Worshipping the Lord with Songs of Praise – Psalm 92

“A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.”

What do Christians do on the Sabbath Day during our gatherings? We sing songs about God’s faithfulness to us and of His love for us. We give Him thanks. We sing His praises.

In David’s day, musicians used stringed instruments to accompany singing. David specifically mentions the עָשׂוֹר (Asor) which was a 10 string instrument with a deeper (bass) sound than a כִּנּוֹר (kinnor - harp) which had 10-12 strings. He also mentions the נֶבֶל (nevel - lute). The lute had strings but the strings were stretched over a membrane kind of like a banjo. Nowadays, many Christian musicians use stringed instruments (guitars) to accompany congregational singing.

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High, to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night, on an instrument of 10 strings [עָשׂוֹר], on the lute [נֶבֶל], and on the harp [כִּנּוֹר], with harmonious sound.” Psalm 92:1-3

What is good? Good is giving thanks to the Lord. Good is singing praises to His Name. Good is declaring His loving kindness every morning. Good is declaring His faithfulness every night.

We can sing to the Lord during Sabbath gatherings but also day and night in our own homes. As a teenager, I played an electronic keyboard while singing hymns to God. Singing God’s praises helped me through some of the darkest days of my life.

Good is playing a string instrument unto the Lord and singing praises to His Name!

What yields gladness? Gladness flows from focusing on the Lord’s faithfulness and love.

On the Sabbath, we rejoice in God’s works rather than our own.

“For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work. I will triumph in the works of Your hands. O Lord, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep.” Psalm 92:4-5

The Lord’s works include providing for our material needs, protecting us from harm, forgiving our sins, answering our prayers, gracing us with His love, peace and joy, as well as assuring us that we have everlasting life in Christ.

The Lord’s works also include the beauty of the earth and the vastness of the universe. When we study the stars, planets, moons, mountain heights, ocean depths, the birds, the beasts, the fish and our own internal anatomy, we realize that His thoughts are very deep and detailed.

“A senseless man does not know, nor does a fool understand this. When the wicked spring up like grass, and when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever. But You, Lord, are on high forevermore. For behold, Your enemies, O Lord, for behold, Your enemies shall perish. All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.” Psalm 92:6-7

Some authority figures are like ferocious beasts. They enjoy attacking and killing God’s sheep. While worshipping with Christians in China, I heard testimonies of how cruel some government officials were toward them. Some sent them to labor camps. Some subjected them to being shocked with an electrical cattle prod and urged them to deny Christ. Some of my missionary friends were detained, interrogated and banned from re-entry into China. All the Christians wanted to do was worship the Lord and learn what He has said in the Bible.

Have you ever walked through a neighborhood where the houses are surrounded by beautifully manicured lawns? Impressive right? The Lord compares the wicked workers of sin to grass that has become too high and unsightly. The grass needs to be mowed and the beauty of the neighborhood needs to be restored. In due season, the Lord will bring it to pass.

In Proverbs 25:4-5, the Lord says, “Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel. Remove wicked officials from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.”

From a human perspective, it is discouraging to see evil doers prosper while faithful people are persecuted. However, God’s judgment is certain, even if it is delayed. What appears to be success may actually precede destruction. We need to be patient. [1]

“But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox. I have been anointed with fresh oil. My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies. My ears hear my desire on the wicked who rise up against me.” Psalm 92:8-11

The “exalted horn” speaks of the accolades of victory. “Fresh oil” speaks of enduement with power by the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit gives us confidence that with Christ we shall win.

“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.” Psalm 92:12-13

Palm and Cedar trees grow tall and strong. So, do those who plant themselves in God’s house. [2]

“They shall still bear fruit in old age. They shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the Lord is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” Psalm 92:14-15

Planted in God’s house we bear good fruit even when we are old! According to Galatians 5:22-23, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” In 2 Corinthians 4:16-17, Paul wrote, “We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Praise the Lord!

God’s servants have produced good fruit during their old age. Noah was 500 years old when he was first mentioned in Genesis 5:32. In Genesis 7:6, Noah was 600 when the flood began. He built the ark that preserved the human race when he was old. In Genesis 21:5, Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born. Isaac was an important link in the genealogy of Jesus. Moses was 80 years old when He started out to rescue the slaves from Egypt. Early Christian scholars (such as Irenaeus) dated the writing of the Book of Revelation to around 95 AD. If John were in his early twenties when Jesus first called him, he would have been 80-96 years old when he received the words of the Book of Revelation from God.

There are many who tell us that they have the best solution for aging gracefully. I prefer what the Lord says to us in Nehemiah, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” I believe what the Lord says to us in Psalm 34:5, “They looked to Him and were radiant.” In Psalm 149:4, the Lord promises us that, “He will beautify the humble with salvation.”

Thus, I want to keep worshipping the Lord day and night in my home, and also with His people on Sabbath Days.

Note: the Sabbath Day for Christians is often held on the first day of the week in celebration of the resurrection of Christ from the dead, Thus, most churches hold worship services on Sundays.

[1-2] Words based on words edited and modified from Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Blessed to Know and Serve Christ – Psalm 91

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High” describes us when we live in continual fellowship with God. The emphasis is not on God’s blessings but on God Himself. We who make God our home find shelter “under the shadow of the Almighty.” The safest place on earth is not a location but in a relationship with God. [1]

“I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress. My God, in Him I will trust.’” Psalm 91:2

Every believer must move from knowing truths about God to personally trusting in Him. It is one thing to state, “God is a refuge,” and another thing to say, “God is MY refuge.” [2]

Think of it! When our primary goal in life is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever, we do God’s will rather than the devil’s self-destructive deeds. Before I was born again, I went to bars. Once, while in such a place, a man went berserk and began hitting people including me. The devil enjoyed putting me in harm’s way. Jesus enjoys saving me from harm and eternal destruction.

“Surely, He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.” Psalm 91:3

The “snare of the fowler” is a trap. While bringing Bibles to Christians in China, the Lord rescued me numerous times from authorities who sought to confiscate the Bibles. Once, two soldiers stopped me on a public sidewalk and demanded to see what was in my shoulder bag. There were Chinese Bibles in it. In my mind, I asked the Lord what to do. He told me to trust Him by turning my back to them and walking away. I did and they stood paralyzed. They did not pursue me. Praise God! God is able to preserve us from physical and spiritual danger.

The “noisome pestilence” is a poetic term for a deadly and devastating epidemic or plague. At one point, both my wife and son had contracted a deadly parasite from food while in China. Our son, Andrew, was three years old. A doctor told us that he would die. Sherry was pregnant with our fourth child and very ill in a hospital as well. Then, one night when all seemed so bleak, the Lord spoke Psalm 91:3 to us. He assured Sherry and me that both she and Andrew would recover. The next morning, they were both healed and released to return home. Praise God!

God promised us in Romans 8:39 that nothing can separate us from His love.

“He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.” Psalm 91:4

The image of God covering His people with His feathers is one of remarkable tenderness. Like a mother bird protecting her young, God gathers His children under His wings. His protection is affectionate and powerful. [3]

“His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:5-6

In William Shakespeare’s play about Julius Caesar, there is a line that goes, “Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once.” A fourth grade teacher quoted this line to me and my fellow students. I never forgot it.

I struggled with being afraid of death until the Lord brought blessed assurance to my soul that whosoever believes in Him does not perish but has eternal life. Yes, my earthly body will die, but my soul lives forever. After I shed this temporary body, I receive a heavenly one.

In 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, we read, “The body is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body.” In 1 Corinthians 15:49, we read, “As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man [Jesus].” Thus, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:55, “O death, where is your sting?”

In Hebrews 2:14-15, we read, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

We need not fear death when Christ is our Savior. Death is the portal to heaven for us. Heaven is a wonderful place without wars, pain, or sorrow. Heaven is a perfect place of peace, love and joy. In Psalm 16:11, God assures us that in His presence there is fullness of joy. Praise the Lord!

“A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look and see the reward of the wicked.” Psalm 91:7-8

Psalm 91 is also called the Soldier’s Prayer. Jimmy Stewart’s father gave him a Psalm 91 prayer card before he entered the second World War to fly bombing missions against Hitler. Jimmy Stewart safely flew 20 bombing missions in a B-24 over Germany.

Major Frank Diorio shared on the Lou Dobbs show how he prayed Psalm 91 daily during his tour of duty in Iraq. He said, “No food, no sleep, no casualties during three days of fighting in what was considered the most dangerous city in Al Anbar Province. We did not lose one Marine during 275 engagements in seven months.”

“Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.” Psalm 91:9-10

God is our dwelling place. Thanks to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, we can enjoy a life of continuous fellowship with God. Thus, in 2 Corinthians 13:14, Paul prays for us, “the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

God’s presence is not merely reserved for emergencies, we can walk with Him continuously. In Isaiah 26:3, we read, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You.”

“No evil shall befall you” does not mean believers will never experience suffering, sickness, persecution, or loss. Rather, no event can ultimately harm God’s eternal purpose for us. In Romans 8:28, we read, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

“For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:11-12

Two angels physically pulled Lot and his family out of a city before it was destroyed by fire. An angel baked bread and provided water for the prophet Elijah when he was fleeing for his life. An angel struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight to lift a siege against King Hezekiah’s people. An angel shut the mouths of hungry lions when Daniel was thrown into their den. An angel warned Joseph in a dream to take Mary and baby Jesus to Egypt to escape King Herod’s massacre. Angels cared for Jesus after His 40-day fast. An angel opened the public jail doors at night to free the apostles. God’s angels are helping His servants continuously.

The Lord delivered Daniel Matei from a beating in Romania. A large man was going to beat him up. He asked the Lord what to do. The Lord told him to stand up. He asked the Lord, “Now what?” The Lord told him to take a step forward. He did. “Now what?” The Lord told him to take another step forward. When he did, the man turned ghastly white and fled from him. He asked God, “What happened?” The Lord told him, “When you stood up, I placed My angel before you, and he was much bigger than that man.”

“You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion, and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.” Psalm 91:13

This passage speaks of victory over Satan. The lion and cobra symbolize the devil. Christ crushed Satan’s power against us by dying on the cross for our sins. Now, he can no longer use our sins to accuse and condemn us before God. The handwriting against us has been nailed to the cross.

In Luke 10:17, the disciples of Jesus had great joy. They said to Him, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name.” In Luke 10:19, Jesus said to them, “Behold, I give you power to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high because he has known My Name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.” Psalm 91:14-15

These promises are to those who know, love, and communicate with the Lord by praying.

In John 12:26, Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

“With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:16

In Revelation 1:1, we read, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.” When we serve the Lord, He satisfies us with revelations of who He is and of the wonderful things that He has planned for us. These revelations help us to be strong and hopeful in a world full of uncertainty and darkness.

In Matthew 16:16-17, after Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God, Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” The revelation of Jesus Christ is a blessing from God above! “Thank You heavenly Father for revealing Yourself to us through Your Son.”


[1-3] Edited and modified material from Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Being a Man or Woman of God – Psalm 90

“A Prayer of Moses the man of God.” Psalm 90 Intro

How did Moses become a man of God? In Exodus 3:4, we read that God called to Moses from a burning bush. In Exodus 3:6, God introduced Himself to Moses. In Exodus 3:7-22, God called him to believe Him and to go forth on a mission with Him to set the children of Israel free from Egypt. God initiated and nurtured the relationship by giving Moses a calling to serve Him. Moses believed God and followed Him. This is how Moses became a man of God.

In Acts 26:12-19, Paul explained how he became a Christian to King Agrippa, saying, “As I journeyed to Damascus... I saw a light from heaven... I heard a voice speaking to me... So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Rise and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’”

Being a servant of God always involves prayer. Prayer, at its best, is a two-way conversation between God and a person. God is speaking and listening. The servant is speaking and listening.

“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.” Psalm 90:1

In John 15:4, Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” Moses acknowledges this same truth in Psalm 90. Israel had wandered in Canaan, in Egypt, and in the wilderness, but wherever they were, God abided with them. Emmanuel, “God with us” set them apart.

Believers today share that same privilege. Circumstances change, but God remains with us.

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Psalm 90:2

The mountains, the earth, and the universe had a beginning; God did not. His existence is not measured by time. When we face the reality of aging, death, and loss, we find comfort in the unchanging nature of God. Everything around us may pass away, but He remains forever. [1]

“You turn man to destruction, and say, ‘Return, O children of men.’ For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.” Psalm 90:3-4

“The children of men!” Notice what is missing in this phrase! They are not men or women of God. They return to the dust, and afterwards are resurrected to face judgment.

In Hebrews 9:27, we read, “As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

In Daniel 10:5-6, Daniel saw a “Man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! ...His eyes like torches of fire... and the sound of His words like the voice of a multitude.” In Revelation 1:13-15, Jesus appeared to John as “One like the Son of Man... girded about the chest with a golden band... His eyes like a flame of fire... His voice as the sound of many waters.” Daniel saw the preincarnate Son of God.

In Daniel 12:2-3, the “Man” said to Daniel, “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.”

In 2 Peter 3:8-9, Peter wrote, “Beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

“You carry them away like a flood. They are like a sleep. In the morning, they are like grass which grows up. In the morning it flourishes and grows up. In the evening it is cut down and withers.” Psalm 90:5-6

Moses compares the circumstances of the children of men to a flood, sleep and grass. Floods sweep them away without their consent. Sleep deprives them of awareness that their time before judgment is passing. Grass flourishes only to be cut down.

“For we have been consumed by Your anger, and by Your wrath we are terrified.” Psalm 90:6

In Matthew 10:28, Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The most important fear to maintain is the fear of God. In Numbers 13–14, God sentenced the children of Isreal to wander for forty years in the wilderness to demonstrate His displeasure with unbelief.

“You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.” Psalm 90:8

Nothing escapes God’s notice. He sees sinful motives that we conceal from others. In Hebrews 4:13, we read, “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him...”

“For all our days have passed away in Your wrath. We finish our years like a sigh.” Psalm 90:9

Moses compares human life to a fleeting thought and to a breath that vanishes. The wilderness generation especially understood this reality. Year after year passed with little progress. [2]

“The days of our lives are 70 years; and if by reason of strength they are 80 years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Psalm 90:10

Moses observes that the normal span of life is 70-80 years. This truth should move us to use our time wisely. The issue is not merely how long we live, but how faithfully we live for God. [3]

“Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.” Psalm 90:11

Few people grasp the seriousness of God’s anger against sin. We tend to underestimate God’s commitment to holiness. This verse prepares the way for the prayer that follows in verse 12. [4]

“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

Moses asks God to help His people live with an awareness of life’s brevity. To “number our days” is to recognize that our time on earth is limited and valuable. The purpose of such numbering is to gain a heart of wisdom. How many people tend to live foolishly until something goes wrong? When we remember that our days are numbered, we are less likely to waste them on trivial pursuits and more likely to devote ourselves to what has eternal value. [5]

The Gospel provides hope. The wrath described in Psalm 90 ultimately points us to Jesus Christ. Jesus bore God’s judgment for sinners so that we who trust in Him are not condemned by God.

Psalm 90 moves from the reality of God’s wrath to the necessity of God’s grace. The awareness of our frailty and sinfulness should lead us, as it led Moses, to seek the grace of God. [6]

“Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on Your servants.” Psalm 90:13

Although Israel could not escape the consequences of its sin, Moses prayed that God would not remain angry forever. He appealed to God’s compassion.

This prayer teaches us that when discipline is deserved, we can appeal to God for compassion.

“O, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!” Psalm 90:14

Moses knew that true satisfaction comes only from God’s lovingkindness. Wealth, success, and comfort cannot satisfy the soul as God’s grace does. [7]

“Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil.” Psalm 90:15

The people had known sorrow because of sin, but Moses asked God to bless them so that their gladness in Him would exceed their grief due to their sin. [8]

“Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children.” Psalm 90:16

Moses prayed for his generation and for future generations. Yes, he wants God’s work to be revealed to His servants. He also wanted God to display His glory to their children. [9]

“And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17

Human effort cannot produce everlasting results. We need the beauty of the Lord to produce in us works that do not decay with time. We need God to establish our service and legacy. [10]

In Revelation 14:13, we read, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’”


[1-10] Edited and modified material from Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Bless the Lord – Amen and Amen – Psalm 89:24-52

“But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with Him, and in My Name His horn shall be exalted.” Psalm 89:24

God’s mercy and faithfulness have been secured for believers in Christ. God entrusted the administration of His covenant promises to Christ. All divine mercy flows through Him, and all God’s promises are guaranteed in Him. This is why Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:20 that all the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ. [1]

Christ is therefore the great Trustee and Mediator between God and humanity. The covenant stands firm because it rests upon Him, not upon the faithfulness of sinful people. [2]

“Also I will set His hand over the sea, and His right hand over the rivers.” Psalm 89:25

David’s earthly kingdom was limited but Christ’s kingdom is worldwide. David's rule reached the borders of Israel, but Christ's kingdom extends to every nation and will ultimately encompass the whole earth when as Revelation 11:15 says, “The kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.” [3]

“He shall cry to Me, ‘You are My Father, My God, and the rock of My salvation.’” Psalm 89:26

During His earthly ministry, Jesus addressed God as His Father and submitted to His will. [4]

“Also I will make Him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” Psalm 89:27

This verse is fulfilled in Christ, who is the Firstborn over all creation and the heir of all things. He is exalted above every earthly king and reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords. [5]

“My mercy I will keep for Him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with Him. His seed also I will make to endure forever, and His throne as the days of heaven.” Psalm 89:28-29

Historically, this passage refers to David’s descendants who occupied Judah’s throne. Spiritually, it refers to Christ. Christ’s spiritual seed will endure forever. Though generations pass away, Christ will always have people who worship and serve Him. [6]

“If His sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments, if they break My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their perversity with afflictions.” Psalm 89:30-32

God does not ignore disobedience. He disciplines His children. The rod symbolizes correction and fatherly care, not His rejection. The Lord corrects perversity with afflictions to spare us from living in bondage to it, and to help us avoid its wages, namely eternal death. [7]

“Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from Him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail.” Psalm 89:33

Even when God’s people fail, His covenant remains secure. Their sins may bring discipline, but they cannot nullify God’s promises. Their stability is God’s faithfulness to them in Messiah. [8]

“My covenant I will not break, nor alter the Word that has gone out of My lips.” Psalm 89:34

Because Christ is the Mediator and guarantor of the covenant, God’s people can be confident that His mercy will never depart from them. [9]

“Once I have sworn by My holiness. I will not lie to David. His Seed shall endure forever, and His throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky. Selah!” Psalm 89:35-37

Our durability is in Christ (the Seed) rather than in ourselves. We may stumble and require God’s discipline, but God’s covenant of mercy remains steadfast. The Church will endure as surely as the sun and moon continue in the heavens because Christ sustains us. [10]

“But You have cast off and abhorred, You have been furious with Your Anointed.” Psalm 89:38

After celebrating God’s covenant with David and the certainty of His promises, Ethan turns to the painful reality that the Davidic kingdom appears to be collapsing. The contrast between God’s promises and Israel’s circumstances seem irreconcilable. [11]

“You have renounced the covenant of Your Servant. You have profaned His crown by casting it to the ground. You have broken down all His hedges. You have brought His strongholds to ruin. All who pass by the way plunder Him. He is a reproach to His neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of His adversaries. You have made all His enemies rejoice. You have also turned back the edge of His sword and have not sustained Him in the battle. You have made His glory cease and cast His throne down to the ground. The days of His youth You have shortened. You have covered Him with shame. Selah!” Psalm 89:39-45

Ethan struggles to reconcile God’s promised steadfast love and an enduring throne to David's descendants with what he sees. The royal house now appeared rejected, humiliated, and abandoned. From a human perspective, it seemed that God had made void His covenant.

The covenant with David remained intact when Jesus hung on the cross. It appeared that God had cast Him off, yet His suffering fulfilled God’s covenant of redemption. [12]

Ethan describes to God several aspects of David’s kingdom’s demise. The picture he paints with words is one of humiliation. He attributes the losses to God. He says, “You have” allowed enemies to prosper, defenses to fail, and the kingdom to weaken. This abandonment is a foreshadowing of what Christ would experience on the cross. [13]

I’m glad that the Lord limits Satan’s attacks on us. In Job 1:9-11, Satan doubted the sincerity of Job’s faith. He asked the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

The Lord did not turn His hand against Job, but did allow Satan to do so. In Job 1:12, the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only do not lay a hand on his person.”

In Job 2:3-6, the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” So, Satan suggested that if Job’s body were afflicted, he would surely curse God to His face. The Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.” Satan afflicted Job with boils.

Praise God! He did not allow Job’s faith in Him to fade. In Job 1:10, we read, “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

In Luke 22:31-32, the Lord said to Peter, “Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail. When you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” The Lord upheld Peter’s faith in Him despite Satan’s goal to steal it.

In John 19:11, Jesus said to Pilate, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

In 1 Corinthians 4:9, Paul wrote, “For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death. For we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.” Apostles, prophets and Christ all suffered for the sake of helping others come to God.

The earthly throne of David seemed to disappear, but God preserved His promise until the coming of Messiah Jesus. Earthly crowns fall, but Christ’s kingdom endures forever, and those who belong to Him will receive an unfading crown of glory. [14]

“How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire?” Psalm 89:46

Ethan grieves due to the seeming withdrawal of God’s presence. Like Jesus, in Matthew 27:46, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

God’s wrath felt like fire. Ethan’s lament expressed faith in the God who empathizes with pain.

“Remember how short my time is. For what futility have You created all the children of men?” Psalm 89:47

Life is brief, uncertain, and swiftly passing away. He asks God not to allow an entire lifetime to be consumed by misery. [15]

“What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah!” Psalm 89:48

Every person must face death. No strength, wealth, or position can deliver anyone from the grave, but God can extend our life on earth so that we may continue to witness for Him.

This passage also points beyond the grave. If earthly life were all there is, human existence might seem vain. But God’s covenant promise assures believers that there is a future beyond death, giving meaning to life even amid suffering. [16]

“Lord, where are Your former loving kindnesses, which You swore to David in Your truth?” Psalm 89:49

This is not an accusation but an appeal to God’s faithfulness. Ethan asks God to act consistently with His covenant. What God has promised, He will fulfill in His perfect time. [17]

“Remember Lord the reproach of Your servants—how I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples, with which Your enemies have reproached, O Lord, with which they have reproached the footsteps of Your Anointed.” Psalm 89:50-51

The enemies of God’s people mocked them and ridiculed His anointed king. These reproaches were especially painful because they reflected upon God’s honor. Ethan carries these insults “in his bosom,” feeling their weight personally. The enemies were not merely attacking Israel. They were challenging God’s purposes and promises. [18]

Just as ancient scoffers mocked God’s promises concerning David’s kingdom, end-time scoffers mock the coming of Christ, asking in 2 Peter 3:4, “Where is the promise of His coming?” God’s people have often endured reproach while waiting for the fulfillment of His promises.

“Blessed be the Lord forevermore! Amen and Amen.” Psalm 89:52

With no visible answer in sight, the throne cast down and enemies mocking, Ethan still blessed God. His double “Amen” expressed love for God amid contrary circumstances. Like Job, he did not sin with his lips. When all was said and done, he continued to bless the Lord. By God’s grace, Ethan is in heaven now blessing the Lord forevermore. “Amen and Amen!”


[1-18] Material edited and modified from Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Jesus, Son of David, have Mercy on Me – Psalm 89:1-23

“A Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite.” Psalm 89 Intro

Ethan was one of David’s singers. In 1 Chronicles 15:16-17, we read that David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy. So the Levites appointed Heman..., Asaph..., and Ethan.” [1]

In 1 Kings 4:30-31, we read that Ethan was famous for being wise.

After Messiah was born, wisemen brought gifts and worshipped Him. Wisemen still worship Jesus.

“I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 89:1

When disappointed, we may be tempted to complain, but we gain a better outlook by praising God for His mercies. Thus, let us smack down doubts by lifting up songs of praise to God’s faithfulness.

Though our current circumstances may appear contrary to God’s mercy and faithfulness, we do well to continue singing words of faith in God’s faithfulness to us.

In Psalm 149:6, we read, “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.” On the one hand, we limit the kind of words our mouths will speak, namely, high praises to God. On the other hand, we use the sword of the God’s Word and Spirit to strike down the lies of the evil one. The evil one wants to plant seeds of doubt in our minds.

God is faithful to every word He has spoken.

“For I have said, ‘Mercy shall be built up forever, Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.’” Psalm 89:2

The everlasting covenant is firm and sure. Though circumstances seem to threaten the extinction of David’s royal line, he declares: “Mercy shall be built up forever.” [2]

“I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: Your seed I will establish forever and build up your throne to all generations. Selah!” Psalm 89:3

God made a covenant with King David and his descendants, known as the Davidic Covenant. Found primarily in 2 Samuel 7 and summarized in 1 Chronicles 17, God promised to establish David’s lineage, throne, and kingdom forever. Jesus Messiah is the eternal fulfillment of this covenant. As a physical descendant (or seed) of David, Jesus is the Messiah who inherited the eternal throne of David and whose kingdom will never end. [3]

In Isaiah 9:6-7, we read of Jesus, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

“And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him.” Psalm 89:4-7

According to Revelation 5:9, those in heaven praise the Lamb of God who was slain and who redeemed people out of every tribe and people and nation to God by His blood. No one in heaven can compare with God who sits on the throne and His Son Jesus Christ. Neither angels nor saints vie for His glory. They revere Him and give Him all the glory.

No one should pray to the Virgin Mary, to the saints or to an angel. That is idolatry which is an abomination in the sight of God. In 1 Timothy 2:5, Scripture says, “There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

Jesus and Satan are not brothers as the Mormons teach. Jesus is God, and Satan is one of His creations. Jesus is God incarnate—eternal, all-knowing, and all-powerful, while Satan is a fallen angel that was created by God for God’s purposes. Instead of acknowledging Jesus as the one true God, they believe He became God, just as they will one day become gods. The Scriptures are clear that Jesus is fully God, not some type of lesser god as the Mormons believe.

Like the Mormons, the Jehovah’s Witnesses also teach that Jesus and Satan are spiritual brothers. While some Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses might sometimes try to sidestep this teaching because it is so antithetical to what the Bible actually says, it is nevertheless what these organizations believe and is part of their official doctrine.

Colossians 1:16 says that in Christ all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth. Visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers! ALL THINGS were created through Him and for Him.” All things—thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers—includes Satan and his demons.

In John 10:30 Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” Jesus was not claiming to be another, lesser god. He was declaring that He was fully God. In John 1:3, it is clear that “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

In Matthew 16:15, Jesus asked the important question: “But who do you say that I am?” This is a question that is essential to salvation and one that the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses get wrong. The god of the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses is not the God who revealed Himself in Scripture. Unless these groups repent and come to understand and worship the one true God, they have no hope of salvation. [4]

In Colossians 2:18-19, Paul wrote, “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head [Christ], from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.”

“O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.” Psalm 89:8

God’s sovereignty, ownership, power, justice, mercy, and faithfulness exceeds that of all other contenders. Some boast of their possessions, but all possessions ultimately belong to God. Since He is the Creator and Owner of all things. [5]

“You rule the raging of the sea. When its waves rise, You still them. You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain. You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.” Psalm 89:9-10

In Mark 4:37-39, when a furious squall came up, and waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. The wind and waves bowed to Jesus.

“The heavens are Yours the earth also is Yours. You have founded the world and all its fullness. You have created the north and the south. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your Name.” Psalm 89:11-12

The vastness of God’s dominion stretches from north to south, and to little known places of the earth. No place is beyond His reach. Tabor and Hermon are two prominent mountains in Israel. They stand as witnesses to God’s creative power. Creation reflects the glory of God! [6]

“You have a mighty arm. Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand.” Psalm 89:13

According to Ephesians 1:21, not only is Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father, but He is also “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne. Mercy and truth go before Your face.” Psalm 89:14

Every decree God makes is wise and just. Unlike earthly rulers, who may abuse power or act unjustly, God’s rule is founded upon absolute righteousness. [7]

God’s mercy is seen in His gracious promises. His truth is seen as He fulfills His promises. He is always true to His Word and often gives His people more kindness than they deserve. [8]

“Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. In Your Name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness, they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, and in Your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord, and our king to the Holy One of Israel.” Psalm 89:15-17

Ethan sang of God’s mercies, and noted the joy of those who walk in the light that shines from His face. It is in the righteousness of Christ that God’s people rejoice. He was slain for our sins and He redeemed us unto God. All strength and usefulness is imparted to us by Christ. Our horn shall be exalted by His grace. In Scripture, the horn symbolizes strength and honor. [8]

“Then You spoke in a vision to Your Holy One and said: ‘I have given help to One who is mighty. I have exalted One chosen from the people. I have found My Servant David, With My holy oil I have anointed Him, with whom My hand shall be established; also, My arm shall strengthen Him.’” Psalm 89:19-21

This passage points beyond David to Messiah. David was chosen by God from among ordinary people and exalted to the throne. Yet these truths find their highest expression in Christ. Jesus is the Holy One. In Luke 4:18, He declared, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” He is the baptizer in the sanctifying Holy Spirit. He is the “Mighty God” foretold of in Isaiah 9:6. He is the Chosen One to redeem us from our sins.

“The enemy shall not outwit Him, nor the son of wickedness afflict Him. I will beat down His foes before His face, and plague those who hate Him.” Psalm 89:22-23

Satan opposed Jesus throughout His earthly ministry, yet could not defeat Him. In John 14:30, Jesus declared, “The prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me.” [9]

Christ's kingdom cannot fail. Every enemy of redemption will be conquered. The “sure mercies of David” are therefore the sure mercies of Christ—unchangeable covenant blessings flowing from God’s eternal promise and fulfilled through the reign of the Son of David. [10]

Whatever circumstance we face, whatever burden we carry, whatever need remains unmet, Jesus, the Son of David, is the answer.

In Mark 10:46–52, blind Bartimaeus sat by the roadside begging. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he cried out even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped, called for him, and restored his sight. Bartimaeus immediately received his vision and followed Jesus on the way.

Today, we come with the same faith and the same plea: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us.” Whatever our need may be—physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, or financial—“we know that You are able. Open our eyes to see Your power, Your grace, and Your purpose. As You gave sight to Bartimaeus, grant us the help we need today, and lead us to follow You more closely.”


[1] Jamieson-Faussett Brown Commentary
[2] Material based on and modified from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[3] Gotquestions.com
[5] Ibid
[5-10] Material based on and modified from Matthew Henry’s Commentary

For the Soul Full of Troubles – Psalm 88

“A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. Set to ‘Mahalath Leannoth.’ A Contemplation of Heman the Ezrahite.” Psalm 88 intro

“Mahalath” (a lute) used as an accompaniment for “Leannoth” (singing). [1]

This was a song to be sung in worship. The sons of Korah were a guild of Levites singers. The intro of Psalm 88 credits Heman as the composer of this Psalm. We read in 1 Chronicles 25:1 that the sons of Heman prophesied with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals. His sons were musicians. In 1 Chronicles 25:5, we read that Heman was David’s seer in the words of God. [2]

In 1 Kings 4:30-31, we read that Heman was famous for being wise, yet Solomon’s wisdom exceeded his wisdom. [3]

“O Lord, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You.” Psalm 88:1

Heman devoted himself to prayer day and night. He was very earnest in prayer. “I have cried out.” “I have stretched out my hands unto You” (vs. 9), like one seeking to grasp the hem of His garment. He prayed frequently in prayer... “day and night.”

In Luke 18:1, Jesus spoke a parable saying, “Men ought always to pray, and not faint.” And afterwards, In Luke 18:7, He said, “And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?

When we remain steadfast and persistent in prayer, we may confidently expect God to hear and answer in His perfect time. [4]

“Let my prayer come before You. Incline Your ear to my cry.” Psalm 88:2

Heman directed his prayer to God and looked to Him alone for an answer. His desire was not that his prayer would be seen and admired by men, as the Pharisees sought, but that it would be accepted by God. He was not concerned with human approval. He trusted in God. [5]

“For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave. I am counted with those who go down to the pit. I am like a man who has no strength” Psalm 88:3-4

Some view Heman in this psalm as a type of Christ. In John 12:27, Jesus said, “Now is My soul troubled,” and later in Matthew 26:38, He said, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death.” Heman likewise declares, “My life draws near unto the grave.” [6]

Heman was a wise and godly man—a man of God and a singer of Israel. One might naturally expect him to have a cheerful spirit, yet here he is overwhelmed with sorrow, troubled in mind, and brought to the brink of despair. This reminds us that inward troubles are often the most painful of all afflictions, and that even God’s much beloved servants experience them. [7]

“Adrift among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand.” Psalm 88:5

Heman viewed himself as a dying man, whose heart was ready to break under the weight of sorrow. “Adrift among the dead” is to be grouped with those who no longer matter. He felt forgotten and neglected, like those whose bodies decay in a tomb and whose condition no longer draws the notice or concern of others. [8]

Heman felt that God remembered him no more. The hand that had supported, sustained, and delivered him previously as moved on to help others. [9]

“You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah!” Psalm 88:6-7

To be in the lowest pit is to be as low as possible. He could not escape without God’s help.

He grieved because it seemed God was against him. Had he been able to discern God’s favor and love in his affliction, the burden would have seemed much lighter. Instead, it lay heavily upon him—so heavily that he was ready to sink and faint beneath it. [10]

The impressions of this perceived wrath upon his spirit were like waves rolling over him one after another. No sooner had he begun to recover from one dark thought than another hit him. These waves crashed upon him with noise and fury. Not merely some, but all of God’s waves seemed to be employed in beating him down. [11]

Sometimes, children of God’s love view themselves as children of wrath. No outward trouble can weigh so heavily upon them as the apprehension that God is displeased with them. [12]

This shows how greatly even good men may be afflicted. Such dismal apprehensions may arise concerning their troubles, and such dark conclusions about their outcome may sometimes be drawn through the power of melancholy and the weakness of faith. [13]

“You have put away my acquaintances far from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am shut up, and I cannot get out.” Psalm 88:8

When we are in trouble, it is a comfort to have people around us who love us and sympathize with our situation. Heman had no such support so he brought his grief to God. [14]

God allowed their affections toward him to grow cold. Every creature is to us only what God permits it to be. If those from whom we expect kindness prove unkind, we must bear it with the same patient submission to God’s will as with other afflictions. [15]

According to Job 1:2, Job and his wife had 10 children together. In Job 1:4, we learn that their sons and daughters took turns feasting at one another’s homes. In Job 1:5, Job made offerings unto God on behalf of his children in case they had sinned against God. He wanted what was best for them. However, after all 10 of their children were killed by whirlwind, his wife said to him, in Job 2:9, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God, and die.” Job lost his children and his wife’s devotion to God and to him all in one day.

Heman grieved that he had become an abomination to his acquaintances. They were not only unwilling to associate with him, but regarded him with contempt and even disgust. He was viewed not merely with indifference but with abhorrence. [16]

Therefore, let no believer think such a trial unusual. Heman, though renowned for his wisdom, was nevertheless neglected when the world turned against him. He was treated like a vessel wherein is no pleasure—discarded and forgotten by those who once knew him. [17]

The apostles of Christ were treated with contempt. In 1 Corinthians 4:9-10, Paul wrote, “I think that God has set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death. For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honorable, but we are despised.”

“My eye wastes away because of affliction. Lord, I have called daily upon You. I have stretched out my hands to You.” Psalm 88:9

Sometimes after weeping a person feels better, but better yet, mix your tears with prayers to God. In Isaiah 38:5, God says, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears.” Our sorrow is not hidden from Him, and our tears, joined with faith and prayer, are precious in His sight. [18]

“Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You? Selah!” Psalm 88:11

Heman notes that if he dies, he will no longer be able to glorify God on earth. His questions are not expressions of unbelief in the resurrection but earnest pleas for immediate help. [19]

“Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave, or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” Psalm 88:11-12

Heman appeals to God’s lovingkindness, faithfulness, wonders, and righteousness, asking how these attributes will be displayed through his life if he is taken away. [20]

“But to You I have cried out, O Lord, and in the morning my prayer comes before You.” Psalm 88:13

Despite receiving no immediate answer, Heman refuses to stop praying. Faith is demonstrated not merely by praying once, but by continuing to pray when answers seem delayed. He fully expected God to rescue him. God’s delays are not necessarily denials. Often He uses them to develop patience, dependence, and perseverance in us. [21]

Heman sought God early in the morning before the duties of the day distracted him. [22]

“Lord, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me?” Psalm 88:14

Heman felt abandoned by God, and he let God know it.

“I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth. I suffer Your terrors. I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me all day long like water. They engulfed me altogether.” Psalm 88:15-17

Ever since Heman was young, he suffered terror or panic attacks. These attacks caused him intense spiritual distress, but they were not necessarily evidence of lost favor with God. [23]

In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul wrote, “We would not, brothers, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.” Paul and the apostles suffered afflictions due to their care for others.

Heman teaches us that great wisdom and godliness can coexist alongside feelings of sorrow. His seasons of suffering produced in him seriousness, humility, and dependence upon God. [24]

“Loved one and friend You have put far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness.” Psalm 88:18

The Apostle Paul spoke of a similar experience. In 2 Timothy 4:16-17, he wrote, “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But 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.”

Heman’s loved ones and friends, God’s sweetest earthly gifts, forsook him. Though he perceived their departure as a sign of God’s departure as well, he continued to speak to God. His prayer is evidence that his faith in God, though battered, had not died. [25]

The wisdom of Psalm 88 is that the absence of comfort is not the absence of faith. Delayed answers should lead to continued prayer, not prayerlessness. Faith is sometimes seen most clearly not in rejoicing, but in refusing to stop praying when no relief is in sight. [26]

The psalm ends without a visible resolution, which makes it especially precious to suffering believers. It assures them that God included in Scripture the prayer of a saint who walked through darkness and yet continued to pray, “Unto You have I cried, O Lord.” [27]

Friend, know that God is with you. In Hebrews 13:5, the Lord says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” In 1 Peter 5:10, Peter wrote to suffering saints, saying, “The God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” In James 5:11, James, a bondservant of Christ, wrote, “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.”


[1] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
[2-27] Edited and modified material from Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Glorious Things are Spoken of You, O City of God – Psalm 87

“A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.” Psalm 87 intro

“The sons of Korah” were a guild of Levite musicians who served and worshipped God. [1]

“His foundation is in the holy mountains.” Psalm 87:1

As the psalmists contemplated the glory of God’s house in Jerusalem, they were overwhelmed by its significance. [2] The house of the Lord is founded on holy mountains. Mountains set apart by God for meeting with Him and hearing from Him. God did not create the world and leave it behind as some have suggested. No, He is active and is calling out to people to meet with Him.

Likewise, the Church has a sure foundation with Christ as her Redeemer. The Son of God is her head and husband. His heavenly Jerusalem includes both Jewish and Gentile believers in Him. In Hebrews 11:10, the patriarch Abraham is described as looking forward to “the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” [3]

The foundation of God’s work is set upon the mountains. Mountains symbolize exaltation and stability. It is built high to be seen by many people. It is also built firmly, for mountains are rocky, and upon the Rock of Christ the Church stands. [4]

The world, by contrast, is founded upon the seas. In Psalm 24:1-2, we read, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.” The seas ebb and flow. They have weak and unstable foundations. The seas necessitate an embrace of the everlasting Rock, Christ. [5]

In Isaiah 54:10, we read, “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, says the Lord that has mercy on you.”

“The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” Psalm 87:2

The dwellings of Jacob speak of private worship. God delights in families who worship Him in their homes. Worship of God in our homes should never cease. [6]

The gates of Zion speak of congregational worship. God’s people congregate in a set location for worship and instruction. In Psalm 134:14, God had declared concerning Zion, “This is my rest forever. Here will I dwell. For I have desired it.” God met with His people, received their worship, and granted to them His grace at the gates of Zion. [7]

Zion also represents Christ. Christ gave His life for our salvation in Zion (Jerusalem). Jesus is the Way to the Father. He is the door to the sheepfold. In Him we are redeemed unto God.

“Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! Selah!” Psalms 87:3

We should judge persons and institutions not by the opinions of the world, but by the estimate placed upon them in Scripture. The enemies of God’s city spoke many contemptuous things against it in an effort to make it appear insignificant and despised. Yet God, whose judgment is always true, speaks glorious things concerning it. [8]

Of His house, God declared in 2 Chronicles 7:16, “My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually” and “I have sanctified this house, that My Name may be there forever” [9]

In Psalm 48:2, Mount Zion is described as “beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth.”

Yet even greater things are spoken of the Gospel preaching Church. It is the bride of Christ, purchased by His blood. It is a chosen people, a holy nation, and a royal priesthood. Against it, the gates of hell shall never prevail. [10]

Let us never be ashamed of the Church of Christ even when it appears to be weak and despised. Let us not be ashamed of those who belong to it, nor deny our connection with it because of reproach or opposition. God has spoken such glorious things concerning His Church. [11]

“I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me. Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia: ‘This one was born there.’” Psalm 87:4

Compared with other nations and places Zion is shown to be far superior. The Church of Christ possesses a glory and excellence that surpasses all the kingdoms of the earth. [12]

The psalmists acknowledge the greatness of other lands, saying, “I will make mention of Rahab” (that is, Egypt) “and Babylon to those who know Me. Behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia.” [13]

Among these nations one might find notable individuals—men distinguished by wisdom, virtue, or influence. Some might even have become worshipers of the true God. Every nation could point to a few remarkable people who brought honor to their homeland. [14]

Some understand this verse as a prophecy of the inclusion of Gentiles in the Church. In this view, God declares that Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia will be counted among those who know Him. Though once strangers to the covenant, they will be received as His people through faith in Christ. [15]

These Gentile believers will be regarded as having been born in Zion—born again by God’s grace and granted the privileges of God’s covenant people. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:19, those who were once strangers and foreigners became fellow citizens with the saints. A converted Gentile will stand on equal footing with a believing Jew. [16]

In Isaiah 19:23–25, God prophesied saying, "Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance."

“And of Zion it will be said, ‘This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High Himself shall establish her.’” Psalm 87:5

From Zion came prophets, kings, and faithful servants who enjoyed God’s special favor and became blessings to the world. The heroes of faith far surpass the celebrated figures of pagan nations, and their names endure in everlasting honor. [17]

Some understand the phrase, “one was born in her,” as a reference to Christ Himself—the Son of Man, who is fairer than the children of men. Though born in Bethlehem, near Zion, He became the supreme glory of Israel. According to Romans 9:5, the highest honor that was bestowed on the Jewish nation was that Christ came from them according to the flesh. [18]

This passage also points to the spread of the Gospel. The Word of the Lord went forth from Zion, and countless souls were born into God’s family. The Church is the birthplace of men and women distinguished not by worldly achievement, but by the gracious election of God. [19]

The strength and permanence of Zion do not depend upon human effort but upon God’s power. The converts from many nations will not weaken the Church, it will strengthen her. [20]

Since God Himself founded Zion upon an everlasting foundation, she will endure despite the upheavals of kingdoms and nations. Though heaven and earth may be shaken, God’s kingdom remains secure because it rests upon Him who cannot be moved. [21]

“The Lord will record when He registers the peoples: ‘This one was born there.’ Selah!” Psalm 87:6

God keeps a perfect record of His people. When He gathers His subjects and reviews His kingdom, He takes special notice of those who belong to Zion. All who have been born again by His Spirit are recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. [22]

“Both the singers and the players on instruments say, ‘All my springs are in You.’” Psalm 86:7

Zion is filled with joyful worship. Singers and players of instruments are there. One of Zion’s greatest honors is that God is worshiped there with gladness and praise. His service is not a burden but a delight. [23]

The psalm concludes with the declaration that “All my springs are in You [Lord].” From the Lord flow the streams that refresh and gladden the city of God. Believers find spiritual nourishment in God’s Word, prayer, worship, and in their love for one another. [24]

The springs of a worldly person’s joy are found in wealth, pleasure, and earthly success. The springs of a believer’s joy are found in God and in the means of grace He has provided. [25]

Christ is the source of every spiritual blessing. All our springs are in Him. From Him flow every stream of grace, comfort, strength, and joy. The Father has been pleased that all fullness should dwell in Christ, and all believers rejoice that it is so. [26]



[1] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary, see also Numbers 16
[2-26] Some portions of these paragraphs are derived from Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Resting In Hope – Psalm 86

“A Prayer of David.” Psalm 86 intro

While David did not sing all of his prayers, he often wove prayer into his songs.

The language of Psalm 86 is remarkably plain compared to some of David’s other writings. There are few poetic flourishes, reminding us that eloquence is not the chief ornament of prayer. [1]

“Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me, for I am poor and needy.” Psalm 86:1

The imagery of this passage is of David being small compared to God who is great. He needs God the Creator and Sustainer of the universe to come down to his level and listen to Him. This is how prophets see God. In Isaiah 42:5, Isaiah declared that God “created the heavens and stretched them out.” Similarly, in Jeremiah 32:17, Jeremiah acknowledged God’s greatness in his prayer, saying, “Ah Lord God! behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for You.”

God’s love for us is demonstrated in the fact that though He is the supreme and sovereign being over everything, He is still willing to listen to us when we call upon His Name.

David confessed his need of God, saying, “I am poor and needy.”

In the Gospels, we read of Jesus stopping by the waysides to help poor and needy people. For example, in Luke 7:11-17, seeing a grieving widow about to bury her only son, the heart of Jesus overflowed with compassion, and He brought the young man back to life. Which of us could do that for someone? Thus, we are poor and needy, but God is rich and powerful.

“Preserve my life, for I am holy. You are my God. Save Your servant who trusts in You!” Psalm 86:2

David wanted God to preserve his separated-life for God’s glory. A holy person is a witness for God in a world that needs to know Him. How many people have offered their lives to God to love and serve Him? The world needs more of such people not less.

“Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long.” Psalm 86:3

In Mark 10:46-52, when Jesus came to Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus began to cry out, and say, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.” Many told him to be quiet, but he kept on crying out, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you whole.” “Immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

Though David was a king, and lived in a palace, he too cried out persistently to God for mercy. He cried to the Lord all the day long. He did not wait until the Sabbath Day to pray. He prayed daily. In Psalm 55:17, David wrote, “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and He [God] shall hear my voice.”

David set for us an example. We too can plead for God’s mercy at any time and at any place, and He will hear our voice.

“Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” Psalm 86:4

When God fills our soul with His presence, we overflow with joy!

Prayer is one of the chief means by which God nourishes the joy of His people. [2]

David saw himself as God’s servant. He sang, “I am Your servant.” Paul introduced himself in his letters to people as God’s servant. For example, in Titus 1:1, he wrote, “Paul, a servant of God.”

“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications.” Psalm 86:5-6

The Lord’s goodness includes a readiness to forgive sinners—more ready to forgive than we are to repent. [3] His enemies called Jesus a “friend of sinners.” What a friend we have in Jesus!

In Ephesians 2:4, Paul wrote that God is rich in mercy. In Acts 20:35, he remembered the words of the Lord Jesus, how Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

“In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.” Psalm 86:7

Unlike idols of stone and wood which cannot answer prayers, God answered David’s prayers. [4]

“Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord, nor are there any works like Your works.” Psalm 86:8

Among all the gods worshiped by the heathen, among angels, kings, and rulers, there is none like the Lord. No one can match His infinite wisdom. No one can fathom the depths of His love.

God works are works of love. He shares His power with us to heal our bodies. He shares His understanding with us to help us solve problems. He imparts wisdom to us to help us make wise decisions. He fills our hearts with love so we can love as He loves.

“All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your Name. For You are great and do wondrous things. You alone are God.” Psalm 86:9-10

All nations derive their existence from God. Therefore, all peoples shall ultimately come and worship before Him and glorify His Name. This promise was partially fulfilled through those who embraced the worship of Israel’s God, but it finds its fullest accomplishment in the kingdom of Christ, when people from every nation are brought to worship the Lord (See Revelation 7:9). Since all things were created through Christ, it is Christ who gathers the nations to God. [5]

“Teach me Your way, O Lord. I will walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your Name.” Psalm 86:11

David’s life was well-founded on divine truth, yet he recognized his need for God’s continued guidance. [6] He wanted to walk in paths of righteousness for the Lord’s Name sake.

A hypocrite’s heart is divided. He acts as a servant of God but in his heart he is for himself. With our affections fixed on God, we bear fruit that brings glory to God and needed help to people.

“I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your Name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” Psalm 86:12-13

David delighted in praising the Lord. He resolved to praise the Lord with all his heart and to glorify His Name forever. This determination sprang forth from his personal experience of God's mercy. He professed to God saying, “Great is Your mercy toward me.”

God's delivered David’s soul from “the lowest hell.” David understood that his sins deserved eternal condemnation, particularly after his grievous sin concerning Uriah. Yet God forgave him and spared him from destruction. [7]

Every believer owes his or her salvation not to personal merit but to God’s mercy. [8]

“O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life and have not set You before them.” Psalm 86:14

David lays before God the hostility of his enemies. They despise him. They seek to overpower him. His foes unite together to destroy him. They seek not only his downfall but his very life.

David’s enemies opposed those who served God. They lacked fear of God, and thus, did not restrain their evil intentions. However, in opposing God’s servant, they opposed God.

God’s sovereignty is absolute. His power is irresistible. His riches are inexhaustible. His dominion is unquestionable. His wondrous works demonstrate that He alone is God. All people should maintain lofty thoughts of God and a proper perspective of themselves before Him.

“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86:15

The words of Psalm 86:15 are similar to Exodus 34:6. As the Lord passed by Moses, He said to Moses, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” Those who know the Lord, know Him in this way.

“O, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant.” Psalm 86:16

David asked for comforting mercy. When enemies attacked him and friends forsook him, David found comfort in knowing that God looked upon him with tender compassion. [9]

David asked God for His strength. Both he and his mother (God’s handmaid) served Him. [10]

“Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” Psalm 86:17

David desired some unmistakable evidence of God’s blessing, not merely for his own assurance but so that those who hated him would see it and be ashamed of themselves. [11]

When God openly helps and comforts His people, it becomes clear that opposing them is opposing God. The joy of God’s servants becomes the shame of those who persecute them.

Thus, Psalm 86 closes with David resting in hope with the God who helps, comforts, strengthens, and delivers Him. We too can rest in hope when we have a close relationship with the Lord.



[1] Edited material from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Ibid
[10] Ibid
[11] Ibid

Rejoicing in God Revived – Psalm 85

“To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.” Psalm 85 intro

“The sons of Korah” were a guild of Levite musicians who served and worshipped God. Psalm 85 was sent to the chief musician to be set to music. [1]

“Lord, You have been favorable to Your land. You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people. You have covered all their sin. Selah! You have taken away all Your wrath. You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.” Psalm 85:1-3

God’s favor is manifested to us as He sets us free from our various vices.

For example, in the past, being number one in whatever I did was a motivating factor for me. But the Lord was gracious to me and revealed to me what I could not see. I was foolish. I was sinful. My self-serving gains were actually losses, for by them, I was not like Christ to others.

In 2 Corinthians 8:9, we read, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”

In Mark 9:35, Jesus sat down with His twelve disciples and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”

Sin distances us from God. The only back to Him is via repentance.

In Acts 3:19-20, Peter urged his listeners to repent and be converted, so that their sins would be blotted out, and that they would receive times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. In Acts 3:26, he added, “God raised up His Servant Jesus to bless you by turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

“Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.” Psalm 85:4-7

The singers of this song believed in God’s restorative grace.

In Matthew 13:12-14, Jesus asked His listeners, “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

The one sheep that went astray put himself and ninety-nine others at risk. The Good Shepherd was compelled by mercy and love to rescue the straying sheep from harm. He brought the prodigal back into the sheep fold, and He rejoiced to have him back again among His flock.

The singers of Psalm 85 wanted God’s wrath against Israel to end, and His saving work to begin.

They looked to the Lord for salvation. They had tried to come to God by their own efforts and failed. Apart from God’s mercy, they had no hope that their appetite for sin would end and their appetite for God would begin and grow.

In Hebrews 7:25, we read, “He [Jesus Christ] is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

The singers of Psalm 85 wanted a revival of rejoicing in God.

“I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints, but let them not turn back to folly.” Psalm 85:8

Revival begins when people become desperate to hear and heed what God speaks.

God refers to people who seek and serve Him as being saints. They no longer seek to please the world. They seek to please God and bring Him glory.

In Romans 12:1-2, Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

God’s peace comes to us as we are transformed and conformed to His image.

“Let them not turn again to folly.” All sin is folly. Sin is a departure from Him who loves us most.

“Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.” Psalm 85:9

God demonstrates His respect for us who respect Him by saving us from all the works of the evil one. His deliverances yield from us praise, honor and glory to His Name.

In 2 Timothy 4:18, Paul wrote, “The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”

“Mercy and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” Psalm 85:10-13

In James 3:18, we read, “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

In Hebrews 12:11, the Lord empathizes with us and encourages us by saying, “No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

In Ephesians 5:9, Paul wrote, “The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.”

It is in Christ that mercy and truth come together. Righteousness and peace are from Him. In Christ, God shows mercy to sinners without compromising His holiness, truth, or justice. God remains righteous while justifying those who believe in Jesus.

“The Lord gives what is good.” In James 1:17, we read that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things [daily provisions] shall be added to you.”

“Righteousness shall go before Him.” God’s faithful promises and His sanctifying work in His people prepare the way for His blessings. Righteousness both encourages our hope and guides our conduct. It goes before us as a guide, directing us into the path of God’s steps so that we may walk in fellowship with Him and meet Him gladly when He comes in mercy. [2]

Christ, the Son of Righteousness, leads us to God and places us in the path that leads to life.

Righteousness is a sure guide both in approaching God and in walking with Him.

In Psalm 85:6-7, the singers asked God, “Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.” Rejoicing in God is a fruit of a revived soul. “Heavenly Father, please show us this mercy and grant us this salvation. For we desire this from You in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.”


[1] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary, see also Numbers 16
[2] Edited material from Matthew Henry’s Commentary