Hello Church,
it is a joy to be here with you all tonight.
We are going to continue pushing on through the Old Testament tonight.
We will begin the book of Psalms tonight, and I believe it will be a timely study.
You know our world is certainly uncertain.
I have noticed anxiety and even debilitating stress coming over people because of all that is happening, that is out of our control.
This is happening among God’s people, emotions are high, and many are acting on emotion and irrationality.
Some are just simply getting up and moving out of state because they believe California is the problem.
It is interesting however, I can say almost all of the people who have reacted this way have reached out to me and said they wished they did not leave.
The old saying, “the grass is not greener on the other side,” is so true.
But you see as we journey through the Psalms together, we will see a range of emotion in the Psalmists, Plural, mostly from King David, but others will write as well.
And we will see often, as the Psalmist is writing and working through often severe trials and circumstances, that the writer will be very vulnerable with his doubts and inner struggles, but in most cases, he will conclude with the vastness of our God, the reality that God sits high above it all, and is in total control.
No matter what circumstances we are faced with in this life, this reality is always true, God is in total control.
So, just a few things before we get into Psalms 1…
The Hebrew title of the Book of Psalms is “Tehillim: which means “Book of Praise.”
This is what Psalms really are, they are praise songs for Israel, kind of a Jewish Hymnal.
As we go through them, we will even see many of our modern worship is inspired by this Jewish Hymnal.
All that is left for us today is the lyrics of these praise songs. Really that is pretty cool because God leaves it to each generation to add the music to these words.
Some of you who have been in the Church for 20 or 30 years might remember some of those old worship songs straight from the Jewish Hymnal. As I mentioned earlier, the Psalms were written out in many circumstances and situations that are extraneous to humanity.
They will teach us how to relate to God through many of the human emotions and experiences that we might face.
About two-thirds of the 150 Psalms have a superscription before the Psalm begins.
73 of them attribute the Psalm to David.
Remember what David wrote of himself at the end of his life in
2 Sam 23:1 Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
Other writers who will be included in this collection of Psalms, there is Korah, Asaph, Solomon, Ethan, and even Moses.
The 150 Psalms are separated into five different books, Chapters 1-41 are Book 1,
Book 2 is Chapters 42-72,
Book 3 is 73-89,
Book 4 is Chapters 90-106,
and lastly the fifth Book will be 107-150.
The first three books all end with a double “amen.”
The fourth book ends with an “amen” and a “hallelujah.”
The last book closes out the Psalms with a “Hallelujah.”
Psalms are included with Job as a book of Hebrew Poetry.
Remember Hebrew poetry did not rhyme but instead conveyed thought, and often through repetition.
So let’s pray, and ask the Lord to speak to us as we now embark on our study of the Psalms.
So the first Psalm is titled “The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly.”
It will be a contrast of humanity… Verse 1 now… The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law, he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
The very first word of the Book of Psalms is a powerful one.
Blessed, which means happy, and if you have a newer Bible Translation in your lap tonight, it might even read Happy. Happy is the man…
That is an interesting statement, happiness seems to be the quest for man, we are always looking for happiness.
People justify their divorce over this quest, “I just want to be happy, and God wants me to be happy, so I am doing this for myself.”
Some make a move, “I think I will be happy in Texas,” and off they go.
The happiest place on earth is supposedly Disneyland.
And maybe on the way in it is, everyone waiting in line to enter the park has smiles as they wait in anticipation.
But what that park does to families is anything but happiness.
Liz and I like to catch the Parade at the end of the day, and by then the parents are all trying to find a place to sit, their hair is frazzled, their eyes are weary, their kids are screaming from an overdose of cotton candy and churros, not to mention the stomach aches from all the greasy food, the sun burns from standing in line for 2 hours to enjoy yourself for a minute and a half on a ride.
Dad is sitting there thinking of all the overtime he will have to work to make up for the thousand-dollar day at the happiest place on earth.
The happiest place on earth, yeah right, only on your Instagram picture with Mickey Mouse, with the caption “funnest day ever,” did you smile.
My favorite part of the day is there on Main Street watching the full effect of this supposedly happy place.
We always try to bribe our grandkids in that last moment with ice cream, please be good, they promise, but the sugar from that ice cream is what sends them over the top, and we have to call it a day.
But people search for happiness in all kinds of things, in an abundance of possessions, in their many relationships, maybe through vices like drugs and alcohol.
Some go from party to party looking to feel something happy, only to find themselves sick and dismayed in the mourning.
Well, the Psalmist gives us the answer here in a negative, you can only find happiness by not walking in the counsel of this world, by not standing with sinners, not sitting with the scornful.
We are instructed to choose our crowd wisely if we are truly to find the blessed life or happiness, genuine happiness.
It will not come from running with worldly-minded people who have no regard or desire for God. This world’s ways will always lead to more trouble…
Prov. 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Prov. 16:2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits.
Because of this reality of man’s futile wisdom, the Psalmist declares boldly that a person will find happiness when they delight in the Law of God.
When we delight in His Word, meditate on it, and obey it, there is where we will find happiness, true and lasting happiness.
When you talk to a miserable Christian, the first thing I like to find out is what their devotional life is like.
And almost always, when a person’s life is falling apart, it is because they are not in God’s Word any longer and they have begun to now seek the counsel of this world for the decisions in their lives.
The Psalmist says the person who delights in God’s Word is strong and secure, like a tree planted by the river, with an abundant source of water and nutrients.
Understand when we stay away from the counsel of the world, our heathen co-workers, our debased old friends, our unsaved family members, and instead stay planted in God’s Word, you will have deep roots and like that tree by the river, you will be strong.
Your leaves will not wither, and I don’t know about you, but when someone is truly happy, there is a beauty that is about them that draws you in.
It does not matter what body type, what hairstyle, what outfit a person has, when their happiness shines forth like a tree in full bloom, it just stands out in this hopeless world.
Wonderful fruit comes from such a person.
The Psalmist will now contrast this starting in verse 4… 4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the ungodly, there are no such promises of security or happiness.
The person who lives apart from God, who trusts in themselves, or in their own education, science, or something other than God, the Bible calls them ungodly.
In contrast to the secure, deeply rooted, towering tree, the ungodly are likened to the chaff which the wind drives away.
When they were harvesting the wheat and separating the corn or the fruit from the waste, they would toss the wheat up in the air, and the breeze would take the chaff or waste away, leaving the cornel to fall to the ground.
The unsaved person is at the mercy of the forces of this world, going to and fro, swept away by the many winds of false doctrine blowing through.
Although they have convinced themselves they are in control of their lives, the reality is they are controlled by the whims of this world.
J.B. Philipps writes, “Such are the forces at work in the life of the ungodly. They are satanic forces, wielded by ‘the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.’ The unsaved man doesn’t believe in Satan or in evil spirits. His education has taught him to believe only in what he can test with his senses, but these are invisible forces and the pressure they exert is secret pressure. The ungodly man is not the master of his own soul, the captain of his own destiny. He is being relentlessly driven. He is as powerless against these forces as the chaff is before the wind. That is how God describes the ungodly.”
When we come to Christ, and we are continually in His Word, then we have a correct bearing in this word.
The scriptures say in Eph. 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
And in this final verse of the first Psalm, the contrast is made…
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
If you are in Jesus tonight, in Christ, God not only knows your steps, but He also orders them.
Ps 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
God has your life in His Hands.
Now the ungodly have no such assurance, simply stated here, they will perish, there is no peace with God.
And every man has a choice if they are to be righteous or ungodly… Jesus declared in Matt 7:13-13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
The right way is not always the easy way, but it is the way to find blessing.
God’s Word does not guarantee our happiness, but it does show us the way to attain it, through obedience to His Word.
Every person has a choice in the way they will go, but understand disobedience is costly.
Psalm 2
So, let’s consider the second Psalm now, which is given the title in the New King James Version, “The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom.”
This Psalm will be prophetic in nature,
the first Psalm focused on the Law of God, or the Word of God, and Psalm 2 will focus on those who are in opposition to the Word of God.
This powerful Psalm is quoted at least 18 times in the New Testament.
It is attributed to David because the disciples accredited him to these words in their praise in Acts 4:25 “who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things?”
Verse 1 now… The Messiah's Triumph and Kingdom (Acts 4:23-31)
2:1 Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 3 "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us."
This Psalm is depicting the end of the age, a final battle against the King of kings and Lord of lords, when the enemies of Christ gather in the Valley of Megiddo.
Also known as Armageddon, there they will have seen the sign of the Son in the clouds, and they intend to come against Him in war.
One Bible commentator,
John Walvoord, depicts Christ’s second coming as a full-day event, as the earth rotates on its axis, the entire world will see the terrifying descent of the King of the ages who will ultimately set His foot on the Mt. of Olives, splitting it in two.
As the world watches this mighty heavenly Being descends on a white horse, with His army in tow on white horses as well, they will gather for battle.
It will be a vain attempt, certainly an empty ambition, at that point in human history God’s judgment can't be held back any longer.
The Lord of Glory will return and establish His Kingdom once and for all, and take back what rightly belongs to Him;
that which He paid for with His own blood.
The point of this Psalm is that rebellion against God’s Grace is the ultimate form of insanity.
David marveled at the rebellion of this world, the spirit of antichrist that has been at work in this world since his day, and that is clearly seen all the more in our day.
Our nation has been blessed by God, beyond any other in history because of our founding principles being based heavily upon the Word of God, providing a measure of freedom that this world has never seen before.
But what has happened overtime, the spirit of the antichrist that works in conjunction with the ruler of this world, the prince and power of the air, Satan himself has beaten back heavily those founding principles.
And now today, we are seeing even our own nation join in the rage against God and His Word.
It stands in proud arrogance to every principle found in God’s Word.
It has culturally normalized murder, murder of the most innocent of humanity, the babes in a mother’s womb.
It mocks God’s institution of marriage.
It teaches its children to dishonor their parents, and it rejoices in the breakdown of the family unit. It stands for pleasure and enslaves people in this pursuit.
It empowers the people to think they are gods themselves, able to do as they desire, calling every debased lifestyle good if that is what you want to do.
Our country and culture have joined in this vain rage against God.
Then in verse 4, we read… 4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. 5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: 6 "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion."
This is not cheerful laughter, this is more of a laughter that comes in light of “Are you kidding me.”
In the final battle, the battle of all battles, man will bring all that he can muster up, its nuclear arsenal will be pointed skyward.
And from heavens viewpoint, the man who has really the base understandings of an Atom or nuclear power will challenge the One who has held every Atom together.
A star breathing God will look down and laugh, at what might look like an ant colony taking up arms against a man with a blow torch.
Puny little man, thinking he is so big, and with that early mindset of Babel, trying to take on the Divine, they will fail miserably.
John Philips writes, “As though man - who’s orbited some hardware in space… can compete with a God who has orbited a hundred million galaxies! As though man – who has solved a few subtleties of the atom, and managed to scare himself half to death in the process - can compete
with a God who stokes the nuclear fires of a billion stars!
No wonder He that sits in the heavens simply laughs.”
Look now at verse 7… 7 "I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.'"
This is the proclamation of the Father to Jesus, His Only Begotten Son.
The writer of Hebrews quoted this to prove the Deity of Jesus.
Heb. 1:5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You"? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"?
When John Baptized Jesus we read…
Matt 3:16-17 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
In that Day of Wrath, the Father will grant the Son the title Judge of all the earth, and He will come as a conqueror and shall dash His enemies to pieces.
Verse 10 now… 10 Now, therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear And rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest He is angry, And you perish in the way When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
So a final warning to the wise and leaders of this world.
They are to be instructed by this warning, to turn to the Lord and serve Him while it is still possible.
Kiss the Son now or be crushed by His judgment later.
Blessed or happy are those who put their trust in Him…
Let’s get into the third Psalm now, entitled “The Lord Helps His Troubled People” which is attributed to David during the period in his life when he was forced to vacate the throne and hand it over to his wretched son Absalom.
David had promised that throne to his and Bathsheba’s son, Solomon. Absalom however was the more logical choice, he was a pure royal bloodline and not attached to the shame of the wicked schemes of his parents.
Absalom along with many other insurrectionists thought he was the better option. But he was not God’s choice.
However, David was forced for a time out of his kingdom by a younger version of royalty, a good-looking, smooth-talking prince, who was now claiming to be a king.
Surrounded by young warriors that were perhaps a picture of David and his mighty men many years earlier.
David crossed the Kidron Valley and went to the Judean Mountains to regroup.
Looking back at the city set on a hill, he could only wait to see what his arrogant son might do.
Perhaps he would soon be coming out of that city with many times the warriors David had, leading them into battle.
David’s spirit was defeated, discouraged, and overwhelmed. And in the midst of this perilous time, he wrote, starting in verse 1… The Lord Helps His Troubled People A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son. 3:1 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. 2 Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah
(What do you think of that?) The king was in serious distress when he wrote this Psalm. Not only was Absalom his own son betraying him, but even some of his most trusted friends and advisors.
Old foes were empowered against him. Let’s look back at 2 Sam. 16:5-8 Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 8 The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!"
People were starting to think that God was even against David, it emboldened the ambitions of his enemies.
There seemed to be no help for David.
David’s soul was heavy, he was abandoned by family and by close friends, and he was accused and even cursed.
I don’t know if you have ever felt the pain of betrayal, of false accusations, of counselors continuously plotting behind your back, but it is paralyzing in life.
So what is a person to do when these debilitating things happen, well look at what David realizes?
3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. 4 I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
Even though the voices that were supposed to be in his life for support were now working against him, when the accusations were being made that God was no longer with him, David knew otherwise.
David knew that the Lord was His shield, and what a timely reality.
Maybe you need to hear this tonight, the Lord is your shield.
The first time I remember experiencing something like this as a child of God was on the job site.
I had a superintendent who hired me and knew me from the world, and he witnessed the change in my life when I was converted.
And he liked me more when I was an unreliable, unpredictable, filthy pagan than when I was a loyal, on-time, hardworking Christ-filled employee.
He simply hated Christians, he had his reasons, but he took it out on me.
And although he was my immediate boss, in spite of him always working against me, I was still promoted within the company, and we had one of the fastest and hardworking crews.
Simply said, we made money for the owner, and even though every day my superintendent would come after me, God was my shield.
Now, all these years in ministry, I have had many deceitful men and women try to come and tear me and my wife down.
And sometimes these people were influential members of the church, but God was always our shield.
Even to this day, God is my shield.
That brings such security to me as a pastor, because I know no matter what is happening in the background, what works are coming against the ministry, God will ultimately be the One who determines what happens to me.
Maybe you are in a place tonight where the world is coming against you, even your friends are coming against you, family, may these words sink in, and may you take on the mindset of David during his peril.
Consider
Rom 8:31-39 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake, we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
David cried out to the Lord and it quenched the fiery doubts of the enemy, and all the negative voices, because he knew that God was his shield.
God lifted his head in the midst of it all.
God is for you tonight if you are for Him.
What a great measure of peace that brings to our lives.
Look now at verse 5…
5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousand of people Who have set themselves against me all around.
I don’t know if this happens to you, but for me, when the voices of doubt are swirling in my head when people’s words and accusations cut deep, I lay there tormented all night by their words.
How many nights have you been restlessly awake tormented by the words or comments of others?
We give people too much power over our lives.
People kill themselves over what someone else comments on their social media page.
Words have power.
But like David, when the reality that God is my shield hits my heart, peace overwhelms me, I find rest.
David understood his God and was able to find peace enough to sleep that terrible night, knowing that the Lord would sustain him.
He was refreshed in the Lord, he had no more fear, even if 10,000 mighty warriors surrounded him, God was enough for him to find peace.
Then he prays now in verse 7…
7 Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah
Understand something here, David looked back at his life, perhaps remembering when he faced that enormous giant from Gath, he remembered when he was fleeing from Saul and just desperate, and all the battles that he had since.
God was victorious in them all, and in his current trial, God will bring about salvation again.
This time would be no different, and with great assurance from the witness of his past, he cried out to God to save him, God’s blessing is upon His people.
You are His tonight, I hope you are anyway.
David’s confidence can be our confidence.
In our times of trial, when our enemies attack, remember and recognize all that God has done in your life thus far.
He is most definitely not done with you.
Draw your strength in the fact that God will be the same for you today as He was yesterday.
This was David’s pattern from even early on in his life, from his youth when he faced Goliath it was the victories from his past that gave him the courage to move ahead.
He told King Saul, in
1 Sam 17:37 "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
Church remember what He has done, never let fear be your motivation in your life, don’t let fear drive your decisions, let faith, faith in your God direct your steps.
So, let’s move on now to the fourth Psalm, titled “The Safety of the Faithful.” A Psalm of David.
He writes this one to the Chief Musician, who is named for us in…
1 Chron. 15:22 Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was an instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful;
So, it seems David wanted this particular Psalm to be taught for public worship in the nation of Israel.
Look now at verse 1…
The Safety of the Faithful To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments.
A Psalm of David.
4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
You have relieved me in my distress has an interesting meaning in the Hebrew language, meaning to enlarge.
This is comparable to
James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
As David endured through various difficult seasons, it was enlarging him as a man of God.
James tells us that our trials are producing in us patience, which in turn is having a perfect work in us in building or enlarging our own character in Christ.
David knew without a doubt that God was with him and he often prayed with this confidence, that God would hear him.
Ps 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.
Now David will speak to those who are coming against him…
verse 2…
2 How long, O you sons of men, Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness And seek falsehood? Selah 3 But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him.
David has something to say to those who are working against him.
It was the Lord that set apart for Himself him who is godly, those who have a relationship with the Lord.
We are set apart to Him, set apart for Him, and by Him, and because of this, He hears our prayers.
He is near to those who call upon Him.
God is not distant from you tonight, call upon Him, and He will hear you.
Look at verse 4 now…
4 Be angry and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness And put your trust in the Lord.
David is reminding himself to keep the right attitude, talking to himself, I do this often, and am comforted by David talking to himself here.
But he is reminding himself to keep the correct mindset and actions while being accused and cursed by the ungodly.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul said something similar…
Eph. 4:26-27 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.
There are things that should upset us, but they should not give way to sin in our response.
Trust the Lord even in your anger, and exercise self-control in our measured responses to those who would sin against us.
6 There are many who say, "Who will show us any good?" Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. 7 You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased. 8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
David says that he has peace and can sleep, and safety and peace, true peace, lasting peace is only found in the Lord.
It is thought that David wrote this Psalm and the next all while Absalom’s coup was taking place.
David had peace and rest in the Lord.
Prov. 3:21-24 My son, let them not depart from your eyes — Keep sound wisdom and discretion; 22 So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck. 23 Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
So let’s finish out tonight with the fifth Psalm, entitled “A Prayer for Guidance.”
I wonder what Joab and the mighty warriors thought when all this chaos is ensuing, and the battle was certain, and their fearless leader was sitting there writing music.
He was a tender man, but don’t think for a moment this made him less fierce on the battlefield.
Worship was how he readied himself for the battle.
A Prayer for Guidance
To the Chief Musician. With flutes.
A Psalm of David.
5:1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. 2 Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray. 3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will lookup.
David, who was called a man after God’s own heart, seems to begin his days with worship.
There is something precious about morning worship, starting the day with the right heart.
Meditating on our God.
Try to make your early morning intake be scriptures and worship, before the news or social media influence.
This practice will radically impact your day.
Verse 4 now…
4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. 5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. 6 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. 7 But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You, I will worship toward Your holy temple. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.
The wicked and rebellious have no place before God, not until a person responds to the leading of the Holy Spirit and repents of their sins, and is Born Again, will they be able to fellowship with God.
As believers, we are able to come right into the presence of God to worship Him and talk with Him.
Heb. 4:16 Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
This is our reality, our privileged position as believers, yet the reality of the wicked is contrasted here by David next.
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue. 10 Pronounce them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels; Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, For they have rebelled against You.
The faithless have no position before God, no place before Him.
David was being maligned by those who had no faithfulness in their mouths.
He asks God to deal with them and to pronounce them guilty.
And he will end this Psalm with this touching statement about the life of a child of God.
Verse 11…
11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. 12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor, You will surround him as with a shield.
You see we believers should be the most joyful people around.
Charles Spurgeon says here,
“You have permission for joy. You have here a ticket to the banquets of joy. You may be as happy as ever you like. You have divine permission to shout for joy.”
What a contrast to too much of the melancholy and whiny worship that comes out today.
That word rejoice is such an exciting word.
I have loved that word.
It means to take joy. You see God has a continual supply, a generous supply of joy, but we have to receive it, take it, grab the joy that God has for us.
The Joy of the Lord is our strength.
Christian be encouraged by this tonight.
Though you may have many adversaries, you have a God who has given us an assurance of salvation, a promised victory over sin and death.
He has promised us not only life but life abundantly.
He is your shield and your reward. May you find strength and peace in that understanding tonight?
Let’s pray…
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