Psalm 144 – God will rescue and prosper us

Psalm 144 written by David is a compilation of parts of several other Psalms. Fragments of Psalms 8, 18, 33 and 102-104 are adapted to form this Psalm. In this composition, David talked about God’s greatness but also considered man’s insignificance. The first two verses show David’s dependence on the Lord. He saw God as the one who brought stability to his life, the Rock of his life. And who had become his trainer, his security, his stronghold, his deliverer, his shield and his refuge.

His attention was diverted to look at man in verses 3-4. Despite man being frail and transient, yet God should take notice of him. This could be seen in the way God ordered the world. Man is the crown of His creation, and much of the world has been ordered in consideration of man.

In this Psalm David also pointed out that man’s existence is totally dependent on God.  So depending on God, David then petitioned for divine intervention against his enemies in verses 5-8 and anticipated that He would bring victory to him in verses 10-11. David not only desired deliverance for himself, but also for their sons and daughters, people like farmers and shepherds and also their cities. He was essentially petitioning for God’s blessing on his people. In anticipating God’s deliverance, he also promised to praise and offer thanksgiving to Him.  

Without a doubt, we are frail and transient beings. Hence our sufficiency in daily living is in the Lord. So we must live each day in total reliance on Him. He wants to build, lead, guide and train us in the ways that we should go. We can look up to the Lord for deliverance in all circumstances, and live confidently, knowing that He has a perfect plan for us, a plan to bless and prosper us and not to harm us. Praise His name!  

Psalm 143 – Mold me Lord

Psalm 143, written by David, is again another of the Psalms that he pleaded with God for intervention against his enemies. David shows us again and again that the Lord was his absolute trust. His confidence rested in Him alone. No matter how severe his trails or how tough his circumstance might be, the first thing he wold do was to run to the Lord. Here in this Psalm we see a similar response.

We are given no hint as to the situation David was facing at this time. All we know from the content of this Psalm is that he made a plea to the Lord and poured out his lament to Him. He knew if anyone could make right his matter, it must be the Lord. So he came to Him and poured out his lament.

Notice how much he desired to be right with the Lord. He asked the Lord to deal with him. He wanted so much for the Lord to bring the best out of him. From verses 6-12 we see so many entreaties. All in all he just wanted to be sure he was right with God. For he knew that above all things in his life, God must be the focal point. Like David let us make God our focal point and plea with Him to bring the very best into our life, to make us the person that will reflect His glory.   

Psalm 142 – God can still be reached, even in a cave

Like the previous two Psalms, this one was also written by David describing his enemies’ activities against him. The superscript of Psalm 142, however, provides us a brief note concerning the circumstance that was surrounding him. David described his anguish while hotly pursued by his opponents. We are told that he was praying while in a cave. In David’s life, there were two situations he was found in a cave. The first was in  the cave of Adullam, described in 1 Samuel 22:1-2, and the second was in En-gedi, detailed in 1 Samuel 14:1-7. In both the situations, he was running from King Saul who was seeking to take his life. It was probably in one of those two incidences that David was making a reference to. Here in the cave he lifted his concerns and lamented his troubles to the Lord. He then raised a prayer to the Lord, petitioning for His intervention. Of course, he made a promise to give thanks to the Lord when he had been delivered.  

We know from 1 Samuel that David did not have an easy time. From the day Saul was jealous of his popularity, there was not a single restful moment for him. He was a fugitive on the run from Saul and his forces. He recounted his desperation, having to hide in the cave, to prevent being apprehended by Saul. As a fugitive, he felt miserable, at least prior to God’s intervention. Anytime he was caught, his life would be over. His only refuge was God and rightly so. Hence in desperation, who’s better to unload his anguish than the Lord Who knew his situation perfectly? So we see him petitioning the Lord in verses 1-6. The first two verses described his cry to the Lord, while verses 3-4 narrate the circumstances that he was facing. David had always been confident in the Lord in his life. After all his laments and complains, he inevitably would end up confiding in God confidently. So we see that in verses 5-7.   

Like David, regardless of what we are going through in life. Regardless of how we feel, whether feeling deserted or depressed, discouraged or dejected, we have one faithful ally in God. The first step we need to take is to draw near to Him in that very circumstance. Remember Psalm 139 tells us that God knows everything concerning us. He does have a will and a plan for our life. We are forever on His mind. There is nothing in our life that He cannot see and would not help. We can come to God honestly without hiding behind our pious platitude. He can see our hurt and pain. We can unload them before Him. He has already made available all resources to a life of peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Victory is assured. Let us go for it in Christ!

Psalm 141 – Choosing to walk in sanctification

As we have said earlier, the theme of Psalm 141 is similar to that of the previous Psalm. It essentially shows how David, the author, responded to threatening situations in his life. And like the previous one, he also petitioned to God for deliverance from the snares the wicked had laid for him.

In this Psalm David began by indicating his total reliance on God. The first thing he did was to call upon Him. Like him we should make calling on God our first option and not our last resort. So he prayed that God would accept him and would come to his assistance and quickly rescue him. Like anyone else, David could have reacted and retaliated in the flesh, and used his own wit to deal with his enemies. But he chose instead to turn to God. Drawing near, he chose the path of restrain and prayed for strength to do the right thing. In verses 3-4, he sought to walk in sanctification. He refused to speak wickedly, or entertained wicked intention in his heart leading to wicked action, and thus would partake of what the wicked were prone to partake.     

Verses 5-6 show that David could accept any reproof. He was even prepared to endure any hardship that would come from the hand of the righteous. But while he was prepared to learn any lesson that came from their hands, he was still against any evil intention they might have, and he prayed against them. David was confident that they, the rulers, would be defeated, who would then be more receptive to the righteous words that would proceed from his mouth. Verses 7-8 seem to express that David was close to the jaws of death. Even then, he would look to God and trust His deliverance. At this point many would have given up but not David. He chose to persist to the end. He then lifted a prayer and asked to be delivered from the trap his enemies had laid for him. David wished that they would themselves be caught in the snare of their own making.   

It is easy to react because of our fallen tendency. We would do well to emulate David and choose to turn from acting wickedly. God often allows us to encounter some things so that through them we will be sanctified. Instead of murmuring and complaining, we should turn to God. Here Paul gives us a useful advice. In Philippians 4:6 he encourages us, saying “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” As we pray let us trust God to deliver us from all needless trials.          

Psalm 140 – Trusting God for deliverance

Psalms 140 and the next three Psalms written by David had similar theme. They show how David responded to the trials that he encountered. In this Psalm, written to the choir director, David simply abandoned himself to the Lord and trusted Him to deliver him from his enemies. Here, we are not given the background to the exact situation he was facing. But the content tells us that he was maligned and traps were laid to get him and he felt threatened by his enemies.

The first five verses show us the anguish David was struggling with. He started by asking to be preserved from the evil scheme of the enemies. His enemies were not only evil but were also violent. They not only acted viciously but also slandered wickedly. Who but God can be trusted to preserve David? And he knew with absolute certainty. So he petitioned for preservation. 

David was confident he would be rescued because he came to His God, the one who would strengthen and protect him. He boldly asked God to frustrate and thwart his enemies and prevent them from prospering in their attempts. He pleaded with God to diminish their desire and passion so that they would have no basis to exalt themselves. David’s petition was for his enemies to experience retribution for their evil attempts, instead of success. He prayed for them to reap what they had sown and be utterly destroyed.

The last two verses describe for us David’s explicit trust in the Lord. He was certain that God would preserve him and all like him who were afflicted. He knew God’s deliverance would come and they would be ushered into HIs presence to praise His glorious name. Like David we all do face troublesome times in life. We do encounter people who have evil intention and who will plot our failure. We must emulate David and seek the right course of action i.e. to abandon ourselves to the Lord and trust Him to protect and preserve us. Without a doubt He will come and save us. And when He does, don’t forget to praise Him.  

Psalm 139 – God has a will and purpose for our life

Psalm 139 is a wonderful Psalm written by David who set out to show how powerful God has been and always will be. However, He is not only all powerful, but He is also all knowing. This Psalm 139 led us to know God through knowing about ourselves. David didn’t even study biology, anatomy, physiology or philosophy and etc., yet his knowledge demonstrated in this Psalm baffles us. They are not only profound but also very accurate. In this Psalm, we learn more about Theology through “Me-ology”

David began by telling us that God knows everything about us. God knows when we sit down and when we rise up. This is a way of saying He knows our character. Furthermore He knows our thoughts from afar i.e. our contemplation. He also knows our conduct because he closely scrutinize our path and are acquainted with all our ways. Besides, He also knows our conversation, long before the word is formed in our mouth, He knows everything we will be saying. God knows our character, our contemplation, our conduct and our conversation.

Not only does God know everything about us, He is with us everywhere that we may be. That’s what David was saying in verses 5-12. There is nowhere we can go to that God is not there. It is so wonderful to know that God will not forsake us and will never leave us alone. His eyes are ever upon us. David tells us that there is nowhere that God’s presence won’t be there. He tells us death cannot keep God away from us. In His words, David said, even if he should be in Sheol, the place of the departed spirits, God would also be there. Next he tells us that distance cannot keep God away from us. There is not a remote place in this whole earth that we can flee to that God could not possibly reach us. Then he also tells us that darkness cannot keep God away from us. To God light and darkness are the same. He can see through light and he can also see through darkness.

In verses 13-16, David tells us that we are wonderfully created by God. He formed every part of our intricate anatomy. We cannot even explain the physiology of our body but we know that God had every organ so perfectly wired up. Every organ just works in perfect symmetry and co-ordination. He saw all the raw substances and chemicals that He had used to form and compose our body. In fact in verse 16, David also tells us that God has a plan for each of us. He even knows the duration we should have on earth, even before He made us.

Besides making us, God thinks about us all the time. How do we know?  Verses 17-18 tell us so. We are forever in God’s mind. David tells us that He thinks about us more times than the millions and trillions grain of sands on the seashore. David is saying that God thinks about us more times than we can count. How wonderful to know that God thinks about us so many times each day. Doesn’t this thought keep us humble and keep us walking right? Hence David would chose his side with God. He refused to have anything to do with evil men or their evil deeds. He would rather live to please God. What about us? Would we take our side with God and walk with Him?

Living in the world where many things are constantly vying for our attention, we may be distracted and led astray. Verses 23-24 is a timely reminder and a call for us to take time to check our direction and journey in life. We need to take time to realign and adjust our life and be sure that we are in conformity with our Lord. We need to connect with Him perpetually. God has created us for Himself. The Westminster shorter catechism say, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”   We can never be fully satisfied in life outside of God. Remember, He has created us for Himself, and our heart will forever be restless until we find our rest in Him!   

Psalm 138 – God is worthy of our grateful praise and worship

Psalm 138 together with the next seven are the last eight Psalms that David had written. So in this Psalm, we will see some of his thoughts captured in words. Here he declared his praise for God, discussed his confidence in Him and described the mercy and truth of God.  

In the first three verses, David showed his gratitude to God by giving thanks to Him. He knew that he was giving thanks to someone worthy of it all. So he did it, not flippantly or cursorily but wholeheartedly. The God who had done so much for him certainly deserved unfettered thanksgiving. And as he showed his gratitude, he also offered his praise and worship to the great God. David recalled how God responded to his call for deliverance and He broke through and empowered him for victory. Following David’s example, let’s not be afraid to call on God in times of our needs and struggles. He will grant us similar victories if we rely on Him. As He went to David’s rescue and showed great mercy and truth, He will also grant us His mercy and truth.

In verses 4-5, David anticipated that praise to God would one day be universally given. Perhaps we are already living in that day. Today, all over the world, in almost every country we see groups of people offering praise and worship to our God. In many places, kings as well as ordinary citizens, recognize who God is and choose to follow Him. Praises and worship are being offered to Him everywhere by many, if not all. Here we are again reminded that God will gladly consider the humble but will not attend to the proud. Remember to draw near with humility and be recognized by God.

Like David, let’s stay confident in God. In the last two verses, we can see that his confidence is rooted in his trust in God. He knew that God would come to his assistance when troubles besieged him. He was certain that God would save him from the intention and rage of all his enemies. These two verses declared his deep assurance that God’s mercy is everlasting and he asked for Him to stay near always. It’s understandable that he should asked God not to forsake him for he just did not like the feeling of being forsaken even for a little while. So like him, we can expect God to draw near to us as we draw near to Him. For this is His promise. What great comfort we have in a wonderful God! So as we draw near to God humbly, let’s also offer our thanksgiving and praise. Let’s offer our worship confidently, knowing that He will never let us down, but will supply all our needs in life. 

Psalm 137 – God will hone us, His people

Psalm 137 narrates the experience of the people of God while in exile in Babylonian. The unknown author could have written this Psalm while in the captivity or shortly after his return to Jerusalem. We know from Judah’s history that their disobedience led God to use King Nebuchadnezzar to chastise them. In 586 BC, that Chaldean king deported many of Judah’s prominent citizens to Babylon. Those who were taken into captivity in Babylon included professionals, priests, craftsmen, the wealthy and young elites. However, around 538 BC, God graciously engineered their return to Jerusalem through the Persian.   

Besides being a recollection of the Judean’s experiences in captivity, Psalm 137 also contain an imprecatory prayer in verses 7-9. Here the exile implored God to bring curses and judgment upon Babylon, the enemy. The dilemma when we encounter such a prayer is how come it can be found in the Bible, which also tells us to love our enemies at the same time? Let us consider these reasons: firstly, this is righteous indignation against sin and evil. The Lord Jesus Himself displayed this while He was on earth. Secondly, the dominion of the Kingdom of God would mean the utter destruction of evil and wickedness ultimately. So it is understandable that such a prayer should be offered. And thirdly, it was a wish for the obliteration of this evil and oppressive power of the Babylonians, so that they could no longer carry out their cruel and wicked regime.   

In verses 1-4, the Psalmist began lamenting the plight of those in captivity. They sat by the rivers of Babylon meaning the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates, and wept and lamented. They recalled their beloved Zion and the destruction of Jerusalem, and were overcame by deep sorrow. They lived such lonely, isolated and desolated life, and were constantly mocked and derided by their captors. How could they find joy under such circumstances? Devoid of joy, how could they find the heart to sing? So they hung up their “harps upon the willow.” This is to say that the triumphant song of Zion would seem like a mockery. The depth of their sorrow had overtaken them that they hung up their harp for there was no reason to sing. Jerusalem their beloved city had been destroyed. Their heart yearned to return to their native land, especially to Jerusalem, the city of David, the city of God.

In verses 5-6, the people recollected their plight in captivity. It was an unthinkable thing to forget their beloved city that had now been left desolate. Jerusalem is a symbol of God’s blessing and presence. It was at the center of the desire of the godly, who would rather die than forget that city. What about us today? How deeply do we desire for God’s presence in our life? As the exiles yearned for Jerusalem, may we yearn for God’s presence in our life daily! God’s presence brings the reality of heaven to us. Let us desire His presence. But do remember that disobedience brings with it drastic consequences. We need to exercise caution and be ready to live obediently. Always remember that God is always faithful. Hard times in life allow Him to hone us. And when His intended purpose for our life is done, we shall come forth pure as gold. Glory to His name!  

Psalm 136 - Giving thanks to God is right and appropriate

In Psalm 135 the author called for praise to be offered to the Lord, the great God. This Psalm 136, on the other hand, sets out to call for thanksgiving to be given to God. With every call the author included this refrain: “For His mercy endures forever.” This was a song that was sung responsively. Every time the leader exhorted that thanksgiving be given to God for something He had done, the people would respond with the refrain, “for His mercy endures forever.” Clearly the lovingkindness or mercy is the constant refrain in this Psalm. This term is a reference to the unfailing kindness of God. It is an expression of His undying and steadfast love towards us, His people. Without doubt, He is a covenant keeping God and He will be trusted to keep His part of the covenant that He had made. Hence we must respond appropriately to Him. The only appropriate response is to thank Him profusely. This is important in life. This attitude of gratitude will free us to be the person God intents us to be. Being thankful in life generates trust. When we are thankful we will find it easier to trust God without question.   

The Psalmist started out in the first three verses with the call to give thanks to God. Everything he had said about God resonates with our heart. He wants us readers to know to whom we are giving thanks to. God is not only good, but also the only God who deserves the thanksgiving. He is the supreme God who is far above all the “so called gods” and He is the Lord of all lords. There is no one greater than our sovereign and supreme Lord.

Having shown us the character of our Supreme and Lofty God, the Psalmist then went on to talk about His works from verses 4-26. Broadly speaking, there are three aspects of His works. In verses 4-9, we see Him as the mighty Creator. He made everything – the universe and all, perfectly. In verses 10-15, He is the Deliverer of His people from Egypt to the Promised Land. And in verses 16-22, He is the gracious Provider, Who takes care of the need of His chosen people without considering their lowly estate.

The Psalmist wants us to see the undying mercy of God from the solidly and kind actions He had shown toward His people, especially to the nation of Israel. Their history affirms all that the Psalmist had described here. He had not only delivered them from their bondage in Egypt but kept them safe through their journey. He also helped them to deal with forces that came against them and delivered them from their enemies. Finally He brought them into the Promised Land that He gave for their heritage. Bear in mind that God never waver in His steadfastness toward His people despite their many stubborn resistance toward Him.  

God always deals with us not according to what we have done but according to His great love and mercy. This is borne out in history and we also know it personally in our daily experience. No matter how far we have strayed, He lovingly waits for our return and when we do, He warmly welcomes us with open arms. Yes, there is no doubt that His mercy endures forever! We must praise Him. It’s unthinkable that anyone who has experienced His love and mercy will not in return praise, love and serve Him forever!   

Psalm 135 – God deserves to be praised

One of life’s all consuming passion must be to praise God. There is nothing more important, more uplifting and more exhilarating than to bring constant praise to our great and wonderful God! Psalm 135 echoes this theme.

In verses 1-3 the call to praise God is issued. The priests and the Levites are specifically called to praise Him. They are referred here as the servants of the Lord who stand in His house. God had specially chosen them to serve in His presence. He had chosen Jacob and the people of Israel for Himself. In the New Testament, we know that we are chosen through Christ for adoption as children of God. We are now a member of His larger family. Hence, in his first letter, Peter tells us that we are a kingdom priest. We are God’s peculiar people summoned to declare His praise.  

In verses 4-18, the Psalmist gives three specific reasons why God should be praised:-

1.       In verses 5-7, the Psalmist tells us that He is a great God, the Lord above all so called gods. He is the One who sovereignly controls heaven and earth and has the right to do whatever He pleases. The nature and the elements are created to serve His purpose.

2.    In verses 8-14, the author tells us that He had a particular concern for Israel. From verse 4, we know that Israel as a nation has been specially chosen to be His people. Here we are told how He had delivered them from their bondage in Egypt in the smiting of the first born of Egypt. God also dealt with all their oppressors in their journey and those in the Promised Land as well. He gave them a great heritage in the rich land of Canaan. Today, we know that in Christ, we believers have become members of His larger family. His great promises for us are now found in Christ. Hence this call is also issued to us. And as He had delivered Israel in history, He will also deliver us from all our oppressors, so that like them, we may be free to serve Him too.

3.   In verses 15-18, the Psalmist gives the third reason for why God is worthy of praise. It is because He is infinitely greater than worthless idols that are just products of the human hands. In contrast to the Sovereign Lord, idols are lifeless. They are made with eyes that cannot see. They have noses but cannot breathe. They are just lifeless idols.  What’s worst is that everyone who worships them are like them – dumb and lifeless.   

In the concluding verses 19-21, the Psalmist exhorts all to honor and bless the Lord. Beginning from Israel, to Aaron, and the Levites and all who fear the Lord, the Psalmist urges all to bless the Lord. In Christ this exhortation to them is also an exhortation to us, members of God’s larger family. Hence like them, we who fear God must also honor and praise Him. So let us bring unceasing praise to Him. Let them flow continually and constantly out of our lips and our lives. For we serve the True and Living God!    

Psalm 134 – Exhortation to bless the Lord

Psalm 134 is the fifteenth of the Songs of Degrees. The very first of these songs, Psalm 120 looked at the tough journey ahead. Jerusalem of course was on elevated ground, so the Psalmist spoke of the unknown uncertainties that would confront him in the journey. He journeyed anyhow and now we are with Him in Psalm 134, the final of the Songs of Degrees. 

The call of this Psalm is for all who serve the Lord to bless Him, especially those who serve in the house of the Lord. Technically this is a call to the priests to bless the Lord. But we are reminded that we are indeed a kingdom of priests, called to serve God the Father. 1 Peter 2:9 tells us specifically that …we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that we may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” This call is for us. So whether by day or by night, we must seek to praise, worship and serve Him.

Lifting of hand is a posture of prayer. But it is also a posture of surrender. Raising of hands to God also denotes praise and worship. When we come into the presence of God we surrender in humility and praise Him joyfully, and pray to Him earnestly. Our God is not an ordinary God, He is the Creator of heaven and earth. And it is His purpose to bless us. So every time we come seeking Him in praise and worship, in prayer and service, we posture ourselves for His blessing. What a great privilege!

Psalm 133 – There is strength in unity

The title of Psalm 133 tells us that the Psalmist who wrote this song was none other than King David. This is the fourteenth of the 15 songs of Degrees. The theme that filled David’s mind in this song is about the blessedness or the preciousness of unity within the family. Unity is important for harmonious living. It is the basis of peace and is required if each member of the family wants to be effective in life. Unity not only sanctifies a fellowship but also solidifies and strengthens it.

David shows the impact unity can make with two illustrations. In verse 2 he used the oil that was poured over Aaron’s head in his anointing to talk about unity. Aaron’s anointing oil set him apart for God. And oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. As Aaron was anointed with oil to be one with God, we, the kingdom priests of God, are anointed by the Holy Spirit and set apart and united with God. We are anointed to unitedly serve His purpose, to declare the one true God.

In verse 3, the dew that would fall on Mount Hermon each morning is the second illustration. Dew again is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Zion in this instant can be seen as the church. The Holy Spirit as the dew of Mount Hermon would cascade on God’s people, the church, to make them an effective corporate witness of God. In Mount Zion or the church, the anointed of God, there will be life forevermore. That is a great blessing from God. As we yield to God and have a right attitude toward each other, we will feel the active presence of God’s Spirit. Corporately, we will be the greatest force of His witnesses on earth. We shall be a force to reckon with. The church of Jesus Christ in unity is the hope of all the world.     

Psalm 132 – Take heart! We worship and serve a covenant keeping God

Psalm 132 is the thirteenth song of the Songs of Degrees. We are not told who wrote this Psalm, but there are some who believe that David had written it. As we meditate on the content of the Psalm, it seems to point to Solomon as the author. It contains a long prayer asking God to fulfil the promise He had made to His servant David.

This psalm starts off with a prayer calling on God to remember David and the sacrifices that he had made. In verses 1-5 David vowed to prepare God a dwelling place. God’s presence among His people was represented by the Ark of the Covenant. It had been moved from place to place and was even captured by the Philistines at one point. It was David who had the Ark recaptured and made plan to have it moved back permanently to Jerusalem. He did not just casually or flippantly made a promise and then thought nothing about it. He went about resolutely doing what he had pledged to do. He gave himself no sleep or rest till what he had pledged was done.

The Ark was at Ephratah around the vicinity of Kirjath-jearim, meaning the city of woods. In fact it was found in the field of Jaar, another reference to Kirjath-jearim.  David then had it moved from there to Zion. His intention was to have it housed permanently in the tent that he had built in that city. David’s desire was for the people and himself to go there and worship at the footstool of God. The Psalmist prayed, asking God to remember the promise He had made to David. This request contains three matters. Firstly that God would go up before them to the place of rest, the tent that David had built for Him in Zion. Secondly, he asked that God’s priests be clothed with righteousness. Today we are all priests of the Father, and clothed with the righteousness of Christ. Let’s do all we can to ensure that we do not soil the righteous garment that Christ has dressed us with. Thirdly he asked for the saints to experience joy so that they could shout it.     

Verses 10-18 were the basis that gave the Psalmist the boldness to pray such an audacious prayer. He first reminded God of the promises He had made to David. He recalled the covenant that God had made with David, saying the throne would always be from the line of the king. He had not only promised David that someone from his linage would always be on the throne. God also dealt with David’s dynasty, the city of David or Zion, the people of David. God also promised to deal with David’s enemies while ensuring that he and his would forever wear the crown and hold the sceptre. It’s so true, Jesus, the Messiah is the King of kings. He hailed from the line of David and the sceptre shall never depart from His hand. And God has granted us believers the privilege to worship and serve this King.  

While God’s promise is sure, we on our part must be sure to do our fair share. Remember to keep Matthew 6:33 at the forefront of our mind: To seek first the kingship of Christ and His reign over the affairs of our life. And to seek to be conformed to His righteous standards. When we make this our holy pursuit, all other things we need will be added to us. God be praised!      

Psalm 131 – The call to humble hope in God

The authorship of Psalm 131 is ascribed to David. This is the twelfth of the Songs of Degrees which David in humility expressed his hope in God and called for Israel to do likewise. We all know that God always attends to the cry of the humble but will resist the proud. It came as no surprise than that David should choose to come before God in humility. He set aside all haughtiness and arrogance, knowing that only with such an attitude would he be granted an audience with God. Looking at verses 1-2, we can see that David’s main concern was not on the things that he was personally interested in. He chose to set them aside to consider the weightier matters of life, what God had for him and the nation. Looking away from himself, he set his hope in God. Verse 3 tells us that he did not only set the pace but also challenged the nation of Israel to do likewise. Having God is primary in life. We must seek to engage and be connected to Him at all course.

In keeping with that attitude, he came trusting God like a weaned child who would trust his mother. When a child is weaned and satisfied, he no longer whines for sustenance. He stays confident, calmly rests in the mother’s laps and ceases from striving. Like such a child, David rested peacefully and securely in God, for his hope was in Him. And from restfulness in God, he called on all Israel to also set their hope in God now and forever. 

Without a doubt we know that humility is a great virtue. It is a pre-requisite to the heart of God. Humility we know is cultivated through hard times because they caused us to look beyond ourselves to God. So remember that when we face trials, we focus on the end result. It will take away our arrogance and mode our trust in God. Personally we have nothing in ourselves, for apart from Him, we can do nothing. 

Psalm 130 - Our magnanimous God

Psalm 130 is the eleventh of the Songs of Ascent or Degree that pilgrims would sing as they journey to Jerusalem for their yearly feasts. The first four words show the predicament of this Psalmist. He was in the depth of desperation and affliction, and “out of the depth” he cried to the Lord God. In the first four verses he made a desperate plea for deliverance. Verses 5-6 tell us he did not come flippantly but with great expectancy and eagerly anticipated that God would answer his plea. As the Psalmist waited, he also called on others to join him to place their hope in God.

This Psalm teaches us how we ought to approach God, especially when we are in need of His urgent intervention.  It is one thing to know that God can help but quite another to make an attempt to seek that help. The Psalmist’s willingness to call on the Lord reveals that he knew God could make the difference in his situation. God’s ear is always open toward His people. Why don’t we make seeking his help our first option and not only in desperation?

The fact that the author mentioned iniquities gives us the hint of how they, the people of God, had ended in that predicament. Thankfully for the Psalmist knew that God does not mark out our sin. He is a forgiving God who looks at His children with compassion. He has a tender heart toward those who are quick to deal with and repent from their sins. The highlight of verses 4 and 5 is the magnanimity of God. However, God’s willingness to forgive shows us that we should all the more live reverently to honor Him. 

Coming to the Lord is important but what’s more critical is the attitude we adopt as we approach Him. The Psalmist shows us how we should come. He came to God with the attitude of expectancy and trust. And so must we! As we do so we must also inspire others to trust and hope in Him. This was what the Psalmist did. The crux of this Psalm is that we have a magnanimous God who will generously forgive our sins when we repent from them. He is one who desires to bless us more than He wants to punish us. This should motivate us to live carefully and when we stumble, we must repent and return to Him in repentance.       

Psalm 129 – The righteous God will deliver His people

Psalm 129 is the tenth of the Songs of Ascent of Degrees. Remember that these were songs that the pilgrims would sing as they made their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the yearly feasts. In this Psalm, the unknown author recalled the past and saw the conflict Israel had to face and how the Lord had delivered them.

Even when Israel was a young nation, they already had to face a whole salvo and bombardment of oppositions that came upon them. Verses 2-3 described how intense and relentless the persecution were. Using the language of farming, they were ploughed like the plowers, digging and tilling deeply into the ground. Although this would not be entirely bad because ultimately the ground would be made ready for sowing, but the process of tilling would need to be strenuously endured. Difficult times are hard for the flesh, but when properly endured brings patience, character and hope.

Another thing about these verses is that it’s a prophetical reference to how the back of the Lord Jesus was whipped and torn by the Roman soldiers’ whips. He did it to redeem us. All praise be to God, the plan of Israel’s enemies failed. They could not destroy Israel. Why? According to verse 4, it’s because Israel served the righteous God Who had been backing them. This same God will deliver the righteous and judge evil-doers. We who trust Him can be assured of His backing.

In verses 5-8, the Psalmist offered his prayer to God and looked to Him to deal with all their future enemies. He prayed that all their enemies would be put to shame; that their number would be decreasing and their lives shortened; and that they would be devoid of the blessings of God. From this Psalm we know that the righteous God will deliver and preserve His people. And the oppressors of His people will be dealt with and ultimately destroyed. God can never bless those who reject Him, but will richly bless those who acknowledge and serve Him. Amen!

Psalm 128 – The richness of a God honoring life

The author of Psalm 128, the ninth of the Songs of Degrees, is not known. In this Psalm we are told the kind of people God will bless. It is those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. Fear of the Lord is best seen in walking in His ways. A person who does that will be immensely blessed. That’s the assertion of the Psalmist.

How would he be blessed? Verses 3-6 detail that for us. Firstly, he will experience success in all his endeavor. Secondly, he will have a happy and well-ordered life. Thirdly, his wife will be a productive wife. Infertility is deemed as a curse so ability to bear children is the opposite. It is a blessing. The previous Psalm tells us that the fruit of the womb or fertility is a blessing from the Lord. This fact is supported by second part of verse 3. It says a table full of children must be like a fruitful and productive olive tree. Fourthly, such a man will live long to see all his posterity flourish. The promise of blessing did not just rest in the blessed man’s family but also his nation.

The crux of this Psalm is this: we can never be truly happy till we are truly holy. Holiness is seen in terms of fearing the Lord and walking in His ways. Without a doubt, this Psalm exhorts us to honor the Lord and to walk in step with Him.  In so doing we will find richness in every aspect of living - personal, family, career and nation. What a life to live! 

Psalm 127 – Making a difference in life: family, nation and business

Psalm 127 is the eighth of the Songs of Degrees. Solomon, the son of David, wrote this Psalm. His intention was to tell us that all human effort, without God’s blessing, would be in vain. There are four areas that God wants to bless us. Besides blessing our home, our city, our work, He wants to bless us with children. It is possible to go about life without God, but it is not possible to go about life in a meaningful, purposeful and valuable way without Him being a part of it.

We cannot ignore God and expect to be blessed. We need Him in our everyday life and we also need Him in family living. We need to recognize His Lordship in all areas of life. Without factoring Him in the home, we can never have meaningful family existence. Hence we must always make sure that in our home God is the unseen head, the host in our family gathering. A country without God is unprotected. The best protection we can expect for our country is when we believers intercede and pray for our country. At work and in our career, we also need God. Bear in mind that our ultimate source is God. Our employers and bosses are only His resources to bring us His blessings. We must never leave God out in our working life. To have God’s will in all three areas is fundamental to success. Without it, all our endeavors will be unfruitful.      

Verses 3-5, Solomon tells us that children are God’s blessings. Our children are God’s gifts to us. Hence we must do our utmost to ensure that they are well brought up. Children who are well brought up are priceless to a family. It’s indeed a blessing to have many of such children in a family. They are like arrows that are well-crafted and ready for battle.  

The call is to factor God in everything we do. We can rest well when we have committed everything to God. Let us make Him Lord in our role as a parent, in our role as a citizen, and in whatever position we hold in our career. We must also give thanks to Him for the children He has given us. More importantly we must train them in the Lord’s ways so that they will always bring honor to His name. 

Psalm 126 – The correlation between sowing and reaping

The author of Psalm 126, the seventh of the Songs of Degrees is not known. However, we can see that the Psalmist was reminiscing on the Jewish remnant returning from the Babylonian exile. The theme of this Psalm is about the deliverance of Zion. Because of their disobedience, God ordained King Nebuchadnezzar to carry His people into exile in Babylon for 70 years. When the time came, under the influence of God, King Cyrus gave the decree allowing the exile to return home to their land. A remnant then took the opportunity and returned back to their land. The occasion for this Psalm was probably when the Feast of the Tabernacle was reinstated in the land. The account of the reinstatement is recorded in Nehemiah 8:13-18.

Verses 1-3 recollect that moment the Jewish remnant returned to Zion. Their unexpected return seemed to them more like a dream than a reality. It was truly a wonderful dream came through. In place of their once dejected countenance, now there was joy in every face. There was no way they could contain their joy and elation. There was exuberant celebration and joyful declaration of the greatness of God for the great things God had done. It’s a thing that only God could do.

The Lord had done this great thing and there was a reversal of their fortune in a grand way. The streams of the south in verse 4 refers to the vicinity of Beersheba in the south. The Bible also calls this area, the Negev. During summer, the streams here would dry up but they would be quickly filled up with the rains during spring. The Psalmist saw the reversal of their situation from captivity to release as the dried up streams in summer being filled with the rains that spring brought. It was something that only God could do, so it was a great cause for rejoicing. One moment they had nothing and next they had everything. What a great privilege to be blessed by the Lord. They had called on the Lord to restore them and He had answered. They recalled the wonderful things God had done for them in the past and they were asking Him to do it again. 

Our experience of God’s great blessing in life has a correlation with the prayer and waiting on Him that we engage in our life. How do we know? Verses 5-6 tell us so. To sow in tears is about agonizing prayers. When we seek the Lord in prayer even in our toughest trials, it does come with much tears at times. But the exhilaration of joy when God intervenes can never be adequately put in words. Verse 6 tells us that praying is only one part of the equation, the other is “bearing the precious seeds,” that is to act as we pray. Bear in mind that the Psalmist was living in an agricultural setting. He spoke in the language of sowing and harvesting. For us people of God, called to share God’s work of reaching the lost in the world, need to remember these two processes. Sowing in tears is willing to agonize in prayer, and then bearing the precious seeds is the process of sharing the Word. When we diligently engage God in prayer and the people with the Word of God, we will surely experience the harvesting of souls for God’s glory. The questions are: Are we praying seriously for souls? Are we sharing the Word to win souls? Why don’t we start today and test these principles out?     

Psalm 125 – Finding Security in God

Psalm 125, the sixth of the Songs of Degrees was anonymously written. The Psalmist sets out to tell us how blessed it is to be the people of God. As God’s presence had made Mount Zion a permanently secured place, so would the people of God be as secure as that mountain. This is the place that God had decreed to abide forever. So as Mount Zion and the whole range of mountains that surround and protect the city of Jerusalem, the people of God would forever be surrounded and protected by Him. The God-factor is the stability factor.  

This Psalm tells us that God will not allow wickedness to reign and randomly ruin the land and the righteous people of His. He will not allow His people to be brought to despair and feel devoid of His help, that they would turn away from their dedication and commitment. In verse 4, the Psalmist prayed for the Lord to do good to all who live rightly and are upright in heart. The people of God who follow Him, like Israel did, will rest on His peace. But it will not be so for those who refuse to stay on the right course. God will allow them to be led to the destruction awaiting all workers of iniquity.

Clearly this Psalm tells us that there are two routes in life. One of them leads to security while the other, the highway of sin, leads to destruction. We must choose rightly, i.e. choosing to live under the security of God’s protective covering. It’s a choice we must make. Once that decision is made, we will have His enablement to follow Him in the path to our eternal security.                

Psalm 124 – God is for us

David wrote Psalm 124, the fifth of the Songs of Degrees. In this Psalm he acknowledged that it was the Lord who had protected Israel and ensured her safety. He could not imagine where they would be had not God come to their deliverance. David was reminiscing Israel’s past where God broke through their critical moments, when they were swirling under the heavy attacks of their enemies. He realized that they came out unscathed only because of the Lord’s intervention. The danger was evident, their helplessness was obvious, their defeat was certain, but God’s help made the difference and they were prevented from being ruined.

Israel would have been annihilated if not for God. What a declaration! If God is for us who can be against us! Like He was on Israel’s side, God is also on our side. He will draw near to us when we draw near to Him. And He wants to do for us, exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ever ask or think. In God we have a great ally! Hallelujah! 

Psalm 123 – God, the most trusted source of help

Psalm 123 is the fourth of the Songs of Degrees that were written anonymously. It focuses on a trusting attitude that should accompany anyone drawing near to the Lord. The circumstance surrounding the Psalmist was indeed a stressful one. Verse 4 shows us the extent of the struggles the Psalmist was facing. He was sneered upon by the proud. Inwardly he was bombarded with anguish. He was distressed both outwardly and inwardly and was feeling unsettled. He was the scorned of those proud people who treated him with contempt. Hence he came pleading for mercy to be delivered from it.

The Psalmist came to the right and best source of help. Who else can be a better help than the Lord, Whose dwelling place is heaven? He is the answer to all of life’s problems and struggles. Like the Psalmist, when we come to Him we need to fix our eyes on Him with an attitude of dependence.  Note that he came to God expectantly as a slave would to a master or a maid to her mistress. The slaves and maid imageries suggest an attitude of submission and humble expectation. Such kinds of attitude are needed when we come before the Lord awaiting His deliverance and provision.

In coming to the Lord, the Psalmist became aware of his personal unworthiness. No one can presume on the grace and mercy of God. It is the Lord’s prerogative to grant. It is our privilege to receive. Hence we must not assume the posture that they are due to us. None of us has done anything that merits God’s mercy. Therefore we must come aware that we are fallen sinners, and but for the grace of God in Christ Jesus, we would have nothing good to merit His mercy. That was the posture the Psalmist adopted as he approached the Lord. He sought the gracious dealings of God. 

Regardless of how hard our struggles may be or how tough we are dealt with by people, remember we have one perfect recourse. He is our best source of help. We should not run helter skelter seeking relief. Like the Psalmist, we should just draw near to God and seek His deliverance. When we come, we must come humbly, and trusting His grace and mercy to see us through.  

Psalm 122 – Jerusalem, the peaceful city of God

David authored Psalm 122, the third song of the Songs of Degree, focusing on Jerusalem, focusing on the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem. He called for two things. First, to praise that beloved city, then to pray for her. Jerusalem is also known as the city of David for he had captured it. Before his conquest, it was a city owned by the Jebusites. After capturing it, David brought the Ark of the Covenant into the city to place there permanently. Jerusalem means city of peace. Ironically, this city of peace has experienced much contention for the longest time. It will truly be the city of peace when Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, rules it permanently.

David was joyfully excited by the invitation to go up to Jerusalem, to the house of God to worship Him. This can only be the response of a heart that’s filled with love for God. He was personally glad, but he was also glad because there were like-minded people who also wanted to go and worship God as well. Let’s be sure to cultivate such an attitude when we go to the house of God to worship Him. This attitude can only be there when we have a deep relationship, built through constant fellowship and connection. What a joy it must have been for David and the pilgrims to step and stood before the presence of God in His house. When David first captured the city it was much smaller. But Solomon improved on it and with time, it became a compact walled city. And like her the church is also a compact community, made up of people of all races and languages. In the Bible, the church has been likened to Jerusalem. Like Jerusalem, the church today is where the people of God gladly congregate together as one, to worship and give thanks to Him. It is also the place where we experience the reign of God and receive sound judgment concerning how to rightly do life. 

Verses 6-9 is a call to pray for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem. This city was first known as Salem. Melchizedek the eternal priest who blessed Abraham came from that city. Salem means peace. It’s claimed by the three monotheistic religions of the world, namely, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Since David’s time many had fought over it. Though it is called the city of peace, in experience, it is far from peaceful. Hence it comes as no surprize that David should call for prayer to be offered for that city. As we pray for that city we will experience the rich blessings of God as well. Loving Jerusalem is the outward demonstration of loving God. It is loving Christ and His people. Let us remember to pray for the peace of the physical Jerusalem. Let’s also pray for the church, the spiritual Jerusalem. And truly, the prosperity can be the experience of those who love both the physical and spiritual Jerusalem. For the sake of the community of believers, we are exhorted to pray for peace. And not only should we pray for peace but we must also do our part to ensure peace for the sake of the common good of the community.  

Remember to keep in your prayer list physical Jerusalem. Pray that God will grant peace upon her people there. And do not forget to pray for the spiritual Jerusalem, the church. Pray that every dividing wall of hostility be broken down and that peace will prevail in all our undertakings. Glory to God!     

Psalm 121 - God will sustain us

The author of Psalm 121, the second song of the Songs of Degrees, is not known. The content fits perfectly into the backdrop of a pilgrimage. As the pilgrims went up the holy hills of Jerusalem, the people would face uncertainties on the way and were in need of help. This Psalm describes what better help can be given than the help of the Lord.  

In this Psalm we see four different aspects of God’s workings in our life. He is not just a helper, but also a keeper, a protector and a preserver. The hills or mountains here refer to Mount Zion and Jerusalem. They represent the presence of God. When the psalmist said, he lifted his eye toward the mountains, he was in fact saying that he was looking to the Lord who alone could sustain his life. He was sure that he could receive help from the Lord. So in his uncertainty in the journey, he would look to the Lord for the help he needed. 

To lift up one’s eye was a gesture of prayer. And this is the posture we all need when we approach the Lord. It’s also a posture of dependence and reliance. It not only shows submission but also reflects one’s confidence and trust in God. The object of the Psalmist’s focus was on the Lord, the creator of heaven and earth. The best help he knew would come from the Creator God.

Not only is the Lord a helper, He is also a keeper of our life. No one can keep us better than the Lord. He watches over us 24/7. The Psalmist puts it this way: He will neither sleep nor slumber. In other words, there is not a moment in which the Lord would take His eyes off us. He can see what’s before us and also what’s after us. He can see when an event is coming and will help us to stay alert.

Verses 5-6 depict God as the shade over the life of His worshipers. This simply means that God is our protector. Whether by day or by night, in sunlight or in moonlight, He will provide the covering. He knows how much hair there are on our head and He cares even when a blade of it gets loose and falls off. He will protect us around the clock to ensure that we are not severely disadvantaged.     

God cares for us to such a great extent that He will forever be our preserver. Verses 7-8 make it clear that our path in life, either going out or coming in, will be shielded from harm. It will not only be for time but also for eternity. We will be preserved from the evil of sin. And it will have no power or dominion over us. God will also preserve us from evil and the wicked lust it presents. He will preserve us from all schemes of wicked men because He has placed an invisible hedge around us. Yes, as Paul had declared in Romans 8:38-39 saying “…neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”     

Psalm 120 – A plea for deliverance from lying people

Psalms 120-134 are known as the Songs of ascents or degrees. These are 15 songs that were sung by pilgrims making their journey to Jerusalem for the annual feasts: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Pentecost; and the Feast of Tabernacle. Of the 15 Songs of degrees, David wrote four of them. They are Psalms 122, 124, 131, 133. Solomon wrote Psalm 127 and the rest were written anonymously. Psalm 120 is one of the ten Psalms that the author is not made known.

In this Psalm we detect the difficult circumstance that surrounded the Psalmist. He was truly distressed by people who had spoken falsely about him. Verse 2 said that they lied and spoke deceitfully about him. It could well be that his reputation was being slandered and his character seriously maligned. The tongue, we know, when not properly used, can be an instrument of wickedness. The book of James tells us that it is a world of evil and full of deceits. We can understand why the Psalmist would cry out to the Lord to deliver him from such slanderous people.

In verse 3 the Psalmist asked two rhetorical questions implying that a drastic end awaits those who spoke deceitfully. When one chooses to speak deceitfully, he is posturing himself for the ultimate judgment. Jesus once said, that man will have to give an account for every word he has spoken. In verse 4 lies and falsehood are first likened to sharp arrows that pierce a person and inflict pain to him. Then they are likened to coals that bring pain and hurt, like one who has been burnt by fire. 

It would be grievous for anyone finding himself among people who spoke lies and deceits about him. Here the people that spoke falsehood about the psalmist are represented by Meshech and Kedar. The Psalmist had actually lived among them. And he felt the heat of living among them. And for a long time, he was wounded by their falsehood about him. Although he sought to live peacefully they would find fault, to engage to confront him.  

We know that being a victim of lies and falsehood can be painful and stressful to us. Thankfully we do not have to trade slander for slander. By not retaliating we can unsettle them. We must trust the Lord and bring our distress to Him, and let Him bring us through victoriously. For He is more than able to do so.

Psalm 119:169-176 – Our desire to live rightly will motivate us to search God’s Word faithfully

The Psalmist used “Tau” the last letter of the Hebrew Alphabets to start verses 169-176 of Psalm 119. In these verses, we see his passionate plea for God’s grace and strength. He longed for God to receive and answer his prayer. He did not just want to come before the Lord but to come near to Him. Yearning to enjoy the promises expressed in God’s Word, he asked to be given understanding of them. He knew that to understand the Word and be enlightened, he would need God to provide the illumination. No wonder when Paul in praying for the Ephesians said, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (Ephesians 1:17).   

Besides yearning to understand God’s Word, the Psalmist also specifically asked to be delivered according to what God had said in His Word. He was seeking God’s favor and grace in humble submission to Him. He was aware that God had the power to rescue him from all his deep troubles. The author expected God to do so because he was asking according to God’s Word. Praise God that the integrity of His Word is utterly upheld by His faithfulness and unchanging nature.  

We are given a glimpse on what to do when we are taught the Word of God. Verse 171 implied the right response when we are taught the Word. Like the Psalmist, let praises flow from our lips like water from a fountain continuously. This we can only do when God has provided us with insight into His truth. The Psalmist wanted also to verbally express God’s praise. The author knew that one way he could declare God’s righteousness was through songs. And he would gladly sing them.  

The word “hand,” used in verse 173 could well be an inference to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is true of the other Psalms. Like Psalm 16 that says in HIs right hand there is joy for evermore. He was saying that in Jesus we can find joy forever more. The truth is this: when we choose to follow God and His Word, we can be assured of help from Jesus, who is at the right hand of God.

True satisfaction in life can be experienced when we are saved. And when we are assured of our salvation, the Word of God and His instruction become our delight. Our ability to love and enjoy the Word of God will reveal where our heart is. Remember Jesus reminded us that “Where our treasure is, there our heart shall be.” The last two concluding verses of Psalm 119 are the Psalmist’s expression of desiring to experience life as God would have it. He knew that with God’s help he would be able to make praise his habit. He would also be able to discern and come to accurate conclusion in every circumstance.

What the author said in verse 176 shows how sin can impact our life. Sin has the influence and capacity to cause us to stray away from God, like a sheep straying from following the shepherd. So the Psalmist asked God to seek him whenever he strayed. He knew that in keeping the commandment of God there would be security. Hence he chose to stay within the confine of God’s Word. Like the Psalmist, we must also take time to pray. When we draw near to Him we must draw near with a desire to understand, to be taught and then to apply all the instructions He will give. But we must come expressing our desire to be kept faithful, living according to what He has prescribed in His Word.