Make God’s Praise Great Again!

Psalms 66:1-20 

To the Chief Musician. A Song. A Psalm.

1 Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
2 Sing out the honor of His name;
Make His praise glorious.

3 Say to God,
"How awesome are Your works!
Through the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
4 All the earth shall worship You
And sing praises to You;
They shall sing praises to Your name."

Selah

5 Come and see the works of God;
He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
They went through the river on foot.
There we will rejoice in Him.

7 He rules by His power forever;
His eyes observe the nations;
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.

Selah

8 Oh, bless our God, you peoples!
And make the voice of His praise to be heard,
9 Who keeps our soul among the living,
And does not allow our feet to be moved.

10 For You, O God, have tested us;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 You brought us into the net;
You laid affliction on our backs.

12 You have caused men to ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water;
But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

13 I will go into Your house with burnt offerings;
I will pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips have uttered
And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals,
With the sweet aroma of rams;
I will offer bulls with goats.

Selah

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was extolled with my tongue.

18 If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear.
19 But certainly God has heard me;
He has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor His mercy from me!

What a song of praise for God’s awesome works toward His people!  We should imitate the psalmist with shouts of thankful praise to honor His holy name, with real joy in our hearts.  Make His praise glorious again!  We should praise Him by telling Him how magnificent and awesome all He has done and will do is, telling Him how we see that it is His power to put down the enemy and not ours or our elected leaders on this earth.  Only the Lord has power and glory.  This is especially a lesson for the people of this country in this present evil time, to not trust in political chariots and horses, but in the sovereign providence of the living God who has the whole world in His hands.  All will bow down to God’s authority as the earth’s inhabitants sing praises of worship to the name above all names (Isaiah 45:23-24, Philippians 2:9-11).  Selah.  Think about that.  Just consider His awesome works such as leading His people out of bondage through the Red Sea and through the dried up riverbed of the Jordan to enter the land promised to His people.  This is the demonstrated power of His rule over all nations.  Rebellion against His rule is futile pride.  Think about that in this present evil age (Galatians 1:4).  Due to knowing and understanding His sovereignty, we should praise God and bless His name in sharing it with all around us.  He is the one who gives us life and true freedom which no governmental system could ever do.  Our rights and freedom are not legislated or demanded, but given by grace and providence for our good according to God’s plans and times and ways.  He keeps our feet firm on Christ our solid rock on whom we stand.  Therefore, God tests our hearts to refine them in purity (Zechariah 13:9) and proves our true reliance on Him as we suffer many things until He brings us through them for our good and His glory, a rich fulfillment indeed!  Our lives are our living sacrifices now, not the temple sacrifices mentioned here which were just a shadow of the intended worship we should be offering God (Romans 12:1).  Stop and meditate on these things.  Then approach to hear the testimony of God’s work in the life of the psalmist, as well as the lives of all through time who trusted the LORD God and righteously fear Him.  We cry out to Him and then to others of His work, especially in Christ, which is the gospel of mercy and grace.  Truly as it is written here, if we harbor sin in our hearts, God does not have to listen to us; praise be to God that He has chosen to listen after reconciling us through the atoning work so Jesus Christ!  He has heard our prayers and not turned away.  This is His unmerited favor of grace in mercy to us.  Bless His name forevermore and make God’s praise great again!  

Atonement, Salvation, and Providence

Psalms 65:1-13
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1 Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;
And to You the vow shall be performed.

2 O You who hear prayer,
To You all flesh will come.

3 Iniquities prevail against me;
As for our transgressions,
You will provide atonement for them.

4 Blessed is the man You choose,
And cause to approach You,
That he may dwell in Your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Of Your holy temple.

5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us,
O God of our salvation,
You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of the far-off seas;

6 Who established the mountains by His strength,
Being clothed with power;
7 You who still the noise of the seas,
The noise of their waves,
And the tumult of the peoples.

8 They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs;
You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice.

9 You visit the earth and water it,
You greatly enrich it;
The river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain,
For so You have prepared it.

10 You water its ridges abundantly,
You settle its furrows;
You make it soft with showers,
You bless its growth.

11 You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance.
12 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,
And the little hills rejoice on every side.

13 The pastures are clothed with flocks;
The valleys also are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, they also sing.

Praise to God for for His Atonement, Salvation and Providence!  These are worth singing about with thankful hearts and expressive lips.  Because we praise Him, we live in willing obedience as our vows to follow Him.  And because we follow, we praise Him even more.  This is due to knowing that He hears our prayers and covers our sin which covers us with His work of atonement.  This atoning work was shadowed in the sacrifices of old, but now in the last and overarching sacrifice of Christ we find the work completed and atonement set in stone once and for all, forever effectual to deliver us from sin.  He covered it all forever in the work of His Son.  Those who God chooses out of the world are truly blessed, for we can then draw near to God as He draws near to us (James 4:8).  We who are called will live in His holy presence eternally to continue our praise and worship, satisfied forevermore in His goodness.  God has done and will continue to do righteously on our behalf, the one who saves us and gives us certain confidence in the work He has done which cannot be undone (Isaiah 43:13).  These things are as sure as the mountains put in place by His word of power and the taming of the raging seas which He holds back from covering the earth once more (Genesis 9:11, 15).  The signs of wonder which the Lord has done make the peoples of the earth sit back in fearful wonder as He continues to bring rain and cause the sun to rise and set on schedule every day to sustain us all.  He provides food by the rains for food to grow.  His goodness of common grace to all brings abundance and sustenance for the flocks and plants to feed us.  The very pastures and valleys themselves shout in joyful songs of praise to their creator, and so should we.  Our praises for such providence in our lives and His atoning work to bring salvation from sin should make us ever more thankful and result in true prayers of praise and thanksgiving.  This is our story and this is our song, praising Him all the day long.  Amen!

Oppressed but Rejoicing in the LORD

Psalms 64:1-10 

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
3 Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,
4 That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter;
They talk of laying snares secretly;
They say, "Who will see them?"

6 They devise iniquities:
"We have perfected a shrewd scheme.
"Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.

7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;
Suddenly they shall be wounded.
8 So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;
All who see them shall flee away.

9 All men shall fear,
And shall declare the work of God;
For they shall wisely consider His doing.

10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and trust in Him.
And all the upright in heart shall glory.

This song encourages us to trust the Lord God when oppressed by those opposed to Him and to us.  It begins with a cry to be heard by God for help to not fear the enemy set against him.  He prayed specifically that God would hide him from the hidden schemes of sinful wicked men.  They had slandered and threatened him with sharp words like swords of battle, and arrows of bitter words shot at him in secret so others could not see.  These evil ones attack the blameless, the ones resting in following God with a heart after Him.  They attack without fear of God, just as they continue to attack God’s people in Christ even today.  They hang up with other likeminded perpetrators to use subterfuge with hidden agendas and actions, pridefully boasting that nobody will see what they are up to.  Even now haters of God attack His people who follow the word of God, seeking to slander and attack the righteous.  Their deep plotting of shrewd schemes are as their father the devil (Ephesians 6:11, John 8:44), whose wily ways we can identify by scripture to find defense in the Lord.  We know as David did that these workers of iniquity will face His justice and judgment in the end if not sooner.  They will even trip over their own tongues with their deceitful speeches, and then the victims can observe and escape by this grace of God.  This then leads to others seeing these things and fearing God in His working against evil, and some will then talk of His works when they really stop to consider the end of the immoral and evil ones.  But the moral who find righteousness in God, in Christ, these will find gladness and joy in the Lord when oppressed because of their ongoing deliverance.  Their faith is built up and they are encouraged to trust Him ever more, glorying in Him and His work for righteousness and against those opposed to Him.  We trust and rejoice in our Lord when oppressed, knowing the eternal outcome, and pray for our oppressors to find deliverance in Christ Jesus our Lord, to be turned from the darkness of enslavement to sin towards the light of the righteousness found in Christ alone (Acts 26:18). 

Joy in the Fellowship of God

Psalms 63:1-11 

A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

1 O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.

2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.

3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.

5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.

7 Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

8 My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it,
Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
10 They shall fall by the sword;
They shall be a portion for jackals.

11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;
But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Ah, how this song shows joyful praise in fellowship with God!  The first verse moves me as it has for almost three decades as an expression of my inner being, just as I moved the psalmist when he wrote and sang it in worship with giving of thanks and praise.  To meet God each morning because of thirst to know Him more and to commune in fellowship, these things cause a worshiping soul to seek Him more.  His presence in such a relationship moves us to long so much for God that we are as a weary or even dying traveler in a desert, yearning to drink from Him for satisfaction and sustenance (1 Corinthians 11:25, John 4:13-14, 6:35, Revelation 7:16).  This should be every believer’s drive in knowing the Lord, and a great motivation to spend time with Him in the word and prayer each morning in devotion to Him to hear His voice in that quiet time.  David looked in the sanctuary to see God’s power and glory; we now who are in Christ look where He lives, in the temples of our own bodies and in the congregation of those living stones of the called out, the church, to glorify and worship Him.  We also praise our Lord God because we know His lovingkindness is better than life itself apart from knowing and worshiping our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).  We lift up holy hands (1 Timothy 2:8) in prayer as well like the psalmist did, blessing and honoring His great name above all names (Ephesians 1:20-21).  Our satisfaction in Him is completely fulfilling and leads to praise as we meditate on God’s character and on Himself.  Not only can we worship God in the morning and throughout the day, we can also imitate David by dwelling on our Lord as we lie down at night to sleep, mediating on His word and His work through that by His Spirit in us giving meaning and understanding to live by.  We can rejoice as well for His help and protection, His providence in our lives in both good and seemingly bad situations (Romans 8:28).  Just like the king who lived and wrote and sang these words, we should follow our Lord closely and rely on His grace to hold us up, even when our enemies attempt to knock our feet out from under us.  We stand on a firm foundation of our Rock, so we know that we should remain unmoved (1 Corinthians 15:58) and rejoice in our rock and fortress who is our God.  If we swear by the Lord, let us also speak the truth and glory in Him alone, and rejoice.  These are lessons to learn from this psalm of the joy in fellowship with our God and Savior Jesus Christ, an attitude of life for all who are in Christ. 

Wait for God’s Defense and Deliverance

Psalms 62:1-12
To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 Truly my soul silently waits for God;
From Him comes my salvation.

2 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be greatly moved.

3 How long will you attack a man?
You shall be slain, all of you,
Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position;
They delight in lies;
They bless with their mouth,
But they curse inwardly.

Selah

5 My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.

6 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.

7 In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.

8 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.

Selah

9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor,
Men of high degree are a lie;
If they are weighed on the scales,
They are altogether lighter than vapor.

10 Do not trust in oppression,
Nor vainly hope in robbery;
If riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.

11 God has spoken once,
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God.

12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;
For You render to each one according to his work.

Today’s psalm gives us king David’s example and prophetic instructions to patiently wait for God’s deliverance and defense among the adverse situations of life.  He waited silently for God, knowing where his salvation, his deliverance came from.  It is important to note that he did not attack in his own strength or devise escape plans, but waited on the LORD to work the way through the situations.  He rested in faith and trusted in the faithful one.  God was the psalmist’s defense, as a solid foundation of rock to stand firmly upon without being blown away, a picture as if standing on a cliff in a hurricane and not falling down.  Others attacked him, with lies through false blessings of inward evil intentions to really curse through the masks they wore.  We find similar enemies who smile in our face and then backstab us when we turn away.  But God justifies and adjudicates us.  Dwell on those thoughts with a selah moment.  Then go on to consider where our expectations come from as the king did in this song.  He again said to wait silently and expectantly for God alone to deliver him.  Do we do this also, or do we instead fight in our own power and reasoning?  Our Lord is our only solid foundation and immovable defense.  He alone is our deliverance and glory, our strength and refuge!  Therefore, we can and must come before His throne of grace and mercy by faith to pour out our hearts to Him with the expectation of deliverance (2 Corinthians 1:10) and refuge of protection.  Stop and consider these things.  As the king sang in verse 9, we realize that men of high and low station in life have no greater influence or power than what is given them by God, for they all alike are weighed on the scales of God’s standards and all fall short (Romans 3:23).  Each life vanishes away like mist in the end, so we should not put trust in men, even apparently great leaders of nations, nor in gathering wealth to rely on.  The politicians all oppress others for their own gain and interests, and riches are gone in a bitcoin or stock crash moment; only God has our good in view for now and into eternity (Romans 8:28).  Remember as David put so wisely here, God spoke clearly that all power belongs to Him alone.  All mercy belongs to Him alone in Christ.  He rewards according to our works, either falling short of salvation or leading to loss of rewards (Galatians 2:16, Titus 3:5, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, 1 Peter 1:7-9).  May therefore we stay firmly planted on the Rock of our salvation as we constantly wait for His defense and deliverance! 

God's Eternal Protection and Our Vows

Psalms 61:1-8 

To the Chief Musician. On a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.

2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3 For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.

4 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.

Selah

5 For You, O God, have heard my vows;
You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.

6 You will prolong the king's life,
His years as many generations.

7 He shall abide before God forever.
Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!

8 So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
That I may daily perform my vows.

This prayer is pleading to be heard by God, to have His divine answer to an overwhelmed heart in life’s circumstances of trials and adversity.  The cry is made from wherever the supplicant is on the earth, not limited to one place only, as if from the end of the earth as the psalmist saw here.  In an extended sense, this means we who have been grafted into God’s people in Christ do not need to be in Jerusalem to lift up heavy hearts in prayer, even if we are halfway around the earth from there.  We also ask to be led by our God to the Rock higher than we are as Psalm 18:2 describes that rock as a fortress and refuge in times of trouble.  He certainly is our shelter in life’s rough weather and a tower of defense from our enemies in the fortress of His omnipotence.  David spoke of living in the tabernacle where God met with His people and they could constantly worship there; we now are the tabernacles in whom He dwells, so God is constantly abiding in us and we can daily worship for wherever we are.  These tabernacles from the feast  (Leviticus 23:34, 42-43) in remembrance of being led by God to the promised inheritance are also as the tabernacles of our bodies in which we wander until we arrive at our eternal home to come (Hebrews 11:13-14), but the temple as tabernacle is the emphasis and pattern for our worship here.  In Him we find protection and shelter.  Dwell on these things.  The psalmist then prays to justify himself by recounting the vows he promised and kept to demonstrate his obedience and faithfulness to the LORD (Job 22:27-28).  Do we promise to follow Christ in certain matters and ensure that we follow through?  If not, there is forgiveness and grace, but it is also a sobering reminder to not promise what we cannot deliver (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).  Our demonstration of faith and faithfulness is not only to believe, but also to follow through in walking out His word in our lives.  We, like the psalmist, have been given an inheritance, a heritage to possess.  It is eternal in the heavens.  God gives life, whether years here or eternity to come; He may prolong it as the prayer asks here, or shorten it for His providential glory.  We who are His, then and now, will remain forever before Him, so we join in asking for mercy and truth to rely on for our perseverance.  This is quite the reason to praise His name, for who He is and all He does, from these tabernacles of grace that we may daily perform the acceptable sacrifices of our lives given to Him in Christ (Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 4:18, Mark 8:34-35). 

God’s People Learn Hard Things From Him

Psalms 60:1-12
To the Chief Musician. Set to "Lily of the Testimony." A Michtam of David. For teaching. When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

1 O God, You have cast us off;
You have broken us down;
You have been displeased;
Oh, restore us again!

2 You have made the earth tremble;
You have broken it;
Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.

3 You have shown Your people hard things;
You have made us drink the wine of confusion.

4 You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth.

Selah

5 That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

6 God has spoken in His holiness:
"I will rejoice;
I will divide Shechem
And measure out the Valley of Succoth.

7 Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
Ephraim also is the helmet for My head;
Judah is My lawgiver.
8 Moab is My washpot;
Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me."

9 Who will bring me to the strong city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not You, O God, who cast us off?
And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies?

11 Give us help from trouble,
For the help of man is useless.

12 Through God we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.

This wisdom psalm was specifically written for teaching, or later seen as valuable to instruct the hearers and readers.  It teaches about the victory of the LORD when all seems hopeless and the battle may be lost because of sin of God’s people as well as individuals in the one nation which was ruled by Him as that chosen people.  It begins with the defeat of being seemingly cast off by the Lord because of His displeasure with His people.  The psalmist cries out for restoration, and that not for the first time, as the plea says ‘restore us again.’  The Lord tears down and builds back up again, for this is a reminder to recognize the sovereignty and forgiveness of God over His chosen ones.  The deliverance is as in Psalm 108:6–13, to save His beloved as an answer to prayer.  This is our prayer for salvation, but also for daily deliverance from our own sin and from our adversaries as God’s called and chosen in Christ (Matthew 22:14, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 17:14) as now also a part of His people along with Israel (1 Peter 2:10).  Though His people were given difficult things and confused by them, in the end God delivered them over and over, giving them this banner of truth to display victory to the enemy.  We have the banner of Christ’s victory over us all now as a far greater one, over sin’s bondage and punishment, over eternal death in suffering, and with the prize of eternity in God’s presence in Christ (Philippians 3:12, 14)!  Meditate on these things for a moment.  Then remember how He saves His beloved with His mighty right hand of power, omnipotent and eternally effectual.  His will to deliver is certain because of His holiness which assures the promise promises are yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20), just as He worked in the tribes of Israel mentioned here.  Who gives victory after our defeat?  It is the LORD our God who fights the battles.  He gives us help in our troubles of adversity, not men such as politicians or armies.  Man’s assistance is ineffectual.  God’s is eternally effectual for our salvation and sanctification.  Through Him in Christ we will continue to do valiantly for the truth of the gospel, knowing He alone rescues lost sinners from their plight of God’s wrath and judgment to come, all by His mercy and forgiving grace of His hand; pray that we may bear witness of that saving grace to rest in His work to deliver (John 6:29).  Let us be valiant for the truth as we learn from the hard things of our own shortcoming, with virtue and in His strength (Philippians 4:13). 

The Certain Sovereign Judgment

Psalms 59:1-17
To the Chief Musician. Set to "Do Not Destroy." A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
Defend me from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 For look, they lie in wait for my life;
The mighty gather against me,
Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O LORD.
4 They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine.
Awake to help me, and behold!

5 You therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Awake to punish all the nations;
Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors.

Selah

6 At evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
7 Indeed, they belch with their mouth;
Swords are in their lips;
For they say, "Who hears?"

8 But You, O LORD, shall laugh at them;
You shall have all the nations in derision.

9 I will wait for You, O You his Strength;
For God is my defense.
10 My God of mercy shall come to meet me;
God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.

11 Do not slay them, lest my people forget;
Scatter them by Your power,
And bring them down,
O Lord our shield.

12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,
Let them even be taken in their pride,
And for the cursing and lying which they speak.

13 Consume them in wrath, consume them,
That they may not be;
And let them know that God rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth.

Selah

14 And at evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
15 They wander up and down for food,
And howl if they are not satisfied.

16 But I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;
For You have been my defense
And refuge in the day of my trouble.

17 To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises;
For God is my defense,
My God of mercy.

There is a certain judgment due to all those continuing in rebellion against God and refusing to repent and turn from sin to Him.  This wisdom psalm of king David was written as evil men sent to kill him were lying in wait around his house.  He knew firsthand what persecution of men set on evil was like, and so sang to God and for others to hear or read later of God’s glory in judgment and deliverance of His people.  He prayed first of all for deliverance and defense against his aggressors, those powerful enemies who were opposed to him through no sin or other fault of his own.  They were sent as assassins by king Saul and did not care that they had nothing personal against him.  They could not even justify their actions by accusing David of being worthy of death, but quite the opposite actually.  The psalmist then calls to God to execute swift judgment on all such wicked sinners, punishing them as well as all the nations who oppose God and His people.  Stop and think about that desire to see justice executed on those continuing in sin against the Lord God.  He compares the evil as growling dogs who will be put down as they speak evil to kill and destroy, yet think that God does not hear them, as if He did not even exist!  God laughs at them.  These deserve judgment.  David provided us the right response, to trust God’s strength for defense as a shield and His mercy as He visits judgment on his enemies.  He asked them to be broken down and scattered about, not destroyed, so that others of God’s people can witness His judgment on them.  He knew that God will judge their sinful words and pride of actions, stopping their lies in wrath and bearing witness of His righteousness to the end of the earth.  We also bear witness through the gospel carried to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8), the good news of merciful grace as an answer to the bad news of impending deserved punishment for sin which we all face for our sin.  Dwell on these things for a while.  Selah.  When the enemy returns with aggressive words against the Lord and His people, we should praise and exalt our Lord for His power in mercy, for His defense of us and refuge in the storm.  We then join the psalmist in praising God who is our strength, defense, and source of all mercy to forgive and accept us to Himself.  Amen.

Just Judgment of the Wicked

Psalms 58:1-11
To the Chief Musician. Set to "Do Not Destroy." A Michtam of David.

1 Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?
Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
2 No, in heart you work wickedness;
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb;
They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent;
They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear,
5 Which will not heed the voice of charmers,
Charming ever so skillfully.

6 Break their teeth in their mouth, O God!
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!

7 Let them flow away as waters which run continually;
When he bends his bow,
Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.

8 Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes,
Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

9 Before your pots can feel the burning thorns,
He shall take them away as with a whirlwind,
As in His living and burning wrath.

10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
11 So that men will say,
"Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who judges in the earth."

This wisdom song of David is sung to the tune of something called “Do not destroy,” whose meaning may be a play on words here, for this psalm is about destruction of the evil and wicked persons.  He addresses those who speak as if righteous in their judgment of others, but who do works of wickedness and violence.  These are those who can be self righteous at times, putting on an act of outward holier than you demeanor (Isaiah 65:5) and smug talk lacking in humility as they judge themselves better than others and miss their own sinful behavior (Romans 2:1, Luke 18:9, 13-14).  The psalmist says that the evil person is so born in sin, knowing how to lie in their fallen nature and ignoring God’s ways from hearing His word.  These he asks the LORD to take out their teeth by force to stop the biting attacks on the righteous who seek to do what God commands.  He asks for their utter defeat as a snail melting away or a stillborn baby, ending abruptly before continuing in their sin.  These are harsh desires for them to experience God’s loving and burning wrath as verse 9 describes.  But as for those who do right by God, they will rejoice in the vengeance of the LORD against the righteous, knowing their reward from the judgement of all men in the end as His wrath is poured out on them (Revelation 6:10, 11:18).  Certainly we are to pray for our enemies and forgive them, but we cannot deny that God as the Judge will certainly execute the due sentence on all who reject Him and refuse to repent and do the good works instead, having been regenerated from one born in sin to a new creation in Christ.  God alone is the avenger of the wicked and just judge of the wicked.  We are to then humble ourselves in the eyes of the Lord and live accordingly, not in self righteousness or pride, remembering that we have been delivered in His righteousness, for we have none of our own. 

Prayer for Deliverance and Praise to The Deliverer

Psalms 57:1-11 

To the Chief Musician. Set to "Do Not Destroy." A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.

2 I will cry out to God Most High,
To God who performs all things for me.
3 He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who would swallow me up.

Selah

God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.

4 My soul is among lions;
I lie among the sons of men
Who are set on fire,
Whose teeth are spears and arrows,
And their tongue a sharp sword.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

6 They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down;
They have dug a pit before me;
Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen.

Selah

7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise.

8 Awake, my glory!
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the nations.

10 For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

As also Psalm 108:1–5, we have a song here which is a prayer asking deliverance from enemies and praise to the Deliverer.  Prayer founded in faith trusts God in the adversity and calamities of life, whether under pursuit and attack like king David when Saul pursued his life to take it from him, or in our daily western milder persecution of verbal or legal attacks.  He trusted God and took refuge in His care.  We can also.  Prayer cries out in need for deliverance from those set against us, knowing that the Most High, the Creator of heaven and earth, is not limited in His response (Jeremiah 33:3, 32:27).  He looks over His children with loving watchcare.  Think about that for a while, knowing He sends mercy and truth to rectify things, now and forevermore.  We may be living with people who would attack like lions, just like their father the devil (1 Peter 5:8, John 8:44), but God exalts and honors His own glory in dealing with them and for our good in His name.  He causes them to fall into their own traps and snares as their father will in the lake of fire prepared for him (Matthew 25:41).  This is another time to stop and consider these things, like the selah of the psalm reminds us.  Like the psalmist, our hearts should remain steadfast and immovable (1 Corinthians 15:58, Hebrews 6:19, 1 Peter 5:10) in this faith in which we stand, moving us to praise our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!  Awake the sunrise with songs of praise and among others to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.  We sing of His mercies forever and of His eternally abiding truth of His word for our deliverance and His glory.  May we find this song in our heart equally under persecution and in good times, knowing that we can approach His heavenly throne in times of need (Hebrews 4:16) and in times of reflection on His greatness in goodness.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth!

Relief from Tormentors

Psalms 56:1-13
To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Silent Dove in Distant Lands." A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.

1 Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
2 My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.

3 Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.

4 In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?

5 All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?

9 When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.

10 In God (I will praise His word),
In the LORD (I will praise His word),
11 In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
13 For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?

This prayer song of king David when he was held prisoner by his tormentors demonstrates his eternal focus on God over the situation.  This is such a timeless example for all God’s people, especially now known in Christ.  He cried for God’s mercy as he faced his tormentors, his numerous enemies in constant pursuit.  The key is in verse 3 - whenever fear overwhelmed the psalmist king, he would stand firm in trust of God to protect and ultimately deliver him from all evil (Matthew 6:13, 2 Timothy 4:18).  Twice he uses a stanza to praise the God in whom he trusts, an unshakable faith driving away fear from the tormenting acts of the enemy, asking out loud, ‘what can mere mortal man do to me?’  He knew of course that his sovereign God had all in complete control, that the goodness of the LORD was his strength and deliverance from fear of the enemy.  Circumstances of adversity did not shake his faith.  He sang of this truth as a reminder to himself and as a testimony for others to hear or to read, that they and we might join in trusting our God no matter what comes our way.  David mentioned how his adversaries twisted what he said to use against him, looking for opportunities to exercise their malice against him.  We also have those opposed to Christ in us, and when we say and do the things Jesus gave us examples to do, our detractors also slander us and seek to work against us.  Some things never change, for we know the schemes of the enemy (Ephesians 6:11, 2 Corinthians 2:11) and how he uses others against us as we seek to do God’s will.  They have a judgment to face divine justice in the end.  As we wander through these times, we can relate to David who wrote of his tears along the way, knowing that our names are written in His book of eternal remembrance (Daniel 12:1-2, Malachi 3:16, Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5, 20:15).  When we cry out in prayer to the God of our lives, He hears and drives our enemies back.  Why fear then?  He knows the covenant He made with us which is unbreakable, and so we praise our Lord for eternal deliverance and daily sustaining so we can walk with Him all the days of our lives as a loving testimony to the world, both those of God and our adversaries. 

Trust God Among Treacherous Friends

Psalms 55:1-23 

To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David.

1 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.

2 Attend to me, and hear me;
I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked;
For they bring down trouble upon me,
And in wrath they hate me.

4 My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me.

6 So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7 Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness.

Selah

8 I would hasten my escape
From the windy storm and tempest."

9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues,
For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;
Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.
11 Destruction is in its midst;
Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;
Then I could bear it.
Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me;
Then I could hide from him.

13 But it was you, a man my equal,
My companion and my acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together,
And walked to the house of God in the throng.

15 Let death seize them;
Let them go down alive into hell,
For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

16 As for me, I will call upon God,
And the LORD shall save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.

18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For there were many against me.
19 God will hear, and afflict them,
Even He who abides from of old.

Selah

Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God.

20 He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him;
He has broken his covenant.
21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,
But war was in his heart;
His words were softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn swords.

22 Cast your burden on the LORD,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction;
Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days;
But I will trust in You.

This psalm is David’s wise contemplation of trust, of faith, in the faithfulness of God among friends who betray him.  It is wisdom for us to contemplate as well when those close to us betray or turn on us.  As the enemy brings trouble and oppressive words, even to the point of hate, he cries out to the God who hears.  His restless heart brings him overwhelming fear, even of death because of the oppression of the wicked set against God and thus against His servant.  It is as we who are chosen in Christ; we also are targeted by the enemy because we are in Him as His people.  Sometimes the overwhelming attacks can bring fearful trembling of the horrors of what could happen, but we can ask like David for the deliverance of the Lord to carry us away as if plucked up by a bird and flown off to a more peaceful place to rest and recover.  Dwell on that for a few moments.  As we then hurry to escape the storms of life as the psalmist, we pray for the Lord to bring the attacks and hateful words of the enemy to nothing, to remove us from the hate and violence (unless for God’s purposes for His glory; Romans 8:17, 2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Peter 3:16-17, 4:19).  The most difficult enemy as we find here is a friend who turns on us as to the king of Israel who penned this song.  It is so much easier to deal with oppression and opposition of an enemy, and that is as expected.  Here it is shown to be a fellow friend of God who worshipped together and took counsel from Him together, making the pain of betrayal that much more difficult to deal with.  The wounds of a friend cut deepest.  David prayed for their destruction because of the wickedness, bit we are told to pray for our enemies and do good to them in spite of their spite towards us (Matthew 5:44), for we also have been forgiven so much after betraying our Lord by our rebellion of sin.  This is grace given for our enemies as we have received it ourselves.  The king goes on to give a sound example of our response, to pray for deliverance from the oppression.  We should pray without ceasing - evening, morning, and at noon, even crying aloud.  We know by faith that He shall certainly hear us.  He has redeemed us from the battle against us by the ultimate enemy of our souls, the Adversary of old who is against God’s people (Revelation 12:17), and will continue to deliver us from our enemies even now as we pray with trust in our Lord and His goodness.  He alone brings us peace, even more now in Christ (Romans 5:1, 16:20).  Unfortunately, there are those who will not change because they are opposed to God and claim to have no fear of Him; they will when they die.  He will bring down all of them.  But for our companions who turn on us, they have sharp words to wound us because of their own inner turmoil battling what they know is right.  We must pray for them as we trust in God’s grace in Christ.  This psalm reminds us that we can cast our heavy burdens on our Lord, knowing that He will sustain us in the righteousness of Christ, carrying us through the trials and tribulations.  He is our firm foundation, the Rock who keeps us from moving.  Only trust Him, especially among those close in the congregation who become treacherous. 

Answered Prayer for Deliverance

Psalms 54:1-7
To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, "Is David not hiding with us?"

1 Save me, O God, by Your name,
And vindicate me by Your strength.

2 Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.

3 For strangers have risen up against me,
And oppressors have sought after my life;
They have not set God before them.

Selah

4 Behold, God is my helper;
The Lord is with those who uphold my life.

5 He will repay my enemies for their evil.
Cut them off in Your truth.

6 I will freely sacrifice to You;
I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good.

7 For He has delivered me out of all trouble;
And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.

The psalmist King David was constantly pursued by his enemies who wanted to kill him as God’s chosen and anointed ruler of His people.  When they gave away his position to King Saul who was after David’s life, he penned this song as a prayer to ask God for vindication, for just deliverance, from them by the divine and sovereign Judge.  He acknowledged that his salvation was by God’s strength and for the sake of a His name and for His glory and honor in that name.  Therefore, he pleaded with the LORD to hear his prayer and heed his words of the request for deliverance from his enemies, many who he did not even know.  They did not put God in their sight, and so attacked Him as they did His people.  Dwell on that.  David exalted God for being the One who helps him and all others who He used to assist David through warnings and assistance.  He lets them know when they read or hear this psalm that God is with them to honor them in these matters.  In the end, the king knew that God would judge rightly and bring justice on those enemies through the truth of His word.  The end result was David praising and worshiping God in these times of adversity, lifting up His glorious name and character as always good when others are not.  He acknowledged God’s deliverance out of all trouble as he saw the recompense of God’s payment on His enemies in divine justice to them, and mercy by grace to himself.  We can also trust God to deliver us from our adversaries (Matthew 6:13, Galatians 1:4), now and in eternity.  There is answered prayer for our deliverance. 

We are All Corrupt and Need Salvation

Psalms 53:1-6
To the Chief Musician. Set to "Mahalath." A Contemplation of David.

1 The fool has said in his heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
3 Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.

4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call upon God?

5 There they are in great fear
Where no fear was,
For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you;
You have put them to shame,
Because God has despised them.

6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God brings back the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

As we see also in Psalm 14:1–7, there is nobody who does good born into this word.  All are corrupted by the original sin of Eve and Adam, and we all inherit the responsibility of rebellion from Adam.  Not one does good of himself or willingly seeks God.  These verses are found again in Romans 3:10-12, demonstrating that they apply as equally in David’s day as our own.  God looks down from on high and finds us all in need of a Shepherd to save us from sin’s penalty by leading us to Himself as a good shepherd does out of love and mercy.  Sinful mankind has this inherited trait, to turn away from God and refuse to call on Him for help and deliverance from their fallen state.  We all are born without the knowledge of God, and only have a peripheral understanding of sin because of the conscience we have been given as part of the image of God we have been crafted in by His hand.  The world then lives in fear of death and what follows as God scatters and shames those continuing to rebel and deny Him, especially His work in His Son (John 6:29, 1 John 2:23) to rescue them from themselves.  The psalmist yearned for salvation of God’s people, looking forward to their release from captivity, a picture of a nation in bondage to tell the greater tale of a people called to God in the Messiah who would be released from sin’s bondage (Hebrews 2:15).  This is the truth summed up from the Garden of Eden until Christ’s life, death, burial, and resurrection - that we can have our eyes and ears opened to find deliverance from sin’s servitude and be translated from death into life.  It is not by our righteousness or futile attempts to do enough good to merit forgiveness and release from punishment (Romans 3:23, 6:23), but only through God’s work on our behalf through His Son.  He is the good Shepherd who leads us out of captivity into true freedom from the justice we all deserve from the moment we were born.  This is the grace and mercy of the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Unfortunately, not all are called and chosen, and many will continue on the wide road (Matthew 7:13-14) to destruction as they continue to say that there is no God.  May we continue to tell the hope of the good news to all in order that those given sight and hearing may see Him and hear His word to find deliverance and life in His light (2 Timothy 1:10).  We are all corrupt and need salvation.  This bad news is the foundation of the Good News!  Amen. 

Peace Amidst The End of the Wicked

Psalms 52:1-9

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of David when Doeg the Edomite went and told Saul, and said to him, "David has gone to the house of Ahimelech."

1 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endures continually.

2 Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
3 You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness.

Selah

4 You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.

5 God shall likewise destroy you forever;
He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place,
And uproot you from the land of the living.

Selah

6 The righteous also shall see and fear,
And shall laugh at him, saying,
7 "Here is the man who did not make God his strength,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches,
And strengthened himself in his wickedness."

8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.

9 I will praise You forever,
Because You have done it;
And in the presence of Your saints
I will wait on Your name, for it is good.

Here is the peace of the godly amidst the end of the wicked all around them.  Recalling Doeg the Edomite who went and told Saul where king David was hiding so that he could be found and killed (1 Samuel 22:9), the psalmist tells of that one’s just due from God for opposing His anointed and chosen one.   He first asks why the wicked one trusts his own strength and boasts in those evil thoughts and deeds when God is forever good.  In other words, why does the evil one not be good like God, the One who is truly mighty?  Instead, the wicked speak of plots to kill and deceive, loving to lie and pursue unrighteousness.  Stop and think about that as He psalmist did while singing this ode to the wicked and his end.  The tongue of the evil only speak deceit to cause ruin as they swallow up the good character of the righteous.  But in the end, God will surely forever destroy those who do these things, taking them off the earth to their just and eternal punishment, swiftly and decidedly pulled up like a weed out of the fertile ground meant for good growth (Proverbs 2:22, Mark 4:20).  Meditate on God’s righteousness and justice.  Finally, the righteous find peace as they fear the consequences of disobedience but rest in God’s goodness to them.  They will have the last laugh over those rejecting God and His word, those who trusted in their own feeble strength instead of God’s, those who trust in wealth and wickedness as if crowns of achievement in life instead of chains of regret in death.  The righteous who seek God alone find peace and inner prosperity of soul as they trust in God’s mercy and grace for eternity.  Because of this, the righteous (who looked forward to the Messiah then and trust in Christ now) offer praise and thanksgiving to the Lord God for His work in setting things right in the end (Revelation 6:10).  Together we who are in the righteousness of God wait on Him because He is good all the time, and anticipate what is to come while facing opposition and persecution now (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).  We have true peace amidst the wicked because we know their end and ours.  Amen!

Prayer of Confession and Repentance

Psalms 51:1-19 

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.

4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.

9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

This is a song of confession of sin and repentance of a broken spirit leading to forgiveness and deliverance.  It was written by King David after Nathan the prophet confronted him because he had gone in to Bathsheba, another man’s wife after sending Uriah to his death to take her to himself (2 Samuel 12:7, 9, 13).  David realized and admitted his sin to God and confessed it as such without excuse or explanation.  He asked for mercy in forgiveness for his heinous sin because of God’s greater mercy than his sin.  He asked God to blot it out, to erase all trace of the power of that sin over him (though not the consequences, which he was still responsible for).  When we acknowledge our sins as the psalmist, we too can be washed clean with the cleansing sacrifice of the life given by the blood of Jesus Christ instead of the blood of our own lives (Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:11, Ephesians 2:13, 1 John 1:7).  All our sin is against God, and His word rightly and justly accuses us from birth as sinners in the hands of an angry God apart from repentance and mercy to restoration and reconciliation.  We are all born in sin (Romans 5:12), and this is what we must confess to Him, not just the sins we continue to commit throughout our lives.  That confession of our sinful nature is being truthful inwardly leading to outward effectual repentance.  Truth is admitting or confessing to God our sins, being honest with Him and ourselves, not covering our own sin, but looking for God to cover it.  God’s forgiveness makes us white in His righteousness by atoning and eternal effectiveness.  We find joy as David did when forgiven by the absolution which only God alone can provide - no priest, pastor, or pope can confer what the Almighty alone can do.  God blots put our sin and sees them no more as verse 9 spells out for us.  God’s grace of forgiveness not only provides a clean heart, but also a steadfast assurance in our hearts knowing that He will never leave or forsake us because of our sin once confessed and forgiven (Hebrews 13:5).  Forgiveness gives us deep-seated joy by His Spirit within, and leads us to bear witness of that forgiveness and reconciliation with God (in Christ) to others for their own salvation from sin’s curse.  David asked specifically for forgiveness for shedding the blood of Uriah when confronted by Nathan, setting an example for us to praise His righteousness and thanksgiving for His deliverance.  Sacrifices of animals in rituals is not the means to covering our sin, but a change by God and His righteousness leading to a broken spirit and humble heart from full knowledge of our sin and a resulting offering of ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).  God does good, and He builds the New Jerusalem for us as the former for His anointed king.  Our living sacrifices of resulting good works after the free grace of deliverance from sin’s penalty in Christ are what is pleasing to God (Ephesians 2:8-10).  May we learn from King David’s sin how great our own sinfulness is and the just penalty for it, praising Him for covering our sinful nature and ongoing sins forevermore! 

To You Who Forget God…

Psalms 50:16-23

16 But to the wicked God says:
"What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
17 Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you?

18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him,
And have been a partaker with adulterers.

19 You give your mouth to evil,
And your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother's son.

21 These things you have done, and I kept silent;
You thought that I was altogether like you;
But I will rebuke you,
And set them in order before your eyes.

22 "Now consider this, you who forget God,
Lest I tear you in pieces,
And there be none to deliver:

23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God."

This second half of Psalm 50 moves from the hope of God’s righteousness as mercy to those receiving His word and following Him, now to address those who continue to pursue wickedness and face an unpleasant end.  God is the speaker through the psalmist Asaph, and He opens with a challenge to the wicked who pretend that they can tell others of God’s word to follow, but hate His instructions and throw them under their own feet to trod down as they despise all God’s word tells them.  This hypocrisy is unfathomable to the righteous, and abhorrent to the LORD.  Those opposed to God and His statutes do things like these named here: going along with and helping thieves (steal), join in adultery as if it is a good thing (coveting), speak evil of others (slander and insults), deceive others (lie), and even slander family!  God sees all these things and patiently observes, for He will enact judgment in the final day.  Until then, He tests them and is longsuffering with a view towards their redemption.  He rebukes them, not as a fellow sinful man, and reveals their sin to them to confront, confess, and repent (turn from).  He leaves a warning at the end of the song to those who would leave God out of their thoughts and consideration.  He warns of destruction without a chance of deliverance at a certain point.  But the promise to those who turn to follow Him with thankful praise and give God all the glory is salvation!  He delivers those who are broken-hearted and humble in repentance, who turn from sin to follow Him with matching conduct, which is the fruit of deliverance from sin’s penalty in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  But to those who forget God…

God the Mighty and Righteous Judge

Psalms 50:1-15
A Psalm of Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God the LORD,
Has spoken and called the earth
From the rising of the sun to its going down.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God will shine forth.

3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;
A fire shall devour before Him,
And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.

4 He shall call to the heavens from above,
And to the earth, that He may judge His people:
5 "Gather My saints together to Me,
Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."

6 Let the heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is Judge.

Selah

7 "Hear, O My people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you;
I am God, your God!

8 I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices
Or your burnt offerings,
Which are continually before Me.

9 I will not take a bull from your house,
Nor goats out of your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the mountains,
And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

12 "If I were hungry, I would not tell you;
For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
Or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

Oh, what a Mighty One we serve!  God above is the righteous Judge over the just and the unjust.  The first half of this psalm addresses the just, His people, and the second half the wicked, those opposed to Him and His word.  He has spoken in creation to cause the earth to spin just so, that there are regular sun rises and sunsets.  God also shines forth His perfection out of the perfect and beautiful place He had men build on Mount Zion to worship and serve Him from, a place to meet the invisible and holy God in His glory and to offer sacrifices to Him.  From there God speaks in judgment as a devouring tempest as described here, a force not to be ignored and from which nobody can escape.  Before the watchers in heaven and men on earth, He will call all to accountability, especially those with whom He had made a covenant with by sacrifices.  This Judge is attested to by heaven itself (the creation of angelic beings as well as the physical universe) of His righteousness and therefore His right to judge, and that fairly.  This is worth stopping to reflect upon.  Then God spoke to His people called out by His name, Israel, that He as their only LORD and God had the right and perfect knowledge to speak truth against them and their actions needing to be called to account.  This rebuke was not for failings in offering sacrifices, which they had been doing.  What they sacrificed was His anyway; He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, as the expression of His word goes.  God does not need their offerings to sustain Him, as if He had nothing Himself to feed upon, but wanted them to give up what He had entrusted to them from willing hearts which were ready to offer back to their Lord and Master.  We see that all the sacrifices were of the animals originally given to Adam as helpers, turning to food at the Fall, then to property as their wealth.  These important possessions and original companions were to be given up and given to the Giver as acts of obedience and submission with loving and worshipful hearts.  That covenant begun in Eden’s Garden by the first sacrifice which God made to cover their sins (Genesis 3:21) was later confirmed by men sacrificing willingly what they held dear to offer atonement as God covered their sin in response, each a life for a life, until the ultimate perfect sacrifice of God’s own Son covered all sin for all time, never needing to be repeated (Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 10:10).  God truly is our righteous Judge, but also a merciful God of grace to sacrifice for us and offer that New Covenant freely and forever to His people whom He calls!