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Psalm, Chapter 37

Security of Those Who Trust in the Lord, and Insecurity of the Wicked.

A Psalm of David.

37 Do not fret because of evildoers,
 Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
 2 For they will wither quickly like the grass
 And fade like the green herb.

-          The title of this message is

o   Security of those who trust in the Lord

o   And Insecurity of the Wicked

o   It is a contrast between the two (good and evil)

-          Do not fret because of evil doers

o   to be nervous or worried

o   God tells us not to do it because He got this handled

-          Be not envious toward wrongdoers

o   To envy is want what they have

o   Some people have gotten rich but it is ill gotten gain 

o   They pay a terrible price for it later (so don’t envy it; it comes with a payment)

-          For they will wither quickly like the grass

o   This means they won’t live long

-          And fade like the green herb

o   Here today, gone tomorrow and forgotten entirely

 3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
 Dwell in the land and [a]cultivate faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord;
 And He will give you the desires of your heart.

-          Now David tells the opposite side

o   Trust in the Lord and do good

§  These are our instructions

§  It starts with trust in the Lord (faith); it continues with doing good (actions)

o   Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness

§  To dwell is to live in this place

§  And cultivate faithfulness (this is what we must plant & grow – faithfulness))

-          Delight yourself in the Lord

o   to delight yourself goes beyond learning about Him

o   it means to be excited about what He has done and His love and His plan

o   you become delighted once you understand Him

o   can’t wait to read the word; do the word; share the word

o   excited to share the gospel (the good news)

-          and He will give you the desires of your heart

o   did you know this is a promise from God?

o   Delight yourself in the Lord (the Lord becomes your main focus)

o   And then God gives you the desires of your heart (reward for good behavior)

o   Do you delight in the Lord?

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Psalm, Chapter 36

Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

36 [a]Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within [b]his heart;
There is no fear of God before his eyes.

-          The title of this chapter is wickedness of humanity and goodness of God

o   there could not be greater opposites

o   the wickedness of humanity is shocking (the heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it)

o   yet the goodness of God continues to offer grace and mercy in spite of man’s wicked heart (it keeps calling for men to repent and be saved from their own wickedness)

-          wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within his heart

o   this means that he actually knows it's wrong but he chooses to continue

-          there is No Fear of God before his eyes

o   if man understood God's power and the goodness of his plans or the awesome penalty and wrath which He is capable of - he would not sin

o   but because he does not understand these things he chooses to continue in his wicked ways making the false assumption there will be no judgment or payday in his future

 2 For it flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his wrongful deed and the hatred of it.

-          For it flatters him in his own eyes 

o   this means that he thinks whatever he can steal or do to please his flesh makes him a genius or that he is somehow winning (stupidity of his own pride)

-          concerning the discovery of his wrongful deed and the hatred of it

o   this means that his wrongful deeds will be discovered; God does see; God does judge and he will learn that God hates it

 3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
 He has ceased to [c]be wise and to do good.

-          The words his mouth are wickedness and deceit (you cannot trust his words)

-          he has ceased to be wise and to do good (God is allowing him to drift into the deepest darkest parts the sea of Sin)

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Psalm, Chapter 35

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David. 

35 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
 Fight against those who fight against me.

-          Prayer for rescue from enemies is the title

-          if there is prayer going on to be rescued from enemies it would appear that something has already happened where the enemies have taken some level of control and now you need to be rescued

-          Contend O Lord with those who contend with me

o   Content means to strive in opposition or against difficulties, struggle

o   to strive in competition, as in a race

o   to strive in controversy or debate dispute

o   When David ask the Lord to contend he is asking God to enter the contest to participate if you would in the struggle; you might say it is a request that God come down from his high spiritual place and intervene with those in the flesh

§  I think it is very important for us to remember that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but from spiritual wickedness in high places

§  physical enemies upon the earth are spiritually motivated

-          fight against those who fight against me

o   David is now making the request much more personal as he asked God to fight against those who are fighting against him (this would be direct physical intervention from God against those that are attempting physical harm toward David and his family) 

 2 Take hold of [a]buckler and shield
And rise up for my help.

-          Take hold of buckler and shield (these are instruments of war designed to defend; the buckler from blows; the shield for the body)

o   this would seem to imply that some of the attacks are against your head or your mind

o   others would be against your whole body this could be your heart or other members of your body

-          and rise up for my help

o   to rise that means that God gets up from his throne and gets to his feet and starts moving towards David and more specifically towards his eneies to do battle

§  David is actually asking God to take action to get physical

 3 Draw also the spear and [b]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

-          Draw also the sphere and the battle axe to meet those who pursue me

o   this is very aggressive

o   the spear would be something you would throw at someone to literally try and Pierce through their body or their heart to kill them

o   the battle axe would also be to cause deadly damage

o   David is asking God to take up these weapons of war to meet those who are pursuing him (it would be a dominant force and an answer to their aggression)

-          say to my soul, I am your salvation

o   since he is speaking to his soul he would be speaking to that part of him which would live forever; he is asking that God would give him confidence for eternity with regards to his future

o   do you believe that God is strong enough to protect you from any enemy

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Psalm, Chapter 34

Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.

-          Of David (not of the Lord)

-          When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

o   God never tells you to pretend

o   Abimelek means My Father is King or Father and King

o   You should never pretend before God The Father (He knows when you’re true or not being truthful (acting never works)

-          I will extol the Lord at all times

o   Extol means to highly exalt; to elevate; elevate by praise; to magnify

o   Instead of pretending this is what we should be doing (extoling the Lord)

§  Notice its at all times (not sometimes)

-          His praise will always be on my lips

o   You can’t praise the Lord and pretend

o   Only genuine praise will be accepted

o   This is what should be on your lips always (continually)

 2 I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
 3 Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.

-          Here David speaks of himself “I will glory in the Lord”

-          Then he speaks of others “let the afflicted hear and rejoice”

o   Let the afflicted (those in trouble) hear David giving God glory

o   Then they hear it and start rejoicing too (it’s infectious)

o   They not to hear only but “rejoice” allow their joy to return

§  This only happens when you believe that God hears your prayers and He will do something about them

-          Glorify the Lord with me

o   David is now inviting others to Glorify the Lord with him

o   This is what we should do too (invite others to participate in this activity)

-          Let us exalt his name together

o   Everyone jump in and sing together now

o   What should we be singing and praising about? – His name (Jesus Christ)

o   Worship leads should encourage everyone to exalt His name together (everyone)

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.

-          If you seek the Lord then he will answer you

o   the key is to understand that he must be sought after

-          Here's the result “he delivered me from all my fears”

o   God delivers; He can be trusted; He gets results; bottom line!

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Psalm, Chapter 33

Praise to the Creator and Protector.

33 Sing for joy in the Lord, you righteous ones;
 Praise is becoming to the upright.
 2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
 Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

-          The title of this chapter is praised to the creator and protector

o   the focus is to praise

o   the one we are praising is both creator and protector!

o   He created us; and He is the one protecting us

o   I think Chapter 33 is also significant (Jesus began His ministry at age 33)

-          verse one jumps right in and tells us what we should do

o   sing for joy in the Lord, you righteous ones

o   the reason we sing for joy in the Lord is because He makes us righteous; otherwise, who would not be righteous at all

o   praises be becoming to the upright

§  this means it is fitting; it looks right; it's what we should be doing

§  are you saved by the blood of the lamb today; then let's sing for joy in the Lord

-          give thanks to the Lord with the Lyre

o   notice that playing a musical instrument is a way to give thanks to the Lord

-          seeing praises to him with a harp of 10 strings

o   now we mix song with musical instruments and it is called praise! 

o   This type of harp is 3’ ft. tall and has 2 sets of 5 strings on each side

o   3 ft is interested because 3 is the number for the trinity (Father, Son & Holy Spirit)

o   2 sets is interested because  2 is the number for witnesses (that confirms truth)

o   10 is interested because it represents the ten commandments (the law)

o   Two sets of five is most interesting because five is the number for grace. If there is two sets of them its double grace

§  Maybe the first 5 is for the grace saving Noah and his family from the flood

§  Maybe the second 5 is for the grace saving the entire world through Jesus who washed the world in His blood instead of water!

o   All of these to the ONE who deserves our praise (with voices & instruments)

 3 Sing to Him a new song;
 Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

-          A new song is one you just made up to express your unique experience & praise

-          To play skillfully means with proper cadence; a thoughtful composition, and one practiced and ready to share with Him AND with a shout of  Joy!

-          It’s new, it’s fresh, it’s exciting, there’s shouting along with it!

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Psalm, Chapter 32

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David. A [a]Maskil.

32 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
 Whose sin is covered!

-        The title of this chapter is blessedness of forgiveness and trust in God

o   these are two separate things yet related

o   first the blessedness of forgiveness

§  when you forgive someone else you will get blessed by God

§  and the reason you should forgive is because God forgave you

§  the Bible also warns us that if we do not forgive others then God will not forgive us so it is very important not to hold any unforgiveness in your heart

o   second is trust in God

§  you can trust in God because he sent his son so that you can be forgiven

§  if he was not trustworthy he would never have sent his son to die for you or me; he would have simply judged us

§  because God forgave your sins; you should and can trust him!

-        this title was a Psalm of David. A Maskil

o   The term Maskil was used to describe an enlightened Jew

o   This would be someone very familiar with the Jewish laws and very intellectual or smart (I am not sure why it is mentioned here but I think it may be because to understand God's forgiveness and to put your trust in God is the way to eternal life and probably the smartest thing you can ever do)

-        how blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven

-        David is making a declaration of fact “how blessed is he” that would be me and that would be you and that would be anyone who put their faith in Jesus Christ

o   your transgressions are forgiven because of Jesus Christ

-        whose sin is covered

o   your sin and my sin and every believer sin is covered by the blood of Jesus Christ

o   when God looks down from His high place in heaven he does not see your sin or your broken track record because its covered by the blood. He only sees the righteousness of Christ in you the hope of glory. this is because his righteousness was imputed to us by faith.

2 How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
 And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

-        How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity?

o   To impute something is to charge it to your account

o   to not impute something means he does not charge it to your account

-        and in whose spirit there is no deceit

o   if you have Christ in you the hope of glory; Jesus himself is the spirit in you

o   in whom there is no deceit

o   the church is not a building it is God through the Holy Spirit indwelling each of us that are members of his family by faith in Jesus Christ

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Psalm, Chapter 31

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

31 In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge;
 Let me never be ashamed;
 In Your righteousness deliver me.

-          The title of this chapter is Psalm of complaint and praise

o   Do you sometimes complain to God?

o   Do you praise later after he settles your complaint?

-          In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge

o   This assumes a personal relationship with Jesus Christ who is Lord

o   David takes refuge in Him (refuge is the place you run too for protection)

o   Where do you run to when you need urgent help?

-          Let me never be ashamed

o   In other words, when I run to you, protect me from that which I am running from

-          In Your righteousness deliver me

o   Why would God deliver David or you or me?

o   Because He is righteous (in right standing with God)

§  And He makes us righteous too (in right standing with God because we are washed in the blood the lamb His son)

§  To deliver you means He picks you up from one location and delivers you to another in person (from hell to heaven); (from harm to safety); (from depression to praise)

 2 Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
 Be to me a rock of [a]strength,
A stronghold to save me.

-          Incline Your ear to me

o   This means bend down and listen to me small insignificant voice (please)

-          Be to me a rock of strength

o   To me is personal; David wants God to be his personal rock of strength

o   The thing that gives him strength and stability

-          A stronghold for save me

o   A stronghold is a fortress made of rock

o   It protects its inhabitants against arrows and harm

o   David wants God to be  his strength and his stronghold

§  How about you and I?

§  Is God your strength and your stronghold?

§  Do you run to Him for safety?

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Psalm, Chapter 30

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.

30 I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
 And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

-        The title is thanksgiving 

o   This means to thank God for what He has given us (already done)

-        For Deliverance from Death

o   This is what He gave us

o   Deliverance from death

§  This means He picked us up and transported us elsewhere

§  He took us from death to eternal life

§  From Hell to Heaven (it is a direct flight with no stops)

-        Notice that is Song at the Dedication of the House

o   So much joy that singing filled his lungs and mouth

o   Do you have a sufficient level of joy to fill your lungs & mouth with song?

o   The dedicate of the House is not a House it is The House

§  God’s House

§  When a house is dedicated it gets dedicated to a specific family for a specific purpose (you know the purpose and the family)

2 O Lord my God,
 I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
 3 O Lord, You have brought up my soul from [a]Sheol;
You have kept me alive, [b]that I would not go down to the pit.

-        David wants to make sure you and I know exactly what he is talking about

-        O Lord, my God 

o   This is to whom the song is addressed (the one who deserves the Praise)

-        I cried to You for help, and You healed me

o   Here is the same math formula we learned before

o   First, you cry to the Lord for Help

o   Then He hears and takes care of business “and You healed me”

o   When God heals you its complete (health, spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, mental and eternal)

-        O Lord, You have brought up my soul from Sheol

o   Sheol is the place dead people go

o   In other words, God did not allow David’s soul to go down there

o   He uses the words “brought up” its like “come up hear”

-        You have kept me alive

o   Notice God kept David alive

§  David is acknowledging that it was the Lord’s doing not David’s strength or wit

o   That I should not go down the pit

§  God prevented David from going down to the pit

§  If God didn’t prevent it; it would have happened

§  You can’t imagine all the times God has saved you already and you may not even have known it

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Psalm, Chapter 29

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

29 Ascribe to the Lord, O [a]sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory [b]due to His name;
Worship the Lord in [c]holy array.

-          David starts chapter 29 with “the Voice of the Lord in the Storm”

o   Storms can be very powerful

o   God’s voice is even more so…

-          Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the Mighty

o   Sons of the Mighty would be His children (Christians)

o   Sons of the Mighty may also refer to the sons of Men of power and position who would not normally ascribe to God’s power nor His authority over their lives

§  Yet when God talks; they will instantly bow in fear and great reverence for the sheer power and terror that enters the heart of man when God speaks

o   To Ascribe means

§  To regard as arising from a specified cause or source: synonym: attribute.

§  To regard as belonging to or produced by a specified agent, place, or time.

§  To attribute, impute, or refer, as to a cause

-          Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength

o   His glory is on display in the heavens above

o   His strength places the stars in the sky and holds the ocean boarders 

-          Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name

o   His name is the only name under heaven whereby a man or woman may be saved

o   His name has the power of eternal life

o   His name is the greatest name ever spoken and ever will be

-          Ascribe is used three times

o   First in our relationship as sons of the Mighty Lord (Position)

o   Second in His glory and strength (Power)

o   Third the glory due His name (Praise)

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
 The God of glory thunders,
 The Lord is over [d]many waters.

-          The voice of the Lord is upon the waters

o   This means above the waters (not below)

o   This means in control not controlled by the waves or current

-          The God of glory thunders

o   Thunder is loud but only happens after flashes of light (thunder)

o   Notice God is the one who makes these sounds

-          The Lord is over many waters

o   Not just a portion of the ocean, lake or riven you find yourself upon

o   But many waters means – all the water, all at once

o   All the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers above and below the earth

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Psalm, Chapter 28

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

28 To You, O Lord, I call;
 My rock, do not be deaf to me,
 For if You are silent to me,
 I will become like those who go down to the pit.

-        A prayer for Help, and Praise for its Answer

o   It’s a math formula

o   First – a prayer for help +

o   Second – praise for its answer

o   We should always give God praise for answered prayers

-        To You, O Lord I call

o   To You is personal its not to the big guy upstairs

o   Its One True God and Lord of all (that who we must pray too)

o   This is to whom the prayer is addressed

-        My rock, do not be deaf to me

o   My rock speaks of His strength and His stability

o   Do not be deaf to me (in order words don’t be silent)

-        For if You are silent to me

o   This is not the condition you want to find yourself in

-        I will become like those who go down to the pit

o   Those who go down to the pit and those who die

o   There are no words coming out of their mouth nor sound in their ears

o   In other words, David would be just like every sinner who dies without any answers to prayers (He does not want that to be his plight)

 2 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help,
 When I lift up my hands toward [a]Your holy sanctuary.

-        Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help

o   David is asking God to hear or listen again (he wants God’s attention)

o   He specifically wants Him to hear his supplication (an urgent prayer)

o   And he wants God to hear when he cries to Him for help (right away)

o   Do you want to get God’s attention today?

o   Do you have a supplication; an urgent prayer request today?

o   Do you want God to answer you when you cry (right away)?

-        When I life my hands toward Your holy sanctuary

o   Do you ever lift you hands towards God’s holy sanctuary when you pray

o   This is a specific body position of humility and adoration of His power 

o   To pray like this while lifting your arms and looking up toward heaven would be a great thing for you try today (especially if you want Him to hear & answer)

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