Psalm 46 - God is our refuge and strength

Psalm 46 is a song of triumph. Together with Psalms 47 and 48, these three pieces share the same theme of triumph. They were composed to celebrate the deliverance of Jerusalem, the city of God. The superscript of this Psalm attributed the authorship to the sons of Korah, who had composed it for the choir director. The term Alamoth in the superscript means maiden or ladies. It suggests that this song was to be sung by the female voices that carry a higher pitch. Based on this Psalm, Martin Luther, the reformer, composed his famous hymn, A Mighty Fortress is our God. Here we are assured that in the Almighty God we will have unfailing security because He is our sure refuge.

The Psalmist began by affirming confidence in God. He is the believers’ refuge, strength and help.  Nothing can be more assuring in perilous times. Many could place their trust in their weapons or allies and even build walls and fortress to protect themselves. But for the Psalmist and for us, we should make God our refuge. When we make Him our refuge, we can be sure of safety and security. His presence to deliver will be in each and every encounter we face. Therefore there is no need to fear. These words echo the thoughts of Psalm 23 that says, “Even when we walk through the shadow of the valley of death, we shall fear no evil.” Why? Because our shepherd will be there with us, with His rod and staff to comfort us. We can walk confidently on no matter what circumstance may besiege us. Verses 4-7 then tell us that we believers are truly blessed people. God not only delivers us and gladdens our hearts, but will also forever be in our midst. His river of blessing that flow from His throne will convey His goodness and grace into our lives. Verses 8-11 express the supremacy of God. He is our all sufficiency. None can resist Him. He will crush all the enemies, abolish their strongholds and make all wars to cease. So verse 10 exalts us believers to be still and find our rest in God.

There is no need to entertain anxiety and become restless. Instead we should cease striving. Why? God is still God and He is in control. He is in the midst of all our encounters in life. And He still reigns supreme. The Psalmist ends so powerfully saying that God, the God that led Jacob through his journey is with us. Today we know He is Emmanuel, God with us. We are His and this promise is just as sure as God had made it when Christ first arrived as a man on earth. The thought of this promise of His should stir up songs of joy within us. It should enable us to sing joyfully to Him despite the troubles we may encounter. Yes, He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.   

Psalm 45 – Extolling our King and His everlasting Kingdom

Psalm 45 is another maskil, a teaching Psalm of the Sons of Korah, written for the choir director. The word Shoshannim suggests how the song ought to be sung. It is the tune that this song is set for. The content of it tells us that this is indeed a love song, a royal wedding song, probably sang to celebrate the wedding of a king of the house of David. Many have seen this Psalm as a portrait of the relationship between Christ and the church.  It tells us to focus on our King and proclaim His reign forever.

This song of celebration started off with a preface, where the composer spoke about his inspiration to write and record this song. The author was moved from deep within to pen this song. He sensed a deep divine bubbling within him to want to ascribe a song with lovely tune to the King. It is obvious that He was overwhelmed by emotion as he thought of the king and his wedding. The words and tune came with deep emotion and elation from the heart and soul. For us believers, only the person of Christ Jesus, the heavenly groom can bring such an inspiration. The Psalm is neatly divided into three parts: verses 2-9 - praise the King, the groom; verses 10-15 - bring a counsel to the bride; verse 16 - addresses the children of this royal union; before the Psalmist wraps up with a postscript in verse 17. 

Verse 2 describes this king as fairer than the children of men. Although the psalmist was talking about an earthly king, we know that only King Jesus is worthy of such a description. Who can be fairer other than King Jesus Himself? Not only is He fair in countenance, He is also gracious in His speech. And His might cannot be compared. He exudes grace and righteousness with truth and meekness. This is a picture of Christ, our Triumphant King. He will ride forth victoriously against our enemies. His throne and reign is righteous and eternal. His very being releases sweet fragrance like myrrh, aloes and cassia. Song of praise will gladden the heart of the King.

Verses 10-12 are challenges to the bride. If the church is the bride of Christ, than these challenge is for each one of us. The call is for each of us that form the church to stay focused on the King, our groom. We are not to gravitate to our past, no matter how glamorous our past may be. Thinking and yearning for our past can retard our progress in Him. We should worship and bow down only to Him. When we, the believers, manifest our allegiance to the King, we become attractive to others. People will come seeking the Lord’s favour through us. In place of our earthly family, we will have spiritual children and a larger family. They shall be people of character as well.  

Verse 17 ascribes praise to the enthroned Eternal King, who alone reigns forever. When the King is recognized for Who He really is, the people of the earth will offer their praise and thanksgiving to Him forever. Like the Psalmist, let’s get excited talking about our King and His Kingdom. Let’s build a life of thanksgiving and praise to our King Who sits enthroned on His eternal throne. We must courageously proclaim the message of our King, and His Kingdom that is established forever and will never end!  

Psalm 44 – Honed through trails

Psalm 44 was written for the choir director and it ascribes the authorship to the sons of Korah. We do not know the exact occasion that led to the composition of this poem, but we know it is a time of the nation’s lament for Israel. Being a miskil, this is a Psalm meant to instruct believers. The content tells us that the people of God were undergoing great times of distress and were wondering why God allowed them to go through this hardship. They had suffered a devastating military defeat and many were slaughtered like sheep. Their land was plundered and some were taken captives, while others fled from their enemies and scattered among the nations. Yet they insisted that they had been faithful and loyal to God, but were made a mockery to the nations.

What’s puzzling to them was God had been the strong deliverer of their fathers in time past. Their fathers narrated to them how God had driven the natives of the land out and gave the land to Israel and settled them there. The Psalmist did not hesitate to acknowledge that it was to God that they gave their allegiance. It was God that the Psalmist trusted and not the weapons of war. Despite this loyalty, yet they had to suffer, but they still would offer their praise to Him. As they scanned through their past, they saw a stark contrast between what they were going through and the experience of their forefathers. What they were going through made them feel that God had rejected and humbled them. Their armies were defeated by the enemies in battle and they all had to flee. Their possessions even became the enemies’ booty of war. Many were destroyed, others had to be dispersed among the nations, and still others sold as slaves. They became objects of mockeries, and were jeered and sneered at by people surrounding them.

They would have taken the negatives better had they been unfaithful or disloyal to God. But the fact was they had been loyal and faithful. Had God forgotten them? They wondered. Why did God not accord the victories that their fathers had enjoyed? Instead they were crushed in deserted places like jackals. They wondered if this was the reward for their loyalty. They assumed that when one trusts God, they should not be going through all these. But we know that believers still do encounter some unpleasant experiences even when we have put our trust in God. The fact is that we live in a fallen world. The law of the jungles state that only the fittest survive. This idea had led to aggression and believers are oftentimes the victims of such aggression. Like Job, whom God said was the most righteous and just person, yet the proportion of his suffering was unimaginable. Yes, we all have to endure suffering to some degree, but faith in God will help to make them bearable.

Verses 23-26 seem to bother on rudeness. They suggest that God was asleep and unconcerned about what they were going through. How dare one speaks to God this way? Let’s be quick to know that God welcomes our honesty. We can share intimacy with God to a degree that we can be openly honest with Him. We can conclude that the Psalmist had an intimate relationship with God and was expressing his desire for a swifter intervention. These verses also show us how desperate the author was, to have concluded that way. Honestly speaking, there are depths of suffering many of us have not yet plumbed, and could never comprehend. Without exception all of us have been puzzled by experiences we considered unfair and yet had to go through. But in the light of Christ’s coming and His atoning works at Calvary, suffering should take a different meaning for us Christians. In fact we are told in Romans that those whom God loves, He disciplines. More than just bringing distraught, trials and hardship can drive us closer to God. We must know that nothing in this world can ever separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Characters are often forged through storms.  

So like the Psalmist in his perplexity and difficulty, we must still trust that God has the capacity to redeem us. So he prayed, ‘redeem us’. We can be assured that He will redeem, but not because we deserve it, but because of His lovingkindness and unfailing love. Beloved, God neither sleeps nor slumbers, as told in Psalm 121. We always emerge as victors in Christ when we walk through our suffering arm in arm with Him. Yes, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.           

Psalm 43 – Hope in God

Psalm 43 continues from Psalm 42. Hence they share the same theme, i.e. putting hope in God. Beginning in Psalm 42, David expressed his yearning for God and how he wished he could enter the temple, and worship God as freely as he had in the past. Remember he was now fleeing from his son Absalom, and was away from Jerusalem and the temple. Then in dejection he lamented before God and began to talk to himself, reminding himself to focus on God.  

In Psalm 43 we are in the final stanza of his song. This is where he now expressed his sure confidence in God. The circumstances that David faced remained unchanged, but in his perplexity he turned to God in joyful confidence. In his prayer he pleaded for God to vindicate him. This is a request for God to make right the wrong. The nation had now deflected to join his son, Absalom. Remember they were once his beloved nation and his subjects. At the deceit of Absalom, under the counsel of Ahithophel, they rebelled against him. So he asked for God to restore the right that was his.

In verses 3-4, we see that as he petitioned, he also revealed his inner desire. He wished for God to guide and lead him with His light and truth. His desire was to be found in God’s holy presence again. His mind was drawn to the prospect of returning to Jerusalem and the temple, and to the Holy presence of God. Here he anticipated going before God and rejoiced at the altar of His presence, singing and praising Him again. In the concluding verses, David once again returned to his self-talk to encourage himself. He refused to despair and was in fact telling himself not to entertain negative thoughts and be troubled by them. He was telling himself to remember God and His faithfulness instead, as that would ensure hopefulness.

Regardless of what struggles we may be in, let’s learn from David. Let’s never forget the faithfulness of God. Allow this Psalm to be a reminder that we must always factor God into our circumstances. Be assured of His light and truth that will also guide and lead us. Seek godly counsel but remember not to entertain advice that could be well meaning, but unaligned with God’s Word. Remain discerning in all circumstances, but remember to give thanks in all circumstances!     

Psalm 42 – Re-align and be revived

Psalm 42, is a Miskil that kicks off the second book of Psalms. Its purpose is to instruct us listeners. Compiled for the choir director, it is ascribed to the sons of Korah. They are the Levitical performers who sang this Psalm rather than the writer. David is believed to be the one who had penned it. Psalms 42 and 43 are better taken together. In fact some Hebrew manuscripts joined them together. The two reasons why it is so are: (1) both Psalms share the same theme, (2) Psalm 43 does not have a superscript. The occasion David complied these Psalms was when he had to escape from his son Absalom. Although his circumstances looked bleak, yet he had great hope in God. Here we see David’s mood progressed from one of dejection to one of confidence and trust. He could end up triumphantly because his hope rested in God. This should encourage us to lean on God and know that he is our ever trustworthy and reliable help. Like David, our hope should also rest in Him no matter how adverse our situation may appear.

In this Psalm David started with a deep yearning for God. This picture of the deer panting for water is an apt picture of deep thirst. Here we sense a deep dissatisfaction for not being able to enjoy the presence of God, as freely as he used to have. We are thankful that as believers, our Lord’s presence is with us all the time. He promises to be with us always. He is ever waiting for us to enter and connect with Him, anywhere, anytime. The question is do we yearn for God as David had yearned for His presence?  

   

Remember that David was driven from Jerusalem and away from the temple where he had enjoyed the time he spent with God. Instead of leading the throng in worship, he now had to flee for his life. This plus the accusations and ridicule hurled at him, brought him into a time of dejection. David expressed the desire for his ordeal to end. Here we see an expression of intense longing to return to those times when he could freely bask in the presence of God. As he recalled those precious times spent with God, he longed to have those experiences once again. Verse 2 expressly reveals his inner struggles. He wondered how long he had to endure before he could have those experiences again.    

David’s dealing with his circumstances left us with an example on how we can deal with ours. He dealt with his anguish of soul by talking to himself about God, who assured His future. He expressed his hope and certainty that there would be a positive outcome. As the threats of his circumstances got stronger and the accusations hurled seemed relentless, he found his faith reviving as he contemplated God. He realized that God was still in control and He was still God. He then was assured of God’s love and continued to offer songs of praise to Him. David then channeled his questioning and expression of despair into an occasion of prayer. Murmuring and grumbling about our hardship are exercises in futility. Like David we should learn to redirect our energy to praise and prayer to God.

Here we see David expressed his personal faith in God. He chose to bring his focus on God. Let’s learn from David. We should not put our eyes on our trials for if we do that, we will forget that we have a good God. But when we turn our focus on God, He’ll become our Rock. No matter what we are encountering, let’s realign our focus. Let’s lift our eyes above the troubles and chose to praise Him. He is still good all the time! 

Psalm 41 – The law of reciprocity

Psalm 41 is yet another Psalm of David written to the choir director. In this Psalm David seemed to be sick, yet had to go through treacherous treatment by his enemies. He did not side step the cause of his experience but acknowledge his flaws before God. In this Psalm he was contrasting the treatment he had at the hand of God and those who opposed him. He could be referring to Ahithophel’s betrayal. This once trusted counsellor of his deflected to incite his son Absalom to rebel against him. The account of this is found in 2 Samuel 15. David could be making an inference to him in this Psalm. Yet throughout, David maintained that God remained faithful and would ultimately vindicate him.

In verses 1-3, David was describing himself. In time past, David had shown compassion to the helpless. Hence he was confident that God, who had seen what he had done in the past, would reciprocate his kindness by delivering him. He knew that God would show mercy to him and keep him alive. In fact he would be sustained in his sickness and be restored. Furthermore God would not hand him over to his enemies, so that those who recognized the deliverance of God in his life would know how blessed he was. It pays to be compassionate toward the poor and helpless. God is no man’s debtor. He will recompense the kindness shown to those in need.

While acknowledging his benevolence, David also knew that he was not flawless. He had sinned and the sickness, he reckoned, was the result of divine chastening. Since it was at the hand of God he was undergoing these negative experiences, he requested that God be gracious to him and heal him. David did not pretend as if he was a goody-two-shoes. He acknowledged his sin and sought God’s pardon. Like him we should not be afraid to own up when we have sinned. For after all, God already knows everything in our life. He knows where we have erred. Nothing is kept from God’s sight.   

Verses 5-9 could be a reference to Ahithophel who had betrayed David. He professed to be the king’s friend but had then acted hypocritically. He visited David in his sickness and acted as if he wished him well, but would go out immediately and wished him ill. He would bad-mouth David behind his back, and wished for the king’s death. He, together with others that opposed David, would gossip and spread negatives against him. Everything they did was designing and plotting evil, and his downfall. David was certain that they would come to a bad end and be removed. Verse 9 was quoted by the Lord Jesus. This verse was prophetically fulfilled by Judas Iscariot who was close to Jesus, ate with the Lord, yet betrayed Him for 30 pieces of silver.  

The best course of action, as we have learned from David by now, is prayer. That was exactly what he did. He spoke to God about it. He prayed for mercy and for restoration. He was confident of God’s favor and that God would uphold his integrity and deliver him. With that David burst into a doxology. He blessed the Lord, the eternal God of Israel. This is the last Psalm in the first book of Psalms.

David shows us that compassion begets compassion. The law of reciprocity says that like begets like. Thus we must be people of compassion, especially towards those undergoing trying times. While we want to be delivered from our difficult times, we must also be sure to deal with our sin, and those things we did that contributed negatively to our experience.  The law of reciprocity also suggests that sin guarantees consequence. Apart from having a right relationship with God, we need to constantly think right, speak right and act right. The best way to ensure that, would be to carve out of God’s Word divine principles, and to live them out.  This we must do with consistency. 

Psalm 40:11-17 – Being honest with God

In Psalm 40:1-10, we saw how David reminisced over his past. He saw the delivering hands of God helping him to overcome his enemies so many times. Those wonderful thoughts led him to offer his praise to God, and willingly commit himself to God in utter surrender. Now in verses 11-17, we can tell that David was currently facing yet another situation. And because God had been his help in time past, he could now look with confidence to Him in prayer. He requested for His intervention.

The way David expressed his condition, we can see that he felt the impact of his sin and concluded that it’s because of it that he now had to face his enemies. He saw those harassment and persecution of his enemies as God’s granted experiences to discipline him. So he prayed for help. As he honestly appraised his situation, he saw how his action had contributed to what he was encountering now. Notice that David was open with his own flaws before God. He was aware that nothing could be hidden from God. So he honestly face his situation and sought help in prayer.

He first asked for divine preservation. He was assured of God’s mercy and truth, and asked that he be dealt with according to them. From this we know that God will deal with our flaws mercifully. That is provided we dare to trust Him and openly admit our wrong and in need of His mercy. Then he asked God to make haste to help and deliver him. He asked for his enemies to be put to shame and dishonour, and be destroyed. David knew that when the righteous recognized God’s hand in the deliverance, they would rejoice and praise Him. With that he asked God not to prolong in coming to his rescue.           

Without a doubt, we are besieged by troubles in life’s journey. That’s because we live in a fallen world that will not willingly accept God’s decree. We ourselves also have to struggle with our imperfection and propensity because of our fallen nature. We need to realize that every experience we have, positive or negative is a God granted experience. Each of them comes not to crush us but to develop trust and build our dependence on God. The quicker we can see God’s hand behind it and abandon ourselves to Him, the sooner will be our deliverance. We should not be afraid to commit ourselves, and our struggles with our flaws, before God. He knows us perfectly. If we humble ourselves before Him, we can be assured of His merciful dealing and to be open before Him. Let’s trust Him explicitly!    

Psalm 40:1-10 – Recalling God’s goodness

Psalm 40 is another of David’s Psalm composed for the choir director. Verses 4-6 of this Psalm were quoted in Hebrews 10:5-7 to refer to the Messiah, making this portion messianic in orientation. It is also noteworthy that verses 13-17 appear almost verbatim in Psalm 70. In Psalm 40, we shall see David recalling God’s deliverance in the past and praised Him. He then turned to pray for His deliverance for what he was confronted with at that moment.

This Psalm neatly divides itself into two portions. Verses 1-10 contain David’s praise to God for His help in the past. Verses 11-17 detail David’s call for help from God for his existing situation. It encourages us to keep a record of the way God had delivered us from our past sticky situations. A collage of God’s faithful dealings in our past can be a timely reminder to us of His reliability in our future difficult encounters.

Verses 1-5 declare God’s goodness. David remembered God answering his cry for help as he waited patiently for Him. God did not fail him but intervened and delivered him from the sticky pit of destruction. Those timely interventions inspired David to release a new song to Him. He sang the song of God’s redemption. And David was sure that this act of God would inspire people to trust the Lord, especially those who have seen the awesome wonders of God’s deliverance in his life. David assured those who place their trust in God, and not in idols or unreliable people who speak falsehood, that they would truly be God’s joyful blessed people. Recalling God’s timely and marvelous interventions for him and his people, left David in great awe and wonder. He couldn’t even number the countless times the Almighty had shown goodness to him and his people.

So David described his response to this awesome God. And as he considered and contemplated, showing his gratitude to God through thanksgiving, sacrifices, and offerings prescribed in the law, it dawned upon him that there’s only one true worthy sacrifice to give to our all deserving God. It is the sacrifice of the will. It is to obey Him at all costs. God is interested in the genuine and honest yielding of our life to Him. He has no delight in any outward form, devoid of any inward reality. Here David presented himself totally to the Lord and acted obediently to accomplish the will of God as He had directed. David shows us here that right living is better than right rituals.

While verses 4-6 described David’s response to God, the author of the letter to the Hebrews applied them to Christ. It underscores God’s desire for obedience rather than sacrifice. The prescription of the Law regarding sacrifices and offerings could only cover the guilt of sin, but not take them away. But what God wants is to totally remove the guilt and condemnation sin brought into our life. The Law in this sense was inadequate. So Christ became God’s vessel to execute that plan. In obedience to God’s will, He took on the body the Father had prepared for Him. And in total abandonment, He came as the Incarnate Son and obediently died for sinful humanity. He became God’s atoning sacrifice for mankind once and for all. What He did, not only just cover the guilt of sin, but completely remove it from those who accept and trust in Him. This willing obedience of Christ to do God’s will, leaves us an example to walk in His steps. This is what total obedience and willing surrender looks like.  

Totally surrendered, David then declared how wonderful God truly is. Refusing to keep quiet, David like an unstoppable fountain declared the glad tidings of God. We can just imagine David saying all these: God is truly and undeniably righteous, faithful, gracious, loving, kind, merciful and also so full of truth. Praising God and being obedient to Him are two facets of Christian devotion that will surely please God.

Do we have records of past positive interventions of God on our behalf? We should keep one, as it will help us to be aware of God’s goodness and His availability in our future difficult encounters. More than that, these verses constitute a call from God, through David, to re-dedicate our lives to Him. God wants our obedience, our total surrender more than all the outward show of any devotion, devoid of truth and willingness. Remember, the blessed man is one in whose spirit there is no guile. We can never hide anything from God, we must come to Him truthfully, honestly and willingly. Let’s do it!

Psalm 39 – Gripping will not help our struggles, only God can

In 1 Chronicle 25:1-6, we are introduced to some singers set apart for the service in the temple. Jeduthun was one of those mentioned besides Asaph and Heman. He was one of those who presided over the music in the sanctuary during the reign of David. Psalm 39 was written by David for the choir director, and Jeduthun was specifically mentioned. This Psalm tells us that without factoring God, life is hopeless and transient. Hence it is needful to factor God into our life, and trust Him to bring the best out of our hopelessness.  

Realizing the danger of the tongue, David sought to suppress it. He was aware of the destructive forces that could be released from his speech. Especially in the presence of his oppressors. He didn’t want his words to cause him to sin against God. He was determined to stay silent and not to express his perplexities. He would not murmur and complain about his suffering, to give no room for his opponent to malign God, thinking that the Great Almighty had mistreated His own. He refused to give an occasion for any reproach to be brought against God. However, as he refrained from complaining about his suffering, he found it hard to contain the turmoil and the pent up emotion within him, so he spoke out to God. Good for David, he did not express it to anyone but to God in prayer. This is a good example to emulate. If we have any struggle and dissatisfaction, the best person to bring to is God. To speak to any other person would make us grippers, murmurers and complainers. It would leave a negative impression about God, especially those who oppose us and would not trust God. The best recourse is prayer.

In his prayer David asked to know how to truly appraise himself and life. He requested for knowledge so that he could come to grips concerning the transitory nature of life and earthly existence. Sagaciously, David saw that life was in effect short and uncertain. Once he saw that, he was no longer overwhelmed by the perplexities, troubles and struggles he encountered in life. It helped him to cast himself entirely into the hand of the eternal God. Notice how David described the shortness of life. It’s as short as handbreadths. And in the light of God’s eternalness, the length of life pales by comparison. No matter how well one may be in life, it is only as long as the length of a breath he breathes. In verse 6, David said that life is not only brief, but also futile. The striving of life only makes great hullabaloos out of living. One may feverishly pursue wealth, fame, popularity, pleasure, and the list can go on, only to discover the futility of it all at the end.    

With great insight, David in verse 7 shows us that the wisest action to undertake was to place his hope in God. Why? Our satisfaction in life can never be found in the things we have amassed. It can only be derived from our relationship with our Creator God, who alone will gives us satisfaction in life. David concluded that the struggles he had were but divine chastisement for his transgression. So he sought God’s forgiveness. He realized that God alone could deliver him. If there was any way of being redeemed, it could only be found in God. So he made his final plead in verses 12-13, and asked for deliverance.

No matter what we are struggling about in life, remember never to murmur, grumble or gripe, especially before non-believers. For when we do so, it reflects how little we understand the love and mercy of God. It will also give people, who have heard our gripping, the wrong impression about our wonderful God. We should also remember that life is brief and is futile. It would be a waste of precious time to engage in endless murmur, complaints, or in the pursuit of wealth, fame and pleasure. Life should be meaningfully engaged in pursuing God, to know Him and to be known by Him. Whatever perplexities we have concerning life, we can bring them to God. Let’s not forfeit the peace and rest God wants us to have by not seeking Him in prayer! 

Psalm 38 – Sins always exact a price

Psalm 38 is a Penitent Psalm written by David. It detailed for us his personal struggles. He suffered intensely and he identified his struggles as a divine discipline. We need to know that God allow him to go through difficult times only to straighten and develop his life. The struggles David had were seen at many levels. Physically he seemed to be battling a disease. Socially he was deserted by his loved ones, relatives and friends. Besides that, he was being threatened by his enemies. Emotionally he was distressed and in deep anguish. But wisely David turned to God and brought his lament before Him. He realized that his only hope of coming out of the whole ordeal in one piece was to wholly trust the Lord. It is difficult to ascertain the occasion for this Psalm. But suffice to say that David had set us an example here for us to turn to God when we encounter similar struggles. We should abandon ourselves to Him so that He can develop us and help us to walk in His will and purpose for our life.

David’s first response to any adverse condition was to bring his situation before God. He recognized that the negatives came upon him only because of the wrongs he had committed and had offended God. Know that every offence we commit in life is ultimately against God, and there is a cause and effect in living. We know that things that happen to us can often be traced to a cause. This cause and effect principle tells us that our experiences in life in some ways are within our control. When we choose to walk in the direction prescribed by the Lord, we will never need to encounter the needless consequences. Hence it behoves us to be circumspect in our daily conduct. Like David, our lives are ultimately in His hand and we will have to reckon with Him. He did not ask to be spared of the chastening but that God would be merciful in delivering the punishment.

Sin undealt with will affect one’s physical body. How do we know? Verses 3-10 tells us so. David described the physical onslaught he experienced because of his sin. His flesh was unwell, his bones had no health and he even had festering wound that was foul smelling. Verse 6 tells us that in posture, he was bent over and could not stand upright. And even his loins had burning sensation. And his greatly troubled heart caused him to moan. Furthermore, his eyes had dimed and he couldn’t see clearly. He identified the cause and he said repeatedly that the folly of sin had caused all of these to come upon him. Sin always exact a payment. We need to be wary of committing it.  

In verses 11-20, David then dealt with the onslaught that came on him from without. His loved ones, his friends and relatives abandoned him and separated themselves from him. Verse 12 tells us that even his enemies took advantage of his situation and came against him. They verbally hurled all kinds of unkind things against him and schemed to get him down. So weighed down by his condition that David chose not to respond to any of their accusations. He felt that the best recourse he had was in God. So he just abandoned himself into His merciful hands.

In the last two verses he turned to God for help and asked for the experience of His presence. He asked to be quickly delivered from all the onslaughts, for he knew that only God’s salvation could lift him from the plight that he was experiencing. The lessons we take away from this Psalm is that sins we wilfully commit has many negative effects upon our lives. (1) They invite divine chastening that may include the loss of health. (2) They separate us from our loved ones, our relatives and our friends. (3) They open up opportunities for others, especially those who are against us to malign and reproach our God. (4) The best cause of action when we have sinned and are encountering divine discipline is to turn to our God and mercifully seek His deliverance. Let’s hide God’s Word in our hearts that we may not sin against Him.  

Psalm 37:34-40– Who would you emulate?

In the earlier verses David had established that the prosperity of the wicked are temporary, hence the righteous should not be envious. He also ascertained that the outcome of the righteous or the godly will definitely be more wonderful and lasting. Not only will we have security, but we will also have peace and stability. They will be permanent and lasting. Hence none of us who had placed our hope in the Lord and are walking with Him, should be discouraged to depart form this proven path.

With that, David then issued two final exhortations. The first is to wait on the Lord and to keep His way. The two verbs in the first line of verse 34 seem to contradict. To wait suggests being passive whereas to keep suggests being active. There is often a misunderstanding that trusting God means we don’t do anything at all. We are to just rely on God and passively wait for Him to act. This is absolutely a misnomer. Trusting God and waiting upon Him still requires us to keep searching His ways, and obediently act upon them. As time passes we will find ourselves deeply rooted in the path He had designed for us to travel. And the yield would be more than we can conceive. Peace will be a lasting experience. In the meanwhile the wicked may seem to flourish. They may even spread like a luxuriant tree. But there will come a time when everything they once had would be no more. And they would not be found anywhere.

The second concluding exhortation found in verses 37 - 40 is this: “Mark the perfect man and behold the upright.” Conscious or not, we are usually influenced by people we admire and give our attention to. Here David tells us that the kind of people we must identify and emulate should be those who place complete trust in God, and also upright in living. They are those that will seek for perfection in character and moral uprightness. They are the type of people whom the Lord strengthens, delivers and provides peace. Those who are wicked will experience the opposite. They will be destroyed. 

Who would we rather emulate? Looking at the outcome they both would ultimately have, the choice is clear. Let us be careful and judicious in our choice, diligent in our obedience, and vigilant in our walk. They all lead us to a definite outcome where we will experience the rich blessings of God in life now and here after!   

Psalm 37:13-25 – The plight of the wicked vs the reward of the godly

In the first eleven verses of Psalm 37;1-11, David exhorts the godly not to fret or be envious of the prosperity of the wicked. He knew that in the long run what the wicked enjoy would be momentary. The outcome of the righteous would far outweigh what the wicked presently enjoy. Instead of being envious, the godly should delight themselves in the Lord and make God their desire. They will surely find security, stability, success and serenity.  

In verses 12-20, David then points to the ultimate plight of the wicked, to show the godly why they should not be jealous of the seeming prosperity of the wicked. He said that the wicked may deride the righteous. They do so without realizing that the Lord takes note of everything. And the Lord who sees everything will laugh at them instead, and will summon them to a reckoning before Him. And they will have to experience the very pain they inflicted on the godly. In other words, they will be recompensed in kind. They will be destroyed whereas the righteous will be sustained. David then said that it’s better to remain righteous even though one is poor than to be so abundantly rich but wretchedly wicked. The wicked will ultimately be totally destroyed. They will perish forever, while the righteous will be amply provided for in life and never be in want. They will even be given an inheritance that’s both glorious and eternal.  

The godly operate differently from the wicked. The godly are generous, they give without any expectation of return. But the wicked are hoarders. They grab and grab and never reciprocate kindness. What’s encouraging is that the step of a godly are established by the Lord. He watches over them to come to their assistance. And even if they should slip, stumble and fall, the Lord will uphold them and prevent them from fatal results. Furthermore they and their posterity will never be forsaken and never experience hunger, the Lord will be their provider. They will have plenty to bless others. Their seed will be preserved, but in contrast the seed of the wicked will be cut off. The righteous will possess the earth and dwell in it forever. The wisdom of the Lord will be upon the righteous. God will keep them because His statutes and principles will be in their hearts and they will speak truth with their mouth. Hence they will not wander away from the path set by God. Although the wicked will plot and scheme to destroy the righteous, the Lord will guarantee their safety and will not abandon and leave them in the hands of the wicked. They will be delivered from the wicked snares and the wicked will be utterly destroyed.  

Keep in mind verses 23-24 as we seek to walk uprightly before the Lord. These two verses remind us that “The steps of a man are established by the Lord and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.” The Lord takes a special interest in us when we are bent to follow His ways. He wants to keep us in step with Him and will ensure our security. Let’s keep in step with Him! 

Psalm 37:1-11 – Why God’s people should not fret?

Psalm 37 was written by David in his old age. We know this fact by his own admission in verse 25 where he plainly declared that, saying, “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken.” David was so certain that regardless of one’s age, when we have placed our hope in God, He will never forsake us. God promises to be with us all the way. This was the hope that had kept David unfazed in the most trying of circumstances.  

The reason David composed this song is clear. He wanted his listeners to know that everyone has an ultimate destiny. The wicked as well as the righteous, both will have a definite end. Having been through quite a lot himself, David through this Psalm has plenty of advice for those who are disconcerted and perplexed. In life it appears that the wicked often seems to be more prosperous than the righteous. David wants those who trust the Lord not to form that conclusion based on their outward experiences. So in the first eleven verses, he gives counsel to those who had put their trust in God, and yet wondering why they seem to be worse off than those who live wickedly.

David began with an exhortation, calling for the righteous not to fret or be envious of the prosperity of those who had gained them by their wicked means. Why? Because the prosperity they had obtained that way wouldn’t last long. It would soon fade away. Instead of fretting, the godly should continue to trust in the Lord and continue to act rightly. For the righteous conduct of the godly will be rewarded. What they will ultimate receive will be evident in God’s provision for their security. He was certain that the needs of the godly will be met by God. They will dwell safely in the land and be well provided for in the necessities of life.  On top of not fretting, the godly should continue to delight themselves in the Lord. When one pursues the desire of the Lord, His desire will soon become our desire. Besides, the godly, unmoved by the prosperity of the wicked, should just commit their plans to the Lord and trust Him to see to the fulfilment of each one of them. As that happens, God‘s righteousness would be shown to all.

In verse 7, David re-iterates his call to the godly not to fret because of the prosperity of the wicked. He reaffirmed his call to them to just rest in the Lord and wait for His intervention patiently. Having done that, the godly should just cease from anger and wrath, just because the wicked seem to be prospering. He gave two reasons why he made this exhortation. Firstly, it’s because entertaining anger and wrath would lead one to do evil. Secondly, ultimately the wicked will be cut off, and they the righteous will inherit the earth and exist peacefully.  Simply put, the lesson of this eleven verses is this: Don’t envy the wicked. Be sure that the prosperity they seem to be enjoying is short-lived. Whereas those who choose to live righteously will ultimately enjoy stability, security, success and serenity. That’s God’s promise!   

Psalm 36 - Don’t envy the wicked, celebrate God’s faithfulness instead

David had a variety of experiences concerning life. In Psalm 36, he shows his deep insight concerning the propensity of fallen men. However, what’s more heartening is the insight he has concerning God - His faithfulness and magnanimity. In this composition, David described God’s character and works, and offered praise for them. And as His people we are truly and deeply blessed, hence we must make up our minds to celebrate our perfect God.  

In verses 1-4, David painted for us a sombre and depressive picture of the wicked. This we know is not just an intellectual or theoretical argument. David was all too familiar with his conclusion. It is true that the wicked has no fear of God. And it’s true that they live life without any reference to or reverence for God. What they can only see will be themselves. Their one pursue in life is to indulge in all sorts of desires to gratify their carnal nature. In their perspective, there isn’t any thought for God. They are blind to God and His existence. And this blindness will lead them to see themselves more than who they truly are. They would butter themselves up in their own eyes and unwittingly end up being  haters of God, and truly they are.

Fortunately as the thoughts of the pure audaciousness of the wicked swirled about in David’s mind, he shifted His thoughts toward a subject more deliciously gratifying. He chose to consider the mercy of God. The reason is obvious. Had it not been for the mercy of God, he himself would be attracted by the wicked and share their values and lifestyle. So wisely, his mind shifted to view God and His mercy. It is not possible to see the mercy of God without considering His faithfulness. And thinking about His faithfulness leads to the conclusion that God is indeed true and righteous. And His righteousness is as stable and formidable and awe-inspiring as the mountains. Because He is merciful, faithful, and righteous, He is able to act and judge honorably in His providential care to preserve His creatures – both man and beast.

As David pondered God’s loving-kindness, he used five figures to show us God’s faithfulness and magnanimity. (1) The shadow of God’s wings gives us security. We can never be safer anywhere than under the shadow of His wings. (2) The abundance of His house indicates His provision. It is His Word and redeeming love that continually sustain us in our walk with Him. (3) The river of delight tells us that true joy can only be found closely connected to God. (4) The fountain of life is God’s source to a marvelous and challenging life. In Him we find endless and limitless supplies of strength, wisdom and guidance to living. (5) His light is amply supplied through His Word. And we never need to grope in darkness if we come to Him through His Word.  

These rich thoughts concerning God then led David to his conclusion in prayer in verses 10-12. He asked to be sustained in Him. He knew that should he become prideful he might entertain the thought that God owes it to him to bless him. Like David, we should never take God for granted, thinking that He owes it to us to bless us. Remember that pride is a manifestation of ingratitude. And that’s an attitude we must shun at all cost. And we must never be distracted by the seeming affluence and opulence of the wicked and be enticed to doubt the mercy of God. Just like David, we need to pray for level-headedness. What we must remember is this: no matter how prosperous the wicked may be, they are already under divine judgement. So don’t waste time and energy in envying them!      

Psalm 34:11-22 – God’s invitation to a blessed life

In the earlier verses, David was certain that the way to experience triumph over one’s circumstances was not to focus unduly on them. He asserted that to experience constant victory one needs to single-mindedness look to God, regardless of the circumstance one encounters. So in verses 11-22 he instructs all believers, whom he addressed as the righteous, to fear the Lord. Here he shows them and us how to experience the blessings installed for people who are rightly related to God.

It is the Lord’s desire to bless the righteous with long life filled with His goodness. How to experience that? Verses 12-14 prescribe three positive actions to ensure that we experience that. Peter in his letter to the early church also affirmed these three positive actions. Simply put, we need to speak right, do right and live right. We must seek to be careful in our words, our deeds and our conduct.

In verse 15, David assures us that the Lord, like a shepherd, would watch over us His sheep. His ears are ever inclined towards our cries. But on the other hand, His face would be turned against evildoers. There will be no trouble that can assail His people for long. For the Lord is ever ready to deliver us out of them all. He doesn’t just select some to deliver us, and some He will not. The Psalmist assures us that He will deliver us from them all. Going back to the call he made earlier, let us remember to magnify, to taste and to fear he Lord.

What’s wonderful is that the Lord is near, to lift up the discouraged who are broken in heart. He is especially tender to those who are contrite in spirit. And He is open to His repentant people who grieve over their sin. He is ever ready to deliver the godly out of their afflictions and completely deliver them from each one of them. Going back to the invitation David made earlier in verses 3, 8, and 9-10, let us remember to magnify the Lord, to taste of His goodness and to fear Him at all times. For God is our good, good Father!    

Psalm 34:1-10 - Looking to God our deliverer

The superscript of this Psalm reveals that it was David who had written this Psalm and also provides us with the background to the composition of this song. The entire story can be found in 1 Samuel 21 telling us how David was delivered from the hand of king Achish by pretending to be mad. 1 Samuel 22:1-2 tell us he escaped to the Cave of Adullam to seek refuge, and was later joined by his brothers and his father and family. There he was joined by others who were in distress, in debt or discontented – his motley crew. It was here in the Cave of Adullam that he probably had composed and written this Psalm. We see from this song the common habit David had. Despite all the difficult encounters he had in life, he would always find time to give thanks to God and praise Him for granting him the deliverance.

It is so easy to be bogged down by our troubles in life and be vexed by them. This always happens when we keep looking at the problem instead of looking to the Lord. The key to victory and deliverance is learning to look away from those besetting causes and start focusing on the Lord. In the first 10 verses of this Psalm, we will see the important lesson of looking to God instead of focusing on the problem of life.

Verses 1-3 record his pledge to praise the Lord continually at all times. He was determined to boast in and of the Lord. He was assured that those who were humble and heard of his boast, would also be glad and join him in rejoicing before the Lord. So he invited them to join him in exalting, magnifying and extolling the magnificent Lord.

David tells us that he petitioned the Lord and cried to the Lord when he was troubled and in fear. He refused to let his trouble take him down. Instead he bee-lined straight for God whom he knew was the only one who could take him out of his deep trouble. This should also be our first option when we are besieged with troubles. What he did inspired those with him to join him. Like him, they too focused on the Lord and look away from their troubles. When they did that their countenance lit up and they were delivered from their fear and troubles. They were then surrounded by host of angels that encamped around them in readiness to rescue them.      

David then wisely counselled all who put their trust in God. The words in verses 8-10 encouraged all to come and personally experience the goodness of God. It is one thing to hear about God’s goodness, but to taste would be quite another. A personal experience of God’s goodness would certainly be more pleasant and wonderful. In fact, there’s nothing quite like partaking of the goodness of God and taste it for oneself. He abundantly meets all the needs of those who come to Him. Even a young lion, well provided for by its mother, would also suffer hunger and want. But God’s people who trust Him will never be in lack. God would see to their needs.

The things we experience in life can only rattle us when we place undue attention on them. When we keep on focusing on them, we won’t be able to see the solution. But when we look away from them and seek the Lord, we find the solution to them comes naturally from the hand of God. It’s true that when we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, everything we need in life will be added unto us.     

Psalm 33 – Reasons why we should praise God

Who wrote Psalm 33 is not known. But we can resonate with his call. This song is an invocation to rejoice in the Lord and to praise Him because He is worthy. God deserves to be praised. Right from the very first verse he urges everyone who is righteous to rejoice in the Lord and to praise Him. Who are the righteous? The righteous are those who are in right standing with the Lord. In the New Covenant, all of us who have chosen to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Lord, and accept the forgiveness granted through His atoning works, are now in right standing with Him. We are the righteous people who are justified and hence the righteous ones. So we should rejoice in Him. Not just that, we should also praise Him.

How are we to praise Him? With instruments such as harp and lyre. We are also to praise Him with singing. We can now appreciate why singing takes such a prominent role in any worship service. And in churches today, we use a variety of other modern instruments in our worship. It is so good to sing joyfully to the Lord. Notice that the Psalmist urges all musicians to sharpen their skill so as to skilfully play their instruments, to inspire worship of this great and faithful God.  

In this Psalm we are given many reasons to praise God. We are called to praise Him for His Word which is upright, and for His works that are done in truth. By this the author meant works that God had faithfully accomplished. Every day without fail the sun would rise to bring joy of a new day. Every night He ensures that the skies are governed by lesser light so that we can rest. These and many benefits we enjoy on a daily basis are the faithful works of His hand.  

Verse 5 tells us that God deserves to be praised because He is the One who loves righteousness and justice. And He has filled the earth with His goodness. He is the One who had created everything by His powerful words. This brings us back to Genesis where He brought everything into being by the word of His mouth. He brought chaos into order. When we look at the magnificent imprint of His hand in the vast universe, we would be brought to stand in awe of Him.  

He thwarts the plans and counsel of the wicked so that His people could be blessed. And as the all-knowing God, He is fully cognizant of what is going on even before they happen. Best of all He sees and knows the heart and the works of all men, for He has formed and created everyone. Ever wonder at which stage of the foetus growth did the human heart begin to beat? Ever wonder how a heart starts beating and what triggered the first beat? If God did not breathe His breath into us, our heart would never begin beating in the first place.

The rise and fall of armies are all in His hand too. He causes one to rise and another to fall and they all happen at His will. Why? Because this God controls everyone and everything in the universe. He is the One who watches over His people who fear Him and put their trust in Him. He stays around them to protect and deliver them. With that the Psalmist requests that His mercy be showered upon all of us according to the trust and hope they placed in Him.

There is nothing more worthwhile than to praise the Lord and there’s nothing worth offering our praise except God. So, day and night, night and day, let “praises”, like incense, arise to His throne. For He is worthy of it all. For from Him are all things and to Him are all things. He deserves the glory!     

Psalm 32:6-11 – Tune in to God

In the first five verses of Psalm 32, David declared that confessing his sin brought him into a right relationship with God. And nothing can be more wonderful and blessed than to be in total alignment with God in one’s life. We need to know that God is far more willing to forgive us, when we recognize and acknowledge our flaws in life. This being the case, we should heed the call of David to seek God while He may be found. In that seeking, be willing to confess any sin and be relieved from any divine chastening. Like David when we make God our hiding place and abide in Him, we can be sure of His deliverance in times of trouble. He will surround us with songs of deliverance. In other words, we will have plenty to sing about God’s goodness and deliverance.

Once he had confessed his sin, David found himself in right relationship with God. More than having a right relationship with God, he now demonstrated a right attitude towards Him. With these two important areas of life made right, he realized that he was thrust into a posture to hear from God. Verses 8 and 9 suggest that he could now hear what God was saying to him. In much the same way as He had dealt with David, God will also deal with us. When we have an aligned relationship with Him and would draw near to Him with a proper attitude, He too will speak to us.

What God requires of us is not to stubbornly resist Him like a horse or mule. These are animals with no understanding of life and had to be led about through bit and bridle in the strapping over its mouth. A rider on the horse determines the direction he wants it to go by pulling on the strapping. He uses the bit and bridle in the strapping to inflict pain in the cheek of the horse, to force it to move in the direction he desires. The call here is for us to co-operate with the Lord as He guides us. God knows all the directions that we need to attain a fulfilling life. When we collaborate with Him willingly, no pain would be required to move us along those wonderful paths. However, if we stubbornly refuse to move in tandem with Him, we will encounter painful experiences that He would allow along the way, to move us closer to His desired paths for our life.  Here David is making a call to us to always obey God instantly, don’t wait to be moved by the pains and afflictions of life.  

The “wicked” mentioned in verse 10 refers to all who will not trust God. They are people whose experiences in life would include sorrow. Whereas those with a right relationship and a right attitude toward God are promised of pleasant experiences. They will be surrounded by God’s loving kindness and mercy. With that exhortation, David then urged us who are in a right relationship with God to be glad and rejoice. We are encouraged to lift up our voice in praise because we are the apple of His eye and the object of His love. Remember this formula: Right relationship with God + Right attitude towards God = Right posture to hear from God.   

Psalm 32:1-5 – An appeal for a right relationship with God

Second Samuel 12:1-14 record for us how the Prophet Nathan confronted David concerning his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. His adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of his faithful soldier was his first mistake. His second was when he realized that she was pregnant, he schemed to make it appear as if the child she was carrying was Uriah’s. So he summoned for him from the battle front and engineered for him to have intimacy with his wife. But the faithful Uriah refused to entertain himself because his heart was with his fellow soldiers at the battle front. This intention to deceive was definitely wrong. Then when his attempt at that failed, he schemed and sent Uriah to the battle front and had him murdered. This was his third wrong because Uriah was ultimately murdered by him, though indirectly. Nathan wisely revealed his sins through a well-structured, well-told parable.

David did not deny his wrong but honestly admitted when confronted with his evil deeds. His honest admission then led to his confession before the Lord. Psalms 32 and 51 are about his confession to God. He wrote both the Psalms, which complement each other. In Psalms 51 David sought for forgiveness from the Lord. Like David, we must see that any sin committed against anyone is first and foremost an offence against the Lord. So he confessed his wrong to the Lord in Psalm 51. But in Psalm 32, he chronicled the confession he made, the forgiveness he felt and the blessings that followed. Both Psalms are “Maschil Psalms” meaning it was written to give instruction. “Maschil Psalms” are teaching Psalms. As such we must carefully reflect on it and diligently heed and apply the lessons gleaned from it. David wants us to know how blessed it really is when there is no blemish in our relationship with God, because all our sins are forgiven.  In our reflection here, we will focus on the first five verses of Psalm 32.

David began by defining what he meant by being in the state of blessedness. As far as he was concerned, blessedness is found in one’s right relationship with the Lord. It is when we are blameless in the eyes of God. We see four words used to describe sin. They are: transgression, sin, iniquity and guile. Transgression is to overstep the allowable bound. Sin is falling short of God’s standard. Iniquity is failing to do what is right. And guile is deceit. It is projecting a false front. David said that when these different dimensions of sin are dealt with and forgiven, then can we be found in a state of blessedness.    

In verses 3-4, David tells us what would happen when one refuses to deal with sins he knew in his life. Sin always affect a person spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. David felt spiritual dryness and couldn’t relate rightly with God, whose hand was heavy upon him. Mentally, he was full of anguish and had to groan all day long till he felt emotionally drained. Physically, he was listless and weary and sapped of energy. Realizing his foolishness after Nathan’s confrontation, he was led to deal with his sins. He not only recognized his sin but also acknowledged them and was honest with the Lord. And God graciously forgave him. We know that David of course paid heavily for his sin. While forgiveness can be granted, the consequence of sin will be meted out. The effect will be felt so that it will be a lasting monument to remind us that sin always exact a costly price.

Psalm 32:1-5 constitute a call to avoid sin in life. Knowing that our fallen human tendency would time and again gravitate to the path of least resistance, we will fall and stumble in our journey. But these should be fewer and far in between as we progress in our relationship with God. Remember that no true believer starts out with intention to sin. But along life’s journey, we can over-estimate our own capability, and in our unguarded moment, yield to temptation. So here are three verses to tug in our hearts to get us back on the spiritual track:

1. 1 Corinthians 10:12 - “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”                                
2. 1 John 2:1-2 - “…And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins….”
3. 1 John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace, and His forgiveness!