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Wednesday, April 15, 2026
He’s as Close as the Mention of His Name – Psalm 40
“To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God. Many will see it and fear and will trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3
Whether David spoke of a horrible pit and miry clay as a metaphor for a place of despair or as a literal muddy pit, we do not know. The narratives about him recorded in 1-2 Samuel do not speak of any time where he was in a pit. It is likely that he is speaking metaphorically. But his words have certainly resonated with faithful others who have indeed been delivered from pits.
Old Testament Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers. Jeremiah the prophet was thrown into a pit by the princes of Jerusalem. There was deep mire in his pit. The body of our Lord Jesus Christ was placed into a tomb after His earthly body died. But in all these cases, each of them were rescued from their pits.
The Lord set David’s feet on a rock. The word “rock” is often used in the Bible as a reference to the Word of God, and as a reference to Christ. According to 1 Corinthians 10:4, the spiritual rock that the Israelites drank from in the wilderness was Christ.
While in his pit, the Lord gave to David a song of praise. Some of the most beautiful hymns of the Church were composed by people who experienced great losses and hardships. They survived their ordeals by looking to the Lord for strength, and His love for them inspired them to compose a song about Him.
David waited patiently for the Lord, and the Lord came through for him. God answered his prayers.
Deliverance from the horrible pit was one miracle. Standing David upon a rock afterward was another. Christ is the rock on which a poor soul may stand fast.
In 1834, Edward Mote composed a hymn entitled, “My hope is Built on Nothing Less.” As Edward walked to his workshop in Holborn, London, the words of a chorus came to his mind. By the end of the day, he had penned four verses of what would become one of the most beloved hymns of all time. The following Sunday, Mote visited a friend whose wife lay ill. As they gathered to sing a hymn and pray together, Mote realized he had forgotten his hymnal. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the verses he had written just days before. The words brought comfort and solace to the ailing woman, and Mote, moved by the impact of his composition, added two more stanzas and had 1,000 copies printed to share with others. [1]
Verse one and the chorus are: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ Name. On Christ the solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.”
“Many shall see, and fear, and trust in the Lord.” When it pleased the Father to bruise His Son, and put Him to grief for our sins, He demanded our debt from Him. But then, the Father raised Him from the dead and ascended Him into heaven at His own right hand. Thus, many feared and placed their trust in Jesus Christ. God the Father accepted Christ’s payment for our sin.
“Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” Psalm 40:4
David invited others to make God their hope. Blessed are those who believe in the Lord. He urged us not to give respect to deceitful and proud people... people like the Pharisees. The Pharisees rejected Jesus. They rejected the gift of God’s righteousness, that is, Christ. They assumed that their own righteousness was sufficient, but Jesus told His listeners that unless their righteousness exceeded that of the Pharisees, they would not enter the kingdom of God.
“Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done. Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:5
God’s wonderful works are indeed many. Of the short time that Jesus ministered in-person on earth, John wrote in John 21:25, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”
“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire. My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book, it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.’” Psalm 40:6-8
This Psalm expresses the feelings of Christ. His ears were open to the Father’s voice. He delighted to do His Father’s will. God’s law was in His heart. He preached good news to the poor, and did not hold back. He demonstrated the lovingkindness of God and always spoke the truth. Christ’s suffering is our example, and His deliverance our encouragement. [2]
In Hebrews 10:5, Paul quoted Psalms 40:6 as the words of Christ. He wrote, “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,’” then, Paul added, “but a body You have prepared for Me.” The Heavenly Father gave to His Son a human body so that His body could be the perfect, untainted by sin, body sacrificed for the sins of the world.
The Old Testament sacrifices were a foreshadow of the Messiah that was to come. Jesus Christ offered His body for our sins because it was God’s will. Paul wrote in Hebrews 10:10, “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
In Matthew 12:12, Jesus said, “Of how much more value is a man than a sheep?” People are of more value to God than sheep. Thus, God offered His Son to pay the price for human sin. In 1 Peter 1:18-20, the Apostle Peter wrote, “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”
“I have proclaimed the Good News of righteousness in the great assembly. Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart. I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.” Psalm 40:9-10
The work of a prophet is to proclaim the good news of God’s righteousness to people. Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He commissioned His followers to preach His Gospel to all nations. Thus, in Acts 2:9-11, on the Day of Pentecost, when people from many nations gathered to hear the apostles speak, the apostles spoke of the wonderful works of God. In Acts 2:37-38, when people asked the apostles what they should do, Peter answered, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Like David, they had proclaimed the truth about God’s faithfulness and lovingkindness amidst a great assembly. The goal they sought to accomplish was that people would repent, be baptized into Jesus and to receive the Holy Spirit. The goal of a prophet is to see people transformed by the power of God.
God imputes and imparts His righteousness to all who believe in His Son Jesus Christ. And what is our faith but receptivity! Our faith receives Christ and all that He has done for us, including the pouring out of His Holy Spirit into us.
How was the Gospel preached in the Book of Acts? The answer is freely and openly. The early Christians did not refrain from speaking it. They did not hide or conceal it.
“Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord. Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.” Psalm 40:11
God did not withhold His tender mercies from us. Romans 8:32 confirms that God is generous with us: “Since He [God] did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” In Luke 12:32, Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
“For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. Therefore, my heart fails me.” Psalm 40:12
The Lord revealed to David how evil sin was in His sight. God’s Word and Spirit made David very conscientious. Like the publican in Luke 18:13, he dared not even lift his eyes toward heaven as long as he felt sinful. His sins were more than the hairs on his head. His heart was discouraged.
“Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help me! Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life. Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil. Let them be confounded because of their shame, who say to me, ‘Aha, aha!’” Psalm 40:13-15
The Lord is pleased to deliver us, and to do it quickly. Have we asked Him to intervene? In James 1:6-8, the Lord says to ask Him “in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
The Lord says in Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Do we come to God with doubts? Do we assume that it is worthless to seek Him? In Job 21:15, he described the wicked as those who say, “Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?”
Our Lord Jesus was beaten, flogged, crucified and buried, and then, three days later He was up and walking among His disciples and telling them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. After He appeared to over 500 people during a period of 40 days, He ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. What more do we need than Jesus? One plus Jesus is a majority.
In 1 Corinthians 15:57, Paul wrote, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In 2 Corinthians 2:14, he wrote, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.” In Colossians 2:14-16, Paul wrote that Christ wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He took them out of the way, having nailed them to the cross. Christ disarmed principalities and powers. He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross].
“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You. Let such as love Your salvation say continually, ‘The Lord be magnified!’” Psalm 40:16
Those that seek the Lord do rejoice and are glad in Him. Our Lord Jesus is wonderful! Jesus fills those who love Him with exceedingly great joy, so we want to say, “The Lord be magnified!”
“But I am poor and needy. Yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer. Do not delay, O my God.” Psalm 40:17
In contrast with the Lord’s majestic grandeur and mighty power, David saw himself as poor and needy. God was able to do so much more for and through him when he asked the Lord for help and deliverance. David enjoyed the blessed assurance that the Lord was thinking about him, and that the Lord was as close to him as the mention of His Name.
“He’s As Close As the Mention of His Name” is a chorus written by songwriter Gordon Jensen. It proclaims Christ’s constant presence and availability. The first verse and chorus declare, “In the very thought of Jesus His presence can be found. He’s as close as the mention of His Name. There is never any distance between my Lord and me. He’s as close as the mention of His Name. He’s as close as the mention of His Name, Jesus, Jesus.” [3] Amen!
[1] hymncharts.com/2024/04/08/the-story-behind-the-solid-rock/
[2] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
[3] Google Sources
Whether David spoke of a horrible pit and miry clay as a metaphor for a place of despair or as a literal muddy pit, we do not know. The narratives about him recorded in 1-2 Samuel do not speak of any time where he was in a pit. It is likely that he is speaking metaphorically. But his words have certainly resonated with faithful others who have indeed been delivered from pits.
Old Testament Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers. Jeremiah the prophet was thrown into a pit by the princes of Jerusalem. There was deep mire in his pit. The body of our Lord Jesus Christ was placed into a tomb after His earthly body died. But in all these cases, each of them were rescued from their pits.
The Lord set David’s feet on a rock. The word “rock” is often used in the Bible as a reference to the Word of God, and as a reference to Christ. According to 1 Corinthians 10:4, the spiritual rock that the Israelites drank from in the wilderness was Christ.
While in his pit, the Lord gave to David a song of praise. Some of the most beautiful hymns of the Church were composed by people who experienced great losses and hardships. They survived their ordeals by looking to the Lord for strength, and His love for them inspired them to compose a song about Him.
David waited patiently for the Lord, and the Lord came through for him. God answered his prayers.
Deliverance from the horrible pit was one miracle. Standing David upon a rock afterward was another. Christ is the rock on which a poor soul may stand fast.
In 1834, Edward Mote composed a hymn entitled, “My hope is Built on Nothing Less.” As Edward walked to his workshop in Holborn, London, the words of a chorus came to his mind. By the end of the day, he had penned four verses of what would become one of the most beloved hymns of all time. The following Sunday, Mote visited a friend whose wife lay ill. As they gathered to sing a hymn and pray together, Mote realized he had forgotten his hymnal. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the verses he had written just days before. The words brought comfort and solace to the ailing woman, and Mote, moved by the impact of his composition, added two more stanzas and had 1,000 copies printed to share with others. [1]
Verse one and the chorus are: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ Name. On Christ the solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.”
“Many shall see, and fear, and trust in the Lord.” When it pleased the Father to bruise His Son, and put Him to grief for our sins, He demanded our debt from Him. But then, the Father raised Him from the dead and ascended Him into heaven at His own right hand. Thus, many feared and placed their trust in Jesus Christ. God the Father accepted Christ’s payment for our sin.
“Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” Psalm 40:4
David invited others to make God their hope. Blessed are those who believe in the Lord. He urged us not to give respect to deceitful and proud people... people like the Pharisees. The Pharisees rejected Jesus. They rejected the gift of God’s righteousness, that is, Christ. They assumed that their own righteousness was sufficient, but Jesus told His listeners that unless their righteousness exceeded that of the Pharisees, they would not enter the kingdom of God.
“Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done. Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:5
God’s wonderful works are indeed many. Of the short time that Jesus ministered in-person on earth, John wrote in John 21:25, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”
“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire. My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book, it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.’” Psalm 40:6-8
This Psalm expresses the feelings of Christ. His ears were open to the Father’s voice. He delighted to do His Father’s will. God’s law was in His heart. He preached good news to the poor, and did not hold back. He demonstrated the lovingkindness of God and always spoke the truth. Christ’s suffering is our example, and His deliverance our encouragement. [2]
In Hebrews 10:5, Paul quoted Psalms 40:6 as the words of Christ. He wrote, “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,’” then, Paul added, “but a body You have prepared for Me.” The Heavenly Father gave to His Son a human body so that His body could be the perfect, untainted by sin, body sacrificed for the sins of the world.
The Old Testament sacrifices were a foreshadow of the Messiah that was to come. Jesus Christ offered His body for our sins because it was God’s will. Paul wrote in Hebrews 10:10, “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
In Matthew 12:12, Jesus said, “Of how much more value is a man than a sheep?” People are of more value to God than sheep. Thus, God offered His Son to pay the price for human sin. In 1 Peter 1:18-20, the Apostle Peter wrote, “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”
“I have proclaimed the Good News of righteousness in the great assembly. Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart. I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.” Psalm 40:9-10
The work of a prophet is to proclaim the good news of God’s righteousness to people. Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He commissioned His followers to preach His Gospel to all nations. Thus, in Acts 2:9-11, on the Day of Pentecost, when people from many nations gathered to hear the apostles speak, the apostles spoke of the wonderful works of God. In Acts 2:37-38, when people asked the apostles what they should do, Peter answered, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Like David, they had proclaimed the truth about God’s faithfulness and lovingkindness amidst a great assembly. The goal they sought to accomplish was that people would repent, be baptized into Jesus and to receive the Holy Spirit. The goal of a prophet is to see people transformed by the power of God.
God imputes and imparts His righteousness to all who believe in His Son Jesus Christ. And what is our faith but receptivity! Our faith receives Christ and all that He has done for us, including the pouring out of His Holy Spirit into us.
How was the Gospel preached in the Book of Acts? The answer is freely and openly. The early Christians did not refrain from speaking it. They did not hide or conceal it.
“Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord. Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.” Psalm 40:11
God did not withhold His tender mercies from us. Romans 8:32 confirms that God is generous with us: “Since He [God] did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” In Luke 12:32, Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
“For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. Therefore, my heart fails me.” Psalm 40:12
The Lord revealed to David how evil sin was in His sight. God’s Word and Spirit made David very conscientious. Like the publican in Luke 18:13, he dared not even lift his eyes toward heaven as long as he felt sinful. His sins were more than the hairs on his head. His heart was discouraged.
“Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help me! Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life. Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil. Let them be confounded because of their shame, who say to me, ‘Aha, aha!’” Psalm 40:13-15
The Lord is pleased to deliver us, and to do it quickly. Have we asked Him to intervene? In James 1:6-8, the Lord says to ask Him “in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
The Lord says in Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Do we come to God with doubts? Do we assume that it is worthless to seek Him? In Job 21:15, he described the wicked as those who say, “Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?”
Our Lord Jesus was beaten, flogged, crucified and buried, and then, three days later He was up and walking among His disciples and telling them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. After He appeared to over 500 people during a period of 40 days, He ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. What more do we need than Jesus? One plus Jesus is a majority.
In 1 Corinthians 15:57, Paul wrote, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In 2 Corinthians 2:14, he wrote, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.” In Colossians 2:14-16, Paul wrote that Christ wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He took them out of the way, having nailed them to the cross. Christ disarmed principalities and powers. He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross].
“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You. Let such as love Your salvation say continually, ‘The Lord be magnified!’” Psalm 40:16
Those that seek the Lord do rejoice and are glad in Him. Our Lord Jesus is wonderful! Jesus fills those who love Him with exceedingly great joy, so we want to say, “The Lord be magnified!”
“But I am poor and needy. Yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer. Do not delay, O my God.” Psalm 40:17
In contrast with the Lord’s majestic grandeur and mighty power, David saw himself as poor and needy. God was able to do so much more for and through him when he asked the Lord for help and deliverance. David enjoyed the blessed assurance that the Lord was thinking about him, and that the Lord was as close to him as the mention of His Name.
“He’s As Close As the Mention of His Name” is a chorus written by songwriter Gordon Jensen. It proclaims Christ’s constant presence and availability. The first verse and chorus declare, “In the very thought of Jesus His presence can be found. He’s as close as the mention of His Name. There is never any distance between my Lord and me. He’s as close as the mention of His Name. He’s as close as the mention of His Name, Jesus, Jesus.” [3] Amen!
[1] hymncharts.com/2024/04/08/the-story-behind-the-solid-rock/
[2] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
[3] Google Sources
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Make Me to Know My End – Psalm 39
“To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, ‘I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue. I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.’ I was mute with silence. I held my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me. While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: ‘Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.” Psalm 39:1-4
How often have words from our mouths hurt ourselves and others? How many relationships have been shipwrecked by a single sentence? In James 3:2, the Bible says, “If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” James 3:5 warns us, “The tongue is a little member and boasts great things.”
Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” In Matthew 12:37, Jesus revealed to us, “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Thus, the Holy Spirit helped David to avoid sinning with his tongue. God’s Spirit muzzled and muted his mouth in the presence of his enemies. He helped him to hold his peace.
When David’s heart grew hot within him, what did he do it about it? He used his tongue to pray. He prayed, “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.” An excellent prayer!
I wish I had known my end from the beginning. Now that I am older, and now that the Lord has helped me to discern more about myself than I could see before, I experience sorrows of heart. I know God has forgiven my sins, but alas, some of my words and deeds have hurt people, and especially made God’s heart sad.
My life on earth is not yet over, so on the one hand, I want to continue to pray that the Lord will keep me mindful of the day I shall meet Him, and on the other hand, I pray that the Lord will help me to make amends with those I have hurt.
We know that we shall die, but some refuse to think about it. David prayed, “Lord, make me to consider my end.” For those in Christ, the end is the end of grief, for those without Christ the end is the end of happiness. Prudence says, “Embrace Christ! End with Him in paradise!”
The Lord recommends that we ask for His help before we talk with people. The Holy Spirit who helped David to restrain his tongue and muzzle his mouth, will help us as well.
Mouths, tongues and words used in worship to the Lord are good uses of such.
David gave the words of this song to Jeduthun. Jeduthun is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 16:37-42 along with Asaph and Heman as chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord. He and they did so with trumpets, cymbals, musical instruments and singers. According to 1 Chronicles 25:2-4, Jeduthun had six sons, Asaph had four sons and Heman had fourteen sons who were on the worship team. 1 Chronicles 25:1 says that they prophesied with their instruments. 1 Chronicles 25:5 says that Heman was David’s seer in the words of God. These worship leaders enjoyed a close relationship with the Lord as should be the case with all who lead others in worship to God.
David wanted his words to bless not curse. In James 3:10-11, the Bible says, “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?”
David was resolved to “take heed to” his “ways.” He did not want to speak bitter words. He did not want to say words that might harden his listeners or give them occasion to blaspheme. [1]
In Matthew 7:6, Jesus said, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” If your hearers have made it known to you that they don’t want you to talk about God, don’t provoke them.
In Ephesians 4:29, the Bible says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
By God’s grace, David was able to bridle his tongue, but the passion within him grew hot. It was as a fire in his bones. After so much silence, he vented his passion before the Lord.
“Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You. Certainly, every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah! Surely every man walks about like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up riches and does not know who will gather them.” Psalm 39:5-6
“Man takes a great deal of pains to heap up riches, and they are but like heaps of manure in the furrows of the field, good for nothing unless they be spread.” [2]
“And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” Psalm 39:7
When David thought about the future, he thought about the Lord. He hoped in the Lord.
In 1 Timothy 6:17, Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy, saying, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”
“Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. I was mute, I did not open my mouth, because it was You who did it.” Psalm 39:8-9
Only the Lord could and would forgive all David’s transgressions. In Psalm 32:5, David wrote, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
Only the Lord could keep the reproaches of fools from reaching David’s ears.
Who did God call a fool in the Bible? In Luke 12:19-20, God called the man who laid up treasures for himself on earth and was not rich toward God a fool. God suddenly required his soul and he could not take his riches with him.
What does God say about speaking with fools? In Proverbs 23:9, He says, “Do not speak in the hearing of a fool for he will despise the wisdom of your words.” In Proverbs 14:7, He says, “Go from the presence of a foolish man when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.”
“Remove Your plague from me. I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth. Surely every man is vapor. Selah! Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry. Do not be silent at my tears, for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, before I go away and am no more.” Psalm 39:10-13
Plagued! Struck by the hand of God! Rebuked! His beauty removed! Feeling estranged! A speaker for God may feel at times that God is unfair due to the treatment he or she receives in this world. What kind of treatment did our Lord Jesus experience when He walked among us?
Isaiah 52:14 says of Christ that His appearance was marred more than any man. Isaiah 53:2 says that He had no beauty that we should desire Him. Isaiah 53:3 says that people hid their faces from Him and that He was despised. Isaiah 53:4-5 says that He was struck and afflicted by God. He was chastised, wounded and bruised by God for our sins. While hanging on the cross, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” When the sun stopped shining during daylight hours, and the earth quaked, it seemed to say, “God has turned His face from You His Son.” He was taken away and laid in a tomb. It seemed that He was to be no more.
However, the Gospel is that on the third day after Jesus Christ was laid in the tomb, He was resurrected from the dead to die no more.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the promise that God made to David in 2 Samuel 7:13-16, where God said, “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your Seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom. He shall build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son... And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” Hallelujah!
One way to frame suffering for Christ is to rejoice that He has counted you worthy to embody His ministry here on earth. In Acts 5:40-41, after the disciples had been beaten for testifying for Christ, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name.” Such suffering is a powerful witness to unbelievers, and in Revelation 2:10, the Lord says, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary – edited for readability
[2] Ibid
How often have words from our mouths hurt ourselves and others? How many relationships have been shipwrecked by a single sentence? In James 3:2, the Bible says, “If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” James 3:5 warns us, “The tongue is a little member and boasts great things.”
Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” In Matthew 12:37, Jesus revealed to us, “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Thus, the Holy Spirit helped David to avoid sinning with his tongue. God’s Spirit muzzled and muted his mouth in the presence of his enemies. He helped him to hold his peace.
When David’s heart grew hot within him, what did he do it about it? He used his tongue to pray. He prayed, “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.” An excellent prayer!
I wish I had known my end from the beginning. Now that I am older, and now that the Lord has helped me to discern more about myself than I could see before, I experience sorrows of heart. I know God has forgiven my sins, but alas, some of my words and deeds have hurt people, and especially made God’s heart sad.
My life on earth is not yet over, so on the one hand, I want to continue to pray that the Lord will keep me mindful of the day I shall meet Him, and on the other hand, I pray that the Lord will help me to make amends with those I have hurt.
We know that we shall die, but some refuse to think about it. David prayed, “Lord, make me to consider my end.” For those in Christ, the end is the end of grief, for those without Christ the end is the end of happiness. Prudence says, “Embrace Christ! End with Him in paradise!”
The Lord recommends that we ask for His help before we talk with people. The Holy Spirit who helped David to restrain his tongue and muzzle his mouth, will help us as well.
Mouths, tongues and words used in worship to the Lord are good uses of such.
David gave the words of this song to Jeduthun. Jeduthun is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 16:37-42 along with Asaph and Heman as chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord. He and they did so with trumpets, cymbals, musical instruments and singers. According to 1 Chronicles 25:2-4, Jeduthun had six sons, Asaph had four sons and Heman had fourteen sons who were on the worship team. 1 Chronicles 25:1 says that they prophesied with their instruments. 1 Chronicles 25:5 says that Heman was David’s seer in the words of God. These worship leaders enjoyed a close relationship with the Lord as should be the case with all who lead others in worship to God.
David wanted his words to bless not curse. In James 3:10-11, the Bible says, “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?”
David was resolved to “take heed to” his “ways.” He did not want to speak bitter words. He did not want to say words that might harden his listeners or give them occasion to blaspheme. [1]
In Matthew 7:6, Jesus said, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” If your hearers have made it known to you that they don’t want you to talk about God, don’t provoke them.
In Ephesians 4:29, the Bible says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
By God’s grace, David was able to bridle his tongue, but the passion within him grew hot. It was as a fire in his bones. After so much silence, he vented his passion before the Lord.
“Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You. Certainly, every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah! Surely every man walks about like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up riches and does not know who will gather them.” Psalm 39:5-6
“Man takes a great deal of pains to heap up riches, and they are but like heaps of manure in the furrows of the field, good for nothing unless they be spread.” [2]
“And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” Psalm 39:7
When David thought about the future, he thought about the Lord. He hoped in the Lord.
In 1 Timothy 6:17, Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy, saying, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”
“Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. I was mute, I did not open my mouth, because it was You who did it.” Psalm 39:8-9
Only the Lord could and would forgive all David’s transgressions. In Psalm 32:5, David wrote, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
Only the Lord could keep the reproaches of fools from reaching David’s ears.
Who did God call a fool in the Bible? In Luke 12:19-20, God called the man who laid up treasures for himself on earth and was not rich toward God a fool. God suddenly required his soul and he could not take his riches with him.
What does God say about speaking with fools? In Proverbs 23:9, He says, “Do not speak in the hearing of a fool for he will despise the wisdom of your words.” In Proverbs 14:7, He says, “Go from the presence of a foolish man when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.”
“Remove Your plague from me. I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth. Surely every man is vapor. Selah! Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry. Do not be silent at my tears, for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, before I go away and am no more.” Psalm 39:10-13
Plagued! Struck by the hand of God! Rebuked! His beauty removed! Feeling estranged! A speaker for God may feel at times that God is unfair due to the treatment he or she receives in this world. What kind of treatment did our Lord Jesus experience when He walked among us?
Isaiah 52:14 says of Christ that His appearance was marred more than any man. Isaiah 53:2 says that He had no beauty that we should desire Him. Isaiah 53:3 says that people hid their faces from Him and that He was despised. Isaiah 53:4-5 says that He was struck and afflicted by God. He was chastised, wounded and bruised by God for our sins. While hanging on the cross, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” When the sun stopped shining during daylight hours, and the earth quaked, it seemed to say, “God has turned His face from You His Son.” He was taken away and laid in a tomb. It seemed that He was to be no more.
However, the Gospel is that on the third day after Jesus Christ was laid in the tomb, He was resurrected from the dead to die no more.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the promise that God made to David in 2 Samuel 7:13-16, where God said, “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your Seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom. He shall build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son... And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” Hallelujah!
One way to frame suffering for Christ is to rejoice that He has counted you worthy to embody His ministry here on earth. In Acts 5:40-41, after the disciples had been beaten for testifying for Christ, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name.” Such suffering is a powerful witness to unbelievers, and in Revelation 2:10, the Lord says, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Being mindful of our “end” here (earth), helps us to live productively for Christ until there (heaven).
Praise the Lord!
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary – edited for readability
[2] Ibid
Monday, April 13, 2026
Love Amidst Adversities – Psalm 38
“A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance. O Lord do not rebuke me in Your wrath, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! For Your arrows pierce me deeply, and Your hand presses me down. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head. Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness.” Psalm 38:1-5
Psalms 38 and 70 are titled, “Songs of Remembrance.” They were penned on a day of affliction. [1]
David asked the Lord not to rebuke or chasten him with hot displeasure! God’s arrows and hand had descended into him. The Hebrew word in Psalm 38:2 for “pierced” and “presses” is the same word [נָחַת] which means “to descend into.” Thus, there was no soundness in his flesh and no health in his bones. David compared his sin to a burden too heavy for him to carry. [2]
Proverbs 18:14 says, “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?”
David characterized his past foolishness as a foul and festering wound. Is there a medicine that heals wounds caused by foolish choices? The answer is faith in the Lamb of God Jesus Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul wrote, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
I am so glad that the Spirit of God, washed, sanctified and justified many Christians including myself in the Name of Jesus Christ from our past foolish choices.
In Romans 5:6-8, Paul wrote, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God loved us when we were without strength and ungodly, and He loves us NOW that we have received Him, believed in Him, and profess Him as our Lord and Savior.
When God the Holy Spirit takes aim at our foolish pride, His arrows hit their mark, go deep and the pain hurts, but when He does this it is to help us to grow in Christlikeness.
“I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly. I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are full of inflammation, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and severely broken. I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.” Psalm 38:6-8
“David bemoans himself because of his afflictions and gives ease to his grief by giving vent to it and pouring out his complaint before the Lord.” [3]
David, though a man of God and a prophet, was not exempt from illness. Sin left him feeling feeble and broken hearted. Unresolved sin had a crippling impact on his health.
“Lord, all my desire is before You. My sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, my strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.” Psalm 38:9-10
In Romans 8:26-27, Paul wrote, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
When I stop to pray and streams of prayers don’t come forth, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me to pray. “Be the wind in my sails!” “Stream Your prayers through me!” The Holy Spirit is the oil that the lamp of our soul needs to burn brightly for God and others.
“My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, and my relatives stand afar off.” Psalm 38:11
David’s friends and relatives wanted nothing to do with him and his spiritual battles. Like the priest and Levite in Luke 10:31, they made a point of avoiding him.
Our adversities help us to discern between genuine and disingenuous friends. I like what Joseph Medlicott Scriven wrote in his hymn entitled, “What a Friend We have in Jesus.” The words of his third verse are: “Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge – take it to the Lord in prayer! Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield you. You will find a solace there.” [4]
“Those also who seek my life lay snares for me. Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, and plan deception all the day long. But I, like a deaf man, do not hear. I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. Thus I am like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth is no response.” Psalm 38:12-14
David grieved that people sought to trap him. Talk of his demise was a popular conversation topic. He did not know what they would do next. His response to their chatter was to act as though he did not hear what they had said. He did not answer their false accusations and insults.
God’s Spirit helped David to be like Jesus. 1 Peter 2:22-23 speaks of Jesus: “He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.”
“For in You, O Lord, I hope. You will hear, O Lord my God. For I said, ‘Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.’ For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity. I will be in anguish over my sin. But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong. Those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied. Those also who render evil for good, they are my adversaries, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O Lord. O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!” Psalm 38:15-22
David wanted to be honest and transparent about his past sins so as to magnify God’s grace and forgiveness, but his adversaries used his words against him. He intended to help them learn of the goodness and grace of God, but they responded with strong hatred toward him. So, rather than to appeal to any sense of decency that might be hidden in their hearts, David turned to the Lord, and cried, “O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation.”
In 1 Peter 4:19, the Apostle Peter wrote, “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”
I am so glad that David prayed, “Make haste to help me, O Lord” because so often I have felt my patience and endurance running thin amidst persecution. I wanted quick relief. The Lord lets us know through David that He accepts and responds to requests for urgent care.
Finally, in James 5:13-16, the Lord says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
Personal prayers, songs of praise, asking others to pray for you, anointing oil, faith, confession of sin to trustworthy friends and forgiveness from God... then more prayers... fervent prayers... these are means by which the Holy Spirit helps us to maintain love for God and love for people amidst adversity.
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] Brown-Driver-Briggs (Old Testament Hebrew-English Lexicon)
[3] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[4] Hymnary.org
Psalms 38 and 70 are titled, “Songs of Remembrance.” They were penned on a day of affliction. [1]
David asked the Lord not to rebuke or chasten him with hot displeasure! God’s arrows and hand had descended into him. The Hebrew word in Psalm 38:2 for “pierced” and “presses” is the same word [נָחַת] which means “to descend into.” Thus, there was no soundness in his flesh and no health in his bones. David compared his sin to a burden too heavy for him to carry. [2]
Proverbs 18:14 says, “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?”
David characterized his past foolishness as a foul and festering wound. Is there a medicine that heals wounds caused by foolish choices? The answer is faith in the Lamb of God Jesus Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul wrote, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
I am so glad that the Spirit of God, washed, sanctified and justified many Christians including myself in the Name of Jesus Christ from our past foolish choices.
In Romans 5:6-8, Paul wrote, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God loved us when we were without strength and ungodly, and He loves us NOW that we have received Him, believed in Him, and profess Him as our Lord and Savior.
When God the Holy Spirit takes aim at our foolish pride, His arrows hit their mark, go deep and the pain hurts, but when He does this it is to help us to grow in Christlikeness.
“I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly. I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are full of inflammation, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and severely broken. I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.” Psalm 38:6-8
“David bemoans himself because of his afflictions and gives ease to his grief by giving vent to it and pouring out his complaint before the Lord.” [3]
David, though a man of God and a prophet, was not exempt from illness. Sin left him feeling feeble and broken hearted. Unresolved sin had a crippling impact on his health.
“Lord, all my desire is before You. My sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, my strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.” Psalm 38:9-10
In Romans 8:26-27, Paul wrote, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
When I stop to pray and streams of prayers don’t come forth, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me to pray. “Be the wind in my sails!” “Stream Your prayers through me!” The Holy Spirit is the oil that the lamp of our soul needs to burn brightly for God and others.
“My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, and my relatives stand afar off.” Psalm 38:11
David’s friends and relatives wanted nothing to do with him and his spiritual battles. Like the priest and Levite in Luke 10:31, they made a point of avoiding him.
Our adversities help us to discern between genuine and disingenuous friends. I like what Joseph Medlicott Scriven wrote in his hymn entitled, “What a Friend We have in Jesus.” The words of his third verse are: “Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge – take it to the Lord in prayer! Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield you. You will find a solace there.” [4]
“Those also who seek my life lay snares for me. Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, and plan deception all the day long. But I, like a deaf man, do not hear. I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. Thus I am like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth is no response.” Psalm 38:12-14
David grieved that people sought to trap him. Talk of his demise was a popular conversation topic. He did not know what they would do next. His response to their chatter was to act as though he did not hear what they had said. He did not answer their false accusations and insults.
God’s Spirit helped David to be like Jesus. 1 Peter 2:22-23 speaks of Jesus: “He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.”
“For in You, O Lord, I hope. You will hear, O Lord my God. For I said, ‘Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.’ For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity. I will be in anguish over my sin. But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong. Those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied. Those also who render evil for good, they are my adversaries, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O Lord. O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!” Psalm 38:15-22
David wanted to be honest and transparent about his past sins so as to magnify God’s grace and forgiveness, but his adversaries used his words against him. He intended to help them learn of the goodness and grace of God, but they responded with strong hatred toward him. So, rather than to appeal to any sense of decency that might be hidden in their hearts, David turned to the Lord, and cried, “O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation.”
In 1 Peter 4:19, the Apostle Peter wrote, “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”
I am so glad that David prayed, “Make haste to help me, O Lord” because so often I have felt my patience and endurance running thin amidst persecution. I wanted quick relief. The Lord lets us know through David that He accepts and responds to requests for urgent care.
Finally, in James 5:13-16, the Lord says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
Personal prayers, songs of praise, asking others to pray for you, anointing oil, faith, confession of sin to trustworthy friends and forgiveness from God... then more prayers... fervent prayers... these are means by which the Holy Spirit helps us to maintain love for God and love for people amidst adversity.
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] Brown-Driver-Briggs (Old Testament Hebrew-English Lexicon)
[3] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[4] Hymnary.org
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Faith not Fret – Psalm 37
“A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.” Psalm 37:1-2
Mowed like grass! Withered plants! The Lord promises us that evil workers will expire. Why fret over them? Why envy them? The Lord says, “Don’t!”
Do evil deeds yield peace of mind? No, eventually they yield regret and sorrow.
In 1 Corinthians 13:2-3, God’s Word says. “If I do not have love, I am nothing. If I do not have love, I gain nothing.” In Acts 20:35, Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
God gave us the road map to happiness when He said to love Him with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good, dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:3-4
With love for God and neighbor as your focus, dwell in the land (be actively involved) and do good. Feed Your soul continuously on God’s faithfulness which resounds beautifully from the words in the Bible. Delight in the Lord! You can do this by worshiping Him with songs and by saying to Him throughout the day, “I love You Lord!” The Lord fills delighters in Him with love.
What is the desire of a good man? It is to know, love, and please God and to be pleased in Him.
“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your care on Him because He cares for you.” Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” In Job 19:25, amidst adversities, Job boldly declared, “I know that my Redeemer lives.” And in due season, God doubly blessed him.
“He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” Psalm 37:6
Our righteousness and justice appeared when Jesus Christ showed up. He is the Just One and the Justifier of all who believe that His blood cleanses us from sin. The righteousness of Christ is bright. No one ever shined as bright as He did when He took on the sins of the world, never complained about it, and though treated most shamefully and abusively, He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
1 Peter 3:18 says, “Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” “Thank You Jesus!”
“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more. Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Psalm 37:7-11
In John 21:18, Jesus told Peter, “Most assuredly, when you were younger, you clothed yourself and walked where you wished, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will clothe you and carry you where you do not wish.”
In John 21:20-21, Peter noticed the disciple whom Jesus loved following them and asked Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to Peter, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
The disciple that Peter pointed out to Jesus enjoyed a great relationship with Jesus. That disciple was not bringing evil schemes to pass. Peter, however, was fretting over the life that Jesus described for him. Would the other disciple receive a greater calling than him? Jesus diverted Peter’s thoughts away from comparative thoughts about his peers. He told Peter, “Follow Me.”
Since the Lord does not want us to compete with our fellow followers of Him, why would we consider even for a moment, to want to be like the wicked? The Lord says to cease from anger. Forsake wrath! Don’t fret! Fretting is hazardous to your health. Once, we get to heaven, we will never see the wicked again. They will be gone from us forever.
In regards to the greatest of outcomes that one can hope for, the Lord says that the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
In Luke 22:35, Jesus asked His disciples, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” They replied, “Nothing.” God met their needs.
“The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.” Psalm 37:12
The wicked are like the thorns Jesus spoke of Matthew 13:7. They spring up and make every effort to choke out the good seed. Their aim is to destroy their righteousness.
“The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.” Psalm 37:13
In Psalm 2:1-5, the Lord laughs at nations who rage against Him. He laughs at kings who make worthless plots against Him. He sees that they do not want a relationship with Him. “He shall speak to them in His wrath. He shall distress them.”
“The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct.” Psalm 37:14
Though the upright in this passage are already poor and needy, that is not enough, the wicked want to seek them out and shoot arrows at them. They want to cut them down with a sword.
In Ephesians 6:16, the Lord says, “Take the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”
In Mark 6:14-29, Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded with a sword. In Acts 12:2, Herod Agrippa I, the nephew of Herod Antipas, slew Apostle James with the sword. In Revelation 20:4, the Lord revealed to the Apostle John “the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God.”
Tertullian, a second-century Christian apologist wrote in his work Apologeticus, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” When evildoers put a godly person to death, it inspires those who previously did nothing and said nothing, to pray, stand up and witness for Christ. [1]
“Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.” Psalm 37:15
What happened to the kings who beheaded John the Baptist and the Apostle James? According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Herod Antipas was later accused of conspiracy by his nephew, Herod Agrippa I, and was exiled by the Roman Emperor Caligula. According to Acts 12:23, the angel of the Lord smote Herod Agrippa I dead, and worms ate him. In Mark 9:44, Jesus described hell as a place where worms die not and the fire is not quenched. [2]
“A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off.” Psalm 37:16-22
How is the righteous man’s little better than the riches of many wicked men’s wealth? Quite often what the righteous man receives comes to him in answer to prayer. As Paul wrote, “We live by faith not by sight.” For example, in 1985, when I left the USA to preach the Gospel in Hong Kong, I had $200 in my pocket. I could not afford to bring my wife and baby with me. Within two months, the Lord provided sufficient funds for them to join me. He also upgraded me from an uncomfortable apartment to a better one before they arrived. My “crazy idea” which mockers told me would fail, lasted until June 1997. I remember feeling so loved of God each time that He graciously provided for us. Glory to God!
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23-24
The Lord by His grace and Holy Spirit directs the thoughts, affections, and paths of His people. He delights in leading a good man from glory to glory. God orders the steps of a good man not only in general, but also by His written Word. [3]
God has given us precious promises in His Word. In Isaiah 42:16, He says, “I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.” In Isaiah 48:17, He says, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.”
“I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful and lends; and his descendants are blessed.” Psalm 37:25-27
When we served the Lord overseas, we often quoted the above verse to stave off the fear of deprivation. We did not tell people our needs unless they asked us, and even then, we only did so if we had peace that we were not compromising our faith in God’s faithfulness. Sometimes our provisions were very basic, and other times, our supplies overflowed and we were able to provide generous contributions to orphans in China.
The Lord has blessed our descendants. All four of our children are happily married with children. While on the mission field, the Lord taught them to trust in His promises, to praise Him, to use money wisely, to work hard, and to associate with people who love the Lord.
“Depart from evil and do good, and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice and does not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.” Psalm 37:28-29
When you come to a fork in the road, and you have to choose between the Lord’s way or the world’s way, bolt down the path of the Lord. Think of your choices as an expression of love for God. Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
“The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The Law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide. The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.” Psalm 37:30-33
Everywhere Jesus went, He dispensed words of wisdom and justice. He fulfilled God’s Law both by His words and deeds. The Pharisees tried to provoke Him to say something wrong but failed. He never slipped. Although the Pharisees condemned Him, three days later, the Heavenly Father resurrected Him. Fake religious leaders never have the last word with God.
Nowadays, Jesus continues to dispense wisdom and justice through us who are taught by Him.
“Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a native green tree. Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more. Indeed, I sought him, but he could not be found.” Psalm 37:34-36
The Lord exalts those who wait on Him and keep His way. Waiting and keeping requires patience and endurance, but so does working to acquire a land with your own ingenuity and effort.
The wicked in this passage are like unto the hare in Aesop’s fable, “The Tortoise and the Hare.” The hare ridicules the slow-moving tortoise because they are racing one another and he knows that he has the advantage. Confident of winning, the hare takes a nap midway through the race. When he awakes, he finds that his slow but steady competitor has won the race.
In a similar way, when the wicked possesses great power and has spread out in every direction, he assumes that he is invincible. However, he lacked divine wisdom. Jesus compared those who do not build their life on the Word of God to ill-advised builders whose buildings don’t last long.
Fools believe they can ignore God and prosper, yet in a moment, their belief is realized as a lie.
“Mark the blameless man and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.” Psalm 37:37-40
Worries about the wicked trouble the mind. Focus on the Lord gives peace of mind.
Blameless and upright people walk with God. He is their peace and strength. He is their helper and deliverer. He is their supplier and Savior. He is the light that shines in and through them.
[1] GotQuestions.org
[2] Ibid
[3] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Mowed like grass! Withered plants! The Lord promises us that evil workers will expire. Why fret over them? Why envy them? The Lord says, “Don’t!”
Do evil deeds yield peace of mind? No, eventually they yield regret and sorrow.
In 1 Corinthians 13:2-3, God’s Word says. “If I do not have love, I am nothing. If I do not have love, I gain nothing.” In Acts 20:35, Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
God gave us the road map to happiness when He said to love Him with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good, dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:3-4
With love for God and neighbor as your focus, dwell in the land (be actively involved) and do good. Feed Your soul continuously on God’s faithfulness which resounds beautifully from the words in the Bible. Delight in the Lord! You can do this by worshiping Him with songs and by saying to Him throughout the day, “I love You Lord!” The Lord fills delighters in Him with love.
What is the desire of a good man? It is to know, love, and please God and to be pleased in Him.
“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your care on Him because He cares for you.” Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” In Job 19:25, amidst adversities, Job boldly declared, “I know that my Redeemer lives.” And in due season, God doubly blessed him.
“He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” Psalm 37:6
Our righteousness and justice appeared when Jesus Christ showed up. He is the Just One and the Justifier of all who believe that His blood cleanses us from sin. The righteousness of Christ is bright. No one ever shined as bright as He did when He took on the sins of the world, never complained about it, and though treated most shamefully and abusively, He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
1 Peter 3:18 says, “Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” “Thank You Jesus!”
“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more. Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Psalm 37:7-11
In John 21:18, Jesus told Peter, “Most assuredly, when you were younger, you clothed yourself and walked where you wished, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will clothe you and carry you where you do not wish.”
In John 21:20-21, Peter noticed the disciple whom Jesus loved following them and asked Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to Peter, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
The disciple that Peter pointed out to Jesus enjoyed a great relationship with Jesus. That disciple was not bringing evil schemes to pass. Peter, however, was fretting over the life that Jesus described for him. Would the other disciple receive a greater calling than him? Jesus diverted Peter’s thoughts away from comparative thoughts about his peers. He told Peter, “Follow Me.”
Since the Lord does not want us to compete with our fellow followers of Him, why would we consider even for a moment, to want to be like the wicked? The Lord says to cease from anger. Forsake wrath! Don’t fret! Fretting is hazardous to your health. Once, we get to heaven, we will never see the wicked again. They will be gone from us forever.
In regards to the greatest of outcomes that one can hope for, the Lord says that the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
In Luke 22:35, Jesus asked His disciples, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” They replied, “Nothing.” God met their needs.
“The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.” Psalm 37:12
The wicked are like the thorns Jesus spoke of Matthew 13:7. They spring up and make every effort to choke out the good seed. Their aim is to destroy their righteousness.
“The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.” Psalm 37:13
In Psalm 2:1-5, the Lord laughs at nations who rage against Him. He laughs at kings who make worthless plots against Him. He sees that they do not want a relationship with Him. “He shall speak to them in His wrath. He shall distress them.”
“The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct.” Psalm 37:14
Though the upright in this passage are already poor and needy, that is not enough, the wicked want to seek them out and shoot arrows at them. They want to cut them down with a sword.
In Ephesians 6:16, the Lord says, “Take the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”
In Mark 6:14-29, Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded with a sword. In Acts 12:2, Herod Agrippa I, the nephew of Herod Antipas, slew Apostle James with the sword. In Revelation 20:4, the Lord revealed to the Apostle John “the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God.”
Tertullian, a second-century Christian apologist wrote in his work Apologeticus, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” When evildoers put a godly person to death, it inspires those who previously did nothing and said nothing, to pray, stand up and witness for Christ. [1]
“Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.” Psalm 37:15
What happened to the kings who beheaded John the Baptist and the Apostle James? According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Herod Antipas was later accused of conspiracy by his nephew, Herod Agrippa I, and was exiled by the Roman Emperor Caligula. According to Acts 12:23, the angel of the Lord smote Herod Agrippa I dead, and worms ate him. In Mark 9:44, Jesus described hell as a place where worms die not and the fire is not quenched. [2]
“A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off.” Psalm 37:16-22
How is the righteous man’s little better than the riches of many wicked men’s wealth? Quite often what the righteous man receives comes to him in answer to prayer. As Paul wrote, “We live by faith not by sight.” For example, in 1985, when I left the USA to preach the Gospel in Hong Kong, I had $200 in my pocket. I could not afford to bring my wife and baby with me. Within two months, the Lord provided sufficient funds for them to join me. He also upgraded me from an uncomfortable apartment to a better one before they arrived. My “crazy idea” which mockers told me would fail, lasted until June 1997. I remember feeling so loved of God each time that He graciously provided for us. Glory to God!
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23-24
The Lord by His grace and Holy Spirit directs the thoughts, affections, and paths of His people. He delights in leading a good man from glory to glory. God orders the steps of a good man not only in general, but also by His written Word. [3]
God has given us precious promises in His Word. In Isaiah 42:16, He says, “I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.” In Isaiah 48:17, He says, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.”
“I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful and lends; and his descendants are blessed.” Psalm 37:25-27
When we served the Lord overseas, we often quoted the above verse to stave off the fear of deprivation. We did not tell people our needs unless they asked us, and even then, we only did so if we had peace that we were not compromising our faith in God’s faithfulness. Sometimes our provisions were very basic, and other times, our supplies overflowed and we were able to provide generous contributions to orphans in China.
The Lord has blessed our descendants. All four of our children are happily married with children. While on the mission field, the Lord taught them to trust in His promises, to praise Him, to use money wisely, to work hard, and to associate with people who love the Lord.
“Depart from evil and do good, and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice and does not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.” Psalm 37:28-29
When you come to a fork in the road, and you have to choose between the Lord’s way or the world’s way, bolt down the path of the Lord. Think of your choices as an expression of love for God. Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
“The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The Law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide. The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.” Psalm 37:30-33
Everywhere Jesus went, He dispensed words of wisdom and justice. He fulfilled God’s Law both by His words and deeds. The Pharisees tried to provoke Him to say something wrong but failed. He never slipped. Although the Pharisees condemned Him, three days later, the Heavenly Father resurrected Him. Fake religious leaders never have the last word with God.
Nowadays, Jesus continues to dispense wisdom and justice through us who are taught by Him.
“Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a native green tree. Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more. Indeed, I sought him, but he could not be found.” Psalm 37:34-36
The Lord exalts those who wait on Him and keep His way. Waiting and keeping requires patience and endurance, but so does working to acquire a land with your own ingenuity and effort.
The wicked in this passage are like unto the hare in Aesop’s fable, “The Tortoise and the Hare.” The hare ridicules the slow-moving tortoise because they are racing one another and he knows that he has the advantage. Confident of winning, the hare takes a nap midway through the race. When he awakes, he finds that his slow but steady competitor has won the race.
In a similar way, when the wicked possesses great power and has spread out in every direction, he assumes that he is invincible. However, he lacked divine wisdom. Jesus compared those who do not build their life on the Word of God to ill-advised builders whose buildings don’t last long.
Fools believe they can ignore God and prosper, yet in a moment, their belief is realized as a lie.
“Mark the blameless man and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.” Psalm 37:37-40
Worries about the wicked trouble the mind. Focus on the Lord gives peace of mind.
Blameless and upright people walk with God. He is their peace and strength. He is their helper and deliverer. He is their supplier and Savior. He is the light that shines in and through them.
[1] GotQuestions.org
[2] Ibid
[3] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Saturday, April 11, 2026
The Fountain of Life – Psalm 36
“To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David the servant of the Lord! The transgression of the wicked says within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes when he finds out his iniquity and when he hates. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good. He devises wickedness on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He does not abhor evil.” Psalm 36:1-4
As David served the Lord, the Lord gave to him a song. David gave this song to his nation’s chief musician. The lyrics of the song contrast the deeds of the wicked with God’s goodness. [1]
David self-identifies as a servant of the Lord. He served the interests of God’s kingdom more immediately and more eminently than any other in his day. [2] As David served the Lord, the Lord revealed to David many things that otherwise he would have never understood.
“The transgression of the wicked” includes having no fear of God in his eyes. What he does have in his eyes is flattery for himself. In other words, he has a low opinion of God and a high opinion of himself. Rather than asking the Lord to purge his heart of iniquity and hatred, he flatters it. In this way, he sears his conscious with a hot iron so it no longer senses any guilt before God.
Paul wrote of this in 1 Timothy 4:1-3, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.”
The transgression of the wicked involves self-deceit. He closes the door of his heart to wisdom and to good-doing. On his bed, where he should be thanking God for the blessings that he received that day and afterwards committing his soul to God’s keeping, what does he do? He devises wicked plans. He is determined to avoid the good path. He wants to keep breaking all the rules. He wants to take everything he can from people to satisfy his sinful flesh.
The devil rejoiced when Adam and Eve ignored their Creator’s warning and partook of the forbidden fruit. It pleased him when their firstborn son Cain became jealous and killed his brother Abel. His goal is to turn every person made in God’s likeness into an enemy of God. He says to transgressors, “There is no God. Serve and honor yourself.” His chattery is flattery.
Perhaps, King Saul came to mind as David composed this song. Saul pretended to be kind to David when he gave his daughter Michal to marry him. However, he demanded a depraved dowery from David... 100 Philistines foreskins! A demoralizing and dangerous task, but the Lord helped David to do it and gain his wife. Even so, later on, while David was on the run from Saul, Saul took Michal from David and gave her to another man. See 1 Samuel 18:25-27; 25:44.
“Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains. Your judgments are a great deep, O Lord. You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life. In Your light we see light. O, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.” Psalm 36:5-10
David could not find anything good to say about the wicked, but when he focused on the Lord, he saw mercy, faithfulness and righteousness as high as heaven, clouds, and great mountains.
God does not decree shallow judgments on matters. He describes the difference between right and wrong with thorough details. He renders judgments to preserve human and animal life.
Corrupt governments are not so. Corrupt governments protect their accomplices in crime and punish those who dare to speak a word against them.
Before God rains down calamities on evil nations, He says to His servants in Isaiah 26:20, “Come, My people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.”
In Ezekiel 9:4, before God destroyed a city, He said to His angel, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” After that task was completed, the Lord said to other angels in Ezekiel 9:5-6, “Go after him through the city and kill. Do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.”
David rejoiced in the lovingkindness of the Lord towards those who put their trust under the shadow of His wings. The imagery here is of a mother hen protecting her young chicks under her wings. She places her life between them and harm. This is what Jesus did for us.
The Lord abundantly satisfied David with the fullness of His house. God welcomed David to continuously drink from the river of His pleasures. In Luke 12:32, Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
David said to the Lord, “For with You is the fountain of life.”
Jürgen Moltmann experienced “the fountain of life” while imprisoned in a British prisoner of war camp. He was never able to relate to God until he heard a message based on Psalm 22. He learned from this message that Jesus died so that people could live eternally. He learned that Jesus resurrected from the dead and commissioned His disciples to preach a message of LIFE.
Moltmann wrote, “Human life today is in danger. It is not in danger because it is mortal. This was always the case. It is in danger because it is no longer loved, affirmed and accepted. A life no longer loved is ready to kill and be killed. Deterrence functions only so long as all partners [nations] have the will to live and want to survive.”
David wrote, “In Your light we see light. O, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.”
God’s light yields revelations. In His lovingkindness, He reveals to us helpful truth. If dysfunction has been our normal, how do we acquire a new life? The answer is God. We drink from the river of His delight. We receive new life from God by believing in His Son Jesus and receiving His indwelling Holy Spirit. In John 4:10–14 and 7:37–39, Jesus described His Holy Spirit as living waters. His Spirit quenches our soul’s thirst for God. He shines revelations of God into our souls.
“Let not the foot of pride come against me and let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.” Psalm 36:11
David asked the Lord to keep him humble. He did not want pride to trample his faith in God underfoot. He cherished his communion with God.
“There the workers of iniquity have fallen. They have been cast down and are not able to rise.” Psalm 36:12
The Lord answered David’s prayers. Those who thought to make him fall and those who thought to throw him down, fell and did not get up. David was thankful that the Lord watched over his relationship with him. His relationship with the Lord was his greatest treasure.
[1] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
[2] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
As David served the Lord, the Lord gave to him a song. David gave this song to his nation’s chief musician. The lyrics of the song contrast the deeds of the wicked with God’s goodness. [1]
David self-identifies as a servant of the Lord. He served the interests of God’s kingdom more immediately and more eminently than any other in his day. [2] As David served the Lord, the Lord revealed to David many things that otherwise he would have never understood.
“The transgression of the wicked” includes having no fear of God in his eyes. What he does have in his eyes is flattery for himself. In other words, he has a low opinion of God and a high opinion of himself. Rather than asking the Lord to purge his heart of iniquity and hatred, he flatters it. In this way, he sears his conscious with a hot iron so it no longer senses any guilt before God.
Paul wrote of this in 1 Timothy 4:1-3, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.”
The transgression of the wicked involves self-deceit. He closes the door of his heart to wisdom and to good-doing. On his bed, where he should be thanking God for the blessings that he received that day and afterwards committing his soul to God’s keeping, what does he do? He devises wicked plans. He is determined to avoid the good path. He wants to keep breaking all the rules. He wants to take everything he can from people to satisfy his sinful flesh.
The devil rejoiced when Adam and Eve ignored their Creator’s warning and partook of the forbidden fruit. It pleased him when their firstborn son Cain became jealous and killed his brother Abel. His goal is to turn every person made in God’s likeness into an enemy of God. He says to transgressors, “There is no God. Serve and honor yourself.” His chattery is flattery.
Perhaps, King Saul came to mind as David composed this song. Saul pretended to be kind to David when he gave his daughter Michal to marry him. However, he demanded a depraved dowery from David... 100 Philistines foreskins! A demoralizing and dangerous task, but the Lord helped David to do it and gain his wife. Even so, later on, while David was on the run from Saul, Saul took Michal from David and gave her to another man. See 1 Samuel 18:25-27; 25:44.
“Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains. Your judgments are a great deep, O Lord. You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life. In Your light we see light. O, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.” Psalm 36:5-10
David could not find anything good to say about the wicked, but when he focused on the Lord, he saw mercy, faithfulness and righteousness as high as heaven, clouds, and great mountains.
God does not decree shallow judgments on matters. He describes the difference between right and wrong with thorough details. He renders judgments to preserve human and animal life.
Corrupt governments are not so. Corrupt governments protect their accomplices in crime and punish those who dare to speak a word against them.
Before God rains down calamities on evil nations, He says to His servants in Isaiah 26:20, “Come, My people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.”
In Ezekiel 9:4, before God destroyed a city, He said to His angel, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” After that task was completed, the Lord said to other angels in Ezekiel 9:5-6, “Go after him through the city and kill. Do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.”
David rejoiced in the lovingkindness of the Lord towards those who put their trust under the shadow of His wings. The imagery here is of a mother hen protecting her young chicks under her wings. She places her life between them and harm. This is what Jesus did for us.
The Lord abundantly satisfied David with the fullness of His house. God welcomed David to continuously drink from the river of His pleasures. In Luke 12:32, Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
David said to the Lord, “For with You is the fountain of life.”
Jürgen Moltmann experienced “the fountain of life” while imprisoned in a British prisoner of war camp. He was never able to relate to God until he heard a message based on Psalm 22. He learned from this message that Jesus died so that people could live eternally. He learned that Jesus resurrected from the dead and commissioned His disciples to preach a message of LIFE.
Moltmann wrote, “Human life today is in danger. It is not in danger because it is mortal. This was always the case. It is in danger because it is no longer loved, affirmed and accepted. A life no longer loved is ready to kill and be killed. Deterrence functions only so long as all partners [nations] have the will to live and want to survive.”
This is why we need Jesus. He is the fountain of life. Jesus Christ fills our hearts with love. He gives us reason and power to live. He is merciful to us and helps us be merciful to others.
Instead of pleasing myself, Jesus empowers me to love God and people.
David wrote, “In Your light we see light. O, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.”
God’s light yields revelations. In His lovingkindness, He reveals to us helpful truth. If dysfunction has been our normal, how do we acquire a new life? The answer is God. We drink from the river of His delight. We receive new life from God by believing in His Son Jesus and receiving His indwelling Holy Spirit. In John 4:10–14 and 7:37–39, Jesus described His Holy Spirit as living waters. His Spirit quenches our soul’s thirst for God. He shines revelations of God into our souls.
“Let not the foot of pride come against me and let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.” Psalm 36:11
David asked the Lord to keep him humble. He did not want pride to trample his faith in God underfoot. He cherished his communion with God.
“There the workers of iniquity have fallen. They have been cast down and are not able to rise.” Psalm 36:12
The Lord answered David’s prayers. Those who thought to make him fall and those who thought to throw him down, fell and did not get up. David was thankful that the Lord watched over his relationship with him. His relationship with the Lord was his greatest treasure.
[1] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
[2] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Friday, April 10, 2026
Righteous Causes – Psalm 35
“A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me. Fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler and stand up for my help. Also draw out the spear and stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.’ Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my life. Let those be turned back and brought to confusion who plot my hurt. Let them be like chaff before the wind and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord pursue them. For without cause, they have hidden their net for me in a pit, which they have dug without cause for my life. Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly and let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Into that very destruction let him fall.” Psalm 35:1-8
As I read the above verses, I thought of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He came to set captives free, heal the brokenhearted and preach Good News to the poor, but all along the way, there were those who wanted His efforts to fail. King Herod massacred Bethlehem’s baby boys in attempt to murder Him, the Pharisees and Sadducees tried to get Him to say something wrong so they could accuse Him. They told people that He was not from God. The devil tempted Him in the wilderness while He was hungry, and also through Peter. Right after Peter professed Him as the Son of God, Peter urged Jesus not to go to the cross. Jesus identified those words as coming from Satan. In the Garden of Gethsemane His soul was sorrowful unto the point of death as He considered the cup of suffering the Father expected Him to drink. Then, a murderer was chosen over Him by the people whom He loved and served. He was laughed at, mocked, flogged, and crucified. Every attempt to stop Him from completing His mission was inspired by Satan or the sinful human nature of others. Jesus had to overcome great opposition.
David was God’s servant. He obeyed God’s orders. He focused on bringing God glory. He aimed to maintain a good conscience before God. For this reason, unethical people strove with him. They made it their priority to sabotage his efforts. They enjoyed harassing him. They tried to devise a failproof plan to ruin him. The mastermind of their group was the devil.
They treated him, who was the greatest blessing of his country, as if he had been the curse and plague of it. They camouflaged their traps for David and his friends, but in vain, because God saw what they were doing, and coached David to victory over them. [1]
King Saul had an army at his command. He condemned whom he pleased. He carried not a scepter (symbolic of a shepherd’s rod). No he reigned with a javelin. He would cast it at any man that stood in his way. Such was the manner of David’s king. He compelled everyone around him to do as he commanded or else be brutally punished or executed. His word was law. [2]
David, on the other hand, was poor and needy. He had none to take his part but men (as we say) of broken fortunes (See 1 Samuel 22:2). If the kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord and his anointed, who can contend with them? [3]
When the Pharisees were on the verge of condemning Paul in a court of law, he appealed to Caesar, and the Gentile Romans rescued him from them. But, when David’s king condemned him, he appealed directly to God. He prayed, “Plead my cause, O Lord!”
When we commit ourselves to join with Jesus in His mission on earth, we must be ready to endure and overcome opposition. Satan’s criminal network will malign, threaten, harass, hurt and seek to destroy us. Paul wrote one of his disciples in 2 Timothy 3:12, saying, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
If someone claims to be a Christian, but does nothing for Christ, for example, does not read the Bible, does not pray, does not go to church, does not profess Him before people, and does not make disciples, he or she might incur little persecution on earth, but the Lord will not be able to say to him or her, “Well, done my good and faithful servant.” He may feel obligated to say, “Depart from me you worker of iniquity (iniquity is unequal treatment), I never knew you.”
David prayed that God would fight his enemies, so as to disable them from hurting him. He prayed that God would take hold of shield and buckler. What is the difference between a shield and buckler? A buckler is a small, typically steel, shield (under 12-16 inches) held by a fist grip for active, close-quarters deflection and offence, whereas a shield is generally larger, strapped to the forearm, and designed to cover more of the body. [4]
Exodus 15:3 says, “The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His Name.” David asked the Lord to stand up for him and stop them. We too can ask God to oppose our persecutors.
David wanted God to say unto his soul, “I am your salvation.” If God, by His Spirit, witness to our spirit that He is our salvation, we have enough, we need desire no more to make us happy. If God be our friend, it doesn’t matter who our enemy is. [5]
David prayed that God would make his enemies as chaff before the wind and to make their way dark and slippery so that they fall. In Deuteronomy 32:35, God says, “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense. Their foot shall slip in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.”
But what if wind, darkness and slippery paths were not enough to stop his enemies from reaching him? In Psalm 35:5, David prayed that the angel of the Lord would pursue them. God’s angels execute divine justice. God’s angels overcome His enemies.
According to 1 Samuel 18:25-30, Saul required David to kill 100 Philistines to win his daughter’s hand in marriage. Saul was secretly rooting for the Philistines to kill David. However, by God’s grace, David won the battle and killed 200 Philistines. What happened to Saul? In 1 Samuel 31, he committed suicide by falling on his own sword during a battle with the Philistines. He reaped what he sowed.
“And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord. It shall rejoice in His salvation. All my bones shall say, ‘Lord, who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?’” Psalm 35:9-10
The joy of the Lord is satisfying. Those who sow in tears for the Lord, reap His joy. Even David’s bones rejoiced in God’s deliverance. When David was poor and weak, the Lord won his battles.
We cannot express how great and good God is, so therefore, we can just say unto the Lord... “Who is like You?” The answer is that no one even comes close.
“Fierce witnesses rise up. They ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good to the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. And my prayer would return to my own heart. I paced about as though he were my friend or brother. I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother. But in my adversity, they rejoiced and gathered together. Attackers gathered against me, and I did not know it. They tore at me and did not cease; with ungodly mockers at feasts they gnashed at me with their teeth. Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, my precious life from the lions.” Psalm 35:11-17
The above verses prophetically describe what Christ and His servants endure as we seek to find the lost and save them from their enemies. Enduring false witnesses and false accusations against us is part of the job description. To be like Christ requires us to pray for and love our enemies.
To be a disciple of Jesus, we must lean on the Lord to deliver us from the mouths of lions. In 2 Timothy 4:17, Paul testified, “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”
Ungrateful King Saul rewarded his son-in-law David evil for good. At one point, David played his harp for Saul to soothe his tormented mind, but Saul in a rage tried to kill David with a spear.
David was a type of Christ in regards to serving ungrateful leaders. In John 10:32, Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Many good works have I shown you from My Father. For which of those do you stone Me?”
“I will give You thanks in the great assembly. I will praise You among many people.” Psalm 35:18
David looked forward to joining with God’s people in giving Him thanks and praise. He did not want to be cut off from them. David wrote with resolve, saying, “I WILL!” In Psalms 22:22, he wrote, “In the midst of the congregation I WILL praise You.” In Psalm 111:1, he declared, “I WILL praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. And in Hebrews 2:12, Paul wrote, “I WILL declare Your Name to my brothers, in the midst of the church I WILL sing praise to You.”
“Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies, nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause. For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against the quiet ones in the land. They also opened their mouth wide against me, and said, ‘Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.’” Psalm 35:19-21
David simply asked the Lord to defeat his enemies. He described to the Lord their behavior. They wink at me with hatred. They provoke me with words. They play tricks on my mind. Their goal is to embarrass me.
“This You have seen, O Lord. Do not keep silence. O Lord do not be far from me. Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, to my cause, my God, and my Lord. Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. Let them not say in their hearts, ‘Ah, so we would have it!’ Let them not say, ‘We have swallowed him up.’ Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who rejoice at my hurt. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who exalt themselves against me.” Psalm 35:22-26
David asked the Lord to speak up for him. To be near Him! To rise up and vindicate him!
Don’t allow my enemies to devour me. Confuse and shame them!
Nowadays, social media platforms spew forth lies and mockery toward anyone who tries to do what is right and good in the sight of God. These false prophets are paid by corrupt crime rings to destroy the reputations of God’s servants. Their goal is to silence the voice of truth. Their mission is to ensure that the news of God’s goodness never reaches the ears of people.
“Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause and let them say continually, ‘Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.’ And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.” Psalm 35:27-28
The Lord wants those who fight for His causes to prosper. “Let them shout for joy and be glad!” He wants us to be able to gather together and magnify His Name. He wants us to enjoy the freedom and inspiration to praise Him all the day long!
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary (some words quoted and others inspired my comments)
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Google sources
[5] Matthew Henry’s Commentary (some words quoted and others inspired my comments)
As I read the above verses, I thought of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He came to set captives free, heal the brokenhearted and preach Good News to the poor, but all along the way, there were those who wanted His efforts to fail. King Herod massacred Bethlehem’s baby boys in attempt to murder Him, the Pharisees and Sadducees tried to get Him to say something wrong so they could accuse Him. They told people that He was not from God. The devil tempted Him in the wilderness while He was hungry, and also through Peter. Right after Peter professed Him as the Son of God, Peter urged Jesus not to go to the cross. Jesus identified those words as coming from Satan. In the Garden of Gethsemane His soul was sorrowful unto the point of death as He considered the cup of suffering the Father expected Him to drink. Then, a murderer was chosen over Him by the people whom He loved and served. He was laughed at, mocked, flogged, and crucified. Every attempt to stop Him from completing His mission was inspired by Satan or the sinful human nature of others. Jesus had to overcome great opposition.
David was God’s servant. He obeyed God’s orders. He focused on bringing God glory. He aimed to maintain a good conscience before God. For this reason, unethical people strove with him. They made it their priority to sabotage his efforts. They enjoyed harassing him. They tried to devise a failproof plan to ruin him. The mastermind of their group was the devil.
They treated him, who was the greatest blessing of his country, as if he had been the curse and plague of it. They camouflaged their traps for David and his friends, but in vain, because God saw what they were doing, and coached David to victory over them. [1]
King Saul had an army at his command. He condemned whom he pleased. He carried not a scepter (symbolic of a shepherd’s rod). No he reigned with a javelin. He would cast it at any man that stood in his way. Such was the manner of David’s king. He compelled everyone around him to do as he commanded or else be brutally punished or executed. His word was law. [2]
David, on the other hand, was poor and needy. He had none to take his part but men (as we say) of broken fortunes (See 1 Samuel 22:2). If the kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord and his anointed, who can contend with them? [3]
When the Pharisees were on the verge of condemning Paul in a court of law, he appealed to Caesar, and the Gentile Romans rescued him from them. But, when David’s king condemned him, he appealed directly to God. He prayed, “Plead my cause, O Lord!”
When we commit ourselves to join with Jesus in His mission on earth, we must be ready to endure and overcome opposition. Satan’s criminal network will malign, threaten, harass, hurt and seek to destroy us. Paul wrote one of his disciples in 2 Timothy 3:12, saying, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
If someone claims to be a Christian, but does nothing for Christ, for example, does not read the Bible, does not pray, does not go to church, does not profess Him before people, and does not make disciples, he or she might incur little persecution on earth, but the Lord will not be able to say to him or her, “Well, done my good and faithful servant.” He may feel obligated to say, “Depart from me you worker of iniquity (iniquity is unequal treatment), I never knew you.”
David prayed that God would fight his enemies, so as to disable them from hurting him. He prayed that God would take hold of shield and buckler. What is the difference between a shield and buckler? A buckler is a small, typically steel, shield (under 12-16 inches) held by a fist grip for active, close-quarters deflection and offence, whereas a shield is generally larger, strapped to the forearm, and designed to cover more of the body. [4]
Exodus 15:3 says, “The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His Name.” David asked the Lord to stand up for him and stop them. We too can ask God to oppose our persecutors.
David wanted God to say unto his soul, “I am your salvation.” If God, by His Spirit, witness to our spirit that He is our salvation, we have enough, we need desire no more to make us happy. If God be our friend, it doesn’t matter who our enemy is. [5]
David prayed that God would make his enemies as chaff before the wind and to make their way dark and slippery so that they fall. In Deuteronomy 32:35, God says, “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense. Their foot shall slip in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.”
But what if wind, darkness and slippery paths were not enough to stop his enemies from reaching him? In Psalm 35:5, David prayed that the angel of the Lord would pursue them. God’s angels execute divine justice. God’s angels overcome His enemies.
According to 1 Samuel 18:25-30, Saul required David to kill 100 Philistines to win his daughter’s hand in marriage. Saul was secretly rooting for the Philistines to kill David. However, by God’s grace, David won the battle and killed 200 Philistines. What happened to Saul? In 1 Samuel 31, he committed suicide by falling on his own sword during a battle with the Philistines. He reaped what he sowed.
“And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord. It shall rejoice in His salvation. All my bones shall say, ‘Lord, who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?’” Psalm 35:9-10
The joy of the Lord is satisfying. Those who sow in tears for the Lord, reap His joy. Even David’s bones rejoiced in God’s deliverance. When David was poor and weak, the Lord won his battles.
We cannot express how great and good God is, so therefore, we can just say unto the Lord... “Who is like You?” The answer is that no one even comes close.
“Fierce witnesses rise up. They ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good to the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. And my prayer would return to my own heart. I paced about as though he were my friend or brother. I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother. But in my adversity, they rejoiced and gathered together. Attackers gathered against me, and I did not know it. They tore at me and did not cease; with ungodly mockers at feasts they gnashed at me with their teeth. Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, my precious life from the lions.” Psalm 35:11-17
The above verses prophetically describe what Christ and His servants endure as we seek to find the lost and save them from their enemies. Enduring false witnesses and false accusations against us is part of the job description. To be like Christ requires us to pray for and love our enemies.
To be a disciple of Jesus, we must lean on the Lord to deliver us from the mouths of lions. In 2 Timothy 4:17, Paul testified, “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”
Ungrateful King Saul rewarded his son-in-law David evil for good. At one point, David played his harp for Saul to soothe his tormented mind, but Saul in a rage tried to kill David with a spear.
David was a type of Christ in regards to serving ungrateful leaders. In John 10:32, Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Many good works have I shown you from My Father. For which of those do you stone Me?”
“I will give You thanks in the great assembly. I will praise You among many people.” Psalm 35:18
David looked forward to joining with God’s people in giving Him thanks and praise. He did not want to be cut off from them. David wrote with resolve, saying, “I WILL!” In Psalms 22:22, he wrote, “In the midst of the congregation I WILL praise You.” In Psalm 111:1, he declared, “I WILL praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. And in Hebrews 2:12, Paul wrote, “I WILL declare Your Name to my brothers, in the midst of the church I WILL sing praise to You.”
“Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies, nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause. For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against the quiet ones in the land. They also opened their mouth wide against me, and said, ‘Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.’” Psalm 35:19-21
David simply asked the Lord to defeat his enemies. He described to the Lord their behavior. They wink at me with hatred. They provoke me with words. They play tricks on my mind. Their goal is to embarrass me.
“This You have seen, O Lord. Do not keep silence. O Lord do not be far from me. Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, to my cause, my God, and my Lord. Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. Let them not say in their hearts, ‘Ah, so we would have it!’ Let them not say, ‘We have swallowed him up.’ Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who rejoice at my hurt. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who exalt themselves against me.” Psalm 35:22-26
David asked the Lord to speak up for him. To be near Him! To rise up and vindicate him!
Don’t allow my enemies to devour me. Confuse and shame them!
Nowadays, social media platforms spew forth lies and mockery toward anyone who tries to do what is right and good in the sight of God. These false prophets are paid by corrupt crime rings to destroy the reputations of God’s servants. Their goal is to silence the voice of truth. Their mission is to ensure that the news of God’s goodness never reaches the ears of people.
“Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause and let them say continually, ‘Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.’ And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.” Psalm 35:27-28
The Lord wants those who fight for His causes to prosper. “Let them shout for joy and be glad!” He wants us to be able to gather together and magnify His Name. He wants us to enjoy the freedom and inspiration to praise Him all the day long!
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary (some words quoted and others inspired my comments)
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Google sources
[5] Matthew Henry’s Commentary (some words quoted and others inspired my comments)
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Radiant – Psalm 34
“A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.”
In 1 Samuel 21, after David left the priestly village of Nob, King Saul massacred the entire village of people because Ahimelech the priest had helped David. After leaving Nob, David fled to the city of Gath. While there, David heard the servants of the Philistine king talking about how he killed 10,000 of their people. Fear overtook David. He pretended to be crazy. He scratched on the doors of the gate with his hands. He let his saliva run down his beard. His performance convince the Philistine king that David was no threat to him and he let David escape.
“I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear of it and be glad. O, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name together.” Psalm 34:1-3
In Job 2:9-10, after Job and his wife lost all their children and their wealth, Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job responded to her, saying, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”
God’s Spirit helped David and Job to magnify and bless the Lord at all times. One thing David always had in his mouth was a praise for God. His soul was influenced by the Spirit of God. Humble people heard their king boasting about the Lord, and it made their hearts glad.
In 1 Samuel 22:1, after David fled from a Philistine king, he took up residence in a cave. While there, all the people of his father’s house came to live with him. They were probably in danger of being killed by King Saul. As if his family moving in with him in his cave was not enough, 1 Samuel 22:2 says that “everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about 400 men with him.”
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4
The only way David could cope with all the fearful circumstances that were thrown at him was to keep his eyes fixed on the Lord. As he sought first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, the Lord provided for all his needs.
“They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” Psalm 34:5
With our eyes on the Lord, our faces reflect His glory. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul wrote, “We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory.”
“This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.” Psalm 34:6
Merchants of this world want to make huge profits from their sales. The Lord says to the poor in Isaiah 55:1. “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy, and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” In John 7:37, “Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.’” In Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” The Lord freely serves and give to those who have nothing.
“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them.” Psalm 34:7
When you have nothing to offer people, they tend to shy away from you, but when you simply love the Lord, He commands His angels to set up a perimeter around your resting place and ensure that nothing bad happens to you.
“O, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8
What did the Lord provide for David when he lived in the cave of Adullam? Enough provisions for him, for his parents and brothers and for 400 men who were in debt and discontented. Think of it! David was wanted dead or alive by his king. He was living in a cave, yet the Lord supplied all his needs and for the needs of all who were with him. His cup overflowed.
“O, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” Psalm 34:9-10
To fear the Lord is to adoringly love and be in awe of Him... which is what saints do. When our hearts are filled with love for God, we endure hardships and genuinely feel that we lack nothing. With an attitude of gratitude, we always have enough. While imprisoned for the Lord, Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” In Philippians 4:18, he added, “Indeed I have all and abound. I am full.”
Ravenous predators, like young lions, shall lack, but saints lack no good thing. Those who lack concern for God and others, as young lions do, are never satisfied. Those who know and serve the Lord are satisfied and make it their aim to help others become satisfied as well.
“Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:11-14
David took time to teach the children of his people to fear the Lord. He was a famous soldier, musician, and political figure but rather than teach children swordsmanship, music lessons or diplomacy, he taught them a healthy respect for God. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Our Creator knows more than the cumulative knowledge of all people. Not only does the Lord know more than all people He also knows how to decipher and make simple that which is impossible for finite minds to grasp.
In Psalm 119:99, David wrote, “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.” The testimonies of the Lord are encouraging. In the Bible, human impossibilities are God’s possibilities. With God I can bring a blank slate to the problem solving session and receive revelations from God that resolve the problems perfectly.
In Psalm 119:130, David wrote, “The entrance of Your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.” By a prayerful study of the Scriptures, people prevail against the lies propagated by powerful potentates. Such rulers execute those who dare to question their decrees. They forbid talk about Jesus Christ. But unfortunately for them, God enlightens simple minds with His Word. Then, He empowers them to shine His light into darkness, and darkness disappears.
David advises those who are pursuing life, love and goodness to keep their tongue from evil, and their lips from speaking lies. We must bridle our tongues and lips. In Matthew 12:37, Jesus said, “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” In Romans 10:9, Paul wrote, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
David urges us to “depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.” In John 8:10-11, after Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, He asked her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Depart from evil! Focus on doing good and being a peacemaker rather than a home wrecker.
In Romans 6:19, Paul urged the Christians in Rome, saying, “For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.” Let the Lord transform your appetite so that what is evil becomes distasteful to you and what is good and peaceful becomes like the best of all desserts to you.
“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.” Psalm 34:15
God sees everyone but His eyes of grace are upon those who have embraced His Son Jesus Christ as the sacrifice for their sins and have been made righteous before God by His blood. We pray in the Name of Jesus, and the Father answers our prayers.
“The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 34:16-17
In contrast to His eyes being upon the righteous, the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. Evil behavior torments, hurts and sometimes kills people. The devil especially directs those under his influence to humiliate and hurt people who love the Lord and who testify for Him. Thus, it is reassuring to know that the Lord’s face is against evildoers, and we can remind Him of this promise when evildoers are making our lives miserable and trying to destroy us. The Lord will deliver us from troublers. Praise the Lord!
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones. Not one of them is broken.” Psalm 34:18-20
The evil that is perpetrated on the earth against little children, vulnerable teenagers and the elderly is atrocious. The enemy wants to break the hearts of those who are already challenged on every side. As he did to Job, he wants to send many afflictions our way to keep us down and unable to witness for Christ.
James 5:11 says, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” Job continuously thought about his relationship with the Lord throughout the season of his afflictions. He questioned. He speculated. But God was always on his mind. Finally, like the dawn of day, the Lord arose upon Job’s dark night of the soul with healing in His wings. The Lord gave Job a double blessing.
In Proverbs 4:23, the Lord warns us, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” How do we keep our heart from bitterness and hatred? We give it to God daily. We pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
We trust God to come through for us. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Psalm 34:20 says, “He guards all his bones. Not one of them is broken.” In John 19:36, John quotes this passage in reference to Christ. Normally, the Romans would break the legs of the crucified to bring about their death quickly. Without the ability to push themselves upward, they would be unable to breathe and thus die. When the Romans saw that Jesus was already dead, they did not break His legs. John wrote, “For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’”
“Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” Psalm 34:21-22
Goliath despised and hated David. King Saul hated David because his heart was wicked and David’s heart was righteous. David’s own son tried to kill him. All of these who rose up against David perished and that by God. The Lord did not allow men to condemn the one He approved.
So, why did God allow wicked men to slay His Son? Peter answered this question in Acts 2:22-24, saying, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”
Then, in Acts 2:36, 38, Peter called the people to respond to the news of Christ’s resurrection saying, “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
God preordained that His Son would be the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. God also preordained that Jesus would resurrect, and that He alone would be the One in whose Name the sins of humanity would be forgiven. Not only forgiven but given the gift of the Holy Spirit by which we can live a new life.
God assures us by His witnesses in the Bible... prophets, apostles and His own Son, plus by the Holy Spirit, and plus by His answers to our prayers that He is indeed the one true God, and that by believing in His Name we have eternal life. Praise the Lord!
In 1 Samuel 21, after David left the priestly village of Nob, King Saul massacred the entire village of people because Ahimelech the priest had helped David. After leaving Nob, David fled to the city of Gath. While there, David heard the servants of the Philistine king talking about how he killed 10,000 of their people. Fear overtook David. He pretended to be crazy. He scratched on the doors of the gate with his hands. He let his saliva run down his beard. His performance convince the Philistine king that David was no threat to him and he let David escape.
“I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear of it and be glad. O, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name together.” Psalm 34:1-3
In Job 2:9-10, after Job and his wife lost all their children and their wealth, Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job responded to her, saying, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”
God’s Spirit helped David and Job to magnify and bless the Lord at all times. One thing David always had in his mouth was a praise for God. His soul was influenced by the Spirit of God. Humble people heard their king boasting about the Lord, and it made their hearts glad.
In 1 Samuel 22:1, after David fled from a Philistine king, he took up residence in a cave. While there, all the people of his father’s house came to live with him. They were probably in danger of being killed by King Saul. As if his family moving in with him in his cave was not enough, 1 Samuel 22:2 says that “everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about 400 men with him.”
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4
The only way David could cope with all the fearful circumstances that were thrown at him was to keep his eyes fixed on the Lord. As he sought first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, the Lord provided for all his needs.
“They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” Psalm 34:5
With our eyes on the Lord, our faces reflect His glory. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul wrote, “We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory.”
“This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.” Psalm 34:6
Merchants of this world want to make huge profits from their sales. The Lord says to the poor in Isaiah 55:1. “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy, and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” In John 7:37, “Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.’” In Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” The Lord freely serves and give to those who have nothing.
“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them.” Psalm 34:7
When you have nothing to offer people, they tend to shy away from you, but when you simply love the Lord, He commands His angels to set up a perimeter around your resting place and ensure that nothing bad happens to you.
“O, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8
What did the Lord provide for David when he lived in the cave of Adullam? Enough provisions for him, for his parents and brothers and for 400 men who were in debt and discontented. Think of it! David was wanted dead or alive by his king. He was living in a cave, yet the Lord supplied all his needs and for the needs of all who were with him. His cup overflowed.
“O, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” Psalm 34:9-10
To fear the Lord is to adoringly love and be in awe of Him... which is what saints do. When our hearts are filled with love for God, we endure hardships and genuinely feel that we lack nothing. With an attitude of gratitude, we always have enough. While imprisoned for the Lord, Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” In Philippians 4:18, he added, “Indeed I have all and abound. I am full.”
Ravenous predators, like young lions, shall lack, but saints lack no good thing. Those who lack concern for God and others, as young lions do, are never satisfied. Those who know and serve the Lord are satisfied and make it their aim to help others become satisfied as well.
“Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:11-14
David took time to teach the children of his people to fear the Lord. He was a famous soldier, musician, and political figure but rather than teach children swordsmanship, music lessons or diplomacy, he taught them a healthy respect for God. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Our Creator knows more than the cumulative knowledge of all people. Not only does the Lord know more than all people He also knows how to decipher and make simple that which is impossible for finite minds to grasp.
In Psalm 119:99, David wrote, “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.” The testimonies of the Lord are encouraging. In the Bible, human impossibilities are God’s possibilities. With God I can bring a blank slate to the problem solving session and receive revelations from God that resolve the problems perfectly.
In Psalm 119:130, David wrote, “The entrance of Your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.” By a prayerful study of the Scriptures, people prevail against the lies propagated by powerful potentates. Such rulers execute those who dare to question their decrees. They forbid talk about Jesus Christ. But unfortunately for them, God enlightens simple minds with His Word. Then, He empowers them to shine His light into darkness, and darkness disappears.
David advises those who are pursuing life, love and goodness to keep their tongue from evil, and their lips from speaking lies. We must bridle our tongues and lips. In Matthew 12:37, Jesus said, “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” In Romans 10:9, Paul wrote, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
David urges us to “depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.” In John 8:10-11, after Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, He asked her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Depart from evil! Focus on doing good and being a peacemaker rather than a home wrecker.
In Romans 6:19, Paul urged the Christians in Rome, saying, “For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.” Let the Lord transform your appetite so that what is evil becomes distasteful to you and what is good and peaceful becomes like the best of all desserts to you.
“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.” Psalm 34:15
God sees everyone but His eyes of grace are upon those who have embraced His Son Jesus Christ as the sacrifice for their sins and have been made righteous before God by His blood. We pray in the Name of Jesus, and the Father answers our prayers.
“The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 34:16-17
In contrast to His eyes being upon the righteous, the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. Evil behavior torments, hurts and sometimes kills people. The devil especially directs those under his influence to humiliate and hurt people who love the Lord and who testify for Him. Thus, it is reassuring to know that the Lord’s face is against evildoers, and we can remind Him of this promise when evildoers are making our lives miserable and trying to destroy us. The Lord will deliver us from troublers. Praise the Lord!
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones. Not one of them is broken.” Psalm 34:18-20
The evil that is perpetrated on the earth against little children, vulnerable teenagers and the elderly is atrocious. The enemy wants to break the hearts of those who are already challenged on every side. As he did to Job, he wants to send many afflictions our way to keep us down and unable to witness for Christ.
James 5:11 says, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” Job continuously thought about his relationship with the Lord throughout the season of his afflictions. He questioned. He speculated. But God was always on his mind. Finally, like the dawn of day, the Lord arose upon Job’s dark night of the soul with healing in His wings. The Lord gave Job a double blessing.
In Proverbs 4:23, the Lord warns us, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” How do we keep our heart from bitterness and hatred? We give it to God daily. We pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
We trust God to come through for us. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Psalm 34:20 says, “He guards all his bones. Not one of them is broken.” In John 19:36, John quotes this passage in reference to Christ. Normally, the Romans would break the legs of the crucified to bring about their death quickly. Without the ability to push themselves upward, they would be unable to breathe and thus die. When the Romans saw that Jesus was already dead, they did not break His legs. John wrote, “For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’”
“Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” Psalm 34:21-22
Goliath despised and hated David. King Saul hated David because his heart was wicked and David’s heart was righteous. David’s own son tried to kill him. All of these who rose up against David perished and that by God. The Lord did not allow men to condemn the one He approved.
So, why did God allow wicked men to slay His Son? Peter answered this question in Acts 2:22-24, saying, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”
Then, in Acts 2:36, 38, Peter called the people to respond to the news of Christ’s resurrection saying, “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
God preordained that His Son would be the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. God also preordained that Jesus would resurrect, and that He alone would be the One in whose Name the sins of humanity would be forgiven. Not only forgiven but given the gift of the Holy Spirit by which we can live a new life.
God assures us by His witnesses in the Bible... prophets, apostles and His own Son, plus by the Holy Spirit, and plus by His answers to our prayers that He is indeed the one true God, and that by believing in His Name we have eternal life. Praise the Lord!
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Rejoice in the Lord – Psalm 33
“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the harp. Make melody to Him with an instrument of 10 strings. Sing to Him a new song. Play skillfully with a shout of joy. For the Word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” Psalm 33:1-5
Why rejoice in the Lord? David is calling out to the righteous to rejoice in the Lord.
No one is righteous apart from the Lord. Isaiah 64:6, says, “We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.” Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus took our deficient righteousness and gave us His perfect righteousness as a free gift. Free for us! Costly for Him!
The above message is the everlasting Gospel which the angel preaches in Revelation 14:6. He preaches it to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.
The Gospel has inspired a multitude of beautiful praise songs. Innumerable songwriters and musicians have compose songs in honor of what Jesus Christ did for us and for our salvation.
In David’s day, harps and 10 stringed instruments were popular. Nowadays, keyboards, guitars and drums are popular. David urges the musicians to play skillfully and the singers to shout for joy. Those who play instruments and sing for fame and fortune know that practice makes perfect and so practice they do. Singers and musicians who seek to honor the Lord should work at their skills and harmony. Our Lord’s rewards surpass by far what the world has to offer us.
David urges the Lord’s singers and musicians to do new songs. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you! Don’t do the same hand full of songs week after week. There’s so much to be said about and sung about the Lord.
David wrote, “The Word of the Lord is right.” Praise God for His Word! Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith composed a song from the words of Psalm 119:105, entitled, “Thy Word.”
David wrote, “All His work is done in truth.” Praise the Lord for His mighty acts. Casting Crowns’ lead vocalist Mark Hall and Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song, entitled, “The Voice of Truth.” The song praises God for reminding us of our worth in a world that tends to put us down.
David wrote, “He loves righteousness and justice.” Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram, and Pat Barrett composed a worship song, entitled, “Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly.”
David wrote, “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” There’s a contemporary song that Cece Winans has made famous, entitled, “Goodness of God.” Some of the words of the song are, “All my life You have been faithful and all my life You have been so, so, good with every breath that I am able. Oh I will sing of the goodness of God.”
“By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap. He lays up the deep in storehouses.” Psalm 33:6-7
“At first, the earth was covered with water, but then, the Lord spoke, and the water receded and dry land appeared. He created store-houses for water.” “There is a vast amount of water under land, known as groundwater. It is not usually in large open rivers, but fills the spaces between soil, sand, and rock, and acts like water in a sponge. This water represents roughly 30% of the world’s fresh water and flows slowly through layers called aquifers.” [1]
“Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood fast.” Psalm 33:8-9
David was a king who urged people to stand in awe of God. He published numerous praise songs about God. He praised God for creating the world out of nothing. He praised God for making the earth a stable environment in which we can live.
David urged people to fear the Lord. We absolutely need God! The Lord deserves our worship.
Romans 8:1 says that there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. The opposite is also true. There is condemnation to those who are not in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:7 says, “The mind of flesh is enmity against God.” The mind of flesh wants to be God. In John 4:24, Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Romans 8:9 says, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” Thus, to lack a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ should evoke fear which leads to repentance.
“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:10-11
Thankfully, the Lord sabotages many of the devious plans of nations. The nations would have destroyed each other long ago had the Lord not thwarted their evil plans towards one another.
In 2 Samuel 15:12, Ahithophel provided counsel to Absalom. If Absalom had taken his advice, he likely would have succeeded in destroying his father David. David prayed, “O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” After that prayer, the Lord brought Hushai to David. Hushai was a highly respected royal counselor. David asked Hushai to return to Absalom and pretend to be for him, but to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. Hushai was able to do that. Absalom’s coup attempt against his father failed.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
In case his people had not noticed, David said what everyone in his country should have been talking about, namely, how blessed they were to have the Lord. God gave to Isreal His Word, His prophets, His miracles and His presence. The Lord provided His light to them so they could see reality clearly. He gave them a good shepherd to lead them. He fought their battles for them.
“The Lord looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashions their hearts individually. He considers all their works.” Psalm 33:13-15
The Lord sees us. How many children have wished that their earthly father and mother would notice them and look at them with eyes of love? God looks on all the inhabitants of the earth. He knows how many hairs are upon our heads. He values sparrows, but values us people much more than He does the sparrows. God made our hearts in our mother’s womb and caused them to start beating. Thus, He watches us and thinks about us. Amazing! With so many people in heaven and on earth, God sees us all and considers each of us with love.
“No king is saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.” Psalm 33:16-17
A king is nothing without God. Though David was one of the best kings who ever reigned, he gave to God the glory. The Lord says to us in Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Let not the mighty man glory in his might. Nor let the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord.” The Lord humbles the proud and gives grace to the humble people who honor Him.
“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” Psalm 33:18-19
God sees everyone but His eye favors those who love Him, which is the first commandment. No one is so beautiful as one who genuinely loves you. God sees the faces and hears the voices of His lovers. He knows we are grateful to Him for saving our souls from death. The greatest famine is to be without God. While some like the rich man in Luke 16:23 end up in Hades, others, like Lazarus in that same verse, end up enjoying a happily ever after with the Lord.
“Our soul waits for the Lord. He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him because we have trusted in His holy Name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You.” Psalm 33:20-21
We don’t want to go anywhere without the Lord. If He is not there, we don’t want to be there. The Lord is our help and shield. Is there a warrior anywhere who wants to face a vicious enemy without a shield? No. Who wants to face the devil without the Lord to help you overcome him?
Our souls must wait for Him to act on our behalf. There’s nothing that we can do to impress God, but when we let Him go before us in whatever undertaking we do, He impresses us.
When I move forward by faith in the Lord’s goodness and grace, the end result is rejoicing. The Lord does more than I could have thought to ask or imagine. Its due to His mercy.
David urged us to stop striving. Stop being reckless! Be still and know that God is God! Rejoice in the Lord! He is merciful and happy to help us. Praise the Lord!
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary and Google Sources
Why rejoice in the Lord? David is calling out to the righteous to rejoice in the Lord.
No one is righteous apart from the Lord. Isaiah 64:6, says, “We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.” Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus took our deficient righteousness and gave us His perfect righteousness as a free gift. Free for us! Costly for Him!
The above message is the everlasting Gospel which the angel preaches in Revelation 14:6. He preaches it to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.
The Gospel has inspired a multitude of beautiful praise songs. Innumerable songwriters and musicians have compose songs in honor of what Jesus Christ did for us and for our salvation.
In David’s day, harps and 10 stringed instruments were popular. Nowadays, keyboards, guitars and drums are popular. David urges the musicians to play skillfully and the singers to shout for joy. Those who play instruments and sing for fame and fortune know that practice makes perfect and so practice they do. Singers and musicians who seek to honor the Lord should work at their skills and harmony. Our Lord’s rewards surpass by far what the world has to offer us.
David urges the Lord’s singers and musicians to do new songs. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you! Don’t do the same hand full of songs week after week. There’s so much to be said about and sung about the Lord.
David wrote, “The Word of the Lord is right.” Praise God for His Word! Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith composed a song from the words of Psalm 119:105, entitled, “Thy Word.”
David wrote, “All His work is done in truth.” Praise the Lord for His mighty acts. Casting Crowns’ lead vocalist Mark Hall and Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song, entitled, “The Voice of Truth.” The song praises God for reminding us of our worth in a world that tends to put us down.
David wrote, “He loves righteousness and justice.” Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram, and Pat Barrett composed a worship song, entitled, “Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly.”
David wrote, “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” There’s a contemporary song that Cece Winans has made famous, entitled, “Goodness of God.” Some of the words of the song are, “All my life You have been faithful and all my life You have been so, so, good with every breath that I am able. Oh I will sing of the goodness of God.”
“By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap. He lays up the deep in storehouses.” Psalm 33:6-7
“At first, the earth was covered with water, but then, the Lord spoke, and the water receded and dry land appeared. He created store-houses for water.” “There is a vast amount of water under land, known as groundwater. It is not usually in large open rivers, but fills the spaces between soil, sand, and rock, and acts like water in a sponge. This water represents roughly 30% of the world’s fresh water and flows slowly through layers called aquifers.” [1]
“Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood fast.” Psalm 33:8-9
David was a king who urged people to stand in awe of God. He published numerous praise songs about God. He praised God for creating the world out of nothing. He praised God for making the earth a stable environment in which we can live.
David urged people to fear the Lord. We absolutely need God! The Lord deserves our worship.
Romans 8:1 says that there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. The opposite is also true. There is condemnation to those who are not in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:7 says, “The mind of flesh is enmity against God.” The mind of flesh wants to be God. In John 4:24, Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Romans 8:9 says, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” Thus, to lack a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ should evoke fear which leads to repentance.
“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:10-11
Thankfully, the Lord sabotages many of the devious plans of nations. The nations would have destroyed each other long ago had the Lord not thwarted their evil plans towards one another.
In 2 Samuel 15:12, Ahithophel provided counsel to Absalom. If Absalom had taken his advice, he likely would have succeeded in destroying his father David. David prayed, “O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” After that prayer, the Lord brought Hushai to David. Hushai was a highly respected royal counselor. David asked Hushai to return to Absalom and pretend to be for him, but to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. Hushai was able to do that. Absalom’s coup attempt against his father failed.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
In case his people had not noticed, David said what everyone in his country should have been talking about, namely, how blessed they were to have the Lord. God gave to Isreal His Word, His prophets, His miracles and His presence. The Lord provided His light to them so they could see reality clearly. He gave them a good shepherd to lead them. He fought their battles for them.
“The Lord looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashions their hearts individually. He considers all their works.” Psalm 33:13-15
The Lord sees us. How many children have wished that their earthly father and mother would notice them and look at them with eyes of love? God looks on all the inhabitants of the earth. He knows how many hairs are upon our heads. He values sparrows, but values us people much more than He does the sparrows. God made our hearts in our mother’s womb and caused them to start beating. Thus, He watches us and thinks about us. Amazing! With so many people in heaven and on earth, God sees us all and considers each of us with love.
“No king is saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.” Psalm 33:16-17
A king is nothing without God. Though David was one of the best kings who ever reigned, he gave to God the glory. The Lord says to us in Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Let not the mighty man glory in his might. Nor let the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord.” The Lord humbles the proud and gives grace to the humble people who honor Him.
“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” Psalm 33:18-19
God sees everyone but His eye favors those who love Him, which is the first commandment. No one is so beautiful as one who genuinely loves you. God sees the faces and hears the voices of His lovers. He knows we are grateful to Him for saving our souls from death. The greatest famine is to be without God. While some like the rich man in Luke 16:23 end up in Hades, others, like Lazarus in that same verse, end up enjoying a happily ever after with the Lord.
“Our soul waits for the Lord. He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him because we have trusted in His holy Name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You.” Psalm 33:20-21
We don’t want to go anywhere without the Lord. If He is not there, we don’t want to be there. The Lord is our help and shield. Is there a warrior anywhere who wants to face a vicious enemy without a shield? No. Who wants to face the devil without the Lord to help you overcome him?
Our souls must wait for Him to act on our behalf. There’s nothing that we can do to impress God, but when we let Him go before us in whatever undertaking we do, He impresses us.
When I move forward by faith in the Lord’s goodness and grace, the end result is rejoicing. The Lord does more than I could have thought to ask or imagine. Its due to His mercy.
David urged us to stop striving. Stop being reckless! Be still and know that God is God! Rejoice in the Lord! He is merciful and happy to help us. Praise the Lord!
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary and Google Sources
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