Psalm 147

1 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds.

4 He tells the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

6 The Lord lifts up the meek: he casts the wicked down to the ground.

7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

8 Who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

10 He delights not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.

14 He maketh peace in thy borders and fills thee with the finest of the wheat.

15 He sends forth his commandment upon earth: his word runs very swiftly.

16 He giveth snow like wool: he scatters the hoarfrost like ashes.

17 He casts forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?

18 He sends out his word, and melteth them: he causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. (KJV)

This is a Psalm to the love of God for the nation of Israel. As we look at the love of God to Israel we can see the type of love that a parent should have for their child.  Having seven children myself, I have come to recognized that they have their own individuals’ traits and that they will make their own decisions.  As a parent you will have to give up the control of your child’s environment.  As a parent we can instruct, guide and lead, however the most important part of training up a child is to model the Godly life. 

Verse two points to a time in the future “The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathered together the outcasts of Israel.”  This is an event that has happen in my lifetime.  In Romans 11:25-27 Paul writes “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.  And so, all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”  Many believe that the phase until the fullness of the Gentiles come in is a sign of the later days.  God has gathered the outcasts of Israel together in these last times.  Paul calls this blindness on Israel as a mystery, just he calls the rapture of the saints in I Corinthians 15:51.  These mysteries are in the future so may I be like one of the five wise virgins and keep extra oil in the preparation of my returning Lord.   

Psalm 146

1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.

2 While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keeps truth forever:

7 Which executes judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord loose the prisoners:

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind: the Lord raises them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:

9 The Lord preserves the strangers; he relieves the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.

10 The Lord shall reign forever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord. (KJV)

If you are like me and read five Psalms and a chapter of Proverbs a day then you are on the last or second to the last day of the month today. These last five psalms are what I call the Praise Psalms. The reading of Psalm 146 reveals to the readers Christ a picture of the promise King. In Christ the reader would have found hope and help from the burdens that encompassed their lives. He would uphold the cause of the oppressed and give food to the hungry. He would open the eyes of the blind and restore health to the broken bodies. He would meet the needs of the fatherless and widows but would frustrate the ways of the wicked. However, when he came to earth two thousand years ago, he became the rejected one that was pictured in Isaiah chapter fifty-three.

Who hath believed our report?

And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:

he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him,

there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men.

a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:

and we hid as it were our faces from him.

he was despised,

and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our grief, and carried our sorrows:

yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions,

he was bruised for our iniquities:

the chastisement of our peace was upon him.

and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray.

we have turned everyone to his own way.

and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed,

and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth:

he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,

and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment:

and who shall declare his generation?

for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked,

and with the rich in his death.

because he had done no violence,

neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him.

he hath put him to grief:

when thou shall make his soul an offering for sin,

he shall see his seed,

he shall prolong his days,

and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:

by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.

for he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore, will I divide him a portion with the great,

and he shall divide the spoil with the strong.

because he hath poured out his soul unto death:

and he was numbered with the transgressors.

and he bare the sin of many,

and made intercession for the transgressors.

As the readers after the time of Christ look back on the Savior and his work, we have a detail history of his walk found in the Gospels. We are also given the promise of his return. However, with this return we also will see the doing away with the ways of the wicked. With this hope in mind how can we not praise the Lord.

This promise of the Lord’s return is very important for Christians as they make a stand for Christ in the world today. As I read the Lord’s words concerning his kingdom found in Matthew chapter twenty-five, I ask myself these questions: am I a wise or foolish virgin, a profitable or unprofitable servant, a sheep or a goat. The answer depends upon which phrase would I want to hear. “Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels” or “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”. Peter informs us that if we have the correct view of the Second Coming of the Lord it will help us from being carried away by the error of the wicked. Knowing this are you looking for that coming day? 

As Isaiah fifty-three was a prophecy of the first coming of Christ, Matthew chapter twenty-four and twenty-five is the prophecy of his second coming.  For those who are not caught up with the Lord when he returns will they turn to the scriptures to seek the truth of these words? 

The Christmas Story

Today is Christmas day and one, if not the most important day of the year that many look forward with enjoy.  It is a time when we celebrate with our friend, that we work with, people at church, the neighborhood, our schools as well as family.  It is a time of parties, community activities, school, church, and a whole lot activates celebrating this special holiday.   Christmas time brings able many different meanings and activities for those that celebrate this time of the year.  Why do we have this holiday that we are flood with so many traditions that do not even deal with the birth of Christ.  In fact, we do not really know the date of Christ’s born and yet we set aside an entire month (Thanksgiving to New Year Eve) to celebrate this emotional Holiday season.  

Now with the pasting of time I realized this time of the year is a part of what Paul was writing about in Romans 14:5-7,13 “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers everyday alike.  Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.  He who regards one day as special does so to the Lord.  He who eats meat, does it to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he that abstains, does it to the Lord and gives thanks to God.  For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another.  Instead make up your mind not to put an stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.”   The Christmas season therefore is a time for us to be thankful for everything that the Lord has given and blessed us with this year.  In the same way we need to give and bless others in the same way as the Lord has given and blessed us.   

The real story of the birth of Christ.

The first chapter of Matthew gives us the background to the birth of Christ starts with his genealogy and how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.  We are introduced to the way that God reveal the birth of Jesus to Joseph.  Reading Matthew 1:22, 23 “Now all this is done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying Behold a virgin shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God is with us.”  Here in these verses are the words that an angel spoke to Joseph as he was quieting dealing with a major issue in his life.  As we study the scriptures the fact that Christ was sometimes referred to as an illegitimate child probably points to the fact that Joseph was a part of a well-known family and that he know how his friends and family around him would perceive Mary and the child if they got married. However, Joseph did as the angel instructed him and took Mary as his wife and know her not until she bought forth her son Jesus. 

In this chapter we are given the glimpse of the angel’s message to Joseph as he ponder making a major life decision.  His answer was that this son would be the Emmanuel that God had promise, the seed of woman that would redeem mankind.  Here in Matthew chapter one Joseph was introduced to the child’s name, God is with us, and chose the path that God laid out before him. Joseph gives us the right path to follow even when it is not the path that a just man like Joesph would have likely followed.  For being a just man he could had quietly put her away, but instead took her shame upon himself and took Mary as his wife knowing the future issues that would come from this union.  We see Joseph a just man make a decision that went against the socially right decision of that time. We could look at the many reasons why Joseph made this decision, but the only one given to us was that he listened to the angel of the Lord.  His way of life must have been a life of mediating on the law of the Lord.  Joseph truly showed that he had the heart of David his father here when he chose not my will, but Thou will be done.  Yet how many of us when confronting major issues in our life turn to the law of the Lord for an answer?  

In Luke chapter one we see how God reveal to Mary that she had found favor with God and would give birth to Jesus the Son of God.  After Gabriel announcement to Mary about her pregnancy and the birth of Jesus he informed her of the Elizabeth’s pregnancy in her old age.  His words to Mary was “For nothing is impossible with God.”  These two announcements from Matthew chapter one and Luke chapter one set the stage for our Christmas story found in Luke chapter two.

In Luke chapter two we are given how God revealed this birth to the world.  It was to shepherds not kings that were blessed to be the first to hear the message of Christ’s born proclaimed to them by an angel.  His message was simple.  Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manager.  After he delivered this message a great company of heavenly host appeared with him praising God and saying:

                        Glory to God in the Highest

                        And on earth peace to men

                        On whom his favor rest.

After the angels leave they said one to another “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”   So, they hurried off and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby just as the angel had said lying in the manager.  When they saw him they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.  All who heard was amazed.  This is the Christmas story, the spreading of the message of God’s love for the world and the gift of his Son to bring glory to God and peace to men on this earth.

The other reference Jesus’s birth is found in Matthew chapter two which probably happen when Jesus was about a year to two years of age.  It is the story of how the wise men from the east came to Jerusalem in search for the birth of the King of the Jews for they saw his star in the east.  Their purpose was to come and worship him.  When Herod heard this he was trouble and gathered all the religious leaders and the scribes (those who knew the Old Testament scriptures) to enquire when the Christ (Messiah) was to be born.  They revealed that in writings of Micah (5:2,3) that he should be born in Bethlehem of Judah.  And Herod secretly enquired of them the time that first saw the star and ask them to go and find the child and when they did let him know so he could worship him.  So, the wise men follow the star until they found Jesus.  They gave

So, on this Christmas day may the words of one of my favorite Christmas songs comforts us as it did those during one of the darkest times in American history, The Civil War.  The song I heard the Bells on Christmas Day tells the story of the conditions they were living in as well as the conditions we face today.

            I heard the bells on Christmas day their old familiar carols play,

            And wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, goodwill to mem.

            I thought how, as the day had come, the belfries of all Christendom

            Had rolled along thru unbroken song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

            And in despair I bowed my head: “There is no peace on earth,” I said.

            “for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

            Yet pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

            the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

May this Christmas day bring to you the peace of God that passes all understanding.

Psalm 145

1 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall praise thy works to another and shall declare thy mighty acts.

5 I will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

6 And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.

7 They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness and shall sing of thy righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

10 All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.

11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power.

12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations.

14 The Lord upholds all that fall and raises up all those that be bowed down.

15 The eyes of all waits upon thee; and thou gives them their meat in due season.

16 Thou opens thine hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

18 The Lord is nigh unto all of them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry and will save them.

20 The Lord preserves all of them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. (KJV)

Reading and studying the Psalms these last one hundred and forty-five days the most common theme in this study is our relationship with the Lord.  This relationship is one that I cherish.  The psalmist gives the reasons for having this relationship with the Lord. 

Below are his reasons:

I will exalt you, my God the King.

I will praise the Lord’s name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise the Lord.

I will extol the Lord’s name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.

The Lord’s greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend the Lord’s works to another.

They will tell of the Lord’s mighty acts.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of the Lord’s majesty.

I will meditate on the Lord’s wonderful works.
They will tell of the power of the Lord awesome works.

I will proclaim the Lord’s great deeds.
They will celebrate the Lord’s abundant goodness

They will joyfully sing of Lord’s righteousness.
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
The LORD is good to all.

He has compassion on all he has made.
All you have made will praise the Lord.

LORD: your saints will extol you.
They will tell of the glory of the Lord’s kingdom.

They will speak of the Lord’s might.
So that all men may know of the Lord’s mighty acts

They may know of glorious splendor of the Lord’s kingdom.

The Lord’s kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.

The Lord’s dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all looks to the Lord.

The Lord give them their food at the proper time.
The Lord open his hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways.

The Lord is loving toward all he has made.
The LORD is near to all who call on him.

The Lord is near to all who call on him in truth.

The Lord fulfills the desires of those who fear him.

The Lord hears their cry and saves them.

The LORD watches over all who love him.

The Lord will destroy all the wicked.

So hopefully you can also agree with his list.  As I look back on my seventy plus years on this earth I am so thankful that I made him the Lord of my life at an early age.  My life has taken me down so many paths that I never had planned.  These paths have led to wonderful relationships, and at times many disappoints.  However, as I have studied the psalms in relationship to David’s life I can see that the same issues I have faced were similar to the issues he faced in his life.  In Hebrews chapter twelve verses one and two “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” gets us the reason to study the life of old testament saints.  By studying God’s Word through faith, we can gain an understanding of the world that was frame by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (Hebrews 11:3).  

Psalm 144

of David

1 Blessed be the Lord my strength which teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdued my people under me.

3 Lord, what is man, that thou takes knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makes account of him!

4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passes away.

5 Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

7 Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children.

8 Whose mouth speaks vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivers David his servant from the hurtful sword.

11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaks vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:

12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousand in our streets:

14 That our oxen may be strong to labor; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.

15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. (KJV)

Verse three ask the question “O LORD, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him?”  This is the type of question that could be used in a group discussion, as well a question that could be used for self-examination.  The phase “son of man” is a phase that leaded me to the books of Ezekiel and Mark.  This phase is used at least eighty-eight times in the New Testament and in Ezekiel it is used around ninety times as God’s reference to Ezekiel.  

Ezekiel 2:3 “And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children ofIsrael, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.”   Ezekiel was sent as the prophet to Israel during their captivity in Babylon.  Ezekiel’s’ message was to a rebellious nation that had rebelled against the way of God.  This captivity was a fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy about Israel’s seventy years of captivity (Jeremiah 25:1-14) for Judah’s refuse to repent of their rebellious way.   After these seventy years in Babylon the Jewish nation never return to the worship of idols of other Gods.

In Mark 2:2-12 Jesus saw the faith of the four who brought the one that was sick of the palsy and said to him son that sins be forgiven.  However, when certain of the scribes heard Jesus they accused him of blasphemies.  But Jesus replied “that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) Arise and take up their bed and walk”.  Here, Jesus, the Son of God referred to himself the title Son of man.  Jesus took on this title to become the sin offering for mankind.  Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”  So, we should learn for Judah’s mistake and repent of our rebellious ways.  This offer was made to all, just read John 3:16.

Verse fifteen reads “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.”  People all over the world set up idols and Gods that they follow and make it their life’s journey to follow.  However, the joy that they have from following their gods and idols is usually short lived and never gives them a true contentment of life that they desire.  However, those that have truly make Jesus their Lord and follow in his way can have the peace that passes all understanding and have this happiness found in verse fifteen.

Psalm 143

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.

4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsted after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

7 Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.

10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies and destroy all of them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant. (KJV)

When I look at the very essence of life the bottom line is that life is a gift from God. I also believe that living life without God can very difficult and is the reason why people can seem to live a life that seems wonderful, yet they are really left with an unfulfilling emptiness. Studying this psalm, I must reflect upon I Samuel 27:1 “And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so, shall I escape out of his hand.” After seven years of running from Saul and waiting on God to intervene; David had reached a point in his life where he decided that living the life, he desired was no longer available. So, he decided with his men and their families to start over. One of the interesting facts I see in this verse is that David is leaving behind his family, his friends, and his past way of life to live with his former enemy.

This psalm probably was a representation of the type of prayers that David made before coming to this decision in Samuel 27:1. It has been stated that you must walk in someone’s shoes before you can feel and understand the pain that they experience when they go through rough times in their life. As I look at Samuel 27:1, after one of the most difficult times in my life I have a greater understanding of David’s feelings and the true sense of his prayers. To lose the daily relationship of your family, as well as your close friends and then to be treated as their enemy can break a person’s will to go on. I can still recall the very day, and the very trip that I had to make a decision similar to the one that David made in I Samuel 27:1.

This psalm then represents a prayer of one who knows God but seems to have no understanding of the events around him. This is a prayer from someone who has dreams that are in God’s way, but not in God’s plan. Sometimes it is difficult to understand why when we try to follow God’s way our life seems to be falling apart.

The Prayer Request

Hear my prayer

Listen to my cry for mercy

Come to my relief

Bring me not in judgment

My issues with my enemy

My present state of being and my desire for you.

Answer me quickly

Do not hid your face from me

I do not desire to be like those who go down to the pit

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love.

Show me the way I should go

Lift up my soul

Rescue me from my enemies

Teach me to do your will

May your Spirit lead me on level ground

Preserve my life for your namesake

Bring me out of trouble in your rightness

Silence my enemies

Destroy all my foes

The beauty of studying the psalms with an understanding of the events in David’s life and his struggle with trying to understand these events can help us as we go about our life’s journey on this earth.   As I look back to the days of my youth until now I can see how the three types of events in my live: the ones that I could have controlled, the events I could not control, and the events I chose to wait on God to control, has shaped the journey that my life has taken.  As a believer in Christ, I can thankfully state that in the events I chose to wait on God to control has given the greatest blessings in my life.  And the events that I could control, while I am glad that the Lord intervene and took over.  Waiting on the Lord can sometimes be very difficult when you seem to be at the very end of your rope, but we must remember his words “I will never leave you or forsake you”.  Studying David’s life will reenforce these words.

Psalm 142

1 I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.

2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knew my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

5 I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me. (KJV)

This was written by David when he was running from Saul. Reading this psalm and reflecting on the times in my life that God seem so far from me, I can sense the desperate need that David longed for at this time in his life. These times are characterized by rejection even from those who should be supporting you. It seems during these trialing times you must defend yourself from lies and dishonest statement from friends and foes alike, that are used to discredit you and your activities. This was the case with David at this time in his life. David was being hunt down as a criminal. He was separated from his friends and family. It was at this time that David even had to take his parents from their home and leave them with the King of Moab to protect them from Saul. The only ones that surround him at this time were those who were distress, who were in debt, and those who were discontented with the events happening in Israel at that time. These people looked to David for support, and he became captain over them.

As I study the issues that David deal with at this time, found in I Samuel chapters twenty-one through I Samuel thirty-one, I can see him praying the words from verse six of this psalm. Toward the end of this time period these words of David were recorded in I Samuel 27:1 “And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so, shall I escape out of his hand.” David just seem to give up at this time. The memory of the time he was anointed by Samuel to be the next King of Israel was pushed to the back of his mind. The memory of time spent in the service of King Saul and the relationship of being his son in law were history. His desire was to rest and find safety among the very enemies he once had defeated.

However, there is hope in God. David realized this in verse seven of this psalm. In this verse I see a principle that the church today needs to grasp and take hold of in order to have others gather around them. This principle is simply looking to God for deliverance instead of taking matters into my own hand. The church of Laodicea lost this principle of relaying on God to rescue and taking care of them. In Revelations 3:17 this church is characterized by these words “I am rich and have gotten riches and have need of nothing” yet to the Lord “they know not that they are wretched and miserable, poor and blind and naked”. In other words, their principle was “God helps those who helps themselves and see we have prospered by this principle.” And yet in God’s eyes they were poor, naked and blind. God intervenes in your life for many reasons, however when He does it always for His glory and refining you for his purpose. When we wait on the Lord and go through the refining process people will see God’s goodness to us.

So, as you read this psalm reflect upon the gloom and loneliness that David must have faced during these times and the hope, he still had faith in God to be his refuge and his portion in the land of the living. The key to David’s life is that his heart was fully devoted to the Lord. Being fully devoted to the Lord will bring times of difficulties in our lives and these times might be hard for us to understand. However, not being fully devoted to God will bring destruction to our life. Solomon is a perfect example of someone who follows God and then decides to go and pursue his purpose. In I Kings 11:4 “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been”. He turned from God and God left him. So, we need to be like David and realize that when our spirit grows faint within us, it is God who know our way and all we need to do is to look to him for direction.

Psalm 141

1 Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

7 Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cuts and cleaves wood upon the earth.

8 But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape. (KJV)

In his exposition The Treasury of David Charles Spurgeon wrote the following introduction about this Psalm “Yes, David under suspicion, half afraid to speak lest he should speak unadvisedly while trying to clear himself; David slandered and beset by enemies; David censured even by saints and taking it kindly; David deploring the condition of the godly party of whom he was the acknowledged heard: David waiting upon God with confident expectation. The Psalm is one of a group of four, and it bears a striking likeness to the other three. Its meaning lies so deep as to be in places exceedingly obscure, yet even upon its surface it has dust of gold. In its commencement the psalm is lighted up with the evening glow as the incense rises to heaven; then comes a night of language whose meaning we cannot see; and this gives place to morning light in which our eyes are unto the Lord.”. The greatest characteristic of David is reflected in this Psalm which was his trust in the Lord. This faith includes his ability to take refuge in the Lord and Him be the one that executes judgment.

Reading this psalm today, I stopped and reflected on how I defend my personal beliefs to others. Verse three “Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips” is a warning that we must be careful in our conversations. The one area that I must focus on is how to let others see Christ in my life and the personal relationship has to my Lord. The key to sharing my faith to others is that they must see this relationship in my daily walk before I present the gospel to them. Look closely at this psalm to study how David approached his relationship with God.

His prayer:

I call to you come quickly to me, hear my voice

I present my prayer before you

I lift up my hands to you

Set a guard over my mouth

Keep watch over the door of my lips

Let not my heart be drawn to evil

Let me not take part with them

Let me not enjoy the fruit of their labors

Let a righteous man rebuke me

My prayer is against the evildoers

My eyes are fixed on you

I take refuge in you

finally keep me from their snares that I pass by in safety.

As we go about our journey on this earth, we must remember that this life is just a journey. Most people I meet along my journey do not see life as a journey. They approach their life on this earth as their total existence for eternity. Goals determine how a person lives their life. Is your goal set to reflect that the most you can get out of life on this earth, or do you strive to place treasures in heaven?

The latter part of verse five “Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;” from the NIV is different from the ASV “For even in their wickedness shall my prayer continue”. As I look at the difference between these two phases I realize how important it is studying the Word daily. Looking at the phases we could have two different ideas about praying for the wicked. In one incident it seems we are to pray against the deeds of the wicked; and in the other it seems we pray in spite of their wickedness. How do we handle the wicked acts of those around us? This is sometimes a difficult question to answer. The answer might depend upon who the person is that is acting as an evildoer. How do you pray for a son or daughter, brother or sister, or even a very close friend when they decide to partake in the deeds of an evildoer? When looking at David’s life from the scriptures I realize that the most difficult relationships in his life were with some of his closest friends and family. Therefore, as you pray concerning the wicked and the evildoers remember to fix your eyes on God and turn over all judgment to him.

Psalm 140

1 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man.

2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.

4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.

6 I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. (KJV)

As one studies Exodus and the way that God interacts between Moses and Israel, we get a glimpse of the nature of man and the nature of God. An important aspect of God is that his nature is unchangeable, but his relationship with man is not. In Exodus 34:6,7 Moses describes Jehovah relationship to man as “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, keeping loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty”. In this psalm David prays to God not to grant the wicked their desires or let their plans succeed.

One of the greatest joys I have found in studying God’s Word daily is the understanding I gain about God, me, those around me, and the rest of humankind and the relationships that exist between them. The process of aging has greatly increased my understanding of God’s Word since I now have a tremendous treasures of life experiences to give me greater insights to the lives that the great men of faith have lived in the past. I look back and see how the little issues in my life help me better understand the issues in David’s life. David’s youth was that of a shepherd. At the time of his anointing by Samuel, he was out in the field working and not with his family as they were having dinner with Samuel. David probably enjoy the simple life of being a shepherd. He probably learned the secret that Paul shares with us in Philippians 4:11″ Not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content”. However, the contentment that he had did not always help him understand the actions of others.

It is only when I went through difficult times such as David or Paul did that, I can truly state I know how to be content even when the world around me is falling apart. I like the comment that Charles Spurgeon makes about this psalm in his book The Treasury of David:

This Psalm is in its proper place, and so fitly follows 139 that you might almost read right on and make no break between the two. Serious injury would follow to the whole Book of Psalms if the order should be interfered with as certain wiseacres propose. It is The Cry of A Hunted Soul the supplication of a believer incessantly persecuted and beset by cunning enemies, who hungered for his destruction. David was hunted like a partridge upon the mountains, and seldom obtained a moment’s rest. This is his pathetic appeal to Jehovah for protection, an appeal which gradually intensifies into a denunciation of his bitter foes. With this sacrifice of prayer, he offers the salt of faith; for in a very marked and emphatic manner he expresses his personal confidence in the Lord as the Protector of the oppressed, and as his own God and Defender. Few short Psalms are so rich in the jewelry of precious faith.

This psalm was probably written when David was fleeing from Saul right after Doeg the Edomite slew eighty-five of the inhabitants of Nod. It was witnessing this type of evil that caused David to write this psalm. In this psalm the evil men and the men of violence were those that served with David in the past. Saul was not only the king that David served but was also his father-in-law; Michal David’s wife was his daughter. Therefore, it is the knowledge of Psalm 139 that gives David hope. Yes, David could follow the ways of man and take action against this evil, however he realizes that he must leave this in God’s hand. However, leaving judgment in God’s hand is not an easy matter. Individuals today like to have full control of the events in their lives. However, David follows the truths he wrote about in Psalm 139. This knowledge of God and the relationship I can enjoy helps set the stage for studying David’s life. By studying the Psalms, David’s life and relating them to the events in my life I can see how contentment can come to those who truly wait on the Lord. They have the blessed assurance that God is truly in control.

Psalm 139

1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understand my thought afar off.

3 Thou compasses my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea.

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12Yea, the darkness hides not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well.

15 My substance was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. (KJV)

Reading this psalm, I recall a time in the past when a friend of mine made it her desire to commit this psalm to memory.  It was her desire to daily remind herself of how much God was really in control of everything around her. David, the writer of this psalm, was instructed in the ways of truth at an early age by his family. His great grandmother was Ruth, so the history of faith must have run deep in his family. I also saw this strong faith in my mother’s parents (my grandparents) and in her life. As parents and grandparents, we must realize that actions speak louder than words and that, our children and grandchildren watch our every action. These actions should reflect a godly worldview as presented by this psalm. Note that this psalm starts with the phase “you have searched me, and you know me” and ends with the phase “search me, test me, and lead me in the way everlasting”. This psalm starts out by introducing the great teacher God and ends with a student eager to learn God’s ways.

This psalm starts by introducing an omniscience and omnipresence God who is involved in every aspect of David’s life. The question now arises “can I apply this psalm to my life?” The answer to this is a resounding YES. Just read Matthew chapters five, six and seven (Christ’s message to Israel). In these chapters, Christ is stating the way in which we should walk and how God seeing us will provide everything, we need. In I John 3:19-20 “This then is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence, whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts and knows everything” John states that he knows everything in our life. So yes, this psalm can apply to you.

From the introduction, I know that God is searching my heart and that he knows me. He knows my actions, my speech, as well as my thoughts. He even directs my path by placing a barrier around me. He is my potter the one that has created me. He knows how I was form and the purpose for which I was created to perform since these were written in his book before they even happen. Therefore, as the master teacher he knows the students.

One of the truths I learned as a classroom teacher was for learning to take place the student must be willing to learn. David recognizes the first step in learning was to trust the teacher. He recognized that God not only knew him and was always present, but that he was framed and created by God. We see David’s longing for knowing God’s thoughts. However, we also see David’s desire for God to get rid of evil. David does not hide his hatred for people with evil intent. However, his prayer is that God will intervene in this battle. One of the biggest issues facing classroom teacher today is the issue of maintaining discipline within the classroom. I have witnessed many times when an unruly student has interfered with the learning process of the class. How to handle the issues that result from evil intent is a delicate issue for the believer. This is why God has given us great examples of faith such as Joseph, David, and many others to help guide us along the way. Joseph’s reply to his brothers’ request from Jacob to forgive them for the way they treated him at seventeen reveals how we must approach evil intentions of other. He stated in Genesis 50:19-20 this truth “Fear not: for am I in the place of God? In addition, as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Therefore, when evil intentions are directed your way turns them over to God and keeps living a blameless life before God and man.

As I study the last eight verses of this Psalm, I gain an insight of how David must have felt as King over the nation of Israel. His desire was to rule over God’s people as a King who follow God’s way and a King who could transform this nation into a Godly nation. Verses 17 and eighteen gives us a picture of this first step: “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Where I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.” We must turn our thoughts toward God and reflect on his way.

However, verses nineteen through twenty-two brings up the issue of dealing with those that are wicked. It is interesting that the first thing that David does is to turn his desires over to God. Verse nineteen starts out by stating, “If only you would”. Yes, David had no desire to be in their presences, he had no desire to take part in their plots. Yet how do you work with the wicked when it is part of your task on this earth? David’s desire was to create a kingdom for promoting God’s way, however, many of those surrounding him only wants to follow their desires and pleasures and promoting their way. When studying the Psalms, we see the challenges that David faced in his life as he tried to walk in God’s way. These challenges were the same as Christ faced when he came to earth two thousand years ago. The goal of his coming was given to us in Luke 4:16-21 as he recited Isaiah 61:1 and the first half of verse two. The mission Christ came to do was “he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Christ did not read the second of verse two “and to proclaim the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion; to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair”. Many believe that this will be fulfilled when he returns the second time.

So, as we study Psalm 139 and realize that God deals with us as an individual, we must not lose focus that God’s dealing with us is for his purpose, not ours. As David closes this Psalm with these words, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” The central theme of this Psalm is God’s way and our desire to follow it. So, as I read this Psalm I am drawn to these last few verses. God usually uses a small still voice to speak to us, so heed the words of Eli and be quiet and listen for the Lord to speak to you.