Category: Psalms

Psalm 78 is the first historical psalm in this book, recounting past events of God’s people lacking belief in him and rebelling because they forgot who God is and what He had done for them. The primary events can be found in the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible), Joshua, Judges, and Samuel. He delivered them out of slavery, gave them food in the wilderness, brought plagues to their oppressors, and lead them to the promise land. Yet the people still chose to remain unfaithful and live their lives the way they wanted. It took God punishing and disciplining them to finally wake them up and begin to see what was going on. The heart of this story is that despite the constant rebellion and belief of fallen people, God’s unimaginable love and grace for His people remains constant and unwavering. Time and time again God met them where they were and provided for them. His goodness and mercy is never ending, though it is undeserving.

How often are we like the Israelites? So often we forget who God is and His power – not because He hasn’t shown it to us but because we so easily forget. Our unbelief isn’t because God is never present, rather it’s that we don’t focus on Him and as a result, we don’t know Him. We seek after glory and success for ourselves and try to be a believer, too. Jesus says in Matthew 16:25, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” As long as we live in this world, we won’t experience the freedom found in wholeheartedly laying down our lives for Christ. We need to surrender and give Him control because God is beginning to move in our nation. He is starting to refine us and build up an army of believers who are bold and radical. There is no being passive or middle ground: we are either with Him or against Him (Luke 11:23). God is here, and He is moving in us and our generation if only we choose to join Him.

As we read through Psalm 77, do you see anything familiar? Perhaps you connect with verse 1- “I cried out to God for help.” Maybe the author’s insomnia and grief-stricken silence in verse 4 hits home? Whatever the case may be, most Christians have felt like the psalmist here at one point or another in our faith journey. We don’t always understand what God is doing and this can be frustrating, but what do we do in these situations?

Psalm 77 is written in such a beautiful style. There are multiple ways to break down the structure of it, but the most common has been to separate verse 1-9 and verses 10-20. We see in Psalm 77:1-3 a person who cries out to God, knowing that only in Him lie the answers. In Psalm 77:4-9 we see someone who is so grieved in their spirit that they can’t even sleep! The author asks questions some Christians wouldn’t dare utter, but now we can see God’s response.

Verse 10 serves as a hinge for this whole psalm. There are many different translations and interpretations of this verse, but the main point is this: This is where the author, having offered up his grief and questions to God and seeing the error of these questions, turns to remembering God’s faithful acts of years past. Instead of focusing on the struggle at hand, the author instead chooses to focus on what God has done for His people before, believing in faith He will deliver them again!

What does this mean for 21st century Christians like us? It serves as a great example to follow! What do we do when everything in our lives seems to be going wrong? We “reflect on all [God has] done, and meditate on [His] actions.” God doesn’t love you less because you struggle. In fact, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth precisely because we humans struggle! He knows we need Him, so instead of holding that over our heads, He proactively stepped into history, did what we could not, and gave us the grace to be with Him! He did this all to be in relationship with us, His people, His Church. Go to God with your struggles, ask Him your questions, lay the darkest thoughts down before Him and allow the light of His love to illuminate them. Who knows, He might just surprise you.

Psalm 76 is a psalm of praise and a victory hymn. It highlights the greatness and awe of God, and shows us what the proper response to His greatness is⏤praise! The author, Asaph, writes this psalm in response to a battle victory. It may have been written in response to the particular victory in 2 Kings 19:35, but the lack of specificity allows for these words to be used more generally for celebrating any victory that the Lord gives. 

Over and over again in Scripture, we see God fight on behalf of His people. Victory is always His. Psalm 20:6-7 says, “Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” As God’s people, we can trust that He will fight on our behalf.

The first two verses of this psalm are particularly powerful: “God is renowned in Judah; in Israel his name is great. His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.” God is renowned or known in Judah. This all powerful God who gives victory in battle also chooses to make Himself known to His people. Salem is the ancient name for Jerusalem, and it means city of peace. He makes His tent or home there, in Jerusalem, with His people, bringing peace to them as He dwells. He has both revealed Himself to His people and chosen to dwell with them. 

In the Old Testament, God chose to dwell with His people in Jerusalem. Then, He sent His Son to dwell on earth. John 1:14  tells us, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Today, He has sent His Spirit to dwell in each and every believer. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). 

We have access to a holy God, not because of anything we’ve done, but because He made a way to live with us. Throughout history, God chooses to dwell with His people and bring them peace. He’s choosing to do that same thing with you today.  

Psalm 75 marks the halfway point through the Psalms. Similar to Psalm 57, 58, and 59, this psalm is set to the tune of “Do Not Destroy” for the fourth and final time. It is a prayer by Asaph to God consisting of thanksgiving, a word from God, a warning by the church, and anticipation of the Lord’s deliverance.

Asaph knew that judgment was coming. He knew God would destroy the people not following Him, but he prayed for deliverance of the believers. He rejoiced, even though he knew heartbreak was around the corner. This served as a warning for those who were not following God; there was a destructive fate ahead if they did not take the opportunity to turn to righteousness.

This chapter has many references to a horn. In the Old Testament times, the horn was a symbol of boastful power and strength. The foolish were using their horns to promote themselves and their power, exalting themselves even over God. It seems like an old issue… until we think of a phrase we use today. How often do you “toot your own horn?”

We do not want to be foolish. Charles Spurgeon, a preacher and Bible scholar, notes, “When possessed by the arrogant, the horn is said to be ‘cut down’ or humbled. While God rejects the horns of the haughty, he exalts the horns of the righteous.” The Lord sees how we act every day. Self-promoting tendencies and boasting of success will feel good for a moment, but we will be left with God humbling us. Rather, let us live for righteousness and let God lift us up in His timing.

God will judge with equity and He gives us plenty of opportunities to turn to Him. When we turn to Him, He is near and works in our lives. With a focus on His wondrous deeds and praising Him, it will be much easier to declare His praise than tooting our own horn in vain.

In this psalm, we can see that Asaph and Israel as a whole are going through a tough time (a major understatement). This chapter is full of vivid, powerful imagery; as we read through it, the truths really sink in, as we picture in our heads everything described on the page. Reading verses 3 through 9, we picture walking through the ruins of a city, looking in the distance to see the church building burned to the ground, smoke pouring out of the place in which we would frequently meet (or maybe where we now wish we had visited more). Enemies come in with battle axes, yelling and destroying everything that is familiar to us. It feels like God is gone, and there is no longer anyone who speaks for Him (v. 9). 

As we have seen in many of the Psalms so far, there is a clear shift, a move from despair to praise. Although the tone changes, the imagery continues. Instead of picturing a ruined city, we see God splitting the ocean and smashing the heads of sea monsters, letting desert animals eat them! He causes springs to gush forth and dries up rivers that never run dry! He creates everything, including the stars in the sky and the boundaries of the earth and the seasons we experience! People might come and ruin the temporary, worldly things that we have built, but God is in control, so powerful and mighty. People might come after us for our faith and take our sanctuary, but our Church was never a building, and our hope was never in the places where we worshiped. Our hope is found in the all-powerful, all-knowing, almighty God of the universe. 

Israel was going through a tough time, and we might be, too. We might feel like we are under attack, either by loud men with battle axes or by work, school, other people, etc. Whatever comes after us, God is far more powerful. When we feel overwhelmed, we can follow the example of this psalm, remembering how God has been faithful in the past (v. 12) and how He has promised that He will triumph in His good and perfect timing (v. 20). 

From the time we are on the playground to the time we are in retirement, we struggle with good things happening to bad people and bad things happening to good people. We wonder why mean people win and get all the glory while nice people seem to lose and get all the grief. When this happens it’s enough to make us ask the question, “Why work so hard to be good when those who behave badly succeed?” 

The writer of Psalm 73, Asaph, gives voice to this same struggle in verse 3: “For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” We hear you, Asaph! But what are we supposed to do with this frustration? Verses 16 and 17 tell us: “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.”

What Asaph knew and we must remember is that we are playing the long game: running a marathon, not a sprint. As humans, it is easy to focus on the here and now, crying out to God to fix our present problems. We may be ignorant of others’ hearts and needs as we rush to judgment in our own fear and failures. We see only the unfairness of the situation when we view it through our own lens rather than trying to view our situation from God’s perspective. We can forget that God sees all dimensions of the past, present, and future in heaven and on earth (Ephesians 1:3-14). 

We can’t forget what we know:

• We know this world is not our home (John 15:19).
• We know that we are called to a higher purpose (Romans 8:28).
• We know we are in the midst of spiritual battles (Ephesians 6:12).
• We know that in this world, we will have trouble (John 16:33).
• But we also know to be encouraged because Jesus has overcome the world! Praise God! What the world offers cannot compare to what God offers us in Himself. 

May we declare verses 26-28: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”

As we read the Bible, we can’t forget that it is both historical and prophetic. At first read of Psalm 72, we may think it’s a prayer for an earthly king to reign with wisdom and righteousness; however, it is also a declaration of hope for an eternal king to reign “and all kings bow to him and all nations serve him.” It is both a personal prayer request to rule well and prophetic praise for one who rules forever. 

Most scholars believe this psalm is written about Solomon. Either written by David or Solomon, we aren’t certain. But no matter who wrote it, the message is clear: a good, righteous, and wise king will bring justice to the poor, save the children of the needy, and break the pieces of the oppressor.

Solomon was the wisest king who ever lived. His influence was great and his kingdom vast. He started off strong with great intentions; but, because Solomon was unfaithful to God, his reign was not as great a blessing as it could have been. His reign fulfilled some of the criteria mentioned in this psalm, but insufficient in fulfilling all.  

All Scripture points to Jesus. All of it. Verse 8 shifts our perspective from the earthly king to an eternal one, a greater King. One whose reign will not end. Whose Kingdom encompasses the whole earth. Whose righteousness and justice are perfect. When Solomon’s successor returns to earth and establishes His reign, the requests and criteria of this psalm will be fulfilled in Messiah AND King who is Jesus. The King who brings justice, rescue, and freedom. 

In today’s psalm, the author, who is advanced in age (verse 9), begins by crying out for help, requesting God to deliver him, rescue him, and be his rock. He then pleads with God to intercept and subdue his enemies that are pursuing him in his older age. He ends by reflecting on times when God has protected and provided for him and praises God through song and instrument. 

This psalm is a great template for us to follow when we experience heartaches, hardships, and headaches in this world. Note how the Psalmist declares who God is throughout the text. He declares how God is his rock, refuge, fortress, hope, and help. When we experience the pains of this world, let’s remind ourselves of who God is in the midst of the pain. 

Then, the Psalmist expresses to God his needs and asks for His help in specific ways. When we experience the pains of this world, let’s not forget to acknowledge our needs to God and ask Him for help. 

After he spends some time asking God for His help, he takes time to thank God and praises God for what He’s done thus far. When we experience the pains of this world, let’s follow the Psalmist’s example and take time to remember the ways God has provided and cared for us, and take the time to praise Him for those things. 

The next time you find yourself experiencing heartaches, hardships, or the headaches that come with living in this world, remember the example set forth by this Psalmist: Take time to declare who God is, ask for His help, and spend time praising Him. 

If these five verses sound familiar, it’s because they are. Psalm 70 is almost a word-for-word repetition of Psalm 40:13-17. It is unknown what the time difference is between the writing of these two Psalms, but regardless, we can learn from the fact that at the time David wrote Psalm 70, he had unanswered prayers. So what was his response? He prayed them again.

The commentator Matthew Henry reminds us that “it may be of use sometimes to pray over the prayers we have formerly made to God upon similar occasions, which may be done with new affections.” So in these short five verses, David makes ten urgent pleas that he has formerly made to God. He asks for deliverance for himself and retribution for his enemies coupled with the reminder that there is great joy found in the Lord!

David also pleads to God with a tremendous note of urgency. In verse one, the phrase “make haste” is repeated twice. The same phrase is repeated again at the beginning of verse 5, and the chapter closes by saying “do not delay!” One commentary describes David as “short on time, but long on need.” We can learn from both the earnestness and honesty of David’s dire prayer. David is being honest with God that he longs for God to act quickly on his behalf. He fervently asks the Lord to help him and to please do it quickly!

Psalm 70 is an encouragement to our prayer lives as believers. It helps us understand we can communicate the deep yearnings of our hearts to God over and over again. In addition to that, we can be specific in asking God to answer us! It doesn’t necessarily mean that God will answer in our timing, but it is a reminder to us that God is sovereign over time, and we will begin to see the goodness of God’s timing. Pray that we may be a group of believers who learn to humbly and earnestly ask God to hurry, but for His Glory and our good.