“The Beatific Vision” – Psalm 8:1-9
In this Psalm David looks at the stars in the sky and is overcome with the glory and greatness of God. He is in awe of the position and honor God has given to man. This Psalm is also prophetic of the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. This week we will be looking at the overall theme of the Psalm which is the glory of God. What does it mean to glorify God? Psalm 8 speaks of the majesty and…
“The Destructive Nature of Sin” – Psalm 7:12-17
David continues to discuss the judgment of God against the wicked, specifically those who are slandering him. The imminence of God’s judgment demands immediate repentance David has just finished expressing how God is just and has a righteous anger against those who do evil. He now describes what will happen to those who do not repent. God’s judgment is as imminent as an arrow from a drawn bow. It only takes one more step into evil for God to unleash…
“Finding Life” – Luke 24:1-12
As the women approach the tomb they are met by angels who ask them why they are looking for the living among the dead. This is an excellent question that we will consider. Our condition All human beings intrinsically know that something is not right. We know that our world is not the way it should be. We know that there is something “off” with ourselves as well. Many times we experience situations like the death of a loved one,…
“A Cry for Justice” – Psalm 7:6-11
David has laid his case before the Lord and waited for God’s judgment. He feels vindicated by the Lord and now calls on God to judge the wicked who are slandering him. Calling on God for justice David calls on God to uphold His laws and decrees. God has declared these things to be wicked and punishable. David here says that his prayer is what all God’s people are praying for. You can see this in Revelation 6:10 where God’s…
“Responding to Slander” – Psalm 7:1-5
Background This is a “rambling poem” of David. It covers many different rambling thoughts, but the main circumstance that David is singing about is the slander of Cush. We do not have this incident recorded for us in Scripture, so we do not know if this was while Saul was king or after David became king. Either way, Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin so there was always some level of animosity towards David from the Benjamites. David tried…
“Overwhelming Grief” – Psalm 6
Background This Psalm of David was to be played upon a stringed instrument that was an octave lower than normal. It would be comparable to a cello. The song is one of distress, and a lower musical accompaniment adds to the melancholy feeling. We do not know the exact background of the psalm; all we know is that David is having a difficult time. This could be because of his sin, some sickness, the loss of a loved one, some…
Joy in the Midst of Difficulties – Psalm 5:8-12
Last week we left off with David’s desire to avoid evil. He acknowledged God’s hatred of evil and his fear of God. We saw how David was allowed in God’s presence because of God’s grace and mercy, not David’s righteousness. Prayer for guidance David must walk through this life surrounded by enemies who are seeking his downfall. Because of this he asks God to guide him and make his way plain. The pitfalls in life are many. We need God…
“Morning Prayers” – Psalm 5:1-7
Background This Psalm is a song that is sung in the morning. It is written by David. It is intended to be accompanied by a flute. David seeks the Lord in prayer The Psalm begins with David imploring the Lord to hear his prayer. The phrasing in the Hebrew is that David like a general is arranging his prayer like troops for the battle. He is directing his prayer in such a way that it will be heard. He then…
How to Respond to Hatred – Psalm 4
Background David wrote this Psalm. Some scholars believe Psalm 3 was written in the morning as David escaped Absalom, and that Psalm 4 was written that evening. This is why the Psalm is sometimes called “An Evening Psalm.” It appears to be written before David goes to sleep, and the content is very similar to Psalm 3. The song was written for the head of the temple choir. It was written to be sung by the musical accompaniment of stringed…
“Our Confidence in God while being Attacked” – Psalm 3:1-8
Last week we looked at the background to Psalm 3; this week we will be looking at the actual text. Psalm 3 is a four verse hymn in Hebrew. Stanza 1 (3:1-2) Betrayal and enmity David has been betrayed by his son and every moment more and more people turn against him. Jesus experienced the same thing. Not only did Judas betray Him, but all the adoring crowds that shouted praises at His entry to Jerusalem turned and shouted for…