Gems From The Psalms

Gems From The Psalms
by F B Meyer

Psalm 1

Blessed Is The Man

This Psalm, like a sign-post, points the way to blessedness. The opening word may be read, "Oh, the blessedness!" In this exclamation is embodied the experience of a life, ratified and sealed by the Holy Spirit. The Psalter begins with the same message as the Sermon on the Mount. Blessedness is more than happiness. Beneath the lintel of this benediction we pass into the temple of praise.

Blessedness is to be obtained in two ways -

Psa 1:1 Negatively
Avoid the company of the irreligious. You must mix with them in daily business but do not choose their society. When free from necessary engagements seek God's people. (Act 4:23)

Psa 1:2 Positively
We cannot live on negations. If we withdraw ourselves from evil men, we must enter the circle of prophets, kings, Psalmists and historians, who wait to share within the circle of sacred Scripture.

It is not enough to read the Bible as a duty - we must come to it with delight. This is possible if you eschew light and foolish literature which cloys the appetite. Read the Book in happy fellowship with its Author; meditate until it is assimilated (Jam 1:25) Better one verse digested than a whole chapter bolted.

Psa 1:3 The rewards of the blessed man
He shall be under Divine culture, planted (Psa 92:13); within reach of perennial supplies, planted by rivers (Joh 7:38-39); prepared against any demand or emergency - fruit in season; unfading beauty and freshness, a spiritual evergreen; and prosperity even in this world, because his life is ordered by discretion and obedience to Divine principles. Joseph realized this picture (Gen 39:3-4)

Psa 1:4 The contract to the blessed man
It might be rendered, Not so ungodly, not so. As to their career, all that has been said of the righteous is to be reversed. They go from bad to worse in their choice of company; beginning with the ungodly, and ending with the scornful; and from walking, they pass to standing and sitting, which give the idea of permanence and of settled enjoyment. As to their nature, they are as chaff, utterly worthless. As to their doom, they shall be forgotten on earth, leaving no trace, taking no root; and they shall be forever excluded from the other world (Mat 13:30; Rev 21:27)

Psa 1:5 The comforts of the blessed man
God knows his way, though dark and difficult. Nothing is hidden from Him who bottles our tears (Psa 56:8); and He will not let us be over pressed. Though the ungodly may appear to prosper at the expense of the righteous, ultimately the way of the ungodly shall perish (see Psa. 37) Wherefore, rest in the Lord. Your blessedness is better than the ill-gotten gains of the ungodly and will last longer.

Psalm 2

Thou Art My Son!

This Psalm is dramatic and sublime. Attempts have been made to connect it with David or Solomon; but its scope is too vast and majestic to be limited to any earthly monarch. The Psalm must find its complete fulfillment in Him to whom its glowing passages are referred in Act 4:25; Act 13:33; Heb 1:5; Heb 5:5; Rev 2:27. A natural division is suggested by the structure of the Psalm into four stanzas of three verses each.

Psa 2:1-3 The determined hate of the people
The word rage has the idea of vast crowds swarming with Oriental gesticulations and cries into a central meeting-place. Imagine is the same word translated meditate (Psa 1:2); while the godly meditates on God's law, the ungodly meditates in vain. Pilate, Herod and the Jewish rulers are for once at peace among themselves in their common hostility to the Messiah (Luk 23:12-13) Let us not effect worldly alliances, for the drift of the great ones of the earth is against our Lord. Compare Psa 2:3 with Hos 11:4 and Mat 11:30.

Psa 2:4-6 - the divine tranquility
The scene shifts to heaven; there God is depicted as undismayed - a strong man laughs at the ineffectual efforts of tiny children to throw him down. Yet 1 have set, i.e., anointed. - "Messiah" and "Christ" alike mean anointed. Our Lord was anointed with the Holy Ghost (Isa 11:2-3; Isa 61:1; Act 10:38; Luk 4:18; Joh 3:34) He is God's own King; MY King; as Solomon was David's (1Ki 1:37-38, etc.)

Psa 2:7-9 Messiah's manifesto
He produces and recites one of the eternal decrees. Before time was, He was the only begotten of the Father (Joh 17:5): his sonship was declared at his Resurrection; then He was born first from among the dead and sealed (Act 13:30-37; Rom 1:4; Col 1:18) The world is his heritage; but the gift is conditional on prayer. For this He pleads through the ages; and, if we are truly at one with Him, we too shall ask. The pastoral staff for the sheep; the "iron rod" for those who oppose.

Psa 2:12 Overtures and counsel of peace
Kiss, the expression of homage (1Sa 10:1) The word "adore" is literally to the mouth. To "perish in the way" reminds of Mat 1:6. Notice the change in R.V.: "his wrath will soon be kindled" (Jam 5:9; Rev 6:17) Oh the blessedness! closes this Psalm as it began the first.

Psalm 3

I Will Not Be Afraid!

Psa 3:1-2 An enumeration of trouble
Though God knows all, it relieves the over-charged heart to make a full statement of anxieties and troubles. His foes were many. They quoted his sin as a reason for supposing that God had withdrawn his aid (2Sa 16:7-8) The word help is salvation; but salvation belongeth unto God (Psa 3:8, Psa 35:3)

Psa 3:3-4 An expression of unfaltering trust
God our shield (Gen 15:1) is for i.e., around us. Would that we found our glory in Him only (Jer 9:23-24) It is a good thing to use the voice in prayer, as our Lord did. Words keep the heart awake (Heb 5:7) David looked to God as dwelling between the cherubim of the ark, the symbol of propitiation. He approached Him as sinners must do through the Lamb of God.

Psa 3:5-6 An acknowledgement of mercy
It is the perfection of trust to be able to sleep under such circumstances without fear. But it is gloriously possible. So Jesus slept (Mar 4:38), and Peter (Act 12:6) Let us be sure that we are where God would have us to be: then let us resign ourselves to his care. Though pursued by the results of our sins, we shall find that He will save us in them, if not from them.

Psa 3:7-8 An urgent entreaty
For the third time the idea of salvation is introduced. The writer's foes are looked upon as wild beasts, who, when their jawbone is broken and their teeth dashed out, are powerless to hurt. David speaks as if he felt that this work were already done and his foes' rage futile. He turns from them to his people, led wrong by wily conspirators, and pleads that God's best blessings may rest on them. So our Lord intercedes for us.

Psalm 4

Hear Me When I Call!

Psa 4:1 A prayer
We must be sure that our cause is a righteous one before we can ask God to vindicate it; and we do well to go back to God's former deliverances. Build supplication on recollection.

Psa 4:2-3 An expostulation
Vanity refers to Psa 2:1 - "a vain thing"; leasing is Old English for lying. Absalom's rebellion is a type of all those plots against Christ and His saints which begin in falsehood, and end in confusion. The Hebrew word translated godly means one who loves. Dost thou love God first, and afterwards His saints? Then know that God hath set thee apart (i.e., separated) for Himself. Seek his praise alone. Be content to let the world go by. Thou canst not fail; his cause and thine are one (Lam 3:58)

Psa 4:4-5 Loving counsel
The Apostle gives a very remarkable application of Psa 4:4 in Eph 4:26. If men communed with each other less, and with God more, allowing the heat of passion to cool in the silences of the night, they would discover the futility of fuming and fretting against the Lord's people and cause. To all of us the injunction, Be still, is most appropriate. It is only in standing water that silt settles, and in quiet nights that the dew distils. In the night, when the eye is closed to all the world, let it be opened to self-examination. Sacrifice here is the whole burnt offering, and corresponds to entire surrender, out of which trust naturally springs.

Psa 4:6-8 A wise deduction and resolve
How true is this of the "many" everywhere who know not God! - But all is vain when God's face is hidden. How rich is the soul on which its light rests! (Num 6:24-26) Absalom, and his conspirators, with all that David had left them, had not as much true bliss as the fugitive monarch enjoyed. In the hour of his sin he had asked to' hear joy and gladness (Psa 51:8); and this was the reply. The saint has no need to envy the prosperous worldling (Joh 4:13-14) May the Holy Spirit "put gladness in our hearts" to-day (Gal 5:22) Psa 4:8 means, "I shall go to sleep as soon as I lie down." God alone is enough for any soul. He suffices for heaven: why not for earth? In solitude, let us turn to Him (Eze 34:25)

Psalm 5

In The Morning

Psa 5:1-3 The address and manner of prayer
Uttered words are inadequate to convey deep thought, groanings which cannot be uttered, but which the Spirit understands (Rom 8:26-27) Distinguished from either of these is the urgent call for aid, described as the voice of a cry. As soon as we awake at early dawn, let us speak to God. Let Him be the first to hear our voice. And let us direct, i.e., set in order, our prayer. The same Hebrew word is used in Gen 22:9; Lev 1:7; Lev 24:8. We are not to pray without method (Ecc 5:1) And, having prayed, we must look out for the answer (Hab 2:1) We miss many answers, because we get tired of waiting.

Psa 5:4-7 Contrasted characters
There are here seven expressions for the ungodly. Evil may not even sojourn as a wayfaring man (2Jo 1:10) Not in the spirit of boasting, but of humble gratitude, David turns to himself (1Co 15:10) The Jew in prayer looked towards the temple (Dan 6:10) The tabernacle was spoken of as Jehovah's temple (1Sa 1:9; 1Sa 3:3)

Psa 5:8-12 The prayer
We may appeal to God's righteousness to vindicate his righteous ones. Because He is what He is, we may count on Him (2Ch 16:9) Then Psa 5:8 is thus parallel to the Psa 5:4. This terrible description of the ungodly is concerned with the sins of the tongue. It is largely quoted in Rom. 3. Wicked men are like graves, which look fair without, but are full of corruption within. As by their words they sin against God and mislead the righteous, so by their words they shall be condemned and fall. David here, as God's mouthpiece, pronounces their inevitable doom.

Here again (Psa 5:11) we meet the oft-repeated word, trust. And with trust goes joy, and with both goes love.

Psalm 6

The Lord Hath Heard!

The first of the Penitential Psalms; the other six being Psa 32:1-11, 38, 51, 102, Psa 130:1-8, Psa 143:1-12. Sheminith is evidently a musical term, signifying the octave. The earlier verses of this Psalm are a wail; but it ends in a song. It is like a day of rain which clears at evening. The Psalm is full of beautiful ejaculatory cries.

Psa 6:1-7 The elements of the psalmist's sorrow
There was the pressure of Divine displeasure because of sin (Psa 6:1-2), combined with soul-anguish (Psa 6:3-4), perhaps accompanied with sickness, bringing nigh unto death (Psa 6:4-5), while enemies add their hate (Psa 6:6-7) In Psa 6:5 David considers the grave as disabling us from that active service of praise which is the peculiar privilege of the living (Isa 38:19) He clearly foresaw the Resurrection; but perhaps not so clearly the state of the departed, which is brought to light in the Gospel. How touching is the plea, so suitable for sufferers! - for 1 am weak. How expressive the broken sentence, How long? which was often on Calvin's lips! And that prayer, O Lord, heal met. may well be on our lips continually.

Psa 6:8-10 The certainty of the psalmist's deliverence
The prayer is no sooner uttered than answered. The consciousness of having been heard steals over the weary soul like a glint of light on to a bed in the hospital ward. David knows that the petition is granted, though it has not yet come to hand (1Jo 5:15) Weeping has a voice for the ear of God. He can interpret sighs and tears (Psa 6:8) In the Revised Version, the words of Psa 6:10 read like an imprecation - they shall be ashamed and turn back. When God returns (Psa 6:4), our enemies turn back (Psa 6:10)

Psalm 7

In Thee Do I Put My Trust!

Shiggaion is thought by some to refer to the erratic and irregular metre. The expressions of this Psalm should be carefully compared with the narrative of events in 1 Sam. 24; 25; 26. Cush may be a covert allusion to Saul, who was a Benjamite. Or it may refer to some "black-visaged" member of his tribe, who was one of David's chief calumniators.

Psa 7:1-2 Prayer
If David desired deliverance from his foes, how much more do we need deliverance from our arch-enemy! (1Pe 5:8-9)

Psa 7:3-5 Protestation
So far from being guilty of the offence charged on him, David, on two occasions, spared Saul's life (1 Sam. 24; 26) Mine honor is probably only another name for the soul (Gen 49:6)

Psa 7:6-9 An appeal
By a bold metaphor, he attributes the success of his foes to some temporary abdication on God's part, and entreats Him to reassume his throne, and give his decisions, as Eastern judges are wont to do, in the midst of the people standing around. When we do right and suffer for it, we have a strong argument with God; we stand still, keep silence and leave Him vindicate (1Pe 2:20-23) What a noble prayer is Psa 7:9!

Psa 7:10-16 Prediction
Evil recoils like a boomerang on those who set it in motion.

Psalm 8

How Excellent Is Thy Name!

Was Gittith a tune or instrument brought from Gath? (1Sa 27:2) This exquisite ode, which can only reach its fulfilment in the person of the Son of Man - to whom it is referred in the New Testament (Heb 2:6-9) - was evidently composed at night. It probably dates from the early shepherd days, when wild creatures crept around the fold, and night-birds screamed, reminding the sweet singer of the animal world.

Psa 8:1 The inscription
Jehovah our Lord Adonai (see Psa 110:1) Our Lord Jesus is here.

Psa 8:1-2 The ascription
His name excellent on earth; his glory the crown on the brow of the sky. And so mighty that his strength communicated to babes is more than enough to vanquish and silence His foes (1Co 1:25) See also Christ's own quotation (Mat 21:16) Let us rejoice that we are weak and helpless. This is the very way of acquiring God's strength (2Co 12:9-10)

Psa 8:3-4 The comparision
At first sight there is a great descent from the vastness of the works of God in the heavens to frail man (enoush), the son of Adam (ben-h' adam), whose very name implies that he is of the dust (Adam, earthy) How should so great a God visit him? We often confound size and greatness, and forget that the King loves his little babe more than all the splendor and extent of his ancestral palace. The age of the telescope was the age of the microscope. There are as many worlds of wonder which are too minute for our vision as there are which are too great for our understanding.

Psa 8:5-8 The compensation
Yet, man in his original creation was only a little lower than the angels. He was invested with the vicegerency of the lower orders of creation (Gen 1:26)

Some traces of this still exist in the power of the human eye and voice over animals. But sin rolled this crown into the dust. We have to win authority with effort, and retain it with difficulty. We see not yet all things put under us. But this lost power has been re-acquired by Jesus, as man (Mat 28:18) And in his kingdom it shall be restored to man (Isa 11:6-9) And from the redeemed creation shall arise the words with which this Psalm begins and ends (Rom 8:19-22)

Psalm 9

With My Whole Heart!

Muth-labben probably refers to the tune to which these words were set. This is the first of the ACROSTIC or ALPHABETICAL Psalms, of which there are nine (Psalm 9; 10; 25; 34; 37; Psa 111:1-10; Psa 112:1-10; 119; 145) Psalm 119 is the most remarkable specimen of this acrostic style of composition. Prov. 31, and Lam. 1; 2; 3; 4 present the same acrostic character. In the Septuagint this Psalm refers to the death of the Divine Son, and recites his victory over death and the grave, and all our foes.

Psa 9:1-5, Psa 9:11, Psa 9:12, Psa 9:14 There is a predominant note of praise
Let us not praise with a divided, but with a whole heart. And we must incite praise by recounting all God's works. Let memory heap fuel on the altar of praise. The Lord has indeed rebuked our arch-enemy (compare 6 and Zec 3:1-2), and his strongholds are now wastes, come to a perpetual end (2Co 10:4; Col 2:15) What a contrast between our dead foes, and our ever-living King! (Psa 9:7)

Psa 9:7-12, Psa 9:18 There is an assertion of trust
"Refuge" is high tower (R.V.) The oppressed, the humble, the needy, and the poor have strong encouragement. Calamity drives them to God and makes them familiar with the secrets of his character. The more we know of God the more we can trust Him. Doubt is born of ignorance. Let God vindicate you: He will not forget (Psa 9:12)

Psa 9:13, Psa 9:19, Psa 9:20 There is a petition for further help
What a contrast between the gates of death (Psa 9:13) and the gates of the holy city! (Psa 9:14) What a striking example of Psa 9:15 is given in the story of Haman! (Est 7:10) He who lifts the righteous hurls down the wicked. It is a sin to forget God (Psa 9:17; Isa 51:13) There is a striking emphasis in the two closing verses; the Hebrew for men might be rendered weak, mortal man (enoush)

Psalm 10

Thou Hast Seen! Thou Hast Heard!

This Psalm is full of sorrowful complaint, and befits God's people in all seasons of distress.

Psa 10:1-11 The malice of the foe is powerfully described
The treatment which the unjust oppressor deals out to his prey is set forth in many rich and striking images. Now it is the serpent with venom under his tongue (Psa 10:7); now, the bandit secreted in ambush (Psa 10:8); now, the lion in his den, and again the hunter snaring the unsuspecting prey (Psa 10:9) And all the while God seems to stand afar off and hide his eyes from the tribulation caused to his own; so much so that the thoughts of the wicked, that there is no God, seem confirmed (Psa 10:4-11)

Psa 10:12-15 The prayer of the oppressed
God is asked to lift up his hands from rest in the folds of his robe. He is the helper of the helpless and hapless, who commit themselves to Him. Let us commit ourselves to Him who judgeth righteously (1Pe 2:23)

Psa 10:16-18 The boast of faith
What in Psa 9:19 was a prayer is here taken as an accomplished fact. Forget not the humble (Psa 10:12) is here recalled: Thou hast heard the desire of the humble (Psa 10:17) The preparation of the heart in prayer is His work; and so of course He is able to hear and answer. When we abide in Jesus, and the Holy Ghost flows through our hearts as sap through the vine, we are taught how to pray; and whatsoever we ask we receive. True prayer begins with God, and returns to Him again.

Psalm 11

The Righteous Lord

When John Welsh and his fellow-captives were summoned from their prison on the Firth of Forth, to appear before the court, they sang this Psalm as they walked by night under guard to their trial. It is worth reading in the rugged Scotch version. The Psalm is a debate between fear and faith, and probably dates from the time when David was being persecuted by Saul.

Psa 11:1 The counsels of expediency
Timid friends, anxious for his safety, urged him, not simply to flee to the literal mountains, which he did, but to desert the cause of God, and to renounce his faith--which he never did. Birds escape the dangers of the plains by winging their flight to the caves or woods of the hills. Such counsels of expediency were frequently given to Nehemiah (Neh. 6). And the enemy has ever sought to dislodge the faithful servants of God by fear (Job 2:9-10; Luk 13:31). Luther's diaries abound in similar references. And there is much force in the reasons alleged. The bow is already being bent; the darkness is in favor of evil stratagems (Psa 11:2, R.V.); and the foundations of social order are undermined. Righteousness cannot avail! why should it not be relinquished?

Psa 11:4-7 The answers of faith
The revolutions of earth cannot shake His throne. He permits the Evil One some license that the righteous may be tested (Job 1, Job 2:1-13; Luke 22, 31, 32). And when the limit is reached, their persecutors will be entangled in snares from which they shall not escape. Let the righteous remember that the eye of God not only beholds their patience, but exchanges glances of tenderness with his suffering ones (Exo 3:7).

Psalm 12

Help, Lord!

The opening words suggest that this Psalm is an appeal for help in bad and evil days. There are days when sin seems rampant, sweeping all before it. The great and godly men one by one are taken away and the ungodly reign supreme. But when there is no help in man, let us turn to God with the cry which broke from Peter's lips when sinking in the waves. It is a very convenient cry, both from its brevity and its comprehensiveness. Help, Lord! (see Mic 7:2)

Psa 12:1, Psa 12:2, Psa 12:4 The need of help
A double heart is literally a heart and a heart; and such practice deceit on neighbors whom they should love. On the contrary, we are bidden to put away lying, and speak truth to our neighbors (Eph 4:25; Col 3:9) Oh for perfect transparency of heart and life!

Psa 12:3-4 The certainty of help
The very prayer begotten in the heart carries the assurance of an answer. Besides, the world is so made that daring wickedness rarely goes unpunished. Let us never act as if we thought our lips were our own; for they too have been bought with the price of those dear parched lips which cried, 1 thirst.

Psa 15:5 The arising of help
God hears sighs. One sigh will make Him arise, as the sighs of Stephen made Jesus stand (Act 7:56)

Psa 12:6-7 The blessed promise of help
There is no mixture of error in the words of God; all dross has been removed: they may therefore be trusted to the uttermost. Bind the words of God to your heart, and fearlessly go forth into the world. You shall be kept and preserved for evermore (Isa 54:17)

Psalm 13

How Long, O Lord?

This Psalm evidently dates from the time of the Sauline persecutions. Four times the afflicted Psalmist cried, How long? The Psalm begins in the deepest dejection, but it clears as it proceeds; and the soul, lark-like, rises above the lower current of east wind, till it revels in the heaven of God's love. Pray on, troubled believer: it is marvelous how certainly prayer proves to be a ladder from the deepest dungeon into the most radiant day.

Psa 13:1-2 Depression
Saul's persecutions probably lasted for eight or nine years; and no hope of termination appeared (1Sa 27:1) David was a man who spends five hundred days passing through a forest: the tangled over-growth hides the sun; and he begins to despair of ever emerging. Some say that this Psalm is the cry of the Church (Rev 6:10)

Psa 13:3-4 Supplication
How wise to hand over all worries and anxieties to God. If we make them all instantly known to Him, we will live more blessed and peaceful lives (Phi 4:6-7) He had bemoaned four evils: he now entreats three blessings (Psa 13:3) Oh for the enlightened eyes! (Eph 1:18) The holy soul is as eager for God's honor, as for its own vindication (Psa 13:4)

Psa 13:5-6 Assurance
It is delightful when we can sing, because certain of coming deliverance. Faith praises for the victory, before the fight has even reached its worst. After lying for some time in the Bishop of London's coalhouse, Mr. John Philpot was rebuked for singing hymns in prison, and he answered: "I have so much joy that 1 cannot lament; but day and night 1 never was so merry before."

Psalm 14

The Fool Hath Said "No God!"

The creed, character and doom of the Atheist are here depicted; and the Psalm is so important as to be repeated (Psa 53:1-6), with slight alterations, which show this rendering more suitable for public use. The Hebrew word translated fool (naval) denotes one of withered intellect.

Psa 14:1 The root of atheism
It begins not in the head, but in the heart (Rom 1:21) Men do not like God. They try to ignore Him and end by blatantly denying Him. The surest way of dealing with such is to treat them as rebels and sinners.

Psa 14:1-6 The effect of atheism on the character
Corruption as of a grave; abominable works; darkened understanding; filthiness of heart and life; persecution and shaming of the godly; but finally "great fear." What a terrible catalogue of crimes! These verses are largely quoted by the Apostle (Rom 3:10-12) as true of all men; because the seeds of this awful crop are by nature latent in us all, awaiting favorable conditions of germination. God comes as a seeker ("the Father seeketh": Joh 4:23), eagerly looking for those who abjure the - ways of sin and call upon Him. These are picked out by Him as his choice jewels for his own. The word because in Psa 14:6 would be better rendered but. The enemy may come up against the camp of the righteous, but God is in the midst of them; they cannot be moved (Psa 46:1-5)

Psa 14:7 The best answer to atheism
The Church of God is too much in captivity to the world and the devil. Let us daily ask that our salvation may speedily come, the advent of which shall bring discomfiture to our foes, and long, glad rejoicings to us (Heb 9:28; 2Th 1:6-10)

Psalm 15

Walking With God

This Psalm was probably composed with Psa 24:1-10 - which it closely resembles - to celebrate the bringing of the Ark to Mount Zion. The first words are almost a repetition of the awe-struck question of the stricken men of Bethshemesh (1Sa 6:20) And the rest of the Psalm gives a description of those who may dwell with God. If we would have fellowship with God, and dwell in his house all the days of our earthly life, let us see that this character is ours, by the grace of the Holy Spirit!

Psa 15:1 The challenge of the soloist

Psa 15:2-5 The answer of the choir
The answer is given, first, positively (Psa 15:2), and then, negatively (Psa 15:3); so also, in the two following verses. We need to watch our walk, work and talk, if we would have fellowship with God. We must abhor slander, evil and reproach. When stories reach us, let them stop with us. Let us act as nonconductors. We must also mind what company we keep; withdrawing from the vile, but drawing close to and honoring all who fear God, as children of the same Father, and therefore brethren and sisters. Usury, which is a very different thing to the taking of interest; and bribes - are equally inconsistent with the vision of God. If we are heedful of all these matters, we shall not only be able to dwell in the royal palace, as priest and kings, but we shall remain steadfast and unmoveable amid the changes and convulsions around. Here is the secret of permanence and rest (Psa 15:5)

Psalm 16

My Heart Is Glad

Michtam is derived by some from a word meaning golden. And, indeed, that epithet may be truly applied, not only to this Psalm, but to Psa 56:1-13, Psa 57:1-11, Psa 58:1-11, 59, Psa 60:1-12. Others explain it as a secret; i.e., a song which leads the holy soul into those deep things of God which are hidden from the wise and prudent and revealed to babes by the Spirit (1Co 2:10-14) This, then, is the song of the golden secret.

The key to the Psalm is given by the Apostle Peter, when, quoting from it, he says: "David speaketh
concerning Him" (Act 2:25) And in the following verses he goes on to show that the Psalm could not be true in all its wealth of meaning of David, but of David's Lord (Psa 16:1-11 :31) The Apostle Paul makes a very remarkable reference to this Psalm, expressly ascribing it to God's authorship through the Psalmist, and affirming that it spoke of Him (Act 13:35-38) But, of course, in a lower sense, each one of us who are one with Jesus may appropriate these golden words.

Psa 16:1 The believer turns from all creature confidence to his God, as his only hope and all-sufficient help. Trust in Him cannot be misplaced.

Psa 16:2 The rendering of R.V. is very beautiful "I have no good beyond Thee." Satisfied with God, wanting nothing in wealth or comfort outside Him.

Psa 16:3 The soul that loves God loves the people of God.

Psa 16:4-6 Contrasted lots.

The R.V. brings out the sense. Those who exchange the Lord for another god shall have "sorrows
multiplied"; those who live in God's favor shall have "a goodly heritage." Fleeing idolatry in every form, the Lord is our portion; He will maintain our lot, assert our cause. The measuring lines are outstretched so as to divide off for us a liberal patrimony; they fall in pleasant places, and our allotment is one facing the sun and including abundance of water. Oh to be as Levi, whose only portion was God Himself! (Num 18:20; Lam 3:24)

Psa 16:7 Reins mean inmost thoughts (Psa 7:9) God often speaks in the quiet heart through the language of thoughts.

Psa 16:8 The one object of life is to do his will and please Him; and He is ever at the right hand to help - nearer than our accusers (compare Psa 109:6, Psa 109:31)

Psa 16:9 My glory interpreted by Peter of "the tongue" (Act 2:26) Speech is man's glory: therewith he blesses God and teaches his brother.

Psa 16:10-11 Thus The Lord Jesus might have softly sung to Himself as He descended into the lowest depths of his humiliation. Hell here is sheol; not the place of torment, but of disembodied spirits. Thine Holy One, i.e., one whom Thou favorest. The path of life is the upward path to life. God is at our right hand and our lot is pleasant here. Ere long we shall be at his right hand amid everlasting pleasures.

Psalm 17

I Shall Be Satisfied!

This prayer dates from the Sauline persecutions. In the earlier verses David protests his innocence, and then proceeds to plead for deliverance from his foes, ending with glad anticipations of his vision of God's face. It may have been composed for use at eventide. Two verses point in that direction (Psa 17:3-15)

Psa 17:1-5 Protestations of integrity
What a comfort to appeal from the accusations of men to the judgment-bar of God! Even if behavior has been unwise God judges the motive and heart. The Hebrew word "tried" is "melted" (tzaraph); as gold is tried in the furnace and found to have no dross. But we can have no hope of preserving our integrity and keeping from the paths of the transgressor unless we avail ourselves of God's Word to test and direct our goings. Use the Royal Guide-book if you would keep on the King's highway.

Psa 17:6-14 Prayer for deliverance
How safe we are! As the apple of the eye: the pupil of the eye is defended by eyelash, lid, brow, bony socket, the swiftly-uplifted hand (comp. Zec 2:8) Thy wings: the eaglet is gathered under the wing of the parent bird (Deu 32:11; Exo 19:4) The R.V. gives a better sense of Psa 17:13-14 : "by thy sword," "by thy hand." What a striking contrast there is between Psa 17:14 and Psa 16:5, Psa 16:11.

Psa 17:15 Glad anticipation
They are filled with this world - I with Thee: they look for the things of this life - I with the eternal and unseen: they satisfied with children - I with thy likeness (1Co 15:49; Phi 3:21) We shall never be perfectly satisfied with anything less than the beatific vision. Most of that rapturous vision is veiled from sight; but when it shall be unveiled, it will be approved.

Psalm 18

My Rock And My Fortress

There is another form of this Psalm on record - that in 2 Sam 22. It recapitulates the deliverances of the past, and sets them to music. Psa 18:2, Psa 18:49 are quoted in New Testament as the words of the Lord Jesus (Heb 2:13; Rom 15:9)

Psa 18:1-3 A good resolve
How beautiful is this array of metaphors; as if no single one were forcible enough to set forth the many-sided glory of God. Faith puts its hand, my, on all that God is and claims it for its own. Can we not also say: "I LOVE Thee"? Not indeed as we would, yet we can take Joh 21:17 : "Thou knowest." David's word is a very intense one.

Psa 18:4-19 The story of the past
It is good to recall God's gracious dealings. David does it in poetical language, borrowed from the scenes of the Red Sea and Sinai. And yet there was so much of God's gracious help in his life, that he was warranted in comparing it with the deliverance from Egypt. We, too, have our Red Seas. And God will do for us as much as for David. In our distress let us also cry. "Far up within the bejewelled walls, and through the gates of pearl, the cry of the sufferer will be heard." My cry came before Him. The voice is thin and solitary, but the answer shakes creation.

Psa 18:20-27 the claim of the righteous
The righteousness of which David boasted was not his own, for he was willing to admit that he was not free from impurity. Rather it indicates purity of motive and integrity of heart as contrasted with hypocrisy and wickedness. Compare Psa 18:26 with Lev 26:21-24. Our character gives its shape to our thoughts of God.

Psa 18:28-45 joyful ancitipation
God's way is perfect and He maketh our way perfect. Walls and troops cannot oppose us, when God's way lies through them, and we are on the line of his purpose. Swift and sure-footed in slippery places (Psa 18:33) Strong in battle (Psa 18:34) Oh, the gentleness of God! (Psa 18:35) It has done more for us than severity. Instead of the word "gentleness" the Prayer-book version translates, "Thy loving correction."

Psa 18:46-50 the closing hallelujah
We must stint our words when we thank our fellows, lest we be extravagant. But mortal lips need never refrain themselves for fear of saying too much to God.

Psalm 19

The Witness Of The Heavens

The Psalm of the Two Books: the Book of nature, and the written Word. If Psa 8:1-9 were written at night, this must have been penned by day. In the first verse God is called EL, the Strong One; in Psa 19:7, Psa 19:8, Psa 19:9, Psa 19:14, the Hebrew name JEHOVAH is translated LORD, as if his glory as Creator were the stepping-stone to loftier conceptions of Him in redemption.

NATURE - There is the blue tapestry of the azure and the expanse of the firmament woven by God. What a picture of the sacred silence of the dawn! "No speech, nor language; there voice cannot be heard" (R.V.) There is also the universality of their witness-bearing. "Line" is the compass or territory through which they speak. Some translate it "chord." There is no tongue in which the works of God do not speak. Does not the picture of the dawn, in which the sun comes forth radiant as a bridegroom, strong as an athlete, make us think of the resurrection? And is not Jesus our Sun? (Mal 4:2)

REVELATION - Six synonyms - the law; the testimony; the statutes; the commandment; the fear; the judgments - are used of the Word of God. Twelve qualities are ascribed to it. How truly might our blessed Lord have appropriated Psa 19:10! The man who lives a simple life is he who appreciates the Bible.

Psa 19:1-8, 14 confession and prayer
"Errors"; the same word is used Lev 4:2-13. "Errors" will, if not checked, lead on to presumptuous and deliberate sins. The "dominion" which the Psalmist feared is expressly referred to in Rom 6:14. What a claim we have on God when we can say, "Thy servant!" For the seventh time David repeats the covenant name "Jehovah," with two last, loving epithets, "Rock" and "Redeemer" (R.V.)

Psalm 20

The Lord Answer Thee!

This Psalm may have been written on such an occasion as that of 2 Sam 10. It may be used especially when the armies of our King are going forth to war.

Psa 20:1-4 the prayer of the soldiers
Ready drawn up for the fight, the soldiers pray for their king, who was wont on the eve of battle to bring sacrifices and offerings for success. (Psa 20:1) The Lord hear thee! literally, The Lord shall answer thee! The "name" of God is his character. The God of Jacob will not reject or forsake any worms as weak as the patriarch was once.

Psa 20:5 the resolve
As the banners wave in the breeze it is expressly said that God is the object of trust. The Lord is our banner (Exo 17:15) We succeed so far as we set forward in his name and for his glory.

Psa 20:6 the voice of the King
The devotion of the soldiers seems to their leader an omen for good. God's holiness is a guarantee of his faithfulness. The Hebrew for strength (gevooroth, "powers") is plural, implying the infinitude of God's resources.

Psa 20:7-9 the final chorus of the host
As they look across the field to the embattled array, they contrast the chariots and cavalry of the foe with their slender equipment. But, lo! as they gaze, their enemies are scattered. And with the brief ejaculation, "Save!" they hurl themselves headlong in pursuit.

Psalm 21

Strength And Salvation

This is evidently a companion Psalm to the former. The blessings there asked are here gladly acknowledged to have been granted and bright anticipations are entertained for the future. How much of it is true of our King as He rides forth on his white horse (Rev 19:11-16)

Psa 21:2 His heart's desire
The heart's desire finds its expression by the lips. There is no contrast implied between unspoken desire and oral prayer, both ascend together.

Psa 21:3 Thou preventest him (goest before him)
God's help anticipates our needs. It precedes us.

Psa 21:4 He asked life of Thee.
Our true life can be measured only by eternal ages.

Psa 21:5 - Honour and majesty
Similar terms are used of our Lord in Heb 2:9 - "crowned with glory and honour."

Psa 21:6 Most blessed for ever.
Blessedly true of our beloved dead (Rev 20:6)

Psa 21:7 Trusteth-shall not be moved.
Trust is the secret of permanence.

Psa 21:8-12 All thine enemies.
Our foes and the foes of Jesus must perish. Not one of them shall escape. In the garden of Olivet, Christ's gentle 1 am He, overthrew the soldiers (Joh 18:6) How will it be when the wrath of the Lamb flames forth? Who shall be able to stand? (Rev 6:16)

Psa 21:13 Be Thou exalted, O Lord!
Every loyal heart must join in that devout wish. But we may ask whether we have exalted Him to the place of power in the inner kingdom. God has exalted Him to be Prince and Saviour. We shall not have peace until we have done the same (Act 5:31)

Psalm 22

The Psalm Of The Cross

The Hebrew inscription to this exquisite ode, which demands as many pages as we can give it lines, is "the hind of the morning." The "hind" stands for one persecuted to death and is also an emblem of loveliness (Sol. Son 2:7-9) The cruel persecutors are designated as "bulls, lions, and dogs." Perhaps the addition "of the morning" (marg.) refers to the dawn of brighter and better days.

There is a remarkable exchange in the latter part of the Psalm (Psa 22:22-31) of triumph for complaint. Of course, our blessed Lord is in every syllable. Indeed, it reads more as a history than a prophecy. It seems as if the Divine Sufferer recited it to Himself during the agonies of his crucifixion, for it begins with "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" and it ends according to some, in the original, with "It is finished! It is the photograph of our Lord's saddest hours: the record of his dying words; the memorial of his expiring joys." If we have here the sufferings of Christ, we shall certainly have also the glory that should follow.

Psa 22:1-8 COMPLAINTS THAT HE IS FORSAKEN AND UNHEARD, ALTHOUGH HE HAD TRUSTED FOR DELIVERANCE.

Psa 22:9-21 EXPOSTULATIONS ON THE GROUND OF PAST FAVOR AND OF THE EXTREMITY OF HIS SUFFERINGS.

Psa 22:22-31 EJACULATIONS OF PRAISE, AS THE CLOUD BEGINS TO ROLL AWAY.
Ah, Psalm that was balm to the pierced heart of Jesus, how precious art thou to those who drink his cup!

Psa 22:1 My God, my God!

Uttered by our Lord after the darkness had lasted for three long hours. His God still, though hidden. God was as near and tender as ever; but the human consciousness of the Sin-bearer, made a curse for us, had lost the sensible enjoyment of his presence.

Psa 22:2 Thou hearest not.
This is rendered in R.V. answerest not God's silence is no reason for our silence; but on the contrary, an incentive to more importunity (Mat 15:22-23)

Psa 22:3 Thou art Holy.
Though prayer is not immediately answered there is no imputation on the character of God. The praises of the saints are the throne of the Eternal.

Psa 22:4-5 They trusted.
The thrice repetition is very significant. Is this the prominent feature in our character that our children will recall, and on which they will base their pleas?

Psa 22:7-10 They laugh me to scorn.
His very enemies had remarked how he rolled himself upon God (8, marg.) and used it as a jeer, but the Sufferer turns it into a prayer. From his birth he had been God's nursling, and could he be now deserted?

Psa 22:11 Be not far from me.
Trouble sometimes seems nearer than God. But this is only to the eye of sense. Faith descries the Deliverer coming across the waves, and saying, It is I.

Psa 22:14 All my bones are out of joint.
What a vivid picture of the anguish of the cross! The gaping crowds; the strength and virulence of their abuse; the bones wrenched from one another; the broken heart; the fevered lips; the pierced hands and feet; the parted garments; the thrusting of Jehovah's sword against his fellow (Psa 22:20; Zec 13:7)

Psa 22:20 My Darling.
We learn from the parallelism that this represents his soul. The Hebrew is my only one.

Psa 22:21 Thou hast heard me.
In the limits of one verse, prayer begins to change to praise. He who had said, "Thou hearest not" (Psa 20:2), confesses that all the while God had been hearing and helping him. The dog, the lion, the wild oxen (R.V.), are emblems of the hatred of man, from which God had rescued his servant.

Psa 22:22 1 will declare thy name.
Joh 17:26; Heb 2:12.

Psa 22:24 He hath not despised.
Man may despise (Psa 22:6), but God cannot. Man may abhor a worm (Psa 22:6), but God uses such to thresh mountains. And though his face may seem hidden (Psa 22:1-2) it is not really so.

Psa 22:25-26 My praise shall be of Thee.
Of Thee, i.e., originating from Thee, shall be my praise. Praise shall be the ultimate perquisite of all who seek God. And all who feed on the words of Jesus must have everlasting life (Joh 6:51)

Psa 22:27-31 All the ends of the world.
There is surely here a forecast of the effects of the death of the cross, first on the Jews (Psa 22:23), but also in these verses on the Gentiles. The ends of the earth converted; the usurper dethroned (Psa 22:28); the resurrection accomplished (Psa 22:29); and the seeing of a spiritual seed to satisfy the travail of the Redeemer's soul.

Psalm 23

The Shepherd Psalm

A restfulness breathes through this Psalm. It is the favorite of the children; but the oldest and holiest must confess that it touches an experience which lies still in front of them. There is no strife, no fear, no denunciation of the wicked, no effort at self-vindication: the waters, which fretted and chafed in their earlier course, flow in placid repose through the rich pasture lands and beneath the arms of the spreading trees. If for a moment there is the suggestion of the dark valley of deathshadow, it is instantly dismissed by the thought that He will be there, whose face makes light in the darkest night.

Jehovah is represented successively as the true Shepherd and Guide and Host of his people. We are taught to think much less of ourselves in our relations with Him and more of Him as being responsible for us. After all it is not so much a question of what we are to Jesus, as of what He is to us. The flock does not keep the Shepherd, but the Shepherd the flock. Look away from self and trust Him to keep and lead and feed. All that we should care for, is not knowingly to resist any of his gracious promptings and teachings.

The Psalm was probably written when the sun of David's life was westering. The experience of age is grafted on the memories of youth.

Psa 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd.
The thought of God as the Shepherd of his saints is familiar to Scripture students from Gen 48:15 to Rev 7:17, especially John 10. Let God see to your wants. There is nothing you really need for which you may not count on Him.

Psa 23:2 He leadeth me.
"Pastures of tender grass and waters of rest!"

Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul.
When the soul has spent itself unduly, He recruits it. When diseased, He heals it. When penitent, He puts it back whence it fell. It is only as we look back on life that we see how absolutely right were paths that seemed most wrong. But his name and character are implicated in doing the best for us.

Psa 23:4 The valley of the shadow. - This is not death only, but any dark ravine through which we have to pass. God seems nearest then. It is no longer He, but Thou. Club to defend; crook to chasten and guide.

Psa 23:5 Thou preparest.
Every day is that table spread with food for body and spirit, but we need the purged eye to see and-the believing hand to appropriate. We must be prepared to break through a ring of enemies to feed and to get the daily anointing of the Holy Spirit (1Jo 2:27)

Psa 23:6 The house of the Lord.
God's house' is his Presence Himself. There let us live. His twin-angels shall follow us. We must not look behind, dreading the pursuit of the evil past. The rear is well protected. Watch-dogs behind; the Shepherd before.

Psalm 24

The King Of Glory

Psalm 22 tells of the Cross; Psa 23:1-6 of the Crook; Psa 24:1-10 of the Crown. This great choral hymn was evidently composed to celebrate the removal of the Ark from the house of Obed-edom to Mount Zion (2 Sam. 6) There must have been a great procession by which it was conducted, with music and song, to its resting-place (1 Chron. 15:2-27)

This Psalm was composed for a choir. The first two verses might have been sung by the entire festal crowd; the third by a single voice; the fourth and fifth by the choir; and the sixth by all. What a sublime challenge on the part of the approaching host is contained in Psa 24:7, answered by a company already within the gates (Psa 24:8); to which again the vast shout of the multitudes gives reply. Surely this ode was rightly employed when used by Handel to represent the return of the ascending Saviour to his home. It never reached its perfect accomplishment till the Victor over hell and the grave arose on high.

Psa 24:1-2 The earth is the Lord's.
These words were chosen by Albert the Good to be placed as a motto over the Royal Exchange. The earth and men are God's by right of creation and redemption. The devil is a usurper and shall be thrust out.

Psa 24:3-4 The Hill of the Lord.
The Almighty is also the All-Holy. We are his, but we cannot approach Him unless we observe certain conditions, which He will secure in us by the power of the Holy Spirit, if we are only willing that He should.

Psa 24:5 From Jehovah-from Elohim.
What a blessing is this! (Gen 15:6; Gen 49:25)

Psa 24:6 Them that seek thy face.
We must evidently insert the name of God before Jacob, as the margin suggests.

Psa 24:7 Lift up your heads!
The doors are everlasting, grey with hoar antiquity and destined to stand for ever.

The connection between Psa 15:1-5 and Psa 24:1-10 has already been pointed out.

This Psalm is accomplished in us when Jesus enters our hearts as our King to reign. It will have its full realization when the earth and its populations welcome Him as its Lord.

Psalm 25

The Secret Of The Lord

An acrostic or alphabetical Psalm. The verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet; probably to aid the memory: so also Psalms 9; 10; 25; 34; 37; Psa 111:1-10; Psa 112:1-10; 119; 145. It contains many similar expressions, which might be connected by slight Bible markings. Such are wait (Psa 3:1-8, Psa 5:1-12, Psa 21:1-13); ashamed (Psa 2:1-12, Psa 3:1-8, Psa 20:1-9); teach (Psa 4:1-8, Psa 5:1-12, Psa 8:1-9, 9, Psa 12:1-8)

Psa 25:1 Unto Thee, O Lord!
Lift up your soul, that its darkness may be penetrated by his light, its maladies healed by his saving health.

Psa 25:4-5 Lead me! and teach me!
If you utter this prayer in all sincerity, wait for the answer. Be sure that it ,will come. If you are not yet told what to do, wait till you know certainly. "Wait all the day."

Psa 25:8-9 Therefore will He teach.
God's holiness is no barrier, but an encouragement to repentant sinners (compare Mat 9:13 and Luk 15:1) Not the meek only, but sinners may claim his teaching. Do not be careful as to your lessons, but as to acquiring them. God will set them; we must get them by heart.

Psa 25:11 For thy Name's sake!
How much the Old Testament writers count on God's Name! It is his character, his troth, Himself (Jos 7:9; Isa 63:14, Isa 63:16; Eze 36:22-23)

Psa 25:13 His soul shall dwell.
In the darkest, saddest hour we may find a home in the goodness of God.

Psa 25:14 The secret of the Lord.
What secrets God has to tell his own! (Gen 18:17; Joh 13:31; Joh 15:15; 1Co 2:9-10)

Psa 25:15 Mine eyes are toward the Lord.
Do not look down at your feet, but up to his face.

Psa 25:20 Oh, keep my soul!
When we are unable to keep ourselves for God, let us trust Him to keep us for Himself. He is able to do this. It is best to transfer the entire responsibility to Him (2Ti 1:12) We cannot be "ashamed" (Isa 45:17; Isa 49:23; Isa 50:7)

Psalm 26

Judge Me, O Lord

In some respects this Psalm is similar to the previous one. Instead of entreaties for forgiveness, there are protestations of innocence. It may have been composed during Absalom's rebellion. It is a strenuous protest against the dissembling and hypocrisy on which that revolt had been built. In these avowals of conscious rectitude, we must remember that David did not mean to express absolute sinlessness, but his innocence of those specific charges with which he had been assailed.

Psa 26:1 I shall not slide.
If therefore be omitted, we get the sense that he had not slidden from his attitude of faith. Let us trust God to keep us trusting.

Psa 26:2 Examine, and prove.
These words are all borrowed from the smelting furnace and point to the purity which fire gives.

Psa 26:3 I have walked in thy truth (Zec 10:12)

Psa 26:4-5 I have not sat.
Human society without God is an empty bubble and cannot satisfy (Psa 1:1)

Psa 26:6-7 In innocency.
We must use the laver, if we would minister at the altar. It is more important to be clean than to be clever. We must wash before we publish and tell.

Psa 26:8 I have loved thy house.
Hatred of evil men (Psa 26:5) is one side of the coin; love to God's house the other. Seek either and the other will be yours.

Psa 26:11 Mine integrity.
Can we also assert our integrity - that is, our whole-heartedness? (Job 2:3, Job 2:9; Job 27:5) Is our eye single? our heart open toward God? Are our motives pure? If so, though we still need "grace to help," we are on an even table-land, in which there is no pitfall and from which the glad song of praise shall ascend as sweet incense to God.

Psalm 27

Seek Ye My Face!

This Psalm probably dates from the time when the exiled king, surrounded by unscrupulous foes, looked from the regions beyond the Jordan to the beloved city, where the Ark of God abode. It would seem as if his one thought was - not to resume his throne, but to revisit the sanctuary of God. "One thing have 1 desired." The "one thing" people are irresistable (Phi 3:13)

Psa 27:1-6 Assurance
How many-sided is God! He is "light," "salvation," and "strength." The trusting soul lives behind a triple door. We may shrink from uttering the desire to dwell evermore in Jehovah's house. Yet there is a sense in which even busy people can do this by the grace of the Holy Spirit. God's presence is God's house. Abide in Him! You are "in Him" unless you consciously go out. How beautiful is God's world! How much more beautiful Himself! If you behold that beauty, it will be transferred to your own face, though you wist it not (Psa 90:17; Psa 110:3) Temple (Psa 27:4) is here applied to the tent which David erected on Mount Zion (2Sa 6:17) The believer who hides in God is as safe as the young Joash (2Ch 22:12)

Psa 27:7-14 Supplication
The triumphant trust of the Psalm suddenly changes to a tone of sadness as if a cloud had for a , moment passed over the soul. Did the writer for a moment look from his Saviour to the wind and waves? How true to life are these changing strains! What a comfort to know that our experiences do not alter our standing! Sometimes God seems to hide his face, only to lead the soul to a pitch of trust which otherwise it had never dared to adopt (Mar 7:28) Here is the heart-echo. God's words come back to Him as a prayer. The dearest may forsake, but the Lord gathers (Isa 40:11)

Psa 27:11 Teach me! ,lead me!
Again we have the even path of Psa 26:12.

Psa 27:12 Mine enemies.
We may apply this to the wicked spirits of the heavenly places who assail us, if we have no earthly foes who hate us for the truth's sake. It is an unlikely thing, however, that we should escape hatred, if we are living very near to Christ (Joh 15:19-20)

Psa 27:13 Unless 1 had believed to see.
Look up! and look on!

Psa 27:14 Wait on the Lord!
It is so much easier to act, or lie down and die, or run to friends, than to wait. But waiting is the true posture. He that waits for God shall not be long without the God for whom he waits.

How delightful are the me and my of this exquisite Psalm! - the pronouns of personal appropriation.

Psalm 28

Unto Thee Will I Cry!

This Psalm also probably belongs to the time of Absalom's rebellion. Psa 28:2-3 closely resemble Psa 26:8-9.

Psa 28:1-2 If Thou be silent.
What a thought is suggested in the silence of God! Sometimes He is silent because He loves (Zep 3:17, marg.) Sometimes to test our faith and stir up our zeal (Mat 15:23) Sometimes because He has already spoken, and we have not heeded his words (Mat 26:62) But if a period of silence befall us, let us not have recourse to any unhallowed source of help (1Sa 28:6-7) Let us rather pray and wait, lifting up our hands for help towards God's oracle.

Psa 28:3-5 The workers of iniquity.
The world is so made that wickedness is doomed to failure. The righteous man is glad when God's righteous government of the world is thus approved. We must look at the punishment of wrong-doing not only from man's standpoint, but from God's

Psa 28:6-7 He hath heard!
The answer has already begun to steal into the Psalmist's soul. Some stray flowers of hope piercing the sod tell of coming spring. The quick ear can tell the approach of the Highlanders, though foes engirdle the beleaguered city. "I am helped."

Psa 28:8-9 The Lord is my strength.
Note the contrast between my strength (Psa 28:7) and their strength (Psa 28:8) Trust is contagious as , well as panic. All who have experienced God's help long that others may know the blessed help and salvation of God! Feed them (Psa 81:10-16) Bear them (R.V.; Isa 63:9; Isa 40:11)

It is thus that prayer clears itself in its utterance and changes its note to praise, and as a rising lark breaks into songs as it soars.

Psalm 29

The Voice Of The Lord

A perfect specimen of Hebrew poetry, giving a magnificent description of a thunderstorm, marching from north to south of Palestine.

Psa 29:1-2 Prelude
Addressed to the firstborn sons of light (marg.), who stand above the tumult of earth and sky. Heaven is viewed as a temple, the priests of which are angels, clad in holy vestments (2 Ch 20:21; Psa 110:3)

Psa 29:3-9 The description of the storm
We hear first the low, distant muttering of the thunder. The "many waters" may refer to the Mediterranean from which the storm arose (Psa 29:3) Coming nearer the tempest breaks on Lebanon and Sirion, the Sidonian name for Hermon. The cedars sway to and fro before the wild fury of the storm. Each thunder peal is accompanied by zig-zag forked lightning (Psa 29:4-7) The storm passes southwards to the desert Kadesh and to the rock-hewn cities of Petra. In the Temple the gathered worshippers respond to the challenge of nature, and say, "Glory! Every whit of it uttereth glory" (marg.) Oh that every whit of the inner temple of our hearts, and of the spiritual temple of the Church - each nail, and thread, and splint - might utter that same cry, "Glory to God in the Highest!" The voice of the Lord is mentioned SEVEN times, reminding us of the seven thunders of Rev 10:3.

Psa 29:10-11 The conclusion
God's supremacy is the subject of these closing words. He sits upon the clouds as on a throne or chariot. He is King of Nature and of Grace. He is in the strength of the storm and in the halcyon peace that breaks out like a smile, when the storm has passed. The Psalm begins with Gloria in excelsis! and ends with Pax in terris! "Glory to God" implies "peace on earth."

Psalm 30

Thou Hast Lifted Me Up!

It becomes the child of God to dedicate the house in which he lives, so that each room is part of His temple, dedicated to His service and used for His glory. David wrote this Psalm and song on the occasion referred to in 2 Sam 5:11. It records the emotions which befitted the transition from the cave of Adullam to the splendor and comfort of a house of cedar.

Psa 30:1 I will extol Thee!
Lift Him up in song, who has lifted thee up in mercy.

Psa 30:2-3. Thou! Thou! Thou!
It may be that David celebrates here his recovery from some deadly sickness. At such times we must not put the physician in the place of God (2Ch 16:12)

Psa 30:4-5. Sing! and give thanks!
No one though he were a sweet singer like David, could tell forth all God's praise. Weeping is here personified as a lodger who tarries for the brief Eastern night, and then, veiled, glides out of the house before daybreak. With the first ray of light joy comes to stay.

Psa 30:6-9 I cried to Thee!
When our circumstances are prosperous, we begin to rest in them rather than in God. We forget Him. Then He hides his face. The Chaldee says, "His sheckinah." And the soul, panic-stricken, turns from the creature to the Creator.

Psa 30:10 "Lord, be Thou my helper," is a prayer which fits our life , every day. How swiftly the prayer was heard!

Psa 30:11-12 In these utterances the past tense is used of Him who turneth the shadow of death into morning. Christ might have used these words of rapture on the Resurrection day. Each penitent may use them. And we shall use them when we have put off the body of our humiliation and stand before God in his sanctuary (1Co 15:54-55)