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The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

A [a]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord [b]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

7 O Lord my God, in You I have taken refuge;
 Save me from all those who pursue me, and rescue me,
 2 Or he will tear [c]my soul like a lion,
Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me.

-          A Shiggaion is a song written under duress likely with wild changes in rhythm 

o   It seems unclear but likely an outburst from distress

-          He sang to the Lord, concerning Cush, a Benjamite

o   David is crying out to the Lord to defend him against this benjamite

o   Cush means “black” and “benjamite” means son or grandson with a ungodly attitude

o   We know that David’s son’s Absalom led an army against David 

o   This may be a refence to his son or one of his follower or some other enemy

-          O Lord my God, in You I have taken refuge

o   Notice, David begins with O Lord my God

o   This is recognizing God’s power, position, omnipresence, wisdom and ability

-          In you I have taken refuge

o   This is to hide under His wings or be under His protection

-          Save me from all those pursue me, and rescue me

o   David had enemies and they were in pursuit of him to do him harm

o   David wants the Lord rescue him from these evil men in pursuit

o   These men are taking action against David; therefore, David asks God to take action against them

-          Or he will tear my soul like a lion

o   David seems very afraid of this Benjamite as if his very soul was at risk

o   The devil roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour

o   His purpose is to kill, steal and destroy

o   The similarity of qualities clearly indicates who’s son he is…

-          Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me

o   To be dragged away is a violent physical act

o   David slayed Goliath as a boy and yet now he is scared to death of Cush?

o   David even says that no one will be there to rescue him (no one else but God)

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For the choir director; with stringed instruments, [a]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

6 O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,
 Nor chasten me in Your wrath.

-          A prayer for Mercy (to not get what you deserve)

o   This means the time of trouble was likely your fault

-          For the choir director

o   The man in charge of people singing praise songs

-          With stringed instruments

o   Stringed instruments could be the lyre, the harp, the guitar, etc

o   These are generally instruments of peace or celebration (calming)

-          Upon an eight-string lyre

o   Eight is the number for new beginnings 

o   A new beginning or a new song

-          Of Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger

o   God would not be angry unless we gave Him a reason to be

o   It seems David did something wrong and he knew it would make God angry so he pleads with God not to rebuke him in His anger (God could just wipe you out)

-          Nor chasten me in Your wrath

o   To chasten is to correct (to apply the rod of correction to seat of understanding)

o   David please that God would apply the chastening in His wrath (when He is angry)

o   In short David is asking for Mercy

§  not to receive what he actually deserves because of sin

 2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am pining away;
Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed.
3 And my soul is greatly dismayed;
 But You, O Lord—how long?

-          Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am pining away

o   Be gracious to me (to give me what I do not deserve)

§  This is the opposite of Mercy (not getting what you do deserve)

o   For I am pining away

§  lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief

§  To lapse into a period of intense depression or melancholy due to one's longing for or grief over someone or something

§  In short, David is saying his days are short (few) and he does not want to spend them in the state of depression and grief

-          Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed

o   When your bones are dismayed it is difficult to walk or stand up straight

o   This seems to indicate physical ailment resulting from grief over sin

-          And my soul is greatly dismayed

o   Your soul is that part of you that is immortal, your spirit which is your very essence that continues on even after death

o   When your soul is dismayed, it means your spirit is dismayed

o   This could reach to the level of doubting ones salvation or even fear of hell

-          But You, O Lord – how long?

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Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the music director; for [a]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

5 Listen to my words, Lord,
 Consider my sighing.
 2 Listen to the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God,
 For to You I pray.

-          In Psalm chapter 3 we learned to pray in the morning

o   Chapter 3 starts with “Lord, how my enemies have increased”

-          In Psalm chapter 4 we learned to pray in the evening

o   Chapter 4 starts with “Answer me when I call…”

-          Now Chapter 5 is a prayer for protection from the wicked

o   The title reminds us that we need protection from God

-          Listen to my words, Lord

o   This assumes, you are praying to the Lord (with heartfelt words)

-          Consider my sighing

o   sighing only happens with distress

-          It seems that although Chapter 4 ended in trusting God more and more

o   Then the next day came and we are back to praying and sighing

-          Listen to the sound of my cry for help

o   A cry for help is felt deep instead and then bubbles up to the mouth

o   Emotion gets a voice in the form of a cry (it’s seems desperate)

-          My King and my God, For to You I pray

o   Here David is acknowledging that God is his King and his God

§  We always need to remember His Kingship; He is God Almighty

§  He is awesome in power and knowledge and wisdom

§  He can solve any problem (all things are possible with God)

o   For to you I pray

§  It with the recognition of His Kingship and Godhead

§  That is who the prayer is being sent too (message to God – Urgent)

§  Listen to the sound of my cry (can you hear the urgency God?)

3 In the morning, Lord, [b]You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will present my [c]prayer to You and be on the watch.

-          In chapter 3 we prayed in the morning

-          In chapter 4 we prayed and night before going to sleep

-          In chapter 5 we start praying in the morning again (day by day)

-          In the morning, Lord, You will hear my voice

o   It was the last thing He heard before you slept

o   And it should be the first thing He hears when you awake

o   Does God have your attention (first and last every day?)

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Psalm, Chapter 4

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

[a]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

-          In Psalm Chapter 1 – we learned the contrast between the Righteous and the Wicked

o   There is a destination for the righteous

o   There is a destination for the wicked

-          In Psalm Chapter 2 – we learned that man is foolish and the Lord will reign upon the earth

o   Man’s pride if foolish

o   God’s plan always comes to pass regardless of what men do

-          In Psalm Chapter 3 – we learned to pray every morning and trust God

o   We learned not to listen fear (or what others say)

o   We learned not to let past sin stop us from believing

o   We learned to trust the grace of God

o   We learned to cry out to God and that He hears us

o   We learned that God will give us peace & rest

o   We learned not to be afraid of 10,000 enemies

o   We learned salvation belongs to the Lord who blesses His people

-          Now in Chapter 4 – we will learn to pray every night

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Psalm, Chapter 3

Morning Prayer of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David, when [a]he fled from his son Absalom.

Lord, how my enemies have increased!
 Many are rising up against me.
 2 Many are saying of my soul,
 “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

-          King David was the anointed King chosen by God to rule over Israel

-          He was sheppard (a picture of Jesus)

-          He left the flock of sheep to go after the one stolen by the bear and the lion

-          He risked his life to save the sheep

-          He has incredible faith and power

-          Because God taught him live by faith he could go after the bear or lion and retrieve his sheep literally out their mouth

-          Eventually he defeated Goliath and later became King of Israel

-          David means “beloved”

-          Absalom means “my father is peace”

-          Having all this victory and faith God makes him a great godly leader (at least we think so)

-          But David did something terrible

o   He slept with Bathsheba (a married woman) – committed adultery

o   He then had Uriah killed at the front lines of war (Bathsheba’s husband) – committed murder (indirectly)

-          Now he says

o   Lord, how my enemies have increased!

o   Many are rising up against me

o   Many are saying of my soul, There is no salvation for him in God. Selah

o   In other words because of David’s sin, many people are saying that David has no hope in God anymore 

§  Not because David doesn’t trust God

§  But because David sinned against God (knowingly)

o   He ends with the word “Selah” which means “think about it”; “contemplate”

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Psalm, Chapter 2

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.

2 Why are the [a]nations restless
And the peoples plotting in vain?

-          Why are the nations restless (board with what they have; wanting more)

-          And the peoples plotting in vain (how to get more and do whatever they want)

 2 The kings of the earth take their stand
 And the rulers conspire together
 Against the Lord and against His [b]Anointed, saying,
3 “Let’s tear their shackles apart
 And throw their ropes away from us!”

-          The kings of the earth take their stand (they are going to stand up and rebel)

-          And the rulers conspire together (the worldly rulers making plans against God)

-          Against the Lord and against His Anointed (God the Father; God the Son)

-          Let’s tear their shackles apart (get rid of the all the laws that prevent sin)

-          And throw their ropes away from us (wanting freedom to do whatever they want)

4 He who [c]sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
 And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
 Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

-          He who sits in the heavens laughs (mere men thinking they can force God is laughable)

-          The Lord scoffs at them (to declare their plans are a joke)

-          Then He will speak to them in His anger (when God speaks it thunders)

-          And terrify them in His fury (when thunder sounds, the earth quakes, stars fall; they will be terrified of God’s fury)

-          But as for Me, I have installed my King (King Jesus was installed by God)

-          Upon Zion, My holy mountain (this is Israel, Jesus will rule & reign from there)

-          God chose who will lead the world and where it will happen from (God’s plan not mans)

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Psalm, Chapter 1

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
 Nor stand in the [a]path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

-          How blessed is the man who does not

o   The first thing to consider how blessed is a man who heeds this instruction

o   Blessings can be spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, relational, financial, eternal

-          Here is the list of not:

o   Walk in the counsel of the wicked

§  To walk means that you are headed in a direction

§  You are taking action based on someone else’s council (advice)

§  Of the wicked, means that the council or advice is from the devil

§  To be wicked is evil, immoral, playfully malicious, mischievous

§  Don’t listen, don’t take counsel from these type of people

§  Don’t walk according to their direction or in the same direction as them!

§  Every step you take either leads one step closer to hell or heaven

·         choose wisely

o   Nor stand in the path of sinners

§  Don’t even stand in the path of sinners

§  The path is the road they are on

§  The fellows are saying come on, lets go have a great time

§  They are on the way to commit sin which they call fun

§  Don’t even be on that path or hang around that path

·         It leads to destruction in hell

o   Nor sit in the seat of scoffers

§  To sit in the seat of scoffers means you feel comfortable hanging around people who are scoffers

§  A scoffer is one who expresses scorn, derision or contempt, mockery or derision

§  They tear people down rather than building people up

o   Don’t walk; don’t stand; don’t sit

§  Three positions of the body that express

·         Where you are going

·         What you stand for

·         Why you sit and rest (and with whom)

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