Psalms 111 is again a song of praise. Words used to describe Jehovah are great, glorious, majestic, righteous, gracious, compassionate, powerful, faithful, just, and trustworthy. Redemption for His people is His desire. He is holy and awesome. He gives understanding and wisdom.

We continue praising the Lord in Psalms 112 by delighting in His commands. God’s children will be blessed and prosperous is His promise. As the Israelites found out, sometimes God’s promises can be delayed especially by our sin. We are to be generous and our faith never is shaken. Often, we forget His wishes for our own. Fear is the opposite of trusting Yahweh. That trust results in having a home where there is no weeping and sorrow.

As servants we should praise God is written in Psalms 113. What does the phrase “from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,” mean to you? This is where He should be praised. Stop and think about it. The light of the sun strikes everywhere in our solar system. It rises and sets all over. The universe has billions of suns in as many solar systems. Jehovah should be praised anywhere these suns rise and set. He is always there when we need Him, unlike other things we worship.

Psalms 114 gives us a history lesson of what Yahweh did for the Israelites. The Psalmist also asks why these miracles happened. They were not accidents. God used His power and authority over the universe that He created to benefit His people.

Who receives the glory for your accomplishments? Psalms 115 says that the credit should be given to God. He is our Father who does occupy Heaven. The creator of the universe is unique and one of a kind. Nothing and no one is like Him. We don’t replace the Lord with idols as the Israelites did. We let our attention and praise go to other humans like music stars and athletes. God blesses us even though we often reject Him.

Why do you love the Lord? Psalms 116 says it is because He heard a cry. Often, we love God because of what He has done for us. We should love Jehovah for who he is. Gracious, righteous, compassionate, good, and savior are words that the Psalmist uses to describe our Lord. We don’t often think of death as a benefit of following Christ, but it is. Leaving this world means going to be in His presence.

“Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.” Enough said by Psalm 117.

Thanks to the Lord is just the beginning of Psalms 118. Love is the main theme. His love makes Him my helper. He defended me with His strength and gave me salvation. Verse twenty-two is prophetic of the Messiah. Verse twenty-seven may also refer to the procession into Jerusalem before Jesus was sacrificed on the altar of the cross.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

We have another positive prayer in Psalm 131. If we have our hope in Jehovah, we will be as content as a child with its mother. Are you proud and caught up in the cares of this world? Get back to God as King David did. That is where we need to rest.

When King David praises Jehovah before other “gods” in Psalm 138, he acknowledges that He is the only true God. Bowing down toward the Temple means praying to the home of Yahweh. In our culture, we know that He is omnipresent, or everywhere at once.

The Israelite King urges every monarch to honor Jehovah. He opposes the proud but does not look down on the lowliest of us. We should follow His example. “Your love endures forever” ends the song. A fabulous thought.

Who knows you better than God? Psalm 139 tells of all the things that Jehovah knows about you. We cannot flee from the creator of the universe. There is no place to run to and hide. Yahweh knows all of us and we are always watched by him.

God did not only create the world but each person on it. He knows you and He cares. He knows when we would be born and die and everything in between. David wants to know why evil people are not held accountable. While Jehovah knows everything, David like us is limited in his decision-making ability. The Son of God encourages us to forgive those who sin against us. His justification is that we all have erred. He who is without sin should throw the first stone.

No one living is righteous compared to Jehovah according to David in Psalm 143. His opponents are causing him to be depressed over the continued situation. Yahweh has protected the King in the past. He has no reason to believe this will stop.

We all need reassurance, even from Jehovah. His love needs to be felt by each of us. We must do the will of the Lord. The reason for God to help David is because he is a servant of God.

God is described as his rock, fortress, deliverer, and refuge in Psalm 144. He trains us to do the work that He has for us. Human beings are nothing when looked at in the light of this awesome being.

Like the King of Israel, we what Jehovah to come to us. We cannot go to Him. We do not know how to find Him. This was taken care of over two thousand years ago when Jesus can to our planet and became one of us.

The Shepherd King says he will sing a new song to Yahweh and he does. All these psalms we have looked at were new a long time ago. That was David’s way to praise the Lord. He wrote songs, played the ten-string lyre, and sang. I write. What do you do to praise God?

Often in his day, David heard of other gods. Eventually, some king will try to get others to worship him as a god. In Psalm 145 this king refers to God as King. His praise for Jehovah is endless. Often, we fall away from Him because we stop communicating with Him and focus on our selves or this world.

The Kingdom of God is referred to here. God proves Himself to a man if we will give the credit where it is due. When Jesus came, he also was worthy of praise for the ideas about the Heavenly Kingdom that He showed to us. He spoke often about what the Kingdom was like.

David knew there was something better than his personal dynasty coming. He praises the coming reign of someone better than he. The rule of his offspring will surpass anything he could imagine. That is what Heaven will be, unimaginable.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

King David was praising God with music and song even in Psalm 108 which must have been written at a time when Jehovah seemed to have deserted Israel. He proclaims Yahweh’s love for His people, but there seems to be some reason that the army fails to see this love.

The tribes of Israel are His and the countries around them will be washed away and placed under their feet. David’s plea is that God will again join them in the battle to make them victorious.

Have you, like David in Psalm 109, had people speak against you and lie? These are so-called friends that the Psalmist is speaking of. Are you also a person who prays? The king is wishing that these people will be allowed to reap what they are sowing be Jehovah allowing them to die. His attitude would not be considered Christian. We are urged to forgive others by our Lord. Hoping for the death of others does not fit that mold.

While he condemns them, he also complements Yahweh for His love, compassion, and provision.

We discussed the opening of Psalm 110 before Resurrection Day. The prophecy that the Messiah’s enemies would be placed at His feet begins this poem. This prophetic song describes the time when Christ will return as a conquering warrior. His priesthood is also talked of here. Judgment will come at that time.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

A song that says, “Let us sing for joy to the Lord” is Chapter 95 of Psalms. Thanksgiving, rejoicing, and praise are flowing. He is the King of all deities and the creator of everything. That is why we should worship Him. Yahweh reminds them that their ancestors rebelled and were punished for forty years because they did not trust Him enough to go into the land of Canaan the first time. When have you rebelled?

“The Lord reigns” is the beginning of Psalm 97. Clouds and darkness, righteousness and justice, and fire and lightning are all used to describe Him. Those who do not worship Jehovah are considered wrong. Today Christians are often ridiculed by those whose faith is based on other gods or no god at all. Science is an object of worship as is money, fame, and society.

New songs are often mentioned in the Psalms and #98 is not an exception. We sing of His salvation, righteousness, love, faithfulness, and judgment. The new song is not only sung by us but by the earth and the sea. Even the mountains and rivers also are said to praise their creator.

We have a replay of Psalm 97 in Psalm 99 that we are reading today. His reign is mentioned again. He is placed between the cherubim on the lid of the Ark of Covenant. He is over the entire universe. He is holy or separate from everyone and everything. He was not created. God is The Creator. Those who praised Him are honored as He is.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

David calls Jehovah his King and God in Psalm 5. The Israeli Monarch shares his morning prayers with us. Arrogance, deceitfulness, and wickedness do not please Yahweh. He finds them guilty and punishes them for their sins. When we fall to these same weaknesses, we receive discipline as well.

The love of God allows us to have access to Him. We can take refuge in Him. He protects, and we rejoice in you. His favor surrounds us as a shield.

Have you encountered the discipline of Jehovah as David did in Psalm 38? Adultery with Bathsheba as he attempts to trick her husband and finally, murder him has caused the King to realize there are consequences for his actions.

Many of the Psalms are full of complaints about those who try to destroy the shepherd. He continues to hold onto Yahweh for strength and courage. Our sin drives a wedge between us and God. King David admits his guilt to grow in the grace of his Lord.

Those who have concern for the weak are blessed in Psalm 41. When we ask for mercy and admit our sinfulness, the Lord will hear us. Our enemies will have no power over us because Jehovah is merciful to us. He will heal us from disease and defend us against all our foes.

How deep is your desire for a relationship with Jehovah? In Psalm 42 the writer likens himself to a dear panting for water. Do you have a thirst for God? Often others criticize our faith. This is nothing new. Praise and prayer should never cease. His love is infinite. Our hope must remain in the Father and the Son, even when we are down and depressed.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

David expressed his trust in the Lord in Psalm 25. He asked Jehovah to teach him how he should live. Yahweh is good, loving. and faithful and all his followers should be also. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways. Keep my paths straight. The Psalmist knows that the Lord will make a way for our salvation.

We continue with Asaph as our Psalmist in number fifty. The mighty one summons the Earth and the heavens. These same heavens proclaim His righteousness. Animal sacrifices mean nothing to our God. He does not eat and needs no food. Sacrifice does the wicked no good. Their disobedience enslaves them.  In the church age, this means that our salvation is due to our acceptance of Christ through faith, not because of anything we can do.

In our society today, we often think that our government leaders promote injustice. David begins with this in Psalm 58. Jesus referred to the Pharisees as vipers and His ancestor David calls the wicked snakes. He had colorful ways of expressing his thoughts. That is what makes the Psalms interesting. The King always believed that God would reward those who followed him and punish anyone who disobeyed.

Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I, begins Psalm 61. David asks Jehovah to hear his prayer. God protected him, and he has hidden in Him as a baby bird hides under its mother’s wings. Because of this protection, he praises God daily.

Do you remember Obed-Edom that kept the Ark of The Covenant after the first try to move it to Jerusalem? Psalm 62 is dedicated to his father, Jeduthun. David declares that Jehovah is his rock and salvation. He asks his enemies how long they will assault him, but he still depends on Yahweh to make him successful.

The Psalmist tells us to trust in God and depend on Him as the King does. He lists things that may have our devotion, our station in life, wealth, and possessions. We finally hear that God tells us that He has the power, is unfailing love, and rewards us for our actions.

In Psalm 64, that we read today, it is the same group that is described, but in different words. They are called wicked, evildoers, and ambushers. They plot against others, encourage others to attack their enemies, and plan injustice. They will be defeated by Jehovah. Their own tongues will betray them. In the end, all people will know that God rules.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

David speaks to Jehovah about his problems in many of the Psalms. Psalm 3 is one of these. It was written at the time Absalom tried to over-through his Father. Although this is happening, he calls the Lord his shield around him. The sustaining power of his God allows him to slumber and awaken. David calls Him his deliverer.

Mercy and joy seem to be recurrent themes in the psalms and Psalm four is one of those. Are you a faithful servant of the Lord? If so, David is talking about you. He says that Jehovah has set you apart for Himself. He hears when you pray. This should encourage us to call on Him more.

One thing the Shepherd King says here I need to pay more attention to is, search your hearts and be silent. I have the searching part learned well. I need help with being quiet. No Amen, please. We often forget to thank Him for the safety He provides.

We all fall victim to depression and feel like everyone in the world is evil like David does in Psalm 12. The disloyalty, falsehoods, flattering, and deception have gotten to him. He asks Jehovah to silence those who speak against him. As in other songs, the Lord is praised for His care and faithfulness to those that seek to be holy as He is holy.

In Psalm 13 the Lord is asked how long will he continue to allow others to triumph over him? We all have thoughts that cause us sorrow. We think of the people that seem to want us dead. Our salvation is guaranteed if we have a personal relationship with Jesus. When that is true, we like David can praise the Lord.

Sometimes we think that God has stopped listening to us just as David does in Psalm 28. Despite this, he calls Jehovah his rock. What does he mean by this? A rock is solid. A big rock is often hard to move. They were used for foundations, projectiles in battle, and sometimes a hand to hand combat weapon. He also refers to Yahweh as his strength and shield, a fortress, and a shepherd. He declares he will praise Him with a song.

Another prayer is given by David in Psalm 55. As in other Psalms, he complains of his enemies. He asks to be able to fly away from his problems. We all have times when we want to escape.

Destructive forces are around him. He almost sounds paranoid, doesn’t he? In the King’s case, his enemy was a friend. This is not unusual. Those closest to us often become our foes. Our relationships change, but Jehovah does not. That is why we should trust Him as the Psalmist did.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

We are blessed because we are forgiven, our sins are covered, the Lord does not count sins against us, and there is no deceit in us, not because we earned it ourselves, but because Christ gave it to us, we are told in Psalm 32. Our salvation is dependent on admitting we are sinners.

The song ends with Jehovah talking to us. He teaches and instructs us but does not lead as an animal is led by a bit and bridle. It ends with a command to rejoice.

Another Davidic Psalm is 51. This is the song David wrote to Jehovah after the prophet Nathan confronts him about his one-night stand with Bathsheba. He admits his sin, asks for forgiveness, and praises his Lord in these verses. He views his transgressions as in violation of Yahweh alone. As King of Israel, adultery, and murder at his discretion is completely acceptable to most people. Sin begins at birth for all of us. Salvation can come only through God. David knew this. He was aware that King’s sin like everyone else. Spiritual renewal can cleanse your heart. Once this is accomplished, every follower of God must become a leader. They are to lead others back to a relationship with the living God and His Son, Jesus.

David asks Jehovah to do some things for him in Psalm 86. Listen to me and give me an answer is first. Have you ever felt that your prayers went no higher than the ceiling? King David was just like us. Guard me, save me, have mercy on me, bring me joy, teach me, and give me an undivided heart, are the others.

He calls Him forgiving and good and says there is no other god like Yahweh. He asks God to save him because he serves Him just as his mother did. We know Jesse, David’s father. Not much is known about his mother, except this. She was God’s servant just like her son. Do your children follow the same God you followed when they were being raised?

David’s love and commitment to Jehovah are apparent in Psalm 122. The shepherd King chose Jerusalem to be his seat of government. It was easier to protect after the Judeans conquered it. He was determined to take the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem despite a failed first attempt. The House of the Lord at that time was the Tabernacle that had been constructed by Moses. Everyone was invited to worship Yahweh in Jerusalem. The peace of Jerusalem was needed to allow for this worship.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger