The Marriage of Christ and His Church – Psalm 45

“To the Chief Musician. Set to ‘The Lilies.’ A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love. My heart is overflowing with a good theme. I recite my composition concerning the King. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” Psalm 45:1

“Shoshannim,” the Hebrew word for “lilies,” either describes an instrument so shaped, or denotes a tune by that name to which the Psalm was to be sung. This is a song of love, or, of beloved ones. [1]

The heart of the Psalmist is overflowing with a good theme because he has experienced the love of God. God’s love has inspired him to speak and write beautiful words about the Lord. The beauty of the Lord exceeds that of all others.

The Psalmist wrote, “My tongue is as the pen of a ready writer.” God’s prophets are pens in His hand. “David not only spoke what he thought of Christ, but wrote about Him, that it might spread further and last longer.” [2]

In verse one of his song, “The Love of God,” Frederick Lehman wrote, “The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell...” In verse three, he wrote, “Could we with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade, to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry, nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.”

“You are fairer than the sons of men. Grace is poured upon Your lips. Therefore, God has blessed You forever.” Psalm 45:2

David’s bubbling adoration of the Lord spilled over on a scroll as he wrote, “You are fairer than the children of men.” The Lord never left his side. He was his trustworthy friend.

When the Lord speaks, grace flows from His lips. This is a reference to Jesus Christ through whom the grace of God has come to us. He is blessed forever by saints and angels.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of divine grace. In Luke 24:46-49, Jesus summarized the contents of the Gospel to two disciples as they walked on a road together. He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His Name to all nations... and behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you...” This is the Gospel. God’s Son gave His life on the cross so that we unworthy sinners could be forgiven our sins, He was buried, three days later He resurrected from the dead, and after He ascended to heaven, He sent His Holy Spirit to fill and indwell all who believe in Him.

“Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, with Your glory and Your majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness. And Your right hand shall teach you awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies. The peoples fall under You. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.” Psalm 45:3-5

For sure the Lord is able to pierce the heart of our enemies and make them fall before us, but how much better if the Lord brings about their conversion. Before Jesus converted Paul on the road to Damascus, he was known as Saul Tarsus. He, by his own admission in 1 Timothy 1:13 was a blasphemer, a persecutor and a violent man. He imprisoned Christians. He consented to the martyrdom of Stephen in Acts 7. Jesus appeared to him and converted him.

The Lord’s sword is His Word. God slays sinners with His Law and raises them with the Gospel.

One way to look at the Bible is through the lens of the Law and Gospel. There is a difference between the Law and the Gospel. The Law tells us what we are to do. The Gospel reveals to us what God is doing. The Law speaks of our works. The Gospel speaks of God’s work. In the Law we hear demands. In the Gospel, we hear blessings. The Law demands. The Gospel gives.

John 1:17 says, “The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

When we measure ourselves against the Law, we feel condemned. The Law’s conviction is like an arrow which pierces one’s hearts. The promises of the Law depend on us fulfilling the Law perfectly. The Law says, “I will quench your thirst if you do what I command.”

The Gospel promises us the grace of God and salvation as a gift. The Gospel is free grace. The Gospel asks nothing of us but this, “Take what I give you. Receive it.” The Gospel is an invitation. [3]

The Psalmist asks the Lord to ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness. In other words, please inspire truth, humility and righteousness in the people of the earth.

David writes of God’s right hand teaching awesome things. Christ is said in the Scriptures to sit at the right hand of God. The disciples called Jesus “Rabbi” which means teacher. Jesus is the best teacher. John 1:18 says, “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” Jesus is the best revealer of God our Father.

“A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions. All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad. Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women. At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.” Psalm 45:6-9

In Hebrews 1:8, Paul connects Psalm 45:6 to Jesus God’s Son. It is the throne of King Jesus that is forever. From His scepter righteousness comes forth! It is Jesus who loves righteousness and hates lawlessness. In John 2:17, after Jesus cleansed the temple, His disciples remembered that it was written of Messiah in Psalm 69:9, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

The Holy Spirit is referred to as the oil of gladness because He delights those who have joy in doing God’s will. Jesus delighted to do God’s will. He was anointed with the Spirit above all his fellows. His fellows were anointed with a measure of God’s Spirit, but John 3:34 says of Jesus, “For He whom God has sent speaks the Words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure unto Him.”

Many ancient Jewish and Christian interpreters regarded this Psalm as an allegory of the union between God and people. In the Song of Songs the allegory is carried out more fully. Hosea 1:1-3:5 depicts the relationship of God and His people as a marriage. The marriage metaphor between God and His people runs throughout the Bible. [4]

In Psalms 45:8, the Bridegroom’s garments are scented with myrrh, aloes, and cassia. These are some of the ingredients of the holy anointing oil which God appointed in Exodus 30:23-24. It was not for common use. It was the oil that represented God’s Spirit.

In Psalms 45:9, among the honorable women in the Bridegroom’s court are daughters of a King. All true believers are born from above. Thus, they are children of the King of kings. At the King’s right hand, stands the queen wearing gold from Ophir. The gold of Ophir was renowned for its extreme purity. This queen is the bride of Christ, the Church. Revelation 19:8 says, “And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Those righteous acts are the outcome of the Lord’s Holy Spirit in her life.

“Listen, O daughter, consider and incline your ear. Forget your own people also, and your father’s house, so the King will greatly desire your beauty, because He is your Lord, worship Him.” Psalm 45:10-11

In Psalm 45:10-11, the Lord calls His bride to leave behind her former relationships and cleave to Him. In Genesis 2:24, the Lord calls men to leave fathers and mothers and to cleave to their wives. Genesis 2:24 is quoted in Matthew 19:5 by Jesus and in Ephesians 5:31 by Paul. In Ephesians 5:32, the Lord refers to marriage as a great mystery, and also as a metaphor for the relationship between Christ and His Church.

In Luke 14:26, Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” “In this passage, Jesus is using a Semitic idiom where ‘hate’ means to ‘love less’ or to ‘rank below’ (similar to Jacob ‘hating’ Leah because he loved Rachel more). Jesus uses extreme exaggeration (hyperbole) to shock the audience into recognizing that true discipleship requires total commitment. This does not contradict the commandment to ‘honor your father and mother,’ but sets the standard of loyalty to God above all human relationships.” [5]

In Jeremiah 2:2, the Lord said to His people, “Thus says the Lord, I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothal, when you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.” The Lord framed Israel’s cleaving to Him in the wilderness as an engagement before the marriage.

In Isaiah 54:5, the Lord speaks of His relationship with His people as a marriage, saying, “For your Maker is your husband. The Lord of hosts is His Name! And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. He is called the God of the whole earth.”

In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus described His return as a bridegroom coming to get his bride.

In John 3:29, John the Baptist referred to Jesus as the Bridegroom. In Revelation 21:1-9, the Lord refers to His redeemed people as His bride.

In Isaiah 62:5, the Lord said, “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” The true Church, the Bride of Christ, also rejoices in and worships Him! Therefore, the Lord greatly desires her.

“And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift. The rich among the people will seek your favor. The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace. Her clothing is woven with gold. She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You. With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought. They shall enter the King’s palace. Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, whom You shall make princes in all the earth. I will make Your Name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore, the people shall praise You forever and ever.” Psalm 45:12-17

Previously, the rich on earth scorned the thought of Jesus, but now they seek His favor. By grace they are saved. “The daughter of Tyre” brings a gift to Him. Tyre was formerly like the queen of all cities, but in this passage she honors Christ.

The royal daughter in the palace is the Bride of Christ, the Church. The Lord has taken away her reproach. She is all glorious within God’s palace. Her garments are colorful and highlighted with pure gold. Those who join with her before the King of kings do so with gladness and rejoicing. His Bride’s sons are princes in His palace. Thanks to the redemptive work of Christ on the cross this great celebration has been made possible. His Name shall be remembered throughout all generations, and His redeemed people shall praise Him forever and ever. Amen!


[1] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
[2] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[3] Words based on “The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel” by C.F.W. Walther
[4] Matthew Henry ‘s Commentary.
[5] Reddit

Walking by Faith not by Sight - Psalm 44

“To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, the deeds You did in their days, in days of old. You drove out the nations with Your hand, but them You planted. You afflicted the peoples and cast them out. For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them, but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them.” Psalm 44:1-3

God was so good to preserve the historic record of how He uprooted idolaters from the land that He promised to Abraham and to His descendants. This He did during the days of Joshua. According to Psalm 44:3 and Joshua 10:16-12:24, Joshua and the Israelites conquered 5 kings in one day and 31 kings during the entire campaign. They did so by the light of God’s face. By the strength of His right hand and arm! He was there for them! They prevailed by God’s grace.

Spiritually speaking, Christ is using His body the Church to drive out enmity from the souls of people via the preaching of the Gospel. He conquers by the spiritually active sword of His Word “swinging” or making disciples of all nations. During each conversion, Christ removes sin and fills the void with His Holy Spirit.

Each person’s conversion to Christ is a mini reflection of a great heavenly event.

At first, the earth was the devil and his angels domain. [1] But then, God placed His image-bearers, Adam and Eve, here and gave them dominion over creation. [2] The devil stole the title deed to the earth by deceiving Adam and Eve to sin. In a sense, he became the god of this sinful world. [3] However, in Revelation 5:8-10, the heavenly host sing unto the Lamb [Jesus Christ], saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals. For You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation and have made us kings and priests to our God.” Jesus regained the title deed to earth when He took on human flesh, lived a sinless life and died on the cross to remove our sin. Now, thanks to Jesus, the devil and his followers will eventually be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur to be tormented day and night for ever and ever. [4] God will create a new heaven and new earth for people that will be untainted by sin and the curses of sin. It will be paradise. [5]

The fathers mentioned in Psalm 44 did a good job of recounting to their children the great things God had done for their ancestors. In Romans 10:14, the Apostle Paul asked, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

Children need to be informed about what the Lord has done because faith comes by hearing God’s Word. The world does not hold back from teaching our children lies. Why should Christian parents hold back from teaching our children truth? We shouldn’t.

“You are my King, O God, command victories for Jacob. Through You we will push down our enemies. Through Your Name we will trample those who rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies and have put to shame those who hated us. In God we boast all day long and praise Your Name forever. Selah!” Psalm 44:4-8

God commands victories for those who acknowledge and profess Him as their king. We trust in God our King’s Law and Gospel as the highest and purest rule for life. In Acts 5:29, Peter and the other apostles told those who wanted them to compromise the faith, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

According to Revelation 12:17, the devil is at war with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. He’s at war with such because it is God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus that defeats him. In Matthew 8:8, a Roman centurion professed faith in the power of Jesus’ words. He said to Jesus, “Speak the Word only, and my servant shall be healed.” His servant was healed that very hour by Jesus.

In Jeremiah 1:12, the Lord said, “I am watching over My Word to perform it.”

A man cannot stand in the middle of a highway and stop a speeding vehicle with human strength. But place a government issued police badge and uniform on him, and he can. The motorist stops due to fear of the government that stand behinds that officer.

James 2:19 says, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” Demons fear the God whom we represent.

Thus, in Psalms 44:8, we make our boast in God all the day long and praise His Name forever.

“But You have cast us off and put us to shame, and You do not go out with our armies. You make us turn back from the enemy, and those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. You have given us up like sheep intended for food and have scattered us among the nations. You sell Your people for next to nothing and are not enriched by selling them. You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn, and a derision to those all around us. You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples. My dishonor is continually before me, and the shame of my face has covered me, because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, because of the enemy and the avenger.” Psalm 44:10-16

The people of Israel complained to God because previously they had enjoyed victories due to His help, but now they were suffering horrible losses. They wanted wins as usual. They felt forsaken by God. In Romans 11:1, Paul asked, “Has God rejected His people?” Then, he answered is own question, writing, “By no means! For I myself am an Israelite.”

The enemies of Israel thought no more of killing an Israelite than killing a sheep. Under such circumstances, it seems to God’s people that He has forsaken them. But no, suffering for the Lord also brings Him glory, and wins people’s hearts to Him. Whenever we question if the Lord really loves us, we just have to remember Jesus, God’s Son, dying on the cross for us and we know that, yes, God loves us.

James 5:10-11 says, “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the Name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 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.” The suffering of the prophets and Job teach us that someone can be very close to the Lord, and yet, be tested just as others are with great hardships.

In 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, Paul lists his extreme sacrifices for the Gospel to authenticate his apostleship. Rather than boasting of academic degrees or great achievements, Paul wrote of his floggings, shipwrecks, and imprisonments as his credentials of being a true servant of Christ. In Galatians 6:17, Paul viewed the “marks of Jesus” on his body as his license to represent God.

“Paul reframed the cultural definition of a leader from one of power and success to one of sacrifice and suffering, identifying this endurance as the true seal of his apostolic calling.” [6]

“All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten You, nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way. But You have severely broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. If we had forgotten the Name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever. Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust, our body clings to the ground. Arise for our help and redeem us for Your mercies’ sake.” Psalm 44:17-26

As with Job, when trials and persecution from our enemy come, the enemy would like us to believe that God allowed it because He hates us. No, God allowed Satan to attack Job because He knew that while the attacks would cause Job to question why, ultimately, Job would keep believing in God, and this was a witness that was needed for all future sufferers in Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul wrote, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” When we gauge our “favor with God“ by our day to day circumstances, we experience up and down emotions like riding on a roller coaster. We must base our “favor with God” on what Christ did for us on the cross. He died for our sins. He purchased a place for us in heaven. It is a done deal!

How did the apostles respond to being beaten by authorities for proselytizing in the Name of Jesus? Acts 5:41 says, “They departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name.”

Praise God, according to 2 Corinthians 4:17, “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”


[1] See Revelation 12:7-9
[2] See Genesis 1:26-29
[3] See Genesis 3 and 2 Corinthians 4:4
[4] See Revelation 20:10, Luke 8:30-31, and Revelation 12:12
[5] See Isaiah 65:17; Luke 23:43; Romans 8:21; Hebrews 12:26-27; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1
[6] https://josephmattera.org/contrasting-church-apostles-apostles-christ/

He Empowers Me as I Praise Him – Psalm 43

“Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. O, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength. Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” Psalm 43:1-2

The ungodly people of his nation wanted to “impeach” David. David loved the laws of the Lord and was not ashamed to say so. They were his meditation. He wanted his nation to be based on the rule of law without partiality. For this reason, the ungodly hated him. They preferred deceitful and unjust business practices. Their network of low life officials were pressing him from every side to concede to their demands. David leaned on the Lord for strength. Even so, at times, when he was overcome with grief, he would ask the Lord, “Why do you cast me off?” Kind of like when Jesus said from the cross, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me.” Truly, God’s holiness was revealed via Christ’s and David’s steadfastness amidst evildoers.

“O, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God.” Psalm 43:3-4

The Spirit of God led David to turn his attention away from the deeds of deceitful and unjust men and to seek God’s help. He needed God’s light and truth to clearly discern and understand what his enemies were doing and how to overcome them. He asked the Lord to lead him. God’s holy hill, His tabernacle and His altar are places where God dwells. The weapons of David’s warfare against his enemies included the joy of the Lord, his musical instrument and his songs of praise unto the Lord. By simply worshipping and drawing from the Lord, he would overcome.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” Psalm 43:5

In Ephesians 6:12, Paul wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Just as the devil tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and just as he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he tempts people today with promises of riches and power if they abandon God and serve him. Evil deeds such as verbal and physical abuse, murder, deception and thievery are of the devil. Thankfully, according to Revelation 20:10, the devil’s destiny is to be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur.

In Psalm 43:5, David commanded his downcast and disquieted soul to hope in God. He did not count on evil people changing their mind about evil. He turned to God and worshipped Him.

As we worship God, we are reminded that He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He holds all things together by His mighty power. He is loving. He is a good Father. He is patient, forgiving and gracious toward His children. He enjoys giving good gifts to us.

As David placed his hope in God, his heart was relieved and his outward appearance improved.

In Hebrews 4:16, Paul wrote, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you.” In Luke 12:32, Jesus assured us, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Jesus assured us that when we obey God’s Word, we build on a good foundation. Those who cheat and lie to get ahead, build on a bad foundation. In a moment, all they have will disappear.

Concerning the multitude who prefer to do business in an unfair and deceitful fashion, the Lord says in 1 John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Who is in us? The answer is the Holy Spirit.

In Zechariah 4:7, the Lord speaks of leveling a mountain and capping it with the words: “Grace, Grace!” In Zechariah 4:6, He says He will do it, “not by [our] might nor by [our] power, but by My Spirit.” The Word of the Lord for us in Ephesians 3:20 is that God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

As we remember and profess God’s precious promises, praise for Him begins to flow from our lips, and our countenance is resurrected from the shadows to behold the brightness of God’s brilliant shining face. Praise the Lord!

Joy in the Joyful Assembly – Psalm 42

“To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, ‘Where is your God’ When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude. I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.” Psalm 42:1-4

Psalm 42 was composed either for or by the sons of Korah and sent to the chief musician to be set to music. The song was composed to help people remember the goodness of the Lord during difficult days. “The writer, perhaps one of this Levitical family of singers accompanying David in exile, mourns his absence from the sanctuary, a cause of grief aggravated by the taunts of enemies, and is comforted in hopes of relief.” [1]

By authorizing the publication of this song, David expressed his soul’s earnest desire for God. When David had to flee from King Saul, he was not able to worship with God’s people as he did before. He missed that. At that time, he found himself asking, “When shall I come and appear before God ?” The hours and days seem to drag while he was kept at distance from the sanctuary. He described his tears as his daily diet due to people questioning his relationship with God. How did David respond to such mistreatment? He poured out his soul to God.

David remembered going with crowds of worshippers into the house of God. How did his fellow worshippers enter the sanctuary? They did so with joy and praise. This multitude pilgrimaged a great distance to come and worship the Lord. Thus, they, like David, also loved the Lord greatly.

David compared his thirst for our Lord to a deer panting for water. His soul earnestly desired communion with God. The Lord refreshed his soul.

Praise God for preserving the Psalms of David. In Acts 13:22, Paul quoted from 1 Samuel 13:14 where God said, “I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after My heart, who will carry out all My wishes.” The Psalms are filled with expressions of love for God, which is the first and great commandment of God. We are blessed to have them. They help us express love to God.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me.” Psalm 42:5

As David grieved the loss of being with a multitude of people joyfully praising God, his soul became disturbed and cast down. He loved the Lord. He wanted to express his love for the Lord with other worshippers. He was an outcast from his own people.

Why was David an outcast from his own people? The answer is that King Saul wanted to kill him. 1 Samuel 18:12 says, “Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.” Saul’s evil hatred of David reminds me of Cain’s evil hatred of his brother Abel. 1 John 3:11–12, says, “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.” The Lord loved David and David loved the Lord. 1 Samuel 15:12 says that Saul set up a monument for himself. He wanted the glory that belonged to God. He loved himself more than the Lord.

Mark 15:10 states that the chief priests handed Jesus over to be crucified because of envy. John 1:11 says that Jesus came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. Like David, Jesus had to find His fellowship with other lovers of God outside of established religious institutions due to the jealousy of those in authority.

David told his soul, “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” It is good to grieve losses, but not to stay sad too long. When the Holy Spirit starts feeding your soul hope and reminding you to start praising the Lord for what you do have, it is time to change course. Better days are ahead! Romans 8:28 says that God makes all things work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

In Hebrew, “the word for ‘help’ is the same word for Joshua, Jesus, salvation, and deliverance.” [2] David praised God for the “Jesus” of God’s face. Jesus, God’s Son, showed us the Father.

“Therefore, I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar.” Psalm 42:6

David fled to the land of Jordan, to Mount Hermon, and to the hill of Mizar to escape from his son Absalom. Absalom turned the people of Jerusalem against David. Despite his horrible circumstances, David did not abandon God. He communed in his heart with the Lord.

Mizar means “small.” “So, most likely, the psalmist is referring to Mizar as a small or obscure hill in Israel. Thus, the psalmist is saying he will remember the Lord from the highest mountain, Mount Hermon, to the fertile and fruitful Jordan Valley, to the smallest, lowest hill of Mizar. David is telling us that whether we are on the highest, snowcapped, desolate mountain or the smallest, most obscure, forgotten place, the presence of God is our health and deliverance.” [3]

Absalom turned so many Jerusalemites against David that he had to flee to save his life. It is worth noting that Jesus also experienced a coup in Jerusalem. On Palm Sunday, a large crowd praised Him with joyful songs, but by Good Friday, the religious leaders in the city convinced a large crowd of the people to demand His crucifixion.

“Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls. All Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—a prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God my Rock, ‘Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?’ As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ Psalm 42:7-10

Deep waters, noises of waterfalling, waves and billowing winds are metaphors for repetitive afflictions. Despite his trials, David was not without hope. He believed that the Lord would command lovingkindness to greet him during the daylight hours and give him songs to preserve him in the night seasons. The Holy Spirit empowered David to verbalize to God the thoughts that were on his mind. He asked God, “Why have You forgotten me?” Why were enemies allowed to oppress him and to bring him to tears?

It has been said, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.” But for David, the continuous insults of his enemies, made his bones feel like they were breaking. He had killed a giant and he had killed 200 Philistines in a battle, but now, he was running for his life and his enemies were asking him, “Where is your God.”

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” Psalm 42:11

When our souls are downcast and disquieted, it is good to change course. Don’t stay there. Hope in God! Better days are ahead. Praise God! He’s as close as the mention of His Name. God will lift your countenance from it’s fallen state as you lift your prayers to Him. In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul wrote, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” In Revelation 2-3, the Lord promised rewards to those who overcome the trials of their faith. In Revelation 21:4, He promised us His followers a place where there is no more death, mourning, crying or pain. Those things will be gone.

Hebrews 12:22 speaks of the city of the living God as a place of thousands and thousands of angels in joyful assembly. David is with them now. He is enjoying being with a multitude in God’s city who are worshipping with voices of joy and praise.


[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] markhamby.net/marks-blog/where-in-the-world-is-mizar
[3] Ibid

Seeing Our Lord Our Greatest Reward – Psalm 41

“To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he who considers the poor. The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth. You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness. You will sustain him on his sickbed.” Psalm 41:1-3

The Lord told David that those who consider the poor are blessed or happy. Delivered from trouble and enemies, kept alive, strengthened and sustained when sick are some of the benefits for those who do so.

Proverbs 19:17 says, “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given.”

The Holy Spirit anointed Jesus to preach good news to the poor. He fed their souls the Word of God and on some occasions He multiplied food for them.

For example, in Mark 8:1-9, Jesus had an audience of 4,000 people. They had been with Him for three days without eating. He felt compassion toward them. He did not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint enroute to their homes. Some had come from a quite a distance. Jesus took seven loaves of bread and a few small fish, blessed and multiplied them. Everyone ate until they were full and even so there were seven large baskets full of fragments leftover.

In Galatians 2:9-11, when Paul and Barnabas were sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles by the esteemed “pillars” of the Church, namely, James, Cephas and John, Paul noted, “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.”

“I said, ‘Lord, be merciful to me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.’ My enemies speak evil of me: ‘When will he die, and his name perish?’ And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes out, he tells it.” Psalm 41:4-6

Why does my soul need healed? The answer is because I sinned against God. Think about it! Every person alive today was at one point inside Adam. Acts 17:26 states: “From one man He [God] made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth.” According to Genesis 2:21-22, God created Eve from one of Adam’s ribs. Every human soul descended from Adam and Eve. We need God’s mercy because after they sinned, they passed their sin nature on to us all.

Souls marred by sin are a challenge to live with. Then, on top of that, we have an adversary who accuses, mocks and attacks us for sinning. In Revelation 12:10, Satan is called the accuser of the brothers.

David wrote that his enemies spoke evil of him. His enemy anticipated his demise. His enemy fabricated lies and evil reports about him.

In John 8:44, Jesus said that there is no truth in the devil. He is a liar and the father of it.” The devil deceived our first parents with the intension of destroying the human race. He corrupted their souls, and they passed the corruption onto us. Thus, we need the Lord to heal our souls.

Genesis 2:7 says that “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Heb. נֶפֶשׁ nephesh – soul). Humanity’s soul departed from God that day. Only God can restore it.

The Lord said in Ezekiel 18:4, “The soul who sins shall die.” In Matthew 10:28, Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” The implication here is that it is more important to preserve our soul than our bodies. Our earth suits are temporary. They will be replaced in eternity. Our souls are eternal. In Psalm 23:3, it is the Lord who restores our souls.

“All who hate me whisper together against me. Against me they devise my hurt. ‘An evil disease,’ they say, ‘clings to him. And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more.’ Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” Psalm 41:7-9

King Saul hated David and conspired with his army against him. In 1 Samuel 23:1-8, David and his men saved the citizens of Keilah from the Philistines. King Saul heard that David and his men were in the city of Keilah. Saul responded by saying, “God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” Saul called up all his forces to attack Keilah. In 1 Samuel 23:9-13, when David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he asked the Lord, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will.” So David and his men fled from Keilah.

Joab was King David’s nephew. He was the son of David’s sister. Joab served as the commander of David’s army throughout most of his reign. He was a mighty warrior, but he also betrayed David. He slew Abner after David had made peace with him. Joab slew David’s son Absalom after David commanded him to preserve his life. Joab joined in a confederacy with Adonijah to take the throne when David was about to die, but David had promised the throne to Solomon.

Psalm 41:9 is quoted in Matthew 26:23 and John 13:18 as being fulfilled in Christ. “Jesus replied, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.’” “I am not referring to all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’” Jesus was betrayed by His disciple Judas Iscariot.

The Lord frequently warns us against placing more trust in people than in Him. Jeremiah 17:5-7 declares a curse on those who make “flesh their strength,” while blessing those who trust in the Lord. Psalm 118:8-9 states that “it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans or even princes.” In Matthew 24:10, signs of the end times include people turning from faith in God and betraying and hating one another. People who betray the Lord are apt to betray others.

“But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them. By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me.” Psalm 41:10-11

David acknowledged his need for God’s mercy to overcome the secret plots against him. He was not all-knowing but God is. Who enjoys being hunted like an animal? In 1 Peter 5:7-8, the Lord gave Peter good counsel for us. He wrote, “Cast all your cares on Him [God] because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” As we abide in Christ, He directs us in the way we should go.

In Ephesians 2:8-9, the Lord says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

In the Bible, Jesus revealed to us the tribulations that will happen before He returns. Thus, the last verse of the Bible, Revelation 22:21, says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” We need God’s grace to triumph over the enemy of our souls.

“As for me, You uphold me in my integrity and set me before Your face forever. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.” Psalm 41:12-13

How did David maintain integrity? He kept his face ever toward the Lord. Likewise, in 2 Timothy 4:18, Paul wrote, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” “Those whom God now upholds in their integrity He will set before His face forever.” [1] Seeing the Lord is our greatest reward.


[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary

21st Century Jeremiah - What is it?

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He’s as Close as the Mention of His Name – Psalm 40

“To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God. Many will see it and fear and will trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3

Whether David spoke of a horrible pit and miry clay as a metaphor for a place of despair or as a literal muddy pit, we do not know. The narratives about him recorded in 1-2 Samuel do not speak of any time where he was in a pit. It is likely that he is speaking metaphorically. But his words have certainly resonated with faithful others who have indeed been delivered from pits.

Old Testament Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers. Jeremiah the prophet was thrown into a pit by the princes of Jerusalem. There was deep mire in his pit. The body of our Lord Jesus Christ was placed into a tomb after His earthly body died. But in all these cases, each of them were rescued from their pits.

The Lord set David’s feet on a rock. The word “rock” is often used in the Bible as a reference to the Word of God, and as a reference to Christ. According to 1 Corinthians 10:4, the spiritual rock that the Israelites drank from in the wilderness was Christ.

While in his pit, the Lord gave to David a song of praise. Some of the most beautiful hymns of the Church were composed by people who experienced great losses and hardships. They survived their ordeals by looking to the Lord for strength, and His love for them inspired them to compose a song about Him.

David waited patiently for the Lord, and the Lord came through for him. God answered his prayers.

Deliverance from the horrible pit was one miracle. Standing David upon a rock afterward was another. Christ is the rock on which a poor soul may stand fast.

In 1834, Edward Mote composed a hymn entitled, “My hope is Built on Nothing Less.” As Edward walked to his workshop in Holborn, London, the words of a chorus came to his mind. By the end of the day, he had penned four verses of what would become one of the most beloved hymns of all time. The following Sunday, Mote visited a friend whose wife lay ill. As they gathered to sing a hymn and pray together, Mote realized he had forgotten his hymnal. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the verses he had written just days before. The words brought comfort and solace to the ailing woman, and Mote, moved by the impact of his composition, added two more stanzas and had 1,000 copies printed to share with others. [1]

Verse one and the chorus are: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ Name. On Christ the solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.”

“Many shall see, and fear, and trust in the Lord.” When it pleased the Father to bruise His Son, and put Him to grief for our sins, He demanded our debt from Him. But then, the Father raised Him from the dead and ascended Him into heaven at His own right hand. Thus, many feared and placed their trust in Jesus Christ. God the Father accepted Christ’s payment for our sin.

“Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” Psalm 40:4

David invited others to make God their hope. Blessed are those who believe in the Lord. He urged us not to give respect to deceitful and proud people... people like the Pharisees. The Pharisees rejected Jesus. They rejected the gift of God’s righteousness, that is, Christ. They assumed that their own righteousness was sufficient, but Jesus told His listeners that unless their righteousness exceeded that of the Pharisees, they would not enter the kingdom of God.

“Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done. Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:5

God’s wonderful works are indeed many. Of the short time that Jesus ministered in-person on earth, John wrote in John 21:25, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire. My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book, it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.’” Psalm 40:6-8

This Psalm expresses the feelings of Christ. His ears were open to the Father’s voice. He delighted to do His Father’s will. God’s law was in His heart. He preached good news to the poor, and did not hold back. He demonstrated the lovingkindness of God and always spoke the truth. Christ’s suffering is our example, and His deliverance our encouragement. [2]

In Hebrews 10:5, Paul quoted Psalms 40:6 as the words of Christ. He wrote, “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,’” then, Paul added, “but a body You have prepared for Me.” The Heavenly Father gave to His Son a human body so that His body could be the perfect, untainted by sin, body sacrificed for the sins of the world.

The Old Testament sacrifices were a foreshadow of the Messiah that was to come. Jesus Christ offered His body for our sins because it was God’s will. Paul wrote in Hebrews 10:10, “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

In Matthew 12:12, Jesus said, “Of how much more value is a man than a sheep?” People are of more value to God than sheep. Thus, God offered His Son to pay the price for human sin. In 1 Peter 1:18-20, the Apostle Peter wrote, “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”

“I have proclaimed the Good News of righteousness in the great assembly. Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart. I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.” Psalm 40:9-10

The work of a prophet is to proclaim the good news of God’s righteousness to people. Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He commissioned His followers to preach His Gospel to all nations. Thus, in Acts 2:9-11, on the Day of Pentecost, when people from many nations gathered to hear the apostles speak, the apostles spoke of the wonderful works of God. In Acts 2:37-38, when people asked the apostles what they should do, Peter answered, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Like David, they had proclaimed the truth about God’s faithfulness and lovingkindness amidst a great assembly. The goal they sought to accomplish was that people would repent, be baptized into Jesus and to receive the Holy Spirit. The goal of a prophet is to see people transformed by the power of God.

God imputes and imparts His righteousness to all who believe in His Son Jesus Christ. And what is our faith but receptivity! Our faith receives Christ and all that He has done for us, including the pouring out of His Holy Spirit into us.

How was the Gospel preached in the Book of Acts? The answer is freely and openly. The early Christians did not refrain from speaking it. They did not hide or conceal it.

“Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord. Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.” Psalm 40:11

God did not withhold His tender mercies from us. Romans 8:32 confirms that God is generous with us: “Since He [God] did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” In Luke 12:32, Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

“For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. Therefore, my heart fails me.” Psalm 40:12

The Lord revealed to David how evil sin was in His sight. God’s Word and Spirit made David very conscientious. Like the publican in Luke 18:13, he dared not even lift his eyes toward heaven as long as he felt sinful. His sins were more than the hairs on his head. His heart was discouraged.

“Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help me! Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life. Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil. Let them be confounded because of their shame, who say to me, ‘Aha, aha!’” Psalm 40:13-15

The Lord is pleased to deliver us, and to do it quickly. Have we asked Him to intervene? In James 1:6-8, the Lord says to ask Him “in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

The Lord says in Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Do we come to God with doubts? Do we assume that it is worthless to seek Him? In Job 21:15, he described the wicked as those who say, “Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?”

Our Lord Jesus was beaten, flogged, crucified and buried, and then, three days later He was up and walking among His disciples and telling them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. After He appeared to over 500 people during a period of 40 days, He ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. What more do we need than Jesus? One plus Jesus is a majority.

In 1 Corinthians 15:57, Paul wrote, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In 2 Corinthians 2:14, he wrote, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.” In Colossians 2:14-16, Paul wrote that Christ wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He took them out of the way, having nailed them to the cross. Christ disarmed principalities and powers. He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross].

“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You. Let such as love Your salvation say continually, ‘The Lord be magnified!’” Psalm 40:16

Those that seek the Lord do rejoice and are glad in Him. Our Lord Jesus is wonderful! Jesus fills those who love Him with exceedingly great joy, so we want to say, “The Lord be magnified!”

“But I am poor and needy. Yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer. Do not delay, O my God.” Psalm 40:17

In contrast with the Lord’s majestic grandeur and mighty power, David saw himself as poor and needy. God was able to do so much more for and through him when he asked the Lord for help and deliverance. David enjoyed the blessed assurance that the Lord was thinking about him, and that the Lord was as close to him as the mention of His Name.

“He’s As Close As the Mention of His Name” is a chorus written by songwriter Gordon Jensen. It proclaims Christ’s constant presence and availability. The first verse and chorus declare, “In the very thought of Jesus His presence can be found. He’s as close as the mention of His Name. There is never any distance between my Lord and me. He’s as close as the mention of His Name. He’s as close as the mention of His Name, Jesus, Jesus.” [3] Amen!


[1] hymncharts.com/2024/04/08/the-story-behind-the-solid-rock/
[2] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
[3] Google Sources

Make Me to Know My End – Psalm 39

“To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, ‘I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue. I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.’ I was mute with silence. I held my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me. While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: ‘Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.” Psalm 39:1-4

How often have words from our mouths hurt ourselves and others? How many relationships have been shipwrecked by a single sentence? In James 3:2, the Bible says, “If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” James 3:5 warns us, “The tongue is a little member and boasts great things.”

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” In Matthew 12:37, Jesus revealed to us, “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Thus, the Holy Spirit helped David to avoid sinning with his tongue. God’s Spirit muzzled and muted his mouth in the presence of his enemies. He helped him to hold his peace.

When David’s heart grew hot within him, what did he do it about it? He used his tongue to pray. He prayed, “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.” An excellent prayer!

I wish I had known my end from the beginning. Now that I am older, and now that the Lord has helped me to discern more about myself than I could see before, I experience sorrows of heart. I know God has forgiven my sins, but alas, some of my words and deeds have hurt people, and especially made God’s heart sad.

My life on earth is not yet over, so on the one hand, I want to continue to pray that the Lord will keep me mindful of the day I shall meet Him, and on the other hand, I pray that the Lord will help me to make amends with those I have hurt.

We know that we shall die, but some refuse to think about it. David prayed, “Lord, make me to consider my end.” For those in Christ, the end is the end of grief, for those without Christ the end is the end of happiness. Prudence says, “Embrace Christ! End with Him in paradise!”

The Lord recommends that we ask for His help before we talk with people. The Holy Spirit who helped David to restrain his tongue and muzzle his mouth, will help us as well.

Mouths, tongues and words used in worship to the Lord are good uses of such.

David gave the words of this song to Jeduthun. Jeduthun is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 16:37-42 along with Asaph and Heman as chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord. He and they did so with trumpets, cymbals, musical instruments and singers. According to 1 Chronicles 25:2-4, Jeduthun had six sons, Asaph had four sons and Heman had fourteen sons who were on the worship team. 1 Chronicles 25:1 says that they prophesied with their instruments. 1 Chronicles 25:5 says that Heman was David’s seer in the words of God. These worship leaders enjoyed a close relationship with the Lord as should be the case with all who lead others in worship to God.

David wanted his words to bless not curse. In James 3:10-11, the Bible says, “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?”

David was resolved to “take heed to” his “ways.” He did not want to speak bitter words. He did not want to say words that might harden his listeners or give them occasion to blaspheme. [1]

In Matthew 7:6, Jesus said, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” If your hearers have made it known to you that they don’t want you to talk about God, don’t provoke them.

In Ephesians 4:29, the Bible says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

By God’s grace, David was able to bridle his tongue, but the passion within him grew hot. It was as a fire in his bones. After so much silence, he vented his passion before the Lord.

“Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You. Certainly, every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah! Surely every man walks about like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up riches and does not know who will gather them.” Psalm 39:5-6

“Man takes a great deal of pains to heap up riches, and they are but like heaps of manure in the furrows of the field, good for nothing unless they be spread.” [2]

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” Psalm 39:7

When David thought about the future, he thought about the Lord. He hoped in the Lord.

In 1 Timothy 6:17, Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy, saying, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

“Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. I was mute, I did not open my mouth, because it was You who did it.” Psalm 39:8-9

Only the Lord could and would forgive all David’s transgressions. In Psalm 32:5, David wrote, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.”

Only the Lord could keep the reproaches of fools from reaching David’s ears.

Who did God call a fool in the Bible? In Luke 12:19-20, God called the man who laid up treasures for himself on earth and was not rich toward God a fool. God suddenly required his soul and he could not take his riches with him.

What does God say about speaking with fools? In Proverbs 23:9, He says, “Do not speak in the hearing of a fool for he will despise the wisdom of your words.” In Proverbs 14:7, He says, “Go from the presence of a foolish man when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.”

“Remove Your plague from me. I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth. Surely every man is vapor. Selah! Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry. Do not be silent at my tears, for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, before I go away and am no more.” Psalm 39:10-13

Plagued! Struck by the hand of God! Rebuked! His beauty removed! Feeling estranged! A speaker for God may feel at times that God is unfair due to the treatment he or she receives in this world. What kind of treatment did our Lord Jesus experience when He walked among us?

Isaiah 52:14 says of Christ that His appearance was marred more than any man. Isaiah 53:2 says that He had no beauty that we should desire Him. Isaiah 53:3 says that people hid their faces from Him and that He was despised. Isaiah 53:4-5 says that He was struck and afflicted by God. He was chastised, wounded and bruised by God for our sins. While hanging on the cross, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” When the sun stopped shining during daylight hours, and the earth quaked, it seemed to say, “God has turned His face from You His Son.” He was taken away and laid in a tomb. It seemed that He was to be no more.

However, the Gospel is that on the third day after Jesus Christ was laid in the tomb, He was resurrected from the dead to die no more.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the promise that God made to David in 2 Samuel 7:13-16, where God said, “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your Seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom. He shall build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son... And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” Hallelujah!

One way to frame suffering for Christ is to rejoice that He has counted you worthy to embody His ministry here on earth. In Acts 5:40-41, after the disciples had been beaten for testifying for Christ, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name.” Such suffering is a powerful witness to unbelievers, and in Revelation 2:10, the Lord says, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Being mindful of our “end” here (earth), helps us to live productively for Christ until there (heaven). 

Praise the Lord!

[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary – edited for readability
[2] Ibid

Love Amidst Adversities – Psalm 38

“A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance. O Lord do not rebuke me in Your wrath, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! For Your arrows pierce me deeply, and Your hand presses me down. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head. Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness.” Psalm 38:1-5

Psalms 38 and 70 are titled, “Songs of Remembrance.” They were penned on a day of affliction. [1]

David asked the Lord not to rebuke or chasten him with hot displeasure! God’s arrows and hand had descended into him. The Hebrew word in Psalm 38:2 for “pierced” and “presses” is the same word [נָחַת] which means “to descend into.” Thus, there was no soundness in his flesh and no health in his bones. David compared his sin to a burden too heavy for him to carry. [2]

Proverbs 18:14 says, “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?”

David characterized his past foolishness as a foul and festering wound. Is there a medicine that heals wounds caused by foolish choices? The answer is faith in the Lamb of God Jesus Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul wrote, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

I am so glad that the Spirit of God, washed, sanctified and justified many Christians including myself in the Name of Jesus Christ from our past foolish choices.

In Romans 5:6-8, Paul wrote, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God loved us when we were without strength and ungodly, and He loves us NOW that we have received Him, believed in Him, and profess Him as our Lord and Savior.

When God the Holy Spirit takes aim at our foolish pride, His arrows hit their mark, go deep and the pain hurts, but when He does this it is to help us to grow in Christlikeness.

“I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly. I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are full of inflammation, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and severely broken. I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.” Psalm 38:6-8

“David bemoans himself because of his afflictions and gives ease to his grief by giving vent to it and pouring out his complaint before the Lord.” [3]

David, though a man of God and a prophet, was not exempt from illness. Sin left him feeling feeble and broken hearted. Unresolved sin had a crippling impact on his health.

“Lord, all my desire is before You. My sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, my strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.” Psalm 38:9-10

In Romans 8:26-27, Paul wrote, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

When I stop to pray and streams of prayers don’t come forth, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me to pray. “Be the wind in my sails!” “Stream Your prayers through me!” The Holy Spirit is the oil that the lamp of our soul needs to burn brightly for God and others.

“My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, and my relatives stand afar off.” Psalm 38:11

David’s friends and relatives wanted nothing to do with him and his spiritual battles. Like the priest and Levite in Luke 10:31, they made a point of avoiding him.

Our adversities help us to discern between genuine and disingenuous friends. I like what Joseph Medlicott Scriven wrote in his hymn entitled, “What a Friend We have in Jesus.” The words of his third verse are: “Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge – take it to the Lord in prayer! Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield you. You will find a solace there.” [4]

“Those also who seek my life lay snares for me. Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, and plan deception all the day long. But I, like a deaf man, do not hear. I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. Thus I am like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth is no response.” Psalm 38:12-14

David grieved that people sought to trap him. Talk of his demise was a popular conversation topic. He did not know what they would do next. His response to their chatter was to act as though he did not hear what they had said. He did not answer their false accusations and insults.

God’s Spirit helped David to be like Jesus. 1 Peter 2:22-23 speaks of Jesus: “He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.”

“For in You, O Lord, I hope. You will hear, O Lord my God. For I said, ‘Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.’ For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity. I will be in anguish over my sin. But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong. Those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied. Those also who render evil for good, they are my adversaries, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O Lord. O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!” Psalm 38:15-22

David wanted to be honest and transparent about his past sins so as to magnify God’s grace and forgiveness, but his adversaries used his words against him. He intended to help them learn of the goodness and grace of God, but they responded with strong hatred toward him. So, rather than to appeal to any sense of decency that might be hidden in their hearts, David turned to the Lord, and cried, “O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation.”

In 1 Peter 4:19, the Apostle Peter wrote, “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

I am so glad that David prayed, “Make haste to help me, O Lord” because so often I have felt my patience and endurance running thin amidst persecution. I wanted quick relief. The Lord lets us know through David that He accepts and responds to requests for urgent care.

Finally, in James 5:13-16, the Lord says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Personal prayers, songs of praise, asking others to pray for you, anointing oil, faith, confession of sin to trustworthy friends and forgiveness from God... then more prayers... fervent prayers... these are means by which the Holy Spirit helps us to maintain love for God and love for people amidst adversity.


[1] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] Brown-Driver-Briggs (Old Testament Hebrew-English Lexicon)
[3] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[4] Hymnary.org

Faith not Fret – Psalm 37

“A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.” Psalm 37:1-2

Mowed like grass! Withered plants! The Lord promises us that evil workers will expire. Why fret over them? Why envy them? The Lord says, “Don’t!”

Do evil deeds yield peace of mind? No, eventually they yield regret and sorrow.

In 1 Corinthians 13:2-3, God’s Word says. “If I do not have love, I am nothing. If I do not have love, I gain nothing.” In Acts 20:35, Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

God gave us the road map to happiness when He said to love Him with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

“Trust in the Lord, and do good, dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:3-4

With love for God and neighbor as your focus, dwell in the land (be actively involved) and do good. Feed Your soul continuously on God’s faithfulness which resounds beautifully from the words in the Bible. Delight in the Lord! You can do this by worshiping Him with songs and by saying to Him throughout the day, “I love You Lord!” The Lord fills delighters in Him with love.

What is the desire of a good man? It is to know, love, and please God and to be pleased in Him.

“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5

1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your care on Him because He cares for you.” Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” In Job 19:25, amidst adversities, Job boldly declared, “I know that my Redeemer lives.” And in due season, God doubly blessed him.

“He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” Psalm 37:6

Our righteousness and justice appeared when Jesus Christ showed up. He is the Just One and the Justifier of all who believe that His blood cleanses us from sin. The righteousness of Christ is bright. No one ever shined as bright as He did when He took on the sins of the world, never complained about it, and though treated most shamefully and abusively, He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

1 Peter 3:18 says, “Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” “Thank You Jesus!”

“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more. Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Psalm 37:7-11

In John 21:18, Jesus told Peter, “Most assuredly, when you were younger, you clothed yourself and walked where you wished, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will clothe you and carry you where you do not wish.”

In John 21:20-21, Peter noticed the disciple whom Jesus loved following them and asked Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to Peter, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

The disciple that Peter pointed out to Jesus enjoyed a great relationship with Jesus. That disciple was not bringing evil schemes to pass. Peter, however, was fretting over the life that Jesus described for him. Would the other disciple receive a greater calling than him? Jesus diverted Peter’s thoughts away from comparative thoughts about his peers. He told Peter, “Follow Me.”

Since the Lord does not want us to compete with our fellow followers of Him, why would we consider even for a moment, to want to be like the wicked? The Lord says to cease from anger. Forsake wrath! Don’t fret! Fretting is hazardous to your health. Once, we get to heaven, we will never see the wicked again. They will be gone from us forever.

In regards to the greatest of outcomes that one can hope for, the Lord says that the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

In Luke 22:35, Jesus asked His disciples, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” They replied, “Nothing.” God met their needs.

“The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.” Psalm 37:12

The wicked are like the thorns Jesus spoke of Matthew 13:7. They spring up and make every effort to choke out the good seed. Their aim is to destroy their righteousness.

“The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.” Psalm 37:13

In Psalm 2:1-5, the Lord laughs at nations who rage against Him. He laughs at kings who make worthless plots against Him. He sees that they do not want a relationship with Him. “He shall speak to them in His wrath. He shall distress them.”

“The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct.” Psalm 37:14

Though the upright in this passage are already poor and needy, that is not enough, the wicked want to seek them out and shoot arrows at them. They want to cut them down with a sword.

In Ephesians 6:16, the Lord says, “Take the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”

In Mark 6:14-29, Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded with a sword. In Acts 12:2, Herod Agrippa I, the nephew of Herod Antipas, slew Apostle James with the sword. In Revelation 20:4, the Lord revealed to the Apostle John “the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God.”

Tertullian, a second-century Christian apologist wrote in his work Apologeticus, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” When evildoers put a godly person to death, it inspires those who previously did nothing and said nothing, to pray, stand up and witness for Christ. [1]

“Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.” Psalm 37:15

What happened to the kings who beheaded John the Baptist and the Apostle James? According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Herod Antipas was later accused of conspiracy by his nephew, Herod Agrippa I, and was exiled by the Roman Emperor Caligula. According to Acts 12:23, the angel of the Lord smote Herod Agrippa I dead, and worms ate him. In Mark 9:44, Jesus described hell as a place where worms die not and the fire is not quenched. [2]

“A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off.” Psalm 37:16-22

How is the righteous man’s little better than the riches of many wicked men’s wealth? Quite often what the righteous man receives comes to him in answer to prayer. As Paul wrote, “We live by faith not by sight.” For example, in 1985, when I left the USA to preach the Gospel in Hong Kong, I had $200 in my pocket. I could not afford to bring my wife and baby with me. Within two months, the Lord provided sufficient funds for them to join me. He also upgraded me from an uncomfortable apartment to a better one before they arrived. My “crazy idea” which mockers told me would fail, lasted until June 1997. I remember feeling so loved of God each time that He graciously provided for us. Glory to God!

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

The Lord by His grace and Holy Spirit directs the thoughts, affections, and paths of His people. He delights in leading a good man from glory to glory. God orders the steps of a good man not only in general, but also by His written Word. [3]

God has given us precious promises in His Word. In Isaiah 42:16, He says, “I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.” In Isaiah 48:17, He says, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.”

“I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful and lends; and his descendants are blessed.” Psalm 37:25-27

When we served the Lord overseas, we often quoted the above verse to stave off the fear of deprivation. We did not tell people our needs unless they asked us, and even then, we only did so if we had peace that we were not compromising our faith in God’s faithfulness. Sometimes our provisions were very basic, and other times, our supplies overflowed and we were able to provide generous contributions to orphans in China.

The Lord has blessed our descendants. All four of our children are happily married with children. While on the mission field, the Lord taught them to trust in His promises, to praise Him, to use money wisely, to work hard, and to associate with people who love the Lord.

“Depart from evil and do good, and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice and does not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.” Psalm 37:28-29

When you come to a fork in the road, and you have to choose between the Lord’s way or the world’s way, bolt down the path of the Lord. Think of your choices as an expression of love for God. Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

“The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The Law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide. The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.” Psalm 37:30-33

Everywhere Jesus went, He dispensed words of wisdom and justice. He fulfilled God’s Law both by His words and deeds. The Pharisees tried to provoke Him to say something wrong but failed. He never slipped. Although the Pharisees condemned Him, three days later, the Heavenly Father resurrected Him. Fake religious leaders never have the last word with God.

Nowadays, Jesus continues to dispense wisdom and justice through us who are taught by Him.

“Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a native green tree. Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more. Indeed, I sought him, but he could not be found.” Psalm 37:34-36

The Lord exalts those who wait on Him and keep His way. Waiting and keeping requires patience and endurance, but so does working to acquire a land with your own ingenuity and effort.

The wicked in this passage are like unto the hare in Aesop’s fable, “The Tortoise and the Hare.” The hare ridicules the slow-moving tortoise because they are racing one another and he knows that he has the advantage. Confident of winning, the hare takes a nap midway through the race. When he awakes, he finds that his slow but steady competitor has won the race.

In a similar way, when the wicked possesses great power and has spread out in every direction, he assumes that he is invincible. However, he lacked divine wisdom. Jesus compared those who do not build their life on the Word of God to ill-advised builders whose buildings don’t last long.

Fools believe they can ignore God and prosper, yet in a moment, their belief is realized as a lie.

“Mark the blameless man and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.” Psalm 37:37-40

Worries about the wicked trouble the mind. Focus on the Lord gives peace of mind.

Blameless and upright people walk with God. He is their peace and strength. He is their helper and deliverer. He is their supplier and Savior. He is the light that shines in and through them.


[1] GotQuestions.org
[2] Ibid
[3] Matthew Henry’s Commentary