Psalm 76

A psalm of Asaph

This is the fifth of twelve Psalms bear the name of Asaph

1 In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.

2 In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

3 There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.

4 Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.

5 The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.

6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

7 Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?

8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,

9 When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.

10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

11 Vow and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth. (KJV)

It is important when studying the Psalms to understand their historical background. As I study this psalm today, I do not only reflect upon the life span of Asaph but carried it out to my life span as well. During Asaph’s life span he probably witness the reign of the first three Kings of Israel. If he lived eighty years then he could have witness twenty years under Saul, forty years under David and twenty years under Solomon. As I reflect upon my seventy years on this earth, I look back at the leaders of the USA during my lifetime.

Dwight D. Eisenhower 1953-1961

John F. Kennedy 1961-1963

Lyndon B. Johnson 1963-1969

Richard Nixon 1969-1974

Gerald Ford 1974-1977

Jimmy Carter 1977-1981

Ronald Reagan 1981-1989

George Bush 1989-1993

Bill Clinton 1993-2001

George W. Bush 2001-2009

Barak Obama 2009-2017

Donald Trump 2017-2021

Joe Biden   2021-2024

Donald Trump 2025-present

As I reflect on verse one of this psalm in relationship to Asaph life to the history of Israel, I realized that God was known in Israel and that his name was great. This has been the same with the USA in my lifetime. However, as I look back upon the list of the presidents above, I wonder how many of them truly knew God was really in control? So, as you read this psalm look at the role that God plays on this earth:

He broke the flashing arrows, the shields and the swords and

the weapons of war.

You are resplendent with light.

You alone are to be feared.

Who can stand before you when you are angry.
From heaven you pronounced judgment.

God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land.

Your wrath against men brings you praise.

The survivors of your wrath are restrained.
He breaks the spirit of rulers.

He is feared by the kings of the earth.

As I study the psalms it forces me to evaluate the issues of life on an eternal time frame not a daily time frame. As I examine the activities of the human race and the goals that people place on the daily activities to reach these goals, I notice how the time frame centers around today or tomorrow. When studying the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount we find these words in Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. The phase each day has enough trouble of its own.” gives us a guideline on addressing how we need to approach the daily issues of life.  However, the main event I am looking for is the coming of my Lord.  His promise return is something that should be the desire of all Christians.  Be wise and keep extra oil for your lamp.  Be ready for his return.

As I have been on a quest to read through the Bible three times a year I am gaining a new understanding of man’s relationship with God.  As I study the time be the flood I realized that God spoke to Adam and Eve, Cain, Enoch and Noah.  With Adam and Eve and Cain these where incidents where God spoke and interacted with the individual and God himself.  However, in the case with Enoch and Noah God used them as preachers to the world.  In Jude 1:14,15 “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”  After Enoch we read about Noah his grandson not only building an ark, to save his family, but he was also a preacher of righteousness.  II Peter 2:5 “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bring in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.”  Also, in I Peter3:20 we see the patience “when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared”.  The ark was the sign to those of the world before the flood of God’s coming judgement.

Now for the warning to us today.  Romans 11:25 “For I would not, brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits:  that the blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”  God is in the process of bringing in the last days just as he did in the days of Noah.  Keep your eyes on the Middle East and also on the clouds and listen for the sounding of the trump of God. 

Psalm 75

A psalm of Asaph.

This is the fourth of twelve Psalms bear the name of Asaph

1 Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

2 When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.

3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

4 I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

6 For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

7 But God is the judge: he puts down one and sets up another.

8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he pours out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them.

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

10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted. (KJV)

Reading the psalms after a while some of the themes are repeated and I wondered what else could I say about this theme.  This psalm represents the halfway point of reading one psalm a day and applying the words of this psalm to our daily life.  As I reflect on this psalm verse nine gives me a theme to focus on today “As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob”.  Forever is a term that we cannot fully comprehend in this life.  When we were young, we set goals and some of these goals seem to take forever to achieve.  These goals that made forever seems to be a far away when we are young, become reality and we realize that this timeframe we called forever was only a short period of time.  There is one goal that will stand the test of forever and that is to be ever praising God.  So, as I live my live on this earth, I will praise Him, and when I pass from this life to step into eternity the praising will never cease.

When you have been taken advantage of, been abused, been cheated on, been accused falsely, or attached for standing up for the truth than read this psalm and understand that it is God who chooses the appointed time for his judgment. We are warned not to acts as the fool, the wicked, or the proud (stiffed neck) for God is the judge and yes, there is a time when the righteous will be lifted, and the wicked will be cut off. Remember this it is in God’s hand not ours.

Psalm 74

A maskil of Asaph.

This is the third of twelve Psalms bear the name of Asaph

1 O God, why hast thou cast us off forever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolation; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.

5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.

7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

8 They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knows how long.

10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name forever?

11 Why withdraw thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakes the heads of the dragons in the waters.

14 Thou brakes the heads of leviathan in pieces and gave him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.

16 The day is thine; the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor forever.

20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproaches thee daily.

23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increase continually.  (KJV)

In this psalm Asaph tackles the question of why a sovereign God permits evil and why this evil behavior seems to prosper. This is a struggle that many have try to grasp and have even written books about this struggle.  One of my favorite books is the Lord of the Rings written by J. R. R. Tolkien.  Tolkien books, which were published between 1954 and 1955 and reflected the world in which he lived also tackles this question of why evil exist in the world and why it stands against all that is good.  He writes from the experiences he had when he fought in World War I and witness the trench warfare of that war.  He also witness the effects that World War II left on this world.  These events probably shaped the battle scenes in his books.  The battles in his writing seem to reflect the same details as Asaph writes in this psalm.  This cruelty of the natural of mankind was manifested in the relationship between the brothers of the very first family and has not improved since Cain killed Abel.  If fact the further away we remove God from our everyday life the more wickedness grows in our society, And yet man finds ways and uses their imaginations to make the wickedness of their heart to seem justified to the world around them. 

However, Asaph ask of the Lord to remember the people you had purchased and not to handle them over to these wild beasts.  Asaph starts this psalm out by asking God why he has rejected them.  He ends this psalm with the plea “Rise up, O God, and defend your cause”.  As I read this psalm, I realize that the battle is not centered around me or anyone else, it is God’s battle.  The battle we see in this world today is not only man against man, but man rebelling against God.  It is our place in the battle to stand up for God’s way.  We are the light that God has placed in this world as a witness against their wickedness.  We must not be the light on the hill that is hidden under the basket.  We must strive to live a life that reflects Christ in us the hope of Glory.  We must avoid letting sin become our master.  This is why we must stay in God’s word.  To give us the light to live our daily life.

Psalm 73

This is the second of twelve Psalms bear the name of Asaph

1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped.

3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride compasses them about as a chain; violence covers them as a garment.

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8 They are corrupt 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 hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning.

15 If I say, I will speak; thus, behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me.

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I, their end.

18 Surely, thou didst set them in slippery places: thou casts them down into destruction.

19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

20 As a dream when one awakes; so, O Lord, when thou awakes, thou shalt despise their image.

21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast held me by my right hand.

24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.

27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

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 thy works. (KJV)

My purpose in life is found in verse 28.

This is the second of twelve Psalms that bears the name of Asaph and is probably one of the Psalms that has had the most material written about it.

In this psalm, Asaph tackles several difficult questions that believers will face in life. The first question he addresses is the question is why a sovereign God permits evil and why this evil behavior seems to prosper. Here is so of the reasoning that Asaph gives to address this issue.

Verse 1. Stated as a fact: ^“Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.”

Psalm 15 gives the characteristics of this type of person:

 walk is blameless

 does what is righteous

 who speaks the truth from his heart

 has no slander on his tongue

 does his neighbor no wrong

 casts no slur on his fellowman

 despises a vile man

 honors those who fear the LORD

 keeps his oath even when it hurts

 lends his money without usury

 does not accept a bribe against the innocent

He who does these things will never be shaken

Verses 2 and 3: The problem is stated as “I almost slipped”.

Why? Because I envied the arrogant. I saw their prosperity and desired it.

Verses 4 thru 12 Characteristics of the Arrogant:

They have no struggles

Their bodies are healthy and strong
They are free from the burdens common to man

They are not plagued by human ills.
They wear pride is their necklace

They clothe themselves with violence.
Their callous hearts are full of iniquity

The evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice

In their arrogance, they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven

Their tongues take possession of the earth.
Therefore, their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.
They say, “How can God know?”

They say, “Does the Most High have knowledge?”
This is what the wicked are like always carefree

They increase in wealth.

Verses 13 -16 The reasons I almost slipped (I saw their earthly treasures and desired them):

Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure

In vain have I washed my hands in innocence
All day long I have been plagued

I have been punished every morning.
If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed your children.
When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me

Verses 17 thru 20 The answer to my question:

When I entered the sanctuary of God

I understood their final destiny
Surely, you place them on slippery ground

You cast them down to ruin
How suddenly are they destroyed

They are completely swept away by terrors! As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

Verses 21, 22 How the knowledge of God’s way has an effect me:

When my heart was grieved

My spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant

I was a brute beast before you

Verses 23 thru 28 My relationship with God:

I am always with you

You hold me by my right hand
You guide me with your counsel

Afterward you will take me into glory
Whom have I in heaven but you

And earth has nothing I desire besides you
My flesh and my heart may fail

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever
It is good to be near God

I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge

I will tell of all your deeds.

Verses 18, 19, 20, 27 The Ungodly relationship with God:

Surely, you place them on slippery ground

You cast them down to ruin.
How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors?

Those who are far from you will perish

You destroy all who are unfaithful to you

You will despise them as fantasies

This sentence from Oswald Chambers’ book My Utmost for His Highest from the reading onMarch 13 “The consequences and circumstances resulting from our surrender will never even enter our mind, because our life will be totally consumed with Him” This is what I believe the psalmist is trying to portrait in this psalm. There is the way in which we should walk daily. However, we see many that live lifestyles we envy even through their walk is not in truth. We then begin to question our walk with God. The life of surrendering to God is a day by day actively. Some days it seems to be a moment by moment actively where we must constantly go back to him for strength. As I watched the Lord of the Rings, I marveled at the job that J.R. Tolkien did of portraying the Christian’s journey through life through the character of Frodo Baggins. This journey is full of good times, bad times, times of failure, times of success, times of friendship, times of betrayal, but the journey does continue. We can give up or go on. However, if we are totally commented to Christ, as Frodo was to his mission, we would keep moving forward in the task that is ahead of us. Frodo could have just given up, but he did not. The greatest purpose that a believer can have in his or her life is to grow into a closer relationship to God.

Psalm 72

Of Solomon

1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.

2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

6 He shall come down like rain upon the mow grass: as showers that water the earth.

7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endures.

8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

13 He shall spare the poor and needy and shall save the souls of the needy.

14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

17 His name shall endure forever: his name shall be continued 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 for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. (KJV)

David opens up this psalm as a request to God to give his son Solomon the ability to make godly judgments and to live a life in righteousness.  His desire for his son is for him to:

          Judge thy people with righteousness and thy poor with judgment.

          To save the children of the needy.

          To break in pieces the oppressor.

          That the righteous flourish.

          An abundance of peace so long as the moon endures.

          The he shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the     ends of the earth.

          That those that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his           enemies shall lick the dust, that all kings shall fall down before him: all           nations shall serve him.

          That he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that   hath no helper.

          That he shall spare the poor and needy and shall save the souls of the needy.

          That he shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall   their blood be in his sight.

          That prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be           praised.

          That the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

          That his name shall endure forever.

          That his name shall be continued as long as the sun.

          That men shall be blessed in him.

          That all nations shall call him blessed.

As we can see these desires of David for his son were found in the characteristics of Christ to whom this psalm is probably written.  Solomon started in the right direction but started the process of following the desires of his heart instead of becoming a man after God’s own heart. 

Reading this psalm, I can also see the words of a man who love his son and want the best for him.  David had many sons, and like Adam and every generation after him children do not always follow the dreams of their parents.  As a parent of seven children and a former middle school teacher, I know how at an early age a child’s early focus is on self.  This is the nature of mankind.  The free will of a child to choose their future path may be influence by others, but the final decision will be theirs.  We can as a parent, or someone involved in an young person’s life can set an example and try to steer their path in the right direction. However, as David concludes in this psalm, we must include prayer. 

The freewill that God has given each individual to decide on the path they choose can be a difficult matter for us to understand.  There is really only one of two paths for us to choose in life, the way of life with Christ as our Savior, or the way of life that rejects Christ as Savior.  Another difference in these two paths is the acceptance of God’s Word in their life.  Those that reject Christ also usually also rejects the Scriptures.  For those who rejects Christ and the Scriptures their life will follow the path of Cain.  For those like Cain they do not heed the words of God “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not well, sin crouching at the door, and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” sin will take over in their life and they will set themselves up as the master of their life.    

And yet even the journey on these two paths can be hard to understand with the emotional highs and lows in a person’s life that comes along the journey that they take in this life.  For those that are saved and love the Lord it becomes difficult for us to understand why someone can choose a path that leads them farther away from a personal relationship with the creator of this universe to a total rejection of God.  However, to the unbeliever they cannot understand how someone that places their complete faith in a personal God that they cannot see or handle.  The godly and the ungodly can try to justify their beliefs to each other, but the foundation for each of their arguments is really base upon one issue and that is faith.  To the believer faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen.  This evidence of things not seen becomes stronger in the believer’s life the more they walk in God’s way.  To the unbeliever they reject God even when his invisible attributes and his eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen in nature itself.  They like Satan will desire to set themselves up as master of their lives instead of God.  

Psalm 70

1 Make haste, o God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.

2 Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.

3 Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.

4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

5 But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying. (KJV)

This psalm was probably written when David was running from Saul.  This time frame of around seven years was probably the most depressing time in his life.  Having also having been through a dark period in my life for a long period of time where the events in my life that I desire to achieve were not in my hands to control, but in the hands of those who desired my downfall; makes the psalms of this time period of David’s life more meaningful to me.  However, after going through these rough periods of life and learning to wait on the Lord and follow his ways, has made me realize how wonderful the Lord has been in my life.

Reading this psalm, I can picture Christ praying this during his earthly ministry. The message of God’s love and the way of his righteousness was not only rejected but was opposed by the very ones he was sent to share the good news of God’s salvation. As you read this psalm ask yourself this simple which group would I be in: those who desire Christ’s ruin, or those who love your salvation? Those who seek his ruin will be turned back in disgrace, those who love his salvation will praise the Lord.

As I listen to the messages that are in the world around me the message of Christ and the price that was paid with his death on the cross seems to be lost even during the Easter season that we are now approaching. May I be along those who love the salvation that the Lord provides.  The words in verse five “Yet I am poor and needy, come quickly to me” can also be used to describe this generation.  These words are like those that John used to describe the condition of the church of Laodicea in the Revelations chapter three.  The corruption of mankind in this world can be seen all around us.  And yet the focus of the church today making the world around it a better place and in the process forgetting the message of the cross. 

We must realize that we are all poor and needy, and no matter how hard we try we can’t change the course of the evil in this world.  We are given the instruction on how to try to live peaceable with all man; however, with the ungodly this is almost impossible.   We must realize that in our fallen state we can never achieve perfection.  Instead, we are to strive to live each day as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God.  This is only possible if we live in the power of God’s Word.  We can try to change the world to be a better place; however, we must realize that we are in a war and that the enemy is continually trying to destroy our works.   However, there will come a day that God will judge all men.  The only hope for anyone is that they accept the free gift of God for their salvation and that is the Lord Jesus.  This is the true message of the gospel.    

Psalm 69

1 Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

3 I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.

6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.

8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.

9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.

12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

14 Deliver me out of the mire and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

16 Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

18 Draw nigh unto my soul and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.

19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor: mine adversaries are all before thee.

20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

25 Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.

26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy 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 thy 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 bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

32 The humble shall see this and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.

33 For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

34 Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.

35 For God will save Zion and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there and have it in possession.

36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.  (KJV)

Reading this psalm, it points me to the suffering of Christ on the last day of his ministry on this earth. So many of these verses are tied to the New Testament account of this day. May I be like the poor in verse thirty-two and be glad. As Christ stated in Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” is alluded to here in verse thirty-six “those who love his name will dwell there”. So, as you read this psalm reflect back on the cross, and then focus you praise to the one who is now seated on the right hand of God in heaven.

This psalm not only reflects the life of David as he was running from Saul during his darkness times, or reflective of the final days of Christ; but it also reflects the battles that true Christians face daily when they stand against the ways of the world.  Just as Christ’s final days on this earth lead to the cross instead of a throne, so too will the path of some believer’s lead down a path of uncertainty.  In my youth I was blessed to have great hymns to remind me of this walk.  One of these songs was “Follow Me” written in 1953 by Ira Stanphill which gave me a great picture of what the Christian’s walk on earth should be like today.

I traveled down a lonely road
And no one seemed to care
The burdens on my weary back
Had bowed me to despair
I oft complained to Jesus
How folks were treating me
And then I heard him say so tenderly

“My feet were also weary upon the Calvary road
The cross became so heavy I fell beneath the load
Be faithful weary children the morning I can see
Just lift your cross and follow close to Me.’

I work so hard for Jesus, I often boast and say,
I’ve sacrificed a lot of things, to walk the narrow way.
I gave up fame and fortune, I’m worth a lot to Thee
And then I hear Him gently say to me:

“I left the throne of glory and counted it but loss,
My hands were nailed in anger upon the cruel cross;
But now we’ll make the journey with your hand close in mine
So lift your cross and follow close to Me.”

O Jesus, if I die someday upon a foreign field
T’would be no more than love demands no less could I repay.
No greater love hath mortal man than for a friend to die:
These are the words He gently spoke to me:

“If just a cup of water I place within your hand,
Then just a cup of water is all that I demand.
But if by death to living, they can thy glory see,
I’ll take my cross and follow close to Thee.

Studying the Psalms written by David I realize how much of his writing reflects the inward emotions that Christ suffered during His ministry on this earth.  David was characterized as a man after God’s own heart.  In this psalm David relates the feeling that he was going through during the time that Saul was seeking to destroy David who was the one anointed by Samuel as the next king of Israel.  As we study the Psalms and the way in which David walked, may we also develop into a person who are characterized as a person after God’s own heart.  

After watching The Lord of the Rings movies, I was inspired to read the books written by J.R.R. Tolkien.  As I read the books, I became aware of how much richer the story was in the book and how much was left out or in some cases changed in the movie.  In the book J.R.R. Tolkien goes into great detail in the rich description of each of the characters in his books so that the reader could almost know what the heart’s desire of each of these characters was truly.  So, in studying the Psalms written by David it is also important for us to study David’s life found in the books of I and II Samuel and I Chronicles to see the trails and triumphs that he faced during his life.  The more we study these events the more we can truly see how to become a person after God’s own heart. 

His state of mind during his ministry and waiting on God’s intervention.

I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing.

I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried.

My eyes fail while I wait for my God.

They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head.

They that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty.

Then I restored that which I took not away.

O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from thee.

Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

His ministry

Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.

I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.

For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.

They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

His Prayer

But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

Deliver me out of the mire and let me not sink let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

Draw nigh unto my soul and redeem it: deliver me because of my enemies.

Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor: mine adversaries are all before thee.

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

His prayer for God’s judgement on his enemies

Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.

For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

His prayer for those that see God’s hand in his suffering.

But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

The humble shall see this and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.

For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and everything that moveth therein.

For God will save Zion and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there and have it in possession.

The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein. 

Psalm 68

1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth 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: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoice before him.

5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness: Selah:

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

9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.

13 Though ye have lien among the pots yet shall ye be as 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 Salmon.

15 The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan, an high hill as the hill of Bashan.

16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever.

17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.

21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:

23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

24 They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.

25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.

26 Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.

27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.

29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.

30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.

31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:

33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.

34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.

35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God. (KJV)

Introduction of Psalm 68 verse 1-3.
May God arise

May his enemies be scattered

May his foes flee before him
May you blow them away as smoke is blown away by the wind

May the wicked perish before God as wax melts before the fire
May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God

May they be happy and joyful

Praises to God 4-6
Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds his name is the LORD and rejoice before him.  A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.  God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

History of God with his people verses 7-15.

When you went out before your people, O God, when you marched through the wasteland, Selah the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.  Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor.  The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it: “Kings and armies flee in haste; in the camps men divide the plunder.  Even while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.”
When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Zalmon.  The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains; rugged are the mountains of Bashan.

Future battle of the Lord. 16-33

Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD himself will dwell forever?  The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.  When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious that you, O LORD God, might dwell there.  Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.  Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.  The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan; I will bring them from the depths of the sea, that you may plunge your feet in the blood of your foes, while the tongues of your dogs have their share.”  Your procession has come into view, O God, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.  In front are the singers, after them the musicians; with them are the maidens playing tambourines.  Praise God in the great congregation; praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.  There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them, there the great throng of Judah’s princes, and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.  Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.  Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts.  Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.  Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, Selah to him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice. 

Our message to the world verses 34,35.

Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies.  You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

As you can see, I paraphrased this Psalm to help me get a better grasp of it meaning. 

Introduction of Psalm 68 verse 1-3

Praises to God 4-6

History of God with his people verses 7-15

Future battle of the Lord. 16-33

Our message to the world verses 34,35

This psalm reminds me of Paul’s ending message to the Ephesians.  In Ephesians 6:10-12 Paul writes “Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  The battle began for mankind in the garden of Eden and is still going on to this day.  Yes, Christ has paid the price for our redemption with His death and resurrection; however, we are still on the battlefield until the day of the great white throne judgment.  The battle will end when we are within in our new sanctuary the new heaven and the new earth.  Just remember that God is always present in the believer’s life even when we can’t feel his present.

When studying the writings of John in his gospel, his epistle, and the book of Revelation we can get a glimpse of the future for all believers.  In John fourteen Christ describes the future as a place of many dwellings as a place that he is going to prepare for us.  In Revelation chapters twenty-one and twenty-two this place is described as with a river of the water of life, clear as crystal with the tree of life bearing twelve kinds of fruit each month.  There will be no more curse with no longer any night because the Lord God shall illumine this world.  No longer will there be death, mourning, crying, or pain.  The description of the new Jerusalem is a city that the walls are made of jasper and pure gold.  The foundation of the city’s wall is adorned with every kind of precious stone.  And nothing unclean will shall ever come into it.  This is the home of our future.

It is psalms like this and the future promises that the great men and women of faith looked toward in their journey on this earth.  In Hebrews 11:13, 16 “All these died in faith without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one.  Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”   So, as one of my favorite song verses that I have hidden in my heart states “turn your eyes upon Jesus and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”.  Are you storing your treasures stored up in heaven or here on earth?

Psalm 67

1 God be merciful unto us and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.

2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.

5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

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

7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.  (KJV)

As I started studying this Psalm I really did not know where to begin. This is a

simple Psalm with a simple message “may God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us”. Yet it was this simple prayer that Moses (Numbers 6:22-27) instructed Aaron and his sons to use to bless Israel. This benediction recognizes that God is the source of all good blessings in a person’s life.

Verse two presents two requests of knowledge from the writer of this Psalm to God. First that His ways may be known on the earth. The second was that his salvation might be known among all nations. The interesting issue in this verse is the focus on the whole earth, not just the nation of Israel. We have the tendency just focus on the issues around us, but in this verse the author of this Psalm makes us realized that the knowledge of God and his salvation is for the whole world.

The last two verses are the realization of the results that can come from following God’s ways. The land will yield it harvest, we will be blessed of God, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

We are living in an age of opportunities that this world has never witness.  And yet we also are witnessing the destructive forces of sin that can destroy these opportunities.  This psalm includes a very powerful word, and that word is MAY.  God has given us the freedom to walk in his way or in the way of Satan, which is way of making self the guiding force in one’s life.   Walking God’s way is difficult for man because of our sinful nature.  This nature places the focus of our life on self and not God.  It becomes a life about ME not Him.  This psalm reflects the walk of those who make God’s way their walk.  May the opportunities of life be seen as a blessing from God instead of the works of man’s great achievements!

Verse one “God be merciful unto us and bless us” is a very powerful statement that grows more powerful as we walk with the Lord.  As the true believer walks with the Lord the more, we realize how our sinful nature is so corrupt, but God’s mercies are beyond your understanding.  And yet God has blessed mankind with the gift of salvation.  John writes to us the beauty of this gift in I John 1:3,4 “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us:  and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his son Jesus Christ.  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be filled.”  These verses in I John reflect the meaning found in this Psalm.  May we truly praise the Lord and enjoy the joy of fellowship with both the Lord and those that worship Him.