I Will Sing of the Mercies of the LORD Forever

This psalm is in great contrasts to the previous one - both were written by Ezrahites supposedly. The previous one was short and the writer was in distressed. This one is long and the writer is full of praise.

He describes God's mercy and faithfulness and the covenant with David. He describes also the incomparable wonder of God. God is praised for many of His attributes like mighty, righteousness, justice.

A large middle portion of the psalm is devoted to David and God's covenant with him. It describes from the part he was chosen by God through the prophet to the everlasting covenant. God does warn that of punishment if the descendants stray away from the covenant. But the more important thing is that God reminded them that they can be restored to the covenant and that it cannot be permanently broken.

Psalm 89
A Contemplation[a] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

 1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever;
         With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
 2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
         Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.”
       
 3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen,
         I have sworn to My servant David:
          4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever,
         And build up your throne to all generations.’”  Selah
       
 5 And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD;
         Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.
 6 For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD?
         Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD?
 7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,
         And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
 8 O LORD God of hosts,
         Who is mighty like You, O LORD?
         Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
 9 You rule the raging of the sea;
         When its waves rise, You still them.
 10 You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain;
         You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
       
 11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
         The world and all its fullness, You have founded them.
 12 The north and the south, You have created them;
         Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.
 13 You have a mighty arm;
         Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand.
 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
         Mercy and truth go before Your face.
 15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
         They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.
 16 In Your name they rejoice all day long,
         And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
 17 For You are the glory of their strength,
         And in Your favor our horn is exalted.
 18 For our shield belongs to the LORD,
         And our king to the Holy One of Israel.
       
 19 Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one,[b]
         And said: “I have given help to one who is mighty;
         I have exalted one chosen from the people.
 20 I have found My servant David;
         With My holy oil I have anointed him,
 21 With whom My hand shall be established;
         Also My arm shall strengthen him.
 22 The enemy shall not outwit him,
         Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
 23 I will beat down his foes before his face,
         And plague those who hate him.
       
 24 “But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him,
         And in My name his horn shall be exalted.
 25 Also I will set his hand over the sea,
         And his right hand over the rivers.
 26 He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,
         My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
 27 Also I will make him My firstborn,
         The highest of the kings of the earth.
 28 My mercy I will keep for him forever,
         And My covenant shall stand firm with him.
 29 His seed also I will make to endure forever,
         And his throne as the days of heaven.
       
 30 “If his sons forsake My law
         And do not walk in My judgments,
 31 If they break My statutes
         And do not keep My commandments,
 32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod,
         And their iniquity with stripes.
 33 Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him,
         Nor allow My faithfulness to fail.
 34 My covenant I will not break,
         Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
 35 Once I have sworn by My holiness;
         I will not lie to David:
 36 His seed shall endure forever,
         And his throne as the sun before Me;
 37 It shall be established forever like the moon,
         Even like the faithful witness in the sky.”  Selah
       
 38 But You have cast off and abhorred,
         You have been furious with Your anointed.
 39 You have renounced the covenant of Your servant;
         You have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
 40 You have broken down all his hedges;
         You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
 41 All who pass by the way plunder him;
         He is a reproach to his neighbors.
 42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
         You have made all his enemies rejoice.
 43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
         And have not sustained him in the battle.
 44 You have made his glory cease,
         And cast his throne down to the ground.
 45 The days of his youth You have shortened;
         You have covered him with shame.  Selah
       
 46 How long, LORD?
         Will You hide Yourself forever?
         Will Your wrath burn like fire?
 47 Remember how short my time is;
         For what futility have You created all the children of men?
 48 What man can live and not see death?
         Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?  Selah
       
 49 Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses,
         Which You swore to David in Your truth?
 50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants—
         How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
 51 With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD,
         With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.
       
 52 Blessed be the LORD forevermore!
         Amen and Amen.

For My Soul is Full of Troubles

The psalmist appears to have gone through a long journey and is still facing much troubles. He knows God is his salvation and continues to cries out yet he is facing constant difficulties. He calls on the LORD daily and stretches out his hands and also sarcastically asks if God's lovingkindness could only be experienced after death. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, it does seem that the psalmist still have a hope in God which perhaps he does not understand - that is the hope which keeps him calling onto God and praying every morning.



Psalm 88


A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath Leannoth.” A Contemplation[a] of Heman the Ezrahite.

 1 O LORD, God of my salvation,
         I have cried out day and night before You.
 2 Let my prayer come before You;
         Incline Your ear to my cry.
       
 3 For my soul is full of troubles,
         And my life draws near to the grave.
 4 I am counted with those who go down to the pit;
         I am like a man who has no strength,
 5 Adrift among the dead,
         Like the slain who lie in the grave,
         Whom You remember no more,
         And who are cut off from Your hand.
       
 6 You have laid me in the lowest pit,
         In darkness, in the depths.
 7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
         And You have afflicted me with all Your waves.  Selah
 8 You have put away my acquaintances far from me;
         You have made me an abomination to them;
         I am shut up, and I cannot get out;
 9 My eye wastes away because of affliction.
       
         LORD, I have called daily upon You;
         I have stretched out my hands to You.
 10 Will You work wonders for the dead?
         Shall the dead arise and praise You?  Selah
 11 Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave?
         Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
 12 Shall Your wonders be known in the dark?
         And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
       
 13 But to You I have cried out, O LORD,
         And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
 14 LORD, why do You cast off my soul?
         Why do You hide Your face from me?
 15 I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth;
         I suffer Your terrors;
         I am distraught.
 16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me;
         Your terrors have cut me off.
 17 They came around me all day long like water;
         They engulfed me altogether.
 18 Loved one and friend You have put far from me,
         And my acquaintances into darkness.

His Foundation is in the Holy Mountains

This seems to be a rather short and cryptic psalm. References are made to Zion and the holy mountains. These are special places of God and are mentioned in various parts of the Word. Rahab and Babylon are also mentioned, both were whores but the former had faith in the God of Israel and assisted God's people while the latter is mentioned in the Final Judgement. Another reference made here is about the fact that someone important will be born in Zion and that birth will be recorded. Perhaps this may refer to the birth of our LORD Jesus.


Psalm 87
A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.

 1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
 2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion
         More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
 3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
         O city of God!  Selah 
        
 4 “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me;
         Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
         ‘This one was born there.’ ”
        
 5 And of Zion it will be said,
         “This one and that one were born in her;
         And the Most High Himself shall establish her.”
 6 The LORD will record,
         When He registers the peoples:
         “This one was born there.”  Selah 
        
 7 Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
         “All my springs are in you.”

Because You, LORD, Have Helped Me and Comforted Me

The psalmist calls on the LORD to hear him, preserve him, be merciful to him, knowing that God is good and forgiving. He praises God that there is none like Him, and all nations would one day come and worship and glorify Him. The psalmist shows his genuine desire for God by requesting God to teach him God's ways so that he can walk in Truth.

The psalmist describes his challenges including people wishing to harm him. But he continues to call on God, depending on God's character of compassion, gracious, longsuffering, mercy and truth. He trusts that God will strengthen him and comfort him.


Psalm 86
A Prayer of David.

 1 Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me;
         For I am poor and needy.
 2 Preserve my life, for I am holy;
         You are my God;
         Save Your servant who trusts in You!
 3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
         For I cry to You all day long.
 4 Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
         For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
 5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
         And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
        
 6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
         And attend to the voice of my supplications.
 7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
         For You will answer me.
        
 8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
         Nor are there any works like Your works.
 9 All nations whom You have made
         Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
         And shall glorify Your name.
 10 For You are great, and do wondrous things;
         You alone are God.
        
 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;
         I will walk in Your truth;
         Unite my heart to fear Your name.
 12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
         And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
 13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
         And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
        
 14 O God, the proud have risen against me,
         And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
         And have not set You before them.
 15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
         Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
        
 16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me!
         Give Your strength to Your servant,
         And save the son of Your maidservant.
 17 Show me a sign for good,
         That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
         Because You, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

LORD, You Have Been Favorable to Your Land

This psalm looks at a time when God has brought His people back to His Promised Land. In doing so, God has forgiven His people and covered their sins. The psalm continues to call on God for salvation and restoration. The prayer is for the people to continue on the right path and not turn to foolish rebellion again. "Salvation is near to those who fear Him", goes the reminder. It seems that all is coming together when the LORD restores them, including mercy, truth, righteousness, peace and the land will increase.



Psalm 85
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
 1 LORD, You have been favorable to Your land;
         You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
 2 You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
         You have covered all their sin.  Selah 
 3 You have taken away all Your wrath;
         You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
        
 4 Restore us, O God of our salvation,
         And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
 5 Will You be angry with us forever?
         Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
 6 Will You not revive us again,
         That Your people may rejoice in You?
 7 Show us Your mercy, LORD,
         And grant us Your salvation.
        
 8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
         For He will speak peace
         To His people and to His saints;
         But let them not turn back to folly.
 9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
         That glory may dwell in our land.
        
 10 Mercy and truth have met together;
         Righteousness and peace have kissed.
 11 Truth shall spring out of the earth,
         And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
 12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good;
         And our land will yield its increase.
 13 Righteousness will go before Him,
         And shall make His footsteps our pathway.

For A Day In Your Courts Is Better Than A Thousand

This psalm describes how wonderful it is to be in God's presence. This is illustrated as being in His tabernacle, in His courts and even at the post of the doorkeeper. The psalmist clearly yearns for the presence of God with all his soul. The psalmist recognises that those who are blessed are the ones who dwell in God's house, the one whose strength is in God, and the ones who trusts in God.


Psalm 84
To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

 1 How lovely is Your tabernacle,
         O LORD of hosts!
 2 My soul longs, yes, even faints
         For the courts of the LORD;
         My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
        
 3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
         And the swallow a nest for herself,
         Where she may lay her young—
         Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
         My King and my God.
 4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
         They will still be praising You.  Selah 
        
 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
         Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
         They make it a spring;
         The rain also covers it with pools.
 7 They go from strength to strength;
         Each one appears before God in Zion.[b]
        
 8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
         Give ear, O God of Jacob!  Selah 
 9 O God, behold our shield,
         And look upon the face of Your anointed.
        
 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
         I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
         Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
         The LORD will give grace and glory;
         No good thing will He withhold
         From those who walk uprightly.
        
 12 O LORD of hosts,
         Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Do Not Hold Your Peace

This psalm may be written in a time of despair and oppression for Israel. There is a call to God to act on behalf of His people. The enemies are scheming to not only defeat Israel but to annihilate them completely - something which has exact parallel even today.

The enemies listed here include the Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moab, Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Assyria. So the psalmist calls upon God and gives description of how the enemies should be treated. And finally, the goal would be to show their enemies "That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth."


Psalm 83
A Song. A Psalm of Asaph

 1 Do not keep silent, O God!
         Do not hold Your peace,
         And do not be still, O God!
 2 For behold, Your enemies make a tumult;
         And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
 3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
         And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
 4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
         That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
        
 5 For they have consulted together with one consent;
         They form a confederacy against You:
 6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
         Moab and the Hagrites;
 7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
         Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
 8 Assyria also has joined with them;
         They have helped the children of Lot.  Selah 
        
 9 Deal with them as with Midian,
         As with Sisera,
         As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
 10 Who perished at En Dor,
         Who became as refuse on the earth.
 11 Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb,
         Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
 12 Who said, “Let us take for ourselves
         The pastures of God for a possession.”
        
 13 O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
         Like the chaff before the wind!
 14 As the fire burns the woods,
         And as the flame sets the mountains on fire,
 15 So pursue them with Your tempest,
         And frighten them with Your storm.
 16 Fill their faces with shame,
         That they may seek Your name, O LORD.
 17 Let them be confounded and dismayed forever;
         Yes, let them be put to shame and perish,
 18 That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD,
         Are the Most High over all the earth.

God Stands in the Congregation of the Mighty

The Almighty God is mentioned in the context of the lesser gods, elohim, who may be the judges on Earth. A comparison is made and emphasised that these judges are mere mortals and would die like ordinary men. It is not fully clear whether these lesser judges are wicked or righteous but it seems that wickedness prevailed in that society. Hence there is a call to God to show justice and defend the poor, fatherless, afflicted, needy. Verse 5, if it refers to the judges, mean that they have not performed their duties well, hence the call to God to set things right.


Psalm 82
A Psalm of Asaph

 1 God stands in the congregation of the mighty;
         He judges among the gods.[a]
 2 How long will you judge unjustly,
         And show partiality to the wicked?  Selah 
 3 Defend the poor and fatherless;
         Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
 4 Deliver the poor and needy;
         Free them from the hand of the wicked.
        
 5 They do not know, nor do they understand;
         They walk about in darkness;
         All the foundations of the earth are unstable.
        
 6 I said, “You are gods,[b]
         And all of you are children of the Most High.
 7 But you shall die like men,
         And fall like one of the princes.”
        
 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth;
         For You shall inherit all nations.

Sing Aloud to God Our Strength

The psalmist calls to make music to God, including singing, shouting, playing the harp, lute, trumpet and timbrel. He recalls the promises of God established since God led the Israelites out of Egypt. There is also a clear reminder that God desire full loyalty from His children and warn them against worshipping any other Gods.

And the psalmist recounts the stubbornness of the people who walk in their own ways and some went towards other foreign false gods. However there is always an opportunity for them to return and then God will again deliver them from their enemies


Psalm 81
To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath.[a]A Psalm of Asaph.

 1 Sing aloud to God our strength;
         Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.
 2 Raise a song and strike the timbrel,
         The pleasant harp with the lute.
        
 3 Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,
         At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.
 4 For this is a statute for Israel,
         A law of the God of Jacob.
 5 This He established in Joseph as a testimony,
         When He went throughout the land of Egypt,
         Where I heard a language I did not understand.
        
 6 “I removed his shoulder from the burden;
         His hands were freed from the baskets.
 7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you;
         I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
         I tested you at the waters of Meribah.  Selah 
        
 8 “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you!
         O Israel, if you will listen to Me!
 9 There shall be no foreign god among you;
         Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
 10 I am the LORD your God,
         Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
         Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
        
 11 “But My people would not heed My voice,
         And Israel would have none of Me.
 12 So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart,
         To walk in their own counsels.
        
 13 “Oh, that My people would listen to Me,
         That Israel would walk in My ways!
 14 I would soon subdue their enemies,
         And turn My hand against their adversaries.
 15 The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him,
         But their fate would endure forever.
 16 He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat;
         And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.”

Restore us, O God

The content of this psalm is similar to the previous where it acknowledges who God is first, then it asks God how long will His anger be upon them. It seemed that the nation was then being oppressed or conquered by an enemy nation. The writer calls upon God to save and restore them.

The second part reminisces about how God had taken Israel out of Egypt. Israel is likened to a vine, uprooted by God from Egypt, and planted deeply in the land of Canaan. Since then, protection has been lifted from Israel and she became vulnerable to her neighbours. The psalm ends with a call again to God to restore and save them.



Psalm 80
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.”[a] A Testimony[b] of Asaph. A Psalm.

 1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
         You who lead Joseph like a flock;
         You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth!
 2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
         Stir up Your strength,
         And come and save us!
       
 3 Restore us, O God;
         Cause Your face to shine,
         And we shall be saved!
       
 4 O LORD God of hosts,
         How long will You be angry
         Against the prayer of Your people?
 5 You have fed them with the bread of tears,
         And given them tears to drink in great measure.
 6 You have made us a strife to our neighbors,
         And our enemies laugh among themselves.
       
 7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
         Cause Your face to shine,
         And we shall be saved!
       
 8 You have brought a vine out of Egypt;
         You have cast out the nations, and planted it.
 9 You prepared room for it,
         And caused it to take deep root,
         And it filled the land.
 10 The hills were covered with its shadow,
         And the mighty cedars with its boughs.
 11 She sent out her boughs to the Sea,[c]
         And her branches to the River.[d]
       
 12 Why have You broken down her hedges,
         So that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit?
 13 The boar out of the woods uproots it,
         And the wild beast of the field devours it.
       
 14 Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts;
         Look down from heaven and see,
         And visit this vine
 15 And the vineyard which Your right hand has planted,
         And the branch that You made strong for Yourself.
 16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down;
         They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
 17 Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,
         Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.
 18 Then we will not turn back from You;
         Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
       
 19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts;
         Cause Your face to shine,
         And we shall be saved!

They Have Laid Jerusalem in Heaps

Here is a grim description of the situation in Israel. It seems like Jerusalem and the Temple has been overrun by invaders. The holy city seems to be in ruins and the Temple defiled. The inhabitants have been slaughtered throughout the city.

It seems like God is angry at Israel. The psalmist asks how long before God would interfere. How long before God would stop the heathens from laying waste God's land and His people.

The psalmist calls for God's help, appealing to His tender mercies, salvation, His name, atonement. He appeals to God to forget their iniquities, that they are already at a very low level. He urges God to avenge on their behalf so the nations may know who God is.



Psalm 79

A Psalm of Asaph.

 1 O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance;
         Your holy temple they have defiled;
         They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.
 2 The dead bodies of Your servants
         They have given as food for the birds of the heavens,
         The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.
 3 Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem,
         And there was no one to bury them.
 4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors,
         A scorn and derision to those who are around us.
       
 5 How long, LORD?
         Will You be angry forever?
         Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
 6 Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You,
         And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name.
 7 For they have devoured Jacob,
         And laid waste his dwelling place.
       
 8 Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us!
         Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us,
         For we have been brought very low.
 9 Help us, O God of our salvation,
         For the glory of Your name;
         And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins,
         For Your name’s sake!
 10 Why should the nations say,
         “Where is their God?”
         Let there be known among the nations in our sight
         The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed.
       
 11 Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You;
         According to the greatness of Your power
         Preserve those who are appointed to die;
 12 And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom
         Their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.
       
 13 So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture,
         Will give You thanks forever;
         We will show forth Your praise to all generations.

Incline Your Ears to the Words of My Mouth

The first paragraph is as if God is speaking. Interesting to note that God says He will speak in parables to reveal wisdom to the people. This was exactly how Jesus preached to His people.

The second paragraph speaks of God in the third person, revealing His relationship to His people from the line of Jacob. God was made known to their children and they are regularly encouraged to keep the commandments and not be rebellious.

The psalm narrates the history of the Exodus, in particular the marvelous and wondrous provision of God as they ventured to the Promised Land. It details the miracles of the provision of food and water as well as God's presence as a cloud by day and fire by night to guide them. Yet they rebelled against God and were punished on several occasions.

In times of their punishment, they remembered God as their Rock and Redeemer. But they constantly turned again to provoke God and not remember the miracles in Egypt which forced Pharaoh to let them free. God also worked miracles in defeating all the armies of the Promised Land so the Israel can settle there. Yet they provoked God by worshipping idols and pagan gods.

Finally it describes God in His sovereign will chose from Judah, His servant David. David was taken from being a Shepperd of sheep to be the Shepperd of Israel, with integrity in his heart.


Psalm 78
A Contemplation[a] of Asaph.
 1 Give ear, O my people, to my law;
         Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
 2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
         I will utter dark sayings of old,
 3 Which we have heard and known,
         And our fathers have told us.
 4 We will not hide them from their children,
         Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
         And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
        
 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob,
         And appointed a law in Israel,
         Which He commanded our fathers,
         That they should make them known to their children;
 6 That the generation to come might know them,
         The children who would be born,
         That they may arise and declare them to their children,
 7 That they may set their hope in God,
         And not forget the works of God,
         But keep His commandments;
 8 And may not be like their fathers,
         A stubborn and rebellious generation,
         A generation that did not set its heart aright,
         And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
        
 9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows,
         Turned back in the day of battle.
 10 They did not keep the covenant of God;
         They refused to walk in His law,
 11 And forgot His works
         And His wonders that He had shown them.
        
 12 Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers,
         In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
 13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through;
         And He made the waters stand up like a heap.
 14 In the daytime also He led them with the cloud,
         And all the night with a light of fire.
 15 He split the rocks in the wilderness,
         And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.
 16 He also brought streams out of the rock,
         And caused waters to run down like rivers.
        
 17 But they sinned even more against Him
         By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.
 18 And they tested God in their heart
         By asking for the food of their fancy.
 19 Yes, they spoke against God:
         They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
 20 Behold, He struck the rock,
         So that the waters gushed out,
         And the streams overflowed.
         Can He give bread also?
         Can He provide meat for His people?”
        
 21 Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious;
         So a fire was kindled against Jacob,
         And anger also came up against Israel,
 22 Because they did not believe in God,
         And did not trust in His salvation.
 23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above,
         And opened the doors of heaven,
 24 Had rained down manna on them to eat,
         And given them of the bread of heaven.
 25 Men ate angels’ food;
         He sent them food to the full.
        
 26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens;
         And by His power He brought in the south wind.
 27 He also rained meat on them like the dust,
         Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas;
 28 And He let them fall in the midst of their camp,
         All around their dwellings.
 29 So they ate and were well filled,
         For He gave them their own desire.
 30 They were not deprived of their craving;
         But while their food was still in their mouths,
 31 The wrath of God came against them,
         And slew the stoutest of them,
         And struck down the choice men of Israel.
        
 32 In spite of this they still sinned,
         And did not believe in His wondrous works.
 33 Therefore their days He consumed in futility,
         And their years in fear.
        
 34 When He slew them, then they sought Him;
         And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
 35 Then they remembered that God was their rock,
         And the Most High God their Redeemer.
 36 Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth,
         And they lied to Him with their tongue;
 37 For their heart was not steadfast with Him,
         Nor were they faithful in His covenant.
 38 But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity,
         And did not destroy them.
         Yes, many a time He turned His anger away,
         And did not stir up all His wrath;
 39 For He remembered that they were but flesh,
         A breath that passes away and does not come again.
        
 40 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness,
         And grieved Him in the desert!
 41 Yes, again and again they tempted God,
         And limited the Holy One of Israel.
 42 They did not remember His power:
         The day when He redeemed them from the enemy,
 43 When He worked His signs in Egypt,
         And His wonders in the field of Zoan;
 44 Turned their rivers into blood,
         And their streams, that they could not drink.
 45 He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them,
         And frogs, which destroyed them.
 46 He also gave their crops to the caterpillar,
         And their labor to the locust.
 47 He destroyed their vines with hail,
         And their sycamore trees with frost.
 48 He also gave up their cattle to the hail,
         And their flocks to fiery lightning.
 49 He cast on them the fierceness of His anger,
         Wrath, indignation, and trouble,
         By sending angels of destruction among them.
 50 He made a path for His anger;
         He did not spare their soul from death,
         But gave their life over to the plague,
 51 And destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt,
         The first of their strength in the tents of Ham.
 52 But He made His own people go forth like sheep,
         And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
 53 And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear;
         But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
 54 And He brought them to His holy border,
         This mountain which His right hand had acquired.
 55 He also drove out the nations before them,
         Allotted them an inheritance by survey,
         And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.
        
 56 Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God,
         And did not keep His testimonies,
 57 But turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers;
         They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
 58 For they provoked Him to anger with their high places,
         And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.
 59 When God heard this, He was furious,
         And greatly abhorred Israel,
 60 So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
         The tent He had placed among men,
 61 And delivered His strength into captivity,
         And His glory into the enemy’s hand.
 62 He also gave His people over to the sword,
         And was furious with His inheritance.
 63 The fire consumed their young men,
         And their maidens were not given in marriage.
 64 Their priests fell by the sword,
         And their widows made no lamentation.
        
 65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
         Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.
 66 And He beat back His enemies;
         He put them to a perpetual reproach.
        
 67 Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph,
         And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
 68 But chose the tribe of Judah,
         Mount Zion which He loved.
 69 And He built His sanctuary like the heights,
         Like the earth which He has established forever.
 70 He also chose David His servant,
         And took him from the sheepfolds;
 71 From following the ewes that had young He brought him,
         To shepherd Jacob His people,
         And Israel His inheritance.
 72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,
         And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

The Waters Saw You, They Were Afraid

A few psalms that we have seen already include prayers in the format of describing God and His characteristics and then praising Him for them. This psalm continues with this pattern where the psalmist tells us that God hears him as he calls out to God. The psalmist describes his anguish where his soul refused to be comforted, his spirit overwhelmed, he cannot speak, but he did meditate in his heart.

He asks rhetorically has the Lord stopped showing favour and his mercy ceased? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Then he remembers God and His wonders. He meditates on it. God is the One who has redeemed His people. There is no one greater than God. Finally he describes God's total control of the seas, the sky, the thunder and lightning.

In particular, the psalmist describes "The waters saw You, they were afraid;". This is certainly fulfilled by Jesus's display of His powers as He commanded the seas and the storms to be calm.


Psalm 77
To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

 1 I cried out to God with my voice—
         To God with my voice;
         And He gave ear to me.
 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
         My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing;
         My soul refused to be comforted.
 3 I remembered God, and was troubled;
         I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.  Selah
       
 4 You hold my eyelids open;
         I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
 5 I have considered the days of old,
         The years of ancient times.
 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night;
         I meditate within my heart,
         And my spirit makes diligent search.
       
 7 Will the Lord cast off forever?
         And will He be favorable no more?
 8 Has His mercy ceased forever?
         Has His promise failed forevermore?
 9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
         Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?  Selah
       
 10 And I said, “This is my anguish;
         But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
 11 I will remember the works of the LORD;
         Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
 12 I will also meditate on all Your work,
         And talk of Your deeds.
 13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;
         Who is so great a God as our God?
 14 You are the God who does wonders;
         You have declared Your strength among the peoples.
 15 You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,
         The sons of Jacob and Joseph.  Selah
       
 16 The waters saw You, O God;
         The waters saw You, they were afraid;
         The depths also trembled.
 17 The clouds poured out water;
         The skies sent out a sound;
         Your arrows also flashed about.
 18 The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
         The lightnings lit up the world;
         The earth trembled and shook.
 19 Your way was in the sea,
         Your path in the great waters,
         And Your footsteps were not known.
 20 You led Your people like a flock
         By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

In Judah God is Known

This psalm reveals who God is - He who is known in Judah, Israel, Salem, Zion. He is all powerful, glorious, excellent, able to subdue armies of chariots and horses. He is someone to be feared and terrible to be around when angered. He will deliver judgement to earth and deliver the oppressed. He is above all earthly authorities including kings of the earth.


Psalm 76
To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments.[a] A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

 1 In Judah God is known;
         His name is great in Israel.
 2 In Salem[b] also is His tabernacle,
         And His dwelling place in Zion.
 3 There He broke the arrows of the bow,
         The shield and sword of battle.  Selah
       
 4 You are more glorious and excellent
         Than the mountains of prey.
 5 The stouthearted were plundered;
         They have sunk into their sleep;
         And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.
 6 At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
         Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.
       
 7 You, Yourself, are to be feared;
         And who may stand in Your presence
         When once You are angry?
 8 You caused judgment to be heard from heaven;
         The earth feared and was still,
 9 When God arose to judgment,
         To deliver all the oppressed of the earth.  Selah
       
 10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise You;
         With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.
       
 11 Make vows to the LORD your God, and pay them;
         Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared.
 12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes;
         He is awesome to the kings of the earth.

For Your Wondrous Works Declare that Your Name is Near

Part of this psalm appears to be written from God's point of view. God has responded to the previous requests by saying that he will judge in the proper time. Judgement would await the wicked. There is reference here to the horn which may perhaps mean crowns, and the kings who wear them.



Psalm 75
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.”[a] A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

 1 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!
         For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.
       
 2 “When I choose the proper time,
         I will judge uprightly.
 3 The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved;
         I set up its pillars firmly.  Selah
       
 4 “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’
         And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn.
 5 Do not lift up your horn on high;
         Do not speak with a stiff neck.’”
       
 6 For exaltation comes neither from the east
         Nor from the west nor from the south.
 7 But God is the Judge:
         He puts down one,
         And exalts another.
 8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup,
         And the wine is red;
         It is fully mixed, and He pours it out;
         Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth
         Drain and drink down.
       
 9 But I will declare forever,
         I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
       
 10 “All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off,
         But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”

O God, Why Have You Cast Us Off Forever?

The psalm starts with the question to God asking Him why has he abandoned His people whom he had redeemed. Interesting reminder that God had purchased the congregation and also the reference of redeemed. This may be pointing towards our Lord Jesus redemptive work on the Cross, since at the time the psalm was written, the idea of a Purchased people has only a vague connection.

The sense of God's abandonment arose because of the victories and destruction by their enemies over Israel. It seemed that God's Temple or holy places have been overrun by the enemies. Some of these have been set on fire. In addition the prophets are no longer there, adding to the sense of abandonment by God. So they remembered a time when they regarded God as their King, and God used to deliver them from their enemies. And they acknowledged that God is the creator of the universe, including light and day.

So the desperate people plea to God to remember the Covenant and deal with the enemies who blaspheme God's name.


Psalm 74
A Contemplation[a] of Asaph.

 1 O God, why have You cast us off forever?
         Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
 2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
         The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
         This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.
 3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
         The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
 4 Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
         They set up their banners for signs.
 5 They seem like men who lift up
         Axes among the thick trees.
 6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
         With axes and hammers.
 7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
         They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
 8 They said in their hearts,
         “Let us destroy them altogether.”
         They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
        
 9 We do not see our signs;
         There is no longer any prophet;
         Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
 10 O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
         Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
 11 Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
         Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
 12 For God is my King from of old,
         Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
 13 You divided the sea by Your strength;
         You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
 14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,
         And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
 15 You broke open the fountain and the flood;
         You dried up mighty rivers.
 16 The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;
         You have prepared the light and the sun.
 17 You have set all the borders of the earth;
         You have made summer and winter.
        
 18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,
         And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
 19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
         Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
 20 Have respect to the covenant;
         For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.
 21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
         Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
        
 22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
         Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
 23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
         The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.

For I was Envious of the Boastful, When I saw the Prosperity of the Wicked

The psalmist confesses that although he knows that God is good, he has trouble knowing that the ungodly seem to have advantages. To him, it seemed like the ungodly can be fearless, has pride, have abundance on earth, they can speak wickedly against anyone on earth and against heaven. And he declares that he may have cleansed his heart in vain.

Finally the writer admits that all this has affected his heart and mind in a bad way. But he continues to depend on God, trusting that He will guide him. He knows that ultimately his best hope is with God and God will strengthen his heart, as he draws near to God.


Psalm 73
A Psalm of Asaph.

 1 Truly God is good to Israel,
         To such as are pure in heart.
 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
         My steps had nearly slipped.
 3 For I was envious of the boastful,
         When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
        
 4 For there are no pangs in their death,
         But their strength is firm.
 5 They are not in trouble as other men,
         Nor are they plagued like other men.
 6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace;
         Violence covers them like a garment.
 7 Their eyes bulge[a] with abundance;
         They have more than heart could wish.
 8 They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;
         They speak loftily.
 9 They set their mouth against the heavens,
         And their tongue walks through the earth.
        
 10 Therefore his people return here,
         And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
 11 And they say, “How does God know?
         And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
 12 Behold, these are the ungodly,
         Who are always at ease;
         They increase in riches.
 13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
         And washed my hands in innocence.
 14 For all day long I have been plagued,
         And chastened every morning.
        
 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
         Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
 16 When I thought how to understand this,
         It was too painful for me—
 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
         Then I understood their end.
        
 18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
         You cast them down to destruction.
 19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
         They are utterly consumed with terrors.
 20 As a dream when one awakes,
         So, Lord, when You awake,
         You shall despise their image.
        
 21 Thus my heart was grieved,
         And I was vexed in my mind.
 22 I was so foolish and ignorant;
         I was like a beast before You.
 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
         You hold me by my right hand.
 24 You will guide me with Your counsel,
         And afterward receive me to glory.
        
 25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
         And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
 26 My flesh and my heart fail;
         But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
        
 27 For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
         You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God;
         I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
         That I may declare all Your works.

Give the king Your judgments, O God

The content of this psalm is clearly different to those written by David. This psalm is written by Solomon, and the theme is about asking God to give him good judgement in arbitrating between his people. This was the reason that Solomon asked for wisdom - so he could judge well.

He acknowledges the dominion and righteousness of God. It seems to be describing the glory of God being known to all nations, that their kings shall come and worship God. Perhaps this describes the ideal world or perhaps it is during the reign of Messiah. In addition, in that time, the needy will be taken care of, God will be praised daily and continually, the Earth will have abundance in grain and greenery, and ultimately:
"And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed. "

Psalm 72
A Psalm of Solomon.

 1 Give the king Your judgments, O God,
         And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
 2 He will judge Your people with righteousness,
         And Your poor with justice.
 3 The mountains will bring peace to the people,
         And the little hills, by righteousness.
 4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people;
         He will save the children of the needy,
         And will break in pieces the oppressor.
        
 5 They shall fear You[a]
         As long as the sun and moon endure,
         Throughout all generations.
 6 He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing,
         Like showers that water the earth.
 7 In His days the righteous shall flourish,
         And abundance of peace,
         Until the moon is no more.
        
 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
         And from the River to the ends of the earth.
 9 Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him,
         And His enemies will lick the dust.
 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles
         Will bring presents;
         The kings of Sheba and Seba
         Will offer gifts.
 11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him;
         All nations shall serve Him.
        
 12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries,
         The poor also, and him who has no helper.
 13 He will spare the poor and needy,
         And will save the souls of the needy.
 14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence;
         And precious shall be their blood in His sight.
        
 15 And He shall live;
         And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him;
         Prayer also will be made for Him continually,
         And daily He shall be praised.
        
 16 There will be an abundance of grain in the earth,
         On the top of the mountains;
         Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon;
         And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
        
 17 His name shall endure forever;
         His name shall continue as long as the sun.
         And men shall be blessed in Him;
         All nations shall call Him blessed.
        
 18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,
         Who only does wondrous things!
 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever!
         And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.
         Amen and Amen.
        
 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

God the Rock of Salvation

The psalm starts off in a very similar way as other psalms and it looks like a psalm by David. There is the appeal to God to save the writer from the enemies. There is also a description of who God is to the writer, namely rock, fortress, refuge. The writer has trusted God in his youth and asks God not to forsake him.
He calls on God not to be far from him. He promises to continue to praise God. The writer talks of spreading the knowledge of God, telling others of God's salvation and righteousness. The writer seeks to praise God with all his soul with any instruments he can like the harp, lute and singing.


Psalm 71
God the Rock of Salvation

 1 In You, O LORD, I put my trust;
         Let me never be put to shame.
 2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape;
         Incline Your ear to me, and save me.
 3 Be my strong refuge,
         To which I may resort continually;
         You have given the commandment to save me,
         For You are my rock and my fortress.
        
 4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,
         Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
 5 For You are my hope, O Lord GOD;
         You are my trust from my youth.
 6 By You I have been upheld from birth;
         You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.
         My praise shall be continually of You.
        
 7 I have become as a wonder to many,
         But You are my strong refuge.
 8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise
         And with Your glory all the day.
        
 9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
         Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
 10 For my enemies speak against me;
         And those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together,
 11 Saying, “God has forsaken him;
         Pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.”
        
 12 O God, do not be far from me;
         O my God, make haste to help me!
 13 Let them be confounded and consumed
         Who are adversaries of my life;
         Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor
         Who seek my hurt.
        
 14 But I will hope continually,
         And will praise You yet more and more.
 15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
         And Your salvation all the day,
         For I do not know their limits.
 16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD;
         I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
        
 17 O God, You have taught me from my youth;
         And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
 18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded,
         O God, do not forsake me,
         Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
         Your power to everyone who is to come.
        
 19 Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high,
         You who have done great things;
         O God, who is like You?
 20 You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
         Shall revive me again,
         And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
 21 You shall increase my greatness,
         And comfort me on every side.
        
 22 Also with the lute I will praise You—
         And Your faithfulness, O my God!
         To You I will sing with the harp,
         O Holy One of Israel.
 23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You,
         And my soul, which You have redeemed.
 24 My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long;
         For they are confounded,
         For they are brought to shame
         Who seek my hurt.

Make Haste, O God, To Deliver Me

A short psalm by David. Also a call to God to deliver and help him. There are enemies around him who intend to hurt and take his life. So David expresses his trust in God that he is able to rejoice. He recognizes his need for God and that God is his deliver.


Psalm 70
–To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.


 1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
         Make haste to help me, O LORD!
        
 2 Let them be ashamed and confounded
         Who seek my life;
         Let them be turned back[a] and confused
         Who desire my hurt.
 3 Let them be turned back because of their shame,
         Who say, “Aha, aha!”
        
 4 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
         And let those who love Your salvation say continually,
         “Let God be magnified!”
        
 5 But I am poor and needy;
         Make haste to me, O God!
         You are my help and my deliverer;
         O LORD, do not delay.

Save Me, O God! For The Waters Have Come Up To My Neck.

As David pours out his heart to God, we see the many dimensions of his troubles. He is in such trouble as if he is drowning in it, as he is waiting for God. He feels his enemies are targeting him unjustly. He admits that he has sinned and he is rejected by those around him. Yet he prays to God and trusting in his mercy and salvation.
He knows about God's lovingkindness and tender mercies and calls on God to redeem him. He describes his self-pity and there is no one else who would pity him. He then calls upon God to show His wrath to his enemies. Finally he praises God and offers thanksgiving. He reaffirms his believe in God's covenant promises to His people concerning Zion and the inheritance for their descendants.


Psalm 69
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.”[a]A Psalm of David.

 1 Save me, O God!
         For the waters have come up to my neck.
 2 I sink in deep mire,
         Where there is no standing;
         I have come into deep waters,
         Where the floods overflow me.
 3 I am weary with my crying;
         My throat is dry;
         My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
        
 4 Those who hate me without a cause
         Are more than the hairs of my head;
         They are mighty who would destroy me,
         Being my enemies wrongfully;
         Though I have stolen nothing,
         I still must restore it.
        
 5 O God, You know my foolishness;
         And my sins are not hidden from You.
 6 Let not those who wait for You, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed because of me;
         Let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel.
 7 Because for Your sake I have borne reproach;
         Shame has covered my face.
 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,
         And an alien to my mother’s children;
 9 Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up,
         And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
 10 When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting,
         That became my reproach.
 11 I also made sackcloth my garment;
         I became a byword to them.
 12 Those who sit in the gate speak against me,
         And I am the song of the drunkards.
        
 13 But as for me, my prayer is to You,
         O LORD, in the acceptable time;
         O God, in the multitude of Your mercy,
         Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.
 14 Deliver me out of the mire,
         And let me not sink;
         Let me be delivered from those who hate me,
         And out of the deep waters.
 15 Let not the floodwater overflow me,
         Nor let the deep swallow me up;
         And let not the pit shut its mouth on me.
        
 16 Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good;
         Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.
 17 And do not hide Your face from Your servant,
         For I am in trouble;
         Hear me speedily.
 18 Draw near to my soul, and redeem it;
         Deliver me because of my enemies.
        
 19 You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor;
         My adversaries are all before You.
 20 Reproach has broken my heart,
         And I am full of heaviness;
         I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none;
         And for comforters, but I found none.
 21 They also gave me gall for my food,
         And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
 22 Let their table become a snare before them,
         And their well-being a trap.
 23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see;
         And make their loins shake continually.
 24 Pour out Your indignation upon them,
         And let Your wrathful anger take hold of them.
 25 Let their dwelling place be desolate;
         Let no one live in their tents.
 26 For they persecute the ones You have struck,
         And talk of the grief of those You have wounded.
 27 Add iniquity to their iniquity,
         And let them not come into Your righteousness.
 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living,
         And not be written with the righteous.
        
 29 But I am poor and sorrowful;
         Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.
 30 I will praise the name of God with a song,
         And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
 31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull,
         Which has horns and hooves.
 32 The humble shall see this and be glad;
         And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
 33 For the LORD hears the poor,
         And does not despise His prisoners.
        
 34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,
         The seas and everything that moves in them.
 35 For God will save Zion
         And build the cities of Judah,
         That they may dwell there and possess it.
 36 Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it,
         And those who love His name shall dwell in it.

O God, You are more Awesome than Your Holy Places

A call to the people to rejoice in God, for God has dealt with the enemies. The name of God is revealed in this psalm as "YAH". God is shown here to be the provider of the physical needs of his people. God is the carer for the fatherless, the widow and the disadvantaged of the society.

Sinai is mentioned here more than once and it is where takes action and where God is among his people. God is also recognized as the God of Salvation and it is only through him that death can be escaped. Hence God has already informed His people of salvation, in addition to the well known concept of atonement and sacrificial offerings - this is a few hundred years before the birth of Christ.

Finally a useful reminder that "O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places."


Psalm 68
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.
 1 Let God arise,
         Let His enemies be scattered;
         Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.
 2 As smoke is driven away,
         So drive them away;
         As wax melts before the fire,
         So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
 3 But let the righteous be glad;
         Let them rejoice before God;
         Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.
        
 4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
         Extol Him who rides on the clouds,[a]
         By His name YAH,
         And rejoice before Him.
        
 5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
         Is God in His holy habitation.
 6 God sets the solitary in families;
         He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;
         But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
        
 7 O God, when You went out before Your people,
         When You marched through the wilderness,  Selah 
 8 The earth shook;
         The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
         Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
 9 You, O God, sent a plentiful rain,
         Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance,
         When it was weary.
 10 Your congregation dwelt in it;
         You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.
        
 11 The Lord gave the word;
         Great was the company of those who proclaimed it:
 12 “Kings of armies flee, they flee,
         And she who remains at home divides the spoil.
 13 Though you lie down among the sheepfolds,
         You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
         And her feathers with yellow gold.”
 14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
         It was white as snow in Zalmon.
        
 15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
         A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
 16 Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks?
         This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in;
         Yes, the LORD will dwell in it forever.
        
 17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
         Even thousands of thousands;
         The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.
 18 You have ascended on high,
         You have led captivity captive;
         You have received gifts among men,
         Even from the rebellious,
         That the LORD God might dwell there.
        
 19 Blessed be the Lord,
         Who daily loads us with benefits,
         The God of our salvation!  Selah 
 20 Our God is the God of salvation;
         And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.
        
 21 But God will wound the head of His enemies,
         The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses.
 22 The Lord said, “I will bring back from Bashan,
         I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
 23 That your foot may crush them[b] in blood,
         And the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
        
 24 They have seen Your procession, O God,
         The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
 25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after;
         Among them were the maidens playing timbrels.
 26 Bless God in the congregations,
         The Lord, from the fountain of Israel.
 27 There is little Benjamin, their leader,
         The princes of Judah and their company,
         The princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
        
 28 Your God has commanded[c] your strength;
         Strengthen, O God, what You have done for us.
 29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem,
         Kings will bring presents to You.
 30 Rebuke the beasts of the reeds,
         The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,
         Till everyone submits himself with pieces of silver.
         Scatter the peoples who delight in war.
 31 Envoys will come out of Egypt;
         Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
        
 32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth;
         Oh, sing praises to the Lord,  Selah 
 33 To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old!
         Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice.
 34 Ascribe strength to God;
         His excellence is over Israel,
         And His strength is in the clouds.
 35 O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places.
         The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people.
        
         Blessed be God!