Milo

THE LORD IS
Psalms 27–33

“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” (Ps. 27:1)

We now join David in psalms that praise God for who He is, and learn what His wonderful qualities mean to those who trust in Him.

Overview
To David God is a stronghold (Ps. 27), our strength and shield (Ps. 28). He is King forever (Ps. 29), a healer (Ps. 30), a rock and fortress (Ps. 31). He forgives sin (Ps. 32) and watches over all who hope in His unfailing love (Ps. 33).

Understanding the Text
Psalm 27: God our Stronghold. David focused our attention on the God who will never forsake us.

“The LORD is” Ps. 27:1. Faith is not an emotion; not something we create from within ourselves. What makes faith real and vital is not “how much” of it we have. What makes faith real and vital is its object. Even a little faith, reposed in God, can transform. Not because we “have” it, but because of who our faith is in.
As we come to this and the other psalms for today, we focus as David did on who the Lord is. When our trust and hope are fixed in Him, no matter how small our faith seems to be, God can and will come into our lives with a flood of strength and of joy.

“When evil men” Ps. 27:2–3. David devoted just 2 verses of the 14 in this psalm to the dangers which threatened him. The rest share his thoughts of God.
The proportion is about right. If we think on the Lord seven times as much as we worry, we too will find peace.

“To gaze upon the beauty of the LORD”
Ps. 27:4–14. These verses are among the most powerful in the psalter, and several cry out for memorization. “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me” (v. 10), and “I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (v. 13), are promises you and I can claim.

Psalm 28: God, Our Strength and Shield. At times when God does not seem to answer our prayers, trust alone helps.

“Turn a deaf ear to me” Ps. 28:1–5. There are times when our prayers seem futile, launched toward a dull and silent heaven. God seems indifferent, willing to let us be dragged away with the wicked. Even at times like these, we are to remember that “the Lord is.”

“The LORD is my strength and my shield” Ps. 28:6–9. How, when we cannot sense God’s presence, can we say confidently with David that “He has heard my cry for mercy”? The answer is in who God is. He is the source of our strength and our protector.
As David remembered who God is, he said, “My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.” The circumstances had not changed, but suddenly David found his heart leaping with unexplainable joy.
What a wonderful gift from our wonderful God. Trust alone, anchored in our knowledge of who God is, helps.

Psalm 29: God, King Forever. It is appropriate to worship the Lord, who is enthroned as King forever.

“Ascribe to the LORD” Ps. 29:1–2. The Hebrew yahab is found only where “to the LORD” is part of the expression. It is a call to the purest kind of worship: giving praise to God for who He by nature is.

“The voice of the LORD” Ps. 29:3–9. The voice of the Lord is His power to create and to destroy by speaking a word. Human beings have to use physical tools to build up and tear down. God has merely to voice His thoughts, and it is done.

“The LORD sits enthroned” Ps. 29:10–11. The awesome power of God’s voice affirms His sovereignty over all. The Lord is King, forever. It is doubly awesome that this God “gives strength to His people” and “blesses His people with strength.”

Psalm 30: God, Our Healer. God can heal physically. And He will heal spiritually all who cry to Him for mercy.

“I will exalt You” Ps. 30:1–12. David praised God here for a physical healing. The phrase, “Going down into the pit,” is a common Hebrew euphemism for death and burial.
While physical healing is primarily in view here, there is a clear spiritual application. God our Healer (v. 2) hears the cries of the penitent for mercy, and makes it possible for us to “give You thanks forever” (v. 12).
Here again is a verse affirming who God is that brings us great comfort. God is one whose “anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime.” Thus while “weeping may remain for a night,” we can be sure that “rejoicing comes in the morning” (v. 5).

Psalm 31: Our Rock and Fortress. In powerful images David invited us to find shelter in God’s presence.

“I have taken refuge” Ps. 31:1–5. As David fled from Saul, he found refuge in the rocky wilderness of Judah’s hill country. There on some mountain height David and his men camped in relative security.
We can imagine David, seated by a campfire as his men watch the one or two approaches to his craggy fortress, sensing that for him, God is just such a “rock of refuge” (vv. 2, 4). David gladly committed himself into God’s hands, and found rest.

“You saw my affliction” Ps. 31:6–18. David was pursued as an enemy by armies led by his father-in-law, King Saul. At times his situation seemed hopeless, and David was gripped by a despair that he expressed in verses 9–12. Yet, envisioning God as his fortress, David found grace to say, “I trust in You,” and, “My times are in Your hands.”
This is perhaps the greatest challenge we face when hard-pressed. We want relief now. We don’t want to wait. We hate the pressure of our present need.
Yet our times as well as we ourselves are in God’s hands. Until God acts, we must find grace to wait, holding tight to God as our refuge.

“Goodness . . . stored up” Ps. 31:19–24. God is good. Because of this we can be sure that He has goodness stored up for us who fear Him. For now, we are safe. In the future, we will be doubly blessed.
And so David concluded with a word of exhortation. “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD” (v. 24).

Psalm 32: God Forgives. Old Testament saints as well as New experienced the joy, and the transforming power, of God’s forgiveness. (See DEVOTIONAL.)

Psalm 33: God’s Unfailing Love. Here is a bubbling spring of joy that will never run dry. God loves us—and has shown us love in so many ways.

“Sing joyfully” Ps. 33:1–3. Praise brings joy, for praise focuses our hearts on the Lord.

“His unfailing love” Ps. 33:4–19. What evidences of God’s love are appropriate in David’s—and our own—litany of praise?

• He is faithful, and His Word is true.
• He loves righteousness and justice.
• He created the starry hosts.
• His plans and purposes will come to pass.
• He considers from heaven all men do.
• He watches over those who fear Him, to protect them from disaster.

“We wait in hope” Ps. 33:20–22. Because of these proofs of God’s unfailing love, we wait for Him in hope. And as we trust in Him, joy fills our hearts.

DEVOTIONAL
The Call to Confession
(Ps. 32)
Owning up when we do something wrong really hurts. There’s the shame. There’s the fear that if we confess we’ll be punished. There’s the awful feeling that if we admit we’ve done wrong, we make ourselves vulnerable and lose some important part of ourselves.
Perhaps that’s why Psalm 32 is so important. David, drawing from his own experience, shows us that while confessing to any sin may feel like loss, it is actually gain.
What does David have to share with us? After beginning with the affirmation that the forgiven man is blessed, David goes on to show us why.
Keeping silent is painful (vv. 3–4). Unconfessed sin lodges in our consciences and festers there. Like pus forming under a boil, unconfessed sin creates terrible pressure. Unconfessed sin seemed to sap David’s strength; it felt like a heavy weight pressing down on him.
This is a first, important reason for confession. Unconfessed sin causes sickness in our souls.
Unacknowledged sin is unforgiven sin (v. 5). God is always ready and eager to forgive sin. But He cannot take away our sin until we release it to Him. This is what confession does: it brings our sin into the open; it holds sin up, fully exposed, to God. And then—wonder of wonders!—God does not punish, but forgives “the guilt of my sin”!
Forgiveness restores relationships (vv. 6–7). Sin makes us hide from God. Confession restores us to fellowship so that we can hide in God. With our sins forgiven, we are assured that God will protect us from trouble and “surround [us] with songs of deliverance.”
Restored fellowship makes divine guidance possible again (vv. 8–10). God now is again able to instruct us in the way we should go because we again trust Him and are ready to respond to His leading. We are again sensitive to the Lord, so that He can now guide us gently rather than be forced to jerk us back onto His pathway as if we were some stubborn animal that can only be controlled with bit and bridle.
No wonder David, his restoration now complete, cried out in joy and gladness at this psalm’s end.
What a message for each of us. Unconfessed sin distorts our relationship with the Lord. But when we acknowledge our sin, He not only forgives us, He restores us to intimate fellowship with Him. Once again He leads us in His ways.

Personal Application
If you are troubled with a sense of guilt, joy is only a prayer of confession away.

Quotable
This is the debt I pay
Just for one riotous day,
Years of regret and grief,
Sorrow without relief.

Pay it I will to the end—
Until the grave my friend,
Gives me a true release—
Gives me the clasp of peace.

Slight was the thing I bought,
Small was the debt I thought,
Poor was the loan at best—
God! But the interest!—Paul Laurence Dunbar

THE GOOD HAND OF GOD
Psalms 20–26

“Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes” (Ps. 21:8).

God has blessings for His own. We can claim these blessings now, as well as look forward to the time of Messiah’s glory.

Overview
A prayer for blessing (Ps. 20) and a celebration of blessings received (Ps. 21) are followed by three psalms which span the career of the Messiah (Pss. 22–24). David reminds us that God guides and guards (Ps. 25), as His Word leads us to level ground (Ps. 26).

Understanding the Text
Psalm 20: A Prayer for Blessing. Here’s a guide to extending our “best wishes” to another in prayer.

“May the LORD” Ps. 20:1. David’s trust in God rather than chariots (v. 7) is expressed in his conviction that blessing comes from God. We who share David’s belief will express our best wishes for others in prayers like his (cf. vv. 1–5).

Psalm 21: For Blessings Received. Remembering what God has done for us is a continual source of joy.

Notice the litany of blessings David lists:
“The victories won” (v. 1)
“Desires granted” (v. 2)
“Prayers answered” (v. 2)
“Presence welcomed” (v. 3)
“Crown given” (v. 3)
“Life-forever and ever” (v. 4)
“Glory bestowed” (v. 5)
“Joy in God’s presence” (v. 6)
“Unfailing love” (v. 7)

David, knowing God’s power and sure of his ultimate triumph, knew that these and other blessings were his forever (vv. 8–13).
You and I will do well to follow David’s example and make a list of our own blessings from the Lord.

Psalm 22: The Suffering Messiah. Jesus the Messiah is unveiled in this poetic description of David’s own experience.

“Why have You forsaken me?” Ps. 22:1–8 The opening words of this psalm, quoted by Jesus on the cross (Matt. 27:46), and the clear reflection of Isaiah 53 in Psalm 22:6–7, mark this psalm as a preview of Messiah’s suffering and death.

“They have pierced my hands and my feet” Ps. 22:9–21. Other clear references to the cross are found in verses 16–18.

“All the ends of the earth will . . . turn to the LORD” Ps. 22:22–31. Out of Messiah’s suffering will come praise for the Lord, and those who turn to the Lord will live forever.
Anyone who grasps the horror of crucifixion as a way of execution, or who senses what it must have meant for the holy Son of God to be made “sin for us” (2 Cor. 5:21) can see something of Jesus’ emotions the day of His death. Yet by meditating on this psalm we enter much more deeply into the sufferings of Jesus on Calvary.
How good to read on, as we pass the 21st verse to find that what seemed a tragedy was in fact a triumph! Through Christ’s suffering, “The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise Him—may your hearts live forever!”

Psalm 23: Our Shepherd’s Care. Even in the shadow of death David, the Messiah, and you and I, all find comfort in our Shepherd’s care.

Psalm 24: Messiah’s Coming Glory. At history’s end the suffering Messiah will be revealed as the Lord Almighty, the King of Glory.

The shepherd was a familiar figure in Israel, and his love for his sheep was legendary. Day and night the shepherd watched over sheep which he knew individually, by name. The image of God as Shepherd, ever present with His people, remains Scripture’s most comforting picture of the believer’s relationship with his God.

“The earth is the LORD’s” Ps. 24:1–2. One basis for certainty that the Messiah will ultimately be vindicated is the fact that God is Sovereign. The earth, and everything in it, belongs to the Lord.

“He who has clean hands” Ps. 24:3–6. Another basis for certainty is the Messiah’s pure and sinless life. He will surely be blessed by the Lord.

This King of glory” Ps. 24:7–10. A final basis for certainty is the identity of the Messiah. He who comes is actually the Lord, the very King of glory!

Psalm 25: God’s Guidance and Goodness. David had confidence that those who hope in the Lord will never be put to shame. (See DEVOTIONAL.)

Psalm 26: Level Ground. A godly life keeps the believer secure.

“I have led a blameless life” Ps. 26:1–8. The “blameless” life of Old Testament saints was not without sin. It was, however, characterized by a deep inner dedication to God that found expression in a godly way of life. This psalm beautifully describes the attitude which keeps believers of every age from sin.
It is marked by unwavering trust in God (v. 1), and by constant love for Him (v. 3). It is expressed by daily obedience to God’s truth (v. 3), with rejection of the wicked as well as wickedness (vv. 4–5). And trust also finds expression in worship (v. 6) and praise (vv. 7–8).
Such dedication alone can produce that “blameless life” which the psalmist describes as “level ground.”
Why level ground? Much of the Holy Land is steep and rocky, dangerous for travelers whose feet were shod not in modern climbing boots but in loose sandals. It was so easy to slip and fall, so easy to twist an ankle. But level ground was safe for the traveler. And so the image is clear: the one who loves the Lord enough to live a blameless life travels through this life safe and secure.

DEVOTIONAL
Hope and Shame
(Ps. 25)
The ideas of “hope” and “shame” are often found together in the Old Testament. “Hope” is a confident outlook, not because a person knows the future, but because the believer knows God and trusts in His character.
“Shame” is disgrace caused by a failure of some sort which exposes an individual to the ridicule of others. Thus the thought expressed in this psalm is that the one who puts his hope in God will never be exposed to ridicule, because God will never fail him!
What can we expect from God that will deliver us from shame?
First, we can expect God to show us His way, guiding and teaching us by His truth (vv. 4–5).
Second, we can expect God to forgive us, freeing us from the burden of our past and purifying us (vv. 6–7).
Because the Lord is good, He guides the humble into what is right (vv. 8–10). Because He is gracious, He forgives even great iniquity (v. 11).
What does the Lord have for those who experience His forgiveness, and go on to live in His will? There is a prosperity and sense of His presence (vv. 12–15) that remain with us despite loneliness, troubles, and even affliction (vv. 16–19). As we take refuge in the Lord, and live upright lives, we can face the future confidently. And without fear of being put to shame.
What a wonderful God we have!

Personal Application
God guides the forgiven man or woman into a life that is pleasing to Him—a life that never exposes one to shame.

Quotable
“Christianity has never been tried, the cliche runs. And of course it’s true, but so is it true that Christianity has checked the movements of millions of men and women who but for the pull of dogma would know no vital brake upon their behavior. Sometimes the brake is effective, sometimes it is not. But that it should be there outweighs any concern over the excesses of Jimmy Swaggart or the ayatollah or the Mormon extremist or the Venezuelan savage—or the European relativist.”—William F. Buckley, Jr.

A TREASURY OF DAVID
Psalms 13–19

“But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation” (Ps. 13:5).

Seven psalms written by David help us sense the intimate life of prayer and praise which was the foundation of his greatness.

Overview
The believer trusts God (Ps. 13), but wicked men doubt His existence (Ps. 14). Righteous behavior (Ps. 15) and a dedicated heart (Pss. 16–17) bring blessing, for God Almighty saves His own from their enemies (Ps. 18). God declares His glory in creation and in His Word (Ps. 19).

Understanding the Text
Psalm 13: Benefits of Trust. The believer, like others, is vulnerable to despair—but can find peace through prayer.

“Sorrow in my heart” Ps. 13:1–6. David knew times of turmoil and uncertainty. The sense of impending disaster troubled him.
David turned to God and honestly expressed his feelings of impending doom (vv. 3–4). Then David remembered God’s “unfailing love,” and his emotions were transformed. The despair was replaced by rejoicing, and David found himself singing to the Lord (vv. 5–6).
This psalm reminds us that joy is just a prayer away from despair. We can bring our emotions as well as our needs to the Lord. As we focus on who the Lord is, our emotions will be transformed.

Psalm 14: The Fool and God. Evildoers never realize that the path they have chosen has brought them outside the circle of God’s love.

“The fool” Ps. 14:1–3. The Hebrew word, nabal, is a term that describes a person whose heart is closed to God and whose life is characterized by gross immorality (cf. Jdg. 19:23–24; 2 Sam. 13:12; Josh. 7:15). This powerful psalm reflects Paul’s teaching in Romans 1. A person who will not acknowledge God becomes corrupt and does “vile” deeds. The psalm reminds us that no one who closes his heart to the Lord “does good, not even one.”

“Will evildoers never learn?” Ps. 14:4–7 David seemed to shake his head in bemused amazement. Even in this life evildoers live with a sense of dread. How much better off are the poor whom they exploit, who have a refuge in the Lord. God will soon act and “restore the fortunes” of His people.
We should never envy those who exploit us. We have access to God, and will be blessed in the end.

Psalm 15: A Blameless Life. Only the person who lives a righteous life has fellowship with the Lord.

“Dwell in Your sanctuary” Ps. 15:1. In Old Testament times God’s presence with Israel was symbolized in the temple. To “dwell in” that sanctuary pictures intimate fellowship with the Lord.

“He whose walk is blameless” Ps. 15:2–5. This simple description provides a good checklist against which to measure ourselves. And what a promise! “He who does these things will never be shaken.”

Psalm 16: A Heart for God. This beautiful psalm looks beyond behavior to portray the inner life of a man whose heart is filled with God.

“You are my Lord” Ps. 16:1–2. David knew God not just as Lord, but as “my” Lord. Apart from this relationship, nothing he had was “good” (beneficial, of benefit). David then went on to consider those good things which were his through personal relationship with the Lord.

“The saints . . . in the land” Ps. 16:3–4. One good we receive is relationship with others who also know God as “my” Lord. Fellowship with other believers can be a delight.

“You have assigned me my portion” Ps. 16:5–6. The Hebrew says “allotted.” This recalls the Conquest of Canaan, when the land was first divided among the tribes by lot. As God controlled the fall of the lot (like our dice), each family felt that it received its property directly from the hand of God. David used this imagery to convey his belief that God sovereignly gave him his own lot in life.
Each of us can have this joy. For God has placed each of us where we are, and will use us there.

“The LORD, who counsels me” Ps. 16:7–8. Each of us too can experience God’s guidance. When we “set the LORD always before” us, keeping our eyes on Him, always following where He leads, we will “not be shaken.”

“The path of life” Ps. 16:9–11. With the Lord as our Lord, we have security in this life and can look forward to an eternity of joy in God’s presence.

Psalm 17: The Apple of God’s Eye. Confident of God’s great love, the believer chooses righteousness and looks ahead with confidence.

“My righteous plea” Ps. 17:1–5. Those who resolve not to sin can have great confidence in prayer.

“Show the wonder of Your great love” Ps. 17:6–9. We pray because we expect a God who loves us to act.
The “apple of the eye” is the pupil. The image may suggest God’s eyes are constantly on the believer, watching over him. Or it may suggest that God protects the believer, who is as precious to Him as this window of the eye which makes sight possible.

“Like a hungry lion” Ps. 17:10–14. If David looked around, he saw enemies on every side. But when David looked up, he saw God, who “by Your hand” could “save me from such men.”
It does make a vital difference whether you and I look around or look up. Looking around creates fear; looking up brings confidence.

“I will be satisfied” Ps. 17:15. David had awakening from sleep in mind, yet the verse possibly expresses his confident hope of resurrection.

Psalm 18: The Greatness of God. David’s clear vision of God’s awesome power and love remains a source of encouragement for believers today.
This long and beautiful psalm focuses our attention on those attributes of our God which are vital to remember when troubles come.

“I am saved” Ps. 18:1–6. David’s prayers had been answered. God hears and responds to cries for help.

“He parted the heavens” Ps. 18:7–19. Our prayer—answering God is the “Most High.” His past acts of intervention in the world reveal His awesome power.

“He has rewarded me” Ps. 18:20–29. David did not speak in pride, but in praise. God rewards those who seek to live righteous lives.

“Arms me with strength” Ps. 18:30–45. God is a source of constant strength to those who trust Him, and He gives victory to the righteous.

“The LORD lives!” Ps. 18:46–50 The God of history lives today, to save us from our enemies. We serve an all-powerful God who answers prayer, and who does intervene for us when we are in need.

Psalm 19: The Glory of God. God’s glory is revealed in creation, which displays His power, and Scripture, which displays His moral purity.

“The heavens declare” Ps. 19:1–6. God speaks to every human being through creation. Every person has some truth about God, for the universe which displays “His eternal power and divine nature” (Rom. 1:20) shouts out to human beings without speech or language.

“The law of the LORD” Ps. 19:7–14. God’s glory is more perfectly displayed in God’s Word, which reveals His character and provides moral guidance.
The Word offers warning, and promises great reward for those who please God.

DEVOTIONAL
Guidance from the Psalms
(Ps. 15)
I was teaching a short, two-day course at Princeton Seminary’s continuing education center, when I realized how much I did not want to come back the next summer.
Several months earlier I’d said that I would come to teach a two-week summer course. But as I flew east from my Phoenix home, I felt how much I missed my family. And I remembered about all the writing I had to do during those summer months. The thought of two weeks away during the next summer became almost unbearable.
So I decided, the last day of my short visit, that I’d tell the seminary that I just couldn’t make it.
But that morning, my daily psalm “just happened” to be Psalm 15. As I read, one verse seemed to jump off the page and confront me. The blameless man “keeps his oath even when it hurts” (v. 4). I knew then that I had to return.
Usually when I read the Psalms it’s for personal enrichment and/or worship. They lift up my thoughts and my heart to the Lord. But now and then God has a personal word of guidance for me in a psalm. And when God speaks, there’s nothing to do but to listen and obey.

Personal Application
God can give us personal guidance through any passage of His Word. As we read, we need to listen carefully.

Quotable
“The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving. To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it—but we must sail, and not drift, nor live at anchor.”—Oliver Wendell Holmes

TAKING REFUGE
Psalms 6–12

“O LORD my God, I take refuge in You; save and deliver me from all who pursue me” (Ps. 7:1).

When we sense our weakness, we hurry to take refuge in a majestic God who acts on behalf of those who love Him.

Overview
David, deeply aware of his weaknesses, took refuge in God (Pss. 6–7). God’s creative work (Ps. 8) and His present rule (Ps. 9) gave the psalmist confidence. Victims can find refuge with God the King (Ps. 10), who dispenses justice from His heavenly throne (Ps. 11).

Understanding the Text
Psalm 6: The Cry of the Faint. In deep distress David experienced his own weakness, and cried to God for mercy.

“I am faint” Ps. 6. Many expressions in the Psalms remind us of our frailties. This psalm of David expresses our weakness graphically. David, aware that he had no strength left to face life’s challenges, described his feelings of weakness. His bones were in agony, his soul in anguish. He was worn out from groaning; he flooded his bed with weeping and drenched his couch with tears. His eyes grew weak with sorrow.
These expressions may seem strange coming from a man who boldly faced the giant Goliath and fought fearlessly against Israel’s enemies. But they remind us that there is nothing unmanly about tears, and nothing shameful in feeling helpless. They also remind us that we have complete freedom in our relationship with God to express our feelings to Him honestly.
David’s words also help us understand why he is commended as a man after God’s own heart. David was totally honest with himself and with the Lord. He was realistic about his weaknesses, and honest about his fears. Dishonesty—an attempt to maintain a “macho” image—keeps us from acknowledging our weaknesses. And keeps us from full dependence on the Lord.

Psalm 7: A Call for Judgment. God’s sovereign rule is partly expressed in His judgments on mankind. David called on God to judge (punish) the wicked and to make the righteous secure.

“If there is guilt” Ps. 7:3–5. David did not fear to call on God to judge, for he himself had been careful to do what was right. It’s dangerous to ask God to judge others if we are guilty of their sins!

“Arise, O LORD, in Your anger” Ps. 7:6. The Scriptures do teach the anger of God. But God’s anger is unlike ours. (1) It is provoked by sin and injustice. (2) It is righteous, in that it never overreacts nor is vindictive. (3) It may be expressed in present judgments on sinners, but most often is reserved for the final judgment to take place at history’s end.
David’s call for God to arise in anger and judge is rightly motivated. David did not rejoice at the prospect of the wicked suffering. His concern was to “bring an end to the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.”
We too can call on God to express His anger at the sins in our society. And we can work to implement just laws, intended not to punish so much as to end violence and make the righteous secure.

Psalm 8: God’s Majestic Glory. God’s glory is glimpsed in creation, but is most clearly revealed in the Lord’s amazing decision to love and care for humankind.

“What is man?” Ps. 8:3–5 David was impressed at the glory revealed in creation (vv. 1–3). Yet what stunned him was the realization that God has chosen to be “mindful” of mankind. The word means to pay compassionate attention to.
Secular man scoffs at the notion that earth is any more than a tiny speck in a minor arm of 1 galaxy of 100 million stars in a universe estimated to hold 100 million galaxies! Yet David identified the greatest wonder: God bends down and pays close attention to this particular speck, for it is the home of humanity, and God has chosen to make human beings the focus of His loving care.

“You made him ruler” Ps. 8:6–8. It is to man’s honor and glory that God has made us “ruler over the works of Your hands.” This position implies creation in God’s image, for God is ultimate Ruler of all things.
It’s important to note the distinction between “rule” and “exploit.” Too often people have taken authority as a right to use things or others for one’s benefit. Here “rule” is actually “responsibility to care for” what God has created. Because God exercises loving care over us, permitting mankind to exercise loving care of the creation is a magnificent gift. It is what David here calls crowning “with glory and honor.”

Psalm 9: In Praise of God’s Reign. God is known by His justice. His rule was revealed in the fate of the wicked and David’s enemies.

“You have upheld my right and my cause” Ps. 9:1–6. David praised God, for he saw the defeat suffered by his enemies as evidence that God is sitting on His throne, “judging righteously.” Here David may be remembering the military victories won over surrounding nations, which enabled him to extend Israel’s territory and influence.

“He will judge . . . in righteousness” Ps. 9:7–10. David celebrated the Lord, for he knew God not only reigns forever, but “will judge the world in righteousness; He will govern the peoples with justice.”
Christianity is not, as has been suggested, a faith of “pie in the sky by and by.” It is a faith rooted in the conviction that God rules, and will surely judge. The conviction that God rules enables a person who is oppressed or in trouble to find refuge and hope now.
Trust in God may not change our circumstances, but it changes us! The mere fact that we can experience peace despite persecution is the most convincing evidence that God is real.

“The LORD is known by His justice” Ps. 9:16. Those who do not know God by faith will learn of Him later, for God is and will be known by His justice. The moral order of the universe means that the wicked will fall into the pits they dig for others, and their own feet will be snared in the traps they have hidden. Hitler’s Germany illustrates this. By treating others brutally, the Nazis became the cause of their own downfall and a vivid illustration of retributive justice.

Psalm 10: The Psalm of the Victim. Because God takes a hand in human affairs, the victim can commit himself to the Lord as King. See DEVOTIONAL.

Psalm 11: Righteousness Affirmed. The believer can take refuge in God, because God is righteous and will surely punish the wicked.

“The LORD is in His holy temple” Ps. 11:4. This phrase is no call to worship, but pictures God standing in the place of judgment. The psalmist identified the “holy temple” with God’s “heavenly throne,” and said that from it God examines the sons of men.
Because God hates the violence which the wicked perpetrate on the innocent, we can take refuge in Him. Even though the foundations of our society seem to crumble, we can be sure “upright men will see His face.”

DEVOTIONAL
Psalm of the Victim
(Ps. 10)
The Greek philosopher Plato argued that it was better to have wrong done to us than to do wrong. Few today would agree with him. Being a victim seems somehow shameful, weak.
But in Psalm 10, the poet explained far better than Plato ever could why victims are more blessed than persecutors. If at any time you feel like a victim-misused by your boss, by a friend, family, or even by “the system,” this is a psalm you might turn to. If you do you’ll find no prescription for changing circumstances. What you’ll find is a description of what happens inside the perpetrator, and inside the victim.
The perpetrator (vv. 1–11) is described by words like pride, arrogance, and boastfulness. His apparent success feeds these attitudes, and prosperity leads the victimizer to assume he is safe. Others are dismissed as weak, and God either fails to know or doesn’t care.
On the other hand, the victim (vv. 12–15) experiences his helplessness. This leads him to commit himself to the Lord. In his suffering the victim has nowhere to turn but to God.
God, “King forever and ever” (vv. 16–18), hears the afflicted. The Hebrew concept of “listen” implies not only hearing but responding. God as Ruler of the universe will act to judge the wicked and to defend the oppressed.
This psalm of the victim recognizes the fact that injustices may exist for a time. But it reminds us that the people who persecute us do so out of a deadly pride and arrogance, and will surely be punished. On the other hand, being victimized brings us closer to the Lord.
How much better to be a victim who knows God, than a victimizer who scoffs at Him!

Personal Application
The next time you suffer as a victim, thank God that you are not the victimizer.

Quotable
Thrice blest is he to whom is given
The instinct that can tell
That God is on the field when He
Is most invisible.

Then learn to scorn the praise of men
And learn to lose with God,
For Jesus won the world through shame
And beckons thee His road.-F.W. Faber

Psalms

INTRODUCTION
Psalms is a collection of 150 religious poems which enrich the spiritual life of God’s people. The Psalms touch on every human experience and on every aspect of the believer’s personal relationship with God. In powerful images they guide us today to worship, to praise, to trust, and to hope in the Lord.
Hebrew poetry does not rely on rhyme or even rhythm for its power, but rather on parallelism, the matching or echoing of thoughts. Thus one line will reflect, contrast with, or reinforce the idea introduced in another, so that the original thought is enriched. This kind of poetry alone can be translated in all languages without loss of power or beauty.
Many technical terms are found in introductions to individual psalms. These reflect use of the psalms in Israel’s public worship, and apparently indicate musical accompaniment, the type of psalm or occasion when used, etc.
The Psalms are organized in five “books.” Each book was added to the official collection at a different date. Various types of psalms—of praise, worship, confession, imprecation, messianic hope, etc.—are found within each book in apparently random order. Superscriptions identify a number of authors of the psalms, including David (73), the sons of Korah (12), Asaph (12), and others.
As no other book of Scripture, Psalms guides us to focus our thoughts on the Lord, and enrich our private as well as public worship.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS
I.
Book I
Psalms 1–41
II.
Book II
Psalms 42–72
III.
Book III
Psalms 73–89
IV.
Book IV
Psalms 90–106
V.
Book V
Psalms 107–150

GOD’S GREAT MERCY
Psalms 1–5

“But I, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will I bow down toward Your holy temple” (Ps. 5:7).

God’s great mercy is reserved for those who delight in the Law of the Lord and refuse to walk in the way of the wicked.

Overview
There are two moral paths, each with its own destination (Ps. 1). Resistance to the Messiah, God’s Son, is futile, for He is destined to rule earth (Ps. 2). David found peace when fleeing from his rebel son Absalom by remembering God (Pss. 3–4). David was confident that his merciful God would bless him even though he had to wait for his prayers to be answered (Ps. 5).

Understanding the Text
Psalm 1: “Two Moral Paths.” There are only two moral paths a human being can take. This psalm graphically describes each.

“Walk . . . stand . . . sit” Ps. 1:1. Conformity to worldly morality has three stages. Walking “in the counsel of the wicked” is listening to their views. Standing “in the way of sinners” is acting as the wicked do. Sitting “in the seat of mockers” is adopting their hardened, immoral attitudes.
My wife and I have been shocked just this week to review some of the TV “comedy” shows that our nine-year-old Sarah wants to watch between 7 and 8 P.M. Their innuendos and often explicit statements clearly deny biblical morality, and we’ve had to declare such programs off-limits. The progression from walking, to standing, to sitting, reminds us that it’s dangerous to take even that first step away from godly moral thought.

“He meditates” Ps. 1:2. Note again the importance of our thought life. If we fill our minds with and delight in God’s Law, we prosper morally and spiritually. Today we say of computers, “garbage in, garbage out.” Long ago God said this of the human mind. If you and I want to prosper spiritually we must guard our thoughts and our minds, and reject the “counsel of the wicked.”

“The way of the wicked will perish” Ps. 1:6. In this life the ways of the wicked and godly exist side by side, competing for our allegiance. In the end, the two ways part-forever.
We must choose one of the two, and help our children choose, for there is no third way.

Psalm 2: “Messiah’s Rule.” The psalmist ridiculed those who resist the Lord and His Anointed One (2:1–6). The Anointed One speaks, announcing His commission from and relationship with God (vv. 7–9). The psalm concludes with a word of grace, calling for a submission which will bring blessing (vv. 10–12). Psalm 2 is frequently quoted in the New Testament (cf. Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Acts 4:25–28; 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 2 Peter 1:17; Rev. 19:15).

“An iron scepter” Ps. 2:9. The rod of iron symbolizes complete authority. God’s Messiah, Jesus, will enforce God’s will despite human resistance.

“Be wise; be warned” Ps. 2:10–12. Each human has the opportunity offered rulers in this psalm. We can freely choose to serve the Lord, and find blessing. Or we can resist to the end, and be destroyed when His wrath flares up.
Jesus is Lord. Every human being must make a choice for Him—or against Him.

Psalms 3–4: “Psalms in Flight.” Each of these psalms reflects the thoughts and feelings of David as he fled Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion (see 2 Sam. 15–18). The imagery is powerful as David reflected on his relationship with God, and found a peace which enabled him to sleep despite imminent danger.

“God will not deliver him” Psalm 3:1–2. Many who rebelled against David seemed to feel that God had abandoned him. Second Samuel tells us that Shimei accused the fleeing king of being a “man of blood” (16:7). Very likely David himself, remembering his sin with Bathsheba and other earlier failings, wondered if God was with him when the rebellion broke out.
Accusations are always hard to bear. When they are made by those who have been our friends, or by our own consciences, they are particularly painful. Add misfortune, when everything seems to be going wrong, and anyone might wonder if God were still with him or not.
Such experiences cause stress, rob us of sleep, and frequently make us so anxious that we become ineffective. We each need what David found in his situation—a way to relieve the stress and restore inner peace.

“You are” Ps. 3:3–4. What David did was to focus his thoughts on God, and to remember who God is. David had known God as a shield (“protector”), as his glory (“greatest value”), as one who lifted up his head (“source of strength”). Remembering who God had proven Himself to be in his life, David prayed to God with confidence.
When we consider who God is, and all He has done for us, we too find the freedom to come to God in prayer. When we cry out to God, we lift the burden from our back and place it on His.

Ancient warriors protected their bodies with shields made of layers of hardened skins, often studded with metal. David remembered how often God had shielded him from danger. Though David was fleeing for his life, the image of God as a shield (Ps. 3:3) brought inner peace and enabled the threatened king to rest.

“I lie down and sleep” Ps. 3:5–8. David found peace through prayer. He shifted his burden to God and, sure that the Lord would sustain him, was able to rest.
Prayer, addressed in confidence to a God whom we know loves us, is the secret of peace for you and me. This kind of prayer drains the tension from us. It frees us from fear even when thousands of enemies seem to surround us.

“Know that the LORD has set apart the godly” Ps. 4:1–3. The selah at the end of Psalm 3 means “pause, before going on.” Here it seems to unite Psalms 3 and 4, leading most commentators to believe both psalms reflect on David’s flight from Absalom.
David’s enemies misjudged both David and God. Despite his flaws, David was honest in his devotion to God. And God was devoted to David. When we have this kind of relationship with God we can share David’s confidence that “the LORD will hear when I call to Him.”

“Who can show us any good?” Ps. 4:4–8. The defeatist looks at surrounding troubles, and despairs. David, however, looked up and found a source of joy in the knowledge that God’s face was turned toward him. The image of God’s face “shining on” a person means to look with favor; to look with the intent to do good.
So David found his good and his joy in God, not in an earthly abundance of “grain and new wine.”
How much wiser David’s course of seeking peace and joy in the Lord. Our fortunes on earth can change radically, as David’s flight from Jerusalem shows. But God is unchanging. If we find our joy in the Lord, that joy will be with us always.

DEVOTIONAL
Waiting
(Ps. 5)
I remember one summer when I was a child, how hard it was to wait for our summer vacation. The next day we were going up to Cedar Lake, to stay at Uncle Duane’s cabin. As I sat on the front porch, waiting, I was sure that tomorrow would never come, that we’d never get in the car, never pull into the driveway set back from the lake, and never run down to the shore.
When we get older, waiting can be even more difficult. Usually the things we wait for are much more important. Waiting for a job. Waiting for a sickness to pass. Waiting for an answer to a life-changing question.
This psalm of David reminds us that he was familiar with waiting too. He waited for Saul to die so he could become king. Even after that, he waited years to be acknowledged by all Israel. How did David handle waiting, and still remain confident and hopeful? This psalm tells—and shows—you and me how to wait with confidence and expectant hope.
First, David expressed his emotions as well as his requests to God (vv. 1–3). He was persistent in “morning by morning” sharing his sighing and his needs.
Second, David remembered the character of God (vv. 4–8). God does not take pleasure in evil, and destroys the wicked. But David, by God’s grace, was not numbered with the wicked. By God’s grace David was one who worshiped the Lord, and who followed God’s leading.
Third, David expected God to act in accord with His character (vv. 9–12). The wicked will be declared guilty. But God will act to protect those who love Him. “Surely, O LORD, You bless the righteous” is an affirmation of faith. Even though he had to wait, David knew—because of who God is—that blessing would surely come.
What a ground of expectation for us as we wait. We expect the best, because of who God is. God Himself and His character are the foundation of our hopes.

Personal Application
When waiting is most difficult, meditate on God’s character, and be reassured.

Quotable
My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me,
I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily.
Oft times He weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper and I the underside.
The dark threads are as needful in the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.
Not till the loom is silent and the shuttle cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.-Author unknown