Psalm 27

Read the entire psalm one time through.

¹The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

²When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.

³Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.

⁴One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

⁵For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.

⁶Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.

⁷Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.

⁸ My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"
Your face, LORD, I will seek.

⁹Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.

¹⁰Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.

¹¹Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.

¹²Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.

¹³I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

¹⁴Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

• Before you begin, ask the Lord to use this Psalm to teach you and show you more of Himself.


• In verse one, what three things does David call the Lord?


• Verse three shows David’s complete trust in the Lord. He is “confident” before his enemies.


• Read verse 4. How many things is David asking the Lord for? Do you notice the singleness of purpose in this verse? Put this verse into your own words. This is a great verse to memorize!


• David is longing to know the LORD on earth. He pleads for the ability to “dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of his [my] life.”


• In verse eight, David says, “My heart says of you, ‘Seek His face.’” Doesn’t face seem like a deeply personal part of the LORD? It is important to see that David does not only seek the LORD as his “stronghold” and his “hiding place”. He seeks the very FACE of his Creator. Wow! Right now we are observers of an intimate relationship between David and the LORD.


• In verse thirteen what word do you see that you also saw in verse three? Verse thirteen is a declaration of David’s confidence in the LORD. It is not that he has received all the things asked for, but he trusts is God’s good and faithful character.


• What is the verb you see two times in verse fourteen? Stop and think if there is anything you are waiting on in your life right now. Don’t you think it is comforting to see that David intimately knows the Lord and is confident in Him, yet he is still seen “waiting” on the LORD. How does David act while he is waiting? He tells us to do two things.


• Why don’t you seek the Lord’s face right now! Here are some things you might want to pray over. You can thank Him for being your stronghold and your light. If you know Jesus Christ personally, but at times are not confident in Him, you can ask Him to strengthen your belief. Lastly ask Him to make you strong and to give your heart hope as you WAIT on Him. Remember, He is faithful to hear your prayers.

Psalm 138

Give Thanks to the LORD
Of David.

¹I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
²I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
³On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.

⁴All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
⁵and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
for great is the glory of the LORD.
⁶For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.

⁷Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.
⁸The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.

1. Verses 1-3: David says in the first two verses that he sings praise to God before other gods and that he bows down toward the temple. What 2 characteristics does David display in those actions? What 2 things does verse 3 tell us that God exalted? How should this affect how we view those 2 things?
   
   
2. Verses 4-6: These verses tell us that all of the kings of the earth will praise God. Do we live in a day when that is true? History shows us that this has never happened, when do you think it will come? Verse 6 tells us God is far from the haughty. What is another word for haughty? Why do you think God is far from those people?
   
   
3. Verses 7-8: Verses 7 and 8 give us some beautiful promises between God and David. Which of these promises mean the most to you? Why? David ends this psalm by saying, “Do not forsake the work of your hands”. He is making a request to God, what do you think it is?
   

Psalm 20

Trust in the Name of the LORD Our God
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

¹May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
²May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!
³May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah
⁴May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!
⁵May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!
⁶Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.
⁷Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
⁸They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.
⁹O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call.

1. Read the psalm through 2 times. What do you think is happening while David writes this psalm? Keep this in mind as you look at the next few questions!
   
   
2. Verses 1-5: These verses speak specifically of “you”. Who do you think these verses are talking about (check out verse 6 for help)? Do you think this might have been something David’s troops prayed over him? Verse 1 uses a couple of historical references to God. LORD is His covenantal name with Israel and Jacob is an important man of faith from the past. Why do you think that history is brought in at the very beginning? Verse 5 speaks of salvation. What do you think this refers to (remember- they’re in battle!)?
   
   
3. Verses 6-9: In verse 6, we switch from “you” to “I” and then to “we”. Who do you think the “I” is? How about the “we”? Verse 7 speaks of others putting their trust in things besides God. What are 3 things the world tells us we should place our trust in? What does verse 8 tell us will happen if we trust in these things? Verse 9 ends with the phrase, “May he answer us when we call.” Why do you think the Israelites can be so sure God will answer them? How can you have that assurance?

Psalm 51

Read the text and then interact with the questions below. Consider reading 2 Samuel 11 & 12 in order to grasp the circumstances in which David utters this prayer.

51 TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN NATHAN THE PROPHET WENT TO HIM, AFTER HE HAD GONE IN TO BATHSHEBA.

¹Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
³For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
⁴Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
⁵Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
⁶Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
⁹Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
And my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
¹⁵O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
¹⁸Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
¹⁹then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Notes:
1. The cry “have mercy” reveals that David understands that he has no claim on the pardon he seeks. He is asking God to extend undeserved kindness. However the term “steadfast love” is a covenant word. David understands that, though unworthy, he still has a relationship with God because of God’s covenantal love. A great New Testament parallel would be the prodigal son crying out, “Father, I am not worthy to be called your son…”
2. David employs language from the laundry. He is a soiled garment that must be cleansed.
4. David sees that his sin, at the root, is a violation of God. He also feels that God is entirely justified in condemning him. No one would find fault in God if God punished David.
5. David acknowledges that “sin” is not just an indecent act, but rather a human condition. We are “sinful” from birth, and sins come forth from us. This tragedy flowed from his very nature.
7. cleansing with hyssop alludes to the cleansing of lepers (Leviticus 14:6) or the ritual cleansing of those who touched a dead body and had thus become “unclean” (Numbers 19:16-19).
11. David’s concern recalls God’s removal of His Spirit from Saul, the previous king (1 Samuel 16:14). After Christ’s provision of the Spirit for the believer, this removal of the Spirit is not a possibility, though sinful actions can significantly hinder intimacy with God and incite God’s discipline.
13. This rhythm of restoration leading to instruction played out in the life of Peter (Luke 22:32).

Questions:
What is David asking for in verses 1 & 2?
What aspect of God’s character is he appealing to?

What does he acknowledge about his situation in verses 3 & 4?
What does verse 5 reveal to us about David’s understanding of his basic nature as a human being?

What does David understand that God wants for him (v.6)?
How is this accomplished? What does David see he needs (vv.7-12)?

How can David experience joy again after his tremendous failure (v.12)?
What does he believe will follow after God forgives him (vv.13-15)?

In verses 16 & 17 David acknowledges both (1) what God wants and (2) what God does not want from sinful people. What does David see?

What does David see as a result if God extends forgiveness (vv.18-19)?

Final Thoughts:
Some read this Psalm and feel David’s disgust at his actions. They can empathize with his feelings of shame and join him in the longing that God will forgive and restore. The good news is that God does forgive David and even bless him in the future!

Others read this with a sense of frustration. They read Nathan’s pronouncement in 2 Samuel that David’s sins are taken away the instant he repents. Some cry out, “That isn’t fair! He kills a guy and he gets off! Where is the justice?” Some are deeply bothered by this. Fortunately, the New Testament remedies this for us. In Romans 3:25-26 Paul tells us that God did exact punishment. He did require atonement for all the sins that were committed before the arrival of Jesus. These sins were paid for on the cross by Christ. The Son of David, Jesus Christ, paid for the sins of David. This gives us hope when we sin as well. The true believer will weep over sin, but there is hope. For those who trust in Christ there is a covenant, a bond of steadfast love, between them and the Lord. He will forgive, and he will restore.

Psalm 32

¹Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

²Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

³When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

⁴For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Selah

⁵Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

⁶Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

⁷You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah

⁸I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

⁹Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

¹⁰Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.

¹¹Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

David wrote this Psalm after he confessed his sin with Bathsheba. In verses 1-2, David expresses that he is blessed because his sins are forgiven. In verses 3-4, we get to hear him think back. It appears that David might not have been so quick to confess his sin to the Lord.

Verse 4 shows us that the Lord’s hand was _______upon him. How did the Lord deal with David while he remained silent? Notice all the verbs in verses 3-4.

What action is David doing in verse 5? What do you see God doing?

It says the Lord forgave not only his transgressions, but “the guilt of his sin”. When we accept Christ as our Lord, he forgives every ounce of sin from our life. Any sin from the past, in the present, or that will come in the future is banished from our slate. The Lord’s gift of his Son covers it all! We are clean, so we should not live with guilt. Holding onto our guilt can make us feel as though we are not forgiven. Satan would be thrilled if we forgot our true redeemed identity. Do not let Satan, your flesh, and the world let you harbor your guilt. (1 John 2:1-2)

After David confesses, what does he call the Lord? (v.7) ____________________ We can take refuge in Him. He is our “hiding place”. Just as the Lord is serious about our repentance, he is serious about our fellowship with Him. Let verse seven sink in for a minute.

Finally, in verse 9, David tells us to not be like a “horse or mule” that only comes by the control of a bit. Are you willingly confessing your sin to the Lord?

You can enter in to His presence right now by praying. (Hebrews 10:19) Spend this time confessing any sin that you are ashamed to admit. If you have trusted in Jesus as your savior, the sins are already washed away. The act of confessing will bring you into a deeper, more authentic relationship with Him. (Hebrews 10:22)

Psalm 13

Read the entire Psalm through one time.

¹How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
²How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
³Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
⁴my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
⁵But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.


How many questions does David ask the Lord at the beginning of the psalm?
In verses 1-2, David asks 4 questions. There is “no doubt the divine ‘forgetting’ and ‘hiding the face’ meant the withholding of practical help” (Kidner). The third question deals with the state of David’s inner soul, and the last question refers to the presence of his enemies.


This psalm is a great example of how we should talk with the Lord. David asked the Lord real questions, and hoped for the Lord to answer. In verse 3 he says, “Give light to my eyes”. This is a request for divine wisdom or perspective.
Amidst his feelings of being forsaken, David continues to talk with the Lord. His trust in God’s truth gives him perspective, and allows him to move past his feelings of sorrow.


Read verse 5. David makes a choice here. He chooses to trust God, remember his unfailing love, and rejoice in his own salvation. What do these things move David to claim in verse 6? “I will sing to the Lord, for he has been _____ to me.” Psalm 13:6
Read verses 1-2 again, then read verse 6. What do you observe as you look at these verses next to each other?


David shows us how to deal with our disappointment in life and God. He speaks to God honestly, he remembers truth, and he trusts God over his emotions. All of this brings him to praise God again!

Psalm 103

Bless the LORD, O My Soul
Of David.

¹Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
³Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
⁴Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
⁵Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
⁶The LORD performs righteous deeds
And judgments for all who are oppressed.
⁷He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the sons of Israel.
⁸The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
⁹He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
¹⁰He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
¹²As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
¹³Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
¹⁴For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.
¹⁵As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
¹⁶When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,
And its place acknowledges it no longer.
¹⁷But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children,
¹⁸To those who keep His covenant
And remember His precepts to do them.
¹⁹The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
²⁰Bless the LORD, you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying the voice of His word!
²¹Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
²²Bless the LORD, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Notes:
If you read this psalm through a few times, you’ll notice that David doesn’t speak about any specific situation. He isn’t pleading with God to free him from enemies, like so many other psalms, he’s just telling us about God and what we should do in response to that. This psalm speaks many truths to us. I’d encourage you to print out this psalm and grab 3 different colors of highlighters or pens (if that is too much for you, just make some mental notes). Underline or highlight each of these: 1- Things the psalm tells us to do (look for the word bless) 2- Things true of God 3- Things that God does for us (2 and 3 can look a lot alike- feel free to put 2 colors on those). If your page is very colorful, you’re on the right track!

What in this psalm means the most to you? I’ll list some of the most meaningful things to me from each category above:

1. Verse 2 tells us to “forget none of his benefits”. A lot of times, when I am angry at God it is because I am forgetting some of His benefits, or characteristics. He has blessed us abundantly! What are 3 benefits of God that move you to praise Him?



2. Verse 8 shakes my view of God (if you had some problems thinking of 3 benefits, look at this verse!). A lot of times I see Him as a very stern and angry God. How does it make you feel that God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and full of lovingkindness?



3. Verse 12 is a place of peace for me. For those of us who are His by trusting in Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, this verse applies to us. Is there something in your life now or in your past that you feel God can’t forgive you of? This verse speaks otherwise. If you have truly asked God for forgiveness, you are forgiven. Let that truth sink in.

This is a great psalm to look back at if you ever doubt God’s love for you. Our response to this amazing truth should be the same as how David begins and ends this psalm, “Bless the LORD, O my soul!”

Psalm 54

Deeply Rooted Trust

1. Read the entire psalm one time through.
   
   ¹Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might.
   ² Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.
   ³ Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life— men without regard for God. Selah
   ⁴Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
   ⁵Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.
   ⁶I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good.
   ⁷For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.
   


2. Background: David writes this psalm after the Ziphites have told King Saul David's location. Through the entire Psalm, you see a sincere plea for deliverance matched with a confidence that deliverance will occur.



3. Read verse one. Do you see any parallelism? "...by your ______, ...by your _____. " The name and power of God are synonymous. We see here how "His name represents all that God is and what He has done" (Constable). Think of a name of the Lord that you use often. What does that name communicate about God?



4. In verse 2, what does David ask of the Lord?



5. In verse 3-4, David is expressing that the ones who attack him are "ruthless men" who are "without regard for God." Are these other believers? Are these men who desire to do the Lord's will?



6. Read verse 5. On what basis can David ask God to "destroy them?" Refer back to verse 3. Does David's plea for destruction align with the Lord's revealed will? Think about this. David knows that he is anointed as king, and that God's intends to place him on Saul's throne. How does this change your view of his desire for their destruction?



7. David can "expect divine assistance because their hostility was contrary to God's revealed will"(Constable).



8. In verse 7, how do you see David's absolute confidence in the Lord's delivery? Notice the tense of the verbs.
   

Summary: As believers, we can expect to be delivered from circumstances and people that impede upon God's will being carried out in our lives. David trusted in what God had revealed to Him, and this confident trust influenced the way he prayed. Listen to the way you pray today. Does your complete trust in the Lord come out in the way you pray? If not, ask the Lord to give you a deeper confidence and trust in His plans for your life.

"Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

Source: http://www.soniclight.com (Dr. Constable’s notes)

Psalm 63

My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

¹O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
²So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
³Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
⁴So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
⁵My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, ⁶when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; ⁷for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
⁸My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
⁹But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth;¹⁰they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.
¹¹But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

Keep in mind as you read this psalm that David is in the wilderness!

1. Verses 1-4: Read verse 1 again. What kind of language does David use to speak of God? Does this sound like he is speaking to an intimate friend or somebody he has no relationship with? What kind of language do you use when you speak with God in prayer? Do you think his physical surroundings are having an effect on how he speaks with God? What in God’s creation effects how you talk with God? In verse 3, David looks at the love God has for him and it moves him to action. What do verses 3 and 4 illustrate? How are some ways in which you praise God?
   
   
2. Verses 5-8: David continues on with very personal, strong language in these verses. Verses 7 and 8 say that God has been David’s help and that He upholds David. David’s praise of God isn’t based on his own actions towards God, but because God sustains David. Do you praise God at all times or only when you see His blessing in your life? God deserves praise at all times because of who He is, not for what He can do for us. Take a break to praise Him!
   
   
3. Verses 9-11: We are brought back to the reality of where David is by verses 9 and 10. God’s love also brings about justice and David prays that God’s justice will rain on his enemies. Remember that David was anointed as a king by God and that his enemies are God’s! When you demand justice in your life, is it based on God’s standards or your own? What does David to at the end of this psalm? What does he call us to do?

Psalm 55

Cast Your Burden on the LORD

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.

¹Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
²Attend to me, and answer me;
I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
³because of the noise of the enemy,
because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me,
and in anger they bear a grudge against me.
⁴My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
⁵Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.
⁶And I say, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
⁷yes, I would wander far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
⁸I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest."
⁹Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues;
for I see violence and strife in the city.
¹⁰Day and night they go around it
on its walls,and iniquity and trouble are within it;
¹¹ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud
do not depart from its marketplace.
¹²For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
then I could bear it;it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—
then I could hide from him.
¹³But it is you, a man, my equal,
my companion, my familiar friend.
¹⁴We used to take sweet counsel together;
within God’s house we walked in the throng.
¹⁵Let death steal over them;
let them go down to Sheol alive;
for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
¹⁶But I call to God,
and the LORD will save me.
¹⁷Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.
¹⁸He redeems my soul in safety
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me.
¹⁹God will give ear and humble them,
he who is enthroned from of old,
Selah because they do not change and do not fear God.
²⁰My companion stretched out his hand against his friends;
he violated his covenant.
²¹His speech was smooth as butter,
yet war was in his heart;his words were softer than oil,
yet they were drawn swords.
²²Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you; he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
²³But you, O God, will cast them down
into the pit of destruction;men of blood and treachery
shall not live out half their days.But I will trust in you.

Verses 1-8: David says upfront what he is asking for- that God would hear his prayer and be merciful. We find out in verse 3 that David is being oppressed by his enemy. In verse 6, David says he wants to, “fly away and be at rest”. Have you ever been in a situation that you wanted to escape from it? Does David come to the conclusion that this feeling is wrong? David does not give into this feeling to escape. Rather, he is honest with God and trusts that God will deliver him from the situation. How does it comfort you to know that David, a strong man in the faith, had these feelings?

Verses 9-15: In the beginning of this section of verses, David is praying for the city he is in. Have you ever prayed for the city you live in? In what ways do you see iniquity and trouble in your city? Take a break to pray for your city. In the next part, we find out that David has been betrayed by a close friend. David was a powerful king and warrior. Being betrayed meant that his life and the lives of his army could be at stake. No wonder he reacts so severely in verse 15!
This verse also shows by its plural tense that the betrayal affected a group of people to be against him. Can you think of a time that you were betrayed by a close friend? Take another break to pray for this person.

Verses 16-21: After strongly reacting to the betrayal of a friend, David turns his focus to praise God. Verse 17 says that David prays morning, noon, and night. How can you incorporate this idea into your prayer life? David comes to a conclusion in verse 19 that his enemies “do not fear God” and in 20 that a covenant was broken. They are not David’s enemies because of how they treated him, but because they are against the God he believes in. Are the enemies in your life ones that have wronged you or ones that have wronged God?

Verses 22-23: Look at verse 22. Does it say that God will take away your burden if you cast it on him? The psalm says God will sustain us in the midst of it. Have you seen how God can sustain you in the midst of a major burden such as finals or family problems? How does the psalm end? Does David take it into his own hands to try and bring justice to his enemies?

Psalm 4

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

¹Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
²O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
³But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
⁴Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
⁵Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.
⁶There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
⁷You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.
⁸In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.


If you’ve been tracking David’s life along with us on Tuesday nights, then you know that he was constantly under assault by Saul and his men. There were thousands of people who were out to kill him, even when he had done no wrong. The stress of being pursued, maligned and attacked by enemies followed David for the majority of his life (this is why so many of his psalms mention enemies!).

Notice how David deals with this pressure. Who does he turn to? With what knowledge does he comfort himself? What actions does he call himself to do? How does the tone of his letter shift from verse 1 to verses 7-8? Do you sense a calming of David as he grips these realities about God? Have you ever tried this? What injustices are you suffering? What do you consider doing when someone has wronged you? Do you trust God and see him as your joy, even in the midst of difficult circumstances?

The word “Selah” found in this psalm and many others is probably a signal to the choirmaster for a musical interlude or change in instrumentation. Many believe that this inclusion of this instrumental moment provides the listener with time to reflect on the words just sung. Therefore many readers see the word “selah” as a signal to pause and ponder the words that had just been spoken and truly let them sink in. Consider doing this as you read. Pause and consider David’s words and their ramifications. Repeat these segments to yourself. Then consider memorizing this psalm!

Psalm 18

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:

¹I love you, O Lord, my strength.
²The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
³I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
⁴The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
⁵the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
⁶In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
⁷Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
⁸Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
⁹He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
¹⁰He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
¹¹He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
thick clouds dark with water.
¹²Out of the brightness before him
hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
¹³The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
¹⁴And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
¹⁵Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
¹⁶He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
¹⁷He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
¹⁹He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
²⁰The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
²¹For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
²²For all his rules were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
²³I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
²⁴So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
²⁵With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
²⁶with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
²⁷For you save a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
²⁸For it is you who light my lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
²⁹For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
³⁰This God—his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
³¹For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?—
³²the God who equipped me with strength
and made my way blameless.
³³He made my feet like the feet of a deer
and set me secure on the heights.
³⁴He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁵You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand supported me,
and your gentleness made me great.
³⁶You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
³⁷I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
and did not turn back till they were consumed.
³⁸I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
³⁹For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
⁴⁰You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed.
⁴¹They cried for help, but there was none to save;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
⁴²I beat them fine as dust before the wind;
I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
⁴³You delivered me from strife with the people;
you made me the head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
⁴⁴As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
foreigners came cringing to me.
⁴⁵Foreigners lost heart
and came trembling out of their fortresses.
⁴⁶The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
⁴⁷the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me,
⁴⁸who delivered me from my enemies;
yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;
you rescued me from the man of violence.
⁴⁹For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing to your name.
⁵⁰Great salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his offspring forever.


Notes:
This psalm is found, with a few minor variants, in 2 Samuel 22.
Verse 2: Derek Kidner notes that “in the rush of metaphors David re-lives his escapes and victories, and probes into their meaning.” Kirkpatrick states that, “the rock…the stronghold… the rocks of the wild goats…were all emblems of Him who had been throughout his true Refuge.”

Verses 4-19: Notice that God dispatches this mighty rescue for an individual! God loves His children. David’s language here recalls God’s deliverance of His people at the Red Sea (fire, cloud, parting of waters). It also has imagery from Mt. Sinai (the quaking ground and the filling of smoke). David sees his story as reminiscent of the story of His ancestors. God rescued the nation in a time of need, and God did the same with David!

Verses 20-30: God saved David because of David’s righteousness? How do we make sense of this language? David has several of these seemingly self-righteous segments in his psalms (see 5:4-6; 17:1-5). In each of them, it is important to understand that this language has a limited range. David is not speaking of his absolute internal righteousness that caused God to see David as holy and a candidate for heaven based upon his impeccable record. Rather, David is referring to his activity as it relates to his enemies. The immediate context is his rescue from his enemies: literal armies filled with men who wanted to kill him. He did not compromise his integrity as he dealt with these stressful situations, and God vindicated David’s actions. For an example of this kind of righteousness on display, read the accounts of David’s refusal to hurt Saul recorded in 1 Samuel 24 & 26.

Verse 49: Romans 15:9 attributes this verse to the Messiah. Paul quotes it as a proof that Christ came for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews (Romans 15:8-12). David saw the fame of the LORD going out because of God’s willingness to save his people. This was fulfilled in a greater way when Jesus, the son of David, came to rescue men and women from all nations from their captivity in sin and bring them into fellowship with God!

Questions:

1. Have you ever had a moment of excitement like this in your life? Have you ever endured a season of trial, obeying God’s word even when it was hard, and found that He delivered you in a miraculous way?
   
   
2. If the answer to the above questions is “no”, then ask yourself whether or not you have ever really prayed and sought the Lord in the times of crisis in your life. What do you do when hard times come?
   
   
3. Respond freely to the Lord after reading this. Some of you may have questions about the text. Write them down and pray and ask God to help you find answers. Some of you may simply want to pray, “God, I want to be able to experience what David did. I want to face trials in a godly way and then watch and see You deliver me in Your way in Your timing. I want to have a life filled with rejoicing like this.” Talk honestly with Him about it.
   
   
4. Romans 15 states that Jesus came in order to gather a people to Himself who would know and love the one true God. Are you one of these people? Have you ever looked to Christ to rescue you from your sin? If not, consider turning now to the beginning of the book of Romans and reading the first five chapters. In it Paul describes our desperate condition before God, and the remedy provided by Jesus. Spend some time here and consider the claims of Jesus. Seek out counsel from a Christian friend or pastor if you have questions.

This is a long one, but it is also a lot of fun! As you can see from the title below, this is a song of celebration that David wrote after years of being chased by Saul and pursued by enemy armies. After innumerable battles, escapes, tears and prayers, David found that God had given him peace. Read this psalm all the way through (try to feel David’s exuberance and sense of relief as you read!) then ponder some of the questions below.

Psalm 57

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. (Miktham: a covering – could be a prayer asking god to cover one with protection or it could mean covered lips, as in a prayer whispered)

^1Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.

²I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

³He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

⁴My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.

⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

⁶They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah

⁷My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!

⁸Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!

⁹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.

¹⁰For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.

¹¹Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalm 142

A Maskil (Maskil: to make wise or have success) of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

¹ With my voice I cry out to the Lord;

with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.

² I pour out my complaint before him;

I tell my trouble before him.

³ When my spirit faints within me, you know my way!

In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.

⁴ Look to the right & see: there is none who takes notice of me;

no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.

⁵ I cry to you, O Lord;

I say, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.”

⁶ Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low!

Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!

⁷ Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name!

The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.

Psalm 34

The LORD, a Provider and Deliverer.
A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

¹I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul will make its boast in the LORD; the humble will hear it and rejoice.
³O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
⁴I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.
⁶This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him And saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.
⁸O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
⁹O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want.
¹⁰The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
¹¹Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
¹²Who is the man who desires life And loves length of days that he may see good?
¹³Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit.
¹⁴Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
¹⁵The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.
¹⁶The face of the LORD is against evildoers, To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
²⁰He keeps all his bones, Not one of them is broken.
²¹Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
²²The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

1. Background: This psalm was written as an acrostic in the original language. This means that the verses begin with successive letters of the alphabet. It was a device used to help people with memorization. The last verse, 22, does not fall into the acrostic which causes us to ask, why? In the introduction, you see a note about when the psalm was written. The full story is in 1 Samuel 22 (the Breakaway podcast from 2/3/09 is about this text).
   
   
2. Verses 1-8: Verse 3 says to “magnify the LORD”. How do you think you can magnify the Lord? How do verses 1 and 2 help accomplish that? David says “this poor man” speaking of himself. Why do you think David calls himself “poor”? What does this say about how he viewed himself in comparison to God? How does God respond to David?
   
   
3. Verses 9-14: Look back at verse 4 and read verse 9. How is it that God delivers us from our fears when we seek Him yet tells us to fear Him? 1 Peter 1:17 says,”Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear“. What are some other definitions for these two different types of fear? How do verses 10-14 help show you what it means to fear the Lord? Verse 12 says that a man that fears God: desires life, loves length of days and wants to see good. Does this sound like a man that is enjoying life? When we fear God and operate within His will (look at verses 13 and 14 on how to do that), He gives us joy!
   
   
4. Verses 15-22: There is a lot of personification of God in these verses. Circle the words that personify God and underline the actions He does (example: in verse 17 hears will be circled and delivered underlined). There are two groups of people talked about in these verses, the righteous and the evil. What does God promise to each of these groups? Throughout this psalm, some of the other ways God describes the righteous are: servants, saints, radiant, blessed, and humble. How do these words make you feel? Do you know if you are one of God’s righteous? Read verse 22. If you have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, all of this applies to you! I hope this makes your heart cry out the same as verses 1-4.

Psalm 52

Ask the Lord to use this text and this time to bring you nearer to Him. Ask that He will teach you and open your eyes to see His truth. After praying, read the entire psalm two times through.

¹Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
²Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit.
³You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Selah
⁴You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue!
⁵Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah ⁶The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, ⁷"Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!
⁸But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.
⁹I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.


Background to the Psalm:

When we reach this part of David’s life (I Samuel 21:1-22:19), we see Saul in hot pursuit of killing David and David fleeing from death. David, the son of Jesse, enters a small town called Nob. When the priest of the Lord there asks David why he is alone, he says King Saul “charged me with a certain matter and said to me, “No one is to know anything about your mission and your instructions.’” (21:2) David uses this ploy to sneak into the town of Nob. The priest there blesses David by giving him consecrated bread, and protection from Saul.
Meanwhile, Saul hears that David has been discovered. When Saul asks why they have conspired against him, one man by the name of Doeg admits, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Abimelech”. Saul is enraged! He was unaware of David presence in Nob, and the blessings that were bestowed on him through Abimelech. After Doeg sells the priest out, Saul orders that the “priests of the Lord” are killed. No one in Saul’s court will dare kill the holy priests because they fear God. Doeg, however, turns and kills eighty-five of the priests that day!

What man is David referring to in verse one?

Doeg is the man David is referring to. He was a “treacherous” man that “thrived on a wicked and false way of life, loving words that devour” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary). In Psalm 52, David contrasts the way of the wicked (Doeg) verses the way of the righteous (himself).

Read verses 1-7.
We all can relate to the wicked man in some way, if not several. Do you see any of the wicked man’s mentality in your own life? What does David say will happen to this man? (v. 5)

In verse 8, how does David define himself? The olive tree represents prosperity and longevity (Ryrie Study Bible). When we have our faith in Christ, we are freed from the condemnation that the wicked will receive, and in this present life, he begins to cultivate our hearts to be more like His.

What wicked things in your heart do you need to Lord to help you with? How has God already transformed some of your old self into something new?

Thank Him for the work he has done in your life, and ask that He continue to cultivate your heart.

Psalm 59

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me.
²Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men.
³See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
⁴I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight!
⁵O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors. Selah
⁶They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.
⁷See what they spew from their mouths, they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, "Who can hear us?"
⁸But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations.
⁹O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, ¹⁰my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹But do not kill them, O Lord our shield, or my people will forget. In your might make them wander about, and bring them down.
¹²For the sins of their mouths, or the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For the curses and lies they utter,
¹³consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more. Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. Selah
¹⁴They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.
¹⁵They wander about for food and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
¹⁷O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

• Read the entire Psalm. When David writes this psalm, He is in his house with his wife. Saul has sent men to surround the house. They are waiting with the hopes of killing David in the morning when he rises. It appears as though he is near death.
  
• Read verses 9, 16, and 17.
  
• You can see David’s absolute confidence in God’s ability to protect. How many times does David call the Lord his fortress?
  
• In each verse, you see “fortress” coupled with God’s love. Read each of the verses again and see the way David understand God as both “strong” and “loving”.
  
• In verse 16, David is able to “sing” of the Lord’s love, “for” (or because) the Lord is his fortress.
  
• Does the Lord’s ability to protect you and provide for you deepen your love for Him? The more we see who He is, the more we love Him. What attribute of God are you most in awe of? Meditate on how incredible your Father is today.