“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
21st Century Jeremiah is a fellowship of followers of Jesus Christ who seek to share the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus with integrity and accuracy as the prophet Jeremiah did.
Sunday, April 12, 2026
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
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Forgiven – Psalm 32
“A Psalm of David. A Contemplation. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Psalm 32:1-2
The Holy Spirit inspired David to compose a contemplative song. For Christians, the goal of contemplation is to BEHOLD in order to BECOME more like CHRIST. There is no quicker or more thorough way to become more like Christ than to have your sins forgiven by God. In a moment, thanks to God, you stand before Him sinless. Guilt and shame gone! Peace with God!
How frequently do we think about and thank God for the blessing of forgiveness of sins?
I like to take communion often because it’s very purpose is to remind me of what Jesus Christ did for my forgiveness. In Matthew 26:26-28, the Bible says, “Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat. This is My body.’ And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Thanks to Jesus Christ, I need not slay a lamb and offer it to God because Jesus became the Lamb of God for me.
Psalm 85:2 says God covered all my sin.
Psalm 103:3 says God forgives all my iniquities and heals all my diseases.
Romans 4:8 says, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” How can any sinner avoid being pronounced guilty by a holy God? The answer is to believe that God has taken your sins from you and placed them on His Son Christ. 1 John 1:7 says, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
In Isaiah 1:18, the Lord says, “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow...”
In Isaiah 43:25, the Lord says, “I, even I, am He that blots out Your transgressions for Mine own sake and will not remember your sins.”
In Isaiah 44:22, the Lord says, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return unto Me for I have redeemed you.” Don’t stay away from God because of your sins, bring them to God and let Him forgive them all.
In Micah 7:19, the Bible says, “The Lord will turn again. He will have compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Once, God casts your sins into the depths of the sea, don’t go fishing to pull them up. Let them be forgiven and forgotten.
David declares by the Holy Spirit, “Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no deceit.” This verse corresponds with 1 John 1:8-9, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Cast away deceitfulness and admit that you are a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness. In James 2:10, the Lord says, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” One sin makes you a sinner, but the truth is we all sin both by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We need God’s ongoing forgiveness daily.
“When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah! I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah! For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found. Surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him.” Psalm 32:3-6
The worst response to sin is no response. When David did not allow the Spirit to guide him into all truth in regards to his sin, it impacted his health. His bones ached. He felt pressed down. The bubbling brook in his soul became a dry riverbed. Finally, he could not take the pain any longer, and he confessed his sins to God and God forgave him. Praise God! God’s Spirit convicted him of his sins and gave him grace to pray from his heart to the Lord.
1 Peter 5:5-7 says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
The answer to David’s dilemma was not far away. It did not require much of him, just humility. Finally, he threw his pride aside and asked the Lord to forgive him. Praise God, an overwhelming flood of pain was about to overflow him, but as soon as he cried out to God, “Forgive my sins,” the Lord commanded the mayhem to stop.
“David held out long and would not surrender till it came to the last extremity, but, when he did surrender, see how quickly, how easily, he obtained good terms: ‘I did but say, I will confess, and You forgave.’ Thus, the father of the prodigal saw his returning son when he was yet afar off and ran to meet him with the kiss that sealed his pardon. Such blessed assurance... if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins!” [1]
“You are my hiding place. You shall preserve me from trouble. You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah! Psalm 32:7
I am grateful to God for taking my sin and covering them in the blood of Christ so they are no longer on my account with Him in heaven. I am grateful to Him for all the songs that have been composed about His forgiveness. Songs like, “Amazing Grace,” “And Can It Be.” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” and “There Is A Fount.” These songs provide for me blessed assurance that since Jesus is mine, I need not fear to meet God. God is now my loving Heavenly Abba Father.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.” Psalm 32:8-9
The Holy Spirit coached David. He instructed and taught David while he went about his daily life. No matter what David did, the Holy Spirit used his experiences as teaching moments to guide his thoughts into the love of God. When David was distant and dense-headed, the Spirit urged him not to be as the horse and the mule which due to their uncooperative natures have to be guided with a harness and bit.
“Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.” Psalm 32:10
Sin yields sorrow. And for the wicked person who refuses to embrace God’s free salvation in Christ, he or she inherits everlasting sorrow. It is so much better to trust in the Lord and receive His forgiveness. God is merciful by nature, but when we are guilty of sin and humbly plead with Him, saying, “Lord, have mercy on me, forgive my sin...” He is even more generous with us.
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous. And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” Psalm 32:11
Being close with God yields gladness and joy.
“Psalm 32 is a “Maschil” (מַשְׂכִּיל). Maschil is a term found in the titles of Psalms 32, 42, 44-45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88-89, and 142. Maschil means “a contemplation” or “instruction.” The word “Maschil” is derived from the Hebrew word “Sakal” (שָׂכַל) which means to be prudent, act wisely, have insight, or prosper.” [2] The Holy Spirit inspired David to compose this Psalm to impart wisdom to us. Thanks be to God!
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
The Holy Spirit inspired David to compose a contemplative song. For Christians, the goal of contemplation is to BEHOLD in order to BECOME more like CHRIST. There is no quicker or more thorough way to become more like Christ than to have your sins forgiven by God. In a moment, thanks to God, you stand before Him sinless. Guilt and shame gone! Peace with God!
How frequently do we think about and thank God for the blessing of forgiveness of sins?
I like to take communion often because it’s very purpose is to remind me of what Jesus Christ did for my forgiveness. In Matthew 26:26-28, the Bible says, “Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat. This is My body.’ And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Thanks to Jesus Christ, I need not slay a lamb and offer it to God because Jesus became the Lamb of God for me.
Psalm 85:2 says God covered all my sin.
Psalm 103:3 says God forgives all my iniquities and heals all my diseases.
Romans 4:8 says, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” How can any sinner avoid being pronounced guilty by a holy God? The answer is to believe that God has taken your sins from you and placed them on His Son Christ. 1 John 1:7 says, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
In Isaiah 1:18, the Lord says, “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow...”
In Isaiah 43:25, the Lord says, “I, even I, am He that blots out Your transgressions for Mine own sake and will not remember your sins.”
In Isaiah 44:22, the Lord says, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return unto Me for I have redeemed you.” Don’t stay away from God because of your sins, bring them to God and let Him forgive them all.
In Micah 7:19, the Bible says, “The Lord will turn again. He will have compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Once, God casts your sins into the depths of the sea, don’t go fishing to pull them up. Let them be forgiven and forgotten.
David declares by the Holy Spirit, “Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no deceit.” This verse corresponds with 1 John 1:8-9, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Cast away deceitfulness and admit that you are a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness. In James 2:10, the Lord says, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” One sin makes you a sinner, but the truth is we all sin both by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We need God’s ongoing forgiveness daily.
“When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah! I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah! For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found. Surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him.” Psalm 32:3-6
The worst response to sin is no response. When David did not allow the Spirit to guide him into all truth in regards to his sin, it impacted his health. His bones ached. He felt pressed down. The bubbling brook in his soul became a dry riverbed. Finally, he could not take the pain any longer, and he confessed his sins to God and God forgave him. Praise God! God’s Spirit convicted him of his sins and gave him grace to pray from his heart to the Lord.
1 Peter 5:5-7 says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
The answer to David’s dilemma was not far away. It did not require much of him, just humility. Finally, he threw his pride aside and asked the Lord to forgive him. Praise God, an overwhelming flood of pain was about to overflow him, but as soon as he cried out to God, “Forgive my sins,” the Lord commanded the mayhem to stop.
“David held out long and would not surrender till it came to the last extremity, but, when he did surrender, see how quickly, how easily, he obtained good terms: ‘I did but say, I will confess, and You forgave.’ Thus, the father of the prodigal saw his returning son when he was yet afar off and ran to meet him with the kiss that sealed his pardon. Such blessed assurance... if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins!” [1]
“You are my hiding place. You shall preserve me from trouble. You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah! Psalm 32:7
I am grateful to God for taking my sin and covering them in the blood of Christ so they are no longer on my account with Him in heaven. I am grateful to Him for all the songs that have been composed about His forgiveness. Songs like, “Amazing Grace,” “And Can It Be.” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” and “There Is A Fount.” These songs provide for me blessed assurance that since Jesus is mine, I need not fear to meet God. God is now my loving Heavenly Abba Father.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.” Psalm 32:8-9
The Holy Spirit coached David. He instructed and taught David while he went about his daily life. No matter what David did, the Holy Spirit used his experiences as teaching moments to guide his thoughts into the love of God. When David was distant and dense-headed, the Spirit urged him not to be as the horse and the mule which due to their uncooperative natures have to be guided with a harness and bit.
“Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.” Psalm 32:10
Sin yields sorrow. And for the wicked person who refuses to embrace God’s free salvation in Christ, he or she inherits everlasting sorrow. It is so much better to trust in the Lord and receive His forgiveness. God is merciful by nature, but when we are guilty of sin and humbly plead with Him, saying, “Lord, have mercy on me, forgive my sin...” He is even more generous with us.
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous. And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” Psalm 32:11
Being close with God yields gladness and joy.
“Psalm 32 is a “Maschil” (מַשְׂכִּיל). Maschil is a term found in the titles of Psalms 32, 42, 44-45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88-89, and 142. Maschil means “a contemplation” or “instruction.” The word “Maschil” is derived from the Hebrew word “Sakal” (שָׂכַל) which means to be prudent, act wisely, have insight, or prosper.” [2] The Holy Spirit inspired David to compose this Psalm to impart wisdom to us. Thanks be to God!
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] Google Sources
Monday, April 6, 2026
Not Ashamed of Believing – Psalm 31
“To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. In You, O Lord, I put my trust. Let me never be ashamed. Deliver me in Your righteousness.” Psalm 31:1
Why should a believer ever be ashamed of His Creator and Redeemer? It should not happen. God is greater than all and He holds the key to everyone’s eternity.
In Romans 1:16, Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
Faith in the Gospel of Christ is what brings forth an eternal inheritance for us in the Kingdom of God. This is for everyone! Both for the Jew and non-Jew! Trust this message and when you breathe your last breath in your current body, the Lord will transfer and transform your mortal body into a heavenly one.
1 Corinthians 15:49 says, “As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” The man of dust is Adam. The heavenly Man is Jesus Christ. In Psalm 17:15, David wrote, “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” One day, every believer in Christ will wake up in His presence and find they are like Him in terms of love, joy and peace, and in terms of being eternal.
In Romans 9:33 and Romans 10:11 Paul wrote, “And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” This is where we have to trust Him because in this world, those who do not know the Lord personally are prone to ridicule those who do. In some places, the authorities forbid belief in Christ, They arrest, abuse and kill believers in Christ. How does such treatment not cause shame? Undoubtedly, that kind of treatment for one’s faith in God is shameful, but the shame of that treatment is not on the believer but on the doubter. In any case, God blesses and shines through those who are not ashamed to testify that Jesus Christ is Lord.
In Acts 5:40-41, a city’s religious council members had the apostles beaten. They commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the apostles departed from that experience, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Jesus. God’s Spirit in them totally flipped the world’s script. It was not a shame to be punished for one’s faith in Christ. It was a moment to rejoice. Why? Christ, in His love for them, took nails in His hands and feet for their salvation and now they, in love for Him, could take a beating.
The Lord does deliver believers in Him in righteousness. Romans 4:3 tells us that when Abraham believed God, it was counted to him as righteousness. Then, Romans 4:5 applies God’s righteousness to all believers in Christ. “To him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” The righteousness of God is imputed to whosoever believes in His Son Jesus Christ. This is how God delivers us in His righteousness. He gives us a righteousness that is not ours. Its His! God places His righteousness into the eternal account of everyone who believes in Jesus Christ.
“Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily. Be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me.” Psalm 31:2
David asks the Lord to deliver him speedily. He asks God to be his impenetrable fortress made of rock to defend him. This is fair. We can ask God to deliver us from evil.
“For You are my rock and my fortress. Therefore, for Your Name’s sake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength.” Psalm 31:3-4
David asked the Lord to be his eyes and ears. His CIA agent, his Mossad agent, his SIS/M16 agent and his Guō Ān Bù (郭安部) agent! Nations have spy agencies to keep them informed as to what other nations are plotting against them. David asked the Lord to keep him in-the-know so that he would not be caught off-guard. “For Your Name’s sake, Lord, lead me and guide me.” David’s enemies and a preacher of the Gospel’s enemies are professional hunters. Their leader is Satan. The one who hates Christ and His disciples. David prayed, “Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me.”
“You are my strength.” When God is our strength, He places His strength in us and around us. God’s strength is able to bend circumstances to our favor.
“Into Your hand I commit my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” Psalm 31:5
When David perceived himself as being on the brink of death, he committed his soul’s safekeeping to the God who gave his soul to him. People could kill his body, but God had redeemed his soul from the power of the grave. [1]
With these words “Into Your hand I commit My Spirit” our Lord Jesus yielded up His life upon the cross. He made His soul a free-will offering for sin. He laid down His life for our salvation. [2]
By Stephen’s example we are taught that during our dying moment we should commit our spirits to Him. Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” [3]
We must resist the temptation to be more concerned about world events than for our souls. In Matthew 13:22, Jesus warned us, saying, “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the Word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” In Mark 8:36, Jesus asked His followers, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
“I have hated those who regard useless idols, but I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble. You have known my soul in adversities.” Psalm 31:6-7
David was close-minded toward idols. He hated the use of enchantments and divinations. He rejected talk of good and bad omens. He trusted in God alone. When David’s soul experienced adversities and when his soul was troubled, the Lord knew it and was merciful to him.
David rejoiced in God’s mercy. In our New Testament era, we Christians profess that we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ. And this is true, God saves us according to His grace and not according to the works which we have done.
“You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a wide place.” Psalm 31:8
In 1 Samuel 23:7, “Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. So Saul said, ‘God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.’ David’s predator thought he had him. David and his men had rescued the people of Keilah from the Philistines. After their victory, David and his men thought to reside in Keilah, but the Lord warned David that these people would betray his trust and hand him over to Saul. Thus, the Lord rescued David from being surrounded and arrested in that city. He got David back out into the wide open spaces where he could easily escape from Saul’s advances.
“Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble. My eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body! For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. I am a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and am repulsive to my acquaintances. Those who see me outside flee from me. I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind. I am like a broken vessel. For I hear the slander of many.” Psalm 31:9-12
David’s trials were more than he could bare so he asked the Lord for mercy. He confessed to the Lord that he was in trouble. His trials were weakening his soul, body and bones. The insults of his enemies echoed in his mind. However, the pain that their words caused him were small jabs compared to the knockout punches of his neighbors and acquaintances. People that he thought were his friends said things that broke his heart. Rather than have compassion on him for all the trials that he was experiencing, they mocked him as being a cracked pot. They slandered him. They, like his enemies, treated him as a dead man while he was still alive.
King Saul had labeled David a traitor and an outlaw. His friends and acquaintances saw how dearly Ahimelech the priest had paid for aiding and abetting him. King Saul executed Ahimelech and put his entire priestly village of families to the sword. It was a state sponsored massacre.
In this way, David was a type of Christ. He was intimately acquainted with grief and often in tears. His natural disposition was to be cheerful and confident, yet here we see that from time to time, he was brought to tears and sighing.
“Fear is on every side while they take counsel together against me, they scheme to take away my life.” Psalm 31:13
David’s life was in continual peril. Fear was on every side, and he knew that whatever counsel his enemies took against him, the design was not to take away his liberty, but to take away his life. [4]
Similarly, in all the plots of the Pharisees and Herodians against Christ, their goal was to destroy Him. Such are the enmity and cruelty of the serpent’s servants. [5]
“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord. I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. Make Your face shine upon Your servant. Save me for Your mercies’ sake. Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You. Let the wicked be ashamed. Let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.” Psalm 31:14-18
Everything looked black and dismal round about him, but David’s trust in the Lord kept him from being overwhelmed. His enemies could rob him of his reputation among people, but not of God’s face shining favor into his soul.
David’s time was in God’s hand. No one else determined his beginning, his end and everything else in between. He was God’s servant. God’s merciful kindness was his assurance of salvation.
The Lord strengthened David to shift his mind from the false accusations of enemies to prayer to God for their defeat. Let their insolence, their pride, their contempt, their wickedness and their lies be silenced. After they go to their graves, they will resurrect to a very unhappily ever after.
“O, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!” Psalm 31:19
God is good to all, but He is especially good to those who honor Him with worship and praise.
“You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man. You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!” Psalm 31:20-21
I have served the Lord in a land where Christians are persecuted and Bibles are confiscated. I have numerous testimonies of how the Lord hid me in plain sight from enemies. Bags full of Bibles went through scanning machines at the border undetected. One family testified that the people in their village gate thought that I was related to them... a brother. I am Caucasian not Chinese, but the Lord made me appear as a Chinese person to them. Once, police were in the neighborhood hunting for criminals. They went from house to house but skipped over the house where we were holding a worship service. Another time, our worship meeting ended and people dispersed just before the police showed up. No one was arrested. Multiple times, I witnessed for Christ to Communist officials and they listened and did not arrest me. Once, a police officer attended our discipleship meeting and genuinely enjoyed the fellowship.
I rejoice in the Lord and give Him glory for saving me from experiencing the strife of tongues. If they had arrested me for proselytizing, they would have interrogated me for hours. The Lord rescued me from the strife of tongues.
“Blessed be the Lord, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city! For I said in my haste, ‘I am cut off from before Your eyes.’ Nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to You.” Psalm 31:21-22
The Lord showed David marvelous loving-kindness when He helped him to escape from the city of Keilah, a strong city. Saul was close at hand, and ready to seize him, but the Lord heard David’s prayer for guidance, and the Lord guided him to escape from the enemy’s trap.
“O, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:23-24
David, like a cheerleader, urged all God’s holy people, to love the Lord. Why? He preserves you when you are faithful in your love for Him. He deals with those who are proud against you. He strengthens your heart. Rather than a broken heart, you have a strong heart that is full of compassion, courage and steadfast hope. You shall not die, but live and bring God glory! Praise the Lord!
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
Why should a believer ever be ashamed of His Creator and Redeemer? It should not happen. God is greater than all and He holds the key to everyone’s eternity.
In Romans 1:16, Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
Faith in the Gospel of Christ is what brings forth an eternal inheritance for us in the Kingdom of God. This is for everyone! Both for the Jew and non-Jew! Trust this message and when you breathe your last breath in your current body, the Lord will transfer and transform your mortal body into a heavenly one.
1 Corinthians 15:49 says, “As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” The man of dust is Adam. The heavenly Man is Jesus Christ. In Psalm 17:15, David wrote, “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” One day, every believer in Christ will wake up in His presence and find they are like Him in terms of love, joy and peace, and in terms of being eternal.
In Romans 9:33 and Romans 10:11 Paul wrote, “And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” This is where we have to trust Him because in this world, those who do not know the Lord personally are prone to ridicule those who do. In some places, the authorities forbid belief in Christ, They arrest, abuse and kill believers in Christ. How does such treatment not cause shame? Undoubtedly, that kind of treatment for one’s faith in God is shameful, but the shame of that treatment is not on the believer but on the doubter. In any case, God blesses and shines through those who are not ashamed to testify that Jesus Christ is Lord.
In Acts 5:40-41, a city’s religious council members had the apostles beaten. They commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the apostles departed from that experience, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Jesus. God’s Spirit in them totally flipped the world’s script. It was not a shame to be punished for one’s faith in Christ. It was a moment to rejoice. Why? Christ, in His love for them, took nails in His hands and feet for their salvation and now they, in love for Him, could take a beating.
The Lord does deliver believers in Him in righteousness. Romans 4:3 tells us that when Abraham believed God, it was counted to him as righteousness. Then, Romans 4:5 applies God’s righteousness to all believers in Christ. “To him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” The righteousness of God is imputed to whosoever believes in His Son Jesus Christ. This is how God delivers us in His righteousness. He gives us a righteousness that is not ours. Its His! God places His righteousness into the eternal account of everyone who believes in Jesus Christ.
“Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily. Be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me.” Psalm 31:2
David asks the Lord to deliver him speedily. He asks God to be his impenetrable fortress made of rock to defend him. This is fair. We can ask God to deliver us from evil.
“For You are my rock and my fortress. Therefore, for Your Name’s sake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength.” Psalm 31:3-4
David asked the Lord to be his eyes and ears. His CIA agent, his Mossad agent, his SIS/M16 agent and his Guō Ān Bù (郭安部) agent! Nations have spy agencies to keep them informed as to what other nations are plotting against them. David asked the Lord to keep him in-the-know so that he would not be caught off-guard. “For Your Name’s sake, Lord, lead me and guide me.” David’s enemies and a preacher of the Gospel’s enemies are professional hunters. Their leader is Satan. The one who hates Christ and His disciples. David prayed, “Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me.”
“You are my strength.” When God is our strength, He places His strength in us and around us. God’s strength is able to bend circumstances to our favor.
“Into Your hand I commit my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” Psalm 31:5
When David perceived himself as being on the brink of death, he committed his soul’s safekeeping to the God who gave his soul to him. People could kill his body, but God had redeemed his soul from the power of the grave. [1]
With these words “Into Your hand I commit My Spirit” our Lord Jesus yielded up His life upon the cross. He made His soul a free-will offering for sin. He laid down His life for our salvation. [2]
By Stephen’s example we are taught that during our dying moment we should commit our spirits to Him. Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” [3]
We must resist the temptation to be more concerned about world events than for our souls. In Matthew 13:22, Jesus warned us, saying, “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the Word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” In Mark 8:36, Jesus asked His followers, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
“I have hated those who regard useless idols, but I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble. You have known my soul in adversities.” Psalm 31:6-7
David was close-minded toward idols. He hated the use of enchantments and divinations. He rejected talk of good and bad omens. He trusted in God alone. When David’s soul experienced adversities and when his soul was troubled, the Lord knew it and was merciful to him.
David rejoiced in God’s mercy. In our New Testament era, we Christians profess that we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ. And this is true, God saves us according to His grace and not according to the works which we have done.
“You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a wide place.” Psalm 31:8
In 1 Samuel 23:7, “Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. So Saul said, ‘God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.’ David’s predator thought he had him. David and his men had rescued the people of Keilah from the Philistines. After their victory, David and his men thought to reside in Keilah, but the Lord warned David that these people would betray his trust and hand him over to Saul. Thus, the Lord rescued David from being surrounded and arrested in that city. He got David back out into the wide open spaces where he could easily escape from Saul’s advances.
“Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble. My eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body! For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. I am a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and am repulsive to my acquaintances. Those who see me outside flee from me. I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind. I am like a broken vessel. For I hear the slander of many.” Psalm 31:9-12
David’s trials were more than he could bare so he asked the Lord for mercy. He confessed to the Lord that he was in trouble. His trials were weakening his soul, body and bones. The insults of his enemies echoed in his mind. However, the pain that their words caused him were small jabs compared to the knockout punches of his neighbors and acquaintances. People that he thought were his friends said things that broke his heart. Rather than have compassion on him for all the trials that he was experiencing, they mocked him as being a cracked pot. They slandered him. They, like his enemies, treated him as a dead man while he was still alive.
King Saul had labeled David a traitor and an outlaw. His friends and acquaintances saw how dearly Ahimelech the priest had paid for aiding and abetting him. King Saul executed Ahimelech and put his entire priestly village of families to the sword. It was a state sponsored massacre.
In this way, David was a type of Christ. He was intimately acquainted with grief and often in tears. His natural disposition was to be cheerful and confident, yet here we see that from time to time, he was brought to tears and sighing.
“Fear is on every side while they take counsel together against me, they scheme to take away my life.” Psalm 31:13
David’s life was in continual peril. Fear was on every side, and he knew that whatever counsel his enemies took against him, the design was not to take away his liberty, but to take away his life. [4]
Similarly, in all the plots of the Pharisees and Herodians against Christ, their goal was to destroy Him. Such are the enmity and cruelty of the serpent’s servants. [5]
“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord. I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. Make Your face shine upon Your servant. Save me for Your mercies’ sake. Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You. Let the wicked be ashamed. Let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.” Psalm 31:14-18
Everything looked black and dismal round about him, but David’s trust in the Lord kept him from being overwhelmed. His enemies could rob him of his reputation among people, but not of God’s face shining favor into his soul.
David’s time was in God’s hand. No one else determined his beginning, his end and everything else in between. He was God’s servant. God’s merciful kindness was his assurance of salvation.
The Lord strengthened David to shift his mind from the false accusations of enemies to prayer to God for their defeat. Let their insolence, their pride, their contempt, their wickedness and their lies be silenced. After they go to their graves, they will resurrect to a very unhappily ever after.
“O, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!” Psalm 31:19
God is good to all, but He is especially good to those who honor Him with worship and praise.
“You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man. You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!” Psalm 31:20-21
I have served the Lord in a land where Christians are persecuted and Bibles are confiscated. I have numerous testimonies of how the Lord hid me in plain sight from enemies. Bags full of Bibles went through scanning machines at the border undetected. One family testified that the people in their village gate thought that I was related to them... a brother. I am Caucasian not Chinese, but the Lord made me appear as a Chinese person to them. Once, police were in the neighborhood hunting for criminals. They went from house to house but skipped over the house where we were holding a worship service. Another time, our worship meeting ended and people dispersed just before the police showed up. No one was arrested. Multiple times, I witnessed for Christ to Communist officials and they listened and did not arrest me. Once, a police officer attended our discipleship meeting and genuinely enjoyed the fellowship.
I rejoice in the Lord and give Him glory for saving me from experiencing the strife of tongues. If they had arrested me for proselytizing, they would have interrogated me for hours. The Lord rescued me from the strife of tongues.
“Blessed be the Lord, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city! For I said in my haste, ‘I am cut off from before Your eyes.’ Nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to You.” Psalm 31:21-22
The Lord showed David marvelous loving-kindness when He helped him to escape from the city of Keilah, a strong city. Saul was close at hand, and ready to seize him, but the Lord heard David’s prayer for guidance, and the Lord guided him to escape from the enemy’s trap.
“O, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:23-24
David, like a cheerleader, urged all God’s holy people, to love the Lord. Why? He preserves you when you are faithful in your love for Him. He deals with those who are proud against you. He strengthens your heart. Rather than a broken heart, you have a strong heart that is full of compassion, courage and steadfast hope. You shall not die, but live and bring God glory! Praise the Lord!
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
Sunday, April 5, 2026
From Mourning to Dancing – Psalm 30
“A Psalm. A song at the dedication of the house of David.” Psalm 30:1
2 Samuel 5:4 says, “David was 30 years old when he became king, and he reigned 40 years.” 2 Samuel 5:5-12 tells us that after David conquered Jerusalem that he took up residence there. Then, he secured cedar wood and hewn stones and built a palace for himself. When his palace was finished, he wrote this song [Psalm] to be sung at its dedication. [1]
“I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.” Psalm 30:1-3
David acknowledged that he would not be at this place in his life if it were not for the Lord.
During the first phase of David’s life, his brothers treated him with contempt. After that, his king and father-the-law falsely accused him of plotting to overthrow him and made every effort to kill him. Besides the in-house fighting, his nation had enemies that he felt obligated to conquer. So, he fought and by the grace of the Lord conquered the surrounding nations.
In 1 Samuel 22:1, David was living in a cave in Adullam. Caves were sometimes used as tombs. He said to the Lord, “You brought my soul up from the grave. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.” The feeling of death closing in on him was real to David. With so many treating him as a criminal, where would his soul end up if he died? But he survived! The Lord had lifted him up. It was though he had been dead and the Lord resurrected him.
Previously, David lived in a cave, now, he had a palace.
The Lord healed David. He said to the Lord, “I cried out to You, and You healed me.” The Lord healed him mentally and emotionally from all the trauma of wars, bloodshed, betrayal and slander that he had experienced. In Exodus 15:26, the Lord said, “I am the Lord that heals you.” In Psalm 147:3, David wrote of the Lord, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” A life brought back from the brink of death ought to be spent in praising God. David gave God the glory for his victories.
“Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy Name. For His anger is but for a moment. His favor is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:4-5
David called upon his fellow saints to join with him in singing praise to the Lord. As they remembered the Name of the Lord, he wanted them to do so with thanksgiving. Though he had experienced a season of suffering, those days now seemed but a moment in light of the favor and joy that he now had in the Lord.
Praise God that His frowns toward us are brief. We deserved His frowns toward us to be everlasting. But our God is a loving Father. Psalm 103:10-13 says, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” At night, with the darkness all around us, we may be tempted to dwell on that which is overwhelming, but in the morning, as the light of day breaks into our room, there’s a sense of the grace of God. He put yesterday behind you and gave you a new day full of light. Ephesians 2:8 says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
In John 20:11-13, “Mary stood outside by the tomb of Jesus weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.’”
In John 20:14-17, Mary turned around and saw Jesus, but did not recognize Him at first. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She supposed Jesus to be the gardener until He said her name. Then, she turned toward Him and knew that it was Jesus. Jesus sent Mary to tell His disciples the good news of His Resurrection. The Lord turned Mary’s weeping into joy!
“Now in my prosperity I said, ‘I shall never be moved.’ Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong. You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord. To the Lord I made supplication! What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me. Lord, be my helper!” Psalm 30:6-10
The downside of material prosperity is that it may give a person a false sense of security. Predators are always hunting for that independent-minded stray. The one who has let its guard down! The one who thinks, “Nothing bad will ever happen to me.” The one who thinks his prosperity is steadfast like a mountain.
When David felt secure because of the increase of his possessions, he was least safe. During every change of his condition, he needed to maintain faith in God alone for his own well-being. If God felt distant from him, that greatly troubled him.
When his mountain was shaken, he lifted up his eyes above the hills.
In James 5:13-16, the apostle asked, “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church. Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
When God seemed to hide his face from David, David did not turn his face from God. David cried out the more vehemently. Like blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52, when people told Bartimaeus to hold his peace in the presence of Christ, he cried out all the more loudly. He knew that his only hope to see again was Jesus Messiah. Jesus stopped and healed him.
“What profit is there in my blood?” David reasoned with the Lord, asking, “Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?” There is none of that in the grave. The grave is a land of silence. [2]
David prayed for mercy and help. The writer of Hebrews 4:16, urged us to do the same. He wrote, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
God turned David’s mourning into dancing. As God promised in Isaiah 61:3, He gave to David “Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” Psalm 30:11-12
Giving thanks to God forever is the inheritance we receive from Him for our simple act of trusting in Him. Yes, we experience trials and tribulations here on earth, but our light and momentary afflictions are working for us an eternal weight of glory. The Lord rewards each act of faith in Him. Praise the Lord!
[1] Matthew Henry's Commentary
[2] Ibid
2 Samuel 5:4 says, “David was 30 years old when he became king, and he reigned 40 years.” 2 Samuel 5:5-12 tells us that after David conquered Jerusalem that he took up residence there. Then, he secured cedar wood and hewn stones and built a palace for himself. When his palace was finished, he wrote this song [Psalm] to be sung at its dedication. [1]
“I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.” Psalm 30:1-3
David acknowledged that he would not be at this place in his life if it were not for the Lord.
During the first phase of David’s life, his brothers treated him with contempt. After that, his king and father-the-law falsely accused him of plotting to overthrow him and made every effort to kill him. Besides the in-house fighting, his nation had enemies that he felt obligated to conquer. So, he fought and by the grace of the Lord conquered the surrounding nations.
In 1 Samuel 22:1, David was living in a cave in Adullam. Caves were sometimes used as tombs. He said to the Lord, “You brought my soul up from the grave. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.” The feeling of death closing in on him was real to David. With so many treating him as a criminal, where would his soul end up if he died? But he survived! The Lord had lifted him up. It was though he had been dead and the Lord resurrected him.
Previously, David lived in a cave, now, he had a palace.
The Lord healed David. He said to the Lord, “I cried out to You, and You healed me.” The Lord healed him mentally and emotionally from all the trauma of wars, bloodshed, betrayal and slander that he had experienced. In Exodus 15:26, the Lord said, “I am the Lord that heals you.” In Psalm 147:3, David wrote of the Lord, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” A life brought back from the brink of death ought to be spent in praising God. David gave God the glory for his victories.
“Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy Name. For His anger is but for a moment. His favor is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:4-5
David called upon his fellow saints to join with him in singing praise to the Lord. As they remembered the Name of the Lord, he wanted them to do so with thanksgiving. Though he had experienced a season of suffering, those days now seemed but a moment in light of the favor and joy that he now had in the Lord.
Praise God that His frowns toward us are brief. We deserved His frowns toward us to be everlasting. But our God is a loving Father. Psalm 103:10-13 says, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” At night, with the darkness all around us, we may be tempted to dwell on that which is overwhelming, but in the morning, as the light of day breaks into our room, there’s a sense of the grace of God. He put yesterday behind you and gave you a new day full of light. Ephesians 2:8 says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
In John 20:11-13, “Mary stood outside by the tomb of Jesus weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.’”
In John 20:14-17, Mary turned around and saw Jesus, but did not recognize Him at first. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She supposed Jesus to be the gardener until He said her name. Then, she turned toward Him and knew that it was Jesus. Jesus sent Mary to tell His disciples the good news of His Resurrection. The Lord turned Mary’s weeping into joy!
“Now in my prosperity I said, ‘I shall never be moved.’ Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong. You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord. To the Lord I made supplication! What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me. Lord, be my helper!” Psalm 30:6-10
The downside of material prosperity is that it may give a person a false sense of security. Predators are always hunting for that independent-minded stray. The one who has let its guard down! The one who thinks, “Nothing bad will ever happen to me.” The one who thinks his prosperity is steadfast like a mountain.
When David felt secure because of the increase of his possessions, he was least safe. During every change of his condition, he needed to maintain faith in God alone for his own well-being. If God felt distant from him, that greatly troubled him.
When his mountain was shaken, he lifted up his eyes above the hills.
In James 5:13-16, the apostle asked, “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church. Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
When God seemed to hide his face from David, David did not turn his face from God. David cried out the more vehemently. Like blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52, when people told Bartimaeus to hold his peace in the presence of Christ, he cried out all the more loudly. He knew that his only hope to see again was Jesus Messiah. Jesus stopped and healed him.
“What profit is there in my blood?” David reasoned with the Lord, asking, “Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?” There is none of that in the grave. The grave is a land of silence. [2]
David prayed for mercy and help. The writer of Hebrews 4:16, urged us to do the same. He wrote, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
God turned David’s mourning into dancing. As God promised in Isaiah 61:3, He gave to David “Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” Psalm 30:11-12
Giving thanks to God forever is the inheritance we receive from Him for our simple act of trusting in Him. Yes, we experience trials and tribulations here on earth, but our light and momentary afflictions are working for us an eternal weight of glory. The Lord rewards each act of faith in Him. Praise the Lord!
[1] Matthew Henry's Commentary
[2] Ibid
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Hearing the Voice of the Lord – Psalm 29
“A Psalm of David. Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His Name. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” Psalm 29:1-2
In Psalm 29, King David calls the mighty ones of the earth to give their glory and strength to God. They would not have the talent and tenacity they have if it were not for the Lord. David calls them to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
I appreciate it when people who are at the top of their profession give God the glory for their strengths and abilities. It is music to my ears to hear them praise the Lord.
It is good to honor the Lord when we are at the peak of our abilities because as our bodies age, try as we might, some of the abilities will not be there. However, if we have developed a lifestyle of praise toward the Lord, His Spirit will continue to shine through us. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Psalm 34:5 says, “Those who look to Him [the Lord] are radiant.”
What about you? What about me? Are we giving to the Lord our glory and strength? The essence of worship is to glorify the Lord. It is impossible that we should give Him all the glory due His Name, but as someone once said, “I’m not going to let a rock out-praise me.” This saying is a reference to Luke 19:37-39 where the Pharisees told Jesus to stop His disciples from praising God with loud voices. Jesus told the Pharisees, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Let us offer to the Lord our glory and strength! Cast our crowns at His feet!
“The voice of the Lord is over the waters. The God of glory thunders. The Lord is over many waters.” “The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people. The Lord will bless His people with peace.” Psalm 29:3, 10-11
In 2 Peter 2:5, Peter wrote that God did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others. God’s voice commanded the waters to purge the earth of evil.
In Exodus 14:16, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” In Exodus 14:21-22, Moses did as the Lord commanded and God created a dry path in the midst of sea. In Exodus 14:26-28, the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” He did and the water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.”
The enemies of the Lord were overwhelmed by a flood but He blessed His people with peace.
“The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness. The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare. In His temple everyone says, ‘Glory!’” Psalm 29:4-9
The Lord’s glory and strength is heard in the thunder and seen in the lightning. Trees are rent and split by thunderbolts. Even the cedars of Lebanon that are the strongest, the stateliest are split by His thunderbolts. Sirion is a high mountain beyond Jordan joining to Lebanon. The Lord’s voice makes this mountain to skip [shake] like a skipping calf or young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides flames of fire. In a sense, Jesus is the voice of God. Jesus divided the flames of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:25-27. Jesus was the fourth man in the flames that appeared to King Nebuchadnezzar as the Son of God. Jesus divided the flames of fire in that furnace so that they did not burn Shadrach, Meshach or Abednego.
The voice of the Lord shook the wilderness causing a timid expectant deer to go into labor. [1]
Lightning and thunder descend from above where God dwells. In Revelation 4:5, flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder come from God’s throne.
The voice of the Lord is powerful. In John 12:28-29, Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify your Name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” “The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered.” His Father’s voice sounded like thunder.
In 1 Samuel 7:10, “While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.”
On July 2, 1505, near Stotternheim, Germany, a 21-year-old law student named Martin Luther was caught in a terrifying thunderstorm. A lightning bolt struck nearby, knocking him to the ground. Fearing immediate death and divine judgment, he made a binding oath to become a monk if he survived. He kept his promise and entered the monastery within two weeks, setting the stage for his role in the Protestant Reformation.
In Psalms 78:48, David recounts how God destroyed the livestock of Egypt with bolts of lightning.
“In His temple everyone says, ‘Glory!’” When a man is exposed to severe cold, he is apt to exclaim, “It’s so cold.” When a man hammers his finger, he is apt to say, “Ouch!” When anyone shall stand in the presence of the Lord, he or she is apt to shout, “Glory!”
Do you recognize the Lord’s voice? In John 10:4, Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice.
In Revelation 3:20, Jesus said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.”
In Acts 22:14, Ananias had a prophetic word for Paul. He told him, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from His mouth.”
The Lord, who created ears and mouths, wants to communicate with us. This has been God’s pattern from the beginning. Every outstanding person in the Bible heard God’s voice. And God listened to their voices as well.
In 2 Peter 1:10, the Apostle Peter wrote, “My brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.” How can anyone know what God has called and elected him or her to do if he or she cannot hear from God? God told Noah what to do. God told Abraham what to do. God told the prophets what to say. The Lord told the Apostle Paul why He appeared to him and what he was to do. All who heeded God’s voice, accomplished great exploits for God’s glory.
In Isaiah 30:21, the Lord made a promise to us. He said, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way. Walk in it.’”
“Dear Heavenly Father, please speak to us with Your voice. Please make Your will for our lives known to us. Please help us to trust and obey Your guidance when we hear Your voice. For Your glory, I pray, in the Name of Jesus Your Son. Amen!”
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
In Psalm 29, King David calls the mighty ones of the earth to give their glory and strength to God. They would not have the talent and tenacity they have if it were not for the Lord. David calls them to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
I appreciate it when people who are at the top of their profession give God the glory for their strengths and abilities. It is music to my ears to hear them praise the Lord.
It is good to honor the Lord when we are at the peak of our abilities because as our bodies age, try as we might, some of the abilities will not be there. However, if we have developed a lifestyle of praise toward the Lord, His Spirit will continue to shine through us. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Psalm 34:5 says, “Those who look to Him [the Lord] are radiant.”
What about you? What about me? Are we giving to the Lord our glory and strength? The essence of worship is to glorify the Lord. It is impossible that we should give Him all the glory due His Name, but as someone once said, “I’m not going to let a rock out-praise me.” This saying is a reference to Luke 19:37-39 where the Pharisees told Jesus to stop His disciples from praising God with loud voices. Jesus told the Pharisees, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Let us offer to the Lord our glory and strength! Cast our crowns at His feet!
“The voice of the Lord is over the waters. The God of glory thunders. The Lord is over many waters.” “The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people. The Lord will bless His people with peace.” Psalm 29:3, 10-11
In 2 Peter 2:5, Peter wrote that God did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others. God’s voice commanded the waters to purge the earth of evil.
In Exodus 14:16, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” In Exodus 14:21-22, Moses did as the Lord commanded and God created a dry path in the midst of sea. In Exodus 14:26-28, the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” He did and the water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.”
The enemies of the Lord were overwhelmed by a flood but He blessed His people with peace.
“The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness. The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare. In His temple everyone says, ‘Glory!’” Psalm 29:4-9
The Lord’s glory and strength is heard in the thunder and seen in the lightning. Trees are rent and split by thunderbolts. Even the cedars of Lebanon that are the strongest, the stateliest are split by His thunderbolts. Sirion is a high mountain beyond Jordan joining to Lebanon. The Lord’s voice makes this mountain to skip [shake] like a skipping calf or young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides flames of fire. In a sense, Jesus is the voice of God. Jesus divided the flames of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:25-27. Jesus was the fourth man in the flames that appeared to King Nebuchadnezzar as the Son of God. Jesus divided the flames of fire in that furnace so that they did not burn Shadrach, Meshach or Abednego.
The voice of the Lord shook the wilderness causing a timid expectant deer to go into labor. [1]
Lightning and thunder descend from above where God dwells. In Revelation 4:5, flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder come from God’s throne.
The voice of the Lord is powerful. In John 12:28-29, Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify your Name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” “The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered.” His Father’s voice sounded like thunder.
In 1 Samuel 7:10, “While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.”
On July 2, 1505, near Stotternheim, Germany, a 21-year-old law student named Martin Luther was caught in a terrifying thunderstorm. A lightning bolt struck nearby, knocking him to the ground. Fearing immediate death and divine judgment, he made a binding oath to become a monk if he survived. He kept his promise and entered the monastery within two weeks, setting the stage for his role in the Protestant Reformation.
In Psalms 78:48, David recounts how God destroyed the livestock of Egypt with bolts of lightning.
“In His temple everyone says, ‘Glory!’” When a man is exposed to severe cold, he is apt to exclaim, “It’s so cold.” When a man hammers his finger, he is apt to say, “Ouch!” When anyone shall stand in the presence of the Lord, he or she is apt to shout, “Glory!”
Do you recognize the Lord’s voice? In John 10:4, Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice.
In Revelation 3:20, Jesus said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.”
In Acts 22:14, Ananias had a prophetic word for Paul. He told him, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from His mouth.”
The Lord, who created ears and mouths, wants to communicate with us. This has been God’s pattern from the beginning. Every outstanding person in the Bible heard God’s voice. And God listened to their voices as well.
In 2 Peter 1:10, the Apostle Peter wrote, “My brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.” How can anyone know what God has called and elected him or her to do if he or she cannot hear from God? God told Noah what to do. God told Abraham what to do. God told the prophets what to say. The Lord told the Apostle Paul why He appeared to him and what he was to do. All who heeded God’s voice, accomplished great exploits for God’s glory.
In Isaiah 30:21, the Lord made a promise to us. He said, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way. Walk in it.’”
“Dear Heavenly Father, please speak to us with Your voice. Please make Your will for our lives known to us. Please help us to trust and obey Your guidance when we hear Your voice. For Your glory, I pray, in the Name of Jesus Your Son. Amen!”
[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
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