“As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed.” -Psalm 30:6–7 Here David appears to be drawing on the Law, the Pentateuch, for his theology. At the end of the book of Deuteronomy, […]
The Holy Work of Chastisement
“Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” -Psalm 30:4–5 Instead of begrudging God’s chastisement, we should give praise and […]
Restored to Life
“O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.” -Psalm 30:3 “Sheol,” strictly speaking, refers to the afterlife. Much like the Greek idea of Hades. The “pit” is merely a synonym for the same concept. Here Sheol and pit are […]
God Hears Our Prayers
“O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” -Psalm 30:2 Answers to prayer such as David experienced are faith building. Apparently, David was on the verge of death and directed his supplications solely to the Lord, who heard him and healed him. David knew he had not prayed […]
Drawn Up by the Lord
“I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.” -Psalm 30:1 The first five verses of the Psalm describe David’s rescue from the pit, his deliverance from death itself, the place the Jews called Sheol. The expression “drawn up” is the Hebrew, דָּלָה […]
David’s Temple Dedication Song
“A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple. I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord, you have brought up my […]
The Lord is King Forever
“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” -Psalm 29:10–11 The storm which incited David to write this psalm of praise to the Lord appears to have included a flood. It’s also possible […]
The Voice of the Lord
“The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon to skip […]
The Glory Due His Name
“Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” -Psalm 29:1–2 A reading of the entire psalm seems to indicate a mighty thunderstorm had swept the land of Israel. David’s response to the […]
A Shepherd Forever
“The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.” -Psalm 28:8–9 The prayer is now extended to the people of Israel, that the Lord would save them and be their shepherd who carries […]
Blessed be the Lord!
Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. -Psalm 28:6–7 To bless the Lord is to adore or to […]
The Joy of Imprecation
Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward. Because they do not regard the works of the Lord or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up […]
Mercy Granted
“Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts.” – Psalm 28:3 The day of judgment is a moral necessity but consignment with the wicked would be a terrible end as well as an obvious miscarriage of justice. That […]
Empty-handed
“Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.” -Psalms 28.2 The idea is continued from verse one. David is seeking the Lord’s ear to plead his case for mercy. In verse two, the tension builds with “I […]
Be Not Deaf to Me!
To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. -Psalm 28:1 (ESV) David supplicates the Lord to hear his prayer. To be like those who go down to the pit (to Sheol) is to […]
Credo: I Believe!
“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” -Psalm 27:13–14 David concludes the psalm with a personal confession, a credo: “I believe…” The modern church is often guilty of […]
The Relevance of the Psalms
“Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.” -Psalm 27:11–12 If we read the Psalms frequently, or in pericopes, as we do here, we […]
The Lord Will Take Us In
“Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; […]
Sing and Make Melody to the Lord
“And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.” -Psalm 27:6 David’s response to God’s faithfulness over his enemies and goodness in lifting his head up above his enemies […]
Jesus Will Save Us
“For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.” -Psalm 27:5 There is no shame in worshipping the Lord because he is the source of all blessings (James 1:17) and offers the greatest […]
Single Minded
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” -Psalm 27:4 David longs for the constant presence of The Lord, which […]
Not Even an Army
“Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.” -Psalm 27:3 This is worth meditating on without much comment. Even the very presence of the enemy, if an army should surround him and have him cornered, it would not shake David’s faith in […]
The Enemy’s Harvest
“When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.” -Psalm 27:2 The assailing (violent concerted attack) of the evildoers is pictured as “eating up” David’s flesh. David has used this metaphor before: “Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people […]
A Short New Year’s Sermon
Of course, we’re all thinking about the New Year. And with 2020 finally wrapping up, I’m sure there are a lot of folks longing to archive this year as “one for the books.” But what will 2021 be like? Will it be better? We certainly hope so. On the other hand, this election debacle is […]
Whom Shall I Fear?
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.” -Psalm 27:1–2 Though the psalm ends with another petition […]
The Level Ground of Grace
“But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.” -Psalm 26:11–12 The psalm seems to employ an inclusio, where the conclusion circles back to address the introduction. Recall how the psalm begins: […]
Living a Full Life
Does a full schedule mean a full (a.k.a good) life? If the not, the question becomes what is the relationship between a full schedule and a full life? Or, why do we try to fit so much into our schedules? If the calendar is to time what a budget is to money, how should you […]
A Word on Biblical Separation
“Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.” -Psalm 26:9–10 The ESV translates the Hebrew expression “Do not sweep my soul away with sinners.” The KJV renders it “Gather not my soul with sinners.” The […]
Honest Worship
“I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds. O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.” -Psalm 26:6–8 In contrast to his refusal to associate with the assembly of evildoers, David loved the […]
Innocent by Lack of Association
“I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.” -Psalm 26:4–5 Who we choose to associate with says a lot about the condition of our own hearts. And David professes his innocence and his integrity by […]
Gloria in Excelsis Deo!
“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I […]
Vindicate Me!
“Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.” -Psalm 26:1–3 David seems to have been falsely […]
Redeem Israel, O God
“Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.” -Psalm 25:22 The prayer for deliverance is strongly connected to the psalmist’s confession of the Lord’s righteousness and of his own sinfulness. And as the covenant head of the nation, David’s sins and troubles directly affect the people of Israel (1 Chronicles 21:1-14) as much as […]
The Preservation of Integrity and Uprightness
“Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; For he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; For I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; And […]
Ever Toward the Lord
“Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; For he shall pluck my feet out of the net.” -Psalm 25:15 The image of the net reveals something of the stickiness of David’s situation. To have one’s feet caught in the net implies the danger is not merely imminent but it has been realized. He is presently […]
When God is a Friend
“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” -Psalm 25:14 (ESV) “The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.” -Psalm 25:14 (NIV) “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show […]
The Blessings of Fearing the Lord
“Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.” -Psalm 25:12–13 No only does the Lord instruct the one who fears him and lead him in the way he should go. This […]
The Man Who Fears the Lord
“Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.” -Psalm 25:12 The line is framed in such a way as to raise some doubt or concern about the prevalence of such a man. Men who fear the Lord are not easily found. But if a […]
Pardon For Your Name’s Sake
“For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.” -Psalm 25:11 It is for the Lord’s name’s sake that David petitions a pardon. That is, he asks on account of the Lord’s character which is simultaneously immensely just and immensely merciful. In his humility (cf. vss. 8-10), he recognizes the greatness […]
The Paths of the Lord
“All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.” -Psalm 25:10 Sinful humans need the gracious guidance of the Lord but not all will receive it. As the psalmist noted previously (18:26), “with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you […]
He Instructs Sinners in the Way
“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.” -Psalm 25:8–9 The conjunctive adverb, therefore, acts as the hing to this thought. Because the Lord is good and upright he instructs sinners in the way. It’s what […]
Remember and Remember Not!
“Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!” -Psalm 25:6–7 David prays for pardon of his transgressions, particular those sins of his […]
You Are the God of my Salvation
“Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” -Psalm 25:4–5 Echoing the previous verse, David asks the Lord to lead him because he is the God of […]
Make Me Know Your Ways
“Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” -Psalm 25:4 The beauty of simplicity characterizes David’s prayer in this verse. As a parallelism, it emphasizes the point. We need God’s help to know the way of the Lord. It is too high for us, too clean, and too good. Contrary to […]
The Enemies of God
“Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.” -Psalm 25:3 Enemies are ever-present in David’s life. He cannot escape them and neither can the reader of the Davidic psalms. In every case, their victory would mean great shame as it would discredit everything he […]
O My God, in You I Trust!
“O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.” -Psalm 25:2 David is a man who in his distress longs for The Lord to deliver him from enemies who would delight in his downfall. But his hope in the Lord is his sustenance. […]
To You, O Lord!
“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” -Psalm 25:1 The psalm is written as an acrostic; that is each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is further divided into three sections of seven verses with the final verse acting as a capstone in which David pleads for Israel […]
The Lord of Glory
“Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory […]
What the Believer Will Receive
“He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah” -Psalm 24:5–6 The one with “clean hands and pure heart,” who worships God in spirit and in truth will be blessed […]
An Entrance to the Throne of Grace
“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.” -Psalm 24:3–4 There are echoes of Psalm 15 in David’s question and answer here. […]