Psalm 50

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“The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth.” As with the group called “the sons of Korah,” the name of Asaph is associated in the Scriptures with King David. These musical servants were appointed by the king. They and their descendants led the congregation in worship and even composed songs under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Some of these, like Psalm 50, were explicitly about the Lord's sovereignty over the entire planet. Out of the perfection of His heavenly sanctuary and from His earthly residence on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, the Lord Almighty sent forth a message of majestic glory to the whole world.

The Lord, the great I-AM, was worshiped as the God who speaks and who comes in person. Yet Israel's God brought a message that many of His people did not want to hear. “I will testify against you.” The Lord was not interested in ceremonial righteousness as a substitute for sincere obedience. He was not hungry for their animal sacrifices. He called for His people to be truly thankful to Him and to live according to their solemn promises. The Lord who owned “the cattle on a thousand hills” wanted them to cry out to Him when they were in need and to ask Him for deliverance. He demanded their sincere worship.

Some Israelites were more than willing to have God's Name on their lips, but they were unwilling to follow His commandments. His rebuke of the disobedient was very plain: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?”

The Lord used the psalmist to prosecute His people for their violations of His laws. They had joined with thieves and adulterers and yet imagined that the Lord would not care. They spoke against one another and would not hear God's directives. Despite all this sin they imagined that they could still gather in covenant assembly and perform the rites of the Old Testament liturgy. Yet the Lord was not willing to receive them in their hypocrisy. “Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!”

How can anyone stand before the Almighty? How can we worship God? We come in the Name of Jesus. That Name is powerful to turn us away from mere pretended holiness. We glorify our God with honest thanksgiving for all His benefits. By His powerful grace, we order our ways rightly, and we trust that through this same Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, the Lord will show us His salvation.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Almighty God, You are perfect. You come to us. You speak. Your righteousness is declared in the heavens. We hate our hypocrisy. We would pretend perfect devotion, but You know the truth. Help us now, that we might glorify You. We turn away from all wickedness. Help us to love the truth from the heart. You are perfectly holy, and You care for us. We give You our thanksgiving as a pleasant sacrifice, for we offer You our lives.

Psalm 49

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“Hear this, all peoples!” God had something to say through one of the sons of Korah to the “inhabitants of the world.” This composition was explicitly for all kinds of people, “rich and poor together.” The writer had an awareness that the words of his psalm were words of wisdom from God—that he would be able to unlock the meaning of a “riddle” with this song.

What was the mysterious question that the psalmist would explain? It concerned the iniquity of the wicked, particularly the rich, who were persecuting those who followed the Lord. How should a follower of the Lord respond to their unjust provocation?

The psalmist said, “Why should I fear in times of trouble?” Yes, these evil men “trust in their wealth” and “boast of the abundance of their riches.” Yet there was no need for their threats to disable a righteous man, even when such godless people were cheating him personally. What was his secret for calm endurance? He considered God's control over eternity. Wicked people would not oppress the Lord's children forever. No evildoer would be able to “give to God the price of his life.” Only God could provide a ransom to satisfy the requirements of His own divine justice. Those who persisted in godlessness were the ones who were in great trouble, and not those who looked to the Lord for deliverance.

A healthy consideration of the ages to come could be a great comfort to those who were facing present suffering. Ownership of vast properties would not secure eternity for anyone. The godly could place their trust in the Lord.

All those among the nations of the world, whether rich or poor, would die. Their bodies would go to the grave, and their souls would go to the land of the departed—“Sheol.” The only hope for anyone would be that God would accept a ransom for him. This was the psalmist's faith: “God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me.”

With this right understanding of life and death, this son of Korah was able to instruct others. There was no need for anyone to be unduly afraid of powerful oppressors. The lives of even the most prosperous people would soon be over. The only hope of any man would be in the Lord's provision of an acceptable ransom. That ransom has now come for all who believe. A great future of abundant life has been granted to us through the blood of Christ.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Holy God, You are over all, forever to be praised. We have some awareness of the sins of men and we confess our own transgressions. How can we be saved? Yet One has come for us as a Redeemer, that we might have a hope that extends beyond the grave. Our mortal bodies will die, and our achievements under the sun will swiftly be forgotten. Grant to us understanding of Your eternal glory, that we might live in Your presence forever.

Psalm 48

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“Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised.” The Lord has a holy mountain above. During the days of Old Testament Israel, He maintained a picture of that glorious “city of our God” in Jerusalem and especially in the temple on the top of Mount Zion.

Jerusalem was the place where the great kings of Israel lived. Above them all was the One who would come as the greatest of all the kings over heaven and earth, the Son of God. He would descend from that Zion above and would make Himself known. He would be a fortress for His people.

One day the most powerful enemies of the Lord's people will face the true King. He will bring His sanctuary from heaven down upon the earth, and all those who have stood against Him and His church will tremble. The Lord will shatter the might of His foes. All that the church has heard about in the Scriptures will be seen by His people.

As we wait for that day, we worship the Lord with faithful expectation. God reveals Himself among us through His Word and Spirit, and His praise reaches “to the ends of the earth.” All those who respond to the Word of the Lord are invited to be glad because of the promises that we have come to believe. We rejoice that God will perfectly judge the earth and that He will save us.

Until that new day comes in fullness, we gather together in holy expectation. As we read the Word and sing to the Lord, it is as if we are walking around the Zion that will one day come down from heaven. We consider the greatness of God and we pass on the good news to the next generation. The Lord who is our present joy will soon be our salvation forever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord of heaven and earth, we look to Your great sanctuary in glory and we are astonished. Your Word teaches us about the place of our citizenship in that heavenly Jerusalem. We are deeply impressed. Our expectation of the life to come is a matter of great joy for our souls. We will pass on this good news to the coming generation, and will speak of You throughout all the nations of men.

Psalm 47

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“Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!” The Lord chose the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob out of all the families of the earth. Though He remained a great King “over all the earth,” He loved Israel in a special way.

God heard them when they groaned for deliverance from bondage. He brought them to the land that He promised to give them. There He subdued nations under their feet.

Yet it was too small a thing for God to redeem only one group of people. The King of the earth had a plan for a much bigger salvation. His Son, the King of the Jews, would die for His elect people throughout the world.

After His great fight against sin and death, Jesus ascended up into the heavens as His disciples looked on in amazement. Now after centuries of Spirit-directed ministry, people throughout the world are calling out to the Father in the Name of the Son. One day Jesus will come back to earth with all His chosen people. Then the divine shout of victory will be heard everywhere. The trumpet will sound and the Lord will reign. All His people will worship Him with perfect joy.

Jesus reigns over all the earth even now. Yet we do not see everything submitting to Him. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. He will be “highly exalted” forever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Sovereign Lord, You are the Most High God. You have ordered all the events of human history in accord with Your glorious plan. You rule over every lesser power. You will be exalted forever.

Psalm 46

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“God is our refuge and strength.” The sons of Korah were used by the Lord to give Israel many moving songs. As thankful as we are for their efforts, we do well to focus on the God who was their “very present help” in times of trouble.

Even if the mountains of the earth are cast into the oceans and the seas can no longer be constrained to the limits that we have come to expect for them, the Lord will always be our powerful God. Because of His covenant faithfulness, we shall not be moved.

The Almighty has another world that He inhabits—an environment beyond our present view. A life-giving river waters that “city of God” on high. God reigns over the heavens and the earth from a place of supreme power. He sustains and protects His home. With just one word from His throne, the Lord can silence all His enemies.

All the unfolding of history is under the sovereign control of the Lord. When we look at the rise and fall of kings and kingdoms throughout the generations, we observe the outworking of His great decrees.

Knowing both the power of the Almighty and His commitment to His people, we can have confidence in the midst of the most troubling events. He says to Israel, and now to His church throughout the world, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” We respond with the peace that comes to us through the Son of God, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Strong Deliverer, You are the Help of Your people every day and through every time of trouble. There is a great river of Your Spirit coming to us out of Your heavenly sanctuary. You have made us glad. You have defended us in times of trouble. You will glorify Your Name in us, for You are the mighty fortress of Your church, and we are Your people.

Psalm 45

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“My heart overflows with a pleasing theme.” This love song of the sons of Korah was written for Israel to sing and consider. It described the new relationship between a great king and his bride. The sons of Korah were calling the entire congregation to rejoice in the greatness of this best of all husbands.

What did the psalm say about the king? He was handsome and his words were full of grace. His life was the perfection of righteous power and majesty. He would be victorious over all his enemies.

Who was this king? The psalm identified him as God, but then also referred to his God with the curious expression, “God, your God.” The entire sentence is revealing: “God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” The word “anointed” directs us to the ultimate Anointed One, the Lord Jesus Christ. This royal husband was to be set apart not by men, but by God Himself. Hebrews 1 leaves us with no room to doubt who this Man is. He is God the Son.

What about the bride of Psalm 45? Who is she? Passages throughout the Old and New Testaments help us to take our place with worshipers in Israel as the holy bride of this great Christ. Together with others from far-off lands, we are no longer to doubt the privilege of our close connection to our Lord.

We who rejoice to hear His wonderful voice should never be afraid to submit to Jesus and to follow Him. Our destiny is magnificent. Anything that we have to give up to be His bride is nothing when compared with the glory that will come to us through Him. We have a future and a hope that will not be disappointing. Our Husband will provide for us. He will always be worthy of our worship.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great King, we thank You for the joy that we have in knowing You, for You are marvelous in all Your attributes and deeds. We are so greatly blessed to have such a wonderful Messiah. Your throne is forever. You are full of the Spirit of God beyond measure. We bow to You Lord, for we are Your holy bride. Though we are scattered throughout the world, we belong to You. You will gather us in Christ. You will make us fruitful, and we will praise You forever.

Psalm 44

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“O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old.” One of the sons of Korah reminded Israel about the way that the Lord had helped His people in past generations. God drove out other nations from the land of Canaan. He took Israel from bondage in Egypt and brought them to the territory that He had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God surely loved them.

The psalmist believed that the Lord was still King over His people in his own day many centuries after Joshua led the people into the land. God was their salvation. They were not trusting in their own strength. They were boasting in the Lord.

Yet now they were suffering defeat. “You have rejected us.” Their enemies had taken their possessions and forced them to retreat, but the bigger issue for Israel was her God. “You have made us like sheep for slaughter.”

What had gone so wrong? Had Israel turned away from the Lord? Not according to the sons of Korah. “We have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant.” This surprising assessment insists that we look at Psalm 44 as the song of a righteous people pleading for the Lord to vindicate them.

The severe setbacks that they faced were not the result of their idolatry. “Our heart has not turned back.” They had not stopped worshiping the Lord. The only answer that the psalmist suggested was some purpose in the Lord Himself. “For Your sake” we are killed.

Somehow the unjust suffering of the righteous was according to the Lord's own mysterious plan. Their current troubles could not be God's final answer for them. With that faith, they continued to cry out to the Almighty. “Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!”

If we think of Jesus singing this psalm in the midst of His suffering, we are able to understand how one righteous Man might face the worst trouble—not for His own sin, but according to the purposes of God. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter according to His Father's plan. But how could these words apply to a group of sinful people?

Paul quoted this psalm in Romans 8:36 in light of the unjust suffering that the church was facing in the first century. The Lord has a purpose even now in the setbacks that we endure as those who have been declared righteous through faith in Jesus. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, so many of Your great deeds are recorded for us in Your Word. You have won the victory for Your people through centuries of trouble and deliverance. We do not trust in ourselves. We boast in You. But where are You today, Father? We do not understand our current situation. While we do not doubt Your power and Your love, we are ashamed of our present condition. Your Son is still the King and Head of the church and our perfect Substitute. Yet we are in great need. Our affliction and oppression are obvious. We need You. Help us today, in accord with Your steadfast love.

Psalm 43

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“Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people.” The sons of Korah picked up in Psalm 43 where they left off in 42. But now in Psalm 43 the psalmist expressed the specific longing of God's righteous servant for vindication. He had taken refuge in God, yet he felt rejected by the Lord because of the attacks that he faced from enemies.

Where was the Lord in this hour of great need? The psalmist longed for His presence. He asked for God's light and truth so that he would know what to do next. He longed for the Lord to lead him heavenward, to God's “holy hill,” His “dwelling,” the “altar of God.” Was he referring to the temple in Jerusalem, or did he look beyond Mount Zion to the Jerusalem above? He certainly wanted more than a ceremonial expression of God's presence. He asked for God Himself, “my exceeding joy.”

Perhaps he longed both for earthly worship and for the sanctuary beyond this world. This may be the Lord's gracious purpose. God is producing within him a longing that will only be fully satisfied with the final coming of the Kingdom.

Psalms 42 and 43 go together. They share the same refrain which gives us very practical advice when we are overwhelmed: 1. Soul, why are you downcast? Are you looking for vindication on earth in the face of some cruel injustice? 2. Redirect your heart toward the Lord. Let your heart be trained to seek heaven's God. 3. Believe the Lord's eternal promise. You will be kept by Him and will worship Him forever. He will take you to His holy hill or bring His sanctuary down upon the earth.

Christ suffered here below to win a battle for us that was far beyond our strength. He has now ascended to His father where He lives in eternal joy. He assures us that He will soon take us to be where He is. Let us set our affections on Him and on the glorious kingdom He has prepared for all who trust in Him.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Almighty King, You are not intimidated by strong men with evil intentions. Well-armed nations with thousands of soldiers do not impress You, no matter how powerful and wicked they may be. You are above them all. We will praise You forever. Our hope is in You alone.

Psalm 42

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“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.” Though attributed to the group called “the sons of Korah,” Psalm 42 was a deeply personal cry for help. In a world where people have eager desires for everything that fades, the psalmist longed for God.

“When shall I come and appear before God?” He wanted to be with other worshipers. What was preventing him from doing that? We are not told. We sing of his tears and distress. We also learn that his detractors were offering words of criticism rather than consolation. They said, “Where is your God?”

He remembered the past. He had been a leader among the worshipers of the Lord. He used to lead them in solemn assembly. But now his soul was distraught. He asked himself an honest question that he would repeat two more times by the end of the next psalm. “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?”

His question deserved an answer. What thought or circumstance was so troubling to him? Was he saddened about the events of his life? Had his expectations of future joy suddenly been seized from him in a moment of great loss?

Without identifying any specific trial, the psalmist directed his own heart to the One who is Himself the answer to our every need: “Hope in God.” Whatever was lacking, God could provide. But would He? The psalmist reminded himself about the certainty of the Lord's promises: “I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

The author of Psalm 42 provided all worshipers with a simple method of addressing our souls in a time of trouble. 1. Soul, why are you downcast? Try to give a specific answer in order to identify the present circumstance, past disappointment, or future anxiety that has stolen your joy. 2. Redirect your heart toward God. Hope in Him. He can help you. 3. Believe the Lord's eternal promise. You will be kept by Him and will worship Him forever.

This does not mean that your problems will evaporate immediately. Yet God is able to be with you and to provide courage over and over. He can give you a song in the night. He can remind you that He is far stronger than any of your enemies.

How does a man face a cross? How does he settle his heart in a time of the worst distress? Jesus knew what His life was about. He knew the weight that He would bear when our sins were placed upon Him. Yet He walked toward His death with faith and love. He placed His hope in His Father. He believed that He would take His place at the right hand of the Almighty. Our Savior obeyed His Father's call to the very end. He has become our salvation.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, in the day of depression and sadness, You are still God. Though we seem to forget You, You have never forgotten us. We will hope in You. We will remember You even in the worst time of trouble. You will surely deliver us. You are powerful. You love us. You are present everywhere, and You will save. We hope in You now.

Psalm 41

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“Blessed is the one who considers the poor.” David taught Israel to sing with confidence about the Lord's faithfulness. The Almighty would help the man who came to the aid of the needy. God would deliver him from many troubles. His health and reputation would be blessed because of his kindness to those who were oppressed.

David also recorded his own earnest plea: “Be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!” Though David was the Lord's anointed, he was desperate for God's help. The king was gravely ill and his enemies were not seeking his recovery.

David wrote about a “close friend” who had turned against him. This man had enjoyed table fellowship with the king and now he was actively aiding those who sought David's death.

These words were especially fulfilled in a betrayal that Jesus experienced (John 13:18). Judas Iscariot had eaten the Lord's bread for three years, but then he turned against his Master.

Yet the psalm ends with great confidence. The Savior who endured such a sad attack from one of His companions knew that His heavenly Father delighted in Him. His enemies would not be victorious forever. God's eternal purpose would be fulfilled.

The Lord has not promised us that our lives will be easy. Nonetheless, He has assured us that when our days are over we will be able to see the perfect victory of God over every evil. Meanwhile our hearts have been humbled by this truth: “While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6)

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, You care for the weak and the poor, and You call us to follow You in this love for the needy. We see ourselves as desperate recipients of Your merciful condescension. Ruthless men seem to be everywhere, even among those who claim to be the friends of Your church. May Your name be blessed forever, as the weak of the earth are made mighty in Your strength.

Psalm 40

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“I waited patiently for the Lord.” David had a story to tell—the story of his own spiritual life. In a time when David greatly needed the help of the Lord, he waited for God and the Lord heard him and delivered him from “the pit of destruction.”

God did even more than that for David. He put his feet on solid ground and gave him a new song to sing. David knew that the story of the Lord's saving grace that he had experienced had to be shared with others. “Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”

It would have been easy for David to place his confidence in the proud and mighty men around him. Instead he discovered the blessedness of the man who “makes the Lord his trust.” God could do wondrous deeds that were far beyond compare. It might be difficult to win the attention of important people, but the Lord's “thoughts” toward His beloved people were very rich and full.

Who was this great God for whom David waited? What did He demand of those who would worship Him? David explained that the Lord was not pleased with vast quantities of sacrificial offerings, even though He had given Israel commandments concerning these in His Law. What He really wanted was one man who would be able to say with perfect sincerity, “Your law is within my heart.”

David knew that God would be gracious to those who feared the Lord. He spoke of God's “steadfast love” and “faithfulness” to “the great congregation.” He knew that the Lord would continue to be merciful to him and to all the faithful. Though he might have been overwhelmed by his own iniquities, he was confident that the Lord would deliver him from trouble and preserve him. Others who sought to destroy him would be put to shame. Yet all who sought the Almighty would be able to sincerely testify, “Great is the Lord.”

Because Jesus, the great Man of holiness has come, we have great assurance that all the requirements of the Lord have truly been met. As we learn of His life and ministry we find Him to be the one Man who has secured for us all the blessings of salvation. He alone could say to His Father, “Behold, I have come; I delight to do your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Almighty God, You have helped us and have given us joy. We were mired down in trouble. Then we remembered that Your Son came and delivered us. He obeyed Your law from the heart. He testified to His great success through His resurrection. Help us again today. Help us to remember Him. He will deliver us in our daily struggle, and we will rejoice and be glad in Him. Be near to Your people, O Lord.