Chapter 26

(Verses 1 through 3) Judge me, O LORD, for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD: therefore I shall not slide. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes: I have walked in Thy truth.

Here David asks the LORD for judgment, not condemnation, as judgment is often considered, but consideration and vindication. Although David surely knew that his way was not perfect before the LORD, (for he often confessed his sins and transgressions,) he knew that he was striving to walk in his integrity, and he trusted in the LORD for that which he could not do for himself. Remember that the Apostle Paul declared strongly, in the seventh chapter of the Roman Letter, that we neither do, nor can do, the things we would and should in the service of the Lord, because of the weakness of the flesh. Yet, when addressing those on the ship that was taking him to Rome , (Acts 27:23) he said, “There stood by me this night the angel of God, Whose I am, and Whom I serve.” This is the same claim made by David at this point. He was striving to walk in his integrity, and he did trust in the LORD. This is the light in which his entire declaration in this psalm is to be seen. Remember that Paul has told us, (Romans 7:25 ,) “So then with the mind I myself serve the law of the Lord; but with the flesh the law of sin.” This will apply to everyone who is sincerely striving to serve the Lord by walking in his integrity and putting his trust in the LORD. Notice that David did not say, “my integrity will keep me from sliding,” but “I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.” The firmness of our footing in the pathway of righteousness depends, not upon our integrity, but upon our trust in the LORD. He then asks that the LORD will examine him, even to his heart. As Paul pointed out in our last quotation from him, the purposes and thoughts of our hearts are more the criteria for the Lord’s assessment of our service than are the actions themselves. So David declares that his eyes are set upon the loving kindness of the LORD. That is, this is that for which he strives; and in so doing he walks in the truth of the LORD.

(Verses 4 through 7) I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked. I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass Thine altar, O LORD: that I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Thy wondrous works.

We sometimes hear someone say, “I just don’t know whether or not I love the Lord. I wish I had some way to know for sure about this.” This really seems to be what is often called a “cop out.” But, if one really is unsure of this in his mind, let him examine what David has here said, and ask himself a question. David says, “I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.” He does not mean that he has never sat down beside a vain person. The dictionary gives quite a long list of meanings for “vain;” but, since we are only concerned with “vain persons,” we shall consider only those meanings that apply to persons: “light minded; foolish; silly; proud of petty things or of trifling attainments; having a foolish craving for the admiration or applause of others; puffed up; inflated; conceited.” From this it is obvious that to completely avoid such persons, it would be as the Apostle Paul said, (I Corinthians 5:16 ) “For then ye must needs go out of the world.” However, David is not saying that he has never had any contact with such persons, but that he has not “sat with” them, or been part of their council as they planned their activities. Instead, he has, when possible avoided their company. The same thing is true with dissemblers. Of course, a dissembler is one who dissembles. The meaning of “dissemble” is given thus: “to hide under an assumed manner; to conceal or disguise by false outward show; to hide by false pretenses.” So, although he cannot completely avoid such persons while in this world, he will not “go in with them,” or take any part with them in their plans or activities: neither will he “sit with” the wicked. As pointed out above, He will have no part with them in their plans and deliberations. The question for us is, “Do we feel as did David about these persons and their activities?” If so, we can therein find comfort and assurance; for with the mind we are serving the law of God, though we may, indeed be far from perfect in some of the things we do, and may have sorrow because of our weaknesses. But if our view of these evildoers is the same as that expressed by David, we do love the Lord: and of one thing we can be sure; if we love Him, He first loved us. As David continues, he declares his intention to “wash my hands in innocency,” that is, to avoid sin with as much strength and determination as the LORD will give him; and thus he can compass, or approach, the altar of the LORD. His purpose in approaching God’s altar is that he “may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Thy wondrous works.” This should also be our purpose as we attempt to worship the Lord.

(Verses 8 through 10) LORD, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy honor dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: in whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

What a contrast between “the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy honor dwelleth,” and the company of sinners and bloody men. The fellowship of the LORD’S house and the place where He is honored has been so wonderful, not only to David, but also to all that love the LORD that, surely, our prayer would be the same as that of David; “Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men.” This may be David’s prayer that we be not caught up with them when the Lord comes to bring judgment upon them; but it seems, rather, to be his desire that the LORD will not suffer us to be put in a position where we will have to associate with them while we live here. Because their hands are always ready to cause mischief. Indeed that is what they are constantly striving to do; and they think that by bribery they can accomplish all their evil designs. So he prays that he not be gathered with them.

(Verses 11 and 12) But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregation will I bless the LORD.

David’s confidence in the LORD is such that, after thus praying for deliverance from the wicked, he declares, “I will walk in mine integrity.” That is, “I will put forth every effort to walk uprightly before God.” Yet he realizes that this is not enough, so he prays, “Redeem me, and be merciful unto me.” Without the redemption and mercy of the LORD we would still be in a hopeless condition. Our integrity is not enough, because it is not perfect. But, with our Lord answering this prayer, we too can say, “My foot standeth in an even place.” Resting upon His mercy, our footing is solid, and cannot slip. Therefore thus we too can praise the LORD in the congregation, or among His people.

(Verses 1 through 3) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me, to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Let us, for study, set verse 1 after verses 2 and 3. As David speaks in verse 2, he recounts an event in which his enemies, the wicked, attacked him to destroy him, in his words, “to eat up my flesh.” At this time, “They stumbled and fell.” He did not overthrow them, but they were overthrown by another Power, even the LORD. This gave him such confidence that he said, “Though an host (army) should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise up against me, in this will I be confident.” That in which he will remain confident is that which he has expressed in verse 1. “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?” Surely confidence in this is not misplaced. We may not have been in a situation in which an army of enemy soldiers had come upon us bent upon our destruction. But many times we have been beset with temptations, doubts, trials, fears, and all of Satan’s devices, which he frequently brings against us, to destroy our peace, our integrity, and our hope. Many times it has seemed that they were about to “eat up our flesh.” Somehow, their attack fell apart, “they stumbled and fell.” We have to confess that we did not overthrow them: but One with greater power did. He it is, Who is our light, our salvation, and the strength of our life. How wonderful is that realization! When we are made fully aware of this, there is no one of whom we should be afraid; there is no enemy that we should fear. In this is our confidence.

(Verses 4 and 5) One thing have I desired 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 behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.

David declares that there is only one thing, which he has desired of the LORD. That is neither wealth nor fame; it is none of those things after which the world seeks. It is simply that God will let him dwell all his life in “the house of the LORD,” that he may behold the beauty of the LORD and inquire in His temple. Sometimes, in scripture, “the house” of someone does not mean the building in which he resides, but his  “household.” or family. In this instance, that seems to be a viable meaning. So David’s desire is that he may dwell among the children of the LORD all the days of his life. In this situation, he can see the beauty of the LORD, and can there pray for guidance along life’s way. Not only so, but there the LORD will hide him in His pavilion and in the secret place of His tabernacle, and set him up upon a rock. That is, God will establish him upon a sure foundation that will not fall.

(Verse 6) And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

Having desired of God that He will permit him to “dwell in the house of the LORD” all his life, and being fully persuaded that the LORD will grant his petition, and will, in time of trouble, keep him hidden away, and set him upon a foundation that will not fall; he is now confident that the LORD will uphold him, so that his head is above that of his enemies. In this confidence, he declares that he will offer sacrifices of joy in the tabernacle of the LORD, and will sing praises unto Him.

(Verses 7 through 10) Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When Thou saidst, “Seek ye My face,” my heart said unto Thee, “Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” Hide not Thy face far from me; put not Thy servant away in anger: Thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

As he has prayed all along, David continues, asking the LORD to hear him, and in mercy answer him. He declares that when the LORD said, “Seek ye My face,” there was no delay; but his heart immediately answered, “Thy face,  LORD, I will seek.” Therefore he asks that the LORD not hide His face far from him, and that He not put him away in anger. His statement, “Thou hast been my help,” indicates, not that the LORD has helped him just once, but, rather, that the LORD has always been his help, and there is no other to whom he can go. So he prays that He neither leave nor forsake him; because He is the God of his salvation. Since the LORD is the God of David’s, and our, salvation, He is all that we will ever need. Should the time come that even our father and mother should forsake us, yet the LORD is dependable; and He will take us up. He will never abandon His own.

(Verses 11 through 13) Teach me Thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over to the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

David continues his prayer that the LORD will lead him in a plain path. This can mean in a path that is easy to see, or one that has no obstacles in it over which one might stumble, lest his enemies overtake him. His enemies have even enlisted false witnesses, as well as those who breathe out cruelty, against him. He prays to be delivered from them. He then declares that his faith is all that has kept him going. Were it not that he believed that “in the land of the living,” that is, in this life, he would see the goodness of the LORD, he would have fainted. When he says that he would have “fainted,” it does not, necessarily, mean that he would have lost consciousness, as we commonly consider this word to mean, but, rather, that he would have become “faint hearted,” and would have given up the fight. We too sometimes are tempted to do exactly that; but our faith in the LORD keeps us trying to continue on.

(Verse 14) Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

This advice is surely as important today as it was when David penned it down. The going may be rough; it may seem that the forces of Satan will surely overwhelm us: but we know from experience that in such times we need to wait on the LORD, and be of good courage. Then the LORD will strengthen our hearts that we may hold out to the end. Then, surely, we shall “see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” So he again says, “Wait, I say, on the LORD.”

(Verses 1 through 3) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me, to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Let us, for study, set verse 1 after verses 2 and 3. As David speaks in verse 2, he recounts an event in which his enemies, the wicked, attacked him to destroy him, in his words, “to eat up my flesh.” At this time, “They stumbled and fell.” He did not overthrow them, but they were overthrown by another Power, even the LORD. This gave him such confidence that he said, “Though an host (army) should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise up against me, in this will I be confident.” That in which he will remain confident is that which he has expressed in verse 1. “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?” Surely confidence in this is not misplaced. We may not have been in a situation in which an army of enemy soldiers had come upon us bent upon our destruction. But many times we have been beset with temptations, doubts, trials, fears, and all of Satan’s devices, which he frequently brings against us, to destroy our peace, our integrity, and our hope. Many times it has seemed that they were about to “eat up our flesh.” Somehow, their attack fell apart, “they stumbled and fell.” We have to confess that we did not overthrow them: but One with greater power did. He it is, Who is our light, our salvation, and the strength of our life. How wonderful is that realization! When we are made fully aware of this, there is no one of whom we should be afraid; there is no enemy that we should fear. In this is our confidence.

(Verses 4 and 5) One thing have I desired 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 behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.

David declares that there is only one thing, which he has desired of the LORD. That is neither wealth nor fame; it is none of those things after which the world seeks. It is simply that God will let him dwell all his life in “the house of the LORD,” that he may behold the beauty of the LORD and inquire in His temple. Sometimes, in scripture, “the house” of someone does not mean the building in which he resides, but his  “household.” or family. In this instance, that seems to be a viable meaning. So David’s desire is that he may dwell among the children of the LORD all the days of his life. In this situation, he can see the beauty of the LORD, and can there pray for guidance along life’s way. Not only so, but there the LORD will hide him in His pavilion and in the secret place of His tabernacle, and set him up upon a rock. That is, God will establish him upon a sure foundation that will not fall.

(Verse 6) And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

Having desired of God that He will permit him to “dwell in the house of the LORD” all his life, and being fully persuaded that the LORD will grant his petition, and will, in time of trouble, keep him hidden away, and set him upon a foundation that will not fall; he is now confident that the LORD will uphold him, so that his head is above that of his enemies. In this confidence, he declares that he will offer sacrifices of joy in the tabernacle of the LORD, and will sing praises unto Him.

(Verses 7 through 10) Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When Thou saidst, “Seek ye My face,” my heart said unto Thee, “Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” Hide not Thy face far from me; put not Thy servant away in anger: Thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

As he has prayed all along, David continues, asking the LORD to hear him, and in mercy answer him. He declares that when the LORD said, “Seek ye My face,” there was no delay; but his heart immediately answered, “Thy face,  LORD, I will seek.” Therefore he asks that the LORD not hide His face far from him, and that He not put him away in anger. His statement, “Thou hast been my help,” indicates, not that the LORD has helped him just once, but, rather, that the LORD has always been his help, and there is no other to whom he can go. So he prays that He neither leave nor forsake him; because He is the God of his salvation. Since the LORD is the God of David’s, and our, salvation, He is all that we will ever need. Should the time come that even our father and mother should forsake us, yet the LORD is dependable; and He will take us up. He will never abandon His own.

(Verses 11 through 13) Teach me Thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over to the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

David continues his prayer that the LORD will lead him in a plain path. This can mean in a path that is easy to see, or one that has no obstacles in it over which one might stumble, lest his enemies overtake him. His enemies have even enlisted false witnesses, as well as those who breathe out cruelty, against him. He prays to be delivered from them. He then declares that his faith is all that has kept him going. Were it not that he believed that “in the land of the living,” that is, in this life, he would see the goodness of the LORD, he would have fainted. When he says that he would have “fainted,” it does not, necessarily, mean that he would have lost consciousness, as we commonly consider this word to mean, but, rather, that he would have become “faint hearted,” and would have given up the fight. We too sometimes are tempted to do exactly that; but our faith in the LORD keeps us trying to continue on.

(Verse 14) Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

This advice is surely as important today as it was when David penned it down. The going may be rough; it may seem that the forces of Satan will surely overwhelm us: but we know from experience that in such times we need to wait on the LORD, and be of good courage. Then the LORD will strengthen our hearts that we may hold out to the end. Then, surely, we shall “see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” So he again says, “Wait, I say, on the LORD.”

(Verses 1 and 2) Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

The first thing we should notice is that, “give” should be understood as “ascribe,” or “render,” inasmuch as man has nothing he can “give” to the LORD, in the sense in which we commonly use the word. The glory that is to be ascribed to God is already His. “The mighty,” may think themselves important; but they are to be reminded that their strength, or greatness, is not inherently theirs, but is given them of God. Therefore they are not to consider themselves worthy of any glory, nor the source of their own strength. Only the LORD is glorious; and only He is of Himself strong. Therefore render to Him the glory that is His due. Let us praise His name, and not our own. Thus we can really see the beauty of the holiness of the LORD; and therein we can worship Him.

(Verses 3 through 7) The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars, yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.

When David says, “The voice of the LORD is upon the waters,” our thoughts go back to Genesis 1:2. “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of the LORD moved upon the face of the waters.” He has been in control of the waters, as well as everything else, even from the beginning. If we read on through that first chapter of Genesis, we find that, as God spoke, and said, “Let it be,” each object of His creation came into being. Surely such a voice is full of majesty, as well as power. The same “voice of the LORD” that can, and does break the cedars of Lebanon, thus showing its mighty power, can also cause the same places to be as happy as a young calf. It is a very pleasing sight to see a young calf, so full of life that, in his exuberance he runs, jumps, and skips around just for the joy of doing so. “The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.” This seems to be such a little thing that we might overlook it. Any flame one may observe is divided, and is constantly being divided. That is what causes the light of a flame to flicker. It is never a uniform and smooth unit of fire, but tongues of flame, sometimes divided all the way to the base, and at others separated at other points. One may think this a very trivial discussion, but it is to prove that the LORD is mindful, not only of things we might consider great, or important, but also of small things. All things are important to Him; for He created them all. So His voice, or word controls all.

(Verses 8 and 9) The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in His temple doth everyone speak of His glory.

This is a continuation of David’s discussion of the power of the “voice,” or word of God. Everything that we commonly attribute to the workings of Nature, from the shaking of the wilderness to the birth of the young deer, or other wildlife, as well as even the falling of the leaves of the forest are at His word. To discover anything, is to bring it forth into the open, or lay it bare. So, no doubt, David’s expression, “discovereth the forests,” refers to the falling of the leaves, thus laying bare, or “discovering,” the trees of the forests. In fact, David, without cataloging each and every thing in the world, has shown that the “voice,” or word, of the LORD controls all things. Without question, this is for our comfort, that we may know that, no matter how weak and worthless we may feel, the LORD is still mindful of us: and for this reason, in his temple, everyone speaks of His glory.

(Verses 10 and 11) The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. The LORD will give strength unto His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace.

Having declared to us the power of the word of the LORD, David brings this to a wonderful conclusion. “The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.” This great God, Who only has to speak, and whatsoever He says is done, even “sits upon,” or rides, the flood. In recent years we have heard reports of terrible damage done by floods all over the world, both near and far. Our hearts have been saddened by the destruction, and loss of life, caused by them. Yet we must remember that they are controlled by the voice of God. We do not understand all His purposes, but we must remember that He not only has all power, but also He has all knowledge and wisdom. So whether we understand, or not, He does: and therefore all these things must come within the framework of His will. He sits upon the flood; and He sits King forever. He has always been King: and He always will be King. Even though some of these things that come upon us cause sadness, yet we must remember that, “the LORD will give strength unto His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace.” He did not say that the LORD will take away all these unpleasant things, but, “The LORD will give strength unto His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace.”

(Verses 1 through 3) I will extol Thee, O LORD; for Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast heard me. O LORD, Thou hast brought up my soul from the grave; Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

This may only be David’s praise to God for having given him the victory over his enemies. It may be that he had been brought so low that he seemed to be facing death and the pit (grave). Yet it seems remarkably well suited to our Lord Jesus. He indeed cried unto the LORD, “My God, my God. Why hast Thou forsaken me?” and the LORD healed Him. The LORD literally brought up His soul from the grave, kept Him alive, and lifted Him up, even up to His own right hand. His enemies, though they momentarily rejoiced at His death, had their rejoicing cut short by His resurrection from the dead. His sending His gospel into all the world is the extolling of the LORD for lifting Him up, and not suffering His foes to triumph over Him. The LORD has kept Him alive: and He lives forever.

(Verses 4 and 5) Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness. For His anger endureth but for a moment; in His favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

The fact that the LORD has done all this calls for His saints to sing unto Him, and render thanks at the remembrance of His holiness. His anger, or displeasure, against them is fleeting. It only lasts for a moment; but in His favor is life. There may, indeed, be things, which will cause us sorrow, as they come to pass, even to the point of making us weep: but that will be short lived. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” When, momentarily it seems that He is angry with us, it well may cause sorrow and weeping, but when He shows His face by revealing His mercy and love to us, we have no more time for weeping.

(Verses 6 through 10) And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. LORD, by Thy favor Thou hast caused my mountain to stand strong: Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to Thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise Thee? Shall it declare Thy truth? Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD be Thou my helper.

David’s experience here seems to be very similar to that of the LORD’S people even today. When things are going well with us, (“in our prosperity”) we often become lifted up, and think it will continue thus with us. We seem to be on a mountain, and the LORD has made that mountain to stand strong. Then it seems that, for a time the LORD hides His face; and we are cast down. Then we cry to Him for mercy. We might be brought so low, that, like David, we began to contemplate our possible death, and ask, “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the grave?” that is, “Will the LORD get any benefit from my death?” We, certainly do not see how our dust (decomposed bodies) can render praise to the LORD, or declare His truth. So we cry to Him, and beg for mercy. We need help, and we ask Him to be our helper. That also was David’s desire.

(Verses 11 and 12) Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto Thee for ever.

Having been brought down from the uplift of his prosperity to the depths of sorrow so great that he was contemplating even death, David prayed to the LORD for help. This he must, surely, have received; for now he declares that the LORD has turned his sorrow into such great joy, that his sackcloth, or garment of sorrow, has been laid aside, and his rejoicing is such that He will not be silent; but he will give thanks unto the LORD forever.

Chapter 31

(Verses 1 through 3) In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust. Let me never be ashamed: deliver me in Thy righteousness. Bow down Thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be Thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me. For Thou art my rock and my fortress: therefore for Thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

There may be controversy among many as to whether this should be interpreted as only a prayer of David, or whether the scope is greater, and is a prophecy of our Lord Jesus. In either case, it can also, to some extent, be applied to our own experience. As David says, “In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in Thy righteousness,” surely we can relate to this, by reason of the fact that our trust is also in the LORD. If  it were not, we would have no desire to call upon Him. Since it is in Him, we pray that He will never let us be ashamed, or brought to shame, by not receiving that for which we pray. That for which we ask is that He deliver us in His righteousness. Surely, that is our hope of deliverance, whether the deliverance we desire is that of being saved from men, who would overthrow us, or from the hosts of Satan, which are always resisting us as we try to serve the LORD. Our own righteousness is never sufficient for this: it must be in His. The next expression used here, “Bow down Thine ear to me,” brings to mind a little child desiring to say something to an adult with whom he is walking. The child asks the adult to bend down to him so that his ear will be closer, and he can better hear what the child wishes to say. How wonderful to always have this childlike love for, and trust in the LORD. The request is, “Deliver me speedily: be Thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me.” This is exactly what is needed to give that deliverance. Proverbs 30:26 says, “The conies (rabbits) are but a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks.” Surely, we too are feeble, even as the rabbits; but if the LORD is our rock, and house of defense, we are perfectly safe. Having prayed thus, David declares, “For Thou art my Rock and my fortress; therefore for Thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.” Since the LORD is our rock and house of defense, we also pray that He not leave us to wander according to our desires, but lead and guide us.

(Verses 4 through 6) Pull me out of the net that they have privily laid for Me: for Thou art my strength. Into Thy hand I commit My Spirit: Thou hast redeemed Me, O LORD God of truth. I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.

The first text we considered of this Psalm, as we noted, might be considered as only David’s prayer for deliverance, or the prayer of our Lord Jesus as He suffered on the cross. But it is obvious that this is the prayer of our Lord, since it contains the very words He spoke at that time. The first thing He desires is that the LORD pull Him out of the net which His enemies have laid privily (secretly) for Him, and in which He is entangled. This prayer is not to be confused with that prayed in the garden of Gethsemane , that this cup be removed from Him. Instead, it is after His feet are securely caught in the net; and He prays that the Father will pull Him out of it. This the Father did, but only by the resurrection from the dead. There can be no doubt that the LORD was His strength. Having prayed for deliverance from this net, and being fully confident that His prayer would be heard by the Father, He then says, “Into Thy hand I commit My Spirit.” This is exactly what He said to the Father as He was dying, although in the Gospel records it is translated, “Into Thy hand I commend My Spirit.” The Greek word there translated “commend” actually means “commit” as well. The next statement here may seem a little obscure: for He had no sins from which to be redeemed, unless we consider the fact that He took our sins upon Himself, and made them His own. Still it seems better to consider “redeemed” as meaning the same as “delivered,” which it often does. So as He says, “Thou hast redeemed Me, O LORD God of truth.” He is giving praise to the Father for delivering Him from death and the grave by the resurrection, as He was fully confident that He would. Then He declares, “I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.” May we do the same.

(Verses 7 and 8) I will be glad and rejoice in Thy mercy: for Thou hast considered My trouble: Thou hast known My soul in adversities; and hast not shut Me up into the hand of the enemy: Thou hast set My feet in a large room.

Since the LORD has considered Him, (that is, He has looked favorably upon Him,) in His trouble, and has known (given recognition to) His soul in adversities, it is time for gladness and rejoicing in the mercy of the LORD. He further declares that the LORD has not left Him shut up in the hand of the enemy (death and the grave): but has raised Him up, and set His feet in a large room, or space. The Father has indeed lifted Him up from death and the grave, and has set Him at His own right hand in heaven. There can be no larger room.

(Verses 9 and 10) Have mercy upon Me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: Mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, My soul and My belly. For My life is spent with grief, and My years with sighing: My strength faileth because of Mine iniquity, and My bones are consumed.

In Isaiah 53, beginning with verse 3, and taking only excerpts from selected verses, we find, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; _ _ _ Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: _ _ _ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way: and the LORD hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. _ _ _ By His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” (It would be extremely profitable to read this entire chapter.) Certainly this bears out what we said earlier about His iniquities. Although they were ours, they are His because, as the sacrifice for our sins, they were, of the Father, laid upon Him. They were, indeed, such a load that His strength failed, and His bones were as if literally consumed, so that His body was not able to carry the load. In the garden of Gethsemane an angel was sent from heaven to strengthen Him; and when His body could not carry the cross, Simon, the Cyrenian was compelled to carry it. How clearly this portrays Him, just as Isaiah prophesied!

(Verses 11 through 14) I was a reproach among all Mine enemies, but especially among My neighbors, and a fear to Mine acquaintance: they that did see Me without fled from Me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; I am like a broken vessel. For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side while they took counsel against Me, they devised to take away My life. But I trusted in the LORD: I said, Thou art My God.

Even if this might also apply to David’s experience, there can be no doubt that it describes our Lord Jesus. Not only was He considered “a reproach,” and even a “blasphemer,” by His enemies, but even more so by His neighbors, the Jews. Not only did Peter, His apostle and friend, deny being one of His disciples, but he even cursed and swore that he not only did not know Him, but that he did not even know what those who accused him were talking about. Lest we be too hard in our judgment of Peter, we must remember that without a special gift of God’s grace, we would have done just as he, if not worse. Our Lord was a source of fear to His acquaintance, and they fled from Him, just as He had foretold to them. When we consider Cleopas’ statement in Luke 24:21, “And we trusted that it had been He, Which should have redeemed Israel ,” we can recognize the truth of verse 12 of the present text. “I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.” Cleopas and the other disciples were all alike in this matter. So far as literally forgetting Him is concerned, they did not do that: but they counted Him out as a dead man, and no more a source of hope for anything. “We trusted that it had been He _ _ _ ,” signifies clearly that they no longer had any trust in Him: for He was dead, and like a broken vessel of no value. In all the things done by His enemies at this time, He heard the slander of many. Not only did He know of their council before they arrested, tried, and crucified Him, but He also knew they took counsel with their own guards, and bribed them to lie about the events at the tomb on the morning of His resurrection. Before His crucifixion they plotted His death; and when He was dead they took counsel to deny His resurrection: but they overlooked one outstanding fact. “But I trusted in Thee, O LORD: I said, ‘Thou art My GOD.’” The power of God they could not overthrow. Our Lord has often told us that just as the Father always stood by Him, so will He stand by us. This is the greatest comfort we can find, when everything appears to be going against us.

(Verses 15 through 18) My times are in Thy hand: deliver Me from the hand of Mine enemies, and from them that persecute Me. Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant: save Me for Thy mercies’ sake. Let Me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon Thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

This is a continuation of the prayer, which began in verse 14. Here our Lord declares that His times are in the hand of the Father, just as is so often testified in the writings of the four evangelists, and especially that of Matthew. Often we are told that the reason the Jews could not take Jesus and inflict some punishment upon Him was, “For His hour was not yet come.” Since both He and the Father are eternal, and change not, this principle will continue to govern. His times are in the hand of the Father. When He prays for deliverance from His enemies and those who persecute Him, He asks that it be done “for Thy mercies’ sake.” We might sometimes wonder why the Son of God would have to ask that it be for the Father’s mercies’ sake. We might want to ask, “Was not the Son worthy to ask that it be for His sake?” Surely He was. Yet, because His coming and fulfilling His work, not only His crucifixion, but especially His resurrection, was the purposed means whereby the Father’s mercies were to be bestowed upon His elect, it was for their sake that this was to be done. So He prays, “Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant: save Me for Thy mercies’ sake. Let Me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon Thee.” The remainder of verse 18 is a prayer, which we, as imperfect followers of the LORD cannot pray: for we are commanded to love our enemies, and pray for those who despitefully use us. Nevertheless, our Lord, not only perfect as the Son of God, but especially as having completed the great sacrifice, can, and ought to pray. “Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.” No doubt “the righteous” in this passage is our Lord Himself. Yet by the grace and mercy of the Father this righteousness is imputed freely to all, who trust in Him.

(Verses 19 and 20) Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy presence from the pride of man. Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

Whether we consider this as the continuation of our Lord’s prayer to the Father, (which surely it is,) or as David’s declaration of his wonder at the goodness and mercy of God, or what we too have learned from our experience, it is a truth which we should never forget. When we examine our own experience, we too are made to exclaim, “Oh how great is Thy goodness!” In times when we have faced troubles, and, perhaps, some of them of our own making, He has delivered us for no reason but His own love and mercy. Some of us may have suffered more severe trials than some others, but none of us has suffered as did our Lord. Yet even our trials have been enough that, at the time of our deliverance, His grace and mercy appeared so great that we felt we would never again doubt Him. Still because of the fickleness of humanity and the weakness of the flesh, we do sometimes forget; but He does not. His goodness has been repeated again and again. He has wrought His goodness for us “before the sons of men.” That is, it is not hidden, but is in the open for all to see. Then we have the promise that this same wonderful God will hide us “in the secret” of His presence. The goodness He has wrought for us is in the public, but the most precious thing of all is to be hidden in the secret of His presence. In John 10:9, Jesus said, “I am the door, by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and shall find pasture.” In II Peter 1:11, we find, “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” In Romans 14:17 , the Apostle Paul said, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” We would think that surely “the secret of the presence of God,” and the kingdom of God , as defined by the Apostle Paul, are one and the same thing. Since it is by the great work of Christ Jesus our Lord that the mercies of God are brought to us, that we enter into the fold, and that the entrance into the everlasting kingdom is ministered unto us, surely it is by Him that we are hidden in the secret of the presence of God: and thus we have righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. All these things are precious to us; but our enemies can neither see nor understand them. Further, in this secret presence of God, He will keep us “secretly in a pavilion (shelter) from the strife of tongues.” They may raise all the disturbance they wish with their slander against us, but we are in the shelter of the LORD. What can they do?

(Verses 21 and 22) Blessed be the LORD: for He hath shewed  Me His marvelous kindness in a strong city. For I said in My haste, I am cut off from before Thine eyes: nevertheless Thou heardest the voice of My supplications when I cried unto Thee.

Although this will, in some measure, apply to us, it appears to be primarily a continuation of our Lord’s declaration . When He says, “Blessed be the LORD,” it is not to be thought that the LORD is in need of a blessing, nor that we could confer one upon Him. Rather, as is often the case throughout the Old Testament, and especially in the Psalms, it means, “Praised be the LORD.” He is to be praised at all times. In the present instance, He is to be praised “for He hath shewed Me His marvelous kindness in a strong city.” He raised Jesus from the dead, and placed Him at His own right hand in heaven, truly “a strong city.” No doubt verse 22 is a reference to our Lord’s cry of, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” In that moment, or as He says, “In My haste,” He felt that He was cut off from before the eyes of the Father. Yet even in that moment of despair, the Father heard the voice of His supplications when He cried unto Him. Although, in keeping with the Father’s purpose, it was necessary that He forsake the Son for a moment that He might lay down His life, He still heard His cry, and through the resurrection of the dead, delivered Him. Let us always remember that it is never too late for the LORD to fulfill His purposes. When we are in trouble, let us not forget to call upon Him, even if we think we are at the end of the way.

(Verses 23 and 24) O love the LORD, all ye His saints; for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

What wonderful admonition to all the saints of God! We should remember that the word, “saint,” is not restricted to one who lives a perfectly sinless life, nor to one who has been canonized by some church. Rather, it means one, who has been called of the LORD, and cleansed by the blood of the Son of God, the people of God. To these saints the message is, “O love the LORD.” Certainly there are many reasons why we ought to love the LORD; but those given here are, “For the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.” We are to love the LORD, and depend upon Him, not only to keep us, but also to reward those who would destroy us. We do not have to concern ourselves with what will become of the wicked. That is in the LORD’S hand, and He knows exactly how to take care of it, and is fully able to do so. Therefore we should be of good courage in whatever situation we find ourselves. If we do this, He will strengthen our hearts, or give us more courage, to face whatever may come. This is directed to all that hope in the LORD. We may feel as the poet has expressed it in one of the hymns we often sing, “Poor, weak, and worthless,” but that is no reason to despair. With our hope in the LORD, we have the greatest of all friends.

(Verses 1 and 2) Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD will not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Here we have another use of the word, “blessed.” Certainly here it can mean “blessed,” or it can mean “happy.” Either is acceptable. It is indeed a blessed man whose transgression is forgiven, and whose sin is covered by the blood of the Christ, (and that is the only way it can be covered). Such a man also has every right to be happy; for His sin is all gone, forgiven by our Lord, and covered by His blood. This does not mean that he will never do anything wrong again, but that his errors and failures are, by the blood of our Lord, erased forever from before the Father, so that there is never any more condemnation for them. This man is further blessed, and should be happy because the LORD will not impute (or charge) sin to him, since Jesus has paid the full penalty for all his sins. Therefore in his heart there is no guile, or deceit. His flesh may still be weak, and because of this he may not be able to walk as closely to the Lord as he would desire, but his spirit has been completely set free from sin.

(Verses 3 through 5) When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned to the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and my iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD, and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Here David tells us how he knows the blessedness of the man whose sin is forgiven. It is from experience. His sin was made to weigh so heavily upon him that he “roared,” or groaned all the time, “all day long,” because of it. So, in this condition he did all that one can do. He acknowledged his sin and iniquity, and confessed his transgressions to the LORD: and the LORD forgave “the iniquity of his sin.” No more is he laboring under that sin. Although our sins are already forgiven for the sake of Christ Jesus our Lord, we may do things for which the LORD will lay upon us such chastisement that we will feel as did David. Yet this is sent, not as punishment for the sin, but as chastisement that we may be brought to confess our sins to the LORD. Then He forgives that sin, and relieves our conscience of it, and its attending sorrow. Thus we are taught by chastisement to walk more closely to Him, or, as the writer of the Hebrew Epistle says, we are made “partakers of His holiness.”

(Verses 6 and 7) For this shall everyone that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

David, in verse 6, refers back to the experience he has just described, saying, “For (or because of) this shall everyone that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found.” Those who are godly are those to whom God has granted repentance and forgiveness: and all, who have experienced this, will pray unto the LORD. The most wonderful thing about this is that, when they pray to Him, they will find Him. He does not hide Himself from them, except to show them their need for Him. The “floods of great waters,” or great afflictions, shall not approach them: for God is their refuge. One must remember that this does not mean that we will have no afflictions, but that they shall not overwhelm us. Consider what the Apostle Paul said after enduring what we might want to call some very great afflictions. (Romans 8:18) “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.” And again, (II Corinthians 4:17-18) “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” So when we pray to Him and find Him, He opens our eyes to those things which are not seen: and thus those things that are seen, such as “the floods of great waters” are, in our sight, so reduced in size that they no longer seem so important. Thus the LORD is our hiding place: and He will save us from troubles, and cause us to sing songs of praise to Him for delivering us from our afflictions.

(Verses 8 and 9) I will instruct thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near thee.

This is the LORD’S instruction to those who would seek Him. He says, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way thou shalt go.” He does this in many ways. He has already caused His word, the Bible, to be written for us; and in it we find instructions for how we should live, as well as a record of some of the marvelous things He has done for us, and some, which He has reserved for the future. If we follow these instructions, we find great happiness in serving Him. When we stray from them, He will surely chastise us that we may learn not to disobey. He sent His prophets, and now He sends His ministers to teach us His word, in which are His wonderful truths of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. All of those are part of His instruction to us, in which He teaches us the way in which we should go. He is able to see all things, past, present, and future, at once. So He guides us with His eye lest we come into danger. Since He does all this for us, He says, “Be ye not as the horse, or the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.” Certainly, had it pleased Him to do so, He could have established that every thought we think, every word we say, and every act we perform, would conform perfectly to His will. But He did not put bit and bridle in our mouth, as we must do for the horse or the mule, to hold us in such strict control. He has given us understanding, and set instruction before us, to guide us in the way. But make no mistake: when we stray, He is fully able to bring us back to His way, and make us wish we had not turned aside. That is the work of chastisement; and it is “for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.” To that end He instructs us to use the understanding He has given, and be not as the horse, or the mule.

(Verses 10 and 11) Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Sometimes we may be tempted to envy the wicked for the worldly advantages that come to him, such as wealth, honor, fame, etc. But to do so is very foolish indeed: for many sorrows shall be to him. See Jesus’ illustration of the rich man and Lazarus, in Luke 16:19-31. On the other hand, mercy shall be upon, and all around those who trust in the LORD, even though it may seem that they are having a hard time as they go through this life. Therefore all who are upright in heart, and all who are righteous, should rejoice and shout for joy. Once in a while a Christian may get a little depressed; but if he will only think of what our Lord has done for him, he will find that he has every reason to shout for joy.

Chapter 33

(Verses 1 through 4) Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the LORD with the harp: sing unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise. For the word of the LORD is right; and all His works are done in truth.

This entire psalm is a song of praise to the LORD, with, in the last verse, a plea for His mercy. All the righteous are here called to rejoice in the LORD and praise Him, not only with singing, but also with instrumental music. Whatever means we may have at hand should be used in praising Him. We are to “sing unto Him a new song.” Perhaps, since in Old Testament days, the LORD’S people had not the finished work of salvation before them, but could only look forward to the time when it should be finished, that new song is the song of praise we are now able to sing to God for having sent His Son into the world for the work of redemption. Through His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, that work is now an accomplished fact. Of course, there is still another new song, which we cannot yet sing; but it too will be sung when all of God’s saints are gathered home. See Revelation 5:9-10. The LORD is to be praised because “The word of the LORD is right; and all His works are done in truth.” What a wonderful God He is!

(Verses 5 through 7) He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up the depth in storehouses.

Here we get a little glimpse of our LORD. First, David declares that the LORD loves righteousness and judgment, and the earth is full of His goodness. Not only does the LORD love righteousness: He is righteousness itself. He also loves judgment. This does not mean that He loves to bring judgment, or punishment, upon the wicked, although that is a righteous work with Him. Instead, it means that He loves the manifestation of truth, which is the object of all true judgment. Even the earth itself, in spite of the curse placed upon it because of the sin of man, is full of the goodness of the LORD. It is by His goodness and mercy that man has been spared to this day. It is through His goodness that man is provided food, shelter, and all other necessities of life. It is especially through His goodness that He blesses and delivers His saints. It is by the word of the LORD that the heavens and the earth, together with all the fullness thereof, were created. It was by the “breath of His mouth” His spoken word, that all things were brought into being. He said, “Let it be,” and it was done. No doubt, verse 7 refers to the work of Genesis 1:9. “And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heaven be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear,’ and it was so.”

(Verses 8 and 9) Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

He is God, and no other can lay claim to His great power and glory. For the world to be created, He only spoke, and it was done. No other action, and no other words were necessary to bring it to pass. He commanded, and that which He commanded was established so that, no other could move it or change it. Why then, should not all the world fear and stand in awe of Him? He is GOD: and there can be no other.

(Verses 10 through 12) The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to naught: He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.

In Psalm 2:1-6 we find, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel against the LORD and His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.’ He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure. ‘Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.’” It seems obvious that “the counsel of the heathen” and “the devices of the people” in the present text are the same as the rage of the heathen and the vain thing imagined by the people, in Psalm 2:1: and the LORD brings them to naught and makes them of none effect. Yet His counsel stands forever, and it is: “Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.” Even His thoughts stand to all generations. Certainly any nation, whose God is the LORD, is blessed indeed. The very founding and building of our nation is proof of that. The sad fact is that, just as the nation whose God is the LORD is blessed, so the one that turns away from Him, as ours has in recent times, loses that blessing. The people whom the LORD has chosen for His inheritance are also blessed: and all who love Him should rejoice in that fact.

(Verses 13 through 15) The LORD looketh from heaven; He beholdeth the sons of men. From the place of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the world. He fashioneth their hearts alike; He considereth all their works.

In this, David declares that the LORD not only looks upon the Jews, as seemed to be the idea they had, since they considered Him as the God of the Jews only; but He beholds all the inhabitants of the world, “all the sons of men.” This means more than that He only sees what they are doing. It means that He can work His will in one nation as easily as in another. “He fashioneth their hearts alike” means, not that He gives everyone of them the same thoughts and desires of the heart, but that He can work His will in one as easily as in another. All alike are before Him; and His power over one is the same as over another. He considers, or evaluates, all their works.

(Verses 16 through 19) There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, and upon them that hope in His mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

Notice that this is completely opposite from the philosophy of the world. It is commonly thought that, there is safety in numbers. So the bigger the army one has, the greater his safety; and the greater physical strength one has, the better able he is to protect and deliver himself. I Samuel 14:1-16 tells the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer, as they, by the help of the LORD, overthrew a whole garrison of Philistines; and I Samuel 17:39-51 tells of David’s encounter with Goliath, the giant warrior of the Philistines. Since David was well acquainted with both of these incidents, he could declare that it is not by the multitude of the host, (army,) nor by the strength of a man that we are delivered. Even a horse, which was at that time the best “war machine” they had, is a vain thing in which to trust. In Psalm 4:8, he tells us the greatest protection we can have: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me to dwell in safety.” Here he says, Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, and upon them that hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” That is, He both protects and feeds us. What more can we want?

(Verses 20 through 22) Our soul waiteth for the LORD: He is our help and shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted His holy name. Let Thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee.

If we can feel in our hearts to know the truth of what David has already said, surely, we can also declare with him, “Our soul waiteth for the LORD: He is our help and shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.” This should be our comfort and strength. As he so often does, David prays that the LORD’S mercy be upon us, “according as we hope in Thee.” This should also be our constant prayer. The stronger hope we have in the LORD, the greater will be our desire for His mercy.

Chapter 34

(Verses 1 through 6) I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto Him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

In these first three verses, David declares that he will at all times continually praise the LORD, as indeed he, and we also, should. His only boast will be of the LORD, and “the humble,” or as he says in other places, “ the meek,” or “the poor,” which are the LORD’S people, shall hear his boast of the LORD, and be glad. He also calls upon others to join him in this act of magnifying the LORD, and exalting His name in praise. He then says that when he sought the LORD, the LORD heard him, and delivered him from all his fears. Not only did He deliver him from the danger in which he was, but from even the fear of it. He gave him a peaceful mind and heart. Verse 5 might be a little clearer if re-arranged. “They that looked unto Him were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.” We may sometimes be shut up in darkness, or even in depression; but when we look to the LORD, He gives us light, and causes us to lift our heads, and rejoice in Him, instead of being put to shame by Satan’s tactics. He says that he was in such distress that, he felt very poor, and in need; but when he called upon the LORD, He heard him, and saved him out of all His troubles. No doubt this has been the experience of all the LORD’S children. So we should, by reviewing our own experiences, as well by David’s recounting of his, be encouraged to trust the LORD.

(Verses 7 and 8) The angel of the LORD encampeth round them that fear Him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.

Sometimes the expression, “the angel of the LORD,” actually means “the Presence of the LORD,” and that may be its usage in verse 7. However, in Hebrews 1: 13 -14 we find, “But to which of the angels said He at any time, ‘Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool?’ Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” So it can mean that the LORD makes use of His angels to take care of His elect, “them that fear Him.” Thus He delivers them. When David says, “O taste and see that the LORD is good,” he is clearly exhorting us to make use of every opportunity we have to draw near to the LORD, and experience His goodness. Those who trust in Him are surely blessed.

(Verses 9 and 10) O fear the LORD, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Indeed, we should fear, seek, and serve, the LORD, because of the blessings He has already bestowed upon us; but He has also ordered that when we do fear and seek Him, other blessings are also added. The young lions, which are very successful predators, may sometimes fail to find food, and have to suffer hunger: but they, who seek and fear the LORD, “shall want no good thing.” He will always supply their needs.

(Verses 11 through 14) Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good: seek peace, and pursue it.

Unquestionably, this is the greatest teaching we can find concerning our conduct. David has called us to listen to him: for He is going to teach us the fear of the LORD. He does not say that he will teach us to fear the LORD: only the LORD can do that. What he will teach us is what the fear of the LORD requires of us. His question, “What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days, that he may see good?” might be a little clearer, if re-worked as an indicative statement: “Anyone who desires to have a long life, and that he may see good things therein.” And almost everyone would claim this. Here are his instructions for achieving this. “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” That is, neither use foul, or evil, language, nor speak evil of others; and do not speak falsehoods.” The second part of this rule is: “Depart from evil, and do good: seek peace, and pursue it.” This surely needs no explanation. What is needed is that we obey it. These admonitions cover what the fear of the LORD requires of us. Proverbs 8:13 defines the fear of the LORD thus: “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.” How simple! If we would only keep that in mind, and follow it, we would find far greater joy in our lives.

(Verses 15 through 18) The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

The LORD is always watching over the righteous for their good and protection; and He is always listening to their cries. So no matter how rough the road, they have nothing to fear. On the other hand, He is always against the wicked. We sometimes forget this, as we look around at the evils of the world. We may even wonder if He is concerned: but we must remember that His timetable is not always the same as ours. He will, at His time, bring all things to judgment. He will “cut off the remembrance of them (the wicked) from the earth.” He hears the cry of the righteous, and delivers them out of all their troubles. His ways are not our ways: He may see fit to deliver us only through death and the resurrection, as He did His martyr, Stephen, and even His own Son, Jesus. If that is His manner of delivering us, remember the Apostle Paul’s statement, (Philippians 1:21 ,) “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” To die, and be with our Lord is much better than to stay here amid the wickedness of the world. If we are heart broken and contrite, we need not despair: for “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and such as be of a contrite spirit..” I suppose that we are all well enough acquainted with the word, “contrite,” to know that it relates to being sorry for something we have done, but to review its depth, let us consider the dictionary definition of it. “CONTRITE: Broken hearted for sin; deeply affected with grief and sorrow for sin; humble; penitent.” So, we can readily see that it is not just superficial sorrow brought about by our being caught in some evil deed, but a very deep sorrow for having done it, whether, or not, anyone else ever knows about it. If our spirit is thus affected, we can take comfort in the promise that He will save us, and deliver us from that grief.

(Verses 19 and 20) Many are the afflictions of the Righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

We do not have to ask, as did the Eunuch, “Of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man?” John has given us the answer. (John 19:36) “For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled. ‘A bone of Him shall not be broken.’” There can be no doubt that this points to the Christ. He is the only truly righteous Man Who ever lived in this world; and His afflictions were greater than those of any other. But the LORD delivered Him out of them all. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father on high. He has also promised that, just as the Father did not forsake Him, but delivered Him from all His troubles, so will He always be near to hear our cries. So we should never despair.

(Verses 21 and 22) Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The LORD redeemeth the soul of His servants: and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate.

Certainly this text needs no explanation, but it does bring to mind another scripture, which, like many others, shows that the LORD will bring about exactly what is said here. II Peter 2:9 says, “The LORD knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” We should never be discouraged because the wicked are not punished as soon as we might think proper. Remember that the LORD knows how to deliver us, and He also knows how to reserve, or hold back, the wicked until His appointed time for bringing them to judgment and punishment. He has already appointed the times, both for our deliverance and their punishment. Nothing can stop that, or even delay it. So let us rejoice in Him, and praise Him continually.

(Verses 1 through 3) Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

Here we find David praying that the LORD will prepare for the battle against those who are fighting against him, and persecuting him. He asks the LORD to take shield, buckler, and spear, and stop the way, or block the path of those who persecute him. Sometimes “buckler” means shield, and at others it refers to a “boss” that is on the shield for easier identification of a warrior in battle. So David desires the LORD to make Himself known as He joins the battle. Surely, if He is openly identified, that will throw fear into David’s enemies. He further desires the LORD to comfort him by declaring Himself the salvation of his soul. Certainly when we find ourselves surrounded by Satan and all his forces, this is also our prayer. Just to have the assurance of the LORD that He is the salvation of our souls removes much of our fear and distress. For we know that He never loses a battle. This prayer seems also to be prophetic of our Lord Jesus, as He approached the time of His sacrifice for the sins of His elect. It may not be quite so apparent here as it will appear later in this psalm.

(Verses 4 through 8) Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that desire my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. For without cause they have hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares: and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

There cannot possibly be any misunderstanding of the meaning of this text. It is a prayer for the total destruction of the enemies of the one who is praying. Let us consider it from three different perspectives. First, as the prayer of David, we might wonder how he, being a man after God’s own heart, could so vehemently pray for the utter destruction of his enemies, since our Lord has told us that we are to love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us, and treat us badly. We must remember that David lived under the law dispensation, at which time the ruling concept was “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” This, of course, was set aside under the gospel.

Then as we consider this in relation to our Lord Jesus, as He approached His trial and crucifixion, we must remember that He was not only man, but God manifested in the flesh. As God, it is a righteous act for Him to pour out vengeance upon His enemies; and His enemies are also the enemies of the Father, Who has said “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.” While it is true that Jesus, while on the cross, prayed for those who put Him there, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” we must also keep in mind that He had already proven that “The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sin.” Therefore, had it been His purpose to forgive all their sins, he had only to speak, and it was done. Therefore His prayer at that time, must have been as a man, and only included their sin of crucifying Him, as they were ordered by their superiors to do. He prayed that it not be added to their account. Thus He gave us an example, that we should do as He had done.

Finally, as we look at this in its application to us, let us remember that temptations, doubts, fears, weakness of the flesh, and all such, are the real enemies we have to face from day to day; and it should be our prayer that the LORD will completely overthrow them all, and destroy them with the same destruction, which they attempt to wreak upon us. Such things are Satan’s army, and we should beg the LORD to help us against them in every way.

(Verses 9 through 12) And My soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in His salvation. All My bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto Thee, Which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him? False witnesses did rise up: they laid to My charge things that I knew not. They rewarded Me evil for good to the spoiling of My soul.

This could, perhaps, be considered from all three perspectives as in the preceding text; but we believe that it primarily relates to our Lord Jesus: and that will be our primary consideration. Verses 9 and 10 declare the joy He had in the assurance that the Father was His salvation. The phrase, “His salvation,” simply means that the Father was the source of His deliverance: He was never in need of salvation, in the sense of having been lost in sin, as were we. Certainly Jesus rejoiced in the knowledge that the Father would deliver Him, even from the grave. There is also in this a promise for us that the LORD will also deliver us from those who spoil us and are too strong for us. In verses 11 and 12 he describes the mock trials through which they brought our Lord, before the priests, before Pilate, and before Herod. There the false witnesses arose, and charged Him with things He “knew not.” This is not to say that He had no knowledge of the accusations; for as the Son of God, He knew all things; but these were utterly false charges, containing accusations of things, which He had neither said nor done; and, in that sense, He “knew not” of them. After all His wonderful works on their behalf, healing the sick, causing the lame to walk, casting out devils, cleansing the lepers, and even raising the dead, they brought false charges against Him to have Him crucified. This is the height of rewarding evil for good.

(Verses 13 and 14) But as for Me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth: I humbled My soul with fasting, and My prayer returned into Mine own bosom. I behaved Myself as though he had been My friend and brother: I bowed down heavily as one who mourneth for his mother.

When we read the gospel accounts of the ministry of our Lord among the people, we readily see that He fulfilled this description. He was constantly engaged in healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, causing the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, the dumb to talk, and even the lepers to be cleansed, as well as even raising the dead. Sometimes the crowds pressed around Him, and in their clamoring for His attention, would not even give Him time to eat. He had no time for Himself; for He was always busy relieving the sorrows and afflictions of others, as though they were His friend, brother, or even His mother. Yet they rewarded His unselfish service to them by bearing false witness against Him, that they might destroy Him.

(Verses 15 through 18) But in Mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against Me, and I knew it not; they did tear Me, and ceased not: with hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon Me with their teeth. LORD, how long wilt Thou look on? Rescue My soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions. I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise Thee among much people.

Verses 15 and 16 are a continued description of the conduct of those whom the Lord had so unselfishly served. They rejoiced at His adversity, and gathered themselves together for the sport of seeing Him crucified. To them it was entertainment, just another crucifixion. The abjects, those who had sunk to the very lowest stratum of humanity, utterly despicable, gathered themselves together against Him. He says, “and I knew it not." This does not mean that He was unaware of it, but that He gave it no notice. Remember how calmly He answered Pilate when Pilate said to Him, “I have power to release thee, and I have power to crucify thee.” His answer was, “Thou couldest have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above.” “They did tear Me, and ceased not.” For approximately 14 to 16 hours He suffered their abuse. That is, from the time He was taken to the high priest’s palace until Pilate, with his famous statement, “Behold your King,” presented Him before the people. He was beaten, mocked, and scourged: and the scourging, in particular, was such that it literally tore the flesh from the bones. ”And they ceased not.” Even while He was hanging on the cross, they continued to mock Him and gnash on Him with their teeth. Verse 17 is His prayer for deliverance. “LORD, how long wilt Thou look on? Rescue My soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions.” The Father did rescue Him from their destruction. He raised Him from the grave and seated Him at His own right hand in heaven. In verse 18 He declares, “I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise Thee among much people.” Surely when all His elect are gathered home, that will be a great congregation of much people: and there, as He delivers “up the kingdom to God, even the Father,” He will give His thanks unto the Father.

(Verses 19 through 22) Let not them that are Mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over Me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate Me without a cause. For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against Me, and said, Aha, aha, our eyes hath seen it. This Thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O LORD be not far from Me.

As we study this text, we find that it is a continuation of our Lord’s prayer and complaint against His enemies. He asks that these wicked ones not be allowed to “wrongfully rejoice over Him or, as people often do when they think they are getting away with something, wink at one another, which is of itself a form of mockery. They have no cause to hate Him, but they have done everything possible to overthrow Him. So He calls the LORD to help against them. Not only do they not speak peace, but they make up lies in an effort to stir up those who are at peace. When they bring forth their false witness against Him, they let their mouths drop open wide as if they are surprised and shocked that He would do the things they accuse Him of; but they declare themselves eyewitnesses of these evil things. The LORD has already seen all of this. So He begs the LORD to neither keep silent about it nor be far from Him.

(Verses 23 through 26) Stir up Thyself, and awake to My judgment, even unto My cause, My God and My LORD. Judge Me, O LORD My God, according to Thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over Me. Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so we would have it: let them not say, We have swallowed Him up. Let them be ashamed, and brought to confusion together that rejoice at Mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against Me.

He continues His prayer that the LORD will awake to His judgment. He is not asking that the penalties, which are sometimes referred to as “judgments” be sent upon Him, but that His cause be judged, He be exonerated, and His enemies be given their proper punishment. He desires that they not be allowed to rejoice over what they perceive to be a victory over Him, nor to claim that they have accomplished their purpose. May they all be brought to shame and confusion; and instead of being able to claim honor for their supposed victory over Him, may all, who magnify themselves against Him, be clothed in shame and dishonor. For the greater part, this Psalm is a cry for vengeance upon His enemies; and the LORD both heard and answered it. For He raised Him up from the grave, and set Him at His own right hand. Not only did the Father raise Him from the dead, but He also sent an angel to declare His resurrection to the women at the tomb, in the presence of the guards, who were as powerless “as dead men” to do anything about it

(Verses 27 and 28) Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor My righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, Which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His Servant. And My tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day long.

Having completed His testimony against the wicked, and His prayer for their punishment, He now speaks of those who favor His righteous cause. “Let them shout for joy, and be glad _ _ _ let them say continually, ‘The LORD be magnified, Which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His Servant.” Isaiah speaks also of this righteous Servant. (Isaiah 53:10-12) “Ye hath it pleased the LORD to bruise Him. He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many: for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” This seems to sum up what has been said in this psalm. When the LORD vindicated His cause, He raised Him up from the dead, and seated Him at His own right hand in heaven. He, having finished His work, and knowing that it is effective to the justification of every one of His elect, although it was, indeed, travail of His soul, is satisfied. Even now He, seated at the Father’s right hand, makes intercession for the saints according to the will of the Father. Certainly, we can never praise Him enough. In the words of an old hymn, “Eternity is too short to utter all Thy praise.” What a wonderful Savior is He!

(Verses 1 through 4) The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good. He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

We are all prone to make excuses for one who is doing things, which we all know to be wrong. It seems that the most popular excuse today is, “He had an abused childhood.” However, David says that the message sent to his heart by the transgression of the wicked is that, there is no fear of God before his eyes. This shows forth in the fact that he flatters himself in his own eyes. He thinks that his evil ways show him off to be smart, or greater than others; and that continues until his iniquity is discovered, and shown to be something that everyone hates, instead of something to be admired. Even the words of his mouth are iniquity and falsehood. David’s language seems to indicate that this person, instead of not having any understanding of what is right and what is wrong, has deliberately turned from the right to the wrong. Even while on his bed, instead of sleeping, he is plotting some kind of evil scheme, and planning how to accomplish it. He does not hate evil, but on the contrary, he thrives on it.

(Verses 5 through 7) Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the