Psalm 48:1-14

A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 3 God is in her palaces; he is known as her refuge. 4 For behold, the kings assembled, they passed by together. 5 They saw it, and so they marveled; they were troubled, they hastened away. 6 Fear took hold of them there, and pain, as of a woman in birth pangs, 7 As when You break the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. 8 As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it forever. special rtab Selah9 We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, in the midst of Your temple. 10 According to Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; your right hand is full of righteousness. 11 Let Mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Your judgments. 12 Walk about Zion, and go all around her. count her towers; 13 Mark well her bulwarks; consider her palaces; that you may tell it to the generation following. 14 For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.

Psalm 48 is known as a psalm of praise to God for His kingship and His love for the holy city of Jerusalem.  It is attributed to the sons of Korah, this psalm calls the people to offer reverent praise to their Lord. The structure is as follows: #1 a celebration of God's greatness in the holy city of Zion (v. 1); #2 a description of the gathering of the kings and the peoples to witness God's rule (v. 4); #3 a celebration of God's greatness in the holy city of Zion (v. 12).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 48:2 "Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." The question can be asked, "Why is Mount Zion known as the city of the Great King?"  The answer is that the temple was located in Jerusalem, and the city was seen as the center of God's presence in the world. The city of the great King: Jesus quoted these words in Matthew 5:35 and identified the city as Jerusalem. The Bible pictures Jerusalem as the place where believers will gather in the "last days" (Isaiah 2:2), and as the spiritual home of all believers where God will live among them (Rev. 21:2-3). Because Jerusalem has been destroyed several times since this psalm was written, the phrase, "God makes her secure forever" (v.8) may refer prophetically to the New Jerusalem where God will judge all nations and live with all believers (Rev. 21).

The people who first sang this song knew the presence of God in temple worship. They knew that they were in the city where God had chosen to establish His blessing.  We too can rejoice in knowing that God has provided refuge for us even in the face of total destruction. He is not merely a temporary retreat; He is our eternal refuge and can provide strength in any circumstance you face.

I pray that you would know Him as your guide today.  "For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death." (v. 14).

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 49:1-20

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 2 Both low and high, rich and poor together. 3 My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall give understanding. 4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp. 5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity at my heels surrounds me? 6 Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, 7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him- 8 For the redemption of their souls is costly, and it shall cease forever- 9 That he should continue to live eternally, and not see the Pit.

10 For he sees wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, and leave their wealth to others. 11 Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. 12 Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. 13 This is the way of those who are foolish, and of their posterity who approve their sayings. special rtab Selah 14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling. 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me. special rtab Selah 16 Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased; 17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. 18 Though while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself), 19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. 20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49 is known as wisdom psalm that is attributed to the sons of Korah.  This psalm has many similarities with Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.  The Psalmist calls for the wise person to realize that there is nothing to fear from the oppressive rich: like the "beast that perish", they too will die.  But the righteous will live forever.  The structure of the psalm is as follows: #1 a call for understanding (v. 1); #2 a declaration of the vanity or foolishness of trusting in wealth (v. 5); #3 a declaration of the worthlessness of possessions after death (v. 10); #4 a description of God's redemption (v. 15); (5) the conclusion that there is no need to fear the rich (v. 16).

The verses that stand out to me today are Psalm 49:1-3 "Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 2 Both low and high, rich and poor together. 3 My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall give understanding." The Hebrew word for "Hear" is the word shama`,  shaw-mah'; It is a primitive root which means to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.). This psalm is one of the few written more to instruct than to give praise.  The Psalmist is challenging us to be hearers of the Word of God.  We need to see the futility of worldliness (riches, pride, and fame) that resounds from this psalm. It is clear that the call for wisdom and understanding goes to all, similar to the calls for all to worship of the Lord (Ps. 117). As in the teaching of Jesus (Mark 10:24), there is a warning against trusting in wealth, for wealth can achieve nothing of lasting value in this life or the life to come. The Psalmist also wants us to understand that the rich and poor have one similarity?when they die; they leave all they own here on earth. At the moment of death (and all of us will face that moment), both rich and poor are naked and empty-handed before God. The only riches we have at that time are those we have already invested in our eternal home. To have treasure in heaven, we must place our faith in God, pledge ourselves to obey him, and utilize our resources for the good of His kingdom. This is a good time to check up on our investments and see where we have invested the most. Then we need to do whatever it takes to place our investments where they really count.

I pray that God would grace you to sow good seed today.

Blessings,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 50:1-23

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God the Lord, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. 3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. 4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people: 5 "Gather My saints together to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." 6 Let the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge. special rtab Selah 7 "Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, your God! 8 I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are continually before Me. 9 I will not take a bull from your house, nor goats out of your folds. 10 For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. 12 "If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all its fullness. 13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. 15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." 16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, 17 Seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you? 18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have been a partaker with adulterers. 19 You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit. 20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. 21 These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes. 22 "Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver: 23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God."

Psalm 50 is known as a wisdom psalm.  It is attributed to Asaph, one of the music leaders appointed by David. This psalm contrasts the distinctions of the righteous and the wicked in the eyes of God, a constant theme of the wisdom writers. In this psalm, God is portrayed as the great Judge (v. 6). The structure of the psalm is as following: #1 the praise of God who shines forth from Zion (v. 1); #2 a vision of the coming of God, the great Judge (v. 4); #3 the instruction of the great Judge to His people concerning sacrifice (v. 7); #4 the rebuke of the great Judge to the wicked (v. 16); #5 the words of the great Judge on condemnation and salvation (vs. 22, 23).

The verses that stand out to me today are Psalm 50:14-15 "Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. 15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." What then does God want from His people? Four things stand out loud and clear: #1 "Thanksgiving" - We are reminded over and over in scripture that it is good to give thanks.  Gratitude can cause us to live free from depression and despair, and most importantly it will keep us in a right relationship with the LORD.  #2 "Pay your vows" - We are called to fulfill our vows of love, worship, service and devotion to our LORD. The idea of paying your vows has everything to do with keeping a sincere heart and following through on your commitments.  #3 "Call upon Me" - Here we have a wonderful insight into the heart of God. He loves to hear His people pray, and He loves to answer those prayers. He cherishes an intimate, tender relationship between His people and Himself. #4 "Glorify Me" - This describes our ultimate call.  Our lives are meant to glorify the LORD!  I life that does not live for this purpose, will end up living a life in vein.  Purposelessness, hopelessness, and fearfulness will all be the result of missing this call.  The goods news is that the Great Judge is giving you and me opportunity to call upon Him.

I pray that you would experience God's deliverance today as you give thanks to the LORD in all things, paying your vows, and calling upon the name that is above all others names: Yeshua!

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 51:1-19

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David When Nathan the Prophet Went to Him, After He Had Gone in to Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight- that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. 14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. 16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart- these, O God, You will not despise. 18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

Psalm 51 is known as a penitential psalm.  It is one of the several psalms of David in which the title specifies the occasion that inspired the song.  The psalm is associated with one of the hardest experiences of David's life, the aftermath of his affair with Bathsheba. For the account of David's sin and Nathan's rebuke, see 2 Sam. 11; 12:1. The structure of the psalm is as follows: #1 a plea for God's mercy in the context of David's confession (vs. 1, 2); #2 an acknowledgment that David's sin was against the Lord (vs. 3, 4); #3 a confession that sin pervades David's being (vs. 5, 6); #4 a series of pleas for forgiveness (v. 7); #5 a vow of praise by the forgiven sinner (vs. 14, 15); #6 a statement on the meaning of true worship (vs. 16, 17); #7 a plea for God to restore the fortunes of the people (vs. 18, 19).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart- these, O God, You will not despise." This verse helps us understand what God desires and what His heart delights in. God wants a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart. In other words, you can never please God by outward actions?no matter how good?if your inward heart attitude is not right. The word rendered contrite means to be broken or crushed, as when the bones are broken and then it is applied to the mind or heart as that which is crushed or broken by the weight of guilt. The word does not differ materially from the term "broken." The two together constitute intensity of expression. The Hebrew word for "despise" is bazah, (baw-zaw'); It is a primitive root which means to disesteem :- despise, disdain, contemn (-ptible), to be vile or worthless. Where would any of us be if God despised our life? 

Are you sorry for your sin? Do you genuinely intend to stop? I pray that you would hear loud and clear the good news: God is pleased by this kind of humility and He will not despise this shattered and contrite heart that you bring to Him.

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 52:1-9

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of David When Doeg the Edomite Went and Told Saul, and Said to Him, "David Has Gone to the House of Ahimelech."

1 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? the goodness of God endures continually. 2 Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3 You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness. special rtab Selah 4 You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue. 5 God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, and uproot you from the land of the living. special rtab Selah 6 The righteous also shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, 7 "Here is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness." 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. 9 I will praise You forever, because You have done it; and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good.

Psalm 52 is known as a lament psalm. The title of this psalm specifies the incident in David's life that prompted him to write it. Doeg, an official of Saul, had spied on David when he fled to Ahimelech, the priest at Nob, for provisions and guidance (1 Sam. 21:7). Doeg's report angered Saul so much that he destroyed the priestly family at Nob (1 Sam. 22). This incident must have been disheartening to David. His actions had caused the death of others, and his enemies were determined to destroy him. The structure of the psalm is as following: #1 the question of why the wicked boast in evil (v. 1); #2 a proclamation that God will destroy the wicked (v. 5); #3 a vow to praise the Lord (vs. 8, 9).

The verses that stand out to me today are Psalm 52:8-9 "But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. 9 I will praise You forever, because You have done it; and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good." With God by his side, David compared himself to an olive tree flourishing in the house of God. A green olive tree is a symbol of beauty. In Rom. 11, the olive tree is used as a symbol of the Gentiles who are grafted into the root, the people of God or the church. Not only is an olive tree one of the longest-living trees, but a flourishing tree has even greater longevity. In this psalm David was contrasting God's eternal protection of his faithful servants with the sudden destruction of the wicked (Psalm 52:5-7). The psalmist's character is in glaring contrast. He compares himself to a green olive tree in the house of God-a picture of prosperity and fruitfulness. Also, it is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for mercy is the same term, meaning "loyal love," that is translated "goodness" in v. 1. The Hebrew word for praise is the same word sometimes translated "give thanks" (105:1); it typically refers to vocal and public praise. Finally, he will magnify the name of the Lord in the presence of His loyal saints, because His name is good and all that He is - is good.

I pray that you would be like an olive tree and that you would have the wonderful qualities described in this psalm:

1. You trust in the mercy of God forever and ever (v.8)

2. You praise Him forever, because He has done it (v.9)

3. You wait on His name, for it is good (v.9)

Declaring He is Good,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 53:1-6

To the Chief Musician. Set to "Mahalath." A Contemplation of David.

1 The fool has said in his heart,"There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. 2 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one. 4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God? 5 There they are in great fear where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you; you have put them to shame, because God has despised them. 6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Psalm 53 is known as a wisdom psalm.  It is very similar to psalm 14. The Psalm speaks of the foolishness of living as if God did not exist. Its structure is as follows: #1 an announcement of the judgment of the fool (v. 1); #2 the Lord's examination of people (vs. 2, 3); #3 the judgment of the Lord (vs. 4, 5); #4 a prayer for the salvation of Israel (v. 6).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 53:1 "The fool has said in his heart, ?There is no God.' They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good."

This verse proclaims the foolishness of atheism. In Hebrew the word for "fool" is nabal, naw-bawl'; It means stupid; wicked (especially impious) :- fool (-ish, -ish man, -ish woman), vile person. However it does not necessarily refer to the mental inability but to moral and spiritual insensitivity. In other words a "fool" does not necessarily lack intelligence; many atheists and unbelievers are highly educated. Fools are people who reject God, the only one who can save them. The Hebrew word for "corrupt" has the idea of soured milk. Those who cease to believe in God will eventually "sour"; they will degenerate into doing evil. The truth is people may say there is no God in order to cover their sin, to have an excuse to continue in sin, and/or to ignore the Judge in order to avoid the judgment.

We are reminded in the New Testament, Romans 3:10-13

10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."

Paul is referring to Psalm 14:1-3. "There is no one righteous" means "no one is innocent." Every person is valuable in God's eyes because God created us in His image and He loves us. But no one is righteous (that is, no one can earn right standing with God). Though valuable, we have fallen into sin. However, the good news is that God, through Jesus his Son, Has redeemed us and offers to forgive us if we return to Him in faith. Let me close with the scriptures a few scriptures that we refer to as the ROMANS ROAD:

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 10:9,10 "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Romans 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

I pray that you would receive and rejoice in the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ the Messiah.

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 54:1-7

To the Chief Musician. With Stringed Instruments. A Contemplation of David When the Ziphites Went and Said to Saul, "Is David Not Hiding with Us?"

1 Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life; they have not set God before them. special rtab Selah 4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is with those who uphold my life. 5 He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth. 6 I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. 7 For He has delivered me out of all trouble; and my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.

Psalm 54 is known as a lament psalm and it is another of David's psalms in which the title indicates the specific situation that gave rise to the song.  We learn in the scriptures that twice the people of the Wilderness of Ziph had informed Saul that David was hiding in their region (1 Samual 23:19; 26:1). The structure of the poem is as follows: #1 a call for God's help in the midst of persecution from many foes (v. 1); #2 a declaration that God is David's Helper (vs. 4, 5); #3 a vow of praise (vs. 6, 7).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 54:6 "I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good." The word we translate into English, "freely", is the Hebrew word n^edabah, ned-aw-baw'.  It means with "willingness, voluntariness, spontaneousness." The idea is, that he would do it of a free or willing mind; without constraint or compulsion; voluntarily. It also can be noted that as David's enemies are described in the third verse as not setting God before them, he here declares that he is of a different mind from them, for he establishes in his heart to have the Lord always in remembrance in his sacrifices and praises. Many of David's psalms follow the pattern found in this chapter?a transition from prayer to praise. David was not afraid to come to God and express his true feelings and needs. As a result his spirit was lifted, and he praised God, his helper, protector, and friend.

I pray that you would see that Praise is good - good to us, and good to all around us. Good because He is worthy of praise; Good because He finds praise beautiful; Good because He has chosen you and I to give it.

Ephesians 1:12 (KJV) 

    That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Singing His Praises,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 55:1-23

To the Chief Musician. With Stringed Instruments. A Contemplation of David.

1 Give ear to my prayer, O God, and do not hide Yourself from my supplication. 2 Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily, 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they bring down trouble upon me, and in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is severely pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me. 6 So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. 7 Indeed, I would wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. special rtab Selah 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest." 9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, for I have seen violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go around it on its walls; iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. 11 Destruction is in its midst; oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets. 12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it. nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; then I could hide from him. 13 But it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in the throng. 15 Let death seize them; let them go down alive into hell, for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. 16 As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. 18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many against me. 19 God will hear, and afflict them, even He who abides from of old. special rtab Selah Because they do not change, therefore they do not fear God. 20 He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has broken his covenant. 21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. 22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain you; he shall never permit the righteous to be moved. 23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in You.

Psalm 55 is known as a lament psalm and that most likely it was written during the time of Absalom's rebellion and Ahithophel's betrayal (2 Samuel 15-17). It is also believed by many that Psalm 55:12-14 are Messianic because they also describe Judas's betrayal of Christ (Matthew 26:14-16, 20-25). The structure of the psalm is: #1 a call for God to hear in the midst of the distress (v. 1); #2 a wish to escape death (v. 4); #3 a prayer for God's judgment on the wicked (v. 9); #4 the description of a friend's betrayal (v. 12); #5 a renewed prayer for God's judgment on the wicked (v. 15); #6 a prayer for deliverance for the righteous (v. 16); #7 a retrospective on the friend's betrayal (vs. 20, 21); #8 a call for hope in the midst of trouble (v. 22); #9 a concluding statement of confidence in view of final judgment (v. 23).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain you; he shall never permit the righteous to be moved." The psalmist came to realize that the best path in time of troubles is not to run away from them, but to cast the burden of them on the Lord. The word "burden" in Hebrew is quite unique, it is the word: y^ehab, yeh-hawb'; from Hebrew 3051 (yahab); properly what is given (by Providence), i.e. a lot :- burden.

It is only used one time in the Old Testament. This word rendered "burden" signifies a gift and so the words are translated by many, "cast thy gift upon the Lord".  The result is that God will sustain you.  The word in Hebrew for "sustain" is kuwl, kool; it means to maintain, nourish, provide food, bear, hold up, protect, support, and defend.  It other words, God will support, nourish, and provide for any person who acknowledges that the burden of cruel treatment (as described in this psalm) is one that only the Lord can handle. God wants us to cast our cares on Him, but often we continue to bear them ourselves even when we say we are trusting in Him. We need to trust the One who not only brings salvation but who also sustains us as we carry our cares to Him.

I pray that if anyone is experiencing grief or despair today that he or she would hear loud and clear the command to cast your burden on the Lord so that you would experience HIS provision.

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 56:1-13

To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Silent Dove in Distant Lands." a Michtam of David When the Philistines Captured Him in Gath.

1 Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; fighting all day he oppresses me. 2 My enemies would hound me all day, for there are many who fight against me, O Most High. 3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4 In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? 5 All day they twist my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They gather together, they hide, they mark my steps, when they lie in wait for my life. 7 Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God! 8 You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book? 9 When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me. 10 In God (I will praise His word), in the Lord (I will praise His word), 11 In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises to You, 13 For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Psalm 56 is known as a lament psalm. This psalm of David has the same setting as Psalm 34-the flight of David to Achish at Gath. The fact that two of David's psalms are tied to this one event demonstrates how disturbing the experience was to David. Cut off from all he had known, David tried to find refuge among the Philistines. When they turned on him, he nearly lost his life. He escaped by pretending to be insane (1 Samuel 21:10). This psalm was sung in corporate worship, for it is addressed to the "Chief Musician" and is set to the tune "The Silent Dove in Distant Lands." The structure of the psalm is: #1 a cry to God who alone is David's help (vs. 1, 2); #2 a confession of trust in God (vs. 3, 4); #3 a description of the work of David's enemies (v. 5); #4 a confession of why David trusts in God during his time of distress (v. 8); #6 a vow to praise the Lord (vs. 12, 13).

The verses that stand out to me today are Psalm 56:3-4 "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4 In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?" Notice David did not say "if" I am afraid, but rather "whenever" I am afraid.  We all face being afraid sometime in our lives. However I believe this psalm gives us fresh insight on how to hand being afraid.  First, we must "praise His word". The word for "praise" in Hebrew is halal, haw-lal'; it is a primitive root that means to be clear; to shine; hence to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causative to celebrate.  In other words we are to boast in that which has been spoken by the LORD.  The more we praise the word, the more we want to place our trust in Him.  The more we walk in trust, the less we are afraid.  David stated, "What can mortal man do to me?" How much harm can people do to us? They can inflict pain, suffering, and death. But no person can rob us of our souls or our future beyond this life. For this reason David could declare "what can flesh do to me?"  However we also need to ask, "How much harm can we do to ourselves?" The worst thing we can do is to reject God and lose our eternal future. Jesus said, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul" (Matthew 10:28). Instead, we should fear God, who controls this life and the next. In other word, I won't fear what man can do to me (flesh), but rather I will fear turning away from God's free gift to place my trust in Him and ultimately forfeit my destiny to live for His praise. 

I pray that you would find yourself singing His praises today and that as you sing His praises you would experience a trust in Him that would take every fear of man away.  

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

.

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 57:1-11

To the Chief Musician. Set to "Do Not Destroy." a Michtam of David When He Fled from Saul into the Cave.

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. 2 I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me. 3 He shall send from heaven and save me; he reproaches the one who would swallow me up. special rtab Selah  God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. 4 My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men who are set on fire, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth. 6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they have dug a pit before me; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. special rtab Selah  7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. 8 Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. 9 I will praise you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. 10 For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds. 11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 57 is known as a petition psalm.  This psalm was probably written when David was hiding in a cave from Saul (see 1 Samuel 22-24). In En Gedi, David spared Saul's life even though Saul had become an easy target. While pursuing David, the king had entered a cave to relieve himself. It so happened that he chose the very cave in which David was hiding. Rather than killing Saul while he had the chance, David cut off a piece of the king's garment. David later repented even of that act against Saul. This psalm is one of four that were set to the tune "Do Not Destroy" (Ps. 58; 59; 75). The structure of the psalm is as follows: #1 a call for mercy in the midst of calamities (v. 1); #2 a confession of trust in the midst of trouble (v. 4); #3 a determination to praise God in the midst of the people (v. 7).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 57:7 "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise." The Hebrew word for "steadfast" is kuwn, koon; it is a primitive root; meaning to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causative) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous).  In other words, David was acknowledging that his heart was firm and decided. He did not waver in his purpose, or lean now to one side and then to the other; he was not "swayed" or "moved" by the events that had occurred. He was standing firm in the midst of all his troubles. At times, we may be surrounded by people who gossip about us or criticize us. Verbal cruelty can damage us as badly as physical abuse. Rather than answering with hateful words, we, like David, can talk with God about the problem. When confronted with verbal attacks, the best defense is simply to be quiet and praise God, realizing that our confidence is in his love and faithfulness. In times of great suffering, don't turn inward to self-pity or outward to revenge, but upward to God.  It is also important to note that in this psalm we see that the praise of the Lord revolves around His mercy and truth.  In other words, the more you are aware of His mercy and truth the more you want to "sing and give praise". 

I pray that you, like David, would give thanks to the Lord among the peoples, and sing psalms among the nations, because God's mercy is as infinite as the heavens and His truth as limitless as the clouds. Because we have experience His mercy and truth we can not help but to sing out!

Praise the LORD!

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 58:1-11

To the Chief Musician. Set to "Do Not Destroy." a Michtam of David.

1 Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men? 2 No, in heart you work wickedness; you weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth. 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. 4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; they are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear, 5 Which will not heed the voice of charmers, charming ever so skillfully. 6 Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord! 7 Let them flow away as waters which run continually; when he bends his bow, let his arrows be as if cut in pieces. 8 Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes, like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun. 9 Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, as in His living and burning wrath. 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, 11 So that men will say, "surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely He is God who judges in the earth."

Psalm 58 is known as an "imprecatory" (cursing) psalm. This is one of the imprecatory psalms that call upon God to deal with enemies. This psalm, along with others, may sound extremely harsh, but we must remember: #1 David could not understand why he was forced to flee from men who were unjustly seeking to kill him. He was God's anointed king over a nation called to annihilate the evil people of the land. #2 David's call for justice was sincere; it was not a cover for his own personal vengeance. He truly wanted to seek God's perfect ideal for his nation. #3 David did not say that he would take revenge, but he gave the matter to God. These are merely his suggestions. #4 These psalms use hyperbole (or overstatement). They were meant to motivate others to take a strong stand against sin and evil. This is one of the four psalms set to the tune "Do Not Destroy" (Ps. 57; 59; 75). The structure of the psalm is: #1 a description of wicked judges who wreak havoc on the earth (vs. 1, 2); #2 a description of the wicked who continue in evil (v. 3); #3 a prayer for divine vengeance against the wicked (v. 6); #4 a promise that the righteous will be vindicated (vs. 10, 11).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 58:11 "So that men will say, ?surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely He is God who judges in the earth.'" This is a fresh reminder that the godly, in the end, are not forsaken and given over to their enemies; the wicked will not have the final say, truth and goodness will prevail in the long run. "Verily he is a God that judges in the earth." All men shall be forced by the sight of the final judgment to see that there is a God, and that He is the righteous ruler of the universe. Two things will come out clearly after all - there is a God and there is a reward for the righteous. Time will remove doubts, solve difficulties, and reveal secrets. When right triumphs at last, "the righteous will be glad" (Psalm 58:10). Be assured that there will be a day of accountability and that God judges fairly. Be careful never to side with injustice, lest you find yourself standing before an angry Judge.

I pray that you will always allow God to bring about His vengeance in His timing.

Peace,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 59:1-17

To the Chief Musician. Set to "Do Not Destroy." a Michtam of David When Saul Sent Men, and They Watched the House in Order to Kill Him.

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men. 3 For look, they lie in wait for my life; the mighty gather against me, not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord. 4 They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold! 5 You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to punish all the nations; do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. special rtab Selah  6 At evening they return, they growl like a dog, and go all around the city. 7 Indeed, they belch with their mouth; swords are in their lips; for they say, "Who hears?" 8 But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them; you shall have all the nations in derision. 9 I will wait for You, O You his Strength; for God is my defense. 10 My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies. 11 Do not slay them, lest my people forget; scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield. 12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for the cursing and lying which they speak. 13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be; and let them know that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth. special rtab Selah 14 And at evening they return, they growl like a dog, and go all around the city. 15 They wander up and down for food, and howl if they are not satisfied. 16 But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. 17 To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my defense, my God of mercy.

Psalm 58 is known as a lament psalm. The title refers to the story found in 1 Sam. 19:9: David escaped Saul's anger with help from his wife Michal. She showed unusual heroism and great devotion to David-actions that resulted in a strained relationship with her father Saul. Psalm 59 has four parts: #1 a prayer for deliverance (v. 1); #2 a confident hope (v. 6); #3 a renewed prayer for deliverance (v. 11); #4 a renewed hope (v. 14).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 59:17 "To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my defense, my God of mercy." We learn in this verse that in God, we find strength, defense, and mercy. David was hunted by those whose love had turned to jealousy, and this was driving them to try to murder him. Trusted friends, and even his son, had turned against him. What undependable love! But David knew that God's love was dependable. "His love endures forever" (Psalm 100:5). God's mercy to all who trust Him is just as permanent as His mercy to David. When the love of others fails or disappoints us, we can rest in God's enduring love. This is something worth singing about!!!!

I pray that you would enjoy the strength, defense and mercy that is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 60:1-12

To the Chief Musician. Set to "Lily of the Testimony." a Michtam of David. For Teaching. When He Fought Against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab Returned and Killed Twelve Thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

1 O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased; Oh, restore us again! 2 You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it; heal its breaches, for it is shaking. 3 You have shown Your people hard things; You have made us drink the wine of confusion. 4 You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth. special rtab Selah  5 That Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and hear me. 6 God has spoken in His holiness: "I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem and measure out the Valley of Succoth. 7 Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is My lawgiver. 8 Moab is My washpot; over Edom I will cast My shoe; Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me." 9 Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? 10 Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? 11 Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. 12 Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies.

Psalm 60 is known as a lament psalm.  This psalm describes the feelings of David and his army at the time of their defeat. But it also records their confident expectation that they would eventually succeed, something celebrated in the heading of the psalm and confirmed in 2 Sam. 8. David ultimately expresses great faith in the eventual victory he would find in the Lord. In this psalm, we hear the voice of God breaking into the song itself and pronouncing His judgment on David's enemies. Since the tone of the psalm is military in nature, it is possible that this psalm was used in military training. The psalm has four movements: #1 a lament of the people when they experienced defeat (v. 1); #2 an expression of confidence and a prayer for deliverance (vs. 4, 5); #3 the voice of God giving assurance of ultimate victory (v. 6); #4 an expression of confidence in the Lord (v. 9).

The verses that stand out to me today are Psalm 60:11-12 "Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. 12 Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies."  Ultimately, true help-the Hebrew word t^eshuw`ah, tesh-oo-aw' means "deliverance, salvation, safety, victory"-comes only from God. These verses present a strong encouragement to all believers who are presently experiencing difficulties in their lives: When the help of man proves useless, often God dramatically provides strength and power so that our boast is exclusively in Him. We are reminded in the scriptures that the believer's enemies are the world, the flesh and the devil. By ourselves we are powerless to conquer them. And the help of other men is insufficient, no matter how well-meaning they might be. But there is victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who trust in Him for deliverance, salvation, safety, and victory will never be disappointed. 

I would like to add that at times God will use people in our lives to help us find our way.  However, ultimately we need to see that our friends were only vehicles for the LORD to demonstrate His love to us. In other words, God does gift men and women but the true focus needs to be on the Giver of gifts. 

I pray that you would experience the resources of heaven that would enable you to walk in victory today.

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 61:1-8

To the Chief Musician. On A Stringed Instrument. A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. special rtab Selah  5 For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. 6 You will prolong the king's life, his years as many generations. 7 He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him! 8 So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows.

Psalm 61 is known as both a lament and trust psalm. In this psalm, the king of Israel points to the great King who is to come. The title includes the words "On a stringed instrument" (see the titles of Ps. 4; 6; 54; 55; 67; 76). The Psalm itself is very personal, and well adapted for the private devotion of a single individual. We don't know for sure but some believe this Psalm was composed when David was driven by Absalom's rebellion beyond Jordan, and from the sanctuary of God. The psalm has four parts: #1 a petition to God (vs. 1, 2); #2 an affirmation that God is David's refuge (vs. 3, 4); #3 an affirmation that God provides (v. 5); #4 a vow to praise God (v. 8).

The verses that stand out to me today are Psalm 61:1-2 "Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Our English word "cry" is used in both verse 1 and 2.  However these are two different Hebrew words.  The first is rinnah, (rin-naw'); It is properly a creaking (or shrill sound), i.e. shout (of joy or grief).  The second Hebrew word is qara', (kaw-raw'); It means to call out to (i.e. properly address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications. Hear my cry is classic language of a lament psalm. David calls on the Lord to hear the prayer of the troubled believer (See also 5:2, 3; 17:1; 55:2; 66:19; 86:6; 142:6). The qara', (cry) of David is coming from the sense of being far from God's presence in his time of need. His prayer is that he might be brought back to the rock that is higher than he. The imagery of God as a Rock for the believer was introduced by Moses (see Deut. 2:4) and is developed elsewhere in the Psalms (62:2; 71:3; 91:1, 2; 144:1). The psalmist is not literally at the end of the earth, but he is literally in a place of emptiness where safety and deliverance seem remote, where life ends and death begins. Physically and emotionally he is spent, but he knows if he cries out to the Lord he will receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. The Lord, of course, is the Rock (2 Sam. 22:32); the metaphor is never used of any mere man in the Bible. 45 The rock must be someone greater than man; otherwise man can never find shelter in it. Finally, David acknowledges that he does not have the wisdom or strength to direct his own steps, so he asks the Lord to lead him to Himself-the Rock of ages.

I pray that you too would be lead to "the Rock" that is higher than all your trials and troubles.  He will be faithful to deliver you as you "cry out" to Him. 

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 62:1-12

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. 3 How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. special rtab Selah  5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. special rtab Selah  9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor, men of high degree are a lie; if they are weighed on the scales, they are altogether lighter than vapor. 10 Do not trust in oppression, nor vainly hope in robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 11 God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God. 12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; for You render to each one according to his work.

Psalm 62 is known as a wisdom and trust psalm.  The Psalmist expresses total confidence in God for victory, strength, and protection. We learn from scripture that Jeduthun in the superscription was the chief of one of the choirs in the temple (1 Chr. 9:16) whose descendants founded a temple choir (1 Chr. 16:41, 42). The superscription "To Jeduthun" is also found in Ps. 39; 77. The structure of the psalm is: #1 a statement of confidence in God (vs. 1, 2); #2 a direct challenge to the wicked (v. 3); #3 a description of the ways of the wicked (v. 4); #4 a renewed statement of confidence in God (v. 5); #5 a direct challenge to the righteous (v. 8); #6 a further description and warning of the ways of the wicked (vs. 9, 10); #7 a final statement of confidence in God (vs. 11, 12).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 62:5 "My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him." The word "expectation in Hebrew is tiqvah, tik-vaw'; It is from the Hebrew 6960 (qavah); literal a cord (as an attachment).  Figuratively it means expectancy. It is translated expectation, hope, live, and the thing that I long for. This Hebrew word is used 34 times in the Old Testament and 23 times it is translated as "Hope" in the King James Version.  The Psalmist is making it clear that because our hope or expectation is from God we have a confidence and trust that keeps us from falling.  We are witnessing today many people who are wondering in this life with no expectation or hope.  As a result you have people falling into all types of sinful behavior.  Some of this behavior leads to destructive paths, even to the point of killing others.  In Psalm 60:11 we read: "Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless." In other words, the psalmist is reminding us of where are hope needs to come from.  If our salvation, strength, refuge, and confidence are coming from any other source, than the LORD, we will find our expectations becoming disappointments.  If our hope is coming from our jobs, government, girlfriends, boyfriends, careers, education, and even our family, we are set up for a fall.  Remember this verse because it could save you from a lot of heartache: "My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him."

I pray that as a result of placing your expectations in God alone that you would echo the words of the Psalmist when he writes: "He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved."

Rejoicing in HIS SALVATION,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 63:11

A Psalm of David When He Was in the Wilderness of Judah.

1 O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. 2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. 3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. 4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. 6 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. 7 Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. 8 My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. 9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. 10 They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory; but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Psalm 63 is known as both a royal and a trust psalm.  It was probably written when David was seeking refuge during Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 15-18). One of the reason this psalm is believed to be during Absalom's rebellion and not the occasion when David was being chased by Saul (1 Samuel 22) is that the Psalmist mentions the "king" in verse 11, which most likely is referring to David.  This period of time would have been after Saul's reign. The pattern of the psalm is as follows: #1 a search for a renewed sense of God's presence (vs. 1, 2); #2 a confession of David's faith in God (v. 3); #3 an expression of confidence in the Lord even during the lonely night watches (v. 6); #4 a prediction of the end of David's enemies (vs. 9, 10); #5 a renewal of David's confession of trust in God the great King (v. 11).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 63:4 "Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name." The Hebrew word for "bless" is the word barak, baw-rak'; which is a primitive root that means to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration).  Praise is a vocal, public act in the Psalms. The Psalmist is reminding us to take the time to praise the Lord while we have the opportunity. "To lift the hands" to the Lord expresses dependence on Him, coupled with an acknowledgment of His power, wonder, and majesty.  In coming to the Lord in praise, the Psalmist finds the refreshment he was after in verse 1 "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water."  If you are observant you will notice that at times when people lift their hands up towards the sky it is during an emotional time in their lives.  Whether it is a sporting event, music concert, dance floor, or major tragedy, the expression involves something deep within.  The truth is we were created to worship and express our deep emotion.  However, the choice of who to give your affection and adoration to is a very serious one.  I am thankful for the reminder in this Psalm that "I will lift up my hands in Your (elohiym) name."

I pray that your day would be filled with opportunities to bless the Lord with everything that is within you. 

Hebrews 13:15

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 64:1-10

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity, 3 Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows-bitter words, 4 That they may shoot in secret at the blameless; suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear. 5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter; they talk of laying snares secretly; they say, "Who will see them?" 6 They devise iniquities: "We have perfected a shrewd scheme." Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep. 7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly they shall be wounded. 8 So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; all who see them shall flee away. 9 All men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider His doing. 10 The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. and all the upright in heart shall glory.

Psalm 64 is known as both a wisdom and lament psalm. It contrasts the righteous and the wicked, and compares their destinies. It is addressed, or dedicated, as many others are, "To the chief Musician." This fact shows that it was not designed as an expression of mere private feeling, but was intended to be shared in the worship of God. The structure of the psalm is as follows: #1 an appeal for protection from the wicked (vs. 1, 2); #2 a description of the evil activities of the wicked (v. 3); #3 an expectation of the defeat of the wicked by God (v. 7); #4 a description of the joy of the righteous (v. 10).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 64:10 "The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. and all the upright in heart shall glory." The word "righteous" in Hebrew is

tsaddiyq, (tsad-deek'); It means to be just (lawful). In this psalm we can see three beautiful characteristics of a righteous man.  The King James Version makes these characteristics stand out: "The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory."  #1 He "shall be glad": The righteous are glad (blithe, gleeful, rejoicing) because they believe in the LORD'S power and strength.  #2 He "shall trust": The righteous have a confident trust in God because they know Him to be sovereign with their lives. By placing their problems into God's hands, the righteous can rest in knowing that the LORD controls the future and that the future is ultimately a good plan. #3 He "shall glory". For the righteous their glory is their exuberant praise to God. In other words, all those who love what is right will celebrate. 

I pray that you would experience the fruit of righteous living and that you would have the confidence of Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 65:1-13

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1 Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; and to You the vow shall be performed. 2 O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come. 3 Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions, You will provide atonement for them. 4 Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple. 5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far-off seas; 6 Who established the mountains by His strength, being clothed with power; 7 You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples. 8 They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs; You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice. 9 You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. 10 You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth. 11 You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance. 12 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. 13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing.

Psalm 65 is known as a wisdom psalm. In this psalm we are directed to give to God the glory for His power and goodness, which appear in all of creation. The psalm has the following movements: #1 a vow of praise yet to be performed (v. 1); #2 a blessing pronounced on the redeemed (v. 4); #3 a celebration of God's power that extends throughout the earth (v. 5); #4 a celebration of God's provision of rain (vs. 9, 10); #5 a celebration of God's coming blessings in the year of His goodness (v. 11).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 65:4 "Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple." The word "choose" in Hebrew is bachar, baw-khar'; It is a primitive root; which means to properly try, i.e. (by implication) select.  It is translated acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require. Access to God, the joy of living in the temple courts, was a great honor. God had chosen a special group of Israelites, the tribe of Levi, to serve as priests in the tabernacle (Numbers 3:5-51). They were the only ones who could enter the sacred rooms where God's presence resided. However, because of Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, all believers today have personal access to God's presence everywhere and at any time.  The Apostle Peter put it this way:

1 Peter 1:2-3 (NKJV) ² elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"

I pray that you would know how blessed you are today, and that you would be able to echo the words of the Apostle Paul when he wrote to the Ephesians: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:3-6

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 66:1-20

To the Chief Musician. A Song. A Psalm.

1 Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! 2 Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious. 3 Say to God, "How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. 4 All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; they shall sing praises to Your name." special rtab Selah 5 Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. 6 He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him. 7 He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. special rtab Selah  8 Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, 9 Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved. 10 For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. 11 You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. 12 You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment. 13 I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, 14 Which my lips have uttered and my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals, with the sweet aroma of rams; I will offer bulls with goats. special rtab Selah  16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. 17 I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue. 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. 19 But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!

Psalm 66 is known as a psalm of praise as the Psalmist offers descriptive praise, praising God for who He is and what He does, as well as declarative praise, praising God for specific answers to prayer. The structure of the psalm is as follows: #1 a call for all the earth to join in the celebratory worship of God (v. 1); #2 an enumeration of reasons to worship God (v. 5); #3 a call for the peoples to join the psalmist in descriptive praise of God (v. 8); #4 the psalmist's decision to participate in holy worship (v. 13); #5 declarative praise of God (v. 16); #6 a final blessing of the Lord (v. 20).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear." I can't think of a sadder state of affairs than to not be heard by God.  This is a lonely place, a discouraging place, a fearful place, and a hopeless place.  The truth is God has made provision so that we are not stuck in this place. The scriptures are clear that our confession of sin must be continual because we continue to do wrong. But true confession requires us to listen to God and to want to stop doing what is displeasing to the LORD. David confessed his sin and prayed, "Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins" (Psalm 19:12-13). When we refuse to repent or when we harbor and cherish certain sins, we place a wall between us and God. We may not be able to remember every sin we have ever committed, but our attitude should be one of confession and obedience.

I pray that you would ask, like David in Psalm 51:10, for God to create a pure heart and spirit within you.

Psalm 51:10 (KJV) 

    Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Matthew 5:8 (KJV) 

    Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 67:1-7

To the Chief Musician. On Stringed Instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

1 God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, special rtab Selah 2 That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. 4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth. special rtab Selah 5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. 6 Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

Psalm 67 is known as a psalm of praise that serves as an invocation and doxology in worship.  The Psalmist calls on the nations of the world to join with Israel in honoring the Creator with praise.  The structure of the psalm is as follows: #1 a call for God's blessing for the purpose of world evangelization (vs. 1, 2); #2 a call for the nations to bless the Lord in view of His righteous judgments (vs. 3, 4); #3 a call for the nations to bless the Lord in view of His coming kingdom (v. 5).

The verses that stand out to me today are Psalm 67:1-2 " God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, special rtab Selah 2 That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations." When God called the nation of Israel there was a purpose behind it. From the beginning, God had intended to bring His blessing to all nations, in fulfillment of the provisions of Abraham's covenant (Genesis 12:3 "I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."). In Psalm 67:1 the Psalmist calls for God to be merciful, to bless, and for God to smile on His people.  The point in this psalm is clear: May God bless His people Israel in such a manner that the message of God's way would become known throughout the earth. Again, all of this is for the purpose of making God's way known on the earth, and His salvation known to all nations.  We also can see that this passage speaks of the fulfillment of the Great Commission found in the New Testament (Matthew 28:18-20). As believers we can count ourselves among that great crowd of believers worldwide who know the Savior; we can praise Him for His Good News; and share the gospel of Jesus Christ so that the harvest will be abundant and that God's praise would continue throughout the earth.

I pray that God would be merciful to you, bless you and cause His face to shine upon you.  However when He shows you His favor, I pray that you would be found faithful to make His way known to the earth and His salvation known among all the nations of the world. 

Blessings,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 68:1-35

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1 Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those also who hate Him flee before Him. 2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. 3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. 4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name Yah, and rejoice before Him. 5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. 6 God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land. 7 O God, when You went out before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, special rtab Selah  8 The earth shook; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 9 You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, when it was weary. 10 Your congregation dwelt in it; You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor. 11 The Lord gave the word; great was the company of those who proclaimed it: 12 "Kings of armies flee, they flee, and she who remains at home divides the spoil. 13 Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold." 14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Zalmon. 15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan. 16 Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in; yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever. 17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; the Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place. 18 You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, even from the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell there. 19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! special rtab Selah  20 Our God is the God of salvation; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death. 21 But God will wound the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses. 22 The Lord said, "I will bring back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, 23 That your foot may crush them in blood, and the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies." 24 They have seen Your procession, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary. 25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the maidens playing timbrels. 26 Bless God in the congregations, the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. 27 There is little Benjamin, their leader, the princes of Judah and their company, the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali. 28 Your God has commanded your strength; strengthen, O God, what You have done for us. 29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem, kings will bring presents to You. 30 Rebuke the beasts of the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, till everyone submits himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the peoples who delight in war. 31 Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God. 32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; Oh, sing praises to the Lord, special rtab Selah  33 To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old! Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice. 34 Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel, and His strength is in the clouds. 35 O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!

Psalm 68 is known as a triumphal song designed to celebrate victories which had been achieved.  The title refers to it as both a "Psalm" and a "Song," indicating its musical nature.  This psalm begins just like Moses' cry in Numbers 10:35 as the Israelites followed the Ark of the Covenant. It speaks with great power of the glory of God. The first and last verses of the psalm (vs. 1, 35) capture its essence. Although it is not noticeable in the English version, seven names of God are woven into the texture of this Psalm: Elohim (v. 1), Yah (v. 4), Jehovah (v. 10), El Shaddai (v. 14), Yah Elohim (v. 18), Adonai (v. 19), and Jehovah Adonai (v. 20). The structure of the psalm is as follows: #1 a call for God to rise in judgment against the wicked (v. 1); #2 a call for the people of God to praise Him for His wonders and mercies (v. 4); #3 a review of the works of God on behalf of His people (v. 7); #4 a celebration of the city of God and His saving works (v. 15); #5 an anticipation of the final victory of God over all His enemies (v. 21); #6 an anticipation of the worship of God by the peoples of the earth (v. 28).

The verses that stand out to me today are Psalm 68:4-6 "Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name Yah, and rejoice before Him. 5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. 6 God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land." The Psalmist is reminding us that His name is YAH, the covenant-keeping Jehovah; He is worthy of endless praise. Though He is infinitely high, yet He is intimately near. As the God of all grace, He is father of the fatherless, defender of widows. He provides comfort and fellowship, and as for those who have been unjustly condemned to prison, He leads them into prosperity with shouts of joy. David is declaring that it is time to sing praises to the Lord, whose presence brings great joy. Because only in God is there hope for the orphans, widows, prisoners, and all other lonely people. The truth is when we see God's true majesty, our response should be the same as the Psalmist, "Sing to God, sing praises to His name.....rejoice before Him."

I pray that you would take time to praise God for His protection and provision today.  If you are lonely or feel you have been taken advantage of, join David in praise, and discover great joy from loving and praising God.  The story is not completely over until we stand before Him one day, so by faith keep singing.

Forever Grateful,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 68:1-36

To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Lilies." A Psalm of David.

1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. 3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God. 4 Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they are mighty who would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully; though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it. 5 O God, You know my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from You. 6 Let not those who wait for You, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed because of me; let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel. 7 Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother's children; 9 Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. 10 When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that became my reproach. 11 I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them. 12 Those who sit in the gate speak against me, and I am the song of the drunkards. 13 But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, hear me in the truth of Your salvation. 14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters. 15 Let not the floodwater overflow me, nor let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut its mouth on me. 16 Hear me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. 17 And do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in trouble; hear me speedily. 18 Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; deliver me because of my enemies. 19 You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor; my adversaries are all before You. 20 Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. 21 They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. 22 Let their table become a snare before them, and their well-being a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; and make their loins shake continually. 24 Pour out Your indignation upon them, and let Your wrathful anger take hold of them. 25 Let their dwelling place be desolate; let no one live in their tents. 26 For they persecute the ones You have struck, and talk of the grief of those You have wounded. 27 Add iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not come into Your righteousness. 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. 29 But I am poor and sorrowful; let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high. 30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. 31 This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves. 32 The humble shall see this and be glad; and you who seek God, your hearts shall live. 33 For the Lord hears the poor, and does not despise His prisoners. 34 Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them. 35 For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it. 36 Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it, and those who love His name shall dwell in it.

Psalm 69 is known as a lament psalm, it more specifically known to be a protest of innocence. This psalm begins with the sufferings of David but has its full meaning in the emotional and spiritual sufferings of Jesus. For these reasons, the apostles in the New Testament acknowledge that David was a prophet of God (Acts 2:30). Its structure is as follows: #1 a cry for deliverance that expresses the psalmist's weariness (v. 1); #2 a description of the psalmist's enemies (v. 4); #3 a lament that expresses the psalmist's sense of alienation (v. 5); #4 a cry for deliverance from the mire (v. 13); #5 a lament that expresses the psalmist's reproach (v. 19); #6 a petition for God to bring His judgment on the wicked (v. 22); #7 a determination to praise the Lord (v. 29).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 69:13 "But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, hear me in the truth of Your salvation." The Psalm describes how David was scoffed at, mocked, insulted, humiliated, and made the object of city-wide gossip. In his deep cry for help, he bases his pleas on God's lovingkindness and His abundant mercies. His petitions in this psalm are short and specific. Hear me, ... turn to me, ... do not hide from me, draw near to me, redeem me, and deliver me.  When we are completely beaten down, we are tempted to turn from God, give up, and quit trusting Him. When your situation seems hopeless, determine that no matter how bad things become you will continue to pray. God will hear your prayer, and he will rescue you. When others reject us, we need God most. Don't turn from your most faithful friend.

I pray that you would take time to rejoice in God's abundant mercy and truth.  It is because of HIS favor that salvation has been known to you. 

Blessings, Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 70:1-5

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm Of David. To Bring to Remembrance.

1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste to help me, O Lord! 2 Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek my life; let them be turned back and confused who desire my hurt. 3 Let them be turned back because of their shame, who say, "Aha, aha!" 4 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, "Let God be magnified!" 5 But I am poor and needy; make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.

Psalm 70 is known as a lament psalm.  This short psalm (similar in content to Psalm 40:13-17) was David's plea for God to come quickly with His help. David here prays that God would send, #1 Help to himself (v. 1). #2 Shame to his enemies (vs. 2-3). #3 Joy to his friends (v. 4). #5 Acknowledgment of his condition of being poor and needy. 

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 70:4 "Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, "Let God be magnified!" The flow of thought here is that if God comes to the psalmist's rescue, this will result in a great wave of praise to Him. All those who seek the Lord will have occasion to exult in His help, and to worship Him as the great God of salvation. We can see from this verse then, that even when David was afraid or in a moment of panic, he did not forget to praise God. Praise is important because it helps us remember who God is. Often our prayers are filled with requests for ourselves and others, and we forget to thank God for what he has done and to worship Him for who HE is. This should be a fresh reminder not to take God for granted and treat Him as a vending machine.

I pray, like David, you would not forget to praise the Lord and that you would also be reminded that the Lord is your only source of strength, help, and deliverance.

Praising HIM Continually,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 71:1-24

1 In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame. 2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. 3 Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. 4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 5 For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth. 6 By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall be continually of You. 7 I have become as a wonder to many, but You are my strong refuge. 8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day. 9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails. 10 For my enemies speak against me; and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together, 11 Saying, "God has forsaken him; pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him." 12 O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! 13 Let them be confounded and consumed who are adversaries of my life; let them be covered with reproach and dishonor who seek my hurt. 14 But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. 15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits. 16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only. 17 O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. 18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come. 19 Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You? 20 You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth. 21 You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. 22 Also with the lute I will praise You- and Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed. 24 My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long; for they are confounded, for they are brought to shame who seek my hurt.

Psalm 71 is known as a lament psalm with a major focus on the psalmist's trust in God. The psalm alternates between expressions of desperate need and resolute trust in the Lord. In this interplay, the psalmist models the way believers should react to suffering. A believer should completely trust the Lord in a difficult situation, but at the same time cry out to Him for deliverance. The structure of the psalm is as follows: #1 a confession of the psalmist's resolute trust in God (v. 1); #2 petitions for God to deliver the psalmist from trouble (v. 4); #3 a determination to praise God even in the midst of trouble (vs. 7, 8); #4 petitions for deliverance (v. 9); #5 a call for judgment on the psalmist's enemies (vs. 12, 13); #6 a commitment to trust and praise God (v. 14); #7 a renewal of the psalmist's petitions based on his experience of God's faithfulness (vs. 17, 18); #8 a renewal of trust in God (v. 19); #9 a determination to praise God (v. 22).

The verse that stands out to me today is Psalm 71:18 "Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come." I would call this verse "Vision in old age".  David is old and gray headed, but he doesn't feel his work is done. He pleads for time to tell the new generation and those to come about the mighty miracles of the Lord. This prayer was answered, of course, by the Psalm's being preserved in the sacred Scriptures. The Psalmist reminds us that as we face the days of "gray headedness", can recognize that God has been our constant help in the past.  As we face our latter years, we need to recognize that God has been our constant help in the past. As physical powers diminish, we need God even more, and we realize He is still our constant help. We must never despair, but keep crying out and expecting His help no matter how severe our limitations. Hope in Him helps us to keep going, to keep serving him. The truth is a person is never too old to serve God, never too old to pray. Though age may stop us from certain physical activities, it need not end our desire to tell others (especially the youth) about all we have seen God do in the many years we've lived.

I pray that you would have the same vision as the Psalmist in your old age: "O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come."

Love in Christ,

Alan J. Schrader

Psalm 72:1-20

A Psalm Of Solomon.

1 Give the king Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king's Son. 2 He will judge Your people with righteousness, and Your poor with justice. 3 The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor. 5 They shall fear You as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. 6 He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, like showers that water the earth. 7 In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more. 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 9 Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, and His enemies will lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts. 11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him. 12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper. 13 He will spare the poor and needy, and will save the souls of the needy. 14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; and precious shall be their blood in His sight. 15 And He shall live; and the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; prayer also will be made for Him continually, and daily He shall be praised. 16 There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, on the top of the mountains; its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; and those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17 His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. 18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things! 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Psalm 70 is known as a royal psalm and it is ascribed to Solomon, the son of David. This psalm is very much messianic, speaking in ideal terms of the coming of the great King. On the basis of the ideals of ancient Middle Eastern royalty, the psalm calls for a good king to govern Israel under God's blessing. Ultimately this King is the Savior Jesus Christ. The psalm has the following structure: #1 a call for a reign of judgment (v. 1); #2 anticipation of a reign of righteousness (v. 5); #3 a vision of a universal reign (v. 8); #4 a vision of a reign of compassionate justice (v. 12); #5 a prediction of a reign of great blessing (v. 15); #6 praise for the God who will establish this glorious reign (v. 18).

The verses that stand out to me today are Psalm 72:18-19 "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things! 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen." Psalm 72 closes with these verses and they are referred to as a doxology. A doxology is known as a hymn, prayer, or formula of worship in praise of God. Because this Psalm is known as a Messianic Psalm, we can see that the Psalmist is making it clear that the glorious reign of the Lord Jesus is God's achievement. It is He who brings about these wonderful conditions that we see in this psalm, as no one else could do. And so it is fitting that His glorious name be praised forever, and that His glory fills the whole earth. These magnificent words of benediction mark the conclusion of the psalm, as well as the conclusion of Book II of the Psalms. The repetition of the word blessed and the double Amen all indicate that this psalm was used in the worship of God in His temple.

I pray that you would experience God's great love and mercy today so that you, like the Psalmist, would declare: "the God of Israel, ...only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever!"  

Singing His Praises,

Alan J. Schrader