Psalm 39

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“I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue.” This was David's intention, particularly when those who were wicked might have heard any remarks he made. He wanted to take the Lord's discipline in silence. Yet he found that his heart was still churning. The words eventually came out, despite his best intentions.

His cry was addressed to God. “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!” David wanted to regain a solid spiritual footing for his troubled soul. If he could just remember how short his life would be, he would be better equipped to say only what the Lord would have him say and do only what God wanted him to do. He would remember that too many words and too much agitated activity would amount to nothing of value.

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Once he accepted again the fleeting nature of life under the sun, he could turn once more to the God who created the heavens and the earth and who would one day judge the living and the dead. Any success for David's life would have to come from the hand of the Almighty. David could put all his hope in God. The Lord would lead him in a worthwhile direction.

What did David really need in this time of difficulty? He needed deliverance from his own transgressions. He needed to remember that even his present trials had come to him from the hand of his loving heavenly Father. He needed to believe that his cries to God were not in vain.

He determined to tell the Lord the truth about his inability to survive. He said words that may seem unthinkable to us: “Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!”

God can hear honest words like these. He heard the final cries of His Son as Jesus called out to His Father from the cross. “Into Your hands I commit my Spirit.” The Lord does not admire prayers of pretended strength. He has an ear for forthright expressions of true weakness. He will not despise a broken heart.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Merciful Lord, the wicked are in our presence all day long. Though we would try not to speak foolishly, we may end up saying things when we should be silent. Help us to remember our days. We know that we are but a breath. We are here for a moment and then we are gone. You are everlasting. Give us hope again today.

Psalm 38

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“O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger.” David wrote this psalm for the “memorial offering.” Whatever else that phrase may refer to, David wanted the thoughts expressed in this poem to be remembered by the worshiping congregation of Israel.

While the facts of Israel's sin and God's holy discipline of His people were important, David's words here did not describe a national failing, but a deeply personal struggle. God's correction had come down upon him and had taken away his health and composure. He knew the reason for his troubles. His “sin” and “iniquities” were too heavy for him. He was wounded by his own “foolishness.”

David brought his distress before the Almighty. He sang to the Lord about his trials, describing his loss of “friends and companions” who stood aloof from his “plague.”

The king was aware of the treachery of those around him who sought to destroy him, but he seemed powerless to respond to their schemes. Still he knew that God could hear his cries and answer him from heaven. So he waited for the Lord. With heartfelt anguish concerning his own failures, he turned to God for help.

Why did the enemies described in Psalm 38 hate David? Was it because of his sin? The only commentary he left for us was this: His foes turned against him “because I follow after good.”

The psalm ends with this desperate plea: “Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!”

Why did Israel need to remember this song? Why was the message contained in David's composition so important? Sinners like David, facing the loving discipline of God and hated because of their continued love for God and his ways, needed to pay close attention to what David had discovered. Just because our Father in heaven may be correcting us does not mean that he has forgotten how to help us when we are in danger.

We live in a better era than King David's. David's Lord has come in person. He has not forsaken us. He has heard the cry of His chosen ones and has become our salvation. The story of His loving hand of discipline and His powerful embrace that rescues us is a message worth remembering.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, You know the truth about our iniquities. We have violated Your commandments. We have brought great trouble upon ourselves. Our bodies are weak from sin. We have been full of worry and shame. Forgive us and heal us. We confess our iniquity with a true and godly sorrow, and we hope in Your kind mercy.

Psalm 37

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“Fret not yourself because of evildoers.” David's life was not easy. He had enemies who were eager to see him fall. How would he react to this opposition? Would he be envious of others who were doing wrong and whose lives seemed easier than his?

The success of wickedness is only temporary. David knew this. He strengthened his heart with thoughts of the eternal promises of God. The wicked would “fade like the grass.” In contrast, those who trusted the Lord and delighted in God, had this sure hope: “He will give you the desires of your heart.”

What could the man of faith do as he faced the daily challenges that are part of life? David's advice was both direct and simple: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” God was more than worthy of David's faithful obedience.

An alternative to this approach was the bad habit of giving in to angry outbursts. That kind of life would only lead to more sin and frustration. Why would righteous people plunge themselves into needless emotional turmoil when the Lord Himself had promised that those who trusted in Him would do very well in the end?

Those who worshiped God needed to consider the Lord's reaction to those strutting about in arrogance: “The Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.” God knew well that those who were troubling David were wrong. He did not pretend that they were justified in their sin. He also did not fret about their wickedness. He knew that their evil schemes would ultimately fail.

But what if those who were following the Lord obediently seemed to lose out right now? “Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.” God was more than able to bring them “abundance” in a time of great trial.

As David waited for the Lord's deliverance, he knew that he could be generous to others who were in need. He had observed that the Lord was a willing provider to the families of those who gladly obeyed His Word.

Even when obedience does not seem to bring success in this life, those who have seriously considered the life of our Messiah know that the cross must eventually give way to the crown. Jesus, the only perfectly holy man in history, faced the worst death imaginable as he atoned for our sins. Yet in three days His tomb was empty. He became the first Man in a new resurrection world. There truly is “a future for the man of peace.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord of Justice and Mercy, why do we worry about evil men? You are with all those who trust in Your power and goodness. We wait for You, O Lord. We shall inherit the land according to Your great promise. We are happy in the assurance that comes from Your Word even today. The wicked have no solid hope, but You will help us in an evil day. Our hope is everlasting and secure. You have ordained our every step, and will take us into Your glorious presence. You love justice. You are a God of mercy to those who trust in You. We love You, O Lord. We know You will never abandon us. There is a great day coming for us in the land of Your perfect glory. We look to You for the future of every good hope.

Psalm 36

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“Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart.” David was a “servant of the Lord.” He wrote psalms for Israel with an honest appreciation of the difference between the “wicked” and those who truly feared the Lord. One group imagined that they were safe in their sins—that their iniquity was secret and unknown. The other was honest about their failings but took refuge in the “steadfast love” of God.

Those who were far from the Lord were dedicated to trouble and hatred. Instead of devoting themselves to wisdom and goodness they spent their nights plotting evil deeds that would bring harm to others. David and those who worshiped the Lord with him meditated on their beds at night—not with malicious intentions to destroy the weak, but remembering the righteousness of the Almighty and His faithful love toward them.

God has a feast for those who come to Him with sincere devotion. Their hunger and thirst will be satisfied in the Lord. His table is full of good food. He has refreshing drink for his children from a river of “delights.” We have only had a small taste of the “life” that comes from His fountain. As David wrote so long ago, “In Your light do we see light.”

Because of the life and death of Jesus for us, we can have confidence that God will not cast us off. Even if He seems to hide His face for a season, His steadfast love will never fail. The arrogant and the wicked will not be able to achieve their evil designs forever. The righteous who are oppressed by perverse men will be rescued by the Lord. The “evildoers” will “lie fallen.” They will be “unable to rise,” but we will live forever because of the resurrection of Jesus, our eternal King.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Holy God, we hate the way of wicked men. Take us far away from the evil path. You are perfect in righteousness and steadfast love. We would follow You forever. Grant us Your love, that we might always see Your light in the land of the living.

Psalm 35

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“Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me!” David asked the Lord to fight against those who were fighting against him. He needed God to be his “salvation.” He wanted God to use all the powers of heaven and earth against those who were seeking his life.

These enemies of David hated him without a cause. If they were to fall into the pit they had prepared for him, then David would “rejoice in the Lord.” They were too strong for him. Only the Lord could deliver David from severe danger.

David's foes were not strangers. When these former friends had faced trouble, he had fasted and prayed for them. Yet when David stumbled, they gathered together against him.

David had friends as well as foes. He knew that there were those who would “delight in my righteousness.” He was part of a community of faith who would be glad when the Lord destroyed his adversaries. They would “shout for joy,” not just for a moment, but “evermore.” They would see God's justice against the wicked and would say, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

Why did people hate David so much? Even more importantly, why did people hate the Messiah, the promised Son of David? There is no good answer. Yet the Scriptures had to be fulfilled. They hated this great Servant of God without a cause. Because of His death and resurrection, the evil of His enemies has been exposed, and a great community of worshipers has been assembled. Their shouts of joy will never be silenced. They will never abandon the Son of David. They will rejoice in the Lord forever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Protector God, powerful foes are pursuing Your people. Let them be disappointed in their wicked goals. Foil them through the ministry of holy angels. Stop the progress of the man who seeks an evil conquest over the weak. Help us to be safely innocent regarding the ways of evil. May we feed the hungry, and help the poor in their time of need. Bring us one day into the great congregation of perfected men and angels in Your heavenly sanctuary. You see all things. Help us now in a true and holy cause. Bring about a wonderful victory for the glory of Your matchless name. Great are You, O Lord! We will praise You forever!

Psalm 34

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“I will bless the Lord at all times.” Before David was firmly established as the king of Israel, he was on the run. He was even forced to take refuge among the enemies of Israel. In this period of extreme stress, David repeatedly experienced the Lord's deliverance. He learned to humble himself and to find His stability in the praise of God.

David's life experience became a model that inspired others. The man who would be king sought the Lord in many different trials and found the God of Israel to be faithful. Though far from home, afraid, and poor, he found heavenly aid. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.”

This young man who was chosen by God insisted that his life experience was not entirely unique to him. He urged all who would worship the Lord to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” They too would discover God's constant blessing and merciful provision.

David pleaded with those who would learn from his life. Did they desire to see the goodness of the Lord over the course of a long life? They should turn away from evil and do good. A commitment of humble obedience was a requirement for all those who wanted the Lord to hear their cries for help.

Psalm 34 did not promise the saints of the Lord that they would never face difficulties. God's greatest acts of deliverance could only be experienced within the context of significant trials. The Lord would hear the prayers of the faithful. He would be near the brokenhearted. He would save those who were “crushed in spirit.”

The life and death of Jesus of Nazareth, a descendant of David, would one day provide God's children the premier illustration of what it would look like to be a faithful servant of God. As David had written many centuries before, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” David concluded Psalm 34 with a detail that would find fulfillment in the death of Jesus on the cross: “He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.” See John 19:36.

God has provided His people with a perfect refuge from eternal condemnation. The Lord has redeemed the life of His servants through the death and resurrection of the Messiah. Because of Jesus, we will bless the Lord at all times.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, We praise You in gladness and humility today. When we cry out to You, You hear us. We take refuge in You and lack no good thing. Grant us effectiveness as we would teach our children about Your ways. You will deliver us out of the many afflictions that are a normal part of the righteous life. We have tasted of Your goodness and have seen the wonder of Your glory.

Psalm 33

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“Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!” The writer of this psalm was not specifically identified, though he was leading the Lord's people in worship. He was calling on all of those who were gathered in God's presence to sing and to play musical instruments—not just for their own pleasure—but with the joyful awareness that the Lord God was listening to them.

The Lord's people had many good reasons to praise their God. The psalmist began with the greatness of God's Word. “The Word of the Lord is upright.” The God who spoke that Word was Himself the epitome of all that was right and good. He was also powerful. His Word brought about the creation of the heavens and the earth. That Word also ordered and sustained everything that God had created.

Other impressive rulers throughout the earth might make plans against the will of the God of Israel, but would they be able to overrule the decrees of the Almighty? Certainly not! The Lord could easily frustrate even the most frightening tyrants. Israel was greatly blessed to have the Lord as their God.

The Lord exercised supreme power from His throne above. He also enjoyed complete knowledge of the smallest details of every creature upon the earth. “He sees all the children of man.” He also knew everything they did or even intended. He knew the hearts of every king and all their subjects. He had His eye of protection and mercy on all those who approached Him with reverent fear. He was able to help them in their times of greatest need.

The Lord was wonderful in every way! His power, knowledge, and love were beyond compare. Yes, Israel had every reason to shout for joy to the Lord. If worship was right for them, how can we who know the Lord Jesus Christ do less than they were called to do? Our Savior is the eternal Word of God. He has been given all power and authority in heaven and on earth. His goodness and love are beyond question. He Himself is the best reason that we can ever have to respond to God's invitation to worship Him.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O Lord God, We come to You in joyful praise. Your Word is true and good. Your great works of creation are amazing and lovely. You have power beyond the force of mighty men and armies. You know everything about men, even their secret deeds and the silent intentions of every heart. We hope in Your steadfast love. We wait for You. We trust You.

Psalm 32

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“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven.” David understood the sad condition of mankind and the potential for a better life that the Lord had provided through forgiveness. He knew that all kinds of disobedience could be “covered” by God, allowing worshipers to be honest not only about their great need, but also about the mercy that could be theirs through grace.

Without a solution to humanity's sin crisis, those who would approach God would be tempted to religious pretense. This might lead to serious bodily sickness and even death. “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away.” This condition was not merely from internal turmoil. “Your hand was heavy upon me.”

Relief came to David through honest confession and repentance. God's forgiveness brought great comfort. Through this experience he found a better way of life. He also embraced a new mission to those around him who might learn from his errors and from the restoration that had come to him from the Lord. “Let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found.”

David was moved to worship through the profound events he had experienced in his own life. He saw now that there was no need for anyone to persist in sin. That kind of stubbornness was more fitting for a senseless beast than for a human being who could experience God's steadfast love.

With the coming of the Messiah, we now understand more about how God has covered the sins of those who come to Him for forgiveness. The mercy of the Almighty can set a man free from the bondage of lies. No one needs to persist in a life of wickedness for even one more moment. A strong solution to our deepest problem has come to us through our Redeemer's blood. Our God has received the obedience of Jesus and given His Son's reward to all who will trust in Him. We who were lost in the misery of rebellion have found relief and blessedness in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father, You have counted the righteousness of Christ as our righteousness. His death was ours, and His life above is also for us. Our sin has been forgiven, for You have delivered our lives from Your wrath. You make us messengers of faith in Your Son. We will trust in Him forever, together with all who have been counted as upright in heart by Your grace.

Psalm 31

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“In you, O LORD, do I take refuge!” Over and over again David wrote beautiful psalms for Israel's worship around the theme of trusting the Lord. God was his “rock of refuge” against violent foes. Even at the the most hopeless moments in his life these words were his earnest plea: “Into your hand I commit my spirit.” His confidence became Israel's song: “You have redeemed me, O Lord.”

David wrote forthrightly about the difference between trusting in idols and faith in God. The Lord was not a lifeless object made by human hands. He was alive. He saw David's affliction and came to his aid. He knew the distress of David's soul and was able to bring him to a place of safety.

David remembered the Lord's previous acts of powerful love and then turned to God with even more confidence. The Lord would help him again as he had in the past. He could be honest with God about his own sin and yet know that God's love for him would remain. His neighbors all around him had become adversaries who were plotting to take his life. They did not have his best interests at heart. Yet the Lord would never fail him.

The man that God chose to be king had this confidence: “My times are in your hand.” He cried out for the Lord's salvation, but he knew that if his life were taken away from him that it would have to be by the permission of the Lord who loved him. If he went to be with God, a better life awaited him: “Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you.” But this great provision could even be experienced in this life, despite the hostility of powerful adversaries. God could bring him safely through every trial. He could show David His love for him even when he was “in a besieged city.” And when David's own fears rose up within him causing him to cry out, “I am cut off from your sight,” the Lord would still hear his voice and send powerful help.

David's words have inspired the faith of many worshipers over the centuries. Jesus himself quoted this psalm from the cross. “Into your hand I commit my spirit.” The Lord's unfailing love has reached us as well. As the apostle John wrote many centuries later, “We love because He first loved us.” As we understand the Lord's unwavering commitment to His chosen people we can embrace the life that He urges for all those who worship the Lord: “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

God of Providence, You are the only hope of the righteous. Be our Rock and our Fortress. We trust our souls and bodies to You. You know the depth of the affliction of Your servants. You see our tears, and You hear our sighs. Though our neighbors may hate or forget us, our times are in Your powerful hand. Save us in Your steadfast love. Your justice will come against Your enemies in the day of Your glory. When all hope seems lost, You remain the sure hope of Your people.

Psalm 30

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“I will extol you, O Lord!” David wanted to build the temple in Jerusalem and made extensive preparations for the completion of this great endeavor. By the time his son, Solomon, was presiding over the dedication of this new sanctuary, David had breathed his last. Yet this psalm was a gift that he prepared for the people of God to sing on that day.

Psalm 30 told the story of one man who had suffered greatly, cried out to God, and was lifted up by the Lord from his sickbed. It was a psalm of resurrection that this one faithful worshiper had experienced. He had gone down “to the pit” and was then “restored to life.”

Based on all that death and resurrection, this worshiper now urged all of God's people to sing praises to God. He said, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

He also reflected upon earlier days of “prosperity” when death seemed unimaginable. But when trouble came and the Lord hid His face from His holy servant, this dying man was greatly “dismayed.”

At that point of despair this worshiper had again cried out to God. “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?” He knew that he needed life to bring glory to the Lord. He cried out to God again and was heard.

Instead of garments of mourning, he was clothed with “gladness.” He had been lying in “Sheol,” but now he was dancing again! His message, which David prepared for the next generation to sing at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, reaches down to us today as we look up to a better sanctuary that we have not yet seen. Because of the death and resurrection of the Messiah, we will not be left in the grave. We will be lifted up to the land of life. Joy will come in the morning.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, we know the day of difficulty, and the day of Your great deliverance. We have been foolish in sin, but You have granted us repentance. When You hid Your face, we cried out to You. You have heard us and helped us. We will rejoice in Your presence forevermore.