heart.
9Lord, my every desire is in front of you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.
10My heart races, my strength leaves me,
and even the light of my eyes has faded. B
11My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction,
and my relatives stand at a distance.
12Those who intend to kill me
set traps,
and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;
they plot treachery all day long.
13I am like a deaf person; I do not hear.
I am like a speechless person
who does not open his mouth.
14I am like a man who does not hear
and has no arguments in his mouth.
15For I put my hope in you, LORD;
you will answer me, my Lord, my God.
16For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me —
those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.”
17For I am about to fall,
and my pain is constantly
with me.
18So I confess my iniquity;
I am anxious because of my sin.
19But my enemies are vigorous and powerful; C
many hate me for no reason.
20Those who repay evil for good
attack me for pursuing good.
21LORD, do not abandon me;
my God, do not be far from me.
22Hurry to help me,
my Lord, my salvation.
THE FLEETING NATURE OF LIFE
39For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1I said, “I will guard my ways
so that I may not sin
with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth
with a muzzle
as long as the wicked are in my presence.”
2I was speechless and quiet;
I kept silent, even from speaking good,
and my pain intensified.
3My heart grew hot within me;
as I mused, a fire burned.
I spoke with my tongue:
4“LORD, make me aware of my end
and the number of my days
so that I will know how short-lived I am.
5In fact, you have made my days just inches long,
and my life span is as nothing
to you.
Yes, every human being stands as only a vapor.
Selah
6Yes, a person goes about like a mere shadow.
Indeed, they rush around in vain,
gathering possessions
without knowing who will get them.
7“Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in you.
8Rescue me from all my transgressions;
do not make me the taunt of fools.
9I am speechless; I do not open my mouth
because of what you have done.
10Remove your torment from me.
Because of the force of your hand I am finished.
11You discipline a person with punishment for iniquity,
consuming like a moth what is precious to him;
yes, every human being is only a vapor.
Selah
12“Hear my prayer, LORD,
and listen to my cry for help;
do not be silent at my tears.
For I am here with you as an alien,
a temporary resident like all my ancestors.
13Turn your angry gaze from me
so that I may be cheered up
before I die and am gone.”
THANKSGIVING AND A CRY FOR HELP
40For the choir director. A psalm of David.
I waited patiently for the LORD,
and he turned to me and heard my cry for help.
2He brought me up from a desolate A pit,
out of the muddy clay,
and set my feet on a rock,
making my steps secure.
3He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and they will trust in the LORD.
4How happy is anyone
who has put his trust in the LORD
and has not turned to the proud
or to those who run after lies!
5LORD my God, you have done many things —
your wondrous works and your plans for us;
none can compare with you.
If I were to report and speak of them,
they are more than can be told.
6You do not delight in sacrifice and offering;
you open my ears to listen. B
You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.
7Then I said, “See, I have come;
in the scroll it is written about me.
8I delight to do your will, my God,
and your instruction is deep within me.”
9I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
see, I do not keep my mouth closed A —
as you know, LORD.
10I did not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I spoke about your faithfulness and salvation;
I did not conceal your constant love and truth
from the great assembly.
11LORD, you do not B withhold your compassion from me.
Your constant love and truth will always guard me.
12For troubles without number have surrounded me;
my iniquities have overtaken me; I am unable to see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my courage leaves me.
13LORD, be pleased to rescue me;
hurry to help me, LORD.
14Let those who intend to take my life
be disgraced and confounded.
Let those who wish me harm
be turned back and humiliated.
15Let those who say to me, “Aha, aha! ”
be appalled because of their shame.
16Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
let those who love your salvation continually say,
“The LORD is great! ”
17I am oppressed and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my helper and my deliverer;
my God, do not delay.
40:1 “I waited patiently for the LORD, and he turned to me and heard my cry for help.” If I were to read this psalm as referring to Christ and to Christ only, I would be correct in so doing, but still there is such a unity between Christ and those who compose his mystical body that what is true of the head is true of the members. What is true of the vine is true of the branches. What is true of Christ is true of those who are in him. Therefore, this psalm relates to David as well as to “great David’s greater Son,” and it also concerns everyone who is of the royal seed, every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the psalm begins, “I waited.” Do beggars not wait long for a small handout? Should I not be content to linger at mercy’s gate for such great gifts as I am craving? We do well to wait patiently until Jehovah’s time to help since we know that “as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him” (Ps 103:13). And if he is full of pity, we can well afford to be patient. Those who have been mighty in prayer have sometimes had to wait for the answers to their requests. We ought not expect the Lord to hear us today or tomorrow. He may hear us before we speak, as he told the prophet, “Before they call, I will answer” (Is 65:24); but he may, for the trial of our faith, make us wait. If we are able to wait, we are certain to receive a great blessing.
40:2 “He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.” David sings of the Lord’s bringing him up from a pit that was horribly deep, dark, and damp, with mud at the bottom that would cause one to sink. What a wonderful bringing up this was, and, as God never does anything by halves, he did not let his servant slip back again, for David added, “And set my feet on a rock.” When God sets someone’s feet, those feet are well set. There is no sliding, no slipping. And more than that, God established his steps—made them firm so that when he stirred he did not stumble.
VICTORY IN SPITE OF BETRAYAL
41For the choir director. A psalm of David.
Happy is one who is considerate of the poor;
the LORD will save him in a day of adversity.
2The LORD will keep him and preserve him;
he will be blessed in the land.
You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies.
3The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed;
you will heal him on the bed where he lies.
4I said, “LORD, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
5My enemies speak maliciously about me:
“When will he die
and be forgotten? ”
6When one of them comes to visit, he speaks deceitfully;
he stores up evil in his heart;
he goes out and talks.
7All who hate me whisper together about me;
they plan to harm me.
8“Something awful has overwhelmed him, C
and he won’t rise again from where he lies! ”
9Even my friend D in whom I trusted,
one who ate my bread,
has raised his heel against me.
10But you, LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up;
then I will repay them.
11By this I know that you delight in me:
my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.
12You supported me because of my integrity
and set me in your presence forever.
13Blessed be the LORD God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and amen.
BOOK II (PSALMS 42–72)
LONGING FOR GOD
42For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.
1As a deer longs for
flowing streams,
so I long for you, God.
2I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I come and appear before God?
3My tears have been my food day and night,
while all day long people say to me,
“Where is your God? ”
4I remember this as I pour out my heart:
how I walked with many,
leading the festive procession to the house of God,
with joyful and thankful shouts.
5Why, my soul, are you so dejected?
Why are you in such turmoil?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,
my Savior and my God.
6I A am deeply depressed;
therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan
and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your billows have swept over me.
8The LORD will send his faithful love by day;
his song will be with me in the night —
a prayer to the God of my life.
9I will say to God, my rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about in sorrow
because of
the enemy’s oppression? ”
10My adversaries taunt me,
as if crushing my bones,
while all day long they say to me,
“Where is your God? ”
11Why, my soul, are you so dejected?
Why are you in such turmoil?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,
my Savior and my God.
42:1 “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God.” There is something to be lamented in this state of mind, for if the psalmist had maintained unbroken communion with his God, he would not have been so much panting after him as enjoying him. It is deeply to be deplored that we, who sometimes bask in the sunshine of God’s countenance, cannot live so as always to enjoy it. Why do we wander? Why do we grieve his Holy Spirit? Why do we turn aside from God, our exceeding joy? Why do we provoke him to jealousy, cause him to make us grope in darkness, and sigh out of a lonely and desolate heart? There is much of an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; therefore, we must not too much congratulate ourselves, for though it is a sign of divine grace to pant after God as the deer pants for the brooks, yet it is an equally certain sign of a need of more grace and the loss of a privilege that we should always strive to possess.
As man can bear hunger much longer than he can bear thirst, he may continue without food for days but not without drink. So the psalmist mentions the thirstiest creature and the most ardent of the natural passions. He does not say, “So I long for my former grandeur,” or, “So I long for my friend,” but, “So I long for you, God.” His soul had only one longing, one thirst; and every power and every passion had united itself to that one desire.
43B Vindicate me, God, and champion my cause
against an unfaithful nation;
rescue me from the deceitful and unjust person.
2For you are the God of my refuge.
Why have you rejected me?
because of the enemy’s oppression?
3Send your light and your truth; let them lead me.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling place.
4Then I will come to the altar of God,
to God, my greatest joy.
I will praise you with the lyre,
God, my God.
5Why, my soul, are you so dejected?
Why are you in such turmoil?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,
my Savior and my God.
B Ps 43 Many Hb mss connect Pss 42 and 43
ISRAEL’S COMPLAINT
44For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.
1God, we have heard with our ears —
our ancestors have told us —
the work you accomplished in their days,
in days long ago:
2In order to plant them,
you displaced the nations by your hand;
in order to settle them,
you brought disaster on the peoples.
3For they did not take the land by their sword —
their arm did not bring them victory —
but by your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face,
because you were favorable toward them.
4You are my King, my God,
who ordains A victories for Jacob.
5Through you we drive back our foes;
through your name we trample our enemies.
6For I do not trust in my bow,
and my sword does not bring me victory.
7But you give us victory over our foes
and let those who hate us be disgraced.
8We boast in God all day long;
we will praise your name forever.
Selah
9But you have rejected and humiliated us;
you do not march out with our armies.
10You make us retreat from the foe,
and those who hate us
have taken plunder for themselves.
11You hand us over to be eaten like sheep
and scatter us among the nations.
12You sell your people for nothing;
you make no profit from selling them.
13You make us an object of reproach to our neighbors,
a source of mockery and ridicule to those around us.
14You make us a joke among the nations,
a laughingstock B among the peoples.
15My disgrace is before me all day long,
and shame has covered my face,
16because of the taunts C of the scorner and reviler,
because of the enemy and avenger.
17All this has happened to us,
but we have not forgotten you
or betrayed your covenant.
18Our hearts have not turned back;
our steps have not strayed from your path.
19But you have crushed us in a haunt of jackals
and have covered us with deepest darkness.
20If we had forgotten the name of our God
and spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21wouldn’t God have found this out,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?
22Because of you we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.
23Wake up, LORD! Why are you sleeping?
Get up! Don’t reject us forever!
24Why do you hide
and forget our affliction and oppression?
25For we have sunk down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.
26Rise up! Help us!
Redeem us because of your faithful love.
A ROYAL WEDDING SONG
45For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.” A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song.
1My heart is moved by a noble theme
as I recite my verses to the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
2You are the most handsome of men; A
grace flows from your lips.
Therefore God has blessed you forever.
3Mighty warrior, strap your sword at your side.
In your majesty and splendor —
4in your splendor ride triumphantly
in the cause of truth, humility, and justice.
May your right hand show your awe-inspiring acts.
5Your sharpened arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.
6Your throne, God, is B forever and ever;
the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
QUOTE 45:6
The more we look at Christ, the more there is to see.
7You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy
more than your companions.
8Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume all your garments;
from ivory palaces harps bring you joy.
9Kings’ daughters are among your honored women;
the queen, adorned with gold from Ophir,
stands at your right hand.
10Listen, daughter, pay attention and consider:
forget your people and your father’s house,
11and the king will desire your beauty.
Bow down to him,
for he is your lord.
12The daughter of Tyre, the wealthy people,
will seek your favor with gifts.
13In her chamber, the royal daughter is all glorious,
her clothing embroidered with gold.
14In colorful garments she is led to the king;
after her, the virgins, her companions, are brought to you.
15They are led in with gladness and rejoicing;
they enter the king’s palace.
16Your sons will succeed your ancestors;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17I will cause your name to be remembered for all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever.
45:6 “Your throne, God, is forever and ever; the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.” The more we look at Christ, the more there is to see. Here the psalmist first said, “You are the most handsome of men.” And now he cries, “Your throne, God, is forever and ever.” That person has not seen much of Christ who has not perceived him to be God—God on the throne, God on an everlasting throne. If any of us have not yet believed in Christ as God, we do not know the Christ of the Scriptures at all, however much we may value his moral character as supreme in wisdom, unless we can say, “My Lord and my God,” as Thomas did when he saw the Lord’s wounds.
GOD OUR REFUGE
46For the choir director. A song of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.
1God is our refuge and strength,
a helper who is always found
in times of trouble.
2Therefore we will not be afraid,
though the earth trembles
and the mountains topple
into the depths of the seas,
3though its water roars and foams
and the mountains quake with its turmoil.
Selah
4There is a river —
its streams delight the city of God,
the holy dwelling place of the Most High.
5God is within her; she will not be toppled.
God will help her when the morning dawns.
6Nations rage, kingdoms topple;
the earth melts when he lifts his voice.
7The LORD of Armies is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah
8Come, see the works of the LORD,
who brings devastation
on the earth.
9He makes wars cease throughout the earth.
He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces;
he sets wagons ablaze.
10“Stop your fighting, and know that I am God,
exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
11The LORD of Armies is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah
46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.” This psalm is a song for all Israel, for all who are truly the chosen of God, called to be his own people. The peace of God that passes all understanding should keep the hearts and minds of all who rest in God (Php 4:7). If, indeed, the Lord is our refuge and strength, we are entitled to seek after a spirit that will bear us above the dreads of common men. Not everyone can sing this psalm of peace amid commotion and calamity. We must belong to the believing company; we must have the Lord as our God; and we must have learned the art of prevailing prayer. No man can truly sing this psalm but those who are redeemed from the earth. Martin Luther delighted to sing this psalm. In the days of the most furious opposition, he was known to say to Melancthon, “Come, let us sing the forty-sixth psalm, and let the devil do his worst.” So, too, when Luther was dead, Melancthon heard a girl singing this psalm, and he said to her, “Sing on, dear daughter mine, you know not what comfort you bring to my heart.” So the young, the simple, and the guileless may sing what strengthens the nerves of warriors for battle.
GOD OUR KING
47For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1Clap your hands, all you peoples;
shout to God with a jubilant cry.
2For the LORD, the Most High, is awe-inspiring,
a great King over the whole earth.
3He subdues peoples under us
and nations under our feet.
4He chooses for us our inheritance —
the pride of Jacob, whom he loves.
Selah
5God ascends among shouts of joy,
the LORD, with the sound of trumpets.
6Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our King, sing praise!
7Sing a song of wisdom, A
for God is King of the whole earth.
8God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
9The nobles of the peoples have assembled
with the people of the God of Abraham.
For the leaders B of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
ZION EXALTED
48A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
The LORD is great and highly praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, 2 rising splendidly,
is the joy of the whole earth.
Mount Zion — the summit
of Zaphon —
is the city of the great King.
3God is known as a stronghold
in its citadels.
4Look! The kings assembled;
they advanced together.
5They looked and froze with fear;
they fled in terror.
6Trembling seized them there,
agony like that of a woman in labor,
7as you wrecked the ships of Tarshish
with the east wind.
8Just as we heard, so we have seen
in the city of the LORD of Armies,
in the city of our God;
God will establish it forever.
Selah
9God, within your temple,
we contemplate your faithful love.
10Like your name, God, so your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth;
your right hand is filled with justice.
11Mount Zion is glad.
Judah’s villages C rejoice
because of your judgments.
12Go around Zion, encircle it;
count its towers,
13note its ramparts; tour its citadels
so that you can tell a future generation:
14“This God, our God forever and ever —
he will always lead us.” D
MISPLACED TRUST IN WEALTH
49For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who inhabit the world,
2both low and high,
rich and poor together.
3My mouth speaks wisdom;
my heart’s meditation brings understanding.
4I turn my ear to a proverb;
I explain my riddle with a lyre.
5Why should I fear in times of trouble?
The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.
6They trust in their wealth
and boast of their abundant riches.
7Yet these cannot redeem a person E
or pay his ransom to God —
8since the price of redeeming him is too costly,
one should forever stop trying F —
9so that he may live forever
and not see the Pit.
10For one can see that the wise die;
the foolish and stupid also pass away.
Then they leave their wealth to others.
11Their graves are their permanent homes, A
their dwellings from generation to generation,
though they have named estates after themselves.
12But despite his assets, B mankind will not last;
he is like the animals that perish.
13This is the way of those who are arrogant,
and of their followers,
who approve of their words. C
Selah
14Like sheep they are headed
for Sheol;
Death will shepherd them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning,
and their form will waste away in Sheol, D
far from their lofty abode.
15But God will redeem me
from the power of Sheol,
for he will take me.
Selah
16Do not be afraid when a person gets rich,
when the wealth E of his house increases.
17For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;
his wealth will not follow him down.
18Though he blesses himself during his lifetime —
and you are acclaimed when you do well for yourself —
19he will go to the generation of his fathers;
they will never see the light.
20Mankind, with his assets
but without understanding,
is like the animals that perish.
E 49:7 Or Certainly he cannot redeem himself, or Yet he cannot redeem a brother
F 49:8 Or costly, it will cease forever
A 49:11 LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads Their inner thought is that their houses are eternal
C 49:13 Lit and after them with their mouth they were pleased
GOD AS JUDGE
50A psalm of Asaph.
The Mighty One, God, F the LORD, speaks;
he summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2From Zion, the perfection
of beauty,
God appears in radiance. G
3Our God is coming; he will not be silent!
Devouring fire precedes him,
and a storm rages around him.
4On high, he summons heaven and earth
in order to judge his people:
5“Gather my faithful ones to me,
those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for God is the Judge.
Selah
7“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel.
I am God, your God.
8I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices
or for your burnt offerings,
which are continually before me.
9I will not take a bull from your household
or male goats from your pens,
10for every animal of the forest
is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11I know every bird of the mountains,
and the creatures of the field are mine.
12If I were hungry, I would not
tell you,
for the world and everything in it is mine.
13Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14Sacrifice a thank offering to God,
and pay your vows to the Most High.
15Call on me in a day of trouble;
I will rescue you, and you will honor me.”
QUOTE 50:15
Worship, then, can never go up from all the organs in the world if people’s hearts do not go with them. What the Lord loves is the trust, the childlike confidence, the seeking after sympathy that is in his children’s hearts.
16But God says to the wicked:
“What right do you have to recite my statutes
and to take my covenant on your lips?
17You hate instruction
and fling my words behind you.
18When you see a thief,
you make friends with him,
and you associate with adulterers.
19You unleash your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue for deceit.
20You sit, maligning your brother,
slandering your mother’s son.
21You have done these things, and I kept silent;
you thought I was just like you.
But I will rebuke you
and lay out the case before you. A
22“Understand this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you apart,
and there will be no one to rescue you.
23Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors me,
and whoever orders his conduct,
I will show him the salvation of God.”
50:15 “Call on me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor me.” In the church we have diversity of opinion as to what is the true form of worship. Some think the more simple and plain the outward worship can be, the better. Others think the more gorgeous and resplendent it can be, the better. Some are for the quietness of the meetinghouse; some are for the stormy music of the cathedral. Some argue that God is best praised in silence; others, that he is best honored with flute, harp, trombone, and lyre. In the Word of God, we find great room for diversity of mode, but we find ourselves constrained by a consecrated intolerance to a few matters of spirit. We are told there what is essential and what is not essential to the true worship of God. For example, prayer in time of trouble is a sweet form of worship. Someone is in great mental and emotional distress—here is an opportunity to worship God! We can trust him with our distress. We can call to him as a child calls to his mother and so show how we honor him, how we love him, how we trust him.
We honor him even when we call, but when we get the answer to our prayer, which is proof that God has accepted our worship, then we will honor him again by devoutly thanking him that he has heard our prayer. This is a way in which we can worship God. When our sin lies heavy on our conscience, we can call on God in the day of trouble, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” That is true worship! If we have brought ourselves to poverty for our sin, we can say, “Lord, help me.” That is prayer! Worship, then, can never go up from all the organs in the world if people’s hearts do not go with them. What the Lord loves is the trust, the childlike confidence, the seeking after sympathy that is in his children’s hearts.
A PRAYER FOR RESTORATION
51For the choir director. A psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.
1Be gracious to me, God,
according to your faithful love;
according to your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion.
2Completely wash away my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me.
4Against you — you alone — I have sinned
and done this evil in your sight.
So you are right when you pass sentence;
you are blameless when you judge.
5Indeed, I was guilty
when I was born;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
6Surely you desire integrity in the inner self,
and you teach me wisdom deep within.
7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9Turn your face away A from my sins
and blot out all my guilt.
10God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast B spirit within me.
11Do not banish me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore the joy of your salvation to me,
and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.
13Then I will teach the rebellious your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God —
God of my salvation —
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
you are not pleased with a burnt offering.
17The sacrifice pleasing to God is C a broken spirit.
You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.
18In your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper;
build the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
51:7 “Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” David’s horrible sin had stained him and left him needing to be washed. Searching through the whole of Scripture, or at least through the Old Testament, I do not know where we have the record of a worse sin committed by one who yet was a true child of God. He had good reason to pray to the Lord, “Wash me,” for he had a special and peculiar stain. The power of Jesus Christ to cleanse from sin must lie, first, in the greatness of his person. It is inconceivable that the sufferings of a mere man, however holy or great he might have been, could have made atonement for the sins of all of the Lord’s chosen people. It was because Jesus Christ was one of the persons in the divine Trinity. It was because the Son of Mary was none other than the Son of God. It was because he who lived and labored and suffered and died was the great Creator, without whom nothing was made that was made, that his blood has such efficacy that it can wash the blackest sinners so clean that they are “whiter than snow.”
GOD JUDGES THE PROUD
52For the choir director. A Maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite went and reported to Saul, telling him, “David went to Ahimelech’s house.”
1Why boast about evil, you hero!
God’s faithful love is constant.
2Like a sharpened razor,
your tongue devises destruction,
working treachery.
3You love evil instead of good,
lying instead of speaking truthfully.
Selah
4You love any words that destroy,
you treacherous tongue!
5This is why God will bring you down forever.
He will take you, ripping you out of your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living.
Selah
6The righteous will see and fear,
and they will derisively say about that hero, A
7“Here is the man
who would not make God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches,
taking refuge in his destructive behavior.”
8But I am like a flourishing olive tree
in the house of God;
I trust in God’s faithful love forever and ever.
9I will praise you forever for what you have done.
In the presence of your faithful people,
I will put my hope in your name, for it is good.
A PORTRAIT OF SINNERS
53For the choir director: on Mahalath. A Maskil of David.
1The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.”
They are corrupt, and they do vile deeds.
There is no one who does good.
2God looks down from heaven on the human race B
to see if there is one who is wise,
one who seeks God.
3All have turned away;
all alike have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.
4Will evildoers never understand?
They consume my people as they consume bread;
they do not call on God.
5Then they will be filled with dread —
dread like no other —
because God will scatter
the bones of those
who besiege you.
You will put them to shame,
for God has rejected them.
6Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people, C
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE
54For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. When the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding among us? ”
1God, save me by your name,
and vindicate me by your might!
2God, hear my prayer;
listen to the words from my mouth.
3For strangers rise up against me,
and violent men intend to kill me.
They do not let God guide them. D
Selah
4God is my helper;
the Lord is the sustainer of my life. E
5He will repay my adversaries for their evil.
Because of your faithfulness, annihilate them.
6I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you.
I will praise your name, LORD,
because it is good.
7For he has rescued me from every trouble,
and my eye has looked down on my enemies.
BETRAYAL BY A FRIEND
55For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.
1God, listen to my prayer
and do not hide from my plea for help.
2Pay attention to me and answer me.
I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint,
3because of the enemy’s words, A
because of the pressure B of the wicked.
For they bring down disaster on me
and harass me in anger.
4My heart shudders within me;
terrors of death sweep over me.
5Fear and trembling grip me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
6I said, “If only I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and find rest.
7How far away I would flee;
I would stay in the wilderness.
Selah
8I would hurry to my shelter
from the raging wind and the storm.”
9Lord, confuse C and confound their speech, D
for I see violence and strife in the city;
10day and night they make the rounds on its walls.
Crime and trouble are within it;
11destruction is inside it;
oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.
12Now it is not an enemy who insults me —
otherwise I could bear it;
it is not a foe who rises up against me —
otherwise I could hide from him.
13But it is you, a man who is my peer,
my companion and good friend!
14We used to have close fellowship;
we walked with the crowd into the house of God.
15Let death take them by surprise;
let them go down to Sheol alive,
because evil is in their homes and within them.
16But I call to God,
and the LORD will save me.
17I complain and groan morning, noon, and night,
and he hears my voice.
18Though many are against me,
he will redeem me from my battle unharmed.
19God, the one enthroned from long ago,
will hear and will humiliate them
Selah
because they do not change
and do not fear God.
20My friend acts violently
against those at peace with him;
he violates his covenant.
21His buttery words are smooth,
but war is in his heart.
His words are softer than oil,
but they are drawn swords.
22Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you;
he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
23God, you will bring them down
to the Pit of destruction;
men of bloodshed and treachery
will not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you.
55:22 “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” There are certain burdens of care and sorrow, of which the text speaks—especially the burdens that come from the slander, reproach, and oppression of ungodly people—which we need not carry. When we are severely tried and burdened, there is something we are tempted to do. The text does not mention it, but the psalm does. And the text is an antidote to the malady that the psalm describes or implies. “Cast your burden on the LORD” is an injunction to do one thing in the place of something else that more naturally suggests itself to our poor foolish minds. When we are in severe trouble, we are tempted to complain. In the second verse the psalmist says, “I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint.” As the children of God, we ought to avoid even the semblance of a complaint against our heavenly Father. But when our faith is sorely tried, when some sharp reproach is stinging our spirit, we are all too apt to begin thinking and saying that God is dealing harshly with us.
The next temptation is to give up altogether and to lie down in despair. In verses 4-5, David wrote, “My heart shudders within me; terrors of death sweep over me. Fear and trembling grip me; horror has overwhelmed me.” Have we not been sometimes tempted to say, “There, I can do no more. I must give up. That last cruel blow has utterly broken me in pieces, and I feel that I can only lie down and die in the bitterness of my spirit”? We have not yet come to the end of God’s delivering mercy, even though we may have come to the end of our poor puny strength. Far wiser will it be for us to do as the text says and “cast your burden on the LORD.” Then we will need no wings like a dove, nor will we wish to fly away to the wilderness, but we will be willing to stay in the midst of the battle, and even there we will be in perfect peace.
A CALL FOR GOD’S PROTECTION
56For the choir director: according to “A Silent Dove Far Away.” A Miktam of David. When the Philistines seized him in Gath.
1Be gracious to me, God, for a man is trampling me;
he fights and oppresses me all day long.
2My adversaries trample me all day,
for many arrogantly fight against me. A
3When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
4In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
5They twist my words all day long;
all their thoughts against me are evil.
6They stir up strife, B they lurk;
they watch my steps
while they wait to take my life.
7Will they escape in spite of such sin?
God, bring down the nations in wrath.
8You yourself have recorded my wanderings. C
Put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
9Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call.
This I know: God is for me.
10In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise,
11in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mere humans do to me?
12I am obligated by vows D to you, God;
I will make my thank offerings to you.
13For you rescued me from death,
even my feet from stumbling,
to walk before God in the light of life.
PRAISE FOR GOD’S PROTECTION
57For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. When he fled before Saul into the cave.
1Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me,
for I take refuge in you.
I will seek refuge in the shadow of your wings
until danger passes.
2I call to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me. E
3He reaches down from heaven and saves me,
challenging the one who tramples me.
Selah
God sends his faithful love and truth.
4I am surrounded by lions;
I lie down among devouring lions —
people whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
5God, be exalted above the heavens;
let your glory be over the whole earth.
6They prepared a net for my steps;
I was despondent.
They dug a pit ahead of me,
but they fell into it!
Selah
7My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident.
I will sing; I will sing praises.
8Wake up, my soul!
Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
9I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10For your faithful love is as high as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches
the clouds.
11God, be exalted above the heavens;
let your glory be over the whole earth.
57:1 “Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me, for I take refuge in you. I will seek refuge in the shadow of your wings until danger passes.” What a mixture of feebleness and strength there is in this first verse—the feebleness so beautified by being clothed with the strength of faith! What a turning away from man and what a turning wholly unto the Lord! And, in coming to the Lord, what humility and what pleading for mercy, and for mercy only! And what joyous confidence and what sweet rest in God! “If I cannot see the brightness of your face, the shadow of your wings will be enough for me. Only let me get near you—only permit me humbly to trust you, and it will be enough for me, ‘until these calamities pass.’”
57:4 “I am surrounded by lions; I lie down among devouring lions—people whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.” What peril David was in and what dangers often surround us—if not from arrows, swords, and spears—from the hellish artillery of unbridled tongues! A human tongue is soft, but it can cut to the quick. And the wounds from a cruel tongue are not easily healed. Many people will bear, as long as they live, the scars made by a slanderous tongue. God can save us, however, even from this great trial, and enable us to rejoice in this sharp affliction. It is no strange thing that has happened to us, for so the wicked persecuted the prophets that were before us—as they said all manner of evil against them falsely. God himself was slandered by the old serpent in the garden of Eden so it is not surprising that his children should be still slandered by the serpent’s seed.
A CRY AGAINST INJUSTICE
58For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David.
1Do you really speak righteously, you mighty ones? A
Do you judge people fairly?
2No, you practice injustice in your hearts;
with your hands you weigh out violence in the land.
3The wicked go astray from the womb;
liars wander about from birth.
4They have venom like the venom of a snake,
like the deaf cobra that stops up its ears,
5that does not listen to the sound of the charmers
who skillfully weave spells.
6God, knock the teeth out of their mouths;
LORD, tear out the young lions’ fangs.
7May they vanish like water that flows by;
may they aim their blunted arrows. B
8Like a slug that moves along in slime,
like a woman’s miscarried child,
may they not see the sun.
9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns —
whether green or burning —
he will sweep them away. C
10The righteous one will rejoice
when he sees the retribution;
he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11Then people will say,
“Yes, there is a reward for the righteous!
There is a God who judges on earth! ”
A 58:1 Or Can you really speak righteousness in silence?
C 58:9 Or thorns, he will sweep it away, whether raw or cooking
GOD OUR STRONGHOLD
59For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. When Saul sent agents to watch the house and kill him.
1Rescue me from my enemies, my God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.
2Rescue me from those who practice sin,
and save me from men of bloodshed.
3Because look, LORD, they set an ambush for me.
Powerful men attack me,
but not because of any sin or rebellion of mine.
4For no fault of mine,
they run and take up a position.
Awake to help me, and take notice.
5LORD God of Armies, you are the God of Israel.
Rise up to punish all the nations;
do not show favor to any wicked traitors.
Selah
6They return at evening, snarling like dogs
and prowling around the city.
7Look, they spew from their mouths —
sharp words from A their lips.
“For who,” they say, “will hear? ”
8But you laugh at them, LORD;
you ridicule all the nations.
9I will keep watch for you, my B strength,
because God is my stronghold.
10My faithful God C will come to meet me;
God will let me look down on my adversaries.
11Do not kill them; otherwise, my people will forget.
By your power, make them homeless wanderers
and bring them down,
Lord, our shield.
12For the sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
They utter curses and lies.
13Consume them in rage;
consume them until they are gone.
Then people will know throughout D the earth
that God rules over Jacob.
Selah
14And they return at evening, snarling like dogs
and prowling around the city.
15They scavenge for food;
they growl if they are not satisfied.
16But I will sing of your strength
and will joyfully proclaim
your faithful love in the morning.
For you have been a stronghold for me,
a refuge in my day of trouble.
17To you, my strength, I sing praises,
because God is my stronghold —
my faithful God.
B 59:9 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Tg; other Hb mss read his
PRAYER IN DIFFICULT TIMES
60For the choir director: according to “The Lily of Testimony.” A Miktam of David for teaching. When he fought with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and struck Edom in Salt Valley, killing twelve thousand.
1God, you have rejected us;
you have broken us down;
you have been angry. Restore us! E
2You have shaken the land and split it open.
Heal its fissures, for it shudders.
3You have made your people suffer hardship;
you have given us wine to drink
that made us stagger.
4You have given a signal flag to those who fear you,
so that they can flee before the archers. F
Selah
5Save with your right hand, and answer me,
so that those you love may be rescued.
6God has spoken in his sanctuary: G
“I will celebrate!
I will divide up Shechem.
I will apportion the Valley of Succoth.
7Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine,
and Ephraim is my helmet;
Judah is my scepter.
8Moab is my washbasin.
I throw my sandal on Edom;
I shout in triumph over Philistia.”
9Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10God, haven’t you rejected us?
God, you do not march out with our armies.
11Give us aid against the foe,
for human help is worthless.
12With God we will perform valiantly;
he will trample our foes.
SECURITY IN GOD
61For the choir director: on stringed instruments. Of David.
1God, hear my cry;
pay attention to my prayer.
2I call to you from the ends of the earth
when my heart is without strength.
Lead me to a rock that is high above me,
3for you have been a refuge for me,
a strong tower in the face of the enemy.
4I will dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge under the shelter of your wings.
Selah
5God, you have heard my vows;
you have given a heritage
to those who fear your name.
6Add days to the king’s life;
may his years span many generations.
7May he sit enthroned before God forever.
Appoint faithful love and truth to guard him.
8Then I will continually sing of your name,
fulfilling my vows day by day.
TRUST IN GOD ALONE
62For the choir director: according to Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1I am at rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will never be shaken.
QUOTE 62:1
It is a blessed thing to wait only on God. You have proved everything else to be a failure, and now you hang upon the bare arm of God alone. There is certainly enough for us to depend on there.
3How long will you threaten a man?
Will all of you attack A
as if he were a leaning wall
or a tottering fence?
4They only plan to bring him down
from his high position.
They take pleasure in lying;
they bless with their mouths,
but they curse inwardly.
Selah
QUOTE 63:1-2
Living persons must mourn and suffer as well as laugh and rejoice, for minds and hearts must change. We should not wonder, therefore, that the glad-hearted sons of Zion are not always in the temple but sometimes are driven into exile and sigh in a desert land.
5Rest in God alone, my soul,
for my hope comes from him.
6He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will not be shaken.
7My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock.
My refuge is in God.
8Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts before him.
God is our refuge.
Selah
9Common people are only a vapor;
important people, an illusion.
Together on a scale,
they weigh less than A a vapor.
10Place no trust in oppression,
or false hope in robbery.
If wealth increases,
don’t set your heart on it.
11God has spoken once;
I have heard this twice:
strength belongs to God,
12and faithful love belongs to you, LORD.
For you repay each according to his works.
62:1 “I am at rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” In this psalm the royal singer casts himself entirely on God. Here we see the foundation of his expectation laid bare. He has no confidence anywhere but in God. The psalm begins in the original with the word “only” (translated “alone”). I always call it, “The ‘only’ psalm” because it harps on that word (vv. 1,2,4,5,6,9). David had no mixed reliance. He had not built on a foundation partly of iron and partly of clay; it was all in harmony throughout. His trust was in the Lord alone. It is a blessed thing to wait only on God. You have proved everything else to be a failure, and now you hang upon the bare arm of God alone. There is certainly enough for us to depend on there. Most people want something to see, something tangible to the senses, to be the object of their confidence, but David rests only in God. His salvation is already on the road. It is coming now. It is a salvation from present trouble and from present temptation. A complete salvation is on the road for all those whose souls are waiting only on God.
PRAISE GOD WHO SATISFIES
63A psalm of David. When he was in the Wilderness of Judah.
1God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.
I thirst for you;
my body faints for you
in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.
2So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength
and your glory.
3My lips will glorify you
because your faithful love is better than life.
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
at your name, I will lift up
my hands.
5You satisfy me as with rich food; B
my mouth will praise you with joyful lips.
6When I think of you as I lie on my bed,
I meditate on you during the night watches
7because you are my helper;
I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.
8I follow close to you;
your right hand holds on to me.
ILLUSTRATION 63:1-2
In fact, to a Christian this world must always be a dry and thirsty land. The new life that grace has implanted in us finds nothing here below on which it can feed. The things that are seen are too material and defiled to sustain life, which comes by the Holy Spirit from the great Father. We are doves, and when we leave the hand of our Noah, we find nothing to rest on and must go back to him if we are to find food and rest for our souls. I am not speaking now of the world under its sorrowful aspect only, but of the world at its best. It is a dry land for saints even when its rains are falling. When the world dresses itself in scarlet and puts on its silks and satins, it is still a poor world for us. She may paint her face and adorn her head, but she is a Jezebel for all that.
9But those who intend to destroy my life
will go into the depths of the earth.
10They will be given over to the power of the sword;
they will become a meal
for jackals.
11But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by him will boast,
for the mouths of liars will be shut.
63:1-2 “God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you. I thirst for you; my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory.” Chrysostom tells us that among the early Christians it was the custom that no day should pass without the public singing of this psalm. This psalm may be said or sung all year long. As David, though king in Israel, had to flee across the Jordan to escape from Absalom, so may the most assured and the most sanctified of God’s people be driven for a while into a dry and thirsty land. The portrait hanging on the wall represents a smiling ancestor who smiles on, although his estates may have been alienated and his family disgraced. But not so the living parent, who anxiously regards each turn in the affairs of his children. For him there are tears as well as smiles. A person of flesh feels the movement of the years. Living persons must mourn and suffer as well as laugh and rejoice, for minds and hearts must change. We should not wonder, therefore, that the glad-hearted sons of Zion are not always in the temple but sometimes are driven into exile and sigh in a desert land.
PROTECTION FROM EVILDOERS
64For the choir director. A psalm of David.
God, hear my voice when I am in anguish.
Protect my life from the terror of the enemy.
2Hide me from the scheming of wicked people,
from the mob of evildoers,
3who sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim bitter words like arrows,
4shooting from concealed places at the blameless.
They shoot at him suddenly and are not afraid.
5They adopt A an evil plan;
they talk about hiding traps and say,
“Who will see them? ” B
6They devise crimes and say,
“We have perfected a secret plan.”
The inner man and the heart are mysterious.
7But God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly, they will be wounded.
8They will be made to stumble;
their own tongues work against them.
All who see them will shake their heads.
9Then everyone will fear
and will tell about God’s work,
for they will understand what he has done.
10The righteous one rejoices in the LORD
and takes refuge in him;
all those who are upright in heart
will offer praise.
GOD’S CARE FOR THE EARTH
65For the choir director. A psalm of David. A song.
1Praise is rightfully yours, C
God, in Zion;
vows to you will be fulfilled.
2All humanity will come to you,
the one who hears prayer.
3Iniquities overwhelm me;
only you can atone for
our rebellions.
4How happy is the one you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple. A
5You answer us in righteousness,
with awe-inspiring works,
God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the distant seas.
6You establish the mountains by your power;
you are robed with strength.
7You silence the roar of the seas,
the roar of their waves,
and the tumult of the nations.
8Those who live far away are awed by your signs;
you make east and west shout for joy.
9You visit the earth and water it abundantly,
enriching it greatly.
God’s stream is filled with water,
for you prepare the earth in this way,
providing people with grain.
10You soften it with showers and bless its growth,
soaking its furrows and leveling its ridges.
11You crown the year with your goodness;
your carts overflow with plenty. B
12The wilderness pastures overflow,
and the hills are robed with joy.
13The pastures are clothed with flocks
and the valleys covered with grain.
They shout in triumph; indeed, they sing.
65:1 “Praise is rightfully yours, God, in Zion.” Whatever else we do, let us be sure our souls magnify the Lord and abhor the idea of self-glorification. If the Lord has blessed us, let us shake off any idea of ascribing praise to ourselves, as Paul shook off the viper from his hand. We are mere vanity and to us belongs shame. This is our possession—the only inheritance our fathers have left to us. What are we that the Lord should bless us? Did I bring a soul to Christ the other day? I bless the Holy Spirit who helped me by his power to do so divine a deed. Did I bear bold testimony for the truth but yesterday? I bless him who is the faithful and true witness, that at his feet I learned how to be true and by his Spirit was enabled to be brave. With vehemence we put down the idea of honoring ourselves. Again and again we put away the usurper’s crown that Satan offers us.
PRAISE FOR GOD’S MIGHTY ACTS
66For the choir director. A song. A psalm.
Let the whole earth shout joyfully to God!
2Sing about the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3Say to God, “How awe-inspiring are your works!
Your enemies will cringe
before you
because of your great strength.
4The whole earth will worship you
and sing praise to you.
They will sing praise to your name.”
Selah
5Come and see the wonders of God;
his acts for humanity C are awe-inspiring.
6He turned the sea into dry land,
and they crossed the river on foot.
There we rejoiced in him.
7He rules forever by his might;
he keeps his eye on the nations.
The rebellious should not exalt themselves.
Selah
8Bless our God, you peoples;
let the sound of his praise be heard.
9He keeps us alive D
and does not allow our feet to slip.
you refined us as silver is refined.
11You lured us into a trap;
you placed burdens on our backs.
12You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us out to abundance. A
13I will enter your house with burnt offerings;
I will pay you my vows
14that my lips promised
and my mouth spoke during my distress.
15I will offer you fattened sheep as burnt offerings,
with the fragrant smoke of rams;
I will sacrifice bulls with goats.
Selah
16Come and listen, all who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for me.
17I cried out to him with my mouth,
and praise was on my tongue.
18If I had been aware of malice in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19However, God has listened;
he has paid attention to the sound of my prayer.
20Blessed be God!
He has not turned away my prayer
or turned his faithful love
from me.
66:4 “The whole earth will worship you and sing praise to you. They will sing praise to your name.” I still must always cling to the belief that this whole world is to be converted to God and to lie captive at the feet of Christ in glorious liberty. We should not fall into that lethargic, apathetic belief of some that this is never to be accomplished—that the battle is not to be fought out on the present lines but that there is to be a defeat—and then Christ is to come. No, toe-to-toe with the old enemy will he stand until he has worsted him and until the nations of the earth will worship and bow before him.
66:10 “For you, God, tested us; you refined us as silver is refined.” There is not an ingot of silver in heaven’s treasury that has not been in the furnace on earth and been purified seven times. There is not a gem of purest, serene ray that the divine jeweler has not exposed to every sort of test. There is not an atom of gold in the Redeemer’s crown that has not been molten among the hottest coals to rid it of its alloy. It is universal to every child of God: if we are servants of the Lord, we must be tested. We will never enter heaven unproved. We must be tested in the fire; the test must take place for every one of us. Nor do I think we ought to shun it. All our passages through the fiery furnace make us like swords when they are well tempered; they are ready to cut right through the bone. We will not cease from being tested until we get to heaven. Then it will be all over, and we will sing, and this will be the sweet note of it: “You have tested us, our God, and blessed be your name for it! Before we were afflicted, we went astray, but now have we kept your Word.”
ALL WILL PRAISE GOD
67For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
1May God be gracious to us and bless us;
may he make his face shine upon us
Selah
2so that your way may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3Let the peoples praise you, God;
let all the peoples praise you.
4Let the nations rejoice and shout for joy,
for you judge the peoples with fairness
and lead the nations on earth.
Selah
5Let the peoples praise you, God,
let all the peoples praise you.
6The earth has produced its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
GOD’S MAJESTIC POWER
68For the choir director. A psalm of David. A song.
1God arises. His enemies scatter,
and those who hate him flee from his presence.
2As smoke is blown away,
so you blow them away.
As wax melts before the fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.
3But the righteous are glad;
they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy.
4Sing to God! Sing praises to his name.
Exalt him who rides on the clouds B —
his name is the LORD C — and celebrate before him.
5God in his holy dwelling is
a father of the fatherless
and a champion of widows.
6God provides homes for those who are deserted.
He leads out the prisoners to prosperity, D
but the rebellious live in a scorched land.
7God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the desert,
Selah
8the earth trembled and the skies poured rain
before God, the God of Sinai, A
before God, the God of Israel.
9You, God, showered abundant rain;
you revived your inheritance when it languished.
10Your people settled in it;
God, you provided for the poor by your goodness.
11The Lord gave the command;
a great company of women brought the good news:
12“The kings of the armies flee — they flee! ”
She who stays at home divides the spoil.
13While B you lie among the sheep pens, C
the wings of a dove are covered with silver,
and its feathers with glistening gold.
14When the Almighty scattered kings in the land,
it snowed on Zalmon. D
15Mount Bashan is God’s towering mountain;
Mount Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.
16Why gaze with envy, you mountain peaks,
at the mountain God desired for his abode?
The LORD will dwell there forever!
17God’s chariots are tens of thousands,
thousands and thousands;
the Lord is among them in the sanctuary E
as he was at Sinai.
18You ascended to the heights, taking away captives;
you received gifts from F people,
even from the rebellious,
so that the LORD God might dwell there. G
19Blessed be the Lord!
Day after day he bears our burdens;
God is our salvation.
Selah
20Our God is a God of salvation,
and escape from death belongs to the LORD my Lord.
21Surely God crushes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy brow of one who goes on in his guilty acts.
22The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan;
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea
23so that your foot may wade H in blood
and your dogs’ tongues may have their share
from the enemies.”
24People have seen your procession, God,
the procession of my God,
my King, in the sanctuary.
25Singers lead the way,
with musicians following;
among them are young women
playing tambourines.
26Bless God in the assemblies;
bless the LORD from the fountain of Israel.
27There is Benjamin, the youngest, leading them,
the rulers of Judah in their assembly, I
the rulers of Zebulun, the rulers of Naphtali.
28Your God has decreed your strength.
Show your strength, God,
you who have acted on our behalf.
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
kings will bring tribute to you.
30Rebuke the beast in the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample underfoot those with bars of silver. A
Scatter the peoples who take pleasure in war.
31Ambassadors will come B from Egypt;
Cush will stretch out its hands to God.
32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth;
sing praise to the Lord,
Selah
33to him who rides in the ancient, highest heavens.
Look, he thunders with his powerful voice!
34Ascribe power to God.
His majesty is over Israel,
his power is among the clouds.
35God, you are awe-inspiring in your sanctuaries.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!
B 68:4 Or rides through the desert
D 68:6 Or prisoners with joyous music ; Hb uncertain
A 68:8 Or God, this one of Sinai
C 68:13 Or the campfires, or the saddlebags ; Hb obscure
E 68:17 Or in holiness, also in v. 24
G 68:18 Or even those rebelling against the LORD God’s living there ; Hb obscure
A 68:30 Or peoples, trampling on those who take pleasure in silver, or peoples, trampling on the bars of silver, or peoples, who trample each other for bars of silver
A PLEA FOR RESCUE
69For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.” Of David.
1Save me, God,
for the water has risen to my neck.
2I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing;
I have come into deep water,
and a flood sweeps over me.
3I am weary from my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God.
4Those who hate me without cause
are more numerous than the hairs of my head;
my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me,
are powerful.
Though I did not steal, I must repay.
5God, you know my foolishness,
and my guilty acts are not hidden from you.
6Do not let those who put their hope in you
be disgraced because of me,
Lord GOD of Armies;
do not let those who seek you
be humiliated because of me,
God of Israel.
7For I have endured insults because of you,
and shame has covered my face.
8I have become a stranger to my brothers
and a foreigner to my mother’s sons
9because zeal for your house has consumed me,
and the insults of those who insult you
have fallen on me.
but it brought me insults.
11I wore sackcloth as my clothing,
and I was a joke to them.
12Those who sit at the city gate talk about me,
and drunkards make up songs about me.
13But as for me, LORD,
my prayer to you is for a time of favor.
In your abundant,
faithful love, God,
answer me with your sure salvation.
14Rescue me from the miry mud; don’t let me sink.
Let me be rescued from those who hate me
and from the deep water.
15Don’t let the floodwaters sweep over me
or the deep swallow me up;
don’t let the Pit close its mouth over me.
16Answer me, LORD,
for your faithful love is good.
In keeping with your abundant compassion,
turn to me.
17Don’t hide your face from your servant,
for I am in distress.
Answer me quickly!
18Come near to me and redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies.
19You know the insults I endure —
my shame and disgrace.
You are aware of all my adversaries.
20Insults have broken my heart,
and I am in despair.
I waited for sympathy,
but there was none;
for comforters, but found no one.
21Instead, they gave me gall for my food,
and for my thirst
they gave me vinegar to drink.
22Let their table set before them be a snare,
and let it be a trap for their allies.
23Let their eyes grow too dim to see,
and let their hips continually quake.
24Pour out your rage on them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.
25Make their fortification desolate;
may no one live in their tents.
26For they persecute the one you struck
and talk about the pain of those you wounded.
27Charge them with crime on top of crime;
do not let them share in your righteousness.
28Let them be erased from the book of life
and not be recorded with the righteous.
29But as for me — poor and in pain —
let your salvation protect me, God.
30I will praise God’s name with song
and exalt him with thanksgiving.
31That will please the LORD more than an ox,
more than a bull with horns and hooves.
32The humble will see it and rejoice.
You who seek God, take heart!
33For the LORD listens to the needy
and does not despise
his own who are prisoners.
34Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them,
35for God will save Zion
and build up A the cities of Judah.
They will live there and possess it.
36The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
69:5 “God, you know my foolishness, and my guilty acts are not hidden from you.” We have heard a good deal about mind reading. I hope most of us will never be gifted in that direction, for such a power would make it unpleasant for many. Someone said he wished he had a window in his forehead, that everybody might read his thoughts. I think that if he were at all a sensible man, he would need to pull the blind down before long! There are thoughts that now and then cross the purest mind that we would not wish another to perceive. He who watches his thoughts with an exemplary vigilance will sometimes be caught off guard and tolerate an imagination that he would not wish to pollute any other person’s mind. But though we cannot read one another’s hearts, God can read them. There is no possibility of deceiving the Lord. He reads the hypocrite when he puts on his fine clothes and prays his prayer in the most devout style—and even when he enters his closet and bows before his God. We may have performed what looked like a holy deed. We may have sung a solemn psalm. We may have appeared to others to be among the excellent of the earth, but if it is not really so, no one can hide himself in secret or conceal the deceit of his spirit in the dark place from the eyes of the Most High. Though we should climb to the top of Carmel in the pride of our hearts or go down with Jonah to the bottoms of the mountains in our deceit, he will find us out, strip us, unmask us, and set us in the sunlight to be despised by all intelligent beings. My sins cannot be hid from him since he reads the secrets of the heart, and the tortuous passages of the soul are easily threaded by his unerring wisdom.
A CALL FOR DELIVERANCE
70For the choir director. Of David. To bring remembrance.
1God, hurry to rescue me.
LORD, hurry to help me!
2Let those who seek to kill me
be disgraced and confounded;
let those who wish me harm
be turned back and humiliated.
3Let those who say, “Aha, aha! ”
retreat because of their shame.
4Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
let those who love your salvation
continually say, “God is great! ”
5I am oppressed and needy;
hurry to me, God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
LORD, do not delay.
GOD’S HELP IN OLD AGE
71LORD, I seek refuge in you;
let me never be disgraced.
2In your justice, rescue and deliver me;
listen closely to me and save me.
3Be a rock of refuge for me,
where I can always go.
Give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and fortress.
4Deliver me, my God, from the power of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and oppressive.
5For you are my hope, Lord GOD,
my confidence from my youth.
6I have leaned on you from birth;
you took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is always about you.
7I am like a miraculous sign
to many,
and you are my strong refuge.
8My mouth is full of praise
and honor to you all day long.
9Don’t discard me in my old age.
As my strength fails, do not abandon me.
10For my enemies talk about me,
and those who spy on me plot together,
11saying, “God has abandoned him;
chase him and catch him,
for there is no one to rescue him.”
12God, do not be far from me;
my God, hurry to help me.
13May my adversaries be disgraced and destroyed;
may those who intend to harm me
be covered with disgrace and humiliation.
14But I will hope continually
and will praise you more and more.
15My mouth will tell about your righteousness
and your salvation all day long,
though I cannot sum them up.
16I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord GOD;
I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.
17God, you have taught me from my youth,
and I still proclaim your wondrous works.
QUOTE 71:17
A Christian has never finished his education till he stands before the golden throne of God.
18Even while I am old and gray,
God, do not abandon me,
while I proclaim your power
to another generation,
your strength to all who are to come.
19Your righteousness reaches the heights, God,
you who have done great things;
God, who is like you?
20You caused me to experience
many troubles and misfortunes,
but you will revive me again.
You will bring me up again,
even from the depths of the earth.
21You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again.
22Therefore, I will praise you with a harp
for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing to you with a lyre,
Holy One of Israel.
23My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you
because you have redeemed me.
24Therefore, my tongue will proclaim
your righteousness all day long,
for those who intend to harm me
will be disgraced and confounded.
71:6 “I have leaned on you from birth; you took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is always about you.” This psalm, written by an old man, is especially suitable for an old man. It is numbered seventy-one; and it may suit those who have reached that age; but it is also appropriate to us all in prospect of the days of feebleness that will come to us, sooner or later, if we are spared to grow old. We do not think as often as we should of what we owe to God for his care over us at the time of our birth. Our mothers returned thanks on their own behalf and ours, but as we look back, we are bound to return thanks, too, for that compassionate care of God in our most extreme weakness—when the little candle of life was scarcely lighted and might have been so easily blown out. Then, as God took care of us in our first infancy, do you not think he will take care of us when we get into our second childhood? We are never likely to be as weak as we were then, but, as the Lord guarded us at that time, will he not guard us in those dark days that are already looming before some of us? Therefore, let us be of good courage, for he will strengthen our hearts and our praise will be continually of him.
71:15 “My mouth will tell about your righteousness and your salvation all day long, though I cannot sum them up.” When David spoke of those who hated him without a cause (Ps 69:4), he said they were more than the hairs of his head. He could not count them, but he went as near to doing so as he could. But when he began to speak of God’s mercies as displayed in his righteousness and his salvation, he did not draw any comparison or attempt to number them. This is a calculation in which we are utterly lost—our system of counting fails us altogether when we come to deal with the loving-kindness of the Lord.
71:17 “God, you have taught me from my youth, and I still proclaim your wondrous works.” When David became a man, even when he became a king, he still continued to be taught by God. With a crown on his head, he was still a scholar and disciple of the great God. Waving a scepter, he was still nothing but a child before a father when he thought of God. We find him, as a gray-headed man, still penning his psalms and being taught by God—perhaps in his last days learning most sorrowfully, staining his book with tears, discovering more of himself and more of the mercy of God, more of the power of temptation and more of the power of the sacrifice that puts away sin—more of the wanderings of his heart and more of that free Spirit who upholds us and makes us walk in the ways of God. He was always being educated. A Christian has never finished his education till he stands before the golden throne of God.
A PRAYER FOR THE KING
72Of Solomon.
God, give your justice to the king
and your righteousness to the king’s son.
2He will judge your people with righteousness
and your afflicted ones with justice.
3May the mountains bring well-being A to the people
and the hills, righteousness.
4May he vindicate the afflicted among the people,
help the poor,
and crush the oppressor.
5May they fear you B while the sun endures
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6May the king be like rain that falls on the cut grass,
like spring showers that water the earth.
7May the righteous C flourish in his days
and well-being abound
until the moon is no more.
8May he rule from sea to sea
and from the Euphrates
to the ends of the earth.
9May desert tribes kneel before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10May the kings of Tarshish
and the coasts and islands bring tribute,
the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
11Let all kings bow in homage to him,
all nations serve him.
12For he will rescue the poor who cry out
and the afflicted who have no helper.
13He will have pity on the poor and helpless
and save the lives of the poor.
14He will redeem them from oppression and violence,
for their lives are A precious B in his sight.
15May he live long!
May gold from Sheba be given to him.
May prayer be offered for him continually,
and may he be blessed all day long.
16May there be plenty of grain in the land;
may it wave on the tops of the mountains.
May its crops be like Lebanon.
May people flourish in the cities
like the grass of the field.
17May his name endure forever;
as long as the sun shines,
may his fame increase.
May all nations be blessed by him
and call him blessed.
18Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does wonders.
19Blessed be his glorious name forever;
the whole earth is filled with his glory.
Amen and amen.
20The prayers of David son of Jesse are concluded.
BOOK III (PSALMS 73–89)
GOD’S WAYS VINDICATED
73A psalm of Asaph.
God is indeed good to Israel,
to the pure in heart.
2But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my steps nearly went astray.
3For I envied the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4They have an easy time until they die, C
and their bodies are well fed. D
5They are not in trouble like others;
they are not afflicted like most people.
6Therefore, pride is their necklace,
and violence covers them like a garment.
7Their eyes bulge out from fatness;
the imaginations of their hearts run wild.
8They mock, and they speak maliciously;
they arrogantly threaten oppression.
9They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues strut across the earth.
10Therefore his people turn to them E
and drink in their overflowing words. F
11The wicked say, “How can God know?
Does the Most High know everything? ”
12Look at them — the wicked!
and they increase their wealth.
13Did I purify my heart
and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?
14For I am afflicted all day long
and punished every morning.
15If I had decided to say these things aloud,
I would have betrayed your people. A
16When I tried to understand all this,
it seemed hopeless B
17until I entered God’s sanctuary.
Then I understood their destiny.
18Indeed, you put them in slippery places;
you make them fall into ruin.
19How suddenly they become a desolation!
They come to an end, swept away by terrors.
20Like one waking from a dream,
Lord, when arising, you will despise their image.
21When I became embittered
and my innermost being C was wounded,
22I was stupid and didn’t understand;
I was an unthinking animal toward you.
23Yet I am always with you;
you hold my right hand.
24You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me up in glory. D
25Who do I have in heaven but you?
And I desire nothing on earth but you.
26My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength E of my heart,
my portion forever.
27Those far from you will certainly perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28But as for me, God’s presence is my good.
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
so I can tell about all you do.
73:12 “Look at them—the wicked! They are always at ease, and they increase their wealth.” The psalmist here is working out the problem of the prosperity of the wicked. The seventy-third psalm and the thirty-seventh psalm are both on the same subject. We can easily remember this, since the same figures are used in each instance, only turned around, 73 and 37. The psalmist was troubled as he saw many who had no fear of God before their eyes, who seemed always to be prospering. And yet why do we wonder at this? The bull that is intended to be killed is the first to be fattened, and the one that is doomed to destruction will often be allowed to prosper. Would you not let them have as much pleasure as they can have in this life, for they will have none in the next? We must not envy them their short-lived joys.
73:15 “If I had decided to say these things aloud, I would have betrayed your people.” Some people have made up a kind of proverb like this: “If you think it, you may as well speak it.” But it is not so. Bad thoughts should never be spoken. If a man has evil thoughts but does not utter them, the mischief will not be so great as if he were to make them known to others.
73:22 “I was stupid and didn’t understand; I was an unthinking animal toward you.” A man of God talks thus about himself. He feels he acted and thought as a beast might do, for a beast only calculates things according to the present; it crops the grass, is satisfied, and lies down. But an immortal man ought to take a wider sweep and range in his thoughts and not merely think of today and of this present life but of the end of time and of the eternity that lies beyond this present mortal state. And because he had failed to do so, he calls himself foolish and ignorant. In the end he finds all his comfort in his God. He comes to the conclusion that whatever the portion of the ungodly may be, his is infinitely better because they do not have God and he has God, who is all in all.
C 73:4 Lit For there are no pangs to their death
F 73:10 Lit and waters of fullness are drained by them
A 73:15 Lit betrayed the generation of your sons
B 73:16 Lit it was trouble in my eyes
PRAYER FOR ISRAEL
74A Maskil of Asaph.
Why have you rejected us
forever, God?
Why does your anger burn
against the sheep of your pasture?
2Remember your congregation,
which you purchased long ago
and redeemed as the tribe for your own possession.
Remember Mount Zion where you dwell.
3Make your way F to the perpetual ruins,
to all that the enemy has destroyed in the sanctuary.
4Your adversaries roared in the meeting place
“Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”
Man is not intended for earth. He is only a pilgrim through it to eternal happiness. This he seeks for, but to gain it:
I.MAN NEEDS A GUIDE AT ALL TIMES, IN ALL STAGES OF GROWTH.
1.If we consider man, we shall see this. The swallow flies across the ocean by instinct. Animals migrate. Ants store food by instinct. Man has none. He has no foresight. He cannot see far before him. [He] never went the way before. He has no prudence, no wisdom, little strength, is enclined to death.
2.The way is full of difficulties and beset with dangers: Mountains, rivers, forests, flowery allurements, bypaths, ambush, highway robbers.
3.Many are ruined who have made a fair shew..
II. THIS GUIDE SHOULD BE WELL CHOSEN.
He must have experience, foresight, acquaintance with the way, prudence, might, fidelity, ability to go all the way. Many Guides men choose are useless: Guide Passion. Guide Reason is often a self-conceited fool. Guide Priest is an impostor. Guide Philosopher. Guide Morality of this world.
III. GOD IS THE ONLY GUIDE WHO ANSWERS TO THIS DESCRIPTION.
He has eternal experience, omniscience, prudence, omnipotence, faithfulness, eternity. The saints, redeemed witness. This Heaven belongs to him, and he will give admittance
x
1.All should implicitly trust themselves in his hand.
2.Christians who have done so should rely on him.
3.Eternal glory should cheer the road.
xHe guides his people:
1.By the precepts of the Bible.
2.By providence.
3.By Spiritual Influence in prayer.
85.
where you met with us. A
They set up their emblems as signs.
5It was like men in a thicket of trees,
wielding axes,
6then smashing all the carvings
with hatchets and picks.
7They set your sanctuary on fire;
they utterly B desecrated
the dwelling place of your name.
8They said in their hearts,
“Let us oppress them relentlessly.”
They burned every place throughout the land
where God met with us. C
9There are no signs for us to see.
There is no longer a prophet.
And none of us knows how long this will last.
10God, how long will the enemy mock?
Will the foe insult your name forever?
11Why do you hold back your hand?
Stretch out D your right hand and destroy them!
12God my King is from ancient times,
performing saving acts on the earth.
13You divided the sea with your strength;
you smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the water;
14you crushed the heads of Leviathan;
you fed him to the creatures of the desert.
15You opened up springs and streams;
you dried up ever-flowing rivers.
16The day is yours, also the night;
you established the moon and the sun.
17You set all the boundaries of the earth;
you made summer and winter.
18Remember this: the enemy has mocked the LORD,
and a foolish people has insulted your name.
19Do not give to beasts the life of your dove; E
do not forget the lives of your poor people forever.
20Consider the covenant,
for the dark places of the land are full of violence.
21Do not let the oppressed turn away in shame;
let the poor and needy praise your name.
22Rise up, God, champion your cause!
Remember the insults
that fools bring against you all day long.
23Do not forget the clamor of your adversaries,
the tumult of your opponents that goes up constantly.
GOD JUDGES THE WICKED
75For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm of Asaph. A song.
1We give thanks to you, God;
we give thanks to you, for your name is near.
People tell about your wondrous works.
2“When I choose a time,
I will judge fairly.
3When the earth and all its inhabitants shake,
I am the one who steadies its pillars.
Selah
4I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn.
5Do not lift up your horn against heaven F
or speak arrogantly.’ ”
6Exaltation does not come
from the east, the west, or the desert,
7for God is the Judge:
He brings down one and exalts another.
8For there is a cup in the LORD’s hand,
full of wine blended with spices, and he pours from it.
All the wicked of the earth
will drink,
draining it to the dregs.
9As for me, I will tell about him forever;
I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
10“I will cut off all the horns of the wicked,
but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”
GOD, THE POWERFUL JUDGE
76For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.
1God is known in Judah;
his name is great in Israel.
2His tent is in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.
3There he shatters the bow’s flaming arrows,
the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war.
Selah
4You are resplendent and majestic
coming down from the mountains of prey.
5The brave-hearted have been plundered;
they have slipped into their final sleep.
None of the warriors was able to lift a hand.
6At your rebuke, God of Jacob,
both chariot and horse lay still.
7And you — you are to be feared. A
When you are angry,
who can stand before you?
8From heaven you pronounced judgment.
The earth feared and grew quiet
9when God rose up to judge
and to save all the lowly of the earth.
Selah
10Even human wrath will praise you;
you will clothe yourself
with the wrath that remains. B
11Make and keep your vows
to the LORD your God;
let all who are around him bring tribute
to the awe-inspiring one. C
12He humbles the spirit of leaders;
he is feared by the kings
of the earth.
76:3 “There he shatters the bow’s flaming arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war.” This psalm commemorates the grand defeat of Sennacherib, when no swords or spears were used, but the Lord sent an angel who cut off all the mighty men of valor and all the leaders and captains in the camp so that the proud Assyrian returned with shame to his own land. This victory was the subject of many holy songs in Judah’s happy land, but the everlasting defeat of the accuser of the brothers and sisters by the angel of the covenant of grace should waken yet more thrilling music in the choirs of the church of the living God. All the wonders recorded in the book of the wars of the Lord are eclipsed in the gospel annals; for they are but the destruction of men’s bodies, the temporary deliverance of cities and of nations from the oppression of war; but the gospel tells of eternal redemption. As spiritual affairs far exceed material interests, so the spiritual victories of God in the midst of his church are far more resplendent than his triumphs against his foes on behalf of Israel. May the Holy Spirit quicken us, raise our courage, strengthen our faith, and confirm our confidence in him while we think on what God has done and is doing in the midst of his church. Valiantly has the Lord worked for us and in us; and he will also do great things by us.
CONFIDENCE IN A TIME OF CRISIS
77For the choir director: according to Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
1I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2I sought the Lord in my day of trouble.
My hands were continually lifted up
all night long;
I refused to be comforted.
I meditate; my spirit becomes weak.
Selah
4You have kept me from closing my eyes;
I am troubled and cannot speak.
5I consider days of old,
years long past.
6At night I remember my music;
I meditate in my heart, and my spirit ponders.
7“Will the Lord reject forever
and never again show favor?
8Has his faithful love ceased forever?
Is his promise at an end for all generations?
9Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion? ”
Selah
10So I say, “I am grieved
that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” A
11I will remember the LORD’s works;
yes, I will remember your ancient wonders.
12I will reflect on all you have done
and meditate on your actions.
13God, your way is holy.
What god is great like God?
14You are the God who works wonders;
you revealed your strength among the peoples.
15With power you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
Selah
16The water saw you, God.
The water saw you; it trembled.
Even the depths shook.
17The clouds poured down water.
The storm clouds thundered;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
18The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
lightning lit up the world.
The earth shook and quaked.
19Your way went through the sea
and your path through the vast water,
but your footprints were unseen.
20You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
LESSONS FROM ISRAEL’S PAST
78A Maskil of Asaph.
My people, hear my instruction;
listen to the words from my mouth.
2I will declare wise sayings;
I will speak mysteries from the past —
3things we have heard and known
and that our fathers have passed down to us.
4We will not hide them from their children,
but will tell a future generation
the praiseworthy acts of the LORD,
his might, and the wondrous works
he has performed.
5He established a testimony in Jacob
and set up a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children
6so that a future generation —
children yet to be born — might know.
They were to rise and tell their children
7so that they might put their confidence in God
and not forget God’s works,
but keep his commands.
8Then they would not be like their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not loyal
and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9The Ephraimite archers turned back
on the day of battle.
10They did not keep God’s covenant
and refused to live by his law.
11They forgot what he had done,
the wondrous works he had shown them.
12He worked wonders in the sight of their fathers
in the land of Egypt, the territory of Zoan.
13He split the sea and brought them across;
the water stood firm like a wall.
14He led them with a cloud by day
and with a fiery light throughout the night.
15He split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them drink as abundant as the depths.
16He brought streams out of the stone
and made water flow down like rivers.
17But they continued to sin against him,
rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
18They deliberately A tested God,
demanding the food they craved.
19They spoke against God, saying,
“Is God able to provide food in the wilderness?
20Look! He struck the rock and water gushed out;
torrents overflowed.
But can he also provide bread
or furnish meat for his people? ”
21Therefore, the LORD heard and became furious;
then fire broke out against Jacob,
and anger flared up against Israel
22because they did not believe God
or rely on his salvation.
23He gave a command to the clouds above
and opened the doors of heaven.
24He rained manna for them to eat;
he gave them grain from heaven.
25People B ate the bread of angels. C
He sent them an abundant supply of food.
26He made the east wind blow in the skies
and drove the south wind by his might.
27He rained meat on them like dust,
and winged birds like the sand of the seas.
28He made them fall in the camp,
all around the tents.
29The people ate and were completely satisfied,
for he gave them what they craved.
30Before they had turned from what they craved,
while the food was still in their mouths,
31God’s anger flared up against them,
and he killed
some of their best men.
He struck down Israel’s fit young men.
32Despite all this, they kept sinning
and did not believe his wondrous works.
33He made their days end in futility,
their years in sudden disaster.
34When he killed some of them,
the rest began to seek him;
they repented and searched for God.
35They remembered that God was their rock,
the Most High God, their Redeemer.
36But they deceived him with their mouths,
they lied to him with their tongues,
37their hearts were insincere toward him,
and they were unfaithful to his covenant.
38Yet he was compassionate;
he atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them.
He often turned his anger aside
and did not unleash A all his wrath.
39He remembered that they were only flesh,
a wind that passes and does not return.
40How often they rebelled against him
in the wilderness
and grieved him in the desert.
41They constantly tested God
and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42They did not remember his power shown
on the day he redeemed them from the foe,
43when he performed his miraculous signs in Egypt
and his wonders in the territory of Zoan.
44He turned their rivers into blood,
and they could not drink from their streams.
45He sent among them swarms of flies,
which fed on them,
and frogs, which devastated them.
46He gave their crops to the caterpillar
and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47He killed their vines with hail
and their sycamore fig trees with a flood.
48He handed over their livestock to hail
and their cattle to lightning bolts.
49He sent his burning anger against them:
fury, indignation, and calamity —
a band of deadly messengers. B
50He cleared a path for his anger.
He did not spare them from death
but delivered their lives to the plague.
51He struck all the firstborn in Egypt,
the first progeny of the tents of Ham.
52He led his people out like sheep
and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
53He led them safely, and they were not afraid;
but the sea covered their enemies.
54He brought them to his holy territory,
to the mountain his right hand acquired.
55He drove out nations before them.
He apportioned their inheritance by lot
and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56But they rebelliously tested the Most High God,
for they did not keep his decrees.
57They treacherously turned away like their fathers;
they became warped like a faulty bow.
58They enraged him with their high places
and provoked his jealousy with their carved images.
59God heard and became furious;
he completely rejected Israel.
60He abandoned the tabernacle at Shiloh,
the tent where he resided among mankind.
61He gave up his strength to captivity
and his splendor to the hand of a foe.
62He surrendered his people to the sword
because he was enraged with his heritage.
63Fire consumed his chosen young men,
and his young women had no wedding songs. A
64His priests fell by the sword,
and the widows could not lament.
65The Lord awoke as if from sleep,
like a warrior from the effects of wine.
66He beat back his foes;
he gave them lasting disgrace.
67He rejected the tent of Joseph
and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68He chose instead the tribe
of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he loved.
69He built his sanctuary like the heights,
like the earth that he established forever.
70He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheep pens;
71he brought him
from tending ewes
to be shepherd over his people Jacob —
over Israel, his inheritance.
72He shepherded them with a pure heart
and guided them with his skillful hands.
78:34-36 “When he killed some of them, the rest began to seek him; they repented and searched for God. They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their Redeemer. But they deceived him with their mouths, they lied to him with their tongues.” Some people are like dull animals that will not go without the whip. Many of us cannot be kept right without constant affliction. If our God gives us a little smooth walking, we go half asleep, or we trip and stumble. And so he is compelled, as it were, to make our way rough and often to strike us with the rod to keep us from falling altogether into sinful slumber. How many there are who, when they seem to turn to God in times of sickness, are not truly penitent! A deathbed repentance may be true, but, oh, what a risk there is that it may be false.
78:51-52 “He struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the first progeny of the tents of Ham. He led his people out like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.” There is a sharp line of division here between the Egyptians and the Lord’s own people, and that line of division always has existed and always will, for all attempts to blend the seed of the serpent with the seed of the woman must fail. Between the church and the world, however debased the church may become and however reformed the world may be, there will still be a clear distinction even until the end; and that distinction will be seen in the day of the appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when “all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Mt 25:32).
FAITH AMID CONFUSION
79A psalm of Asaph.
God, the nations have invaded your inheritance,
desecrated your holy temple,
and turned Jerusalem into ruins.
2They gave the corpses of your servants
to the birds of the sky for food,
the flesh of your faithful ones
to the beasts of the earth.
3They poured out their blood
like water all around Jerusalem,
and there was no one to bury them.
4We have become an object of reproach
to our neighbors,
a source of mockery and ridicule
to those around us.
5How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever?
Will your jealousy keep burning like fire?
6Pour out your wrath on the nations
that don’t acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name,
7for they have devoured Jacob
and devastated his homeland.
8Do not hold past iniquities B against us;
let your compassion come to us quickly,
for we have become very weak.
9God of our salvation, help us —
for the glory of your name.
Rescue us and atone for our sins,
for your name’s sake.
10Why should the nations ask,
“Where is their God? ”
Before our eyes,
let vengeance for the shed blood of your servants
11Let the groans of the prisoners reach you;
according to your great power,
preserve those condemned to die.
12Pay back sevenfold to our neighbors
the reproach they have hurled at you, Lord.
13Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will thank you forever;
we will declare your praise
to generation after generation.
A PRAYER FOR RESTORATION
80For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.” A testimony of Asaph. A psalm.
1Listen, Shepherd of Israel,
who leads Joseph like a flock;
you who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
shine 2 on Ephraim,
Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Rally your power and come to save us.
3Restore us, God;
make your face shine on us,
so that we may be saved.
4LORD God of Armies,
how long will you be angry
with your people’s prayers?
5You fed them the bread of tears
and gave them a full measure A
of tears to drink.
6You put us at odds with our neighbors;
our enemies mock us.
7Restore us, God of Armies;
make your face shine on us, so that we may be saved.
8You dug up a vine from Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9You cleared a place for it;
it took root and filled the land.
10The mountains were covered by its shade,
and the mighty cedars B with its branches.
11It sent out sprouts toward the Sea C
and shoots toward the River. D
12Why have you broken down its walls
so that all who pass by pick its fruit?
13Boars from the forest tear at it
and creatures of the field feed on it.
14Return, God of Armies.
Look down from heaven and see;
take care of this vine,
15the root E your right hand planted,
the son F that you made strong for yourself.
16It was cut down and burned;
ILLUSTRATION 80:14
When I think of such a planting, it seems to me that this vine can never be given up to be utterly burned with fire after wonders as these. It is not God’s fashion to cast away a people for whom he has done so much. An era brighter and more glorious must surely dawn, and the Lord must bring again from Bashan and lead up his chosen nation from the depths of the seas. Once again he will make bare his arm, even he that cut Rahab and wounded the dragon; and the whole earth will behold all Israel, both spiritual and national, singing in one joyous song the song of Moses the servant of God and of the Lamb. The planting of the nation makes us feel the deepest possible interest in its welfare.
they A perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
17Let your hand be with the man at your right hand,
with the son of man
you have made strong for yourself.
18Then we will not turn away from you;
revive us, and we will call on your name.
19Restore us, LORD, God of Armies;
make your face shine on us, so that we may be saved.
80:14 “Return, God of Armies. Look down from heaven and see; take care of this vine.” Israel has a history compared with which the annals of all other nations are but poor and thin. Israel’s history is the roll call of priests and kings for God. At the beginning, what interest attaches to the planting of this vine! The psalmist speaks of the Lord’s bringing the vine out of Egypt and casting out the nations that he might find a trench wherein he might place Israel’s roots that she might strike deep and take possession of the soil. But what wonders God worked in the planting of Israel.
A CALL TO OBEDIENCE
81For the choir director: on the Gittith. Of Asaph.
1Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.
2Lift up a song — play the tambourine,
the melodious lyre, and the harp.
3Blow the horn on the day of our feasts B
during the new moon
and during the full moon.
4For this is a statute for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5He set it up as a decree for Joseph
when he went throughout C the land of Egypt.
I heard an unfamiliar language:
6“I relieved his shoulder from the burden;
his hands were freed from carrying the basket.
7You called out in distress, and I rescued you;
I answered you from the thundercloud.
I tested you at the Waters of Meribah.
Selah
8Listen, my people, and I will admonish you.
Israel, if you would only listen to me!
9There must not be a strange god among you;
you must not bow down to a foreign god.
10I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11“But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel did not obey me.
12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own plans.
13If only my people would listen to me
and Israel would follow my ways,
14I would quickly subdue
their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.”
15Those who hate the LORD
would cower to him;
their doom would last forever.
16But he would feed Israel D with the best wheat.
“I would satisfy you with honey from the rock.”
A PLEA FOR RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT
82A psalm of Asaph.
God stands in the divine assembly;
he pronounces judgment among the gods: E
2“How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked?
Selah
3Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless;
uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
4Rescue the poor and needy;
save them from the power of the wicked.”
5They do not know or understand;
they wander in darkness.
All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
you are all sons of the Most High.
7However, you will die like humans
and fall like any other ruler.”
8Rise up, God, judge the earth,
for all the nations belong to you.
PRAYER AGAINST ENEMIES
83A song. A psalm of Asaph.
God, do not keep silent.
Do not be deaf, God; do not be quiet.
2See how your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate you have acted arrogantly. A
3They devise clever schemes against your people;
they conspire against your treasured ones.
4They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation
so that Israel’s name will no longer be remembered.”
5For they have conspired with one mind;
they form an alliance B against you —
6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
7Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.
8Even Assyria has joined them;
they lend support Cto the sons of Lot. D
Selah
9Deal with them as you did with Midian,
as you did with Sisera
and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10They were destroyed at En-dor;
they became manure for the ground.
11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
and all their tribal leaders like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12who said, “Let us seize God’s pastures for ourselves.”
13Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
like straw before the wind.
14As fire burns a forest,
as a flame blazes through mountains,
15so pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your storm.
16Cover their faces with shame
so that they will seek your name, LORD.
17Let them be put to shame and terrified forever;
let them perish in disgrace.
18May they know that you alone —
whose name is the LORD —
are the Most High over the whole earth.
83:1-2 “God, do not keep silent. Do not be deaf, God; do not be quiet. See how your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have acted arrogantly.” This is a patriotic hymn. The nation was about to be attacked by many adversaries so, like a true patriot, the poet desired that God would give the victory to his people and deliver them. We may regard this psalm as a prophecy of what will happen to the enemies of God’s people, though it reads like a prayer or wish of the writer. God’s enemies are making a noise, and the psalmist’s prayer is that the Lord himself will speak and answer them. God’s voice made the heavens and the earth. A single word from him will win the day. The poet’s prayer is not, “Grant a leader bold and brave,” but, “Lord, speak, speak!” The enemies of Israel were the enemies of God. If they were only our enemies, we might keep silent, but as they are also the enemies of God, our loyalty to the Lord compels us to cry to him to speak against them!
83:16 “Cover their faces with shame so that they will seek your name LORD.” Christians are instructed to love our enemies, but we are never commanded to love God’s enemies. We may not hate any people as people; but as they are opposed to God, to truth, to righteousness, to purity, we may and we must, if we are ourselves right-minded, feel a burning indignation against them. Did you ever read the story of “the middle passage” in the days of the African slave trade, when the Negroes died by hundreds or were flung into the sea to lighten the ship? Did you ever read of those horrors without praying, “O God, let the thunderbolts of your wrath fall on the men who can perpetrate such enormities”? Such is the spirit of this psalm. But I like best this particular verse because while it breathes righteous indignation against the wicked, it has mixed with it the tender spirit of love. “Cover their faces with shame,” prays the psalmist, “but overrule your severity for their everlasting good, ‘so that they will seek your name, LORD.’” The worst fate I wish to any without God and without hope in the world is that this prayer may be prayed by honest and loving hearts for them and for others like them.
LONGING FOR GOD’S HOUSE
84For the choir director: on the Gittith. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1How lovely is your dwelling place,
LORD of Armies.
2I long and yearn
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh cry out for A the living God.
3Even a sparrow finds a home,
and a swallow, a nest for herself
where she places her young —
near your altars, LORD of Armies,
my King and my God.
4How happy are those who reside in your house,
who praise you continually.
Selah
5Happy are the people whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6As they pass through the Valley of Baca, B
they make it a source of springwater;
even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings. C
7They go from strength to strength;
each appears before God in Zion.
8LORD God of Armies, hear my prayer;
listen, God of Jacob.
Selah
9Consider our shield, D God;
look on the face of your anointed one.
10Better a day in your courts
than a thousand anywhere else.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than live in the tents of wicked people.
11For the LORD God is a sun and shield.
The LORD grants favor and honor;
he does not withhold the good
from those who live with integrity.
12Happy is the person who trusts in you,
LORD of Armies!
RESTORATION OF FAVOR
85For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1LORD, you showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob. E
2You forgave your people’s guilt;
you covered all their sin.
Selah
3You withdrew all your fury;
you turned from
your burning anger.
4Return to us, God of our salvation,
and abandon your displeasure with us.
5Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger for all generations?
6Will you not revive us again
so that your people may rejoice in you?
7Show us your faithful love, LORD,
and give us your salvation.
8I will listen to what God will say;
surely the LORD will declare peace
to his people, his faithful ones,
and not let them go back to foolish ways.
9His salvation is very near those who fear him,
so that glory may dwell in our land.
10Faithful love and truth will join together;
righteousness and peace will embrace.
11Truth will spring up from the earth,
and righteousness will look down from heaven.
12Also, the LORD will provide what is good,
and our land will yield its crops.
13Righteousness will go before him
to prepare the way for his steps.
LAMENT AND PETITION
86A prayer of David.
Listen, LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2Protect my life, for I am faithful.
You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.
3Be gracious to me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
4Bring joy to your servant’s life,
because I appeal to you, Lord.
5For you, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive,
abounding in faithful love to all who call on you.
6LORD, hear my prayer;
listen to my plea for mercy.
7I call on you in the day of my distress,
for you will answer me.
8Lord, there is no one like you among the gods,
and there are no works like yours.
9All the nations you have made
will come and bow down before you, Lord,
and will honor your name.
10For you are great and perform wonders;
you alone are God.
11Teach me your way, LORD,
and I will live by your truth.
Give me an undivided mind to fear your name.
12I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God,
and will honor your name forever.
13For your faithful love for me is great,
and you rescue my life from the depths of Sheol.
14God, arrogant people have attacked me;
a gang of ruthless men intends to kill me.
They do not let you guide them. A
15But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth.
16Turn to me and be gracious to me.
Give your strength to your servant;
save the son of your female servant.
17Show me a sign of your goodness;
my enemies will see and be put to shame
because you, LORD, have helped and comforted me.
ZION, THE CITY OF GOD
87A psalm of the sons of Korah. A song.
The city he founded B is on the holy mountains.
2The LORD loves Zion’s city gates
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3Glorious things are said about you,
city of God.
Selah
4“I will make a record of those who know me:
Rahab, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush —
each one was born there.”
5And it will be said of Zion,
“This one and that one were born in her.”
The Most High himself will establish her.
6When he registers the peoples,
the LORD will record,
“This one was born there.”
Selah
7Singers and dancers C alike will say, D
“My whole source of joy is E in you.”
A CRY OF DESPERATION
88A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1LORD, God of my salvation,
I cry out before you day and night.
2May my prayer reach your presence;
listen to my cry.
3For I have had enough troubles,
and my life is near Sheol.
4I am counted among those going down to the Pit.
I am like a man without strength,
5abandoned A among the dead.
I am like the slain lying in the grave,
whom you no longer remember,
and who are cut off from your care. B
6You have put me in the lowest part of the Pit,
in the darkest places, in the depths.
7Your wrath weighs heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
Selah
8You have distanced my friends from me;
you have made me repulsive to them.
I am shut in and cannot go out.
9My eyes are worn out from crying.
LORD, I cry out to you all day long;
I spread out my hands to you.
10Do you work wonders for the dead?
Do departed spirits rise up to praise you?
Selah
11Will your faithful love be declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12Will your wonders be known in the darkness
or your righteousness in the land of oblivion?
13But I call to you for help, LORD;
in the morning my prayer meets you.
14LORD, why do you reject me?
Why do you hide your face from me?
15From my youth,
I have been suffering and near
death.
I suffer your horrors; I am desperate.
16Your wrath sweeps over me;
your terrors destroy me.
17They surround me like water all day long;
they close in on me from every side.
18You have distanced loved one and neighbor from me;
darkness is my only friend. C
88:1 “LORD, God of my salvation, I cry out before you day and night.” It was only a cry, a cry as of an animal in pain or, at best, the cry of a child that has lost his mother. I think this is the darkest of all the psalms; it has hardly a spot of light in it. The only bright words are in the first verse. The rest of the psalm is dark and dreary. Why, then, should we read it? Because some poor hearts among us are heavy. We cannot tell how many sorrowing and burdened spirits there may be, but a dozen or two may be driven almost to despair. They need to know that somebody else has been just where they are. I remember how the shipwrecked man on the lonely island all of a sudden came across the footprints of another human being. So here, on the lone island of despondency, we can trace the footprints of another who has been there before us. This psalm is an example of persevering prayer. The man who wrote it—“Heman the Ezrahite”—kept on praying even when he did not seem to be heard, and thus he is an example for us.
PERPLEXITY ABOUT GOD’S PROMISES
89A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
I will sing about the LORD’s faithful love forever;
I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations
with my mouth.
2For I will declare,
“Faithful love is built up forever;
you establish your faithfulness in the heavens.”
3The LORD said,
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn an oath to David my servant:
4‘I will establish your offspring forever
and build up your throne for all generations.’ ”
Selah
5LORD, the heavens praise your wonders —
your faithfulness also —
in the assembly of the holy ones.
6For who in the skies can compare with the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings A is like the LORD?
7God is greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,
more awe-inspiring than B all who surround him.
8LORD God of Armies,
who is strong like you, LORD?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
9You rule the raging sea;
when its waves surge, you still them.
10You crushed Rahab like one who is slain;
you scattered your enemies with your powerful arm.
11The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours.
The world and everything in it — you founded them.
12North and south — you created them.
Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at your name.
13You have a mighty arm;
your hand is powerful;
your right hand is lifted high.
14Righteousness and justice are the foundation
of your throne;
faithful love and truth go before you.
15Happy are the people who know the joyful shout;
LORD, they walk in the light from your face.
16They rejoice in your name all day long,
and they are exalted by your righteousness.
17For you are their magnificent strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18Surely our shield C belongs to the LORD,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19You once spoke in a vision to your faithful ones
and said: “I have granted help to a warrior;
I have exalted one chosen D from the people.
20I have found David my servant;
I have anointed him with my sacred oil.
21My hand will always be with him,
and my arm will strengthen him.
22The enemy will not oppress E him;
the wicked will not afflict him.
23I will crush his foes before him
and strike those who hate him.
24My faithfulness and love will be with him,
and through my name
his horn will be exalted.
25I will extend his power to the sea
and his right hand to the rivers.
26He will call to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, the rock of my salvation.’
27I will also make him my firstborn,
greatest of the kings of the earth.
28I will always preserve my faithful love for him,
and my covenant with him will endure.
29I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as heaven lasts. F
30If his sons abandon my instruction
and do not live by my ordinances,
31if they dishonor my statutes
and do not keep my commands,
32then I will call their rebellion
to account with the rod,
33But I will not withdraw
my faithful love from him
or betray my faithfulness.
34I will not violate my covenant
or change what my lips have said.
35Once and for all
I have sworn an oath by my holiness;
I will not lie to David.
36His offspring will continue forever,
his throne like the sun before me,
37like the moon, established forever,
a faithful witness in the sky.”
Selah
38But you have spurned and rejected him;
you have become enraged with your anointed.
39You have repudiated the covenant with your servant;
you have completely dishonored his crown. A
40You have broken down all his walls;
you have reduced his fortified cities to ruins.
41All who pass by plunder him;
he has become an object of ridicule
to his neighbors.
42You have lifted high the right hand of his foes;
you have made all his enemies rejoice.
43You have also turned back his sharp sword
and have not let him stand in battle.
44You have made his splendor B cease
and have overturned his throne.
45You have shortened the days of his youth;
you have covered him
with shame.
Selah
46How long, LORD? Will you hide forever?
Will your anger keep burning like fire?
47Remember how short my life is.
Have you created everyone for nothing?
48What courageous person can live and never see death?
Who can save himself from the power of Sheol?
Selah
49Lord, where are the former acts of your faithful love
that you swore to David in your faithfulness?
50Remember, Lord, the ridicule against your servants —
in my heart I carry abuse from all the peoples —
51how your enemies have ridiculed, LORD,
how they have ridiculed every step of your anointed.
52Blessed be the LORD forever.
Amen and amen.
A 89:6 Or the angels, or the sons of the mighty
D 89:19 Or exalted a young man
E 89:22 Or not exact tribute from
BOOK IV (PSALMS 90–106)
ETERNAL GOD AND MORTAL MAN
90A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
Lord, you have been our refuge C
in every generation.
2Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
from eternity to eternity, you are God.
3You return mankind to the dust,
saying, “Return, descendants of Adam.”
4For in your sight a thousand years
are like yesterday that passes by,
like a few hours of the night.
5You end their lives; A they sleep.
They are like grass that grows in the morning —
6in the morning it sprouts and grows;
by evening it withers and dries up.
7For we are consumed by your anger;
we are terrified by your wrath.
8You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9For all our days ebb away under your wrath;
we end our years like a sigh.
10Our lives last B seventy years
or, if we are strong, eighty years.
Even the best of them are C struggle and sorrow;
indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away.
11Who understands the power of your anger?
Your wrath matches the fear that is due you.
12Teach us to number our days carefully
so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. D
13LORD — how long?
Turn and have compassion on your servants.
14Satisfy us in the morning with your faithful love
so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days.
15Make us rejoice for as many days as you have humbled us,
for as many years as we have seen adversity.
16Let your work be seen by your servants,
and your splendor by their children.
17Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us;
establish for us the work of our hands —
establish the work of our hands!
90:1 “Lord, you have been our refuge in every generation.” It may help us understand this psalm if we recollect the circumstances which surrounded Moses when he was in the desert. For forty years he had to see a whole generation of people die in the wilderness. In addition to the deaths that might occur among those who were born in the wilderness, the whole of that great host which came out of Egypt, numbering probably between two and three million persons, must lie in their graves in the desert so that there must have been constant funerals. The march of the children of Israel could be perceived along the desert track by the graves they left behind them. We do not wonder, therefore, at this expression of the awe of “Moses, the man of God” as he was so continually reminded of the mortality of mankind. And note how reverently and trustfully he turns to the ever-living and eternal God and finds “refuge” in him.
90:4 “For in your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that passes by, like a few hours of the night.” Yesterday, while it was with us, was a short period of twenty-four hours. But when it is past, it seems like nothing at all. A thousand years, all big with events that we consider to be full of weight and importance, make up a long period in which myriads of men come and go. Yet those thousand years in God’s sight “are like yesterday that passes by,” or but as the few hours in the night during which the sailor keeps watch at sea and then is relieved by another. A thousand years are like a watch in the night to the Eternal, and he needs no one to relieve him, for “the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep” (Ps 121:4).
C 90:1 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read dwelling place
A 90:5 Or You overwhelm them ; Hb obscure
B 90:10 Lit The days of our years in them
C 90:10 LXX, Tg, Syr, Vg read Even their span is ; Hb obscure
THE PROTECTION OF THE MOST HIGH
91The one who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.
ILLUSTRATION 91:1
When you walk with a friend in certain positions of the sun, your friend’s shadow falls on you, but you cannot expect to have the shadow of your friend unless you are near him. We read in the Song, “I delight to sit in his shade” (2:3). There must be nearness to get under the shadow. So there must be great access to God—great familiarity with him. There must be something of the assurance of faith before we can grip such a word as what follows in this psalm.
2I will say E concerning the LORD, who is my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust:
3He himself will rescue you from the bird trap,
from the destructive plague.
4He will cover you with his feathers;
you will take refuge under his wings.
His faithfulness will be a protective shield.
5You will not fear the terror of the night,
the arrow that flies by day,
6the plague that stalks in darkness,
or the pestilence that ravages at noon.
7Though a thousand fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand,
the pestilence will not reach you.
8You will only see it with your eyes
and witness the punishment of the wicked.
9Because you have made the LORD — my refuge,
the Most High — your dwelling place,
10no harm will come to you;
no plague will come near your tent.
11For he will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you in all your ways.
12They will support you with their hands
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the young lion and the serpent.
14Because he has his heart set on me,
I will deliver him;
I will protect him because he knows my name.
15When he calls out to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble.
I will rescue him and give him honor.
16I will satisfy him with a long life
and show him my salvation.
91:1 “The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.” Not every worshiper will be thus privileged but those who dwell there, as Simeon and Anna dwelt in the temple. So there are some that abide [CSB “remain”] in Christ, and his words abide in them (Jn 15:4). They live near God. They receive, therefore, choicer favors than those who only come and go. He who has learned to stand in the holy of holies, near the blood-sprinkled mercy seat, to whom prayer is a matter of constant privilege and enjoyment—he dwells in the “secret place” (KJV). Such a man, living near to God, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Frances Havergal (1836–1879), last and loveliest of our modern poets, just when her tones were most mellow and her language most sublime, has been caught up to swell the music of heaven. Her last poems are published with the title Under His Shadow, and the preface gives the reason for the name. She said, “I seem to see four pictures suggested by that—under the shadow of a rock in a weary plain; under the shadow of a tree; closer still, under the shadow of His wing; nearest and closest, in the shadow of His hand. Surely that hand must be the pierced hand, that may often press us sorely, and yet evermore encircling, upholding and shadowing.”
GOD’S LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS
92A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praise to your name, Most High,
2to declare your faithful love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
3with a ten-stringed harp A
and the music of a lyre.
4For you have made me rejoice, LORD,
by what you have done;
I will shout for joy
because of the works of your hands.
5How magnificent are your works, LORD,
how profound your thoughts!
6A stupid person does not know,
a fool does not understand this:
7though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they will be eternally destroyed.
8But you, LORD, are exalted forever.
9For indeed, LORD, your enemies —
indeed, your enemies will perish;
all evildoers will be scattered.
10You have lifted up my horn
like that of a wild ox;
I have been anointed A with the finest oil.
11My eyes look at my enemies;
when evildoers rise against me,
my ears hear them.
12The righteous thrive like a palm tree
and grow like a cedar tree in Lebanon.
13Planted in the house of the LORD,
they thrive in the courts of our God.
14They will still bear fruit in old age,
healthy and green,
15to declare: “The LORD is just;
he is my rock,
and there is no unrighteousness in him.”
GOD’S ETERNAL REIGN
93The LORD reigns! He is robed in majesty;
the LORD is robed, enveloped in strength.
The world is firmly established;
it cannot be shaken.
2Your throne has been established
from the beginning; B
you are from eternity.
3The floods have lifted up, LORD,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their pounding waves.
4Greater than the roar of a huge torrent —
the mighty breakers of the sea —
the LORD on high is majestic.
5LORD, your testimonies are completely reliable;
holiness adorns your house
for all the days to come.
THE JUST JUDGE
94LORD, God of vengeance —
God of vengeance, shine!
2Rise up, Judge of the earth;
repay the proud what they deserve.
3LORD, how long will the wicked —
how long will the wicked celebrate?
4They pour out arrogant words;
all the evildoers boast.
5LORD, they crush your people;
they oppress your heritage.
6They kill the widow and the resident alien
and murder the fatherless.
7They say, “The LORD doesn’t see it.
The God of Jacob doesn’t pay attention.”
8Pay attention, you stupid people!
Fools, when will you be wise?
9Can the one who shaped the ear not hear,
the one who formed the eye not see?
10The one who instructs nations,
the one who teaches mankind knowledge —
does he not discipline?
11The LORD knows the thoughts of mankind;
they are futile.
12LORD, how happy is anyone you discipline
13to give him relief
from troubled times
until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14The LORD will not leave his people
or abandon his heritage,
15for the administration of justice will again be righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow A it.
16Who stands up for me against the wicked?
Who takes a stand for me against evildoers?
17If the LORD had not been my helper,
I would soon rest in the silence of death.
18If I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your faithful love will support me, LORD.
19When I am filled with cares,
your comfort brings me joy.
20Can a corrupt throne be your ally,
a throne that makes evil laws?
21They band together against the life of the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
22But the LORD is my refuge;
my God is the rock of my protection.
23He will pay them back for their sins
and destroy them for their evil.
The LORD our God
will destroy them.
94:7 “They say, ‘The LORD doesn’t see it. The God of Jacob doesn’t pay attention.’” They were practically atheists, for if they had a god, they regarded him as a god who did not observe sins, a blind deity, a god who took no note of evil. Is this not the prevailing religion of today? Are there not many who say something like the words of this text? God is not in all their thoughts. He is, to them, a nonentity, not the all-knowing Jehovah and hardly even a person but a kind of secondary power or a feeble force—an unknown something or other of not much account.
94:11 “The LORD knows the thoughts of mankind; they are futile.” God knows not only people’s words and acts but also their thoughts. God knows thoughtful people, the best sort of people, when they are at their best, when they are thinking. And what does God think of the thoughts of humanity? That they are empty. Yet people talk about the thoughtful men of the age and want us to bow down and worship their thoughts. This boasting about human thoughts is only like the cracking of rotten sticks.
WORSHIP AND WARNING
95Come, let us shout joyfully to the LORD,
shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation!
2Let us enter his presence with thanksgiving;
let us shout triumphantly to him in song.
3For the LORD is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
4The depths of the earth are in his hand,
and the mountain peaks are his.
5The sea is his; he made it.
His hands formed the dry land.
6Come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
7For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep under his care. B
Today, if you hear his voice:
8Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the wilderness
9where your fathers tested me;
they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
10For forty years I was disgusted with that generation;
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray;
they do not know my ways.”
11So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest.”
95:7 “Today, if you hear his voice.” This psalm resounds with the joyful noise of hearty thanksgiving unto Jehovah, and yet before it closes, you hear the solemn tones of exhortation to men to listen to the voice of their God. The Canaanite still dwells in the midst of Israel. In every gathering of the faithful is a mixture of those who do not know the ways of God. When Israel came out of Egypt, a mixed group came with the people of God—who did them great damage and often brought them under great sin and consequent sorrow—but they were always there. And they are always here, too, in the church, dishonoring us by their evil behavior. Even in little gatherings of believers, we meet with the unworthy ones. Scarcely are twelve met together without a Judas in the midst of them. Thus in our loudest praises there is always a measure of discord, and when we have lauded the Most High with our best hallelujahs, we will be called on to listen in humble silence to his warning voice addressed to the unbelieving and disobedient among us. It is well for us to examine ourselves, whether we belong to this class and whether the words before us may not be addressed to ourselves: “Do not harden your hearts.” But supposing us to have listened to the Lord and to have found peace like a river in consequence, it is well for us to think of those who are sitting side by side with us who are living in unbelief that we may bless God the more for distinguishing grace manifested to us and that we may offer our earnest prayers for them through the service God may bring them to his feet and save them by his grace.
KING OF THE EARTH
96Sing a new song to the LORD;
let the whole earth sing to the LORD.
2Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
proclaim his salvation from day to day.
3Declare his glory among the nations,
his wondrous works among all peoples.
4For the LORD is great and is highly praised;
he is feared above all gods.
5For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
6Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
8Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name;
bring an offering and enter his courts.
9Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
let the whole earth tremble before him.
10Say among the nations: “The LORD reigns.
The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.
He judges the peoples fairly.”
11Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and all that fills it resound.
12Let the fields and everything in them celebrate.
Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy
13before the LORD, for he is coming —
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with his faithfulness.
THE MAJESTIC KING
97The LORD reigns! Let the earth rejoice;
let the many coasts and islands be glad.
2Clouds and total darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3Fire goes before him
and burns up his foes on every side.
4His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5The mountains melt like wax
at the presence of the LORD —
at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
all the peoples see his glory.
7All who serve carved images,
those who boast in idols, will be put to shame.
All the gods A must worship him.
8Zion hears and is glad,
Judah’s villages B rejoice
because of your judgments, LORD.
9For you, LORD,
are the Most High over the whole earth;
you are exalted above all the gods.
10You who love the LORD, hate evil!
He protects the lives of his faithful ones;
he rescues them from the power of the wicked.
11Light dawns A,B for the righteous,
gladness for the upright in heart.
12Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones,
and give thanks to his holy name. C
A 97:7 LXX, Syr read All his angels ; Heb 1:6
A 97:11 One Hb ms, LXX, some ancient versions read rises to shine ; Ps 112:4
PRAISE THE KING
98A psalm.
Sing a new song to the LORD,
for he has performed wonders;
his right hand and holy arm
have won him victory.
QUOTE 98:1
You might condense the gospel message into this joyful invitation: “Come and learn how to sing to the Lord a new song! Come and find peace, rest, joy, and all your souls can desire. Come and eat what is good and let your soul delight!”
2The LORD has made his victory known;
he has revealed his righteousness
in the sight of the nations.
3He has remembered his love
and faithfulness to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth
have seen our God’s victory.
4Let the whole earth shout to the LORD;
be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing.
5Sing to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song.
6With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn
shout triumphantly
in the presence of the LORD, our King.
7Let the sea and all that fills it,
the world and those who live in it, resound.
8Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the mountains shout together for joy
9before the LORD,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world righteously
and the peoples fairly.
98:1 “Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has performed wonders; his right hand and holy arm have won him victory.” The invitations of the gospel are invitations to happiness. In delivering God’s message, we do not ask men to come to a funeral but to a wedding feast. If our errand were one of sorrow, we might not marvel if people refused to listen to us. But it is one of gladness. In fact, you might condense the gospel message into this joyful invitation: “Come and learn how to sing to the Lord a new song! Come and find peace, rest, joy, and all your souls can desire. Come and eat what is good and let your soul delight!” When the coming of Christ to the earth was first announced, it was with the choral symphonies of holy angels. And as long as the gospel shall be preached in this world, its main message will be one of joy. The gospel is a source of joy to those who proclaim it, for to us who are less than the least of all saints is this grace given that we should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
THE KING IS HOLY
99The LORD reigns! Let the peoples tremble.
He is enthroned between the cherubim.
Let the earth quake.
2The LORD is great in Zion;
he is exalted above all the peoples.
3Let them praise your great
and awe-inspiring name.
He is holy.
4The mighty King loves justice.
You have established fairness;
and righteousness in Jacob.
5Exalt the LORD our God;
bow in worship at his footstool.
He is holy.
6Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
Samuel also was among those calling on his name.
They called to the LORD and he answered them.
7He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud;
they kept his decrees and the statutes he gave them.
8LORD our God, you answered them.
You were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their
sinful actions.
9Exalt the LORD our God;
bow in worship at his holy mountain,
for the LORD our God is holy.
BE THANKFUL
100A psalm of thanksgiving.
Let the whole earth shout triumphantly to God!
2Serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3Acknowledge that the LORD is God.
He made us, and we are his A—
his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
5For the LORD is good, and his faithful love endures forever;
his faithfulness, through all generations.
100:3 “Acknowledge that the LORD is God.” [ED: “Acknowledge” is literally “know.”] One famous man said, “Man, know yourself,” and another said, “The proper study of mankind is man.” Not so! Man, know your God! The proper study of mankind is God! He who knows God knows himself; that is, he knows himself to be nothing. There is but one God—the same God in the Old Testament as in the New—Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob—the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
100:3 “He made us, and we are his—his people, the sheep of his pasture.” We are his sheep. He leads us, he feeds us, he protects us, he has bought us with his precious blood. Truly this is good reason we should make a joyful noise unto God and serve him with gladness!
A VOW OF INTEGRITY
101A psalm of David.
I will sing of faithful love and justice;
I will sing praise to you, LORD.
2I will pay attention to the way of integrity.
When will you come to me?
I will live with a heart of integrity in my house.
3I will not let anything worthless guide me. B
I hate the practice of transgression;
it will not cling to me.
4A devious heart will be far from me;
I will not be involved with C evil.
5I will destroy anyone
who secretly slanders his neighbor;
I cannot tolerate anyone
with haughty eyes or an arrogant heart.
6My eyes favor the faithful of the land
so that they may sit down with me.
The one who follows the way of integrity
may serve me.
7No one who acts deceitfully
the one who tells lies
will not be retained here to guide me. A
8Every morning I will destroy
all the wicked of the land,
wiping out all evildoers from the LORD’s city.
101:6 “My eyes favor the faithful of the land so that they may sit down with me.” David was going to be king, and these are the resolutions he made before ascending the throne. He meant that he would look for the best men in the nation and would take care of them. He would give them offices about his court so that he might have his work done well—that his people might be judged by wise and righteous men—and all the affairs of state should be managed by those who were faithful to God. This was a proper thing for him to do. I wish those who are not kings but are placed in any position of influence would have their eyes on the faithful of the land. Good men should patronize good men. Those who have it in their power should to the utmost of their ability advance those whom they know to be upright and true and gracious people.
AFFLICTION IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY
102A prayer of a suffering person who is weak and pours out his lament before the LORD.
1LORD, hear my prayer;
let my cry for help come before you.
2Do not hide your face from me in my day of trouble.
Listen closely to me;
answer me quickly when I call.
3For my days vanish like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
4My heart is suffering, withered like grass;
I even forget to eat my food.
5Because of the sound of my groaning,
my flesh sticks to my bones.
6I am like an eagle owl,
like a little owl among the ruins.
7I stay awake;
I am like a solitary bird on a roof.
8My enemies taunt me all day long;
they ridicule and use my name as a curse.
9I eat ashes like bread
and mingle my drinks with tears
10because of your indignation and wrath;
for you have picked me up and thrown me aside.
11My days are like a lengthening shadow,
and I wither away like grass.
12But you, LORD, are enthroned forever;
your fame endures to all generations.
13You will rise up and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to show favor to her —
the appointed time has come.
14For your servants take delight in its stones
and favor its dust.
15Then the nations will fear the name of the LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
16for the LORD will rebuild Zion;
he will appear in his glory.
17He will pay attention to the prayer of the destitute
and will not despise their prayer.
18This will be written for a later generation,
and a people who have not yet been created will praise the LORD:
19He looked down from his holy heights —
the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth —
20to hear a prisoner’s groaning,
to set free those condemned to die, B
21so that they might declare
the name of the LORD in Zion
and his praise in Jerusalem,
22when peoples and kingdoms are assembled
to serve the LORD.
23He has broken my C strength in midcourse;
he has shortened my days.
24I say: “My God, do not take me
in the middle of my life! D
Your years continue through all generations.
25Long ago you established the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26They will perish, but you
will endure;
all of them will wear out like clothing.
You will change them like a garment,
and they will pass away.
27But you are the same,
and your years will never end.
28Your servants’ children will dwell securely,
and their offspring will be established before you.”
THE FORGIVING GOD
103Of David.
My soul, bless the LORD,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
QUOTE 103:5
As well might the sea be thought to be full or its billows to be still, as the heart of man to be thought to be satisfied! It is a spiritual blessing, a divine grace that comes from the great satisfying God—the God who is himself all sufficient, the only One who can be sufficient to fill the human heart.
2My soul, bless the LORD,
and do not forget all his benefits.
3He forgives all your iniquity;
he heals all your diseases.
4He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
5He satisfies you A with good things;
your youth is renewed like the eagle.
6The LORD executes acts of righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7He revealed his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
8The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
9He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
12As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
QUOTE 103:12
Our sins are so effectively removed that we will not ultimately suffer any loss or damage through having sinned. That detriment was laid on Christ.
13As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
14For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.
15As for man, his days are like grass —
he blooms like a flower of the field;
16when the wind passes over it, it vanishes,
and its place is no longer known. A
17But from eternity to eternity
the LORD’s faithful love is toward those who fear him,
and his righteousness toward the grandchildren
18of those who keep his covenant,
who remember to observe his precepts.
19The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20Bless the LORD,
all his angels of great strength,
who do his word,
obedient to his command.
21Bless the LORD, all his armies,
his servants who do his will.
22Bless the LORD, all his works
in all the places where he rules.
My soul, bless the LORD!
103:5 “He satisfies you a with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle.” David speaks of being satisfied with good things. Satisfaction. A rare word! It rings like a silver bell—satisfaction. The richest man in England has not found it. The greatest conqueror has never won it. The proudest emperor cannot command it. Satisfaction! It is no more natural to man than it was to the leech to cease from craving and crying, “Give! Give!” As well might the sea be thought to be full or its billows to be still, as the heart of man to be thought to be satisfied! It is a spiritual blessing, a divine grace that comes from the great satisfying God—the God who is himself all sufficient, the only One who can be sufficient to fill the human heart.
Every Christian needs his soul restored, refreshed, reinvigorated because of the ordinary wear and tear that operate on spiritual life, as well as on every other form of life. Though we may have neglected much communion with Christ, and so have lost our vigor, he can give it all back again. Then once more we shall run, and not be weary; we shall walk and not faint (Is 40:31). God can renew our youth like the eagle’s by renewing our courage for him, our confidence in him, our energy toward him, our determination for him, our willingness to run risks in his cause, our ardor to tell others what Christ’s love has been in our hearts.
103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” David does not indulge in fond hopes, or express vague wishes, or point in hesitant tones to some favorable omens; he speaks of his sins being forgiven, knowing it to be a matter of fact which there was no room to question. The gospel of Jesus Christ tells us that there is pardon, that we may have it, and that when we believe in Jesus, we have obtained full remission—that we are pardoned when we believe in Jesus and our iniquities are forgiven us. It is a matter signed, sealed, and delivered, a fact accomplished before the Lord, and infallibly ascertainable by us. Sin is put away.
I would next have you notice the comprehensiveness of it. I do not find any list of sins here. All I find about sin is contained in these two words, “our transgressions.” I am thankful that in this verse there is a broad way of speaking that takes in the whole compass of enumeration. “He has removed our transgressions.” That sweeps them away all at once—“our transgressions.” He has removed them all, all, ALL! From the cradle to the tomb, they are all gone—sins in private and sins in public, sins of thought, word, deed are all removed. The moment we believe in Jesus, they are all, all, all gone!
Now finally, notice the absolute perfection of the pardon. God has taken his people’s sins away from them to an infinite distance. That is to say, there is no fear that their sins should ever return to them. They are gone, gone, gone—completely gone. Our sins are so effectively removed that we will not ultimately suffer any loss or damage through having sinned. That detriment was laid on Christ. His was the loss; ours is the gain. His was the tremendous suffering; ours is the unutterable joy!
GOD THE CREATOR
104My soul, bless the LORD!
LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with majesty and splendor.
QUOTE 104:1
He that learns to look rightly on seas and mountains, on beasts and birds, on sun and moon and stars sees God in all things.
2He wraps himself in light as if it were a robe,
spreading out the sky like a canopy,
3laying the beams of his palace
on the waters above,
making the clouds his chariot,
walking on the wings of the wind,
4and making the winds his messengers, A
flames of fire his servants.
5He established the earth on its foundations;
it will never be shaken.
6You covered it with the deep
as if it were a garment;
the water stood above the mountains.
7At your rebuke the water fled;
at the sound of your thunder they hurried away —
8mountains rose and valleys sank B —
to the place you established
for them.
9You set a boundary they cannot cross;
they will never cover the earth again.
10He causes the springs to gush into the valleys;
they flow between the mountains.
11They supply water for every wild beast;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12The birds of the sky live beside the springs;
they make their voices heard among the foliage.
13He waters the mountains from his palace;
the earth is satisfied by the fruit of your labor.
14He causes grass to grow for the livestock
and provides crops for man to cultivate,
producing food from the earth,
15wine that makes human hearts glad —
making his face shine with oil —
and bread that sustains human hearts.
16The trees of the LORD flourish, C
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17There the birds make their nests;
storks make their homes in the pine trees.
18The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the cliffs are a refuge for hyraxes.
19He made the moon to mark the D festivals; E
the sun knows when to set.
20You bring darkness, and it becomes night,
when all the forest animals stir.
21The young lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
22The sun rises; they go back
and lie down in their dens.
23Man goes out to his work
and to his labor until evening.
24How countless are your works, LORD!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures. F
25Here is the sea, vast and wide,
teeming with creatures beyond number —
living things both large and small.
and Leviathan, which you formed to play there.
27All of them wait for you
to give them their food at the right time.
28When you give it to them,
they gather it;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
29When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
30When you send your breath, A
they are created,
and you renew the surface of the ground.
31May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works.
32He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
he touches the mountains,
and they pour out smoke.
33I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I live.
34May my meditation be pleasing to him;
I will rejoice in the LORD.
35May sinners vanish from the earth
and wicked people be no more.
My soul, bless the LORD!
Hallelujah!
104:1 “My soul, bless the LORD! LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with majesty and splendor.” This is a wonderful psalm. The world—and this psalm is a cosmos—is a world set on fire with praise. It is all creation, from the mountain’s summit down to the brooks that sparkle through the valleys praising God. I have frequently read this psalm in the woods and on the mountainside. When we have come home from an excursion in the Italian mountains, I have said to my companions, “Now we will read Psalm 104.” It is the nature-lover’s psalm. It is the psalm of nature viewed by the eye of faith, and he that learns to look rightly on seas and mountains, on beasts and birds, on sun and moon and stars sees God in all things.
104:10 “He causes the springs to gush into the valleys; they flow between the mountains.” I know of no place that seems to bring out one’s joy and praise better than when standing by the side of some rippling brook that tumbles down the fissure among the rocks and seeing the animals come to drink and hearing the birds blithely sing among the branches or hanging over and dipping into the stream. Even the reading of this psalm may be like a cool and refreshing breeze to us; and our soul may, in imagination, fly away with David as we also praise and bless our God.
104:27 “All of them wait for you to give them their food at the right time.” What an idea we have here of God’s supplying all the creatures of the earth and the sea! They are all waiting on him. They can go to no other storehouse but his. No other granary can supply their needs. Surely we need not be afraid he will fail us. If he feeds leviathan with his great needs and the many birds with their little needs, he will not forget his children. He will never withhold any real good from them that walk uprightly.
B 104:7-8 Or away. They flowed over the mountains and went down valleys
GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PEOPLE
105Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
proclaim his deeds among the peoples.
2Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell about all his wondrous works!
3Honor his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
5Remember the wondrous works he has done,
his wonders, and the judgments he
has pronounced, B
6you offspring of Abraham his servant,
Jacob’s descendants — his chosen ones.
7He is the LORD our God;
his judgments govern the whole earth.
8He remembers his covenant forever,
the promise he ordained
for a thousand generations —
9the covenant he made with Abraham,
swore C to Isaac,
10and confirmed to Jacob as a decree
and to Israel as a permanent covenant:
11“I will give the land of Canaan to you
as your inherited portion.”
12When they were few in number,
very few indeed,
and resident aliens in Canaan,
13wandering from nation to nation
and from one kingdom to another,
14he allowed no one to oppress them;
he rebuked kings on their behalf:
15“Do not touch my anointed ones,
or harm my prophets.”
16He called down famine against the land
and destroyed the entire food supply.
17He had sent a man ahead of them —
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18They hurt his feet with shackles;
his neck was put in an iron collar.
19Until the time his prediction came true,
the word of the LORD tested him.
20The king sent for him and released him;
the ruler of peoples set him free.
21He made him master of his household,
ruler over all his possessions —
22binding A his officials at will
and instructing his elders.
23Then Israel went to Egypt;
Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham. B
24The LORD C made his people very fruitful;
he made them more numerous than their foes,
25whose hearts he turned to hate his people
and to deal deceptively with his servants.
26He sent Moses his servant,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
27They performed his miraculous signs among them,
and wonders in the land of Ham.
28He sent darkness, and it became dark —
for did they not defy his commands?
29He turned their water into blood
and caused their fish to die.
30Their land was overrun with frogs,
even in their royal chambers.
31He spoke, and insects came —
gnats throughout their country.
32He gave them hail for rain,
and lightning throughout their land.
33He struck their vines and fig trees
and shattered the trees of their territory.
34He spoke, and locusts came —
young locusts without number.
35They devoured all the vegetation in their land
and consumed the produce of their land.
36He struck all the firstborn in their land,
all their first progeny.
37Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold,
and no one among his tribes stumbled.
38Egypt was glad when they left,
for the dread of Israel D had fallen on them.
39He spread a cloud as a covering
and gave a fire to light up the night.
40They asked, and he brought quail
and satisfied them with bread from heaven.
41He opened a rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed like a stream in the desert.
42For he remembered his holy promise
to Abraham his servant.
43He brought his people out with rejoicing,
his chosen ones with shouts of joy.
44He gave them the lands of the nations,
and they inherited
what other peoples had worked for.
45All this happened
so that they might keep his statutes
and obey his instructions.
Hallelujah!
B 105:5 Lit judgments of his mouth
A 105:22 LXX, Syr, Vg read teaching
ISRAEL’S UNFAITHFULNESS TO GOD
106Hallelujah!
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.
2Who can declare the LORD’s mighty acts
or proclaim all the praise due him?
3How happy are those who uphold justice,
who practice righteousness at all times.
4Remember me, LORD,
when you show favor to your people.
Come to me with your salvation
5so that I may enjoy the prosperity
of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your nation,
and boast about your heritage.
6Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have done wrong and have acted wickedly.
7Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp
the significance of your wondrous works
or remember your many acts of faithful love;
instead, they rebelled by the sea — the Red Sea.
8Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
to make his power known.
9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up;
he led them through the depths as through a desert.
10He saved them from the power of the adversary;
he redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
11Water covered their foes;
not one of them remained.
12Then they believed his promises
and sang his praise.
13They soon forgot his works
and would not wait for his counsel.
14They were seized with craving in the wilderness
and tested God in the desert.
15He gave them what they asked for,
but sent a wasting disease among them.
16In the camp they were envious of Moses
and of Aaron, the LORD’s holy one.
17The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it covered the assembly of Abiram.
18Fire blazed throughout their assembly;
flames consumed the wicked.
19At Horeb they made a calf
and worshiped the cast metal image.
20They exchanged their glory A,B
for the image of a grass-eating ox.
21They forgot God their Savior,
who did great things in Egypt,
22wondrous works in the land of Ham, C
awe-inspiring acts at the Red Sea.
23So he said he would have destroyed them —
if Moses his chosen one
had not stood before him in the breach
to turn his wrath away from destroying them.
24They despised the pleasant land
and did not believe his promise.
25They grumbled in their tents
and did not listen to the LORD.
26So he raised his hand against them with an oath
that he would make them fall in the desert
27and would disperse their descendants D
among the nations,
scattering them throughout the lands.
28They aligned themselves with Baal of Peor
and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods. A
29They angered the LORD with their deeds,
and a plague broke out against them.
30But Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stopped.
31It was credited to him as righteousness
throughout all generations to come.
32They angered the LORD at the Waters of Meribah,
and Moses suffered B because of them;
33for they embittered his spirit, C
and he spoke rashly with his lips.
34They did not destroy the peoples
as the LORD had commanded them
35but mingled with the nations
and adopted their ways.
36They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.
38They shed innocent blood —
the blood of their sons and daughters
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
so the land became polluted with blood.
39They defiled themselves by their actions
and prostituted themselves by their deeds.
40Therefore the LORD’s anger burned against his people,
and he abhorred
his own inheritance.
41He handed them over to the nations;
those who hated them ruled over them.
42Their enemies oppressed them,
and they were subdued under their power.
43He rescued them many times,
but they continued to rebel deliberately
and were beaten down by their iniquity.
44When he heard their cry,
he took note of their distress,
45remembered his covenant with them,
and relented according to the abundance
of his faithful love.
46He caused them to be pitied
before all their captors.
47Save us, LORD our God,
and gather us from the nations,
so that we may give thanks to your holy name
and rejoice in your praise.
48Blessed be the LORD God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Let all the people say, “Amen! ”
Hallelujah!
A 106:20 Alt Hb tradition reads his glory, or my glory
D 106:27 Syr; MT reads would make their descendants fall
A 106:28 Lit sacrifices for dead ones
B 106:32 Lit and it was evil for Moses
C 106:33 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Jer; other Hb mss read they rebelled against his Spirit
BOOK V (PSALMS 107–150)
THANKSGIVING FOR GOD’S DELIVERANCE
107Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.
2Let the redeemed of the LORD proclaim
that he has redeemed them from the power of the foe
3and has gathered them from the lands —
from the east and the west,
from the north and the south.
4Some A wandered in the desolate wilderness,
finding no way to a city where they could live.
5They were hungry and thirsty;
their spirits failed B within them.
6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
he rescued them from their distress.
7He led them by the right path
to go to a city where they could live.
8Let them give thanks to the LORD
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.
9For he has satisfied the thirsty
and filled the hungry with good things.
10Others sat in darkness and gloom C —
prisoners in cruel chains —
11because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the counsel of the Most High.
12He broke their spirits D with hard labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
he saved them from their distress.
14He brought them out of darkness and gloom
and broke their chains apart.
15Let them give thanks to the LORD
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.
16For he has broken down the bronze gates
and cut through the iron bars.
17Fools suffered affliction
because of their rebellious ways and their iniquities.
18They loathed all food
and came near the gates of death.
19Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
he saved them from their distress.
20He sent his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the Pit.
21Let them give thanks to the LORD
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.
22Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and announce his works with shouts of joy.
23Others went to sea in ships,
conducting trade on the vast water.
24They saw the LORD’s works,
his wondrous works in the deep.
25He spoke and raised a stormy wind
that stirred up the waves of the sea. E
26Rising up to the sky, sinking down to the depths,
their courage F melting away in anguish,
27they reeled and staggered like a drunkard,
and all their skill was useless.
28Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
29He stilled the storm to a whisper,
and the waves of the sea A were hushed.
30They rejoiced when the waves B grew quiet.
Then he guided them to the harbor they longed for.
31Let them give thanks to the LORD
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.
32Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.
33He turns rivers into desert,
springs into thirsty ground,
34and fruitful land into salty wasteland,
because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
35He turns a desert into a pool,
dry land into springs.
36He causes the hungry to settle there,
and they establish a city where they can live.
37They sow fields and plant vineyards
that yield a fruitful harvest.
38He blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
he does not let their livestock decrease.
39When they are diminished and are humbled
by cruel oppression and sorrow,
40he pours contempt on nobles
and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
41But he lifts the needy out of their suffering
and makes their families multiply like flocks.
42The upright see it and rejoice,
and all injustice shuts its mouth.
43Let whoever is wise pay attention to these things
and consider the LORD’s acts of faithful love.
107:6 “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; he rescued them from their distress.” Many know what this means. They have lost their way. They do not know how to find it. Spiritually they are in a wilderness; and they would, if they could, get to the city of Jerusalem. They would get to the heart of God, but they cannot. They find no city to dwell in, no peace, no rest. Their spiritual needs are pressing. They are hungry and thirsty, but it is a wilderness, and they cannot find a morsel of food. No manna drops for them. Their soul is ready to faint. They feel as if they could not go another step or search another inch. To lie down and die is all they can do. But the vultures are in the air, and they are afraid even of despair. They are hard pressed. “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble.” Why did they not do so before? Because people do not begin to pray to God as long as they have any hope. But when all hope is gone, then comes the first real living, agonizing cry to heaven; and no sooner is that heard than God answers it.
A 107:4 Lit They, also in vv. 10,23
B 107:5 Lit their soul fainted
A PLEA FOR VICTORY
108A song. A psalm of David.
My heart is confident, God;
I will sing; I will sing praises
with the whole of my being. C
2Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
3I will praise you, LORD, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4For your faithful love is higher than the heavens,
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
5God, be exalted above the heavens,
and let your glory be over the whole earth.
6Save with your right hand and answer me
so that those you love may be rescued.
7God has spoken in his sanctuary: D
“I will celebrate!
I will divide up Shechem.
I will apportion the Valley of Succoth.
8Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine,
and Ephraim is my helmet;
Judah is my scepter.
9Moab is my washbasin;
I throw my sandal on Edom.
I shout in triumph over Philistia.”
10Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11God, haven’t you rejected us?
God, you do not march out with our armies.
12Give us aid against the foe,
for human help is worthless.
13With God we will perform valiantly;
he will trample our foes.
PRAYER AGAINST AN ENEMY
109For the choir director. A psalm of David.
God of my praise, do not be silent.
2For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me;
they speak against me with lying tongues.
3They surround me with hateful words
and attack me without cause.
4In return for my love they accuse me,
but I continue to pray. A
5They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
6Set a wicked person over him;
let an accuser B stand at his right hand.
7When he is judged, let him be found guilty,
and let his prayer be counted as sin.
8Let his days be few;
let another take over his position.
9Let his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
10Let his children wander as beggars,
searching for food far C from their demolished homes.
11Let a creditor seize all he has;
let strangers plunder what he has worked for.
12Let no one show him kindness,
and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children.
13Let the line of his descendants be cut off;
let their name be blotted out in the next generation.
14Let the iniquity of his fathers
be remembered before the LORD,
and do not let his mother’s sin be blotted out.
15Let their sins D always remain before the LORD,
and let him remove E all memory of them from the earth.
16For he did not think to show kindness,
but pursued the suffering, needy, and brokenhearted
in order to put them to death.
17He loved cursing — let it fall on him;
he took no delight in blessing — let it be far from him.
18He wore cursing like his coat —
let it enter his body like water
and go into his bones like oil.
19Let it be like a robe he wraps around himself,
like a belt he always wears.
20Let this be the LORD’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil against me.
21But you, LORD, my Lord,
deal kindly with me for your name’s sake;
because your faithful love is good, rescue me.
22For I am suffering and needy;
my heart is wounded within me.
23I fade away like a lengthening shadow;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24My knees are weak from fasting,
and my body is emaciated. F
25I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers; G
when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.
26Help me, LORD my God;
save me according to your faithful love
27so they may know that this is your hand
and that you, LORD, have done it.
28Though they curse, you will bless.
When they rise up, they will be put to shame,
but your servant will rejoice.
29My accusers will be clothed with disgrace;
they will wear their shame like a cloak.
30I will fervently thank the LORD with my mouth;
I will praise him in the presence of many.
31For he stands at the right hand of the needy
to save him from those who would condemn him.
THE PRIESTLY KING
110A psalm of David.
This is the declaration of the LORD
to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
2The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion.
Rule A over your surrounding B enemies.
3Your people will volunteer
on your day of battle. C
In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn,
the dew of your youth belongs to you. D
QUOTE 110:4
Jesus is sworn in to be the priest of his people, and he must abide so even to the end because his commission is sealed by the unchanging oath of the immutable Jehovah.
4The LORD has sworn an oath and will not take it back:
“You are a priest forever
according to the pattern of Melchizedek.”
5The Lord is at your right hand;
he will crush kings on the day of his anger.
6He will judge the nations, heaping up corpses;
he will crush leaders over the entire world.
7He will drink from the brook by the road;
therefore, he will lift up his head.
110:4 “The LORD has sworn an oath and will not take it back: ‘You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.’” It must be a solemn and a sure matter that leads the Eternal to swear with an oath that fixes and settles the decree forever; but in this case, as if to make assurance a thousand times sure, it is added, “and will not take it back.” It is done—and done forever and ever: Jesus is sworn in to be the priest of his people, and he must abide so even to the end because his commission is sealed by the unchanging oath of the immutable Jehovah. If his priesthood could be revoked and his authority removed, it would be the end of all hope and life for the people he loves; but this sure rock is the basis of our security. The oath of God establishes our glorious Lord both in his priesthood and in his throne. The Lord has constituted him a priest forever. He has done it by oath. That oath is without repentance, is taking effect now, and will stand throughout all ages. Hence our security in him is placed beyond all question.
PRAISE FOR THE LORD’S WORKS
111Hallelujah! E
I will praise the LORD with all my heart
in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
2The LORD’s works are great,
studied by all who delight in them.
3All that he does is splendid and majestic;
his righteousness endures forever.
4He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered.
The LORD is gracious and compassionate.
5He has provided food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
6He has shown his people the power of his works
by giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7The works of his hands are truth and justice;
all his instructions are trustworthy.
8They are established forever and ever,
enacted in truth and in uprightness.
9He has sent redemption to his people.
He has ordained his covenant forever.
His name is holy and awe-inspiring.
10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his instructions A have good insight.
His praise endures forever.
THE TRAITS OF THE RIGHTEOUS
112Hallelujah! B
Happy is the person who fears the LORD,
taking great delight in his commands.
2His descendants will be powerful in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4Light shines in the darkness for the upright.
He is gracious, compassionate, and righteous.
5Good will come to the one who lends generously
and conducts his business fairly.
6He will never be shaken.
The righteous one will be remembered forever.
7He will not fear bad news;
his heart is confident, trusting in the LORD.
8His heart is assured;
he will not fear.
In the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
9He distributes freely to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.
His horn will be exalted in honor.
10The wicked one will see it and be angry;
he will gnash his teeth in despair.
The desire of the wicked leads to ruin.
PRAISE TO THE MERCIFUL GOD
113Hallelujah!
Give praise, servants of the LORD;
praise the name of the LORD.
2Let the name of the LORD be blessed
both now and forever.
3From the rising of the sun to its setting,
let the name of the LORD be praised.
4The LORD is exalted above all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
5Who is like the LORD our God —
the one enthroned on high,
6who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?
7He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the trash heap
8in order to seat them with nobles —
with the nobles of his people.
9He gives the childless woman a household,
making her the joyful mother of children.
Hallelujah!
GOD’S DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL
114When Israel came out of Egypt —
the house of Jacob from a people
who spoke a foreign language —
2Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel, his dominion.
3The sea looked and fled;
the Jordan turned back.
4The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills, like lambs.
5Why was it, sea, that you fled?
Jordan, that you turned back?
6Mountains, that you skipped like rams?
Hills, like lambs?
7Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8who turned the rock into a pool,
the flint into a spring.
GLORY TO GOD ALONE
115Not to us, LORD, not to us,
but to your name give glory
because of your faithful love, because of your truth.
2Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God? ”
3Our God is in heaven
and does whatever he pleases.
4Their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
5They have mouths but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
6They have ears but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
7They have hands but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk.
They cannot make a sound with their throats.
8Those who make them are A just like them,
as are all who trust in them.
9Israel, B trust in the LORD!
He is their help and shield.
10House of Aaron, trust in the LORD!
He is their help and shield.
11You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!
He is their help and shield.
12The LORD remembers us and will bless us.
He will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13he will bless those who fear the LORD —
small and great alike.
14May the LORD add to your numbers,
both yours and your children’s.
15May you be blessed by the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16The heavens are the LORD’s, A
but the earth he has given to the human race.
17It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
nor any of those descending into the silence of death.
18But we will bless the LORD,
both now and forever.
Hallelujah!
115:1 “Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth.” When the Israelites came up out of Egypt and were marching through the wilderness, the Lord put fear and dread on all the nations in their track so that they were half defeated through the terror that had made them almost like dead men in the presence of the mighty God of Israel (Dt 2:25). So the psalmist’s prayer here is, practically, “Lord, do the same again—not for our sakes but for your own name’s sake—that once again the heathen all around may know there is a God in the midst of Israel and that they may be caused again to tremble as they did before and no longer blaspheme or defy the God of Jacob.”
This verse pictures the true spirit of piety. Somebody once told John Bunyan that he had preached a delightful sermon. “You are too late,” said John. “The devil told me that before I left the pulpit.” Satan is skillful in teaching us how to steal our Master’s glory. Yet, if ever we speak rightly, it is because we are taught of the Spirit and not because of our own wisdom. Even when we have had the undoubted help of the Holy Spirit, we are far too apt to attribute at least some little power to ourselves. But a true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ loathes himself when he finds that this evil habit has fastened itself to him, and he cries, “No, Lord! Not to me, not to me, but to your name give all the glory and praise.” We are to preach so as to glorify God, not to glorify ourselves; and the man who occupies the pulpit merely that he may manifest his own cleverness ought to be hurled from it immediately, for he has no right there whatever. “Glory be to God” should always be the preacher’s motto.
THANKS TO GOD FOR DELIVERANCE
116I love the LORD because he has heard
my appeal for mercy.
2Because he has turned his ear to me,
I will call out to him as long as I live.
3The ropes of death were wrapped around me,
and the torments of Sheol overcame me;
I encountered trouble and sorrow.
4Then I called on the name of the LORD:
“LORD, save me! ”
5The LORD is gracious and righteous;
our God is compassionate.
6The LORD guards the inexperienced;
I was helpless, and he saved me.
7Return to your rest, my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.
8For you, LORD, rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
9I will walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.
10I believed, even when I said,
“I am severely oppressed.”
11In my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”
12How can I repay the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
13I will take the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD.
14I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.
15The death of his faithful ones
is valuable in the LORD’s sight.
16LORD, I am indeed your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your female servant.
You have loosened my bonds.
17I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the LORD.
18I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,
19in the courts of the LORD’s house —
within you, Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAISE
117Praise the LORD, all nations!
Glorify him, all peoples!
2For his faithful love to us is great;
the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever.
Hallelujah!
THANKSGIVING FOR VICTORY
118Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.
2Let Israel say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
3Let the house of Aaron say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
4Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
5I called to the LORD in distress;
the LORD answered me
and put me in a spacious place. B
6The LORD is for me; I will not be afraid.
What can a mere mortal do to me?
7The LORD is my helper,
Therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me.
8It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in humanity.
9It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in nobles.
10All the nations surrounded me;
in the name of the LORD I destroyed them.
11They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me;
in the name of the LORD I destroyed them.
12They surrounded me like bees;
they were extinguished like a fire among thorns;
in the name of the LORD I destroyed them.
13They A pushed me hard to make me fall,
but the LORD helped me.
14The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
15There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
“The LORD’s right hand performs valiantly!
16The LORD’s right hand is raised.
The LORD’s right hand performs valiantly! ”
17I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the LORD has done.
18The LORD disciplined me severely
but did not give me over to death.
19Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter through them
and give thanks to the LORD.
20This is the LORD’s gate;
the righteous will enter through it.
21I will give thanks to you
because you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
22The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23This came from the LORD;
it is wondrous in our sight.
24This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25LORD, save us!
LORD, please grant us success!
26He who comes in the name
of the LORD is blessed.
From the house of the LORD we bless you.
27The LORD is God and has given us light.
Bind the festival sacrifice with cords
to the horns of the altar.
28You are my God, and I will give you thanks.
You are my God; I will exalt you.
29Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.
QUOTE 119:9
Yes, the greatest heed we can take will not keep us out of the mire unless God’s Word is a continual lamp to our feet and a constant light on our path.
118:13-18 “They pushed me hard to make me fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. There are shouts of joy and victory in the tents of the righteous: ‘The LORD’s right hand performs valiantly! The LORD’s right hand is raised. The LORD’s right hand performs valiantly!’ I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD disciplined me severely but did not give me over to death.” In memory of my fiftieth birthday, our friends built a house at the back of the Tabernacle to be used for the purposes of the church, to be called Jubilee House. I was asked to select a text of Scripture to put on a stone that all could read and, thereby, be made to understand the meaning of the house and its name. The chosen text was Psalm 118:13-18. The passage that is displayed is a truthful summary of my personal experience in reference to the faithfulness of God.
118:21 “I will give thanks to you because you have answered me and have become my salvation.” Answers to prayer are the notes of our music. If God has heard us pray, we must take care that he hears us praise. Mercies for which we are not thankful will curdle into curses. We should take care that we praise God when he fills us with his good things and praise him if he does not. We should bless a taking God as well as a giving God. Is he not equally God whatever he does?
DELIGHT IN GOD’S WORD
א Aleph
119How A happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk according to the LORD’s instruction!
2Happy are those who keep his decrees
and seek him with all their heart.
3They do nothing wrong;
they walk in his ways.
4You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
5If only my ways were committed
to keeping your statutes!
6Then I would not be ashamed
when I think about all your commands.
7I will praise you with an upright heart
when I learn your righteous judgments.
8I will keep your statutes;
never abandon me.
ב Beth
9How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping your B word.
10I have sought you with all my heart;
don’t let me wander from your commands.
11I have treasured your word in my heart
so that I may not sin against you.
12LORD, may you be blessed;
teach me your statutes.
13With my lips I proclaim
all the judgments
from your mouth.
14I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees
as much as in all riches.
15I will meditate on your precepts
and think about your ways.
QUOTE 119:14
One’s walking will be right when his delight is of this kind, for where the heart goes, the life will go.
16I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
ג Gimel
17Deal generously with your servant
so that I might live;
then I will keep your word.
18Open my eyes so that I may contemplate
wondrous things from your instruction.
19I am a resident alien on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.
20I am continually overcome
with longing for your judgments.
21You rebuke the arrogant,
the ones under a curse,
who wander from your commands.
22Take insult and contempt away from me,
for I have kept your decrees.
23Though princes sit together speaking against me,
your servant will think about your statutes;
24your decrees are my delight
and my counselors.
ד Daleth
25My life is down in the dust;
give me life through your word.
26I told you about my life,
and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
27Help me understand
the meaning of your precepts
so that I can meditate on your wonders.
28I am weary A from grief;
strengthen me through your word.
29Keep me from the way of deceit
and graciously give me your instruction.
30I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set your ordinances
before me.
31I cling to your decrees;
LORD, do not put me to shame.
32I pursue the way of your commands,
for you broaden my understanding. B
ה He
33Teach me, LORD, the meaning C of your statutes,
and I will always keep them. D
34Help me understand your instruction,
and I will obey it
and follow it with all my heart.
35Help me stay on the path of your commands,
for I take pleasure in it.
36Turn my heart to your decrees
and not to dishonest profit.
37Turn my eyes
from looking at what is worthless;
give me life in your ways. E
38Confirm what you said to your servant,
for it produces reverence for you.
39Turn away the disgrace I dread;
indeed, your judgments are good.
40How I long for your precepts!
Give me life through your righteousness.
ו Waw
41Let your faithful love come to me, LORD,
your salvation, as you promised.
42Then I can answer the one who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.
43Never take the word of truth from my mouth,
for I hope in your judgments.
44I will always obey your instruction,
forever and ever.
45I will walk freely in an open place
because I study your precepts.
46I will speak of your decrees before kings
47I delight in your commands,
which I love.
48I will lift up my hands to your commands,
which I love,
and will meditate on your statutes.
ז Zayin
49Remember your word to your servant;
you have given me hope through it.
50This is my comfort in my affliction:
Your promise has given me life.
51The arrogant constantly ridicule me,
but I do not turn away from your instruction.
52LORD, I remember your judgments from long ago
and find comfort.
53Rage seizes me because of the wicked
who reject your instruction.
54Your statutes are the theme of my song
during my earthly life. A
55LORD, I remember your name in the night,
and I obey your instruction.
56This is my practice:
I obey your precepts.
ח Cheth
57The LORD is my portion; B
I have promised to keep your words.
QUOTE 119:57
The blessing of grace is first and the fruit of gratitude next. The grace given is the root, and the resolve is the fruit growing out of it.
58I have sought your favor with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
59I thought about my ways
and turned my steps back to your decrees.
60I hurried, not hesitating
to keep your commands.
61Though the ropes of the wicked
were wrapped around me,
I did not forget your instruction.
62I rise at midnight to thank you
for your righteous judgments.
63I am a friend to all who fear you,
to those who keep your precepts.
64LORD, the earth is filled with your faithful love;
teach me your statutes.
ט Teth
65LORD, you have treated your servant well,
just as you promised.
66Teach me good judgment and discernment,
for I rely on your commands.
67Before I was afflicted
I went astray,
but now I keep your word.
68You are good, and you do what is good;
teach me your statutes.
69The arrogant have smeared me with lies,
but I obey your precepts with all my heart.
70Their hearts are hard and insensitive,
but I delight in your instruction.
71It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I could learn your statutes.
72Instruction from your lips is better for me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
י Yod
73Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding
so that I can learn your commands.
74Those who fear you will see me and rejoice,
for I put my hope in your word.
75I know, LORD, that your judgments are just
and that you have afflicted me fairly.
76May your faithful love comfort me
as you promised your servant.
77May your compassion come to me
so that I may live,
for your instruction is my delight.
78Let the arrogant be put to shame
for slandering me with lies;
I will meditate on your precepts.
79Let those who fear you,
those who know your decrees, turn to me.
80May my heart be blameless regarding your statutes
so that I will not be put to shame.
כ Kaph
81I long for your salvation;
I put my hope in your word.
82My eyes grow weary
looking for what you have promised;
I ask, “When will you comfort me? ”
83Though I have become like a wineskin dried by smoke,
I do not forget your statutes.
84How many days must your servant wait?
When will you execute judgment on my persecutors?
85The arrogant have dug pits for me;
they violate your instruction.
86All your commands are true;
people persecute me with lies — help me!
87They almost ended my life on earth,
but I did not abandon your precepts.
88Give me life in accordance with your faithful love,
and I will obey the decree you have spoken.
ל Lamed
89LORD, your word is forever;
it is firmly fixed in heaven.
90Your faithfulness is for all generations;
you established the earth, and it stands firm.
91Your judgments stand firm today,
for all things are your servants.
92If your instruction had not been my delight,
I would have died in my affliction.
93I will never forget your precepts,
for you have given me life through them.
94I am yours; save me,
for I have studied your precepts.
95The wicked hope to destroy me,
but I contemplate your decrees.
96I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but your command is without limit.
מ Mem
97How I love your instruction!
It is my meditation all day long.
QUOTE 119:97-99
If we do not love the Bible, we certainly do not love the God who gave it to us.
98Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
99I have more insight than all my teachers
because your decrees are my meditation.
100I understand more than the elders
because I obey your precepts.
101I have kept my feet from every evil path
to follow your word.
102I have not turned from your judgments,
for you yourself have instructed me.
103How sweet your word is to my taste —
sweeter than honey in my mouth.
104I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every false way.
נ Nun
105Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light on my path.
106I have solemnly sworn
to keep your righteous judgments.
107I am severely afflicted;
LORD, give me life according to your word.
108LORD, please accept my freewill offerings of praise,
and teach me your judgments.
109My life is constantly in danger, A
yet I do not forget your instruction.
110The wicked have set a trap for me,
but I have not wandered from your precepts.
111I have your decrees as a heritage forever;
indeed, they are the joy of my heart.
112I am resolved to obey your statutes
to the very end. B
ס Samek
113I hate those who are double-minded,
but I love your instruction.
114You are my shelter and my shield;
I put my hope in your word.
115Depart from me, you evil ones,
so that I may obey my God’s commands.
116Sustain me as you promised, and I will live;
do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
117Sustain me so that I can be safe
and always be concerned about your statutes.
118You reject all who stray from your statutes,
for their deceit is a lie.
119You remove all the wicked on earth
as if they were C dross from metal;
therefore, I love your decrees.
120I tremble D in awe of you;
I fear your judgments.
ע Ayin
121I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122Guarantee your servant’s well-being;
do not let the arrogant oppress me.
123My eyes grow weary looking for your salvation
and for your righteous promise.
124Deal with your servant based on your faithful love;
teach me your statutes.
125I am your servant; give me understanding
so that I may know your decrees.
126It is time for the LORD to act,
for they have violated your instruction.
127Since I love your commands
more than gold, even the purest gold,
128I carefully follow all your precepts
and hate every false way.
פ Pe
129Your decrees are wondrous;
therefore I obey them.
130The revelation of your words brings light
and gives understanding to the inexperienced.
131I open my mouth and pant
because I long for your commands.
132Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your practice toward those who love your name.
133Make my steps steady through your promise;
don’t let any sin dominate me.
134Redeem me from human oppression,
and I will keep your precepts.
135Make your face shine on your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136My eyes pour out streams of tears
because people do not follow your instruction.
צ Tsade
137You are righteous, LORD,
and your judgments are just.
138The decrees you issue are righteous
and altogether trustworthy.
139My anger overwhelms me
because my foes forget your words.
140Your word is completely pure,
and your servant loves it.
141I am insignificant and despised,
but I do not forget your precepts.
142Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your instruction is true.
143Trouble and distress have overtaken me,
but your commands are my delight.
144Your decrees are righteous forever.
Give me understanding, and I will live.
ק Qoph
145I call with all my heart; answer me, LORD.
I will obey your statutes.
146I call to you; save me,
and I will keep your decrees.
147I rise before dawn and cry out for help;
I put my hope in your word.
148I am awake through each watch of the night
to meditate on your promise.
149In keeping with your faithful love, hear my voice.
LORD, give me life in keeping with your justice.
150Those who pursue evil plans A come near;
they are far from your instruction.
151You are near, LORD,
and all your commands are true.
152Long ago I learned from your decrees
that you have established them forever.
ר Resh
153Consider my affliction and rescue me,
for I have not forgotten your instruction.
154Champion my cause and redeem me;
give me life as you promised.
155Salvation is far from the wicked
because they do not study your statutes.
156Your compassions are many, LORD;
give me life according to your judgments.
157My persecutors and foes are many.
I have not turned from your decrees.
158I have seen the disloyal and feel disgust
because they do not keep your word.
159Consider how I love your precepts;
LORD, give me life according to your faithful love.
160The entirety of your word is truth,
each of your righteous judgments endures forever.
שׂ Sin / שׁ Shin
161Princes have persecuted me without cause,
but my heart fears only your word.
162I rejoice over your promise
like one who finds vast treasure.
163I hate and abhor falsehood,
but I love your instruction.
164I praise you seven times a day
for your righteous judgments.
165Abundant peace belongs to those
who love your instruction;
nothing makes them stumble.
166LORD, I hope for your salvation
and carry out your commands.
167I obey your decrees
and love them greatly.
168I obey your precepts and decrees,
for all my ways are before you.
ת Taw
169Let my cry reach you, LORD;
give me understanding according to your word.
170Let my plea reach you;
rescue me according to your promise.
171My lips pour out praise,
for you teach me your statutes.
172My tongue sings about your promise,
for all your commands are righteous.
173May your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
174I long for your salvation, LORD,
and your instruction is my delight.
175Let me live, and I will praise you;
may your judgments help me.
176I wander like a lost sheep;
seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commands.
119:9 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word.” Within a young man are strong passions. Around him are fierce temptations. There are plenty who would defile him. The youth is surrounded by the temptations of having fun and the allurements of folly. “How can a young man keep his way pure?” Here is the answer: by heeding God’s Word. There is no keeping a clean way if we walk with our eyes shut. We must pick our path down a foul road by heeding God’s Word. Yes, the greatest heed we can take will not keep us out of the mire unless God’s Word is a continual lamp to our feet and a constant light on our path.
119:14 “I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees as much as in all riches.” One’s walking will be right when his delight is of this kind, for where the heart goes, the life will go. To some people religion is a task. It will never have much power over them. But when it becomes a delight, then their walk will be affected by it. A well-known and renowned unbeliever of the last generation, traveling in Wales, said to a little girl he saw reading her Bible, “Well, my dear, I see you are getting through your task.” “Task, sir?” she said, “What do you mean? I am reading the Bible.” He said, “Didn’t your mother set you a chapter to read.” “Oh no, sir. If my mother wanted to punish me, she would not make me read the Bible. It is the most delightful book in the entire world, and it is a great joy to me when I can get a little time alone to read my Bible.” It touched his heart. As he confessed afterwards, he was delighted to find something like genuine religion. And where you find delight in religion, there it is genuine. True, genuine religion is like cascading water—all fresh and sparkling. I like to see the sparkling in it—a little sparking religion, a little flash of joy and of delight. But much we see is flat, stale, dull, and unprofitable. God gives us delight in himself, for that is true religion.
119:57 “The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep your words.” Notice carefully the order in which the privilege and the duty are arranged. The blessing of grace is first and the fruit of gratitude next. The grace given is the root, and the resolve is the fruit growing out of it. It is not, “I have said that I would keep your words that you may be my portion, Lord.” No, it is, “You are my portion, Lord; I have you already in present possession. Therefore I will, as you help me, keep your words.” Duty in order to privilege is the law—God be thanked that we are not under it, for we should never thus obtain a single blessing. But privilege in order to obedience is the gospel. God grant that we may know the fullness of its power to sanctify our souls. The Lord must first be our portion before we will be able to keep his words. Without God to be our portion, where will the strength come from to accomplish so difficult a duty as the keeping of God’s words?
119:97-99 “How I love your instruction! It is my meditation all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me. I have more insight than all my teachers because your decrees are my meditation.” If we do not love the Bible, we certainly do not love the God who gave it to us; but if we do love God, then no other book in the entire world will be comparable in our minds. When God speaks, it is the delight of our ears to hear what he says.
In other books there is some truth and some error. Apart from the Bible, the best book ever written has mistakes in it. It is not possible for fallible men to write infallible books. Somehow or other we either say more than is true or less than is true. The most skillful writer does not always keep along that hairline of truth that is more difficult to tread than a razor’s edge. But Scripture never errs. Here is the gold bullion without a single particle of alloy. Here is the living water leaping from the rock, and there is no defilement in it.
We have heard of some who read their Bibles on Sunday but put them away in a drawer with a sprig of lavender all the week. That was not David’s plan. He could say, “It is my meditation all day long.” No doubt he meant every day of the week. We must love God’s Word when we are at business and act on it there and love it in our families and act on it there. We must love the word so as to live on it wherever we may be.
A 119:1 The stanzas of this poem form an acrostic.
B 119:9 Or keeping it according to your
B 119:32 Lit you enlarge my heart
D 119:33 Or will keep it as my reward
E 119:37 Some Hb mss, Tg read word
A 119:54 Lit song in the house of my sojourning
B 119:57 Lit You are my portion, LORD
B 119:112 Or statutes; the reward is eternal
C 119:119 Some Hb mss, DSS, LXX, Aq, Sym, Jer read All the wicked of the earth you count as
D 119:120 Lit My flesh shudders
A 119:150 Some Hb mss, LXX, Sym, Jer read who maliciously persecute me
A CRY FOR TRUTH AND PEACE
120A song of ascents.
In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
2“LORD, rescue me from lying lips
and a deceitful tongue.”
3What will he give you,
and what will he do to you,
you deceitful tongue?
4A warrior’s sharp arrows
with burning charcoal! A
5What misery that I have stayed in Meshech, B
that I have lived among the tents of Kedar! C
6I have dwelt too long
with those who hate peace.
7I am for peace; but when I speak,
they are for war.
THE LORD OUR PROTECTOR
121A song of ascents.
I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
2My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
4Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.
the LORD is a shelter right by your side. A
6The sun will not strike you by day
or the moon by night.
7The LORD will protect you from all harm;
he will protect your life.
8The LORD will protect your coming and going
both now and forever.
A PRAYER FOR JERUSALEM
122A song of ascents. Of David.
I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
2Our feet were standing
within your gates, Jerusalem —
3Jerusalem, built as a city should be,
solidly united,
4where the tribes, the LORD’s tribes, go up
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
(This is an ordinance for Israel.)
5There, thrones for judgment are placed,
thrones of the house of David.
6Pray for the well-being B of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be secure;
7may there be peace within your walls,
security within your fortresses.”
8Because of my brothers and friends,
I will say, “May peace be in you.” C
9Because of the house of the LORD our God,
I will pursue your prosperity.
LOOKING FOR GOD’S FAVOR
123A song of ascents.
I lift my eyes to you,
the one enthroned in heaven.
2Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,
like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,
so our eyes are on the LORD our God
until he shows us favor.
3Show us favor, LORD, show us favor,
for we’ve had more than enough contempt.
4We’ve had more than enough
scorn from the arrogant
and contempt from the proud.
THE LORD IS ON OUR SIDE
124A song of ascents. Of David.
If the LORD had not been on our side —
let Israel say —
2If the LORD had not been on our side
when people attacked us,
3then they would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger against us.
4Then the water would have engulfed us;
the torrent would have swept over us;
5the raging water would have swept over us.
6Blessed be the LORD,
who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.
7We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;
the net is torn, and we have escaped.
8Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
ISRAEL’S STABILITY
125A song of ascents.
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion.
It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.
2The mountains surround Jerusalem
and the LORD surrounds his people,
both now and forever.
3The scepter of the wicked will not remain
over the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice.
4Do what is good, LORD, to the good,
to those whose hearts are upright.
5But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,
the LORD will banish them with the evildoers.
Peace be with Israel.
ZION’S RESTORATION
126A song of ascents.
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, A
we were like those who dream.
2Our mouths were filled with laughter then,
and our tongues with shouts of joy.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
3The LORD had done great things for us;
we were joyful.
4Restore our fortunes, B LORD,
like watercourses in the Negev.
5Those who sow in tears
will reap with shouts of joy.
6Though one goes along weeping,
carrying the bag of seed,
he will surely come back with shouts of joy,
carrying his sheaves.
THE BLESSING OF THE LORD
127A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
Unless the LORD builds a house,
its builders labor over it in vain;
unless the LORD watches over a city,
the watchman stays alert in vain.
2In vain you get up early and stay up late,
working hard to have
enough food —
yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves. C
3Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD,
offspring, a reward.
4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.
5Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them.
They will never be put to shame
when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.
127:1-2 “Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain. In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food—yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.” Notice first that God will not build the house without our laboring, that God will not guard the city without the watchman’s staying awake, and that he will not give us bread without our toiling for it. In all things to which we put our hand, we are expected to use all available means. We are not allowed to be idle, to sit still and do nothing because we say we are trusting in providence. One of the things Christianity cannot bear is laziness. The apostle Paul was inspired to pass a sharp sentence upon them: “This is what we commanded you: ‘If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat’” (2Th 3:10). My grandfather said to me, many years ago, concerning the preparation of a sermon, and I have always remembered his words, “I study my sermon as much as if the work of preaching depended entirely upon myself. And I go into the pulpit relying upon the Spirit of God, knowing that it does not depend upon myself but upon him.” The same thing is true in the great matter of our salvation. God saves his people. “Salvation is of the Lord” from first to last, but no man is saved apart from his own believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. That faith is God’s gift, but it is man’s act.
BLESSINGS FOR THOSE WHO FEAR GOD
128A song of ascents.
How happy is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
what your hands have worked for.
You will be happy,
and it will go well for you.
3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house,
your children, like young olive trees
around your table.
4In this very way
the man who fears the LORD
will be blessed.
5May the LORD bless you from Zion,
so that you will see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life
6and will see your children’s
children!
Peace be with Israel.
PROTECTION OF THE OPPRESSED
129A song of ascents.
Since my youth they have often attacked me —
let Israel say —
2Since my youth they have often attacked me,
but they have not prevailed against me.
3Plowmen plowed over my back;
they made their furrows long.
4The LORD is righteous;
he has cut the ropes of the wicked.
5Let all who hate Zion
be driven back in disgrace.
6Let them be like grass on the rooftops,
which withers before it grows up A
7and can’t even fill the hands of the reaper
or the arms of the one who binds sheaves.
8Then none who pass by will say,
“May the LORD’s blessing be on you.
We bless you in the name of the LORD.”
AWAITING REDEMPTION
130A song of ascents.
Out of the depths I call to you, LORD!
2Lord, listen to my voice;
let your ears be attentive
to my cry for help.
3LORD, if you kept an account of iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4But with you there is forgiveness,
so that you may be revered.
5I wait for the LORD; I wait
and put my hope in his word.
6I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning —
more than watchmen for the morning.
7Israel, put your hope in the LORD.
For there is faithful love with the LORD,
and with him is redemption in abundance.
8And he will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
130:3-4 “LORD, if you kept an account of iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that you may be revered.” Whatever pretensions to perfection anyone may make, they are false. No one can stand in God’s sight when he comes to mark our iniquities. And if we are taught by God’s Spirit, we know it to be so. In fact, the more holy one becomes, the more conscious he is of unholiness. “But”—and what a blessed “but” this is! One of the most blessed “buts” in the Word of God! “But with you there is forgiveness.” There is a readiness to deal with people not according to their just deserts but according to free grace and the infinite mercy of God. “That you may be revered/feared.” Is not that a strange expression? One would have thought it would have said, “There is judgment with you that you may be feared.” But no, if there were judgment with God and no forgiveness, then we would grow despairing and would be hardened and rebellious. Or else all would be swept away in God’s wrath, and there would be nobody left to fear him. Mercy softens the heart. The forgiveness of God leads people to love him and to fear him. The true fear of God—the holy filial fear—never rises out of judgment but springs out of forgiving love. Because we are forgiven, we fear to offend God. Because of so much love, we fear to grieve the blessed Spirit of God.
A CHILDLIKE SPIRIT
131A song of ascents. Of David.
LORD, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I do not get involved with things
too great or too wondrous for me.
2Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul
like a weaned child with its mother;
my soul is like a weaned child.
3Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.
DAVID AND ZION CHOSEN
132A song of ascents.
LORD, remember David
and all the hardships he endured,
2and how he swore an oath to the LORD,
making a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3“I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4I will not allow my eyes to sleep
or my eyelids to slumber
5until I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6We heard of the ark in Ephrathah; A
we found it in the fields of Jaar. B
7Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool.
8Rise up, LORD, come to your resting place,
you and your powerful ark.
9May your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and may your faithful people shout for joy.
10For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one. C
11The LORD swore an oath to David,
a promise he will not abandon:
“I will set one of your offspring D
on your throne.
12If your sons keep my covenant
and my decrees that I will teach them,
their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”
13For the LORD has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his home:
14“This is my resting place forever;
I will make my home here
because I have desired it.
15I will abundantly bless its food;
I will satisfy its needy with bread.
16I will clothe its priests with salvation,
and its faithful people will shout for joy.
17There I will make a horn grow for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
18I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but the crown he wears E will be glorious.”
132:3-5 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, I will not allow my eyes to sleep or my eyelids to slumber until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.” David remembered that he had built himself a palace, but he wished even more ardently to build a palace for his God—a house for the celebration of his worship. But where can a worthy house be built for God? Where can there be made a fit dwelling place for the Most High? He fills all things, yet all things cannot contain him. There is but one dwelling place of God; it is in Christ Jesus, for “the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ” (Col 2:9). Oh, how we ought to thank God that he has provided himself a fitting dwelling place in the person of his dear Son, in whom all believers are also built together for a habitation of God through the Holy Spirit!
LIVING IN HARMONY
133A song of ascents. Of David.
How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!
2It is like fine oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down Aaron’s beard
onto his robes.
3It is like the dew of Hermon A
falling on the mountains of Zion.
For there the LORD has appointed the blessing —
life forevermore.
CALL TO EVENING WORSHIP
134A song of ascents.
Now bless the LORD,
all you servants of the LORD
who stand in the LORD’s house at night!
2Lift up your hands in the holy place
and bless the LORD!
3May the LORD,
Maker of heaven and earth,
bless you from Zion.
THE LORD IS GREAT
135Hallelujah!
Praise the name of the LORD.
Give praise, you servants of the LORD
2who stand in the house of the LORD,
in the courts of the house of our God.
3Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing praise to his name, for it is delightful.
4For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his treasured possession.
5For I know that the LORD is great;
our Lord is greater than all gods.
6The LORD does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the depths.
7He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain
and brings the wind from his storehouses.
8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both people and animals.
9He sent signs and wonders against you, Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his officials.
10He struck down many nations
and slaughtered mighty kings:
11Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kings of Canaan.
12He gave their land
as an inheritance,
an inheritance to his people Israel.
13LORD, your name endures forever,
your reputation, LORD,
through all generations.
14For the LORD will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.
15The idols of the nations are of silver and gold,
made by human hands.
16They have mouths but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
17They have ears but cannot hear;
indeed, there is no breath in their mouths.
18Those who make them are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.
19House of Israel, bless the LORD!
House of Aaron, bless the LORD!
20House of Levi, bless the LORD!
You who revere the LORD, bless the LORD!
21Blessed be the LORD from Zion;
he dwells in Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
GOD’S LOVE IS ETERNAL
136Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His faithful love endures forever.
2Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
3Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.
4He alone does great wonders.
His faithful love endures forever.
5He made the heavens skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
6He spread the land on the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
7He made the great lights:
His faithful love endures forever.
8the sun to rule by day,
His faithful love endures forever.
9the moon and stars to rule by night.
His faithful love endures forever.
10He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians
His faithful love endures forever.
11and brought Israel out from among them
His faithful love endures forever.
12with a strong hand and outstretched arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
13He divided the Red Sea
His faithful love endures forever.
14and led Israel through,
His faithful love endures forever.
15but hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
16He led his people in the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever.
17He struck down great kings
His faithful love endures forever.
18and slaughtered famous kings —
His faithful love endures forever.
19Sihon king of the Amorites
His faithful love endures forever.
20and Og king of Bashan —
His faithful love endures forever.
21and gave their land as an inheritance,
His faithful love endures forever.
22an inheritance to Israel his servant.
His faithful love endures forever.
23He remembered us in our humiliation
His faithful love endures forever.
24and rescued us from our foes.
His faithful love endures forever.
25He gives food to every creature.
His faithful love endures forever.
26Give thanks to the God of heaven!
His faithful love endures forever.
136:1-3 “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.” This is one of the chief songs of praise we find in the Scriptures. It is not surprising that such a poet as John Milton should have written the version of it we often sing: “Let us with a gladsome mind, / Praise the Lord, for He is kind: / For His mercies shall endure, / Ever faithful, ever sure.” The psalm gives us three titles of God: first as Jehovah, second as the Elohim, and third as the Adonai or Lord. By whatever name God is known, he is worthy of our highest praise. Whether it is the name referring to his self-existence, or the name relating to his covenant engagements, or the name applying specially to his rule and governorship—in any and every capacity, let us praise him. We are to praise the Lord for his greatness and to give him thanks for his goodness. Our praise will consist largely of the element of gratitude as we think of all he has done for us. Although I lay no stress on the fact of these verses being three and on the names of God being three, yet it is remarkable that throughout the Old Testament, even when there is no distinct allusion to the doctrine of the Trinity, still the threefold praise is constantly being repeated, as if this sublime truth of God lay latent but yet was not unknown to those godly ones who dived deep into the mystery of the triune unity of God.
LAMENT OF THE EXILES
137By the rivers of Babylon —
there we sat down and wept
when we remembered Zion.
2There we hung up our lyres
on the poplar trees,
3for our captors there asked us for songs,
and our tormentors, for rejoicing:
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”
4How can we sing the LORD’s song
on foreign soil?
5If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.
6May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy!
7Remember, LORD, what the Edomites said
that day A at Jerusalem:
“Destroy it! Destroy it
down to its foundations! ”
8Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is the one who pays you back
what you have done to us.
9Happy is he who takes your little ones
and dashes them against the rocks.
A THANKFUL HEART
138Of David.
I will give you thanks with all my heart;
I will sing your praise before the heavenly beings. B
2I will bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name
for your constant love and truth.
You have exalted your name
and your promise above everything else. C
3On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased strength
within me. D
4All the kings on earth will give you thanks, LORD,
when they hear what you have promised. E
5They will sing of the LORD’s ways,
for the LORD’s glory is great.
6Though the LORD is exalted,
he takes note of the humble;
but he knows the haughty from a distance.
7If I walk into the thick of danger,
you will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.
You will extend your hand;
your right hand will save me.
8The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me.
LORD, your faithful love endures forever;
do not abandon the work of your hands.
138:8 “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me. LORD, your faithful love endures forever; do not abandon the work of your hands.” This verse was brought to my notice by a dear friend, a venerable minister of the Church of England, and an earnest lover of the truth of God in Jesus. He always sends me, at the beginning of the year, or a day or two previously, a little envelope sealed up that I am not to open till New Year’s day, containing a printed text of Scripture that he desires to act as a staff on which we may rest through the pilgrimage of the next twelve months. When I opened my envelope, I found this text and it charmed me. It contains in itself the essence of the grace of God. It reads like music to the soul and is like a bottle of water in the desert to the thirsty lips. We have three things here. First, the believer’s confidence—“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me.” Second, the ground of that confidence—“LORD, your faithful love endures forever.” And third, the result and outgrowth of his confidence expressed in the prayer—“Do not abandon the work of your hands.”
B 138:1 Or before the gods, or before judges, or before kings ; Hb elohim
C 138:2 Or You have exalted your promise above all your name
THE ALL-KNOWING, EVER-PRESENT GOD
139For the choir director. A psalm of David.
LORD, you have searched me and known me.
2You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
you understand my thoughts from far away.
3You observe my travels and my rest;
you are aware of all my ways.
4Before a word is on my tongue,
you know all about it, LORD.
5You have encircled me;
you have placed your hand on me.
6This wondrous knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.
7Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
9If I live at the eastern horizon
or settle at the western limits, A
10even there your hand will lead me;
your right hand will hold on to me.
QUOTE 139:3
It will become a cause of joy to reflect that our best friend is never away from us—that our protector’s hand is never removed, that the great observant eyes of divine love are never closed.
11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,
and the light around me will be night” —
12even the darkness is not dark to you.
The night shines like the day;
darkness and light are alike to you.
13For it was you who created my inward parts; B
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14I will praise you
because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. C,D
Your works are wondrous,
and I know this very well.
15My bones were not hidden from you
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.
16Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in your book and planned
before a single one of them began.
17God, how precious E your thoughts are to me;
how vast their sum is!
18If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;
when I wake up, A I am still with you.
19God, if only you would kill the wicked —
you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me —
20who invoke you deceitfully.
Your enemies swear by you falsely.
21LORD, don’t I hate those who hate you,
and detest those who rebel against you?
22I hate them with extreme hatred;
I consider them my enemies.
23Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
24See if there is any offensive B way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.
139:1 “LORD, you have searched me and known me.” This is a psalm we can never read too often. It will be to us one of the greatest safeguards against sin if we have its teaching constantly before our mind’s eyes. The teaching of this psalm is simply this: “You, God, see me.” Rather than a psalm about omniscience, David makes a personal application of the universal truth. He does not talk about God’s knowledge of other men, but he speaks to God concerning himself. Here David says, “You have searched me as if you were looking for contraband goods. You have ransacked me. You have gone down into my heart and have spread out every secret part of my being. The most intricate labyrinths of my spirit are all observed by you. Your search has been an effective one. You have read the secrets of my soul.”
139:3 “You observe my travels and my rest; you are aware of all my ways.” David says, “You have put a ring around me both in my staying and my going. I go to sleep, but you do not sleep. I cannot think of you while I slumber, but you think of me.” “Oh, how tremendous is the thought! / Deep may it be impressed! / And may the Spirit firmly engrave, / This Truth within my breast!” (Songs for Social and Public Worship, 1862). “You, God, see me,” is a note of the most serious kind when sounded in the sinner’s ear, but to those who are the people of God, there is nothing dreadful in the thought that God sees us. There is nothing to cause us to despond or to make us feel gloomy in the fact that God encompasses our path and our lying down. In fact, in proportion as we are fully reconciled to God, love him and rejoice in him, it will become a cause of joy to reflect that our best friend is never away from us—that our protector’s hand is never removed, that the great observant eyes of divine love are never closed.
139:17-18 “God, how precious your thoughts are to me; how vast their sum is! If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with you.” Even if we could count the sand on the seashores, we could not count the thoughts of God concerning us. Oh, how important this makes us poor creatures when we remember that God thinks of us! People are proud if a king has merely looked at them. I have heard of a man who used to boast all his life that King George IV once spoke to him. He only said, “Get out of the road,” but it was a king who said it, so the man felt greatly gratified. But we can rejoice that God, before whom kings are as grasshoppers, actually thinks of us and thinks of us often. One or two thoughts would not suffice for our many needs. If he only thought of us now and then, what would we do in the meantime? But he thinks of us constantly! He says he has engraved our names on the palms of his hands (Is 49:16), as if to show how continually we are before him.
A 139:9 Lit I take up the wings of the dawn; I dwell at the end of the sea
C 139:14 DSS, some LXX mss, Syr, Jer read because you are remarkable and wonderful
PRAYER FOR RESCUE
140For the choir director. A psalm of David.
Rescue me, LORD, from evil men.
Keep me safe from violent men
2who plan evil in their hearts.
They stir up wars all day long.
3They make their tongues
as sharp as a snake’s bite;
viper’s venom is under their lips.
Selah
4Protect me, LORD,
from the power of the wicked.
Keep me safe from violent men
who plan to make me stumble. C
5The proud hide a trap with ropes for me;
they spread a net along the path
and set snares for me.
Selah
6I say to the LORD, “You are my God.”
Listen, LORD, to my cry for help.
7LORD, my Lord, my strong Savior,
you shield my head on the day of battle.
8LORD, do not grant the desires of the wicked;
do not let them achieve their goals.
Otherwise, they will become proud.
Selah
9When those who surround me rise up, D
may the trouble their lips cause overwhelm them.
10Let hot coals fall on them.
Let them be thrown into the fire,
into the abyss, never again to rise.
11Do not let a slanderer stay
in the land.
Let evil relentlessly E hunt down a violent man.
12I F know that the LORD upholds
the just cause of the poor,
justice for the needy.
13Surely the righteous will praise your name;
the upright will live in your presence.
PROTECTION FROM SIN AND SINNERS
141A psalm of David.
LORD, I call on you; hurry to help me.
Listen to my voice when I call on you.
2May my prayer be set before you as incense,
the raising of my hands as the evening offering.
3LORD, set up a guard for my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips.
4Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing
or perform wicked acts
with men who commit sin.
Do not let me feast on their delicacies.
5Let the righteous one strike me —
it is an act of faithful love;
let him rebuke me —
it is oil for my head;
let me A not refuse it.
Even now my prayer is against
the evil acts of the wicked. B
6When their rulers C will be thrown off
the sides of a cliff,
the people D will listen to my words,
for they are pleasing.
7As when one plows and breaks up the soil,
turning up rocks,
so our E bones have been scattered
at the mouth of Sheol.
8But my eyes look to you, LORD, my Lord.
I seek refuge in you; do not let me die. F
9Protect me from the trap they have set for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.
10Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.
A CRY OF DISTRESS
142A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.
1I cry aloud to the LORD;
I plead aloud to the LORD for mercy.
2I pour out my complaint before him;
I reveal my trouble to him.
3Although my spirit is weak within me,
you know my way.
Along this path I travel
they have hidden a trap for me.
4Look to the right and see: G
no one stands up for me;
there is no refuge for me;
no one cares about me.
5I cry to you, LORD;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my portion in the land of the living.”
6Listen to my cry,
for I am very weak.
Rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
7Free me from prison
so that I can praise your name.
The righteous will gather around me
because you deal generously with me.
A CRY FOR HELP
A psalm of David.
143LORD, hear my prayer.
In your faithfulness listen to my plea,
and in your righteousness answer me.
2Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one alive is righteous in your sight.
3For the enemy has pursued me,
crushing me to the ground,
making me live in darkness
like those long dead.
4My spirit is weak within me;
my heart is overcome with dismay.
5I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on the work of your hands.
ILLUSTRATION 143:5-6
Bargemen on the canal push backwards that they may propel the barge forward, and sometimes we who believe in Jesus Christ have to push backwards—to look back on our past experiences in order to derive fresh courage for the present hour of trial.
6I spread out my hands to you;
I am like parched land before you.
Selah
7Answer me quickly, LORD;
my spirit fails.
Don’t hide your face from me,
or I will be like those
going down to the Pit.
8Let me experience
your faithful love in the morning,
for I trust in you.
Reveal to me the way I should go
because I appeal to you.
9Rescue me from my enemies, LORD;
I come to you for protection. A
10Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit
lead me on level ground.
11For your name’s sake, LORD,
let me live.
In your righteousness deliver me from trouble,
12and in your faithful love destroy my enemies.
Wipe out all those who attack me,
for I am your servant.
143:5-6 “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on the work of your hands. I spread out my hands to you; I am like parched land before you.” One of the things God’s people are in the habit of doing when they are in deep trouble is to look back on their past experiences. Yet in David’s day of distress, when he had meditated on his experiences in the past, that did not satisfy him. He wanted his God; therefore he cried to the Lord, “I am like parched land before you.” When the fields have long been dry because there has been no rain, you see how the earth opens its mouth in great cracks as if it gaped for the rain it so sorely needs, and David’s soul seemed thus gaping with a strong desire after the living God.
A KING’S PRAYER
144Of David.
Blessed be the LORD, my rock
who trains my hands for battle
and my fingers for warfare.
2He is my faithful love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer.
He is my shield, and I take refuge in him;
he subdues my people B under me.
3LORD, what is a human that you care for him,
a son of man C that you think of him?
4A human is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.
5LORD, part your heavens and come down.
Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
6Flash your lightning and scatter the foe; D
shoot your arrows and rout them.
7Reach down E from on high;
rescue me from deep water, and set me free
from the grasp of foreigners
8whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.
9God, I will sing a new song to you;
I will play on a ten-stringed harp for you —
10the one who gives victory to kings,
who frees his servant David
from the deadly sword.
11Set me free and rescue me
from foreigners
whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.
12Then our sons will be like plants
nurtured in their youth,
our daughters, like corner pillars
that are carved in the palace style.
13Our storehouses will be full,
supplying all kinds of produce;
our flocks will increase
by thousands
and tens of thousands in our open fields.
14Our cattle will be well fed. F
There will be no breach in the walls,
no going into captivity, A
and no cry of lament in our public squares.
15Happy are the people with such blessings.
Happy are the people whose God is the LORD.
B 144:2 Some Hb mss, DSS, Aq, Syr, Tg, Jer read subdues peoples ; 2Sm 22:48; Ps 18:47
PRAISING GOD’S GREATNESS
145A hymn of David.
I B exalt you, my God the King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2I will bless you every day;
I will praise your name forever and ever.
3The LORD is great and is highly praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
4One generation will declare your works to the next
and will proclaim your mighty acts.
5I C will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty
and D your wondrous works.
6They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts,
and I will declare your greatness. E
7They will give a testimony of your great goodness
and will joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in faithful love.
9The LORD is good to everyone;
his compassion rests on all he has made.
10All you have made will thank you, LORD;
the F faithful will bless you.
11They will speak of the glory of your kingdom
and will declare your might,
12informing all people of your mighty acts
and of the glorious splendor of your G kingdom.
13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule is for all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and gracious in all his actions. H
14The LORD helps all who fall;
he raises up all
who are oppressed. I
15All eyes look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all his acts.
18The LORD is near all who call out to him,
all who call out to him with integrity.
19He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry for help and saves them.
20The LORD guards all those who love him,
but he destroys all the wicked.
21My mouth will declare the LORD’s praise;
let every living thing
bless his holy name forever and ever.
145:1-2 “I exalt you, my God the King, and bless your name forever and ever. I will bless you every day; I will praise your name forever and ever.” If we were asked, “Do you pray?” the answer would be quickly given by every Christian person, “Of course I do.” Suppose there was added, “And do you pray every day?” the prompt reply would be, “Yes, many times in the day. I could not live without prayer.” But what if the inquiry changed to, “Do you bless God every day? Is praise as certain and constant a practice with you as prayer?” I am not sure the answer would be so certain, so general, or so prompt. We might have to stop a little while before we gave the reply; and I fear, in some cases, when the reply did come, it would be, “I am afraid I have been negligent in praise.” In that case, have we not been wrong? Should we omit praise anymore than we omit prayer? And should not praise come daily and as many times in the day as prayer does? To fail in praise is as unjustifiable as to fail in prayer. Praise is certainly not at all as common in family prayer as other forms of worship. We cannot all of us praise God in the family by joining in song because we are not all able to raise a tune, but it would be well if we could. I agree with Matthew Henry when he says, “They that pray in the family do well; they that pray and read the Scriptures do better; but they that pray, and read, and sing do best of all.” There is a completeness in that kind of family worship that is much to be desired. Whether in the family or not, yet personally and privately, let us endeavor to be filled with God’s praise and with his honor all the day.
B 145:1 The lines of this poem form an acrostic.
D 145:5 LXX, Syr read and they will tell of
E 145:6 Alt Hb tradition, Jer read great deeds
G 145:12 LXX, Syr, Jer; MT reads his
H 145:13 One Hb ms, DSS, LXX, Syr; some Hb mss omit The LORD is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions.
THE GOD OF COMPASSION
146Hallelujah!
My soul, praise the LORD.
2I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing to my God as long as I live.
3Do not trust in nobles,
in a son of man, A who cannot save.
4When his breath B leaves him,
he returns to the ground;
on that day his plans die.
5Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them.
He remains faithful forever,
7executing justice for the exploited
and giving food to the hungry.
The LORD frees prisoners.
8The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD raises up those who are oppressed. C
The LORD loves the righteous.
9The LORD protects resident aliens
and helps the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10The LORD reigns forever;
Zion, your God reigns for all generations.
Hallelujah!
GOD RESTORES JERUSALEM
147Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing to our God,
for praise is pleasant and lovely.
2The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
he gathers Israel’s exiled people.
3He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
4He counts the number of the stars;
he gives names to all of them.
5Our Lord is great, vast in power;
his understanding is infinite. D
6The LORD helps the oppressed
but brings the wicked to the ground.
7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
play the lyre to our God,
8who covers the sky with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
and causes grass to grow on the hills.
9He provides the animals with their food,
and the young ravens, what they cry for.
10He is not impressed by the strength of a horse;
he does not value the power of a warrior. A
11The LORD values those who fear him,
those who put their hope in his faithful love.
12Exalt the LORD, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion!
13For he strengthens the bars of your city gates
and blesses your children within you.
14He endows your territory with prosperity; B
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
15He sends his command throughout the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16He spreads snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes;
17he throws his hailstones like crumbs.
Who can withstand his cold?
18He sends his word and melts them;
he unleashes his winds, C and the water flows.
19He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and judgments to Israel.
20He has not done this for every nation;
they do not know his judgments.
Hallelujah!
147:2 “The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem; he gathers Israel’s exiled people.” These are the stones with which he builds—people who were like outcasts. What wonderful living stones these outcasts make! They love the Lord best who once were most his enemies. No one sings of “free grace and dying love” (Susannah Spurgeon) with sweeter accents than those who have had much forgiven. When great sinners are saved, the church is built up. More was done when Paul was converted than at almost any other time, for he became the great apostle to the Gentiles through whom many were saved.
147:9 “He provides the animals with their food, and the young ravens, what they cry for.” The best illustration of that verse is to be found, I think, in crows going to bed at night. You may have heard their caws. White says, in his Natural History of Selborne, that a little child said in his hearing, “Listen, Father, the rooks are saying their prayers.” Those strange birds—rooks, crows, ravens, and the like—even with their wild cries speak to God. Who can listen to the birds in the early morning without feeling ashamed of himself for not singing more to the praise of God? Some of the feathered songsters lift up their voices even in the night—the nightingale charms the hours of darkness—and should we not sing to God when all nature rings with his praise? Any of us who are in distress may pray to God, “Lord, feed me, for you give food to the beast.” Do any of us need spiritual food? We may cry to him to feed us. Are we not much better than many animals? I remember “Father Taylor” once saying to himself, and then writing it, “I am in distress just now, and full of doubts: but what am I? When the great whale goes through the deep, the Almighty Father gives him a ton of herrings for his breakfast and never misses them—surely he can feed me.”
CREATION’S PRAISE OF THE LORD
148Hallelujah!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
2Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly armies.
3Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4Praise him, highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
5Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded, and they were created.
6He set them in position forever and ever;
he gave an order that will never pass away.
7Praise the LORD from the earth,
all sea monsters and ocean depths,
8lightning D and hail, snow and cloud,
stormy wind that executes his command,
9mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10wild animals and all cattle,
creatures that crawl and flying birds,
11kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,
12young men as well as young women,
old and young together.
13Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted.
His majesty covers
heaven and earth.
14He has raised up a horn for his people,
resulting in praise to all his faithful ones,
to the Israelites, the people close to him.
Hallelujah!
PRAISE FOR GOD’S TRIUMPH
149Hallelujah!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
2Let Israel celebrate its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
3Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with tambourine and lyre.
4For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.
QUOTE 149:4
It must be to the intense regret of all reverent persons to find the word hallelujah so used today in such a way that it is made to be commonplace instead of a sacred word.
5Let the faithful celebrate in triumphal glory;
let them shout for joy on their beds.
6Let the exaltation of God be in their mouths A
and a double-edged sword in their hands,
7inflicting vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8binding their kings with chains
and their dignitaries with iron shackles,
9carrying out the judgment decreed against them.
This honor is for all his faithful people.
Hallelujah!
149:4 “For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.” The whole book of Psalms is full of praise, but the praise culminates at the close. There are five “Hallelujah Psalms” at the end of the book. They are so named because they both begin and conclude with the word Hallelujah, “Praise the Lord.” It must be to the intense regret of all reverent persons to find the word hallelujah so used today in such a way that it is made to be commonplace instead of a sacred word. He who uses this word in a flippant manner is guilty of taking the name of the Lord in vain.
He that is infinitely blessed—can he take pleasure in us? He that has the harps of angels to make music for him, he that has the host of cherubim and seraphim to be his attendants, he that can make a world with a wish—does he deign to take pleasure in us? Yet the text says so, and, therefore, it must be true—he takes pleasure in us. For instance, the Lord takes pleasure in his people’s prayers. What poor imperfect things they are! Yet he opens his ear to hear them. He would sooner miss the song of a cherub than miss the prayer of a broken heart. He is charmed with the prayers of his people—they hold him, they prevail with him. He will do anything for those who know how to pray. “Prayer moves the arm that moves the world” (John Aikman Wallace, There Is an Eye That Never Sleeps, L. 19). He must take great delight in his people, or else he would not listen to their prayers.
The Lord’s people bring him pleasure. What is there in us in which the Lord can take pleasure? Nothing, unless he has put it there. If he sees any beauty in us, it must be the reflection of his own face. The Lord takes pleasure in us not only because of all he has done but because he sees something in us that pleases him, something that is his own work. A sculptor, when he commences on the marble, has only a rough block, but, after days and weeks of hard working, he begins to see something like the image he is aiming at producing. So I believe God is pleased when he sees in any of us some grace—some repentance, some faith, some beginnings of that sanctification that will one day be perfect.
PRAISE THE LORD
150Hallelujah!
Praise God in his sanctuary.
Praise him in his mighty expanse.
2Praise him for his powerful acts;
praise him for his abundant greatness.
3Praise him with trumpet blast;
praise him with harp and lyre.
4Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and flute.
5Praise him with resounding cymbals;
praise him with clashing cymbals.
6Let everything that breathes praise the LORD.
Hallelujah!