We the People Remember God's Redemptive Works

Psalms 77:1-20
To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

1 I cried out to God with my voice—
To God with my voice;
And He gave ear to me.

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing;
My soul refused to be comforted.
3 I remembered God, and was troubled;
I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.

Selah

4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I have considered the days of old,
The years of ancient times.
6 I call to remembrance my song in the night;
I meditate within my heart,
And my spirit makes diligent search.

7 Will the Lord cast off forever?
And will He be favorable no more?

8 Has His mercy ceased forever?
Has His promise failed forevermore?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?

Selah

10 And I said, "This is my anguish;
But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High."

11 I will remember the works of the LORD;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will also meditate on all Your work,
And talk of Your deeds.

13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;
Who is so great a God as our God?
14 You are the God who does wonders;
You have declared Your strength among the peoples.
15 You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph.

Selah

16 The waters saw You, O God;
The waters saw You, they were afraid;
The depths also trembled.

17 The clouds poured out water;
The skies sent out a sound;
Your arrows also flashed about.
18 The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
The lightnings lit up the world;
The earth trembled and shook.

19 Your way was in the sea,
Your path in the great waters,
And Your footsteps were not known.
20 You led Your people like a flock
By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

This song is a prayer of remembrance, a way to answer complaints with His answer in His time.  The psalmist cried out vocally to God as he sought Him in the midst of troubling circumstances, a pattern we can certainly follow as well as we walk imperfectly by faith.  There is persistence in praying day and night, remembering God’s faithfulness in His works as we complain, overwhelmed by a lack of immediate comfort.  If we stop there and think about these things, we see that we are a lot like the Levitical worship singer Asaph.  In our suffering we can then learn to reflect back on God’s faithfulness towards us in the past and have hope.  When we do as Asaph and think about the wondrous things our Lord has done over the years, meditating on them and talking with others of them, then we realize that worshiping God in His greatness encourages us in the bad times.  He does wonders and displays divine strength in His dealings with all His people, redeeming us as He did the first chosen ones who were Israel.  Think about that as well.  Then remember how God’s word recounts His works and character, His glory and faithfulness to we the people.  He parted the Red Sea, flooded and receded the waters on the earth, causes thunder to magnify His name and flashes lightning like fire to demonstrate His power as against Pharaoh and in other more ordinary times.  His mighty voice echoes as pealing thunder and lights up the world with power as He even shakes the world with quakes (Hebrews 12:26-28) until the final shakeup of the world in judgment.  We can remain unshaken by trust in our Lord as the psalmist, reflecting on His goodness to we His people in that magnificent and awesome power.   He is our King and we he people of His flock.  Only trust Him in all times, in bad as well as good circumstances.  Oh my soul, remember His redemptive work in Christ above all things, the culmination of all that He had done for His chosen people from the beginning in the garden of Eden at our creation.  He is ever faithful. 

The Day the Earth Stands Still

Psalms 76:1-12
To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

1 In Judah God is known;
His name is great in Israel.

2 In Salem also is His tabernacle,
And His dwelling place in Zion.
3 There He broke the arrows of the bow,
The shield and sword of battle.

Selah

4 You are more glorious and excellent
Than the mountains of prey.

5 The stouthearted were plundered;
They have sunk into their sleep;
And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.

6 At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.

7 You, Yourself, are to be feared;
And who may stand in Your presence
When once You are angry?

8 You caused judgment to be heard from heaven;
The earth feared and was still,
9 When God arose to judgment,
To deliver all the oppressed of the earth.

Selah

10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise You;
With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.

11 Make vows to the LORD your God, and pay them;
Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared.

12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes;
He is awesome to the kings of the earth.

The Majesty of God’s Justice in judgment was told to be seen when the earth stood still to observe.  God’s name is great among all His people in whom He dwells among and within, in the tabernacle of wood and stone and in hearts of stone made flesh.  The battles are His, and we fight them in His strength alone for success.  Think about that for a moment or two.  The God who formed the grand towering mountains is far more glorious and excellent than they are, no matter how awe inspiring they may be to us.  This sovereign King subdues armies set against His people by a mere word, just as the horse and rider were cast into the Red Sea as He delivered them from bondage, a symbolic salvation from sin’s hold enslaving all Adam’s sons and daughters.  The fear of God is realizing that nobody can stand in His holy and almighty presence, especially in the light of knowing His wrath on all sin.  He judges from Heaven and all can hear the thunder of His voice.  When this happened, the earth stood still in fear as in Revelation 8:1 as a prelude to His mighty judgment.  In this judgment, however, there will be those delivered from sin’s presence and penalty of punishment forevermore, the ones oppressed and called out to Himself from the world.  Think about the magnificence of that judgment and stand still to reflect with all the earth in awe.  God will be glorified in the wrath of man as well, having chosen some for destruction as part of that purpose, a truth we would like to deny or explain away.  We therefore make vows to follow the Lord and honor Him with the gift of our lives in living sacrifices.  He will cut off the mighty and demonstrate His power and glory to all in the final judgment where divine justice and mercy meet at last.  That day the earth will stand still as well in fear and awesome wonder at His grace given in Christ.  This is a foretaste of God’s final judgment to come. 

God's Righteous Judgment

Psalms 75:1-10 

To the Chief Musician. Set to "Do Not Destroy." A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

1 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!
For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.

2 "When I choose the proper time,
I will judge uprightly.
3 The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved;
I set up its pillars firmly.

Selah

4 "I said to the boastful, 'Do not deal boastfully,'
And to the wicked, Do not lift up the horn.
5 Do not lift up your horn on high;
Do not speak with a stiff neck.'"

6 For exaltation comes neither from the east
Nor from the west nor from the south.

7 But God is the Judge:
He puts down one,
And exalts another.

8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup,
And the wine is red;
It is fully mixed, and He pours it out;
Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth
Drain and drink down.

9 But I will declare forever,
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

10 "All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off,
But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted."

A song sung to the tune of one called “Do not destroy” says much before the first stanza.  It cries out for God’s mercy to deliver from destruction, temporal and eternal.  By telling of His wonderful works, the psalmist and we can together give our Lord thanks, letting all know that He is close at hand and not a God far off (Acts 17:27), just as His word is not far away either (Deuteronomy 30:11, 14); His name is near to us.  In the proper time of God’s timetable, Je will judge the world in righteousness and dissolve the earth (2 Peter 3:11-12) to make all things new.  Dwell on that for a while, selah.  The boastful and wicked, the proud and disobedient, will be put down.  God alone exalts men or humbles them in life or in the justice of judgment.  As Judge, He rightly does these things.   His hand holds judgment in a cup which none wishes to drink from, but which many unfortunately shall (Revelation 14:10, 16:19).  Those dregs the wicked who are judged will consume in the end.  But as for we the people, the servants of the monarchy of King of kings and not of a democracy on this earth, we will sing praise to God alone and to no man, especially not ourselves.  God will end tyranny and magnify His chosen people in His righteousness alone, that of Jesus Christ the Messiah anointed and chosen to do so.  He will not destroy us (John 10:10).  The enemy will be (Matthew 25:41), and those who claim him as their father will join him.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift of life and grace in the face of His righteous judgment!

Cry for Relief for God to Smite the Enemy

Psalms 74:1-23
A Contemplation of Asaph.

1 O God, why have You cast us off forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.

3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
4 Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
They set up their banners for signs.

5 They seem like men who lift up
Axes among the thick trees.
6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
With axes and hammers.

7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
8 They said in their hearts,
"Let us destroy them altogether."
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

9 We do not see our signs;
There is no longer any prophet;
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
10 O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?

11 Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
12 For God is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 You divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,
And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

15 You broke open the fountain and the flood;
You dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;
You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have set all the borders of the earth;
You have made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.

20 Have respect to the covenant;
For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.
21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
Let the poor and needy praise Your name.

22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.

This song of Asaph is a contemplative song, one giving attention to understand things which have happened and what that means regarding God’s work for His people.  It begins with the question we have in adversity, asking God why He allows suffering of the own sheep of His own pasture.  It seems as if God allows all to be burned up by oppressors, and so the prayer that the LORD would remember the redeemed of His inheritance and the promised place to worship Him which is under siege.  When the enemy destroys the place of worship like roaring lions and set up their banners of victory to own it as their own, then the psalmist asks why and how long.  The enemies cut down and burn the holy place where God’s people meet with Him, defiling and destroying, just as in our own time certain regimes burn down churches and scatter God’s people from the assembly.  The enemy comes to kill and destroy (John 10:10), to stop God’s word and worship.  Then it was aggravated by the lack of following the LORD, resulting in the lack of prophets who previously warned of these things.  When God’s people wander away from hearing and obeying His words, then the results can be devastating and the adversary blasphemes His name even more.  The assembly is to hold to His word and to hold it out for others (Philippians 2:15-16) to keep the faith and faithful together.  Asaph pleaded with God to ask why He had pulled back His protection from the people instead of taking that right hand of power to smite the enemy.  He works salvation, deliverance for His chosen ones, based on His faithfulness in actions throughout time.  From creation to the flood, from giant beasts which may very well have been dinosaurs, God’s work on behalf of them is brought up in prayer to remind the psalmist more than God (though acknowledging God for that work also in praise of reminding Him also) of that ability to intervene again.  The cry then is for support to deliver an unfaithful but chosen people from the ungodly and oppressive, reminding God of the covenant which He made with the sheep of His pasture.  He asked not to be found ashamed for trusting God’s faithfulness.  The call at the end of the prayer song was for God to arise and act for His own sake and glory in answer to the scoffers and their rebellious words.  May we be faithful and follow Him according to His word as well as we cry for relief from the enemy as our Lord smites them in the end (Revelation 6:10). 

The Wages of the Wicked, and Assurance of Grace

Psalms 73:1-28
A Psalm of Asaph.

1 Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
My steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no pangs in their death,
But their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace;
Violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge with abundance;
They have more than heart could wish.

8 They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;
They speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens,
And their tongue walks through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return here,
And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
11 And they say, "How does God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?"

12 Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who are always at ease;
They increase in riches.

13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.
15 If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.

16 When I thought how to understand this,
It was too painful for me—
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their end.

18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.

20 As a dream when one awakes,
So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.

21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was vexed in my mind.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
24 You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
26 My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27 For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
That I may declare all Your works.

This song puts perspective on those ungodly in the world who seem to have little problems and material success.  We know that Gos is good to His people, whose hearts are His.  Like the psalmist Asaph, however, we look around as His people and notice how the worldly seem to have everything in the world.  We suffer, and they prosper.  Sometimes we then get envious of their prosperity as we find ourselves lacking what they have, and we begin to stumble because of the boastful ones seeming to look down on us or sneer at our God and our humble state.  The world’s followers seem unswayed by the prospect of death, and they seem untroubled because they often get what they desire, while we as God’s seem to have so little in comparison.  We can miss what we do have is so much more and better, things not seen with the eye or proudly impressing others.  Or we can demand the same things from God, V.P. even creating a “gospel” of getting whatever we ask and enjoying ourselves as if this were our best life in the here and now.  The description here of those we may envy is not a pretty picture; they have pride and violence in their abundance, and laugh at those suffering or not as well off.  They curse heaven and the Lord who rules there, as they speak to everyone on earth about anything other than God and spiritual matters to please or honor Him.  They say that God does not know or see them nor their words and deeds.  They think themselves to be above Him and live in sin accordingly as their easy life, importance, and riches become their objects of worship.  Like Asaph, we are sometimes drawn into doubts, thinking that what we do for God is not worth it, or even meaningless if we do not prosper as the wicked do.  But that would not make us true to God’s people who know better.  These thoughts vanish away when we pray in worship and consider the eternal outcome of the evil ones who live for the now and ignore the Everlasting One.  Their judgment will end it all in an instant, destruction falling on them by the One they mock and ignore by slander and rebellious words and deeds.  They will be their own nightmare as God awakes them from their dreams and judges them.  When we even start to envy such people, the right thing to do is not to continue in such ignorance, but to pray with the assurance that God is always by us, that He holds our hand and guides us right and righteously in His counsel and judgment.  He will receive us to Himself in eternal glory in the New Jerusalem!  Who then do we have in heaven but Him, and none on the earth should we desire more than Him.  Even when we fail and want to give up or give in, we can instead trust our weak hearts and minds to His strength because we are His portion.  Those near God have this assurance in Christ according to His righteousness and atoning work on the cursed tree to take the penalty of our sin on Himself.  Those who live opposed to Him and wickedly mock as they amass all for themselves in this life, they will suffer loss forever.  We however, draw nearer to God by faith, trusting His grace and goodwill to men whom He chooses, that we may tell of these great works to others, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.  This is the end of the wicked in judgment and the assurance of grace!  Amen. 

Glory of the Coming Messiah's Reign

Psalms 72:1-20

A Psalm of Solomon

1 Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king's Son.
2 He will judge Your people with righteousness,
And Your poor with justice.
3 The mountains will bring peace to the people,
And the little hills, by righteousness.

4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people;
He will save the children of the needy,
And will break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear You
As long as the sun and moon endure,
Throughout all generations.

6 He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing,
Like showers that water the earth.
7 In His days the righteous shall flourish,
And abundance of peace,
Until the moon is no more.

8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him,
And His enemies will lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles
Will bring presents;
The kings of Sheba and Seba
Will offer gifts.
11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him;
All nations shall serve Him.

12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries,
The poor also, and him who has no helper.
13 He will spare the poor and needy,
And will save the souls of the needy.
14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence;
And precious shall be their blood in His sight.

15 And He shall live;
And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him;
Prayer also will be made for Him continually,
And daily He shall be praised.

16 There will be an abundance of grain in the earth,
On the top of the mountains;
Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon;
And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

17 His name shall endure forever;
His name shall continue as long as the sun.
And men shall be blessed in Him;
All nations shall call Him blessed.

18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,
Who only does wondrous things!
19 And blessed be His glorious name forever!
And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.

20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

This psalm of Solomon ends Book two of the five collections of psalms, ending what is mainly the songs of his father, King David as the final verse says.  He prayed in the beginning for God right judgment and righteousness, openly for himself as King David’s son, but figuratively and prophetically for God’s own Son, the Anointed who is the Messiah to come.  The reign of both in quote different measure was to be with justice having righteousness and peace for the people of the LORD.  One was transitory and imperfect, the other eternal and absolutely perfect.  The Messiah would bring justice to the poor and salvation to the needy, those of a broken and contrite heart and spirit (Isaiah 57:15, Matthew 5:3).  The fear of God would result from His working.  He would water the earth with His righteousness and peace would abound, peace with God in the righteousness of Christ the Messiah (Romans 5:1).  Every knee will bow, enemy as well those delivered into His righteousness and peace by mercy and grace.  He reigns omnipotently over all!  All will serve Him with all they possess, especially the poor and needy who He saves from oppression and violence, the redeemed who realize they have nothing apart from Him.  That is where we stand today who are in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Therefore, prayer and praise are offered to Him by the redeemed.  Our abundance is in His provision and providence, our daily needed bread, and not in extravagance to meet our whims of selfish desire as some would have us believe.  His name is forever and forever to be praised, the One who is and was and ever shall be!  We are forever blessed in the Messiah, Christ Jesus.  Oh, how we need to praise our God for being blessed and blessing us in the Son whom we kiss as Psalm 2:12 and put our faith in!  He only does such wonderful things which fill all creation with His glory to be seen (Romans 1:20).  These prayers, these psalms of David end here, but some are still scattered throughout the rest of the book of the Psalms.  This one just culminates the songs of the Messianic hope we have.  May we who are in Christ rejoice in these things as we glory in the reign of He who has come.  Amen. 

Hope in God’s Righteousness

Psalms 71:14-24

14 But I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits.

16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
17 O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.

18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come.

19 Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?

20 You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
Shall revive me again,
And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

21 You shall increase my greatness,
And comfort me on every side.

22 Also with the lute I will praise You—
And Your faithfulness, O my God!
To You I will sing with the harp,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You,
And my soul, which You have redeemed.

24 My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long;
For they are confounded,
For they are brought to shame
Who seek my hurt.

Such a song of hope in God’s righteousness!  Hope should be unending and resulting in constant praise for God’s righteousness in our deliverance, His salvation.  Like the psalmist, we should not stop telling this good news of our great God to others because of the unlimited salvation in the righteousness of God.  This is what justification is in Christ the Messiah, to be delivered and sustained with His imputed righteousness to make us acceptable in the Beloved.  This is the strength which moves us forward to live for God, and makes our boasting in Him alone and not our own.  All He teaches us of His wondrous working we declare to others, especially of how He delivers us and makes us right in His sight, which we now know is the gospel.  The prayer of the writer of this psalm should be ours as well, to tell others of God’s strength and power to our generation until the day we die, knowing that He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  We also can praise and extol God’s righteousness displayed through His Son to us, demonstrating His great work and setting Him apart as the wise and only God, omnipotent and merciful in grace.  He allows our trials and even suffering, yet delivers and revives us out of them, the greatest which is death itself.  He will bring us up out of the depths of the earth (Hosea 6:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 26).  God brings us comfort and meaning in life, and therefore we sing praises for such faithfulness to the Holy One!  Our songs should echo the gladness of our thankful hearts for our redemption in His righteousness.  We know that all set against us and this message of hope in God’s righteousness in Christ will be confounded and shamed when the truth comes to light, so we rejoice in what is right and daily bear witness in hope, desiring their deliverance or saddened by their rejection of God’s righteousness (Romans 10:3) as they attempt to justify themselves.  Our praise is in the hope of Christ and His mercy in which we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).  Praise Him, our blessed Redeemer! 

Rock of Salvation

Psalms 71:1-13

1 In You, O LORD, I put my trust;
Let me never be put to shame.
2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape;
Incline Your ear to me, and save me.

3 Be my strong refuge,
To which I may resort continually;
You have given the commandment to save me,
For You are my rock and my fortress.

4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,
Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For You are my hope, O Lord GOD;
You are my trust from my youth.
6 By You I have been upheld from birth;
You are He who took me out of my mother's womb.
My praise shall be continually of You.

7 I have become as a wonder to many,
But You are my strong refuge.
8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise
And with Your glory all the day.

9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

10 For my enemies speak against me;
And those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together,
11 Saying, "God has forsaken him;
Pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him."

12 O God, do not be far from me;
O my God, make haste to help me!

13 Let them be confounded and consumed
Who are adversaries of my life;
Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor
Who seek my hurt.

A song based on the Rock of our salvation, this is trust in the faithfulness of God who never changes or is moved from His absolute righteousness.  Like the psalmist, we exercise our gift of faith to hold to Him with trust that should not waiver.  We know that there is no shame in knowing and trusting the God who delivers us, even as our opponents seek to shame and slander us, or even pursue our very lives as happens across the world each day.  Martyrdom is witnessing to God’s faithfulness, and suffering the ultimate attack on our lives in His name and for His sake.  Then the shaming attempts and attacks will end as we enter into glory before the presence of our Deliverer.  Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.  God is our strength and refuge to protect us, and we can turn to Him continually and confidently.  He truly is our Rock as foundation and Fortress to protect and keep our souls.  Hymns have been written about these things, but it began with Psalms like this one, and even earlier when Moses led God’s chosen people through the Red Sea out of bondage.  We can sing of His praise forever as we follow the example of the psalmist here to be delivered from the unrighteous and wicked who reject God and His Son’s deliverance.  God is our hope in all times, but especially felt in times of trouble.  He upholds His chosen people by His mighty hand from the moment we enter into this world, and that grace will lead us home.  That is our foundation of grace on which we stand firmly.  Even if we are harassed and oppressed to the point where the world shakes their head at us, we can rest in assurance that He has us firmly in His hands.  This is why we praise Him in good times and even more in the bad.  We know that He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), even till old age, no matter what the mockers say to the contrary.  The world sees us suffer and says we have no Deliverer, that we have been forsaken as when our Lord hung on a cursed tree for us (Matthew 27:43).  God is not far from us, and He helps us through those times, whether to further life here or with Him in Paradise (Luke 23:43).  The enemies of the Lord ultimately are confused and consumed by God’s wrath of justice, finding only dishonor and reproach which they intended for us as God’s people.  We stand firm upon our Rock of Deliverance like the psalmist, on the Savior who does not change and is never moved!

Prayer for Relief and in Remembrance

Psalms 70:1-5
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.

1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!

2 Let them be ashamed and confounded
Who seek my life;
Let them be turned back and confused
Who desire my hurt.

3 Let them be turned back because of their shame,
Who say, "Aha, aha!"

4 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
And let those who love Your salvation say continually,
"Let God be magnified!"

5 But I am poor and needy;
Make haste to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;

O LORD, do not delay.

Similar to (Psalm 40:13–17), this psalm of king David was written as a song of remembrance, to remind him of God’s working to deliver or save him from his adversaries.  He prayed for a quick end to their attacks by the intervention of the LORD.  He needed help, and knew his own devices would not be effective; he required divine intervention to help.  Therefore the psalmist prayed against those set against him, that God would shame and confuse them and their efforts.  This he did so they would turn away in confusion instead of continuing their pursuit to destroy him.  He prayed their shame at their failure would be enough to confuse and stop them.  This is an imprecatory prayer.  Of course, just praying imprecatorily was not enough; David then praised God and all who pursued Him, for they are glad in Him alone, not the circumstances.  This is real joy, to love God’s salvation, His deliverance, so much in remembrance that they (and we) constantly utter praises of “Let God be magnified!”  This is rooted in humility as the final verse of the psalm sings out loudly, for trust in ourselves is vain, but complete trust of faith in our Lord brings His help to the needy, not to the proud.  He is our help and Deliverer, our Savior.  Do not delay to answer us in our time of desperate need, O Lord! 

A Broken Heart and Song of Praise

Psalms 69:19-36

19 You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor;
My adversaries are all before You.
20 Reproach has broken my heart,
And I am full of heaviness;
I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none;
And for comforters, but I found none.

21 They also gave me gall for my food,
And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

22 Let their table become a snare before them,
And their well-being a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see;
And make their loins shake continually.

24 Pour out Your indignation upon them,
And let Your wrathful anger take hold of them.
25 Let their dwelling place be desolate;
Let no one live in their tents.
26 For they persecute the ones You have struck,
And talk of the grief of those You have wounded.

27 Add iniquity to their iniquity,
And let them not come into Your righteousness.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living,
And not be written with the righteous.

29 But I am poor and sorrowful;
Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.

30 I will praise the name of God with a song,
And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull,
Which has horns and hooves.

32 The humble shall see this and be glad;
And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
33 For the LORD hears the poor,
And does not despise His prisoners.

34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,
The seas and everything that moves in them.

35 For God will save Zion
And build the cities of Judah,
That they may dwell there and possess it.
36 Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it,
And those who love His name shall dwell in it.

This is a song of both a broken heart and of praise.  It speaks both of the Messiah to come and everyone of God’s people.  The reproach and dishonor of the suffering servant are clear here, but also the suffering of the psalmist and we who are descendants by the faith of Abraham.  They gave figurative gall and vinegar to the king who was the anointed and chosen ruler of Israel, and they later gave these literally to our Lord upon the cross (Matthew 27:34-35).  The enemies of God and His Anointed are the enemies of His people as well, and they share in the sufferings of reproach and dishonor.  These will be ensnared on their own traps and scattered in their blindness of disbelief and disobedience.  The imprecatory prayer is for God’s wrath on the unrighteous who set themselves against the anointed, that iniquity would be added to their iniquity, piled up for judgment (1 Corinthians 6:9, Revelation 22:11, Romans 2:5, 2 Peter 3:7).  The unrighteous enemies of Christ will face judgment.  Those who are His chosen people will find mercy through grace in His righteousness.  This is why the psalmist confessed in verse 29 that he is poor (in heart) and sorrowful.  He is penitent for his sin, and hopeful in His deliverance, his salvation, as we are in Christ.  This is the same Messiah and same message of good news from the first mention of covering our sin in Genesis 3:15 in which we are saved.  We look to the promise on a cursed tree as the people of God bitten by serpents as of sin in the wilderness, saved through trust in God’s work lifted up as Christ on the cross.  Therefore we also sing praises and exalt God’s name in thankful songs day and night (Psalm 42:8, 77:6).  Our humble worship brings gladness because we live in Him and seek His face forevermore.  We know that He hears us and does not despise the prisoners of sin which He has set free.  This is why both Heaven and earth (and everything living on it) praise Him!  Like the king, we have assurance that God saves His people and will have a place for us to dwell in eternally.  We the descendants of faith inherit these things.  We who love His name will live there forever before His face.  Hallelujah and Amen!

Urgent Plea for Help in the Mud and Flood

Psalms 69:1-18
To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Lilies." A Psalm of David.

1 Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.

2 I sink in deep mire,
Where there is no standing;
I have come into deep waters,
Where the floods overflow me.

3 I am weary with my crying;
My throat is dry;
My eyes fail while I wait for my God.

4 Those who hate me without a cause
Are more than the hairs of my head;
They are mighty who would destroy me,
Being my enemies wrongfully;
Though I have stolen nothing,
I still must restore it.

5 O God, You know my foolishness;
And my sins are not hidden from You.
6 Let not those who wait for You, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed because of me;
Let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel.
7 Because for Your sake I have borne reproach;
Shame has covered my face.

8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,
And an alien to my mother's children;
9 Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up,
And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.

10 When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting,
That became my reproach.
11 I also made sackcloth my garment;
I became a byword to them.
12 Those who sit in the gate speak against me,
And I am the song of the drunkards.

13 But as for me, my prayer is to You,
O LORD, in the acceptable time;
O God, in the multitude of Your mercy,
Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.

14 Deliver me out of the mire,
And let me not sink;
Let me be delivered from those who hate me,
And out of the deep waters.

15 Let not the floodwater overflow me,
Nor let the deep swallow me up;
And let not the pit shut its mouth on me.

16 Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good;
Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.
17 And do not hide Your face from Your servant,
For I am in trouble;
Hear me speedily.

18 Draw near to my soul, and redeem it;
Deliver me because of my enemies.

Here is an urgent plea for help in times of trouble, approaching God to be heard and delivered; now we who are in Christ can more directly approach God’s throne for help, holding nothing back, in our times of need (Hebrews 4:16).  Whether the waters cover us or we sink deep in the mud of trials and tribulations, we can look to our LORD God for deliverance.  No flood or mud can overtake or overwhelm God’s children who trust in Him and call for help in these times.  Nothing is too difficult for God (Jeremiah 32:17, 33:3).  Though tears may flood our eyes as our enemies are set against us, being wrongfully accused and hated, He hears when pray for help and strength until deliverance comes.  This was true in our salvation, and holds the same throughout our lifetime of sanctification as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  He knows our foolish sins of failure and shame as we bear our rightly deserved reproach from the world, and so we pray as king David the psalmist did here, asking that others may not be kept away from Him and the good news of deliverance because of our sinful behavior when we stumble in our following Christ.  But when we suffer reproach for His sake (and the gospel’s), we can rejoice as we bear His reproach in doing what is right instead (1 Peter 2:19-20).  Here we also find a foreshadowing of Christ in His rejection by His people, and the zeal for righteousness in His response to keep the honor and purity of God’s house, which we are now because He dwells in us.  This one one hand was seen as prophetic in John 2:16-17, where Jesus cleared the temple from dishonoring acts, but on the other hand speaks to our own actions as the inhabitants of the house of God which we are (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).  Repentance is what is called for, even when others mock is for it or try to talk us out of turning from sin with a contrite and broken heart, as they refuse to do and cannot understand.  Instead, we pray for forgiveness as we confess and forsake our sin (1 John 1:9).  He hears us in the truth of our salvation; we who are His are forgiven.  He also will deliver us from the mud and flood, just as He did for the psalmist in this song, and keeps us from the pit which we all so rightly deserve.  This is grace and mercy in our forgiveness.  We therefore pray in the same way for the lovingkindness and tender mercy of our same God, asking for quick relief and restored close fellowship in our salvation from the enemies set against us.  We are as the title of the psalm, like lilies of His planting and care.  May we never forget to follow and trust in our willingness to obey and turn from sin to Him when we fall.  Amen. 

Captivity Taken Captive in Heavenly Places

Psalms 68:17-35

17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
Even thousands of thousands;
The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.

18 You have ascended on high,
You have led captivity captive;
You have received gifts among men,
Even from the rebellious,
That the LORD God might dwell there.

19 Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation!

Selah

20 Our God is the God of salvation;
And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.
21 But God will wound the head of His enemies,
The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses.

22 The Lord said, "I will bring back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 That your foot may crush them in blood,
And the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies."

24 They have seen Your procession, O God,
The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after;
Among them were the maidens playing timbrels.

26 Bless God in the congregations,
The Lord, from the fountain of Israel.
27 There is little Benjamin, their leader,
The princes of Judah and their company,
The princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

28 Your God has commanded your strength;
Strengthen, O God, what You have done for us.
29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem,
Kings will bring presents to You.

30 Rebuke the beasts of the reeds,
The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,
Till everyone submits himself with pieces of silver.
Scatter the peoples who delight in war.

31 Envoys will come out of Egypt;
Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth;
Oh, sing praises to the Lord,

Selah

33 To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old!
Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice.

34 Ascribe strength to God;
His excellence is over Israel,
And His strength is in the clouds.

35 O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places.
The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people.
Blessed be God!

Captivity was taken captive in heavenly places by the work of Christ on our behalf to show His strength over sin and death.  This certain hope runs through this psalm amidst the apparent strength of man’s armies which are overwhelmed by God’s omnipotence.  He has not only taken our captivity, our bondage to sin, captive, but has freed us in the process.  He in return receives our gifts of praise and obedience to holiness because He is holy and the gift is our heart in pleasing Him out of joyful thanksgiving.  Why?  So that God may dwell in us!  This God of our salvation from bondage gives us our daily bread for sustenance of soul, spirit, and body, and we bless Him with thankful praise because of it all.  Stop to ruminate on these things.  He has delivered us from death and promised eternal life in His presence.  He even spare the live of His enemies, though they will be held accountable in the final judgment (as well as in this life).  Even these observe God’s people triumphantly (2 Corinthians 2:14) worshiping Him, then in the temple, and now in our individual bodies as temples and corporately in our local churches.  We also bless Him in our congregations and ascribe our strength to God alone in Christ by the power of His Holy Spirit.  He will defeat the enemy and give reason and substance to our prayers and praises.  Dwell on the victory we have in Christ.  Then the song ends with God’s mighty voice from before creation which sounds forth forever as a trumpet to call the final battle (Revelation 19:11, 14, 19-20).  We therefore ascribe all strength to the Omnipotent One, and His excellence over all His people - Israel and Gentile alike in Christ our Lord and King (Revelation 19:13, 16).  His strength is in Heaven above the clouds of this world of His hand’s fashioning, for He is much more awesome than any temporal holy place we build to honor and worship Him here.  He is our strength and song, and has become our salvation (Exodus 15:2, Psalm 118:14).  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3, Ephesians 1:3, 1 Peter 1:3) who has taken our captivity captive! 

The Glory of God’s Goodness

Psalms 68:1-16
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1 Let God arise,
Let His enemies be scattered;
Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.

2 As smoke is driven away,
So drive them away;
As wax melts before the fire,
So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad;
Let them rejoice before God;
Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Extol Him who rides on the clouds,
By His name YAH,
And rejoice before Him.

5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
6 God sets the solitary in families;
He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;
But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

7 O God, when You went out before Your people,
When You marched through the wilderness,

Selah

8 The earth shook;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 You, O God, sent a plentiful rain,
Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance,
When it was weary.
10 Your congregation dwelt in it;
You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.

11 The Lord gave the word;
Great was the company of those who proclaimed it:

12 "Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home divides the spoil.
13 Though you lie down among the sheepfolds,
You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And her feathers with yellow gold."

14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
It was white as snow in Zalmon.

15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks?
This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in;
Yes, the LORD will dwell in it forever.

This song teaches us to glory in the goodness of God in His person and actions which encompass His name which we exalt.  We lift up God’s name as the psalmist with the people of the LORD, watching Him rise over the enemy and drive away those who hate Him.  The wicked who refuse repentance towards and worship of God will perish with as much substance as smoke and melt away in the fire as a candle burns down until nothing is left.  These analogies are not saying that evil rebellious enemies of God vanish away from existence, but rather from this life.  The final judgment takes care of their afterlife, from which there is no annihilation of escaping divine wrath.  Those in the grace of the LORD will continue to find overwhelming joy in His righteousness and mercy, praising His name for who He is and all He does.  For God defends the helpless and needy, those recognizing their lost state as wandering sheep requiring a Shepherd.  He rescues those alone into the family of God and sets free those chained by sin into eternal prosperity, which is the riches of the Messiah, the Christ whose name is Jesus.  However, those who persist in rebellion find only a desert of empty vanity, a grasping for the wind which never can be held.  Dwell on that.  God’s great power shakes the massive earth on which we stand to show we are frail, and He brings needed rain to provide us relief and food to sustain us and for us to enjoy.  By providing for His chosen people, God confirms that we have our inheritance in Him by such care and concern, just as He did for Israel.  We have been grafted in from the other nations by the promise to Abraham by faith (Romans 11:17, 4:3-4, Galatians 3:7-9), by trusting God’s promise and covenant commitment to make us His one people, His church in Christ.  Therefore the promises to protect and preserve us all are sung of by them and by us now.  God scatters the rulers set against His church in the end, though much suffering will ensue until the final Day.  That is His promise to preserve us ant to prosper us in Himself.  We will ascend to the mountain of God where the New Jerusalem will descend (Revelation 21:10) and where God Himself will reign before our very eyes (Revelation 22:3-4), face to face at last!  We will dwell there forever as hinted at here by the shadow of what is to come.  This is the glory of God’s goodness. 

Doxology

Psalms 67:1-7 

To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

1 God be merciful to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us,

Selah

2 That Your way may be known on earth,
Your salvation among all nations.

3 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.

4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
For You shall judge the people righteously,
And govern the nations on earth.

Selah

5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.

6 Then the earth shall yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us.

7 God shall bless us,
And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

This psalm is a doxology (δοξολογία), a hymn of praise, a saying of glory in song.  It begins with asking for God’s mercy, a place we all need to begin at just as the psalmist here does.  Then we ask for His grace to cover us, which is favor as His face looks to notice and care for us.  These opening supplications are to gain God’s attention that is already ours as we become aware of Him, and a response for mercy as we realize our sinful nature apart from His righteousness in which we live.  We need to pause here to consider these things before moving on to the next part of the song.  Then the prayer is as the Lord’s, to ask for His will to be done on earth.  That will is for His way to be known to fallen man, and His deliverance from sin’s penalty, His saving grace offered among all nations as He chooses.  Then all will praise God, a phrase repeated so we stop to consider just how essential it is to glorify our Lord in verbal praises offered in response to His great mercy and grace.  This means then that those called from every nation (Revelation 5:9-10) should be so glad and joyful that singing praise erupts spontaneously as we cannot hold it in.  We then realize it is He alone who rules as sovereign on earth and not just in heaven, that all leaders which God appoints in each nation are under His righteous judgment.  We answer to Him through them who govern us (Romans 13:1-2) whom He governs.  Dwell on that truth.  Finally, the refrain for all people to offer the sacrifices of praise to God is repeated in verse 5, reminding us that eventually all will bow before His rule (Romans 14:11-12, Philippians 2:10-11).  God blesses us with what we need and increases it in abundance as He sees fit in undeserved measure, just as the birds of the air.  Because of His goodness of grace towards His people, the world fears Him, for they see the power which they try to deny the source of, but cannot help but see it as God makes clear in Romans 1:19-20.  This is God’s glory revealed in the form of a song. 

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).