Psalm 29

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“Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings!” David began this unique psalm with a call to the inhabitants of heaven. All who were singing from the sanctuary on earth called upon those above to give glory to the Lord.

The divide between heaven and earth has always painful for those who lived here below. David's words reminded all of God's people that the same glorious Lord that they were singing to here was well known by all the citizens of the better land of life. Like them, the whole earth was called to “worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”

Psalm 29 continued with a meditation upon the “voice of the Lord.” The glory of God could be known in the power of a frightening storm. His breathtaking providences were reminders of His majesty.

The wild animals might give birth in the fury of God's thunder and lightening. In God's sanctuary, both here below and even in the great cloud of witnesses above, all of the Lord's people would cry out, “Glory!”

God is not frightened by the thunder and lightening. He reigns above even now over the great challenges of our lives. The Lord who died for our sins has not forgotten us. He is over every storm as “king forever.” He gives us strength to keep on going until our days are done on this earth. He blesses all His people with peace.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord of Hosts, all worship of men and angels is due to You, for You alone are God. Your voice is fearful and wonderful, like glorious thunder from the heavens. Blessed be Your Name, O great King. We hear Your Word of peace, and are greatly blessed.

Psalm 28

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“To you, O Lord, I call.” David needed a God who could hear him. He was in grave danger, and if the Lord did not help him, he was convinced that he would “go down to the pit.” David's worship was more than a religious duty. The king of Israel was a desperate man who looked for God to save him from his enemies.

David knew all about the wicked. They spoke peace to their neighbors, but it was all a sham. They were ready to abuse those around them for their own sordid gain. He looked for God to give these evil people what they deserved. He was convinced that the Lord would “tear them down and build them up no more.”

God's servant could worship the Lord now with confidence. He had brought His petition to the Almighty and he was convinced that God would do what was right. He would sing to the Lord with the assurance that his cause was just and that God would not ignore his petition.

The great I-am would not forget His anointed. David was the Lord's chosen king for Israel, but there would be a descendant of David who would one day be declared to be God's Anointed over all of the earth. This Christ would show His strength in accomplishing His saving mercy through His death on the cross. Because of His resurrection from the dead we have been granted faith that the Lord will save His people. Our great Shepherd will not abandon His beloved sheep. He will hold us in His loving arms and will never let us go.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Hear us, O Lord! We cry to You for mercy and help. In this evil world, men speak peace to us, but they plot our speedy destruction. Your Son faced trouble in the days of His earthly ministry. He suffered greatly for us. You will surely save Your people and bless our future. You will carry us forever.

Psalm 27

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“The Lord is my light and my salvation.” David, living in a dark world, looked to the Lord for light. Though he expressed grave concern about those who were against him, he knew that God would bring him through every trouble. He did not have to live in constant fear of those who hated him.

Above every other desirable gift in this life, David admired his Lord. It would have been his delight to stay in God's presence forever—to see his Master's face and to hear all of the wisdom that would come from His Word.

David knew that God would not tire of him. He knew that his heavenly Father truly loved him. When David lifted up his voice to the Lord in song, God did not whisper under His breath, “Not him again.” It was the Almighty who had instructed His servant with these great words of encouragement: “Seek My face.” David's willing heart offered a sincere reply: “Your face, Lord, will I seek.” Even though the Lord's servant actually asked God not to cast him off in anger, he knew that his own parents would have disowned him long before his heavenly Master would give up on him.

David's enemies were not at all like God. They had plots against him. They were ready to lie about him and even to kill him, but David knew that the Lord would protect him from all their attacks.

What was David's hope? “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!” This was certainly true of David's eternal destiny in the heavenly “land of the living.” Yet this man who set his heart on the Lord did not believe that he would have to die in order to experience the Lord's favor. God would help him now.

The greatest Son of David came into this world to defeat death for us. Because of Jesus, David's faith is now shared by people all over the world. The psalmist's instruction to Israel so many centuries ago is still a good word for all who love God today. “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” We will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

God of Our Salvation, there is no one like You. No matter how great the danger, our hope and confidence is in You. Please bring us to Your heavenly temple. We are with You even now in Christ. We long to be close to You and to see You. Be near us now. You are the God of our salvation. Lead us on a level path. We wait for You, O Lord.

Psalm 26

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“Vindicate me, O Lord!” David looked for God to acknowledge him openly as a man of integrity. He believed that he really trusted the Lord “without wavering.” He thought that if the Almighty were to test him, even down to the depths of his soul, he would be proven to be a man who was actually walking in the steadfast love and faithfulness of God.

As he reviewed his own life he knew that his worship was not hypocritical. The outward rituals he performed were not a coverup for inner evil. He did not perform his public duties of prayer and praise only to then join up with thieves who were working out their wicked plots together.

When David spoke openly of his love for the Lord, he was telling the truth. His affections for God and for heaven were real. He could not believe that God would treat him like “bloodthirsty men” whose hands were “full of bribes.” He was convinced that he would receive the reward of those who were true followers of the Lord.

Nonetheless, even as David recommitted his life to obedience before God, he asked the Lord to “redeem” him and to “be gracious” to him. Redemption is for people who have been sold into bondage by their guilt and need to be bought back from slavery by God. Graciousness is for all who need something more than the Lord's strictest justice. How could David look for vindication based on his own performance, but then conclude this psalm with a request for the Lord's gift of mercy?

David understood a great mystery. He knew that even his best intentions and actions were an expression of God's prior kindness to him. He believed that the Lord would secure for him a more perfect record of holiness than he could ever achieve on his own. With confidence in God's love, David knew what we have now come to experience. A perfect Messiah has redeemed us. Because of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we will stand with David in “the great assembly.” Together with all those who have been granted the gift of faith we will “bless the Lord” without any fear of condemnation.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God of Righteousness, help us today. Your Son lived in perfect innocence. Make us true followers of Him. May we walk in His integrity. We worship You as Your chosen assembly, for we have been covered by the atoning blood of our holy Savior.

Psalm 25

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“To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” David lived in relationship with God. He trusted the Lord. He asked God to protect him from his enemies and he believed that the Lord would hear him and help him. David did not believe that God's favor was only for him. “None who wait for You shall be put to shame.” Yet he was also aware that there were those around him who were “wantonly treacherous” and that their destiny would be very different from those who feared God.

David knew God already, but he was not content to stay as he was. He understood that God would have to lead him in his desire to know and love the Lord more and more. David called this posture of seeking spiritual progress from above “waiting.” He wrote, “For You I wait all the day long.”

As David trusted God to direct him, he asked the Lord to remember certain things and to forget others. He wanted the Lord to remember His own divine mercy—His faithful covenant love, and to forget David's sins, especially the sins of his youth. He knew that God's own love and goodness would be the foundation for further blessing in his experience of communion.

God chose David to be a man who not only knew these truths, but also experienced them and taught others to do the same. He understood that true waiting upon God required humility and obedience. The benefits of sincere dedication to the Almighty were substantial. David believed that the man who feared the Lord would “abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.”

We might imagine that a person who had such a solid faith as this would live an entirely peaceful life. Apparently not. Even the Messiah, who lived the perfect life of trusting His Father in heaven, was still known by the title, “Man of Sorrows.” All who desire sincere fellowship with the Lord should not be surprised when they, like David and Jesus, are “lonely and afflicted.”

Yet there is an important difference between the spiritual experience of the Messiah and everyone else who follows Him. While He shared our sorrows and even took our sins upon Himself, He was entirely without sin. Our integrity is at best partial. His was perfect. He has redeemed us out of every tribulation.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O Lord God, do not let us be put to shame. Lead us in the way of Your Word. We wait for You. We love Your mercy and Your covenant faithfulness. We humble ourselves before You, because of our sin and because of Your greatness. Teach us Your truth. We follow the Man of Righteousness. He has obeyed You perfectly, and has delivered us from the worst trouble. We take refuge in You, O Lord. You will redeem the church from all her troubles.

Psalm 24

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“The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof.” Everything around David, even the most powerful people ruling over the greatest empires, belonged to the Lord. God was the one who created the earth. He made the dry land appear. He provided rivers of fresh water for man and beast. All of life owed its existence to Him.

Far beyond the visible realms of all that dwelt below, the Lord also ruled over the heavens. Who would ever be able to join God in that holy habitation? Only the person who had “clean hands” and a “pure heart.”

The Lord alone was the judge over everything that He had made. He would not have fellowship with idolaters or liars. Only those who were sincere imitators of God would receive His blessing.

Could David himself ever be such a man? He wrote here that those who would “seek the face of the God of Jacob” would find the Lord to be the God of their salvation. The Almighty would grant them righteousness as a gift. This would be the only hope for the humble worshiper who was aware of his imperfections.

People who would seek God would one day be a part of His heavenly temple. They would gladly receive the “King of glory” referred to at the end of this psalm. Only Jesus had truly clean hands and a completely pure heart. He accomplished all that He promised to do. When He ascended into heaven He was welcomed home as a victorious conqueror. Because of His victory we have received a great gift from God. We are able to live in the presence of the God who owns everything in heaven and on earth.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great God of Our Salvation, You created the earth. You have loved righteousness. The Man You have chosen has made the way for us to be with You in heaven. The Lord Jesus is the King of Glory. He has entered the heavenly sanctuary, and we are united with Him forever.

Psalm 23

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“The Lord is my shepherd.” God chose David to be the king of Israel, but David knew that he needed God to be his shepherd. The Lord would lead David to places of provision. He protected the king and restored David's soul in situations of great distress. God also helped David in his desire to live a holy life.

David lived in a world under the sentence of death. He was continually in danger of dying and he regularly mourned the loss of others who had already been taken away by disease or warfare. God's leadership and companionship through this valley of human mortality was of great aid to the king. Like a good shepherd, the Lord used His rod of correction upon David when necessary. The king learned to appreciate the shepherd's staff.

God's plans for His beloved sheep have always been very good. David meditated upon this and wrote these comforting words for all of the Lord's people to sing. Yes they had enemies, but the Lord would make His beloved people prosper in the midst of these adversaries. Israel would not merely squeak by. Their cups would overflow.

Even more than the provision of the Lord in this present life, David knew that the Almighty would provide for him and for the nation beyond their mortal days. David would dwell in the house of the Lord forever. These blessings would flow forth from the goodness and mercy of David's divine shepherd.

Those who have loved the Bible have taken much comfort from Psalm 23 for many centuries. Even before the coming of the Messiah, this text was frequently read as faithful men and women marked the loss of loved ones. But these wonderful words have taken on new meaning for those who follow the Lord today. Jesus has identified Himself as our good shepherd. He gave His life for His sheep. His cross has displayed to us the fullness of divine goodness and mercy. Because of the faithfulness of the Son of David, we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Shepherd of Israel, You lead us and provide for us. Though death is near, You are nearer still. We trust You, for You fill us with Your Spirit. You have secured for us an eternal home in Your great house.

Psalm 22

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“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” How low can a godly man go? He shouts to the Lord in turmoil, but there is no answer.

He is clinging by faith to the God he knows, despite the fact that the comfort of communion with the Almighty is suddenly so far away from him. He meditates upon God. He considers the heritage of the Lord's mercy toward His people. He knows that when the faithful have turned to Him throughout the generations, time and again God has rescued them in their need.

He thinks then of his current condition. He has become the object of mockery and hatred for people who do not believe that God will help him. There is no word of comfort near him, only scorn and ridicule. The unmistakable taunt of a murderous mob is this: “God does not love you, and He will not rescue you.”

Yet this vicious crowd can never take away his past. This godly servant knows that the Lord has been with him as his God from the earliest moments of his life. He renews his plea: “Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.”

This trouble is from angry people who are filled with hate. They are wild beasts ready to kill. Have they lost all sense that they are actually men created in God's image? Have they forgotten basic respect for all who share in the dignity of humanity?

They look upon this godly man in the most desperate condition who is publicly exposed before their eyes. With only moments left to live, his bones are dislocated, his heart is near collapse, and his lungs are struggling for breath. As he dies with the most extreme thirst and deprivation before the eyes of those who despise him, he is aware of this truth: It is God who has laid me in the dust of death.

The man in this psalm is not dying from natural causes. He has been crucified. “They have pierced my hands and feet,” he says. The mob stares at him. They have divided his clothes, and now they gloat over his naked frame.

His plea to God is renewed once again. “Do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion!”

Suddenly there is a complete and dramatic change: “You have rescued me.” God has heard and has answered the plea of His suffering servant. His prayer has come before the throne of God, and the Lord has given him sudden and vigorous life. He will pay to the Lord the offering that he promised on the day when he called out in distress to the Almighty.

What payment will he make? This one man has a connection to many others whom he calls his worshiping “brothers” who are part of the Lord's congregation. He will gather all the true offspring of Jacob with the message of the Lord's covenant faithfulness to him. Together a great congregation will worship God because of this one dying man who now lives.

How great will this congregation be? They will be an eternal church. Their hearts will live forever! They will extend far beyond the Jews. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before the God of Israel as their eternal King. Their number will include those who have already died and millions who have not yet been born. These future generations will hear a message that will draw them into this eternal community of worship.

Jesus is the righteous suffering Servant who has become the King of the resurrection kingdom. The facts of this psalm are unmistakably about the events surrounding His humiliation and exaltation. He put His mark on this psalm with His own dying plea: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus gave this testimony before Jews and Gentiles on the day when He died for our sins.

In His anguished cry of the opening words of this moving and perplexing composition, Jesus is giving a most important message to all who will hear. He speaks out of the anguish of His righteous soul and gives meaning to His suffering based on all the words of this psalm.

The Messiah gave His life for all who would call upon His Name. He faced death, but in His willing sacrifice He has conquered sin and death for us. Men pierced His hands and feet, but now He is alive forever as our eternal King.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Merciful God, Your Son was cut off for our transgressions. We trust in You. We will not be put to shame. Your Son suffered greatly from the hatred of men. They railed against Him without cause. They nailed Him to a cross. He faced death for our salvation. Yet He trusted in You to the end. You rescued Him. Now He has won for You the praise of the church. We cry out to Him for powerful help. We are not only saved; we are also satisfied. People from many nations shall serve You, even those who are long gone from the earth. All generations shall proclaim Your righteousness, even people not yet born. You have done everything for our salvation, and we will praise You forever.

Psalm 21

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“O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices!” David, the author of this song, was one of Israel's greatest kings. Yet in Psalm 21 he seems to be writing about a more highly exalted ruler.

God had fulfilled that great leader's requests, but what were the desires that the Lord granted? “Length of days forever and ever.” “You make him most blessed forever.” “The Lord will swallow (the king's enemies) up in his wrath, and fire will consume them.” These words sound like Judgment Day and not the victory of anyone in the history of the Old Testament people. “You will destroy their descendants from the earth, and their offspring from among the children of man.”

“The king trusts in the Lord.” He is somehow different from God and yet possesses the blessings of God-like authority and power. To find the fulfillment of these verses we need to look beyond the earthly ministry of Jesus of Nazareth and join the Apostle John as he gazed with awe upon the exalted heavenly Christ in Revelation 1.

The ruling Messiah has become the Lord's final answer to our prayers. He is no longer dying on the cross. He is the reigning ascended Jesus who has all power and authority in heaven and on earth. As the author of Hebrews says, “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.” (Hebrews 12:25) In the concluding words of Psalm 21, “Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Mighty God, we rejoice in Your strength and in the glory of Your Son, the King over Your people. He is full of splendor and majesty, for He has trusted perfectly in You, O God. Your day of wrath is coming, and You will separate the wicked from the righteous. Be exalted, in the greatness of Your perfect power.

Psalm 20

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“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!” David needed God to answer his prayers. God's “answer” to a cry for help might have come in a powerful provision of something that a petitioner desperately needed. It also might have been that the Lord's “answer” was a Word from Him—a message that was meant to be heard and followed.

Perhaps the people of Israel often needed both a practical gift and an explanatory Word. The Lord's children have always had desires that only God could supply. Yet they would have been greatly impoverished if every gift that He supplied came without any information that would help them to know the Giver or to understand His purposes in a fuller way.

Because the Lord spoke through His prophets, Israel was gradually prepared for the blessing of a perfect King. He was the fullest answer to their longings. When that King came in person, He supplied food, health, and even money to pay a tax obligation! As good as these gifts were, the followers of Jesus needed more than temporary aid.

Like those who heard the teaching of Jesus in the first century, we need to hear about God's best answer for us. “I am the bread from heaven.” “I am the resurrection and the life.” We need an eternal King more than anything that money can buy. We have a living Lord who is Himself the best answer to our every prayer.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O Divine Helper, You deliver us from evil in the day of trouble. Lord, we ask that You would purify our desires, and grant to us all our holy petitions. We trust in Your Son, O Lord. He is the King over Your people, and He will answer us when we call.

Psalm 19

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“The heavens declare the glory of God.” In this song written for Israel's worship, David wrote about a gift that all the people groups of the earth could appreciate. God had declared His greatness to everyone through the vast expanse of the heavens. This “speech” of creation told a story of the One who had made all that was seen and unseen.

David drew attention particularly to the sun with poetic admiration for the Lord who ruled over it. The sun that rose every day in the east was like a strong young man, a bridegroom, following a path with great joy that would lead to his beloved bride. The appropriate response to the glory of the sun was to look beyond what could be seen to the One who ruled over all of nature, and to sing to the great Creator.

This one Lord was YHWH, the God who had spoken to Israel. Through the Scriptures, David and all who would hear the Lord could admire and obey a being far more glorious than the sun. The Word of the Lord was perfect, and it brought life to the soul that would otherwise be dead. It was a sure testimony that could safely be trusted. By this Word, every believing heart could discover the joy of a pure and clean life.

The Word of God was a great gift to those who would listen and obey. It was more valuable than the purest gold and more delicately sweet than the very best honey. The substantial benefits of this great Word would come to the person who not only heard the voice of God, but also followed it.

The Word was so right that going against it was a very serious evil. David expressed the danger of even his own unintentional faults and the attacks that might come from temptations to commit deliberate sin. How could anyone be innocent of great transgression?

God has made a way for us to have perfect forgiveness and bold confidence through the coming of a Son of David who would have no sin. This great descendent might not appear to be impressive to others, but in His moral perfections and His powerful miracles He has displayed the glory of the Lord. He came in the flesh as the perfect Word of God and gave Himself for us on the cross to secure our eternal salvation. He is our Rock and our Redeemer. Through Him we are acceptable to our heavenly Father who has loved us with an everlasting love. We admire His greatness in every gift of creation. We seek His direction in every Word of the Scriptures.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Creator God, we hear of You from every mountaintop and from the vastness of the oceans that exist according to Your will. In the skies we see who You are from all that You have made. But now You have spoken to us so clearly and wonderfully in Your written word. Help us to love Your speech, and keep us from the foolishness of willful rebellion against You. Change us that we might love Your Law more and more with a pure heart.

Psalm 18

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“I love you, O Lord, my strength.” David faced a very long struggle against King Saul. Saul was determined to hunt David down and kill him. The Lord was very much in the middle of this struggle, ending the reign of one man and raising up a new line of kings that would lead to a promised Messiah.

David's story was told in so many ways in the Bible. In Psalm 18, he wrote his own song of love for the Almighty who had rescued him from the hand of all his enemies. David knew that God was his rock, his shield, and his stronghold. He believed that the Lord was worthy of praise.

David's convictions concerning God were solidified during this long period of great distress with many moments of intense trouble. The cords of death encompassed David. He was headed toward the land of the dead, but the Lord delivered him and placed him on solid and sure footing.

Who was David's Rock? The Lord God alone, who heard the prayer of a man in need and who moved heaven and earth to come to him with a powerful salvation. God was not just an idea to David. After years of trial the Lord had brought David up out of deep waters. The Lord had saved him like a father might save his drowning son. David knew that God had rescued him because He delighted in him.

Why did God do all this for David? In Psalm 18 David insisted that he had kept the ways of the Lord so closely that he had not wickedly departed from God. Yet this same man recorded his sin in other psalms. Was there some other “David” who was blameless? Would there be another in the line of David who would secure the hopes of all the faithful through perfect obedience to the Law of the Lord?

Through Jesus, the promised Son of David, God has saved the humble. Through this one King of Mercy, God has been merciful to David and to us. The Lord meets us and strengthens us for the battles of our lives. His love for us is personal, powerful, and very practical. He has rescued us from moments of deep distress not only because He knows us, but because He delights in us. Together with David of old, we will sing His praise forever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

God of Our Salvation, we sing to You with love and joy. You are our Rock. We call upon Your Name. Though death drew near to us, You heard our voices, and attended to the cry of our hearts. Like a father who runs to the defense of his children, You came to us and rescued us. You are able to scatter our strongest enemies. They were too mighty for us, but You have loved us and rescued us. Deal with us according to the righteousness of Your faithful Servant Jesus Christ. We have received Your abundant mercy. Grant to us the light of Your presence every day, that we might live for the glory of Your Name. Your way is perfect and true. We take refuge in You. We go forth in battle for Your holy purposes. Crafty men make hidden plans, but they will be defeated, for You have equipped us for the day of battle. You know Your own people, O God, and You have appointed Your Son to be the Head over the nations. You have subdued so many lands under Jesus Christ. We will sing with joy to You forever, O mighty God.

Psalm 17

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“Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry!” In this prayer David cried out for help. He knew that the Lord alone could bring him vindication against enemies that were too powerful for him.

David prayed to God about his own life. He spoke sincerely about his obedience. He asked the Lord to test him, confident that God would not find anything wrong in his heart, his word, and his actions. “My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.”

How could this have been true? Surely David had sinned. Could it be that David believed that if he had confessed his past transgressions before the Lord, then the Lord actually had forgiven his debt and cleansed him of all the filth of evil? As he called out to God in this moment of need, his conscience was clear.

This confidence was only possible because of the steadfast love of the Lord. David counted on God's own covenant faithfulness. He believed that all who took refuge in the Almighty would find salvation not only from their own faults but even from all their enemies who stood against them. He knew that God kept His eye on all His children as a good father would look with favor upon his own beloved little ones.

David could not count on the men around him in that same way. His enemies would never love him as God would. They might even kill him without any remorse. Though the Lord had given them so many blessings, they refused to love the Lord's anointed.

We are called today to have sincere affection for the Son of David, Jesus Christ. We behold His face in the Word and are changed by our relationship with Him. Even if we lie down in death, we will awake and be satisfied with the One who is the perfect likeness of the invisible God. Because of Him we can continue to live with confidence as we cry out to God in prayer.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great God of Justice, hear our prayers. You know us. We have committed our lives to You and turned away from all evil. Please hear us now, for we seek refuge in You. There is an adversary who stands against us as a deadly enemy. He has no pity, but is full of arrogance. Please defend us by the Word of Your mouth. Help us, O Lord, for evil men would pursue us to destroy us. We will awake in Your presence.