The Book of Psalms

The Book of Psalms is divided into five sections:

1. Psalm     1 –   41.
2. Psalm   42 –   72.
3. Psalm   73 –   89.
4. Psalm   90 – 106.
5. Psalm 107 – 150.

The psalms foremost author is king David, who is credited with 73 of the 150 psalms. The others were written by writers such as the sons of Korah (11),
Asaph (12), Solomon (2), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and Moses (1). The book
was compiled after the return from Babylon probably by Ezra. 

The psalms are essential a collection of worship songs, see for example the
psalms 47, 145, 147, and 150. The psalms were used in the temple service
as well as for joint singing and individual devotion:
"Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock
of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; 
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!" (Psalm 95:1–2). 

The psalms 113–118 are called the Hallel songs. They are songs of praise. 
Many hymns are guidelines for how to pray. 
"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,
that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." (Heb 13:15).

Some of the psalms use parallelism, a  style of Hebrew poetry used in the
Old Testament, see time 0:22–11:58 in Hebrew Poetry Update.

Many of the psalms contain prophecies about Messiah, see for example Psalm 110. Some are purely prophetic, see Prophecy in Spiritual Gifts. 

Some psalms are imprecatory, that is to utter (a curse) or invoking (an injury, distress, or disaster) against someone or something, see for example the
psalms 35 and 109. All psalms are inspired by the Holy Spirit, approved by God.
In the New Testament we are told not to, see Love and not revenge in 
The Sermon on the Mount. See the following explanations for this:

• The individuals who wrote imprecatory words in the Bible were used by the Holy Spirit to write what God wanted them to write. These words are prophetic because they are inspired by the Holy Spirit. 
  (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:21).
• They are inspired declarations of judgements from the Lord who is the judge of all the Earth. What we see is the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to cause people to speak of judgment on the Lord's enemies
  (Psalm 139:19–22).
• It's an insight into God's holiness, his hatred of sin at all times.
  See God is holy in God's Attributes. It's only God who can judge people fairly and judge at all, see Psalm 75: God will judge with equity.
  We aren't allowed to judge by ourselves, see Do not judge others in 
  The Sermon on the Mount. 
• We can cry to God but not take things in our own hands.

There are also penitential psalms, such us the psalms 38 and 143. David asks God not to be rebuked because of God's wrath, not to be chastened in his wrath
(Psalm 38:1 (2 in some translations), see God has wrath in God's Attributes. 
Jesus bores God's wrath for us on the cross, see The Crucifixion of Jesus. What comes to us as born again Christians is to be disciplined when we go astray or do something that we shouldn't. See Sanctification and Dealing With Sin in the Church. Penitential psalms express godly sorrow. They are mainly about deep sorrow and remorse for the sin committed, such as Psalm 51: Coming to God when we fail
and Psalm 130: My soul waits for the Lord. 

Note that there is a difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow:
Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to Salvation, while worldly sorrow doesn't (2 Cor 7:8–10). It's a sorrow of being caught and contains no repentance.

Some psalms are about the following:

• A message to the rebellious world in Psalm 2, explained at time
  22:08–36:21 in 2 Timothy 3 (Part 1) :1-9 • The World in the Last Days.
• Living in the wilderness, see Psalm 63: Living in the Wilderness and 
  Psalm 69: Growing in the Darkness.
• Prophecies about The Crucifixion of Jesus, see 
  Psalm 22: the Crucifixion Psalm. 
• Prophesies about Jesus' first coming (Psalm 45:6–7
  (7–8 in some translations), Heb 1:8–9). 
• Prophesies about Jesus' second coming (for example Psalm 48), see also Messiah's Second Coming in The Prophecies of Isaiah.
• Devotion to the Lord (Psalm 66), see Psalm 23: The Lord is my Shepherd.
• To quiet my soul, see Psalm 131: I have quieted my soul.
• That God knows everything about us, see Psalm 139: The Lord knows me.

There is also psalms about people in deep sorrow and depression (Psalm 88).
If you go in that direction, it can be good to read God's promises in the Bible
and choose to stand on them and to believe them as God's truth: 

• "No evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways." (Psalm 91:10–11).
• "Because he holds fast to me in love, I (God) will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." (Psalm 91:14–16). 

There is power in God's word (Rom 10:17), see Psalm 119: Your word is a Light On My Path. See also 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit in The Sermon on the Mount.

David had the following desire to the Lord: "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: 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 inquire in his temple."
(Psalm 27:4). This was his overridden passion. He isn't talking about an earthly temple (it wasn't yet built), he is talking about the presence of the Lord. David
wants to talk to God, have a personal relationship with him in his glorious presence
(Psalm 142:2 (3 in some translations)). It shows David's devotion to the Lord. One reason why David's focus was so single to the Lord was because he suffered so much during his life. When we go through challenges, we can become more motivated to seek the Lord. The more struggle he faced, the more he wanted to press in and know God. It became his passion.

David had guidelines on how to live a holy life, see 
Psalm 101: How to live a holy life.

God cares about us (Mat 10:29–31, Psalm 65:9–13 (10–14 in some translations)), see Faith, Hope, and Agape Love.

The psalms bring us back to a God-centered focus. We need that reminder.

Psalm 31:

David's expression of faith and hope in the Lord in Psalm 31:
(in some translations you have to add one to the verse number)

• You are my rock and my fortress (verse 3a).
• You lead me and guide me (verse 3b).
• You free me from my enemy's net (verse 4a).
• You are my refuge (verse 4b).
• You have redeemed me (verse 5b).
• I trust in the Lord (verse 6b).
• I will rejoice in your steadfast love (verse 7a).
• You have seen my affliction and know my distress (verse 7b).
• You haven't delivered me to the enemy (verse 8a).
• You have set my feet in a broad place (verse 8b).
• My times are in your hands (verse 15a).
• How abundant is your goodness (verse 19a).
• You hide and shelter your children (verse 20).
• You heard the voice of my pleas (verse 22b).
• The Lord preserves the faithful (verse 23b).

Some verses in the Book of Psalms:

"For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice; the Earth is full of the steadfast love of
the Lord." (Psalm 33:4–5). "God is faithful, by whom you were called into
the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Cor 1:9, 1 Thess 5:24).

"From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right!" 
(Psalm 17:2). God is the final ruler and knows who is right and who is wrong.
It's the Lord's standard of right and wrong in a conflict that counts, not what we think is right or wrong. "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23–24).

"The 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?" (Psalm 27:1).

"The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love." (Psalm 147:11). "He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them." (Psalm 145:19). See To Fear the Lord in Fear of Man.

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities."
(Psalm 103:8–10). David understood grace and mercy, see God's Attributes. "The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made." (Psalm 145:8–9).

"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14). It speaks of a positive, patient, and eager expectation of the Lord's work in our lives. It's not about sitting around hoping something will happen while doing nothing. It's about an eager anticipation. We should then be
strong in the Lord (not in ourselves) and in the strength of his might (Eph 6:10).

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you." (Psalm 55:22a
(23a in some translations)). See Psalm 55 in Forgive and You will Be Forgiven.

"Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me." (Psalm 43:3a).

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you." (Psalm 56:3 (4 in some translations)). This also applies when I have put myself in a bad situation. 

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools." (Psalm 84:5–6 (6–7 in some translations)). Baca means weeping which means this is the Valley of Weeping. Blessed are those who find strength in the Lord. Their determination to find their strength in the Lord turns tragedy into triumph.

"Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!" (Psalm 100:2). "For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." (Psalm 100:5).

"The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."
(Psalm 118:14).

"My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and Earth." (Psalm 121:2).

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1a).
"The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it." 
(Proverbs 10:22). The world is chasing after wealth. But when the Lord is behind the process, there is a blessing that comes with it that isn't accompanied by problems.
Abraham and Sarah waited 25–30 years for the promise of having a child, until they took it into their own hands and Abraham had Ishmael with Sarah's slave Hagar. They ended up working this out in their own strength, power and wisdom. They did have a son, but it led to a lot of trouble at the time and to this day for the Israelites. 

"On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased."
(Psalm 138:3).

"Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely." (Psalm 141:10).

See also The Old Testament of the Bible.

Psalm 139: The Lord knows me

Psalm 139 was written by king David (Psalm 139:1a).

God knows everything about us (Psalm 139:1b–4), see God is omniscient
in God's Attributes. 

God had plans for us before we were born: "Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:16 (NIV)). This speaks against abortion. For example, God had plans for Samson even before his mother became conceived (Judges 13:2–7).

"You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me." (Psalm 139:5).
God always protects us. Our lives are in his hands.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8–9). We can't always understand God's way or God's knowledge and wisdom (Psalm 139:6).

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!"
(Psalm 139:17). God's thoughts are of great value. It also means that God's word, the Bible, is very precious to us.

God isn't limited by space, he can be present everywhere at the same time (Psalm 139:7–10), see God is omnipresent in God's Attributes. 

David wrote: "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me (test me) and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23–24). David asks the Lord if anything is happening in his life that grieves the Lord, causing discomfort for the Lord. The Holy Spirit didn't indwell people in the Old Testament, see Jesus the Light of the World. Yet David prayed this prayer. This was one of the things that made him a man after God's own heart. And David wasn't perfect. David asked God to know his own heart, to know what was behind his thoughts. David confessed and repented when God revealed flaws in his life. We have a great propensity for self-deception. We therefore need God to reveal things in our lives so that we become aware of them.
David wanted God to lead him in the way of life that God wanted him to live
(Psalm 143:10, Isaiah 55:8–9). As Christians we need the power of the Holy Spirit 
to live such a life (Eph 3:16–19, Proverbs 3:5–7).

See also The Book of Psalms.

Psalm 131: I have quieted my soul

Psalm 131 was written by king David (Psalm 131:1a).

David speaks of his soul, see Body, Soul, and Spirit in
The Danger with Gnosticism. Man consists of body, soul, and spirit.

In another Psalm he speaks to his soul (Psalm 42:5a (6a in some translations). He then speaks to his emotions and intellect and asks himself why he is so depressed. 
He tells himself to hope in God, see Hope in Faith, Hope, and Agape Love.
David speaks to his soul as a thing that can be tamed and controlled.

David writes: "But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me." (Psalm 131:2). He announces to God that he has silenced  his soul which is now content like a weaned child with its mother. In order to hear God's voice, he had to tune out his spirit. 

One reason we are not in tune with our spirit is that our body and mind take up most of our time, and therefore we hardly hear anything from the spirit. It's very easy for the soul to take over. We also have difficulty distinguishing the differences between what comes from the soul and what comes from the spirit. They are almost indiscernible. That's one reason why God has given us the word, the Bible. It helps us to separate what comes from the soul and what comes from the spirit (Heb 4:12), see time 5:57–20:14 in DAVID GUZIK SERMON ON Hebrews 4:11-16. In addition to the Bible, we need the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our heart via our spirit
(Psalm 32:8). But then we must know that it's from the Holy Spirit and not from our soul. David had calmed and silenced his soul to become better at hearing the voice of the Lord. We must to do the same. He understood that his emotional voice from his soul was so strong that he needed to do that. He was a very passionate man. 
David wrongly followed his emotions and intellect a few times which got him into very serious trouble (Proverbs 3:5–6), see time 12:32–14:37 in
Luke 5 (Part 1) • A Lesson, a Leper and Jesus proves He is God.

Worship is a kind of communication with God, see How should we worship God? in The Woman's Place in the Congregation. 

To hear the voice of God

God wants to speak to us on a spiritual level. It is about tuning our hearts to the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. While we are born with our five senses switched on, our spiritual mind must develop over time. "God is spirit" (John 4:24) means; striving for the ability to hear his voice is a spiritual pursuit. All who believe in Christ have been given everything they need to hear God's voice. When we came to faith in Christ he gave us his Holy Spirit, and Apostle Paul reminds us that every child of God has "the mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:16b), see time 42:43–49:23 in 1 John 2 (Part 2). 

There are several things that make it difficult to hear God's voice:

• The life of the flesh has hijacked our attention.
• Our hearts are so busy and so "loud" that they drown out God's voice.
• We become impatient because God doesn't respond in our timetable.
• Our faith muscles are slack and out of shape.
• Our Bibles have been closed far too often.

We need to do the following:

1. Change our focus: 
   Jesus told us to: "Seek first the Kingdom of God" (Mat 6:33a), but often our attention is diverted to carnal pursuits and interests. Then we suddenly develop a need to seek God's will and we find it incredibly difficult to change our focus. Apostle Paul warned us that: "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit." (Rom 8:5). We need to make a spiritual course correction. The Lord quickly answers our request to:
   "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on Earth." (Col 3:2), and as a result, hearing his voice becomes so much easier.
2. Learn to quiet my soul:
   Learning to hear God's voice means learning to silence all the other voices clamoring for my attention, including my own. Learning to silence the noise is important to hearing from God, see above. When you come for prayer, take time to sit in God's presence and wait on him, focus on him and only him.
3. Develop patience:
   God is never in a hurry. If I want to know his hart on a matter, I'm the one who needs to adjust my expectations to his timeline, not the other way around. God has promised to give us the wisdom and guidance we seek (James 1:5), but how long are we willing to wait for the answer? Learning to be patient in prayer is important. David gives this perfect exhortation: "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14). We need that reminder every day. But if a deadline forces me to make a quick decision and there is no time to wait, all I can really do is ask God to guide my decision and then take a leap of faith. 
4. Exercise my faith:
   It takes faith to hear from God, but if we don't use it regularly it becomes weak. "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." (James 1:6). God responds to our faith, so if we are weak in that area, we may struggle to hear from God. When we come to humble ourselves before God and confess our weaknesses and shortcomings, we know that God understands and is ready to give us what we need. We can ask God in prayer to help us have a strong faith. See also How to Build Your Faith.
5. Let the word transform my mind:
   Paul wrote: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom 12:2). Knowing God's will becomes much easier when our hearts and minds are transformed by God. This happens as we continue to expose ourselves to the wisdom and insight found in God's word, the Bible. We can then take that knowledge and insight and use it to test situations to determine if they are from God or not. To know the word is to know the heart of God. Once we know God's heart, we find ourselves more able to foresee what pleases Him and what grieves Him.

How do we know God's will? 

Walking with the Lord is not so much a matter of figuring out when and where to ask for guidance. It's really more about having a surrendered heart that desires the Lord's guidance even when we don't ask. We should ask for God's will and direction every day, and our prayers should reflect our desire:
"Lord, lead me today and guide my life as you think best. I give my day to you and ask that you would open and close doors according to your perfect wisdom."
Then we can walk in the expectation that he leads and directs us. 

David wrote prophetically from the Lord: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." (Psalm 32:8).

How the Holy Spirit leads can be very different depending on the person. It could be:

• By praying and asking God for guidance. And then in the course of the Bible reading come to a place where the feeling that the Lord is speaking through the Scriptures for a specific direction. This can be a very powerful and effective way of knowing God's will.
• Hearing something when the word is taught. Something in a ministry speaks to me that feels like a specific direction to me from the Lord.
• By a "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11–12) of God during the prayer time
  or just when listening for God. God can then communicate through the 
  Holy Spirit to my spirit. See what to do when you feel God is silent at time 14:20–17:29 in Bible Q&A with Pastor Paul │February 2024.
• Hearing the voice of God through the counsel of trustworthy and mature Christians. God can use them to speak into our lives. It doesn't mean getting other people to hear from God for me, but getting godly counsel to help me partake of God's guidance for my life by applying God's word to my situation. These people who are chosen as counselors need to have a proven track record of their own and the fruit of the Spirit in their lives (Gal 5:22–26).

Listening for God's leading can be very challenging because we are usually quite emotionally invested in whatever decision we are facing. Especially if the Lord says something we don't want to hear.

  

There may be huge, life-changing decisions that we face from time to time, and some of them may require us to wait for a very specific directive from the Lord before proceeding. We can identify that kind of decision by quieting our souls in his presence and spending time in his word, the Bible. We can ask for God's guidance even for other decisions that seem small and insignificant. Nothing is too small for God. Then we can step out with an expectation and trust in the Lord's guidance.

See also The Book of Psalms.

Psalm 130: My soul waits for the Lord

The unknown author of Psalm 130 asks the lord for mercy (Psalm 130:2). He says: "If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared." (Psalm 130:3–4). 

When there really is true forgiveness (godly sorrow), properly understood and received, in line with God's promises and taken by faith, it always leads to a deep reverence for God, see To Fear the Lord in Fear of Man. 

When we come before the Lord and ask for forgiveness, and mean it with godly sorrow, God forgives us (1 John 1:9), see Psalm 51: Coming to God when we fail. God no longer remembers our sins, which is part of the New Covenant we join when we become Christians (Heb 8:8–13, Jer 31:31–34). See also The Unforgivable Sin.

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope." (Psalm 130:5). Waiting on the Lord is not easy to handle. However, God keeps his promises to us. There is no one above God, which means he has the power to keep his promises, see God is sovereign in God's Attributes. But we may have to wait for God to fulfill his promises. In his word we hope, see Faith, Hope, and Agape Love. 

See also The Book of Psalms.

Psalm 119: Your Word is a Light On My Path

The focus of Psalm 119 is the word of God.
There are eight different words that describe the word of God in this psalm:

1. Law: 25 times. Refers to the Torah 
   (the Pentateuch or the five books of Moses).
2. Word (the Hebrew word "dabar"): 24 times. The spoken word to man.
3. Judgements: 23 times. God's word is the judge of our lives.
4. Testimonies: 23 times. Witnesses as in a trial.
5. Commandments: 22 times. Something that God commands.
6. Statutes: 21 times. The authority of the word.
7. Precepts: 21 times. Specific instructions or directives.
8. Word (the Hebrew word "imrah"): 19 times. General applications.

"Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!" (Psalm 119:1). Blameless doesn't mean being perfect or living a perfect life.
It means not being the subject of accusations. Note also that the Mosaic Laws
isn't a way to be saved, see Jesus and the Law. 

Those who seek God with all their hearts are also in a blessed state
(Psalm 119:2b, 10a), see The Parable of the Persistent Widow.

"This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life." 
(Psalm 119:50). We can seek help from God's word in our suffering, see for example Psalm 69: Growing in the Darkness. Our hope isn't based in anything this world has to offer, it's based in our God who gives us hope and has promised us life, see Faith, Hope, and Agape Love.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105).
The picture is the illumination of the road ahead. It keeps me from stumbling. 

"The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple."
(Psalm 119:130). The more we study or meditate on God's word, the more it unfolds to us, the more we understand its meaning.

"You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word." (Psalm 119:114).
God is my shield and my protection. "You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance." (Psalm 32:7).

"The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever." (Psalm 119:160).

See also The Book of Psalms.

Psalm 101: How to live a holy life

King David exemplifies in Psalm 101 (Psalm 101:1a) how to live a holy life:

1. "I will ponder the way that is blameless." (Psalm 101:2a). To think about what is right and good, that is, to think and meditate on the right way to live.
2. "I will walk with integrity of heart within my house." (Psalm 101:2c). My home will become a place of integrity. It means to follow the laws of my country
   (those that aren't against the Christian God (Acts 4:18–20)), do what I need to do, honor the Lord, live for God. It affects the movies I see, the books I read.
3. "I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless." (Psalm 101:3a). What we see with our eyes has a direct connection to our heart (our mind). This was hard for David to follow, see Psalm 51: Coming to God when we fail.
4. "I hate the work of those who fall away; it should not cling to me." 
   (Psalm 101:3b). We should avoid being influenced by those who have departed from the Lord or from the calling of the Lord. It might not mean to have no contact with them. We should continue to love and encourage them and pray for them, but be careful not to come under their influence
   (2 Thess 3:6, 1 Cor 15:33). See also this explained at time 30:34–31:36
   in Bible Q & A With Pastor Paul │ August 2023.
5. "A perverse heart should be far from me; I will know nothing of evil."
   (Psalm 101:4).  I should avoid being around perverted people and not let perversity enter my own heart.
6. "Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy." (Psalm 101:5a). I shouldn't associate with such persons (1 Cor 5:11 (NIV), Proverbs 10:18).
7. "Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure."
   (Psalm 101:5b). It's a person with an overwhelming prideful attitude.
   "Bad company ruins good morals." (1 Cor 15:33).
8. "I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me." 
   (Psalm 101:6). To surround myself with godly people who can build me up.
   We need each other in the body of Christ.
9. "No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes." (Psalm 101:7). David knew that deceitful liars could bring him down so quickly.
10. "Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord." (Psalm 101:8). It means for us to cut out from our lives all who go against the Lord as far as their bad influence in our lives (Psalm 141:4, 1 Cor 15:33).

We may have people at our work and close to us that we can't and shouldn't cut out of our lives, but we can minimize their influence in our lives. And that's what David
is talking about. See also time 37:59–43:32 in James 1 (Part 3) :16–27. 

"Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings." (Isaiah 51:7). "I, I am he (God) who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass." (Isaiah 51:12).

Of course, it is better to associate with people who fear the Lord:

"I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts."
(Psalm 119:63), see To Fear the Lord in Fear of Man.

These guidelines are given to us to help us to walk in a more Christlike manner, see
Sanctification. It doesn't come automatically,  it takes determination, we might

have to make decisions to cut some things out of our lives, bring other things 

into our lives, so that we may be strengthened and not weakened in our daily life. 

If you struggle with this to live a holy life, see time 6:00–13:53 as encouragement in

Titus 3 • Careful to devote ourselves to good works.

See also The Book of Psalms.

Psalm 75: God will judge with equity

Psalm 75 is a psalm of judgement written by Asaph (Psalm 75:1). 

(For some Bible translations, one has to be added to the verses below in Psalm 75). 

God says through Asaph: 

• "At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. When the Earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. I say to the boastful, 'Do not boast,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horn; do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with haughty neck.'” (Psalm 75:2–5).
• "It is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the Earth shall drain it down to the dregs." (Psalm 75:7–8).
• "All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up." (Psalm 75:10).

A horn is always a symbol of strength in the Bible. To speak with a haughty neck means to adopt a haughty, condescending, or contemptuous expression or manner, that is, 'to speak with one's nose in the air.' 

A cup of foaming wine is often a picture of judgement.

The Psalm begins by praising the Lord for his coming judgement (Psalm 75:1,
Rev 14:6–7). It's only God who can judge people fairly and judge at all.
We aren't allowed to judge by ourselves, see Do not judge others and 
Love and not revenge in The Sermon on the Mount. 

At the end of time there will be a judgement at the great white throne
(Rev 20:11–13), see The Millennial Kingdom and the Great White Throne Judgement.

As born again Christian believers, we shouldn't have to worry about eternal judgement (Rom 8:1), see Salvation. Jesus took care of that on the cross, see 
The Crucifixion of Jesus. We therefore don't need to worry about the judgment
on the great white throne (1 John 4:16–18). But it requires that we not abuse our salvation by knowingly living a life of sin, see Sanctification.

When Abraham was concerned about the coming judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah, he asked God the rhetorical question: "Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do what is just?" (Gen 18:25). Abraham knew that God can't be unjust, see God's Attributes.

However, this does not mean that we as Christians are free from the Lord's discipline in this life. We shouldn't despise the discipline of the Lord (Proverbs 3:11–12, 8:33, 10:8, 17, 12:1, 13:1, 18, 15:32, 17:3, 19:27, 23:12, Heb 12:5–7, 1 Pet 1:6–7). We should endure all hardships as discipline, see the first part of The Book of James.

See also The Book of Psalms.

Psalm 69: Growing in the Darkness

Psalm 69 was written 1000 years before Jesus was born by king David (Psalm 69:1)
about a time surrounded by problems and sufferings in his life. Many believe it to be a messianic psalm because several of these verses relate to the life of Christ. 

David describes a desperate condition related to his current situation. The Holy Spirit then inspires him in some cases to write prophetic beyond his personal experiences. 
Psalm 69 is the most quoted psalm in the New Testament (NT):

(For some Bible translations, one has to be added to the verses below in Psalm 69).

• "More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause." (Psalm 69:4a, 35:19): In NT: John 15:25.
• "For zeal for your house has consumed me." (Psalm 69:9a): 
  In NT: John 2:17.
• "The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me." 
  (Psalm 69:9b): In NT: Rom 15:3.
• "They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink." (Psalm 69:21, Proverbs 31:6):
  In NT: Mat 27:34, 48, Mark 15:36, Luke 23:36, John 19:28–29.
• "Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually." (Psalm 22–23).
  In NT: Rom:11:9–10.
• "May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents."
  (Psalm 69:25). In NT: Acts 1:20.

David lived under a desperate condition (Psalm 69:1–4). But despite these difficulties, he still cares about other people (Psalm 69:5–9). He doesn't want to be a bad example to other people who hope in God and seek the Lord (Psalm 69:6).

David confesses his sin (Psalm 69:5), something that we also need to do when we sin. It doesn't matter what David does, people somehow find reasons to be critical towards him (Psalm 69:9–12). There are always people who want to criticize us in a similar way regardless of what we do, see destructive criticism. Our answer to that is not to give back, see Love and not revenge in The Sermon on the Mount.

David cries out to God for help (Psalm 69:13–18). But he doesn't immediately receive the help from the Lord that he asks for (Psalm 69:3). He may feel distant from God at this time. Such a time can be an opportunity for spiritually growth.
God can allow such a time with the purpose of building us up as mature Christians (Rom 8:28). Opportunities for growth during spiritual isolation:

1. It's an opportunity to learn new ways of praying. David pours out his heart to God. God wants a close relationship with us.
2. It's a perfect time to dive into God's word. God speaks through the Bible.
3. It's a chance to increase relationships with other people in the body of Christ, instead of disconnecting from them because of the feeling of isolation from God. To care about other people and what they are going through.
4. It makes times of consolation so much more precious. We can then be able to comfort those who are in need, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (1 Cor 1:3–4). It gives the opportunity to grow and mature as a Christian.
5. It gives the opportunity to follow God, see Psalm 63: Living in the Wilderness.
   God wants a relationship with us, but a relationship means that two people reach out to each other. Does God do all the work in that relationship?
   I may have to press in to know God (James 4:8a).

David also doesn't get the help he needs from other people (Psalm 69:19–21).
He cries loudly out against those who stand against him as enemies
(Psalm 69:22–28). He wants God to punish them. This isn't how we should act towards people who offend and hurt us, see Love and not revenge
in The Sermon on the Mount.

David asks for God's protection and says that he will praise God's name with a song and magnify him with thanksgiving (Psalm 69:29–30). It will please the Lord more than animal sacrifices (Psalm 69:31). When the humble see it, they will rejoice
(Psalm 69:32–33), see 3) Blessed are the meek in The Sermon on the Mount.

God will save Zion (Jerusalem) and build up the cities of Judah, and people will live there and possess it (Psalm 69:34–36), see 
The Millennial Kingdom and the Great White Throne Judgement.

See also The Book of Psalms.

Psalm 63: Living in the Wilderness

Psalm 63 is about living in the wilderness. It can be both literal and figurative.
Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness, see 5. Twelve Spies Exploring Canaan
in Moses; Part 13: Rebellion and Paganism. Figurative is what we call those times when we just find ourselves in challenging conditions and we don't like it.

There are several reasons why wilderness times can appear in our lives:

• Loosing someone we love, either to death or to a broken relationship.
• An long-term illness.
• A loss of a job, the ability to support oneself.
• A life change that is overwhelming.
• Feeling depressed and living in darkness.
• Disbelief in a Biblical truth, even when being a child of God.
• Pruning by our Heavenly Father to bear more fruit for God.

The feelings are then usually the same; separation and a sense of isolation, like being in the wilderness without water. We feel isolated from other people, we may even feel isolated from God. It's not enjoyable. These times can be met by sadness, self-pity, or confusion as to why one must be in the wilderness. 

The following can help in these situations:

• It's important not to give my mood a meaning that isn't real. My mood is not a sign of God's displeasure or my lack of love or devotion for him. The Bible calls it being "downcast", everyone experiences it.
• We shouldn't over-analyze our feelings, because that makes us focus on ourselves, and self-focus only makes depression worse.
• We can take time to share our blessings, either in prayer or in writing, and then be specific. Thinking about all we have to be thankful for. If we come up empty, we can ask the Lord to awaken our hearts to all the good he has done in our lives.
• Slowly recite the promises in God's word as you get ready for the day,
  or whenever these bad feelings arise. And then take a moment to thank God for giving us such amazing promises.
• Listen or sing to music that is uplifting, praise music that magnifies and glorifies God. This is what the Bible calls "sacrifice of praise" (Heb 13:15).
• We can do something for someone else, extend ourselves in some way to others. It could be by praying for someone going through a difficult time, sending a quick word of encouragement, or to see what needs to be done to help someone in my family.

The search that goes on during that time in the wilderness is personal.
David describes time he spent in the wilderness in Psalm 63.

(For some Bible translations, one has to be added to the verses in Psalm 63).

David is then looking for a person, he is looking for God himself (Psalm 63:1–2).
The reason David does this is because our God is a personal God and with whom
we can have fellowship. We need to come to him, to the God who can be known.
Jesus has promised us to have life and to have it abundantly (no matter how we feel) (John 10:10). David runs after God to bring the time in the wilderness to an end. He doesn't blame God, himself, or others for being there. He seeks God intensively and sincerely.

David says that God's steadfast love is better than life (Psalm 63:3). God is more important to him than anything else. David promises to bless God as long as he lives (Psalm 63:4). When one decides to come to God, one of the first steps to get out of the wilderness is to start praising God. David does this before he is out of the wilderness. He understands that he needs to walk in obedience to God, and that starts with praising God and praying to God (Acts 16:22–26, Luk 22:44). His soul
is then satisfied with peace (Psalm 63:5). David thinks of God during the night
(when he is awake with all his thoughts, seeking to find peace) (Psalm 63:6).
See also, for example Isaiah 40.

See also The Book of Psalms.

Psalm 51: Coming to God when we fail

Psalm 51 shows what king David prayed when confronted with his sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba and plotting the death of Uriah the Hittite in battle to cover up his sin (2 Sam 11). The prophet Nathan told David that God had taken away his sin and that he wouldn't die (2 Sam 12:13b), but that what he had done would have serious consequences (2 Sam 12:1–23).

(For some Bible translations, two has to be added to the verses below in Psalm 51). 

David knows that God's heart is a heart of mercy (Micah 7:18, Psalm 78:38,
86:5, 15), see God's Attributes. He also knows that he is guilty (2 Sam 12:13a,
Psalm 51:3). He admits that he has committed a heinous crime; a capital crime
(Psalm 51:14). There is no burnt offering for a capital offence (Psalm 51:16). 
David therefore asks God to have mercy on him according to his steadfast love, and to blot out his transgressions according to God's abundant mercy (Psalm 51:1, 9). 

Mercy means compassion and forgiveness towards someone whom it's within one's power to punish or harm. In the same way, we as Christians can and should cry out to God for mercy if and when we make mistakes and sin, see Sanctification.

David writes: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:17), see 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit
in The Sermon on the Mount. David is poor in spirit (Psalm 86:1). This is the key to understanding why David is so blessed by God (Psalm 89:3–4, 19–37 (4–5, 20–38 in some translations), 132:11–12). Messiah would come from the lineage of David 
(Acts 2:29–31, 2 Sam 7:12–13).

David asks God to make him spiritually and morally clean (Psalm 51:2). He feels himself to be spiritually and morally filthy. He sees himself as a spiritual leper because of what he has done (Psalm 51:7, Lev 14:6–7a). David needs a new heart and a steadfast spirit (Psalm 51:10). He needs it to resist the temptation of sin.
David wants God to strengthen him to better resist the sin in his life (Psalm 51:12b).
He needs the wisdom that comes from God (Psalm 51:6). David also wants to hear joy and gladness after all mourning (Psalm 51:8, 12a).

Then he would teach transgressors God's ways, so that sinners would return to God (Psalm 51:13). David is already looking beyond the situation to see how the Lord would use it in his life to help other people. Our experience of failure gives us
a unique voice that speaks into the hearts of other people going through similar situations. 

David says he has sinned against the Lord, and him alone (Psalm 51:4).
He acknowledges that God is the ultimate judge of all. At the end of it all,
it's God and God alone he will stand before. The final judgement is always God and David knows that. He doesn't minimize the sin he has committed against
Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite. David makes no excuses for his sin.

He makes a theological declaration that he was born in iniquity, and in sin his mother conceived him (Psalm 51:5). Sin came into the world through Adam and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned (Rom 5:12–14, 
Gen 2:16–17, 3:3, 17–19), see The Biblical Creation and the Fall of Man. 

He asks God to not throw him away from God's presence and not to take the
Holy Spirit from him (Psalm 51:11). This was something that happened to Saul.
The Holy Spirit didn't live inside people at that time. In the Old Testament,
the Holy Spirit lived with and upon them, see Jesus the Light of the World. 

David understands that there is a connection between his personal holiness as
king and leader and God's blessings for the nation of Israel (Psalm 51:18–19).
He represents the people of Israel before God. Character counts. This is important for every Christian leader to understand, see The Book of Timothy.

Psalm 51 is called David's prayer for repentance, but is also David's prayer for brokenness from pride, to be compared with the last part of The Apostle Peter,
who needed to be broken from pride in order to act as leader among God's children.

See also The Book of Psalms.