As you read this next set of David’s Psalms, you’ll see the pattern. He opens with desperation, most times, yelling at God. That’s OK. He expects it! David then goes into pleading his case. Finally he finishes with praising God. He really ends up comforting himself with the assurance that God’s got this — and HE Does! Let’s dig in….
In yesterday’s story, we saw Jonathan prove that King Saul was still crazy and that he wanted to kill David. David is on the run, hiding from King Saul and his army, who are searching for him.
David’s Life Before Kingship
David’s life before he becomes king can be divided into 3 stages:
- Shepherd in the countryside taking care of his father’s sheep.
- Servant in Saul’s court at Saul’s beck and call playing his harp whenever Saul was depressed.
- Soldier, hiding in caves eluding the enemy and learning military tactics.
Remember, we can read the stories about David in 1 and 2 Samuel, but in the Psalms, we get to know David intimately. We also get to know God….
Psalm 11
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
I trust in the Lord for protection.
So why do you say to me,
“Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!
2 The wicked are stringing their bows
and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from the shadows
at those whose hearts are right.
3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
What can the righteous do?”
“The foundations of law and order have collapsed.” Gee, that sounds like today’s world! History does repeat itself. That’s why we need to learn from it!
Going on…
4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple;
Psalm 11 NLT
the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
examining every person on earth.
5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked.
He hates those who love violence.
6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,
punishing them with scorching winds.
7 For the righteous Lord loves justice.
The virtuous will see his face.
If you think you can get away with something, forget it. God SEES EVERYTHING! See how David ends by assuring himself that God is still in control from Heaven?
Psalm 64
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 O God, listen to my complaint.
Protect my life from my enemies’ threats.
2 Hide me from the plots of this evil mob,
from this gang of wrongdoers.
3 They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim their bitter words like arrows.
4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent,
attacking suddenly and fearlessly.
5 They encourage each other to do evil
and plan how to set their traps in secret.
“Who will ever notice?” they ask.
6 As they plot their crimes, they say,
“We have devised the perfect plan!”
Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.7 But God himself will shoot them with his arrows,
Psalm 64 NLT
suddenly striking them down.
8 Their own tongues will ruin them,
and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9 Then everyone will be afraid;
they will proclaim the mighty acts of God
and realize all the amazing things he does.
10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord
and find shelter in him.
And those who do what is right
will praise him.
- Verse 1 in the NKJV reads: “Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.” The NLT says “enemy’s threats”. In today’s world we live in fear. We need to ask God to free us from the spirit of fear that has enveloped us. We need to put our trust in God. When we praise God, our fears go away. Praise and fear cannot live in our hearts at the same time. That’s why David always ends his psalms by praising God.
- I like verse 8: “Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.” Clearly, we see this all the time. Bad, ruthless, evil people, eventually manage to ruin themselves.
- Look at verse 9. When was the last time you “proclaimed the mighty acts of God”? Take a look around. Can you see God’s hand in your life?
- The godly find shelter in Him! You can always turn to GOD! Not Mary, not priests, not saints, not a church, GOD!
Psalm 26
A Psalm of David.
1 Declare me innocent, O Lord,
for I have acted with integrity;
I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2 Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.
Test my motives and my heart.
3 For I am always aware of your unfailing love,
and I have lived according to your truth.
4 I do not spend time with liars
or go along with hypocrites.
5 I hate the gatherings of those who do evil,
and I refuse to join in with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands to declare my innocence.
I come to your altar, O Lord,
7 singing a song of thanksgiving
and telling of all your wonders.
8 I love your sanctuary, Lord,
the place where your glorious presence dwells.9 Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners.
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Don’t condemn me along with murderers.
10 Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
and they constantly take bribes.
11 But I am not like that; I live with integrity.
So redeem me and show me mercy.
12 Now I stand on solid ground,
and I will publicly praise the Lord.
- Do you live according to HIS truth?
- Have you thanked God today?
- Do you live with integrity?
- Do you stand on solid ground?
- When was the last time that you “publicly praised the Lord”?
Psalm 36
For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord.
1 Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts.
They have no fear of God at all.
2 In their blind conceit,
they cannot see how wicked they really are.
3 Everything they say is crooked and deceitful.
They refuse to act wisely or do good.
4 They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots.
Their actions are never good.
They make no attempt to turn from evil.5 Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the ocean depths.
You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.
7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
8 You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
letting them drink from your river of delights.
9 For you are the fountain of life,
the light by which we see.10 Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you;
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give justice to those with honest hearts.
11 Don’t let the proud trample me
or the wicked push me around.
12 Look! Those who do evil have fallen!
They are thrown down, never to rise again.
- David here refers to himself a THE servant of the Lord. Not to be confused with servants of the Lord like Samuel. What does it take to be a servant of the Lord? Ordination? No. Seminary? No. Volunteering. Yes. Doing for others without grumbling. Yes. Having a servant’s heart. Yes! Give and you shall receive! It works! If you live your life with a ME FIRST attitude (that’s greed and pride), you’ll suffer. However, if you live with a servants heart, and joyfully help others, give free advice, share information — without expecting anything in return — you’ll see how God rewards His servants. (Rewards — not save! Salvation is by grace alone, NOT by good works!)
- Verse 4: “They make no attempt to turn from evil.” The spiritually dead person feels no guilt at all.
- God is our refuge, our shelter, our provider.
Jesus reiterated that in the Gospel of Matthew...
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33 NLT
By the way, that was the chapter on how not to worry.
I love the Psalms. They are not just poems or songs, they are sincere prayers from people who truly believe that God can handle anything. That God knows and sees everything. That God is still in control! Furthermore, you can pray them back to God!
David had a relationship with God? Do you?
What’s great is that Jesus made it easy for us to have a relationship with Him. All you have to do is…
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
- Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.
