Prayer in Conviction and Correction

Psalms 38:1-22
A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.

1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
2 For Your arrows pierce me deeply,
And Your hand presses me down.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh
Because of Your anger,
Nor any health in my bones
Because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds are foul and festering
Because of my foolishness.

6 I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are full of inflammation,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.

8 I am feeble and severely broken;
I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.

10 My heart pants, my strength fails me;
As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
11 My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague,
And my relatives stand afar off.

12 Those also who seek my life lay snares for me;
Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction,
And plan deception all the day long.

13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.
14 Thus I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth is no response.

15 For in You, O LORD, I hope;
You will hear, O Lord my God.

16 For I said, "Hear me, lest they rejoice over me,
Lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me."
17 For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.

18 For I will declare my iniquity;
I will be in anguish over my sin.

19 But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong;
And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.
20 Those also who render evil for good,
They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good.

21 Do not forsake me, O LORD;
O my God, be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!

David prayed in earnest as he poured out his heart in this song.  This prayer is one of conviction and correction; conviction of his sin, and the correction of the LORD yearned for to be taken to heart.  The king did not want to be rebuked or disciplined in God’s great anger or hot displeasure which his sin deserved, for his sin had caused him enough suffering already.  The pain in his soul was as if God held him down and shot him through with arrows.  That is a picture of great pain and pressing judgment which he could not move out from under!  Because of God’s just anger over his sin, he did not feel whole anymore, and because of his sin he felt sick.  He felt in over his head, buried in sin, and burdened beyond measure by the consequences.  He was festering in his own foolishness, deeply troubled and mourning because he had so offended God.  He was a broken man in intense turmoil, but had his desire set before and on the LORD.  The psalmist felt his heart racing and was weary beyond measure, the spark having left his eyes and even rejected by his loved ones.  He was in great despair and suffering over his sin.  Meanwhile, his enemies still pursued him with deceit and traps and deception.  He was assaulted on all sides and despondent due to the conviction of his own sin against God.  In the face of the enemy, David acted as if deaf and mute to not give in to nor respond to their attacks.  Why?  Because he trusted in God to hear his cries for help as he confessed his sin.  He hoped in the LORD for mercy, forgiveness, and deliverance.  He prayed to be saved from his enemies because the LORD was his Rock of deliverance (2 Samuel 22:47, Psalm 18:46) to be exalted in praise and with thanksgiving.  He therefore openly confessed his sin (Psalm 32:5) with anguish of soul )2 Corinthians 7:9-10).  He did not stop Praying to be delivered from his enemies, asking for deliverance because he pursued doing what was good as they gave evil for that good in response (Psalm 35:12).  We must do likewise when falsely accused, following the example of Jesus who did not open His mouth to fight back as he was verbally assaulted (Isaiah 53:7).  He did not render evil for evil (1 Thessalonians 5:15, 1 Peter 3:9) as the psalmist gave the example here, and neither should we.  We instead cry out for the Lord to help, protect, and deliver us, for He Himself is our salvation, our deliverance - both in the difficult times and for eternal life.  He did not just save us from eternal and just wrath we are due to deliver us from judgment, but He also delivers us day by day from our adversaries (2 Corinthians 1:10, Galatians 1:4, 2 Timothy 4:18).  Remember 2 Timothy 3:16-17, how His word corrects us with godly discipline to make us like Christ in holiness and righteousness, that we may do the works given for us to accomplish from before we were born (Ephesians 2:10).  Let us then welcome His discipline and correction as we are convicted of our sins. 

Godly Inheritance and Judgment

Psalms 37:21-40

21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
22 For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.

27 Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
28 For the LORD loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.

29 The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.

32 The wicked watches the righteous,
And seeks to slay him.
33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.

34 Wait on the LORD,
And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

35 I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a native green tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
Because they trust in Him.

The righteous are saved by grace through faith, by trusting in the Lord of righteousness.  There is an inheritance for the godly found in this grace, but a certain and horrible judgment for those persistent in the rebellion of wickedness.  Who,are the wicked and righteous?  The wicked borrow and never pay back what they take; they are cursed and cut off from the inheritance.  The righteous give out of a heart of mercy and grace as God has given to them, and they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).  God draws and leads the feet of those He calls good, being predetermined to do those good things for Him (Ephesians 2:10).  Even when the righteous stumble and fall, the LORD holds them up and keeps them from being cast away forever (Proverbs 24:16, 2 Corinthians 4:9, 1 Corinthians 3:14).  Even the psalmist recalled how God did not cast away those who were His, the righteous, in all his life.  God is the good provider for His own.  Yet the charge is given to do good and run away from doing evil, contrary to His word and will.  That is the call of the righteous, and He preserves them forever, giving eternal security with absolute hope.  While those rejecting His word and work (John 6:29) are cut out of God’s will, the righteous will inherit the kingdom to live in forever, a shadow of the New Jerusalem to come.  Because God has put His law in our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33, Romans 2:15), we are assured of His keeping and leading us through all things until that day (Philippians 1:6, 2 Timothy 1:12).  Our steps stumble but do not slide away.  Even though the wicked hate us because we are of God, He delivers us from their condemnation in the end.  What are we to do?  Patiently wait on the Lord as we keep His way spelled out in His word through godly counsel and study of the scriptures to apply in our lives.  Humble ourselves under His hand of all strength for exaltation (1 Peter 5:6-7).  Remember our inheritance in the Messiah for eternal residence in the kingdom of God, in His very presence.  The wicked will not rule over us forever, and when they die, inherit nothing but torment as retribution by God’s vengeance (Revelation 6:10).  The only peace with God is found in Him and in the righteousness which He accounts to us in Christ.  Our salvation is from the Lord alone.  Our strength in trouble is not in ourselves or methods, but in our Lord Jesus Christ alone.  Because we believe and trust in Him, He chooses to deliver and keep us forevermore.  What grace and hope we have in our inheritance to stand in the final judgment (Psalm 1:5, Romans 14:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:10-11)!

Fret Not, You Righteous in the Lord!

Psalms 37:1-20

A Psalm of David.

1 Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the LORD,
They shall inherit the earth.

10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.

11 But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12 The wicked plots against the just,
And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn the sword
And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct.
15 Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.

16 A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The LORD knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20 But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the LORD,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.

The psalmist sang good counsel here to us all when faced with wicked men and women who come against us.  We can begin by not worrying about them, what they say or do to us.  It is not worth being envious of their temporary possessions or positions in life, for the unrighteous will soon be cut down and dry up because God only endures their sin for a time before enacting judgment in this life or the next.  He reminds himself and we the people of God to trust Him while we do what is good in God’s eyes instead of imitating those around us in retribution or defense.  We know that God’s faithfulness is sufficient as He provides for our needs even more than the birds around us (Matthew 6:26).  By finding our delight, our true joy deep down in our souls, we find His desires become our own.  By committing the direction of our lives to His way by faith, we find these come to fruition along with proof of His righteousness in us and His justice to vindicate us.  The advice then is to rest by faith in God’s providence and sovereign grace, not concerning ourselves with any temporary success of evildoers.  In patience we possess our lives in Christ (Luke 21:19).  Instead of imitating the ones around us who appear successful, we turn away from anger against them or our own imagined lack, and focus on the eternal treasures (Matthew 6:19-20).  Worrying only harms us.  Faith, trust in God’s goodness and provision, brings peace and rest.  The meek who trust Him will inherit the earth to come (Matthew 5:5) as they patiently endure and look forward to His coming.  Knowing that the evil will be cut off and the meek who rest in the Lord will be given such an inheritance, we delight ourselves in the overflowing peace He gives (Romans 5:1), no matter what evil is set against us.  The plotting of those opposed to God against us will come to nothing in the end, an eternal perspective giving strength to those suffering now.  The Lord will laugh at those who work against His people with such futility, knowing they all face the day of judgment He has set in stone to come.  The very evil plotting will come back on their own heads.  This is certain.  Therefore, the little a righteous one appears to have materially in this life is not the best life now, but is best because of the future inheritance in Christ.  These true riches uphold us.  The Lord knows who are His, and shall reward our trust.  The evildoers set against the Lord and His Anointed, and His people, will find due their recompense in everlasting shame.  They will vanish like smoke in the wind and dried up grass burned away.  But those who trust in God’s grace by faith in His work (John 6:29) will find eternal peace and rest.  Consider the end of those wickedly opposed to God (Psalm 73:1-3, 27-28).  May we rest in this hope as reflected in Psalm 73:23-24, 25-26.  Fret not!

Fearless Wickedness and God's Lovingkindness

Psalms 36:1-12
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.

1 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked:
There is no fear of God before his eyes.

2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes,
When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.

3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

4 He devises wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself in a way that is not good;
He does not abhor evil.

5 Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the great mountains;
Your judgments are a great deep;
O LORD, You preserve man and beast.

7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

8 They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.

9 For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.

10 Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 Let not the foot of pride come against me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 There the workers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been cast down and are not able to rise.

The sin of the wicked, the evil by God’s definition, is their fearlessness before the Holy and Righteous One.  They flatter themselves as being wise and knowing better than the God,they dismiss and rage against their Master and Commander (Psalm 2:1, Acts 4:25).  The natural man glories in his own sin and hatred of others made in God’s image.  Sadly, this is a prideful accomplishment to the one who speaks lies and unrighteousness.  Loving evil because it is opposed to the goodness of God and His word, these continuously plot ways to do more and more evil as they rage against the LORD, even as they lay awake at night!  They love evil instead of hating it as their Maker does.  Ah, but God’s mercy and faithfulness are higher than man, reaching to the heavens where righteousness dwells (Isaiah 33:5, 2 Peter 3:13) and from where He reigns on high.  His righteousness stands as firm as the mountains, immovable and absolute.  His judgment is deeper than the lowest point of the ocean floor, ruling justice as well as offering mercy and forgiveness as He preserves those trusting and following Him.  God’s lovingkindness is based on the fear of the Holy One in trusting faith and willing obedience.  We can have faith in His loving protection of His unmerited kindness, therefore, and find satisfaction in His provision as we dwell with Him and find pleasure in Him and His righteousness.  Out Lord is a fountain of life.  He is the light showing us the light (John 8:12, 1 John 1:7) and bringing us into it (1 Peter 2:9)!  Like king David the psalmist, we should sing of His mercies forever, asking for continued lovingkindness in His righteousness in Christ which we live within.  We are also to beware of pride which the enemy of our souls uses to drive us away from God through unrighteousness, causing us great harm as those working wickedness, yet with hope in grace at the end (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).  We can rise by forgiveness and the grace of Christ in lovingkindness towards us.  We are not without fear of God, but of those trusting in His lovingkindness to eternal life.  We fear God and trust in His absolute salvation. 

Prayer for Vindication in Adversity

Psalms 35:15-28

15 But in my adversity they rejoiced
And gathered together;
Attackers gathered against me,
And I did not know it;
They tore at me and did not cease;
16 With ungodly mockers at feasts
They gnashed at me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long will You look on?
Rescue me from their destructions,
My precious life from the lions.

18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly;
I will praise You among many people.

19 Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies;
Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

20 For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful matters
Against the quiet ones in the land.

21 They also opened their mouth wide against me,
And said, "Aha, aha!
Our eyes have seen it."

22 This You have seen, O LORD;
Do not keep silence.
O Lord, do not be far from me.

23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,
To my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Vindicate me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness;
And let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, "Ah, so we would have it!"
Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up."

26 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.

27 Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
"Let the LORD be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant."

28 And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
And of Your praise all the day long.

The first half of this psalm reminded us that the LORD is our avenger; this half now petitions God to avenge their wrongdoing against him, and not delay in doing so.  He begins with how his adversaries took advantage of his adversity, gathering to,attack him in his weakened state.  They incessantly tore him down and mocked him, gnashing their teeth at him as they did to Jesus on the cross (Job 16:9-10, Psalm 22:7, 13), a visual silent threat of violent wrath.  In verse 17, the psalmist asks God how long until He offers relief through deliverance, rescue from the lions tearing at him (Psalm 22:21), attacking the life which is precious to God.  What did he do?  He praised God with thanksgiving for all He had done before, while also anticipating the deliverance to come.  He did this in the assembly (Psalm 22:25), equivalent to the congregation of the church of God’s people today.  David also asked that his enemies would not be able to rejoice over his adversity, enemies without a just cause to hate or attack him.  These are the ones who use deceit to overthrow peace against those not lifting their voice to protest or fight back.  We see this evil at work still today with those opposed to God and Christ, His people who are the assembly we call the church.  They bear false witness of things to bring accusations to tear down God’s people, intending to shame His name through us.  But God sees it all, and He is not far off, ready to answer soon as we plead with Him as the psalmist did.  He prayed for vindication according to His righteousness, not man’s, asking for the shame on his enemies to swallow them up instead of their devouring him.  He also prayed that they would be confused, dishonored, and defeated.  We see then how he prayed for all God’s people be glad and to shout for joy in supporting his righteous cause in the midst of the false accusations and attacks, giving us the example to rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15) who know and follow Christ our Lord.  We should therefore join in constantly saying that the Lord be magnified in life or death (Philippians 1:20)!  The Lord has pleasure in our good standing in Him and His righteousness, therefore we should be saying this out loud every day, praising the Father in Christ Jesus by His Holy Spirit within us. 

The LORD is the Avenger

Psalms 35:1-14

A Psalm of David.

1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler,
And stand up for my help.

3 Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
"I am your salvation."

4 Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor
Who seek after my life;
Let those be turned back and brought to confusion
Who plot my hurt.

5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,
And let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
And let the angel of the LORD pursue them.

7 For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit,
Which they have dug without cause for my life.
8 Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
And let his net that he has hidden catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.

9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.

10 All my bones shall say,
"LORD, who is like You,
Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?"

11 Fierce witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
12 They reward me evil for good,
To the sorrow of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick,
My clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting;
And my prayer would return to my own heart.

14 I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;
I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.

King David knew what it was like to be constantly attacked and slandered by his enemies as he sought to live for the LORD.  In this song he points to vengeance as being the LORD’s, not his to pursue (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 10:30).  It truly is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God for retribution according to divine justice; who are we to seek it ourselves when we deserve the same if not for mercy in forgiving grace?  Therefore, the king pleaded with God to plead his case and fight as a warrior to defend him as God’s own.  He prayed for protection as well as for the LORD to become his salvation, for God Himself to be the deliverance from his enemies.  He also asked that his enemies would be put to shame and dishonored for attacking one who belongs to God, that confusion would overwhelm them and stop their attacks.  He even prayed that the Angel of the LORD would go after them and sort them out as chaff separated from the grains of wheat in a strong wind on His threshing floor (Luke 3:17)!  This ask was for their continued pursuit and baseless scheming to take his life; the psalmist asked specifically that the net of destruction set for him by them would entrap his enemies for destruction.  When this occurred, David would rejoice in the LORD and His deliverance.  He did not seek his own vengeance (Romans 12:19), but entrusted his soul to the Avenger.  He praised God for being the only one who can save the poor and needy ones from the strong oppressors.  Even when faced with aggressive and false witnesses, ones who reward evil for his good to them, he repaid evil with good (Romans 12:17, 21).  This is what Jesus Christ demonstrated for us that we might do the same for our enemies.  We should be agonizing in supplication for those who attack, and even meet their needs when they are sick.  In humility as our brothers’ keepers, we possess our souls.  We should even follow David’s example here to treat them as a friend or brother as we pray for them and do good for them in response, mourning over their state before God who avenges.  The Lord is the avenger (2 Thessalonians 1:8).  Pray and do good in response to evil. 

The Fear of the Lord

Psalms 34:11-22

11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.

21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

This song continues from the first half which talked about praising without ceasing, to this half dealing with understanding the fear of the LORD.  He begins by inviting the hearers to take time to really listen to what he is saying in the psalm; by doing so, we can learn the fear of the LORD.  This means both what this fear is, as well as to learn it for ourselves.  This fear starts with asking if we want to have a long life, and to see good in those days of our lives.  The first way is to speak good and not evil things ourselves, to sow what we wish to reap.  This means not deceiving others or lying.  The second is to stop doing what God says is evil according to His word, and choosing to do good while actively seeking peace with God and each other (1 Peter 3:11, Romans 12:18, 14:19).  We are reminded that God looks for those seeking to please Him with a heart for God and His ways; these who fear Him He listens to, while those actively seeking to live contrary to what He says is good and right are not so regarded by Him.  In fact, those set against the LORD will be cut off from Him in judgment in the end.  But if we truly fear God, we will cry to Him for help to be saved from eternal judgment and from the circumstances of adversity we encounter.  He is close to those who are broken, humble, and meek in heart, not puffed up with pride or self-righteousness.  We who fear Him and seek to be holy as He is will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), but we can be assured that He will deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:10).  There is a hidden gem here as a prophecy of Christ’s crucifixion as well in verse 20, concerning not having His bones broken on the cross, which also is a picture of His work to preserve His saints whom are saved by that death.  Yes, evil kills the wicked set against God, condemning those hating Him, but He saves His who serve and fear Him through faith that relies on His work and goodness.  We will never be ashamed or condemned who trust in Christ Jesus our Lord!  Amen.

Praise Without Ceasing!

Psalms 34:1-10

A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.

6 This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.

10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

What a song of praise and hope!  The psalmist opens with giving blessings to the LORD at all times, which means in every type of circumstance, good or bad.  Like David, we should be praising our Lord always; just as we pray without ceasing, so should we praise without ceasing.  Going along with this praise is the heart of humility which gives joy and happiness to other humble persons who hear that our boasting is in God alone, not ourselves.  Pride led to the fall of us all in putting our reasoning above God’s word (Genesis 3:1, 17), while humility exalts God and willing obeys to please Him.  This gives us true happiness in seeking the things of God and thankfully giving Him alone the glory and praise (Hebrews 2:12, 13:15, Revelation 19:5).  We should imitate David by meeting together with others who love the Lord in order that we may corporately lift His name on high, exalting Him above everyone and everything else.  When we so pursue God, He hears our hearts and delivers us from our fears.  We have a solid rock to stand on with hope and trust of His goodness and grace to hear us as we follow.  This is the life of a godly disciple.  As verse 5 says, we can look to the Lord and find radiant joy to light up our countenance and find no shame in the testimony of knowing our Lord.  For when we cry out, realizing our poverty apart from Him, He delivers us from the troubles  because of His ever abiding presence and watchcare.  What is the lesson then?  Taste of the Lord to know His goodness.  Trust in Him fully with God-given faith.  Fear Him with awe and honor.  Trust His provision and providence as the birds of the air.  Realize that we will never lack what we truly require when we make the Lord our life’s desire!  Praise without ceasing. 

Praise for the Creator and Sustainer of All

Psalms 33:1-22 

1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
2 Praise the LORD with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

4 For the word of the LORD is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.

10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
13 The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.

14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.

16 No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
19 To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.

22 Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.

This is a song of praise for the Creator and Sustainer of all creation.  First of all, praise must come from those who are upright or righteous to be acceptable and even beautiful to the Lord or God.  David knew this and pursued knowing and following the LORD in all things, even to his own detriment in the eyes of others around him.  He was truly a man after God’s heart and one who was after God’s heart.  He expressed this praise in song and instrument, skillfully and with loud joyful singing.  The song he sung was new, expressing ongoing praise and not just rote songs over and over; he sung praises from his life as he walked through life.  This is evident throughout the psalms.  Our praise should likewise come from an active and growing faith as our sanctification is exhibited in the working out of our salvation by doing what God prepared for us to do (Philippians 2:10-12, Ephesians 2:10).  God’s work is based on truth, and His word is that truth of righteousness.  His character which we praise is based on what we learn from that word of truth, the goodness of His justice and righteousness as verses 4-5 remind us.  He is fair and pure, and merciful in grace we do not deserve!  This is praiseworthy.  God created everything in the universe by His word (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16), the living Word who is Jesus Christ our Lord.  Each one of us has life by His breath breathed into us by that breath of His word (2 Timothy 3:16), and each wave of the ocean moves by His command.  These things should inspire fearful awe to realize how He simply spoke things into existence by His word (Revelation 4:11).  His counsel, God’s predetermined plans, shape nations rise and fall, and He controls all history over every plan of man to the contrary.  This is His sovereignty over all generations.  Therefore, those whom He chooses, whether a nation or individuals, these He blesses as His inheritance as He looks down from His throne on His beloved creation.  Verse 15 reminds us that He makes each of us unique with plans for what we are to accomplish (Ephesians 2:10), yet also holds us accountable for how we do those things; He looks at our hearts which He made for our faith in willing obedience out of fearful awe and love.  The whole counsel of God demands we do not leave out either the fear or the love, for together they are our reasonable service of worship (Romans 12:1).  All we do then is according to His word and by His strength, never our own, for He alone delivers us from just wrath on our sin (1 Thessalonians 1:10).  We cannot find enough strength in ourselves to do this.  We hope in His mercy and grace to deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:10), now and into eternity into His very presence.  David sang of how he and we then must patiently trust God to help and protect us with joy-filled hearts by faith in the one who is who He is.   Because of this certain hope (Hebrews 6:19) we find His mercy.  That hope itself is worthy of our praise; may our lives sing it loudly!

The Joy of Forgiveness in Salvation

Psalms 32:1-11
A Psalm of David. A Contemplation.

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.

Selah

5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,"
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Selah

6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.

7 You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.

Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.

10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

This song expresses great joy, unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8-9), for God’s complete undeserved forgiveness.  This is salvation, deliverance from the penalty of our sin as is our just due.  David knew this, as the LORD revealed it to Him by His word and Spirit as 1 Peter 1:12 reveals to us now in Christ, having a more perfect revelation as we look back at what he looked forward to.  Our sinful nature and sins we commit are all covered and forgiven, not imputed to us anymore by God’s grace and work in the Messiah’s work for us as the only righteous one.  He cleanses us and takes away the deceit of our own attempts to justify ourselves before God.  Before we admitted (confessed) our sin to Him, we were in great misery as was David here, seen especially in verses 3-4.  It is worth taking a selah moment to consider this as the psalmist did.  Then we can move on to confess our sin openly without excuse or attempts to justify or minimize it.  Such confessed sin is absolution which comes from God alone, not any man in His place - unless that Man is also God, Jesus the Christ.  He forgives the iniquity of our sin, the source and nature of the individual sins or transgressions against God and His word which we commit, as well as each individual sin.  Dwell on that for a little while.  Then move on to consider why we pray to the Lord in times of need, because we seek to live according to His word and find Him there.  This is being godly.  Like king David, we should seek to hide in God in the Messiah, for Je alone is our hiding place where we are kept from and delivered from trouble, and can therefore sing about the deliverance we find in Him by grace and mercy.  More to stop and think much about.  Finally, we can learn from our Lord how to live and which paths to take as He guides us for His name’s sake (Isaiah 30:21, Psalm 73:24-26, 25:12).  We should heed this passage and not fight against His leading as a dumb horse or stubborn donkey; they resist because they have no understanding and must be forever to follow.  Surely we are not so stubborn or stupid!  Just remember how the wicked do these things and have only sorrow upon sorrow, and how the righteous follow willingly by faith as Abraham our father gave us the pattern to imitate (Galatians 3:8-9).  Be full of joy in this righteousness of obedience within the grace and righteousness of Christ.  It is worth shouting aloud with unhindered joy as we follow to be made holy as He is holy and are conformed to Him by His sanctifying work in us!  This is the end of it all, the joy of forgiveness in our salvation. 

My Times are in Your Hand

Psalms 31:13-24

13 For I hear the slander of many;
Fear is on every side;
While they take counsel together against me,
They scheme to take away my life.

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.

16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me for Your mercies' sake.

17 Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You;
Let the wicked be ashamed;
Let them be silent in the grave.

18 Let the lying lips be put to silence,
Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19 Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!

20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
From the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the LORD,
For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
22 For I said in my haste,
"I am cut off from before Your eyes";
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.

23 Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints!
For the LORD preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.

24 Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the LORD.

As we dwell in the mighty fortress who is our God and adversaries assault us, we have our Lord to shelter in with hope as king David spoke of.  Fear and slander can seem daunting as schemers gang up on God’s people, yet we can choose to trust in Him and not in the situation or circumstances.  Why?  Because He is our God.  Ours.  Our times are in His hand, which means that He is sovereignly in control and works for our good and His glory as Romans 8:28 puts so clearly for us to rest upon.  The Lord delivered David from his persecutors, and can certainly deliver us as well.  We pray for grace and mercy like the psalmist did in verse 16, asking for favor as if His face would shine on us with that glory as Moses experienced.  We also can pray for God to bring our enemies to shame for hating us as they do Him who is in us and for us.  This is to glorify Christ in us, not to simply provide us with recompense.  God can stop the unrighteousness of lips making unholy noises, and it is His kindness which leads them to repentance as they are called out (Romans 2:4).  We should therefore praise Him for His goodness with godly fear and absolute assurance of faith in His mercy, because we trust in Him - God’s word and work.  He shelters us from the plots, schemes, and accusations of our enemies under His wings of strong grace (Psalm 91:1-2).  We bless and honor Him as David did by extolling God’s kindness to us as He hears our prayers when we cry out to the rock higher than us.  Our refrain then should also be our love expressed in word and deed to our deliverer, knowing it is He who preserves us by faith, and He who recompensed those proud ones opposing Him and us.  The final words of this song should encourage us greatly, reminding us of His strength in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10) as we rest fully on the hope (1 Peter 1:13) given daily by grace to us according to His goodness.  Our times are always in His sovereign hands of grace!  

A Mighty Fortress in Adversity

Psalms 31:1-12

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 In You, O LORD, I put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.

2 Bow down Your ear to me,
Deliver me speedily;
Be my rock of refuge,
A fortress of defense to save me.

3 For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, for Your name's sake,
Lead me and guide me.

4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.

5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

6 I have hated those who regard useless idols;
But I trust in the LORD.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,
For You have considered my trouble;
You have known my soul in adversities,
8 And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a wide place.

9 Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble;
My eye wastes away with grief,
Yes, my soul and my body!

10 For my life is spent with grief,
And my years with sighing;
My strength fails because of my iniquity,
And my bones waste away.

11 I am a reproach among all my enemies,
But especially among my neighbors,
And am repulsive to my acquaintances;
Those who see me outside flee from me.
12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.

God is our mighty fortress and solid foundation of refuge in adverse times.  Like the psalmist, we too can reliably trust in Him to never be ashamed (Romans 1:16, 1 John 2:28).  We are delivered, saved, by the righteousness of God alone and not our own.  We can therefore also pray with confidence that He will hear and deliver us (Colossians 1:13).  As our fortress, He defends and protects us from the evil one, and as our solid rock on which we stand, He is our foundation of absolute hope by faith to stand firmly upon.  His defense of righteousness saves us.  His rock which is the Messiah, the Christ, establishes us.  Because God is our rock and mighty fortress, He guides us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:3).  Because He is my strength, I am delivered out of the hand of the Adversary (2 Timothy 3:11, 4:17).  Verse 5 is the phrase which Jesus spoke on the cross (Luke 23:46), which is our hope as well through Him; we are redeemed in truth by committing our lives to His hand.  We trust in the one true God, not useless idols of man’s imagined and deluded fashioning.  What then?  Let us follow David’s heart by finding joy in God’s mercy and for His deliverance, both here in life and in the not yet forever.  God sets our feet in a sure place amidst our enemies, for He knows our sorrows and struggles, being acquainted with them Himself (Psalm 139:3, Isaiah 53:3).  Therefore, we also can rely on His great mercy in times of trouble and in tears of grief which can overwhelm for years and lead to sighs of weariness in our dealings with sin.  Even though our enemies seem to gain the upper hand over us and our closest neighbors and acquaintances hate us, even though we appear abandoned or marginalized, we have hope through our rock and mighty fortress who is our God!  He never fails us.  God through Christ is a mighty fortress in adversity.  We commit our spirits to Him who redeems us from wrath and judgment by grace and mercy. 

Answered Prayer, Grace for Life

Psalms 30:1-12
A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the house of David.

1 I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.

2 O LORD my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me.
3 O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

4 Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

6 Now in my prosperity I said,
"I shall never be moved."
7 LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was troubled.
8 I cried out to You, O LORD;
And to the LORD I made supplication:

9 "What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?

10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me;
LORD, be my helper!"

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Answered prayer.  We all yearn for God to hear us and respond favorably when we are in distress or adversity and our enemies’ gloating over our condition.  The psalmist reminds us that we should start with adoration and thanksgiving for His answers, not just expecting our needs are met and then just moving on without giving Him the glory and honor due to His name.  We also can therefore cry out to the Lord to be relieved of an early death or extreme suffering, to be delivered from death and the grave.  This especially includes deliverance from the pit, being kept alive from judgment unto eternal life in His presence as the ultimate salvation from the grave.  Our prayers must move to praise in thanking the Lord for all He has and will do, for we are His declared holy ones as verse 4 tells us, now saints in believing and receiving Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2) because of His calling and election for deliverance.  We know that His wrath on our sin was truly for a moment, because His grace is for life.  When we agonize over our sin with many tears, we find along with king David that joy truly does come in the morning and through the mourning.  We sometimes think that nothing can move us, but we learn that is only by His grace; as soon as He appears to disappear from view in our adversity, we are immediately troubled and cry out in prayer for help until we learn to trust Him more.  Like the psalmist in this sung prayer, we want to live through the devastating adversity to instead declare His truth to others.  We ask for mercy to help in these times (Psalm 109:26, Hebrews 4:16).  We rejoice in our deliverance from each adverse circumstance and for eternal deliverance, no longer in mourning for the dead, but rejoicing in our salvation with great gladness of heart!  Why?  So that our giving glory to God in Christ who delivers us may result in unending outward praise with eternal gratefulness.  Are we thankful and praising our Lord for all He has done and will continue to do?  This is the lesson to learn from this psalm of answered prayer with grace for life everlasting. 

Praise for God’s Holiness and Majesty

Psalms 29:1-11 

A Psalm of David.

1 Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the LORD glory and strength.

2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The LORD is over many waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;
The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars,
Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.

8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the LORD sits as King forever.

11 The LORD will give strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with peace.

This psalm of praise points us to gaze into God’s majesty and holiness.  We are to join the psalmist in not just acknowledging His glory and power, but to tell Him these things in an act of confessional worship.  God deserves glory attributed to His name through our willingness to trust and obey His word, worshiping His holiness in our holiness as we were created to be and do (1 Peter 1:16, 2 Chronicles 20:21, Psalm 110:3).  God’s voice is powerful, as He demonstrates in the natural realm in Creation (Genesis 1:1-2) and in the thundering storm with flashes of powerful lightning over those waters.  His voice shows majesty and power we can see with our eyes and acknowledge with our own voices in response.  His voice splinters magnificent trees and shakes both the forest and the desert wilderness even when we are not present to witness these things, and divides lightning across the land to bring awe of His majesty and power to our hearts.  Because of all these wondrous acts by His word, we must follow king David’s example to worship in His temple, both corporately and individually, to cry out, “glory” to our God in heaven (2 Corinthians 4:6, Revelation 14:7, 19:7)!  He sits sovereignly over all creation, including us, having power to flood the world or to consume it with fire in the end.  He absolutely reigns eternally.  There is no other!  Our comfort in this awe is that our Lord chooses to give we His people strength and blessings of peace with this omnipotent God in Christ (Romans 5:1, 2 John 1:3) as we follow Him (Philippians 4:9).  Because of all these things, we worship our Lord with praise for His majesty and holiness, and join in His work within us to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ our Lord whom king David looked forward to throughout the Psalms.  

Joy in Answered Prayer

Psalms 28:1-9 

Rejoicing in A Psalm of David.

1 To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock:
Do not be silent to me,
Lest, if You are silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit.

2 Hear the voice of my supplications
When I cry to You,
When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.

3 Do not take me away with the wicked
And with the workers of iniquity,
Who speak peace to their neighbors,
But evil is in their hearts.

4 Give them according to their deeds,
And according to the wickedness of their endeavors;
Give them according to the work of their hands;
Render to them what they deserve.

5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD,
Nor the operation of His hands,
He shall destroy them
And not build them up.

6 Blessed be the LORD,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.

8 The LORD is their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

9 Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever.

This song of answered prayer is one of great joy.  The psalmist first cries out to the LORD and begs to be heard.  If he does not know his prayer is being listened to, then it is no better for him than those headed towards destruction, so he pleads to know he is heard by the one with power over life and death and judgment.  He lifts up holy hands as a servant with a cleansed heart in worship.  He is not like those evildoers around him who plan against everyone else with evil intent in their hearts while speaking nicely to them outwardly.  His heart is aimed to loving his neighbors, not hating them without a cause, to do them good.  He prays against those who prey on others, asking God to give the reprobate their just due for denying Him and hating them.  He does this because he knows that such men set on evil do not care about God’s work and what He does for His people (whom He made in His image and for His glory).  Then David praises his Lord when he is aware of the hearing of his prayers, knowing the answers will follow in God’s time and way.  Here he only mentions that he was heard, which includes either a present or future action by the LORD.  He trusted, had faith that God would shield and strengthen him because of that faith.  This is where the great joy came from, knowing that God hears and answers to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).  This is what drove the king to sing joyful praises.  But he also spoke of himself as a type of the Anointed One to come, the Christ.  God is a refuge of strength to save and bless His inheritance in us (Ephesians 1:18), the one who shepherds us as He did David.  He bears us up by grace through prayer by promise.  That should give us great joy as well. 

True Declaration of Faith over Fear

Psalms 27:1-14
A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.

3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.

5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, "Seek My face,"
My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."

9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the LORD will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.

14 Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!

This song of overflowing joy in the LORD is a declaration of faith founded on God’s word and faithful character demonstrated over and over to His people.  The psalmist has true faith over fear because God is his salvation and the light which guides him in the face of conflict and adversaries.  Since God is his strength for life itself, why be afraid?  This true faith over fear is not foolishly based on ignoring the challenges and dangers of life as we see in today’s world as a name and claim attempt to prove one’s own strength, but is humble trust in God’s providence and sovereign grace against actual adversity because we are God’s people.  When enemies come against us, we do not wage war as they do (2 Corinthians 10:4-6), but having confidence in God to deliver us, over and out of our fear.  When trouble comes, we should be like the psalmist sings here beginning in the fourth verse, desiring to be in God’s place of worship in the heart personally and together as the body of Christ corporately.  There we see His beauty in praises and pray for guidance and strength to trust more as we do our part with the means of common grace He provides, such as in knowledge given to doctors to protect us and medicines to heal us.  Out trust is in the Giver of that knowledge and skill, not in the men and women who appear to create medicine and treatments to help us.  When we then find ourselves in troubled times, we can read here how to cope by trusting in His protection and His care which places us high in His love and care as if on a mountain for protection from enemies.  God will lift us up (James 4:10) as we humbly trust and walk with Him.  Our response will be to become living sacrifices with acceptable offerings (Romans 12:1, 1 Peter 2:5) to our Lord to validate our outward vocal praises.  We cry out for mercy and relief, only to hear as David did that we seek Him after He first commands us to do so.  We sheep hear His voice when called, we do not bleat to seek until we hear our Master’s voice calling us to Himself.  He is our saving help when no one else can.  When all leave us, He cares for us.  This is why we should continue to ask for and seek guidance from His word as His Spirit within us leads and guides with illuminating promptings day by day.  This is even in the face of slander and lies.  Like the psalmist, we should not lose heart, despairing in adversity, but rather trust in God’s goodness to follow in His time and way.  We then patiently wait on the Lord, courageously, and wait for strength from Christ alone and not of our own making or of psychological reasoning.  This submission to God’s providence by active faith as living sacrifices is our true declaration of faith over fear from a biblical perspective.  It is not trumped up empty self-trust in our imagined strength of faith by proud words which do not place ourselves in God’s hands as we do our part of obedience within the confines of the common grace and provision given men to help each other.  May we learn this lesson in this present time of adversity and testing of our faith.  Amen. 

Divine Examination and Redemption

Psalms 26:1-12 

A Psalm of David.

1 Vindicate me, O LORD,
For I have walked in my integrity.
I have also trusted in the LORD;
I shall not slip.

2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me;
Try my mind and my heart.
3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have walked in Your truth.

4 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals,
Nor will I go in with hypocrites.
5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers,
And will not sit with the wicked.

6 I will wash my hands in innocence;
So I will go about Your altar, O LORD,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
And tell of all Your wondrous works.

8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house,
And the place where Your glory dwells.

9 Do not gather my soul with sinners,
Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme,
And whose right hand is full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
Redeem me and be merciful to me.
12 My foot stands in an even place;
In the congregations I will bless the LORD.

This song is a prayer inviting God to examine the psalmist’s life and heart in order to redeem the man living after God’s own heart.  This should be our prayer as well.  David skied to be vindicated by the LORD, to judge him according to his righteousness as in Psalm 7:8-10, to feast and prove the direction of his life according to His word.  As he trusted the Lord, he trusted that he would not fail in pursing righteousness by willing obedience.  We now do this according to the frame of the grace of Christ in complete atoning forgiveness.  Therefore David’s prayer was to be divinely examined and proven after being put to the test.  He prayed for testing to prove his mind and heart because he focused on God’s mercy and goodness towards him as he lived to walk out the truths of His word and will according to the commands and principles there.  We are given the same word of truth to pattern our walks after.  How?  By not participating in idolatrous situations or associating with evildoers so as not to be corrupted by their bad habits (1 Corinthians 15:33-34).  Then we can come to prayer and worship with clear consciences through avoidance and confession of sin.  That allows us to be thankful for a good testimony among all (1 Timothy 3:7, 3 John 1:12), telling them of God’s wonderful works of deliverance as a testimony of grace and salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord.  We find such living gives us great joy among God’s people in the assembly where we behold His glory, and in our own temples where He lives within us!  Then we remember that we have redemption in the Lord which king David saw from far off, having a more certain hope (Hebrews 6:19), not a gathering with condemned sinners apart from grace.  What shall we do as David did?  Live rightly according to His word and rest in mercy.  Be holy because and as He is holy.  Stand firm in the righteousness of Christ in imitating Him, blessing and thanking Him with songs of praise for divine examination and redemption. 

Deliverance and Forgiveness

Psalms 25:1-22 A Psalm of David.

1 To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

2 O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.
3 Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

4 Show me Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

6 Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness' sake, O LORD.

8 Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
9 The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.

10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
11 For Your name's sake, O LORD,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12 Who is the man that fears the LORD?
Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity,
And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
14 The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.

15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
18 Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.

19 Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
20 Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.

21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!

This plea for forgiveness and deliverance from sin’s consequences are Davids prayer and ours who are in Christ Jesus.  To God we lift up our lives in supplication with faith in His answer.  Because we wait on His answers to our despair in prayer, we can be patient in knowing that He will vindicate us in due time.  Even though our adversaries deal deceitfully with us for no reason of our actions against them, we can await His victory over them, in this life or in eternity.  This is a certain hope and our prayer in times of trouble as the psalmist reminds us in these first few verses.  Our continuing prayer without ceasing should therefore be that the Lord guides us into all truth (John 16:13) by His word and Spirit, teaching and leading us (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  Because He is the God who saves us, we can patiently wait all day for His work in these things for us as king David did.  We remind God of His ever-faithful dealings of mercy and grace towards us as we pray, more to remind ourselves because God knows it all even before we speak or pray inaudibly, and asking forgiveness for our past sins as we go on and away from them.  Since the Lord is good and righteous, we can humbly be taught by Him to do justly and love mercy (Micah 6:8) as we learn from Him.  All the paths He leads us through in life are true and mercifully right!  He forgives us all confessed sin as we keep His word and trust His mercy.  Our sin is great, but His grace and mercy are infinitely greater.  To really fear the Lord then is to be taught by Gd in His way and according to His timetable, not forcing it to our own.  The secret to godly living then is to fear Him and trust His new covenant of Christ with us by His work!  This is true prosperity, not of worldly wealth, but of heavenly possessions.  By so keeping the eyes of the heart set on Him, we find mercy and grace to help in time of need.  Therefore, we can confidently pray for help in His great mercy as David demonstrated in verses 15 to 18.  He will deliver from the afflictions of the enemy and forgive our sins.  We trust in the Lord and find reward in our salvation.  There is no shame in our Lord, only in our own sin (1 Peter 4:15-16), which can be confessed and covered in forgiveness.  Our righteousness in Christ and integrity in our response of obedience keep us.  God redeems His people out of all trouble.  This we pray for as David gave us the example, for deliverance and forgiveness (1 John 1:9).