I was chatting about death with a neighbour once, using it as an opportunity to witness to him. We were discussing what the most difficult way to die would be. I finally said, “Perhaps the most difficult way to die would be to be smothered—to be sinking in quicksand and be smothered.”

David had that kind of experience spiritually (v.1-2). It’s bad enough to be sinking in quicksand, but David also had the floods coming over him. What did he do? He did what every Christian should do. He waited (v.3a). David knew the situation was in God’s control. Yes, he did cry out to God for rescue. Nothing is wrong with that. But he also waited.

David also wept (v.10). Nothing is wrong with weeping. Pain hurts, and some situation can break your heart. David waited and wept, and he knew that God was going to see him through. And finally, he watched. David says in v.6 “It’s not important what happens to me. But I don’t want to create any problem for anybody else.” Throughout this psalm David becomes more and more like the Lord.

When you find yourself sinking in the quicksand, there is a little else you can do but cry to the Lord. Sometimes He allows the “quicksand” experiences to turn you to Him. Wait for God. Acknowledge that He is in control. Give Him a piece of your broken heart and watch Him work for you. You can depend on His faithfulness.

We don’t go far on our own strength. Here, David instructs us how to understand and appropriate the strength of God. Realise that He is a God of Strength. We think of God as loving, gracious and merciful. But let’s also think of Him as Strong.

We need to ask for strength from God. We have every privilege to come and ask God for the strength we need today. God has already determine what He wants to do. He will do it when we request it. And, we must acknowledge that our strength is from God (v.35). If you need strength today, don’t look to yourself or anyone else. Look up, because God is a God of Strength, and He wants to command strength for you if you will ask Him (v.28b).

Often Satan will tempt you to draw your strength from the world’s substitutes. When that happens, remember the truth of this psalm. When you need strength to continue the battle, spend time in prayer with God. Ascribe strength to Him, ask Him for strength and acknowledge that your strength is from God.

God is the one who gives us the benefits of life. Sometimes we bring burdens upon ourselves by our disobedience, rebellion, sin, unbelief, lack of love and unkindness. But if we are working in the will of God on the path of His choosing, and if we have burden to bear, He is the One who has given them to us.

When Apostle Paul was burdened with his thorn in the flesh! He prayed three times that God would take it away, but God said-“...My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. ...” (2 Cor.‬ ‭12:9‬ ).

God answers prayer by taking things away, sometimes He answers prayer by adding things to us. That’s what God did for Paul, and the burden became a benefit.

“But,” you say, “I have some heavy burdens. I don’t see much benefit to that.” Notice the word “daily” in verse 19: “Bless it be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits.” Will live a day at a time. You have been through circumstances you never thought you would get through. But God brought you through. “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt.6:11). “And, Lord, Give us this day our daily burdens and benefits.”

God knows how much we can bear, and His grace is sufficient for each day. But there is another dimension to our burdens. God can turn them into benefits.

Here David describes the victorious of God sharing the gifts (Ref.Ps.68:18; Eph.4:8).

Look at what Jesus has performed for us. “He went before us” (v.7). Wherever you are today, if you’re in the will of God, He has already gone before you. The Ark of the covenant—the presence of the Lord—went before the Israelite. Jesus also went before us and bore our sins on the cross. Secondly notice here, “He has gone above us” (v.18). The Lord Jesus has ascended to glory, He who went before us to win the victory has now gone above us to share the victory. And finally we notice here, the most blessing is “He dwells among us” (v..18e). “That the LORD God might dwell among them.” He is giving gifts to His people. It’s a picture of the Conqueror distributing the Spoil.

Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, you are wealthy. How wealthy we are! How much we have to thank Him for. God freely shares with you the Spoils of His victory at the cross. You need never be defeated in this life. Will you trust the Victor today?

Someone has said that “a person is known not only by the friends he keeps but also by the enemy is he makes.” Anyone who stands up for what is right will have enemies.

What these enemies are like—“as smoke is driven away” (v.2). If we keep fresh air coming in—the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit—it can’t bother us. A burning candle is a picture of what will happen to God’s enemies. The smoke is quickly blown away, and the wax quietly melts. God gets to Victory.

God is the Great Conqueror, riding upon the heavens. He also is “a Father of the fatherless” (v.4,5). Furthermore, God is Judge and Redeemer. He frees those who are bound with chains. Leave the burden with your Father, and let Him be your Conqueror.

The author of this Psalm is unknown, but it was someone who had a vision of the whole world. God has blessed him, and he wanted to share that blessing with everyone.

The sequence in this psalm is significant. The psalmist begins by saying, “Lord, bless me so that I may bless others.” He does become a blessing to others, so God blesses him again. What a marvellous experience of God’s grace. Listen to that podcast to know more.

Are you part of God’s sequence of blessing? If you will share, He will bless you so that you may be a blessing. Experience the fullness of His grace by telling others about Him.

This psalm is for the discouraged.

“O bless oh God, you people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard.” Why? “Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved” (V.8-9).

God knows us from top to bottom. He is proving something to us. God considers us as valuable as silver, and He puts us into situations that test and strengthen us. We go through fire and water, but we are brought out into a wealthy place. The psalmist does not say, “Well, here I am in trouble again.” No, he says, “God brought me in, and God’s going to bring me through. And when He brings me out, I am going to be in the wealthy place. The word “wealthy” means “an abundant place, a moist place, a place of running water and fruitfulness.” David so often found himself, was dry and barren land.

The trial of God have a refining and strengthening effect. The result is they make us more like Jesus. God always enriches us when we go through difficulty. Be encouraged that God will see you through and that He will use your trials to build you.

This Psalm contains several invitations that are tied to the word “Come”.

Specifically we will be considering the two invitations:

The first invitation is “come and sing,” or praise the Lord. Sometimes we act as if praise is tedious. Sometimes we praise Him in a tired fashion. But the Psalmist asks for glorious praise (v.3,4). We aren’t praise the Lord by ourselves. We come and sing, and we invite the whole world to join us.

The second invitation is “come and see” the works of God. Today people call the work of God natural law or scientific law. We try to explain everything, but we can’t. “He rules by His power forever” (v.7). Satan is not ruling this world system—God is. God is allowing Satan to do some things, But He is going to use even that to glorify Himself. God is ruling by His power, and He will rule forever.

If you want to enjoyed today, This Psalm invites you to “come and sing.” If you have lost your song “come and see” the works of the Lord. If you’re walking with the Lord, praise Him and tell others what He’s doing in your life. You will be singing before long.

David was a great soldier. But he also was a great singer and a great saint. In spite of difficulties and problems and even dangerous, he was able to praise the Lord.

Some people only pray. They don’t really praise. And yet praise and prayer belong together. Prayer means coming to God and telling Him your needs. Anyone who knows the Lord can pray anywhere in the world any time. All the world can come to God, and all the world can pray. The more we pray, the more answer we have to praise the Lord for. But sometimes we can’t pray because sin is in the way. The more we praise the Lord, the more we see how needy and dirty we are. And so we come for purging, confessing our sins to God. “Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, ... shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, of Thy holy temple” (v.4). That’s the experience God wants us to have. By Prayer, Praise and Purging of sins we will draw near to Him as He draws near to us.

Draw nearer to God. Confessed any sins you may be harbouring. Then praise Him and come to Him in prayer.

Most of us live literally safe and secure lives, but David was in exile. He was being haunted by King soul, he wanted to kill him. Here David praise for protection, and he closes the psalm by saying “The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory” (v.10). We find three key concepts in this verses that and courageous: joy, faith, and glory.

Are you glad in the Lord today? So many times we are not glad because of circumstances. David prayed by saying “preserve me from fear of the enemy” (v.1). In other words instead of fear he had faith. Instead I fear he had joy. Instead of fear he wanted to bring glory to God.

Most of our problems or not on the outside but on the inside. Our problem today may not be the circumstances around us or the people against us. It may be the fear that inside us. David sang praise to the Lord. He was glad in the Lord. He trusted in and give Glory to Him (v.9-10).

Fear can rob you of your joy and trust in God. Take your eyes off the circumstances and put them on the Lord. Trust in His promises, not on your own power. And most of all, seek to bring Him all the glory. Let the truth of the Word of God control your mind and heart.