Psalm 17 “A Prayer of David"

“Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry; give ear to my prayer.” (v.1)

Truly David was a man of prayer, and here is yet another example. In his opening words “hear the right”, David is making an appeal that God would vindicate him while asking to be heard on the basis of his righteousness. Here and elsewhere the psalmist assumes that right is on his side, and that he is being persecuted unjustly. Very bold to take this approach before a Holy God. Unless he had been convinced of this, he could not have called on God to vindicate him. 

Taking our text one step further he says, “attend unto my cry.” This shows the earnestness of David’s prayer and some feel through a loud piteous cry, like a child’s cry that goes straight to the parent’s heart. I know from personal experience a child has many types of cries and can communicate through them. Maybe David was doing the same thing here by crying out to God. Scripture tells us that God spoke of David as, “a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). Maybe it had something to do with how often he cried out, “Abba Father.”

Finally David says, “give ear to my prayer”, expressing his earnest desire to be heard and answered immediately. Like the repeated blow of a hammer hitting the same nail on the head, David keeps on knocking, he keeps on asking, and laying out his solemn appeal boldly before his God in prayer. What confidence and boldness we see in the remainder of David's prayer here in Psalm 17, along with an expectation of the agent to fulfill the work. 

May we take David's example to heart in our prayer life when we are under attack and boldly present our case before the LORD. And in so doing, touch the heart of our heavenly Father while stimulating faith within our own soul.

The Truth:  Jesus said, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:9-13)

Psalm 16 “A Michtam of David”

Michtam means “golden” and/or “hidden.” Some have explained Psalm 16 as a song that leads to the deeper things of God, hidden from the wise, but are revealed to simple by the Spirit. Our text then could also be called, “A Psalm with a hidden or golden secret.” 

The Apostle Peter when quoting from it said, “David speaks concerning Him (Jesus)” (Acts 2:25), and Paul made reference to this Psalm in the book of Acts 13:35-38, expressly ascribing it to God’s authorship through David and affirming that it spoke of His (Jesus') Resurrection. 

The hidden treasure in this Psalm then is Jesus, whom the Father gave as a sacrafice for all, giving a future hope to all who believe through His resurrection and ascension (v.10). The Psalm goes on to promise His eventual glorious return, providing to all who are found in Him fulness of joy, and pleasures in heaven forevermore (v.11).  Why? Because we are His poem, His workmanship, His song, His treasure, His joy. 

The Truth: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Psalm 15 "Who Can Abide in Your House?"

“LORD, who can abide in Your house?” (v.1)

It is commonly believed that this psalm was written by David to celebrate the bringing of the Ark to Mount Zion. The first words of this psalm are almost a repetition of the awe-struck question of the stricken men of Beth Shemesh in 1 Samuel 6:20, “Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God?" 

The answer to both questions is found in verses 2-3. If we heed that instruction, we shall not only dwell in His royal palace, but we shall not be moved from our character while here on earth. 

The Truth: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what the LORD requires of you? But to do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)    

Psalm 14 "The Fool"

“The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.” (v.1)

Psalm 14 states that a person who says there is no God is a fool. Here lies the real issue for so many people, the hardness of their hearts. The person who makes this claim, the atheist or the agnostic, does so because of rebellion not intellect. Their biggest problem with believing in God is not evidence, but rather the threat God poses to their lifestyle. 

Jesus said, “This is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). So, if there is no God, then there is no judgment, no punishment, and no standard of right or wrong. This makes the atheist’s position especially attractive to those who want to live a life of no accountability. Therefore, they come up with foolish theories to support their lifestyle despite what scripture says or even Jesus Himself.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 1, “the wrath of God is against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown them ” (vv.18-19). In other words, there is no excuse. God reveled Himself in creation, “His invisible attributes clearly seen and understood, even His external power and the Godhead” (v.20). But, man became “futile in his thoughts and in his foolish heart became darkened. Professing to be wise, some became fools” (vv.21-22).

Therefore, brothers and sisters, do not exchange the eternal for the present, for one day our LORD will return, to rule and reign from Jerusalem for 1000 years. Then the arrogant man will be put in his place for suppressing what he knew in his heart to be true, and placing himself at enmity with God. 

The Truth: "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

Psalm 13 “How Long O LORD”

“How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? (v.1)

This Psalm expresses David’s feeling of being forsaken, and forgotten. He wrestles internally with loneliness, doubt, and sorrow - while externally, his enemies seemed to be triumphing over him. The language in verses 1-2 displays a desperate state of mind. But as he continues his prayer, he goes from desperation to a confident trust in God’s mercy, salvation, and provision.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had some of these same feelings. But like David, every time I take them to the LORD in prayer, my focus changes. By casting those feelings upon Him, trusting in Him, turning the issue over to Him, now He becomes to agent doing the work - not me. By letting go and letting God take the wheel, it changes my entire outlook. 

Therefore, talk to the LORD. Pour your heart out to Him. It will change your entire outlook.

The Truth: "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8)

Psalm 12 "Help Lord"

“Help, LORD, for godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.” (v.1)

Here in Psalm 12, evil men seem to be all around David, and it appeared to him that the godly had vanished. Although it wasn’t true, this psalm reflects David’s human fear and depression of the moment. Therefore, he cried out to God for help. His prayer is short, simple, and straight forward. He told the LORD what he saw, how he felt, and asked God to do something about it.

This “cry for help" goes a long way in guiding us how to pray when we feel like evil is prevailing around us. Like David, we too should lay it out before the LORD and leave the rest to Him.

The Truth: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

Psalm 11 "The LORD is on His Throne

“The LORD is in His Holy Temple; The LORD is on His Heavenly Throne” (v.4a)

Today’s verse is about divine justice, and how David closely linked God’s holiness with His justice. These two divine attributes are joined because God’s holiness is the only reliable standard to measure right and wrong, as opposed to man’s judgment which is imperfect and flawed. Man is not holy or just, and he lacks perfect knowledge in any situation. But heaven’s Judge possesses both holiness and justice and from His heavenly throne, "observes the sons of men” (v. 4b).

Sometimes people who are victims of injustice wonder out loud if anybody’s watching “up there.” The unfairness of life in a sinful world can even lead God’s people to doubt His goodness. But Scripture’s answer to these doubts is that nothing escapes heaven’s attention. God is not only watching the events of earth; He is closely examining every motive and action and executing judgment based on His righteous character. Nothing escapes the sight of heaven’s judge, and "the wicked will not escape His justice” (vv.5-6). 

The encouraging promise of this psalm is found in verse 7, “He loves righteousness, His countenance beholds the upright.” Therefore, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9).

The Truth: "But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.” (Isaiah 11:4)

"Christ - The First Fruits - He Has Risen"

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ are fundamental to Christianity. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then there is no victory over sin - no victory over the grave - no hope in life after dead - the Bible itself then is a lie - and our faith is in vain. However, the scriptures not only predict and record the death of Jesus but, they also predict and record His burial and resurrection.

The death of Jesus Christ was predicted in the OT in Isaiah 53:5-6 in about 500‘s B.C., and recorded in the NT gospels. (Matt.27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:33; John 19:18) His crime was, He claimed to be the Son of God. An accusation He did not recount even after a very brutal scourging. Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, to pay the penalty that our sins deserved.

The burial of Jesus Christ was prophesied in Isaiah 53:9 and recorded (among others) in the gospel of Matthew 27:57-61 - His resurrection prophesied in Psalm 16:9-10, recorded in the gospels and again in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8. In these verses, the Apostle Paul records a list of the eyewitnesses of the resurrection - Peter, the twelve disciples, over 500 brethren in Galilee, James (the half brother of Jesus), all the Apostles and then Paul himself. These all remained united in their testimony as to the resurrection, even unto death. (violent)

Therefore, since Christ is risen from the dead, He has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. It was by man that death first came into the world, through Adam to all men. But, praise be to God, who sent His Son into the world as a Man, in order to undo the work of the first man. (John 3:16) Thus, by the Man Christ Jesus, came the resurrection from the dead and the hope of eternal life.

This is not however, a universal salvation to all men from death. Adam and Jesus Christ are presented as federal heads, this means they acted for other people. All who are descended from Adam die, so in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:23) Meaning, only believers in Jesus Christ will be raised from the dead to dwell forever with Him.

So how then are we to live? The apostle Paul says, “If the dead do not rise, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32) He testifies here that - if there is no resurrection - we all would be better off by making the most out of life. However, since Christ has risen, Paul suggests we should not spend our lives on passing interests. We must live for “then” (resurrection) not for “now.” (pleasures)

The Truth: "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh will also rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." (Psalm 16:9-10)