We want to turn to the book of
Psalms.
The book of Psalms is more quoted in
the New Testament than any other Old Testament
book.
Many people in the New Testament quote from
the book of Psalms.
Jesus quoted from it.
And at least out of the 150 Psalms
here, at least 50 of them, 50 of
them are quoted in the New Testament.
Some of these Psalms, we don't know their
authors.
At least 70 of them were written by
David.
Some by Esau.
Some by the sons of Korah.
A few by Solomon.
One by Moses.
One by a man called Ethan.
Most of the others are unknown.
And now the book of Psalms is divided
actually into five books.
The first book is Psalm 1 to 41.
The second book is Psalm 42 to 72.
The third book is Psalm 73 to 89.
The fourth book is from Psalm 90 to
Psalm 106.
And the fifth one is Psalm 107 to
Psalm 150.
Now, we cannot say that each book has
got a different subject.
There are a number of subjects in each
of the books.
But many who have studied the Psalms often
compare these five books of the Psalms to
the first five books of Moses.
And there is a certain amount of similarity,
we could say, between the first book of
Psalms and Genesis, and the second book of
Psalms and Exodus, and the third one with
Leviticus, the fourth one with Numbers, and the
fifth one with Deuteronomy, for example.
In the first book, you read about creation.
In Psalm 8 and Psalm 19, about the
sun and the moon and the stars.
And there is a lot of Psalms in
that first book about suffering God, a godly
man suffering from other people who are troubling
him.
And crying out to God for help.
Reminding us of how Joseph suffered in the
book of Genesis, a godly man.
And the second book has a similarity to
Exodus in the sense that there are a
number of cases of an oppressed people, mourning
Psalm 42 to 44, crying out for deliverance,
and the deliverance coming through Christ, the bridegroom
and the king.
Psalm 45 and Psalm 72.
The third book, beginning with Psalm 73, a
lot of Psalms from 73 to 89 deal
with the temple.
Esau was one of the people appointed as
a singer in the temple.
And therefore, it is very similar to Leviticus,
which has also got to do with the
temple ordinances and the laws of God.
The fourth one begins itself with Psalm 90,
written by Moses in the wilderness.
And therefore has some connection with the wanderings
of Israel mentioned in Numbers.
And about Christ reigning in Psalm 99 to
106 when the wanderings were seized.
And the last book, Deuteronomy, we can say
is the second law.
And the last book of the Bible has
got Psalm 119, for example, which is all
about the law of God.
And finally, ending in the songs of ascent
that lead up to Jerusalem, the promised land
for us.
Deuteronomy prepared the way for the children of
Israel entering into the promised land for them,
which is Canaan.
So there in a broad way, you got
a little outline of the whole book of
Psalms.
But we can't say that every Psalm deals
with this.
It's just a broad guideline.
So we want to look at this and
see.
Obviously, we won't have time to go through
all 150 Psalms.
But I'll try and point out to you
some of the important Psalms in each section.
We'll try and cover Book 1 and 2
in the first session and 3, 4 and
5 in the next session.
Psalm 1 is, of course, a very well
-known Psalm.
It talks about how our life can become
prosperous if we meditate on the word of
God.
That's basically the theme, the godly and the
ungodly.
That's the theme of Psalm 1.
A godly person does not stand in the
counsel of the ungodly.
But in contrast, he doesn't just sit and
do nothing.
You see, a lot of godly people, they
avoid evil, but there's nothing good in them.
It's like the demon that was cast out
and the heart is clean and empty.
So that demon goes and brings seven other
demons and occupies it.
So it's not enough to say, verse 1,
I don't stand in the way of sinners.
I don't sit in the seat of the
scornful.
I don't walk in the counsel of the
ungodly.
What do you do then?
I fill my heart with the word of
God.
I meditate on the law of the Lord
day and night and then I'll be like
a tree planted by the rivers of water
in this wonderful verse, the last part of
verse 3.
Whatever he does, he will prosper.
What a verse.
I'd like to live a life like that,
that whatever I do, even in my secular
profession, there will be the blessing of God
upon the work of my hands.
There'll be the blessing of God upon the
words of my mouth.
This is the way God wants us to
live.
And if you want to live like that,
meditate on the word of God every day.
Take it seriously.
Think about it.
Let it become part of your life.
We don't have to read it all the
time.
You know, you eat breakfast in the morning
and your body is digesting it, digesting it,
digesting it, and then you eat lunch and
then your body is digesting it, digesting it.
The actual time you spend eating is very
little.
But the digesting process, and it's not just
digestion, so many things happen in the body
which convert that food into blood and flesh
and bones.
Something like that has to happen with the
word of God.
We read the word of God maybe for
a very short time, but we meditate on
it even when we are not kneeling down
or having the Bible in front of us
till finally that becomes a part of our
system and our life and guides everything we
do in life just like the food we
eat.
Psalm 2 speaks of, this is a messianic
psalm.
There are a number of Psalm 2 verses
4 to 7.
This one especially is quoted by Peter in
the Acts of the Apostles.
He who sits in the heavens will laugh.
Kiss the sun, it says in verse 12.
It's a messianic psalm of the king that
was rejected.
The kings of the earth, verse 2, have
set themselves against the Lord and His anointed.
His anointed is the Messiah, Jesus.
And he says to his son, verse 7,
Thou art my son this day, I have
begotten thee.
Ask of me and I'll give you the
heathen for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of
the earth for your possession.
And you shall break them with the rod
of iron.
One day he is going to rule.
So before that happens, kiss the sun, lest
he be angry with you.
Blessed are those who put their trust in
him.
Psalm 3 is a psalm of a person
who is struggling, suffering.
How are they increased, Lord, that trouble me?
I have so many enemies, many are rising
up against me.
This is a constant theme.
Many of these psalms were written by David
when he was running away from Saul.
This particular one was written when he was
running away from Absalom, his son.
Lord, how they have increased who are troubling
me.
But you are my glory, verse 3, and
the lifter of my head.
We sing that in a chorus.
My glory and the lifter of my head.
Do you know that David sang that when
he was running away from Absalom?
It's one thing to sit comfortably in a
chair and say, My glory and the lifter
of my head.
But see the context in which he said
it.
When he was running away from Absalom with
all his enemies against so many enemies, with
people like Ahithophel, Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
He says, Lord, you are my glory and
the lifter of my head.
To say that in a time of trial.
Wonderful.
So many of these psalms were not written
in easy chairs or lying down in comfort.
A lot of these psalms were written under
pressure.
When David was running from cave to cave,
hiding from Saul, hiding from Absalom.
Through pressure.
One psalm was written when he was almost
killed by the Achish, the king of Gath.
And he had to pretend to be a
madman.
And God saved his life.
So, what we learn from that is that
this inspired scripture did not come out of
people sitting in comfortable circumstances writing a psalm.
Today there are people who write psalms, sit
somewhere in comfortable situations and write psalms.
But these were not written like that.
They were written under pressure.
And it is under pressure that the best
comes forth from our life.
Some of these wonderful psalms would never have
been written.
Would never have been written if David had
not faced pressure.
Are you afraid of pressure?
I have found that some of the greatest
lessons God has taught me has been in
times of pressure.
So, don't be afraid of pressure.
It is through that pressure that God brings
forth a ministry from you.
It's like the squeezing of the toothpaste tube.
If you want something to come out, you
got to squeeze it.
Otherwise, nothing comes out.
And God squeezes us and presses us through
other people so that His word comes forth
from our lives.
And the more you squeeze the toothpaste tube,
what happens?
More comes out.
So, more the pressure and trial upon your
life, the more your ministry can become rich
in the words that come out of your
lips.
Psalm 4.
Here he says a wonderful word.
Verse 3.
The Lord has set apart the godly for
Himself.
It's a wonderful verse.
If you are godly, God has set you
apart for Himself.
You are not for the world, my brother,
sister.
Let all the other believers live for the
world.
But those who are godly have been set
apart by God for Himself.
He says, you are mine.
You are not for the world.
And here is a wonderful verse also.
Stand in awe and sin not.
This is the verse quoted in Ephesians 4.
Be angry and sin not.
That could be another translation of this verse.
Be angry.
When you are angry, don't sin.
But the rest of the verse, unfortunately, is
not quoted in Ephesians 4.
But here is some good advice for you.
What you should do when you are angry.
What should you do?
It says in verse 4, go and lie
down on your bed.
And be still for a little while.
Isn't that wonderful practical advice?
The next time you are angry, remember this
very easy reference.
4.4. Okay.
Psalm 4 verse 4.
The Bible says, when you are angry, go
and lie down on your bed.
And just commune with God for a little
while.
And be still.
Don't toss around on the bed.
Just be still for a little while.
It's the best advice for angry people.
If you can't overcome it by the grace
of God, next best is lie down on
the bed.
Till you learn to get grace to overcome
it without lying down on your bed.
And there, when you are lying down on
the bed, offer the sacrifices of righteousness.
Praise the Lord.
Because He is on the throne.
And put your trust in the Lord.
Don't be angry with people.
And you will get up from that bed.
And you will say, verse 7.
Lord, you have put gladness in my heart.
There was anger in my heart till now.
But there is gladness in my heart now.
More than in the time when all their
people, their corn and their wine increased.
Okay.
Psalm 5.
We've got to rush through this.
I wish we could spend longer.
But we'd have to spend many, many more
hours if we go too slowly.
Psalm 5.
It's a wonderful verse in verse 3 which
says, My voice shalt thou hear in the
morning, O Lord.
If you can make that a practice in
your life.
Lord, every morning you will hear my voice.
In the morning, I will direct my prayer
unto Thee.
And I will not look down.
I will not look around.
I will look up.
Begin your mornings like that.
For Thou art a God who has no
pleasure in wickedness.
Neither shall evil dwell with Thee.
And verse 7.
The last part.
In your reverence, I will worship toward your
holy temple.
Verse 11.
Let those who put their trust in Thee
rejoice.
Because Thou defendest them.
You defend them, Lord.
Psalm 6.
He says, Lord, don't rebuke me.
Chasten me in your hot displeasure.
Have mercy upon me.
And he tells the workers of iniquity.
Verse 8.
Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.
For the Lord has heard my voice.
He will receive my prayer.
Verse 10.
Let my enemies be ashamed.
Many times you see this in the Psalms.
Of enemies and prayer and God answering.
Verse 7.
Sorry.
Psalm 7.
There is a verse here which says.
If, Lord, verse 3.
If there is sin in my hands.
If I have returned evil to those who
were at peace with me.
Then let my enemy persecute me.
I have not done evil to others.
It's a very serious thing to do evil
to others.
I mentioned the other day that there are
two types of sins.
Sins where you harm yourself.
And sins where you harm other people.
For example, most Christians think.
As I said the other day.
That smoking is more serious than gossiping.
It is not.
In smoking, it's a sin in which you
destroy yourself.
In gossiping, you not only destroy yourself.
You destroy another person.
How many people believe that gossiping, speaking evil
about others.
Is more serious than smoking or getting drunk.
See, we don't understand how the seriousness of
doing evil to others.
Okay.
God is angry.
Verse 11.
With a wicked person every day.
Psalm 8.
Here is another messianic Psalm.
When it says in verse 4.
What is man that thou art mindful of
him.
That is quoted in Hebrews.
Thou hast made him a little lower than
the angels.
That Jesus took the place of being a
little lower than angels.
In Hebrews it explains it.
As because he died.
Angels don't die.
How did Jesus become a little lower than
the angels?
Because he died.
Angels don't die.
But today you have crowned him with glory
and honor.
And you have put everything under his feet.
Verse 6.
And in Hebrews it says.
That's referring to Jesus.
Who has got everything under his feet.
And we are his body.
We can have everything under our feet too.
And verse 2 is what Jesus quoted in
the temple.
When the children were praising the Lord.
And the Pharisees were all upset with all
the noise in the temple.
See, some people don't like noisy praise and
worship.
But Jesus enjoyed it.
Because heaven is full of noisy praise and
worship.
And Jesus enjoyed it.
When he saw those children shouting and praising
God.
It reminded him of heaven.
It made him homesick for heaven.
But the Pharisees were long faced.
And they thought children should not praise the
Lord.
And Jesus said.
Haven't you read in the scripture.
That out of the mouth of babes.
You have ordained strength.
Why?
He was referring to praising God.
When you start praising God.
You have strength.
To shut up the mouth of the enemy
and the avenger.
Psalm 82.
Wonderful verse.
The way you shut the mouth of the
devil.
Is by doing what those children did in
the temple.
Praising God.
Opening your mouth.
That's the thing the devil hates.
Sincere praise that comes from the heart.
Is what the devil hates.
Just praise the Lord.
Say verse 9.
Oh Lord our Lord.
Oh excellent is thy name in all the
earth.
Psalm 9.
This is speaking about the godly remnant.
The wicked one and his follower.
When my enemies are turned back.
They shall fall.
Verse 3.
In thy presence.
Because Lord.
Verse 4.
Thou has maintained my cause.
Verse 9.
The Lord will be a refuge for the
oppressed.
And verse 10.
Those who know the name of Jesus.
Will put their trust in thee.
Because thou has not forsaken them.
And here's a picture of resurrection.
In verse 13.
The last part.
Thou that liftest me up from the gates
of death.
A prophecy of the resurrection.
Psalm 10.
Is again about the wicked one.
And the vision of the man of faith.
The wicked one.
Verse 4.
Through the pride of his face.
Will not seek after God.
But God.
Is the one.
Who verse 18.
Cares for the fatherless.
And the oppressed people of earth.
So that the evil men in the world.
May not oppress them or terrify them.
Anymore.
Psalm 11.
Is again about the wicked and the righteous.
And it says in verse 5.
A very interesting verse.
That the Lord tests the righteous people.
But the wicked.
And the one who loves violence.
His soul hates.
Now he's contrasting the righteous and the wicked.
So when.
It says that God hates the wicked.
What he should say is.
He loves the righteous.
That's the opposite.
That verse should read like this.
The Lord loves the righteous.
But he hates the wicked.
But what does it say?
He hates the wicked.
But he.
Tests the righteous.
Testing is a mark of his love.
When God tests you.
It's like a child having a test.
An examination.
What is the purpose of the examination?
To give him a promotion.
To put him into the next standard.
Next year.
Why does God test you?
To give you a promotion.
Okay.
Chapter 12.
Is again about wicked people and deliverance.
He says help Lord.
Because godly people are seizing.
It's very difficult to find a godly man
on the earth nowadays.
I believe that's a.
Psalm which has great relevance for the time
in which we live.
Help Lord.
Godly people are.
Getting reduced day by day.
Faithful people are not found among the children
of men.
Everybody speaks vanity.
They speak with flattering hearts and.
Hypocritical hearts and.
See it's their speech.
Notice the emphasis here.
On when it says the godly people are
not found.
Is because the speech of everybody is ungodly.
The mark of a godly man is a
speech.
They speak emptiness.
Verse 2.
They speak flattery.
They speak with a double heart hypocrisy.
The Lord will cut off flattery.
The Lord will cut off.
The proud tongue.
And.
The ungodly man says.
Verse 4.
Our lips are our own.
We will speak what we like.
That is the mark of an ungodly man.
He's got no control over his tongue.
James says the man who can control his
tongue is a perfect man.
Who has said without tongue will prevail.
We will overcome with our tongue.
No.
The Lord.
In contrast to that.
A godly man remembers.
Verse 6.
That the words of the Lord.
Are pure words.
Like silver tested in a furnace seven times.
That means I read it like this.
The ungodly man says my lips are my
own.
I just speak whatever I like.
The godly man.
When he thinks of saying something.
He throws it back.
Into the furnace.
Should I say it or not?
Takes it out.
Should I say it like this?
No.
Throw it back again.
And throws it back seven times into the
furnace.
And then decides how to speak.
Rewrites his letters perhaps seven times.
Before he sends out that letter.
Particularly if it's.
A strong letter of.
Rebuke or something like that.
That's how a godly man does things.
Okay.
13.
Lord how long will you forget me?
He's talking about the enemy again.
And the victory of faith.
I will sing to the Lord.
Because he's dealt bountifully with me.
The fool has said in his heart.
Verse chapter.
Psalm 14.
There is no God.
And this is the psalm which is quoted
in Romans 3.
As a description of the ungodly person.
Verse 3.
They're all gone aside.
They've all become filthy.
There's no good not one.
Psalm 15.
Is in contrast to this evil person.
Is the godly remnant.
Who shall abide in thy holy tabernacle.
O Lord.
The one who walks uprightly.
The one who works righteousness.
Speaks the truth in his heart.
And many many things.
And one who honors those who fear God.
We don't honor a person.
Because he's rich or famous.
Verse 4.
We honor a man.
Because he fears God.
I want to spend my life.
Not honoring the great people of the earth.
But honoring those.
Who fear God.
Those who live like this.
The last part of verse 5.
They will never be shaken.
There are many things that are going to
be shaken in the world.
But such a man will not be shaken.
Psalm 16.
Is another messianic psalm about Christ.
I've set the Lord always before me.
Verse 8.
Because he's at my right hand.
I'll never be moved.
This is what Peter quoted in Acts chapter
2.
Verse 5.
The Lord is the portion of my inheritance.
And of my cup.
And in verse 3.
Is a wonderful verse.
Where the psalmist says.
My delight.
Is in God's people.
On the earth.
My delight is in God's people.
On the earth.
Psalm 16.
At thy right.
In thy presence is fullness of joy.
There is only one place where you can
get fullness of joy.
That is God's presence.
There is only one place where you can
get perfect pleasure.
Perfect pleasure is not from sexual activity.
It is not from eating good food.
Verse 11.
Perfect pleasure is at God's right hand.
If you want perfect pleasure.
Perfect joy.
You find it in God's presence.
Psalm 17.
There is a wonderful verse here.
In verse 15.
As for me.
I will behold your face in righteousness.
And Lord when I wake up in the
resurrection.
I will be satisfied.
With your likeness.
I'll be satisfied when I awake.
And I am like you.
Or I behold your likeness.
It can mean both.
That is my glory.
Psalm 18 is another.
Wonderful picture of salvation.
If you read through that whole psalm.
We found it also quoted in 2 Samuel.
I think it is 21.
Psalm 22.
Almost identical words.
It is the psalm of David.
One verse.
Verse 16.
The Savior sent.
The sinner saved.
And the saved are separated.
In verse 16.
He sent from above.
He took me.
And he drew me out of the many
waters of this world.
And now.
Verse 28.
He will enlighten my darkness.
And.
He will make.
Verse 32.
My way perfect.
Psalm 19.
Speaks about.
The heavens.
Creation.
How it speaks.
Gives a silent testimony to the existence of
God.
And it speaks about the word of God.
Verse 7.
There are two testimonies to God.
On earth.
One is verse 1 to 5.
The heavens.
And the other is the written word.
Verse 7 onwards.
God has given two witnesses.
Both are mentioned here.
And David says.
Lord, keep me from many many types of
sins.
Many types of sins are described.
In verse 12 and 13.
Errors.
Secret sins.
Presumptuous sins.
And.
The great transgression.
Verse 13.
I don't have time to explain all that.
But here is one sin we can keep
ourselves from.
The words of our mouth.
Verse 14.
Lord, let the words of my mouth and
the meditation of my heart.
Be acceptable in your sight.
Psalm 20.
I'll pick out one verse.
Verse 7.
Some trust in chariots.
Some in horses.
Some in money.
Some in this, that and the other.
But we will trust and remember.
The name of the Lord.
Our God.
Psalm 21.
One verse.
Verse four.
Verse two.
Thou hast given him his heart's desire.
And not withholding the request of his lips.
He asked.
Verse four.
He asked life of thee.
And you gave him eternal life.
Praise God.
Psalm 22 is another messianic psalm.
We can take Psalm 22, 23 and 24
together.
Psalm 22 speaks of the cross.
The past.
Psalm 23 speaks about the present.
The Lord is my shepherd today.
I shall not want anything.
Psalm 24 speaks about the future.
When the king of glory.
Verse 24, 7.
Is going to come and open the gates.
And going to reign upon the earth.
These three psalms go together.
It speaks of the past, present and future.
Psalm 22 speaks of the cross.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?
Verse 6.
Jesus was like a worm.
And he was poured out like water.
Verse 14.
And they parted his garments.
Verse 18.
Dogs surrounded him.
Verse 16.
But there is a resurrection there.
Which is quoted in Hebrews.
Verse 22.
I will declare your name to my brothers.
That is quoted in Hebrews.
He is not ashamed to call us brothers.
And you who fear the Lord.
This is the testimony.
Praise and testimony.
I will praise you in the midst of
the congregation.
Jesus says that and we follow him.
Praising God in the midst of the church.
And all you who fear the Lord.
Praise him.
Who are the ones who should be praising
him?
Those who fear God.
If you don't fear him, keep quiet.
But if you fear him, praise, praise.
You see the result of the cross is.
Verse 22, praise.
Verse 23, praise.
Verse 25, praise.
Verse 26, praise.
Verse 27, worship.
Verse 29, worship.
And then.
Verse 30, a seed shall serve him.
So you see.
Praise, praise, praise, praise.
Worship, worship, worship.
And then one verse.
Okay, serve him after that.
How little we praise and worship him.
Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd.
I shall lack nothing.
It's a beautiful Psalm.
I don't need to go through it.
You know, he makes me to lie down.
It's all what he does.
So often we emphasize what we do.
I do this and I do that.
This is him.
He makes me to lie down.
He leads me.
He restores my soul.
I will fear no evil because he is
with me.
He prepares a table for me.
He anoints my head and my cup runs
over.
What is the result?
When I stop doing things myself.
He does everything.
Goodness and mercy will follow me all the
days of my life.
Psalm 24.
The earth is the Lord's and the fullness
thereof.
Who will dwell in the holy hill of
the Lord?
Somewhat similar to Psalm 15.
He who has clean hands.
Verse 4.
And a pure heart.
Two things.
Our hands and our heart.
James says.
Cleanse your hands.
Purify your hearts.
You are double minded.
Psalm 25.
A beautiful Psalm about guidance.
Verse 4.
The prayer is.
Lord show me your ways.
Teach me your paths.
Answer.
First.
Verse 8.
The Lord will show sinners his way.
First of all acknowledge you are a sinner.
Number 2.
God will show his way.
Verse 9.
To the humble.
Number 3.
God will show his paths.
To those who obey his testimonies.
Number 4.
God will show his way.
To those who fear him.
Verse 12.
And verse 15.
God will show his way.
To those who look to him.
My eyes are towards thee.
Psalm 26.
Judge me O Lord.
A man is asking the Lord to judge
him.
Because I walked before you in integrity.
Examine me O Lord.
Verse 2.
Very good prayer to pray.
Verse 8.
I have loved the habitation of your house.
Psalm 27.
Verse 4.
One thing I have desired of the Lord.
That will I seek after all the days
of my life.
I just want to see the beauty of
the Lord.
Psalm 28.
Verse 7.
The Lord is my strength and my shield.
Psalm 29.
Speaks of the voice of the Lord.
Many times in that psalm it comes.
Seven times.
Verse 3 to 9.
The voice of the Lord.
The importance of hearing God's voice.
Like in Genesis 1.
And when you listen to that.
Verse 11.
You will get strength and peace.
Psalm 30.
Verse 11.
Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing.
To this end.
That my tongue.
Verse 12.
May sing praise to you and never be
silent.
Psalm 31.
Verse 11.
I was a reproach among my enemies.
But I trusted in you.
Verse 14.
And verse 19 is a beautiful verse.
How great is God's goodness to those.
Who fear Him.
Who trust in God publicly.
Before the sons of men.
You will hide them.
Verse 20.
From the strife of so many people.
Speaking against them.
The wagging of tongues.
You will hide them.
And keep them secretly in your pavilion.
From all the people who wag their tongues
at them.
Psalm 32.
Is the psalm of the person whose sin
is covered.
Not cleansed.
There's no cleansing of sin in the old
covenant.
Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven.
Whose sin is covered.
There's forgiveness and covering.
Cleansing came only after Jesus died.
The blood of Jesus cleanses us.
The blood of bulls and goats could only
cover it.
It's like a blackboard.
Where your sins are covered with a sheet.
And a blackboard.
Where everything is cleansed away with a wet
sponge.
There's a lot of difference between Old Testament
and New Testament.
But till I acknowledge my sin.
Your hand was heavy on me.
But when I acknowledge my sin.
I was forgiven.
And now that I'm forgiven.
The Lord says.
I will instruct you and teach you.
I will guide you with my eye.
Don't be stubborn anymore for the rest of
your life.
Psalm 33.
Verse 12.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the
Lord.
The people whom he has chosen for his
own inheritance.
Psalm 34.
I will bless the Lord not once in
a while.
But at all times.
This poor man cried.
Verse 6.
And the Lord heard him.
Verse 7.
The angel of the Lord surrounds those who
fear him and delivers them.
Taste and see.
Verse 8.
That the Lord is good.
Verse 15.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the
righteous.
And his ears are always open to their
crying.
Verse 19.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous.
Don't think that if you are righteous you
won't have problems.
But the Lord delivers out of all of
them.
Verse 20.
Messianic.
He keeps all his bones.
Not one of them will be broken.
Psalm 35 is a request to God.
To be my advocate.
Plead my case.
O Lord.
You be my advocate.
With those who strive against me.
Let me not reply to those who criticize
me.
You speak on my behalf to them.
A very good example to follow.
False witnesses.
Verse 11.
Have risen up against me.
But I have not treated them the way
they treated me.
Psalm 36.
Is again a contrast between.
The wicked person.
About whom it says.
In verse 1.
There is no fear of God before his
eyes.
In contrast you see what God is like.
He is.
Verse 5.
God is full of mercy, faithfulness, righteousness.
Loving kindness.
Verse 7 and so on.
And those who trust in him.
Verse 8.
Will be abundantly satisfied.
With the fatness of your house.
You will make them drink the river of
thy pleasures.
And here is a wonderful verse.
Verse 9.
We don't look inside ourselves.
In thy light.
We will see light.
That means it's only as you come into
God's light.
You can see your true condition.
Psalm 37.
Is another wonderful psalm.
Verse 4.
If you delight yourself in the Lord.
He will give you all the desires of
your heart.
If you commit your way to him.
Verse 5.
He will bring it to pass.
Verse 7.
If you rest in the Lord.
And wait patiently for him.
And don't get upset with what's happening around
you.
He will work out his purposes for you.
What Jesus said.
Verse 11.
The meek will inherit the earth.
Jesus knew.
Psalm 37.
Verse 21.
People who borrow things and don't return it.
Are wicked people.
Verse 23.
The steps of a good man.
Are ordered by the Lord.
And one godly man said.
The stops of a good man.
Are also ordered by the Lord.
God leads his people on.
And sometimes tells them to stop.
Psalm 38.
Speaks of the suffering saint.
And confession of sin.
He says in verse 11.
My lovers and my friends are far away.
My relatives don't care for me.
But verse 21.
Don't forsake me O Lord.
Psalm 39.
Says the carefulness this man has over the
use of his tongue.
I said verse 1.
I will take heed to my ways.
That I don't sin with my tongue.
Verse 4.
Lord make me to know the measure of
my days.
Lord help me to remember I've only got
a few days on earth.
Psalm 40.
Is another wonderful psalm about Jesus.
Verse 8.
I delight to do thy will O God.
He lifted me up from the miry clay.
Verse 2.
And put my feet on a rock.
Psalm 41.
Speaks about the blessing that comes upon those
who care for poor people.
If you are considerate about poor people.
And the poor people can be poor financially.
It can be poor spiritually.
Because they don't have the gospel.
And therefore you seek to give the gospel
to them.
Blessed is he who considers the poor.
What all will the Lord do for him?
Seven things.
One.
He will deliver him in trouble.
Two.
He will preserve him.
Three.
He will keep him alive.
Fourth.
He will bless him upon the earth.
Fifth.
He will not deliver him into the will
of his enemies.
Sixth.
He will strengthen him on a bed.
And seventh.
He will make his bed when he is
sick.
Now we come to book 2.
Which is Psalm 42.
Is the remnant longing for deliverance.
O Lord my soul thirsts for you.
Just like the deer pants after water.
If you have that type of longing after
God.
You can be sure that God will answer
very quickly.
A deep.
Verse 7.
Calls unto deep.
That means something deep in your heart.
Reaches out to something deep in God's heart.
And if you are like that.
Even though other people around you say.
Where is your God?
Verse 10.
He says to his soul.
Why are you cast down?
Why are you discouraged?
Hope in God.
Verse 11.
I will still praise him.
Psalm 43 is another of those.
Psalms crying against the wicked.
Here is a wonderful verse.
Lord send out your light.
That is your revelation.
On your truth.
Lord I need a revelation on your truth.
Send out your truth and your light.
Let them together.
Lead me to your holy hill.
I don't want academic knowledge of your truth.
Psalm 44.
Is quoted in Romans 8.
Verse 22.
For your sake we are killed all the
day long.
Speaking about the way of the cross.
And we are counted as sheep for the
slaughter.
Quoted in Romans 8.
36 and 37.
Psalm 45.
Is another messianic psalm.
Speaking about the marriage.
Of the lamb.
The bride and the bride groom.
And it says the bride groom.
The king's daughter.
Is all glorious.
Verse 13.
Inside.
And forget.
Verse 10.
Here is a good verse for married sisters.
Verse 10.
Last part.
Forget your own people and your father's house.
And cleave to your husband.
So shall the king greatly desire your beauty.
And he is your lord.
And worship him.
Psalm 46 is one of the psalms of
the sons of Korah.
You know those people who ran away at
the last minute and saved their lives.
God is our refuge and strength.
We will not be afraid even if the
earth opens up.
And swallows up our parents.
The earth be removed.
The mountains are carried into the midst of
the depths.
The waters roar.
We are not afraid.
We will be still.
Verse 10.
And know that he is God.
Psalm 47.
There is a wonderful verse which says in
verse 4.
God will choose my inheritance for me.
I am not going to choose my inheritance.
God is going to choose a wife for
me.
God is going to choose a ministry for
me.
I am not going to choose it.
God is going to choose what type of
house I live in.
God is going to choose everything for me.
Say that verse everyday to God.
And your life will be happy.
God sits.
Verse 8.
On the throne of his holiness.
God is gone up with a shout.
Verse 5.
Psalm 48 speaks about the church.
Mount Zion is referring to the church and
what a wonderful, beautiful church is.
I believe a true disciple of Jesus will
appreciate not only the Lord himself but the
church of the Lord.
The people.
Mount Zion.
Great is the Lord to be praised.
Beautiful for situation is Mount Zion.
The church is the most beautiful thing on
earth.
And this God, verse 14, is our God.
He will be our guide unto death.
Psalm 49.
Verse 6 and 7.
Many people trust in their wealth but none
of them can redeem their brother.
Or give God a ransom for him.
But verse 15, but God will redeem my
soul.
Wonderful truths in these Old Testament psalms.
Psalm 50 is another psalm where God says,
the cattle verse 10, on a thousand hills
is mine.
The true servant of God also says this.
I serve a God who owns the cattle
on a thousand hills.
Verse 12, if I were hungry I would
not tell you.
God says that and God's servant says that
too.
I don't go telling people my needs.
I'll tell people the needs of other people
like Paul told the Corinthians about the needs
in Jerusalem.
But my own need, I will never tell
anybody.
I will tell God because I worship one
who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
If I'm hungry, I'll tell God.
I won't tell you.
If I need money, I'll tell God.
I won't tell you.
Follow these principles.
Because the Lord says, verse 15, when you're
in the day of trouble, call upon me
and I will deliver you.
That's a promise.
And this wonderful verse in verse 23, whoever
offers praise glorifies me and thereby makes a
way for me to show him my deliverance.
You read in 2 Chronicles 20 about how
Jehoshaphat when he went out to battle, sent
people in front of the army to praise
the Lord.
Not with bows and arrows.
Praise the Lord for his mercy endureth forever
and God as soon as they started praising
him, confounded the enemy.
Because who so offers praise glorifies God and
thereby through the praise makes a way for
God to show him his deliverance.
Verse 21 says how God is very patient
with those who sin.
He says because I kept silence you thought
I ignored all your verse 20 sitting and
speaking against your brothers.
It's a very searching verse.
Verse 20, you sat and spoke against your
brothers and you thought because I didn't judge
you it was not serious.
I'm going to set you straight.
I'm going to tear you to pieces.
It's a very serious verse.
Read that.
Those who have the habit of gossiping, please
meditate on verse 20 to 22.
Psalm 51 is the wonderful psalm which David
wrote when he sinned with Bathsheba.
Beautiful psalm of repentance and he says, wash
me Lord, I shall be whiter than snow.
Verse 7, create in me a clean heart.
Lord you desired truth inside.
I don't have it but you can do
it for me.
Verse 6 and please don't take your Holy
Spirit from me.
Verse 11 that's what he's scared about the
most.
Such a longing, don't take your Holy Spirit
from me Lord at any cost.
Psalm 52, this speaks about the man of
sin, the antichrist.
It's in fact all these psalms on up
to 53 is also like that about the
fool who said in his heart, why do
you boast oh mighty man, the tongue that
devised mischiefs and so on.
But I, verse 8 am like a green
olive tree in the house of my God,
because I trust in the mercy of God
forever.
Psalm 53, again quoted in Romans 3, verse
3, there is no one that does good.
No not one, the fool has said, verse
1, there is no God.
Psalm 54 is the prayer of the godly
man, hear my prayer oh God, verse 2.
Verse 4, God is my helper.
Psalm 55 is a, you know in a
time of trial and tribulation he says my
heart is pained within me, verse 4 and
here is this a little verse which tells
us how often David prayed, verse 17.
Evening and morning and noon I will pray.
You see the Jewish day began in the
evening at sunset till sunset the next day.
So he says evening, morning and noon.
The beginning of the day, middle of the
day, end of the day, I'm gonna pray
and you will hear my voice.
He was a man of prayer.
Verse 22, and when you go to God
like that, cast your burden upon him.
Don't come away from God's presence with your
burden.
Cast it on him and he will sustain
you.
Psalm 56 verse 11, in God I have
put my trust.
I will not be afraid what man can
do to me.
Quoted in Hebrews 13.
We have confidence to say I have put
my trust in God.
I will not be afraid what any man
can do unto me.
Psalm 57, an expression of praise to God
twice in verse 5 and verse 11.
Be thou exalted O God above the heavens.
We sing that.
O Lord be thou exalted in my life.
Let your glory be above all the earth.
The cry of praise because verse 1 in
the shadow of your wings I will stay
until all these calamities around me pass away.
I'm just picking out some good verses for
you to think about and meditate on later
on.
You could spend many hours thinking about these
verses.
Psalm 58 verse 3 tells us that people
begin to tell lies from the time they
are born.
That's the first thing they begin to tell.
A baby begins to lie even before it
can speak.
It cries pretending that it is in pain.
It's not in pain.
It just wants you to lift it up
and carry it.
It's telling lies from the time it is
born.
And this is our nature.
We have to get rid of lying before
we leave this earth.
Psalm 59 speaks about the enmity of people
against God and perhaps we could look at
this last verse.
Unto thee O my strength will I sing
because God is my defense.
My defense is only God against all these
people.
Psalm 60 is another psalm which tells about
God being with His people.
Verse 4.
Thou has given a banner to those who
fear Thee that it may be displayed because
of the truth.
God has given us a banner, the name
of Jesus.
We fear Him and we are not ashamed
to display it wherever we go.
Unashamedly we proclaim we are disciples of Jesus
Christ.
Psalm 61.
Verse 4.
I will abide in your tabernacle.
I will stay in your church forever.
I will trust in the shadow of your
wings.
A person who values the tabernacle of God.
And I will sing praise unto your name.
Verse 8.
Forever.
Psalm 62.
The song of a person who is waiting
only upon God.
Verse 5.
My soul wait only upon God.
Don't trust in anybody else.
My expectation is only from Him.
Do you think such a man will be
disappointed?
A lot of people are disappointed because their
expectation is from man.
Come to this place where your expectation is
only from God and you'll never be disappointed
throughout your life.
Verse 8.
Trust in Him at all times.
Pour out your heart before Him.
God is a refuge.
Psalm 63.
O God, my God, early will I seek
Thee.
Early means when I'm young.
Early means early in the day.
Early means as soon as I begin my
ministry.
Early will I seek Thee.
I long, my flesh longs for Thee.
And my soul will be satisfied.
Verse 7.
Because you have been my help in the
shadow of your wings.
I will rejoice.
Psalm 64 is referring to the wicked and
their end, how it is going to be.
He is praying, Lord, preserve my life from
the fear of the enemy.
Don't be afraid of those people who are
harming you.
Verse 7.
God will shoot at them with an arrow
and suddenly they will be destroyed and the
righteous, verse 10, will be glad.
Psalm 65, verse 1 says, Lord, praise is
waiting for you in your church.
Is it true?
Wherever you go, my dear brothers and sisters,
if God gives you the grace to build
a church, let it be a church where
there's always praise waiting for God.
Lord, like we say, like people tell us,
brother, the lunch is on the table, waiting
for you.
Please come.
That God, when He comes to visit us,
finds praise waiting for Him.
I want to build a life where praise
is always waiting.
I'm always waiting to give praise to God.
And what does the Lord do for such
people?
He visits such people, verse 9.
Thou visitest the earth and waterest it and
greatly enrichest it with the river of God,
which is full of water.
He pours out His Spirit, like those disciples
on the day of Pentecost.
They offered praise and God poured out His
Spirit on them.
And the corn and the abundance came out
of that, as you read in the remaining
verses of that psalm.
Psalm 66, verse 10 to 12.
The way to spiritual prosperity.
Very important verses.
You tested us.
You brought us into the net.
You laid affliction on our loins.
That means we went through sickness.
You allowed men to ride over our heads,
verse 12.
We went through fire.
We went through water.
But through it all you brought us to
a wealthy place.
And now I will go into your house
with burnt offerings.
Another important verse there is, verse 18.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the
Lord will not even hear me.
He'll not even pick up the phone to
listen if there is sin in my heart.
Psalm 67.
Lord, please be merciful to us, not just
for our sake, so that your salvation may
be, verse 2, may be known to all
the nations.
That your way may be proclaimed upon the
earth.
That's why I'm asking you to cause your
face to shine upon me.
Lord, I'm asking you to shine upon me
so that through me your salvation can be
known all over the earth.
It's an evangelistic psalm.
Thou shalt judge the people righteously, verse 4.
And let, look at this beautiful verse, verse
5.
Let the people praise thee.
Then, verse 6, the earth will produce its
fruit.
Why is the fruit not coming?
God's people are grumbling instead of praising Him.
Twice it says, praise Him, praise Him.
Psalm 68.
Let God arise and let His enemies be
scattered.
Here's a wonderful verse for bachelors and people
who are longing to get married.
Verse 6 and spinsters.
God sets lonely people in families.
Isn't that good?
It's God who's going to do that.
God sets the lonely people in a home.
Praise God, He's the one who do that.
And here's another lovely evangelistic verse, verse 11.
The Lord gave the word and great was
the company of those who published it.
Who published it everywhere and I understand that
in the original language, it says great is
the company of women who proclaimed it.
Sisters, that's for you.
Great is the company of women who went
around proclaiming the word which God gave them.
Verse 18 refers to Jesus' ascension, thou hast
led captivity captive and thou hast received gifts
for men.
It's quoted in Ephesians 4 as God as
Jesus has ascended into heaven and given us
gifts to serve Him.
Psalm 69 is another messianic psalm.
There are many many verses here that refer
to the cross particularly verse 4 the last
part, I restored what I had not stolen.
Jesus on Calvary paid back what we had
stolen.
He says, I gave back to God what
I had stolen, not stolen.
Reproach, verse 20, has broken my heart.
There are doctors who have studied the description
of the cross and they say very clearly
that Jesus died of a broken heart and
that's why when the spear pierced His side
blood and water flowed out.
It was literally true.
And the end result of resurrection verse 29,
O God set me on high, I will
praise the name of God, verse 30, with
a song and verse 35, God will now
save the church.
Psalm 70 is a psalm of remembrance verse
4, let all those that seek Thee rejoice
and be glad and it's the confession of
a very humble person who is saying in
verse 5 Lord, I am poor and needy.
Very wonderful confession to make I am poor
and needy.
Psalm 71 is a song of hope, verse
5 Thou art my hope, let my mouth
verse 8, be filled with Your praise all
day and He goes on to say Lord,
when I am old this is a psalm
of an old man Lord from my womb,
verse 6 You have taken care of me
from the time I was born and now
that I am old, verse 9, don't forsake
me, don't give up, don't give me up
and Lord, verse 17 when I was young
You taught me now I am old and
grey headed, verse 18 Oh God, don't forsake
me until to this new generation also I
have declared Your power and Your righteousness and
what all troubles You delivered me from, verse
20 how You brought me up You will
bring me up again one day in resurrection
from the depths of the earth my tongue
all my life, verse 24 will speak of
Your righteousness alone a beautiful psalm, especially for
those who have been faithful to God from
childhood to old age and this is the
last psalm we look at, psalm 72, which
is a psalm of Solomon he says Lord
give Your King Your judgments the King should
deliver the needy, verse 12, He should spare
the poor, verse 13, save the souls of
the needy and care for their blood verse
14 and many many things like that concluding
with verse 18 to 19 Blessed be the
Lord, blessed be His glorious name, verse 19,
let the whole earth be filled with His
glory Amen and Amen a song of Solomon
which unfortunately he did not practice a good
warning for us we can sing all these
psalms listen to all these wonderful things and
practice none of them so it's good to
think about that before we close so that
we take a warning from Solomon who wrote
that psalm let's pray Heavenly Father Heavenly Father
help us to take seriously the things we
hear that we can live in the spirit
of praise and trust and faith that You
will overcome our enemies and You will lead
us into Zion to build Your church in
our land in Jesus name, Amen