Psalm 30 – Be thankful but not prideful

In Psalm 30, David expressed his thanks to God for the deliverance he had received from His hand. God had rescued him from many perilous situations, and most of all He had snatched him from the jaws of death. Being a grateful man, David expressed his gratitude. Like him, we too must develop a life of thanksgiving. Better still, we ought to cultivate a life of thanks-living.

In verses 1-3, David recalled how God had answered his call for help and rescued him from the grave. More than that, God had prevented his enemies from rejoicing over his death. So he now respond to God in praise. We are reminded to always be grateful and respond to the Lord in praise, when he had answered our call for help. Notice that David was not just contented to praise God himself, he also wants others to join him in praise. So in verses 4-5 we see his invitation to other people of God to join him in praise. He assured us that God’s anger may be experienced for a moment, but it will be replaced with joy forever. We cannot deny that God’s dealing with us may bring pain, but the impact it will make on our life will far outweigh the pain. It will bring us everlasting joy because of the positive outcome it will make in our life.   

David wants us to know that pride will always be a stumbling block to God’s continual blessing. It was not a theory as far as he was concerned. He had experienced it in life.  So he described it for us in verses 6-7. God actually removed His presence from David. And he felt the emptiness and misery of God’s absence and was truly humbled. That emptiness then drove him back to God in prayer. He begged for mercy and urged God to spare him. He reminded God that in death he would not be able to declare his praise to Him. He was virtually asking to be delivered from death. In verses 11-12, he then gave his word to always praise God. He had determined not to remain silent concerning the goodness of God and would always gratefully give thanks to Him.   

From this Psalm we learn that no matter how godly we are, we will be tempted to be prideful in life. And should we give in to the temptation to entertain pride, the dealing of God will be a sure experience. Why? Because God will never allow our pride to destroy us. He will allow adversity so as to bring about our humility and willingness to draw near to Him. And when we humble ourselves, we will definitely experience His deliverance. And when that happens, we must remember to be thankful and to give Him praise forever.    

Psalm 29 –The glory of God declares through storms

In Psalm 19 we are told that the heavens are telling of the glory of God, and indeed they will always do so. Day and night, unremittingly, they continually declare the wonders of the marvelous God we worship. And Psalm 29, another Psalm by David, evidently affirms that and much more. He tells us that nature itself indeed declare the glory of this wondrous God. In this Psalm, David paints for us a massive storm moving fiercely down the mountains of Lebanon, and hurrying down south to the southernmost part of Palestine. Once there, it appears as if it had expended its energy and brought a complete calm and serenity. The reason David penned this Psalm was to talk about the glory of God seen in the acts of nature. It has a message for us through the storms that may attend our life.

David began this Psalm with an invocation, a call to all to worship. Everyone, especially all the children of God, is called to worship the Almighty. We are to credit to Him all the glory and strength He deserves. Apart from God there is none worthy of such immense worship. Seven times the phrase, “the voice of God” appears. Upon the many waters this voice is heard. It is a powerful and majestic voice. So powerful that it even breaks the Cedars of Lebanon, a symbol of strength and stability. It is so powerful that mountains are shaken and forests are left bare of foliage.

Just imagine the clear blue skies of Northern Palestine overtaken by storm. Its terrifying sight can only be described as peals of lightning brightening it, claps of loud thunders sounded loudly, and gushes of howling wind increasing in volume. Like a furious storm at its height, it manifests itself in the breaking of the Cedar of Lebanon, creating a raucous that even Mount Hermon shakes and quakes. David wants us to see the intensity of the glory of God, a glory that’s not shrouded in mystery. It is in fact so evidently powerful and majestic, and getting clearer and clearer.

  

Once the storm had moved southward, its power shook the forest of Kadesh in the southern part of Palestine. The intensity of the storm shook the trees and left the forest bare. It also left the mountains trembling and shaking. So impactful was the voice of God through the storm that even the mountains were said to skip and leap like young deer and bulls. What David meant to say is that God’s glory and power are truly visible through the storm. His voice could be heard and the impact on nature demonstrates that power and glory. And after the stormy voice comes the lull, the calm and peace. Through the storm the Lord is enthroned and He sits as King forever. And He still blesses His people with strength and peace.  

None of us is exempted from the storm of life. But if we remain trusting, we can clearly hear the voice of God speaking through that storm. He has destined a place of security for us even in the storms of our life. We should insist on praising Him despite the non-congenial circumstances we encounter. He promises that after the storm we will experience a hush lull in our soul. The call is for us to remain still and recognize that He indeed is God. Through the storm God still speaks. And in the storm He will grant us the peace only He can give. Shalom!

Psalm 28 – Staying confident in God

Trusting the Lord is the wisest choice anyone can make. That is what David was saying in this Psalm. He did not say this without basis. In his life journey with God, he found in experience that God always come to the rescue of His own, especially if one is blameless in his conduct. When God intervenes, it is always a cause for rejoicing. This was David’s sentiment. The occasion that led David to pen this Psalm was when Absalom his son usurped his throne, and he was fleeing from the palace. On the way he was abused, and accusations were hurled at him. Knowing his innocence, David then came to the Lord and boldly petitioned for help, all the while maintaining his integrity and uprightness before God.

The first line of the song tells us that David was sure that God, his Rock or Refuge, was his best chance at overcoming this crisis. And if God would not intervene he would be done for.  So lifting up his hands, he also lifted up his voice in supplication. His enemies as far as he was concerned were hypocritical. They spoke peace but harbour ill intention in their hearts. So David asked that they be justly dealt with according to all their wicked deeds. They even had the audacity to disregard the works of God. For that, David asked the Lord to tear down their works for their disrespect.  

In verses 6-7 David then praised God, for he was assured that God had heard his prayer. He would be his shield and strength. He was confident that God’s help was certain. So confident was he that he burst out rejoicing and singing. Assuredly and positively, he then petitioned that God would save and bless him. God would also save His people and would grant them the same blessing that He had given him. Like David, we should never be afraid to come to God for help. He is always ready to hear us and to come to our rescue. And when we have placed our request before God, we must act confidently. The best proof that we believe God will act, is seen in our gladness as we go about our other tasks. As we pray, we should also include the concern of others, and seek God’s help for them too.  

Psalm 27 – Trust in God even when our circumstances seem bleak

Together with Psalm 26 & 28, Psalm 27 is believed to be written by David when his son, Absalom, usurped his throne and he was fleeing for his life. We were told in 2 Samuel that at this point he was accused unkindly by his enemies, many of whom were from the camp of Saul. Even in those dark and lonely hours when he was maligned and misunderstood, he was confident that deliverance will come from the Lord. He knew that he would be delivered from the hand of all his enemies. He wrote this Psalm to comfort himself in the Lord.   

He began by expressing his confidence in Jehovah to himself. He asserted that there was nothing for him to fear because God was his light, his salvation and his strength. He came back to God’s past deliverance where he was saved from his vicious enemies. He recalled how God had delivered him from a whole host of them. Every one of them stumbled and fell before the intervention of the Lord. God’s faithfulness formed the foundation for his confidence in Him for all his future encounters. He was assured that God would not fail him and would come to his rescue. Hence he had no fear concerning what he might have to confront.   

The secret behind David’s confidence in the Lord was his desire for the Lord and his wholehearted trust in Him. This distinctive hunger for God had driven him passionately to seek His presence. David learned to encounter his foes from a position of “restedness” in the Lord and not from the restlessness of his soul. How to find rest in the Lord? When we encounter our difficult times, here are three things David show us we can do in the presence of the Lord. (1) We behold and contemplate His beauty; (2) we search out and discern His ways, weighing each one carefully on how to act on them; (3) and be still before Him, and in the secret of His presence discover the security only He can give. In those quiet moments in His tabernacle, we will be assured of security and firm footing, despite the relentless assaults of the enemies.

Having been assured of victory, David made a vow to return to the Tabernacle to offer his sacrifices to the Lord and to praise Him. David then break out into his petition to Jehovah in verses 7-12. In response to God’s call to seek His face, he came asking for His positive response toward him, and answer his prayer. Verses 9-10 show us how David must have felt at that moment. He felt so forsaken by loved ones. But He knew God was unlike them, He would in fact draw closer to those He loves. Here he was actually expressing his disappointment with those who forsook him in the time of his needs. David asked God to teach him, to show him and to lead him in the path that would be clear and certain. He knew that if he were to meander away from the path God had set for him, the enemies would overtake him. So he was actually asking for strength to stay on God’s guided route. He knew God would be able to protect him and not deliver him into the hands of his enemies.

Having experienced God’s unfailing help in his most distressing moments, David now encourage us through this song, not to grow weary or faint. But to courageously pursue God and find strength in Him. In times of our own difficult moments, we should not feel compelled to act hastily. We should instead wait before God, behold His beauty, and contemplate how to please Him. We will find strength in our hope in Him. Like what Isaiah 40:31 tells us, “Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”  Yes, we can pray to our great God, and then trust Him completely! 

Psalm 26 – God will vindicate the upright

In Psalm 26, David expressed his yearning that God would uphold his innocence of all the false charges brought against him. He must have felt the weight of the accusations hurled at him when he was fleeing from his own son Absalom. Remember the people from Saul’s house were saying all kinds of unkind things against him. David knew that the person who knew best concerning the situation was God Himself. So he turned and appealed to God to help clear his name. Bear in mind that people often look for scapegoat when things go wrong. We may be the victim of someone’s malicious scheme and is grossly misunderstood. God is the best refuge in such a situation. Like David we can always escape to Him to see our vindication.

Though not morally perfect, David was confident that as best as he knew how, he had lived an upright life and was innocent of the charges brought against him. One of David’s constant practices was to ever behold the Lord before him. Hence he was self-assured that the way he had conducted his life was ever before the eye of Jehovah, the ever present God. Hence, he could boldly assert his innocence for he was sure he had lived a life that could stand the most intense of divine scrutiny. He was sure that God could detect his guiltlessness concerning all the accusations. Three things marked out David’s attitude in life. (1) He had set the Lord and His lovingkindness ever before his eyes. (2) He had sought to walk in the truth of God. (3) And he abhorred all kinds of evil doers and had refused to fellowship with them.  

The only one desire that drove David’s life on was his strong determination to worship God, to be thankful to Him and to always give Him praise. And these he would do with a clear conscience. This was the attitude that had seen him often before the altar of God, lavishing Him with thanksgiving and praise. So in verses 8-11, David then chose to pray for favour. He asked to be spared by God. He knew that his hand was in God’s hand. Nothing could happen to him outside of God’s ordination. Nothing could be better than to abandon one’s life to God’s care in sweet surrender. He knew that God was merciful, unlike his enemies. Hence God would deliver him from the destructive intention of his enemies and he was sure of His deliverance.  

This Psalm urges us to live a life of integrity, seeking to walk blamelessly before God. When we do that, we will not be afraid of accusations that will be hurled against us. At all times, as best as we can, we should maintain an upright life wholeheartedly, and trust God to act on our behalf. He has said, “Vengeance is mine and I will repay it!” 

Psalms 25:11-22 –Approaching God boldly

Psalm 25:1-10 detailed for us David’s first petition to God. Now in verses 12-22 we see him making two more petitions to Him. A refection over what he said in these verses will reveal David’s character and desire in life. In his second petition recorded in verses 11-15, they show us that he was a man of contrite spirit. He recognized that God was fully cognizant of his life and conduct, and nothing concerning him was hidden from the Almighty. Refusing to minimize sin, he instead humbly sought God’s pardon. What David did clearly suggests to us that he had a strong desire to ensure that his relationship with God was always intact. He knew that rich blessings await one whose relationship with God is complete and unbroken.

So his rhetorical question in verse 12 points out the kind of person that God would bless. It’s true that the choice of pursuing a right relationship with God always ensure blessings. Verses 12-14 point us to the three-fold blessings for a person who fear the Lord. Firstly God will teach him His way; secondly, God will ensure richness to his soul; and thirdly his descendants will inherit the land. Besides, he will also know the secret of the Lord and His covenant. Like David, if we are to know God, understand His ways and benefit from being His covenant people, we need to have a reverential fear for Him. David expressed his confidence in God and was assured that He would deliver him from the snares laid by all his enemies.

In verses 16-22, David then began his third petition. It shows David’s reliance on the Lord, not only for himself but also for the nation of Israel. These verses show his deep anguish and affliction, but despite all the distress, he was confident that God would answer his prayer. All in all, Psalm 25 shows us how to approach God. We should never be afraid to come to Him in our weakness and vulnerability, for He knows us through and through. But we must come fixing our eyes on Him, and be assured that God is good and upright. Be assured that He is more than willing to teach and guide us when we fear and honor Him. He will forgive our sins when we come to Him in contrite heart and spirit. Our confidence that God will hear us does not rest in how well we have prayed, but how wonderful a God He is. It is His nature to answer the prayers of those who fear and honor Him. What a privilege for us!

Psalms 25:1-10 – Our upright God can be trusted

Psalm 25 provides us with a great example on what we need to do frequently as we make our spiritual journey with him. What led David to write this Psalm is not known, but in this song we see three Prayers that David made to God. Here he expressed his desire for mercy and deliverance. The first prayer is found in verses 1-10, the second in verses 11-15 and the third in verses 16-22.

This discussion will focus on his first prayer, in which he first addressed Jehovah God, the only true God worthy of honour. It was to this God that David lifted his soul. In doing that, David had in effect committed his life to God. He knew that God could be trusted with his life. He then began by asking to be safeguarded from his enemies. He asked that his enemies will not triumph over him, bringing shame to him. He was confident that none who put his trust in God will end in shame, but it could not be said of those who dealt treacherously without a just cause.

From asking for protection David then sought guidance from God. He asked to be shown God’s way and taught His path. Like David, we need to know that there are many ways to do life, but the best way to do it is God’s way. The wise diligently pursue God’s way and relentlessly act upon it. Why? Because God’s way is the only right and true way. Remembering that God is faithfully merciful, loving and kind, David asked to be dealt with according to those wonderful attributes of His. He knew that if God were to deal with him according to his sin he would have perished long ago.

None can plead innocence before God. He is fully acquainted with all our ways. Remember, in earlier Psalms, we are told that there is none righteous before God. And David knew that real well. Hence, he asked God not to keep score of his past sin, even those he had committed when he was young. He desired to be dealt with mercifully and graciously. With the thought of how merciful God is, David then burst into praise in verses 8-10.  God is good and will teach sinners the way to conduct life. God’s actions only proceed from Who He is. The humble or meek will be guided in making the right decision because God will show them the truth, and help them choose that way. It is an undisputed fact that God’s path only lead to mercy and truth. One thing we can be assured of is this: Our God is reliable and will steadfastly guide and direct us into His ways of truth. So let us ask Him!