Meditations on the Psalms

The weary heart's prayer: Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. 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 (verses 1,2). David lifts up his prayer to God, the master who has all authority in heaven and on earth, the God of the covenant who pledged to protect and care for His people long before they called upon His name. Sometimes we focus on the problem and complain how big it is and how we cannot solve it, but from David we can learn how to turn to God, who has the solution, and say to Him, Hear attend. He both prayed in a faint voice and shouted at the top of his voice. He was both fervent and insistent when he asked God not to keep silent till He had rescued and blessed him (Genesis 32:26). God will bear with us when we get emotional, and incline His ear toward us. We ought to thank Him for His favour and admit our wrongdoing to Him. We ought to ask Him to provide all our needs.

David was banished from his palace, place of worship and seat of rulership. He fled to the end of the earth, to the east of the Jordan away from Jerusalem. His heart was overwhelmed by sorrow because of his removal from his God and the shock his dear son Absalom and his "loyal" friends gave him.

Despite this he knew that there was a rock that is higher than him to which God will lead him. He could not lead himself, and his counsellors were too confused to suggest a suitable solution, so he turned to his God who gave him a sense of power and continuity. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved... In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God (Psalm 62:2,7). When we are led to a rock that is higher than we, we become higher than our enemies, but we will need strength to be able to climb it and a guide to show us the way to do so. We will need God's eternal arms to lift us up and an inner strength which His Spirit produces within us to respond to the attracting power of those divine arms (Deuteronomy 33:27).

A prayer based on sweet memories: For You have been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy (verse 3). The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous shall run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10). The psalmist turned to the Lord, trusting that the One who stood by him in the past will do the same in the present and the future. I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread (Psalm 37:25). God was a tower of protection for David from the lion and the bear that attacked his flock, as well as from Goliath the giant, Saul's attempts on his life and Absalom's unsuccessful revolt against him.

A prayer with two promises: I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings (verse 4). In this prayer he gives two promises. The first of these is to worship God always in His tabernacle: One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple (Psalm 27:4).

After experiencing God's love which gave him confidence and peace in his time of trouble, he promised the Lord that he would dwell worshipfully in His house always. A worshipper is one who makes himself a servant of God and lives in obedience to Him. Worship is not just repeated words, but a life-style of service and voluntary servanthood to the Lord.

David's second promise to the Lord was to trust in the shelter of His wings to feel secure like a little chick. He would take refuge in those two big wings, and there, enjoy love, warmth, stability and comfort. It is then that the promise will be fulfilled for him: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).

Confidence based on God's previous dealings: For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name (verse 5). Our confidence in the God who supported us yesterday refreshes us and makes us trust Him today and tomorrow. David put his confidence in the Lord to whom he made a vow, and the Lord regarded him and heard his request. His ancestor Jacob had also made a vow while fleeing from his brother Esau (Genesis 28:20-22) and when God confronted him (Genesis 31:13). The Lord answered Jacob's request, but 42 years went by before Jacob paid his vow to the Lord, so the Lord reminded him of it (Genesis 35:1). Here David promises the Lord not to delay the paying of his vow because the Lord himself never delayed the fulfilment of his promises. He gave the descendants of Abraham an inheritance, which was the land of Canaan, although it was impossible to obtain through their own military might. The Lord promised and fulfilled His promise. Christ also promised the disciples to fulfil all their needs, and He did. To make them aware of this fact, He asked them, When I sent you without money bag, sack, and sandals, did you lack anything? So they said, Nothing (Luke 22:35).

(See note on vows in the comment on Psalm 50:14).

Secure confidence in the continuity of God's love: You will prolong the king's life, his years as many generations. He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth which may preserve him (verses 6,7). David feels secure with God's enduring love and trusts that He will make him live a long and fulfilled life. He will return to his throne after the unsuccessful revolt of his son against him, because Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with his hand (Psalm 37:24). It isn't David who was meant by his years as many generations because David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep (Acts 13:36). The reference here is to the King, Son of David, of whom it was said seven hundred years before His birth: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:6,7 NIV).

David says that mercy and truth preserve him. Mercy comes first, for the Lord shows unmerited mercy upon us. Truth is God's faithfulness toward the believers and toward His promises to them. It was through His mercy that He entered in a covenant with His people, and is through His truth that He guarantees the continuity of that covenant (John 10:28-30; Romans 8:35-39).

Confidence that expresses itself through singing: So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows (verse 8). David concludes his confident prayer with praise, which is a part of his vow. Whenever a man praises his heart fills with joy. Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms (James 5:13). David started crying out in prayer and ended up expressing his confidence in the Lord through singing.

The psalmist prays and promises God two things - what are these two promises?

On what bases does the psalmist build his trust on God?

Confidence waits on God: Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation(verse 1). The psalmist waits upon God who fulfils His promises, as Moses stated about Him: Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 7:9). Joshua said of Him, Not a word failed of any of the good things of which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass (Joshua 21:45; 23:14). Solomon said of Him, Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to His people, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses (1 Kings 8:56). Paul declared that God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:9). The Epistle to the Hebrews speaks about God's promise and oath to His people: That by two immutable things [the promise and the oath] in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us (Hebrews 6:18).

While waiting for the Lord, the psalmist declares that his confidence in the coming salvation is beyond any doubt. While waiting, he also meditates quietly and reverently, reparaing God's previous dealing with him. While waiting, he also rests, for anxiety leaves the person who pours out his heart before God. God has already prepared salvation, and is preparing us for it. He preserves us for the salvation about to be revealed in the end times (1 Peter 1:5). The psalmist is a son waiting for his Father with sure expectation and confidence, saying along with Christ, Father, if it is Your will, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but Yours, be done (Luke 22:42). He waits like a pupil who learns from his teacher, sitting at his feet and listening to the words of grace that issue from his mouth. The disciples did just the same: they followed Christ and learned from His words, answers, actions and reactions. He waits like a vessel in the hands of the Great Potter to be shaped and decorated (Jeremiah 18:4). He waits like a servant of God whose eyes are fixed on his Master's hand As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us (Psalm 123:2). The eyes are fixed on Him, knowing that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask of think, according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20).

Confidence is made sure by God: He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved(verse 2). David took heart and waited for the Lord. He was reassured because he trusted in God's love for him and in His perfect timing to bless. He waited for the Lord because of His abundant wisdom, which could see what David could not. He waited for the Lord because He is powerful and able to fulfil his promises. This confidence is made clear through three attributes David ascribes to God:

The continuity and abundance of troubles:He wonders: How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, like a leaning wall and a tottering fence (verse 3). They attacked him violently, but cowardly, because they were many and he was just one! They thought he was weak and wobbly like a tumbling wall- just one push and he would fall! They had already attacked and failed, but they rallied themselves again and did not give up. In a similar way the devil attacked Christ and failed: Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time (Luke 4:13). So let us always be prepared for the attack of the evil one against us and not wait for him to surprise us.

An evil, hypocritical plot to remove him from his high morals: They only consult to cast him down from his high position; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly(verse 4). Great are the temptations that come after gaining victory over sin and getting saved. We must never trust the defeated enemy, but let us always put on God's perfect armour, let us shield ourselves with it, because the devil will always surprise us with a new assault and in great numbers (Ephesians 6:13). They consult against a single man to cast him down from his high position. Yet, one man together with the Lord is mighty, and established in truth and righteousness. They delight in lies to make the believer doubt the efficacy of his faith, to talk him into believing in the impossibility of his victory. The devil is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). On the contrary, let us hear this divine wisdom: My son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from the path (Proverbs 1:15).

The psalmist who trusts the Lord teaches his soul (verses 5-7):

The psalmist who trusts God teaches his followers (verse 8):

The psalmist who trusts God teaches his enemies (verses 9-12):

1 - David rests relaxed in God for three reasons. Mention them.

2 - David taught his followers two lessons. Mention them.

Seven reasons why the psalmist longs for the Lord:

The way longing for God is expressed:

The reason for satisfaction: My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness(verse 5a). He acknowledged that God satisfied his heart. David did not mean literal marrow and fatness, for he said, as with marrow and fatness. He meant that God satisfied him with the heavenlies and the spiritual, and that the Lord has.

The expression "marrow and fatness" has two meanings:

The result of satisfaction: And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I repara You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice(verses 5b-7). When the psalmist's soul was filled to capacity with divine things his lips overflowed with praise. 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 (Hebrews 13:15). He praises when I repara You. Every time the psalmist feels sleepless he meditates on the mercies of the Lord and recalls them with thankfulness. And as he ponders and praises day and night his soul becomes more and more reassured. Both his conscious and unconscious mind do not cease to meditate on God's providence in the past, which makes him repara the Lord with joy. He, then, begins to thank the Lord because He was his help, and to rejoice in the shadow of His wings. At this moment the psalmist must have been thinking of a great eagle with strong, big wings spread over its little ones for protection. Moses described such an eagle as follows: Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions. The LORD alone led him; no foreign god was with him (Deuteronomy 32:11,12 NIV). Or perhaps he was thinking of the wings of a tender-hearted hen As a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing (Matthew 23:37 NIV).

The subject of the covenant: My soul follows close behind You(verse 8a). The psalmist fulfilled the commandment: You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast (Deuteronomy 10:20). His relationship with the Lord was deep and constant, just as that of a man who leaves his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). The psalmist clung to the Lord, just as Ruth did Naomi when she said, Wherever you lodge, I will lodge (Ruth 1:16) and as the branch clings to the vine to receive the sap and yield fruit. David's soul clung to the Lord without any hindrance that could prevent the blessing from coming to him. The Lord was his chief and leader, and he became submissive and obedient. Just the body cannot be separated from the head David was joined to the Lord and abided in Him. So the Lord abided in David and was joined to him. The love of Christ will never be separated from you as long as you say, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8:35).

The result of the covenant (verses 8b-11):The psalmist mentioned two results of his commitment to his covenant with the Lord:

The psalmist mentions seven reasons for thirsting to God. Write them.

What is the meaning of "marrow and fatness"?

He complains of the enemy's plots (verses 1,2):

He complains of the words of the enemy (verse 3):

They wielded the weapon of words against the psalmist to shake his trust in the power of prayer:

He complains about the traps of the enemy (verses 4,5):

He complains about the schemes of the enemy (verse 6):

The psalmist got weary and sought rescue. Satan taught the enemies how to devise their schemes, but the psalmist asks the Holy Spirit to teach new gifts to be able to face his enemies and conquer them.

God's justice punishes the wicked: But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly they shall be wounded(verse 7). The wicked shoot their arrow in secret (verse 40. But the arrow of the Lord is clear, quick and hits suddenly. The arrow that is aimed at the believer must rebound on his enemies. God's arrows, however, are quicker and more powerful. The only thing we can say about them is, You will make them turn their back; You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces (Psalm 21:12). Vengeance is mine, and recompense (Deuteronomy 32:35,36; Romans 12:19).

As Rabshakeh came at the head of the great army of Assyria to attack the children of Israel, he mocked King Hezekiah and wrote him this letter: Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.' Hezekiah took the letters of Rabshake to the temple and prayed, O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp, and the rest of the army returned to where they came from. (Isaiah 37 NIV).

The wicked hurt themselves: He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn(verse 8 NIV). The sharpened, judging sword of words must return back against those who used it for harm. It judges itself and turns back on its owners. Those around them, however, will shake their heads in scorn and wonder at what befell the enemies of the psalmist who seemed to have the upper hand. The wicked were active and strong, but they vanished suddenly!

God's justice teaches mankind: All men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider His doing(verse 9). Men realise that God's power does what is best for those who believe in Him. They consider His divine work as they see God's hand working to deliver the believer and destroy the wicked. Wickedness may seem prosperous for a season, but sure enough it will fall down on the heads of those who practice it. Believers may live as a minority under the big, outward pressures but the good God works among them, through them and for them with all power and authority. God said through Hosea, Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them (Hosea 14:9).

God's justice makes the righteous glad: The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory(verse 10). The psalmist began the psalm with complaint and fear and ended it with the joy of justification which God grants the believer making him righteous. He is glad because he experienced the divine goodness and justice and was delivered by God.

This is the experience of the Church collectively and individually. Every believer lives the story of this psalm at all times. Let us, therefore, live joyfully in the Lord who made us righteous. Let us trust Him more, so that the wicked may be ashamed and all believers take heart and rejoice.

Why is the psalmist afraid?

What is the cure of his fears?

Believers praise Him who hears prayer: Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; and to You the vow shall be performed. O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come(verses 1,2). Believers praise the Lord and perform their vows to Him because He gave them what they wanted. They acknowledge their gratitude in public My praise shall be of You in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before those who fear Him (Psalm 22:25). (See comment on vows in Psalm 50:14.)

John Calvin said that God ceases to hear prayer only when He ceases to be God! He hears prayer because He is able to take notice of the requests of those who pray to Him and accomplish all that is for their best. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:14,15 NIV). Accordingly we ought to pray always and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). Let us ask in order to receive and seek in order to find and knock in order for the door to be opened to us (Matthew 7:7). He both hears and gives to all men. People are divided into two groups: children receiving from their heavenly Father, and beggars beseeching their gracious master. But the gracious master wants to promote our status from beggars to sons. He graciously adopts all those who accept Christ as Saviour and put their trust in His redemption (John 1:12). They say to each other, Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1). They are no longer slaves, but sons and heirs (Romans 8:17). And it is because of sonship that we come to Him in times of need as well as in times of plenty. We express our love to Him, tell Him of our longings and pour out our souls before him, saying, My soul thirsts for God, for the living God (Psalm 42:2). Thus we draw closer to Him at all times, so that our souls might be satisfied with the fruit of his love and peace and enjoy His fellowship that refreshes the soul.

Believers praise Him who forgives them: Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions, You will provide atonement for them(verse 3). Iniquity is any crooked behaviour. He attributes these iniquities to himself and to his people when he says, You will provide atonement for them. Transgressions contradict and oppose the divine will. In using both the singular and the plural, one sees that a worshipper must confess his sin as an individual as well as the sins of the congregation. We stand before God both as individuals and as a group; each one of us confessing for himself and admitting the shortcomings of all believers. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Whom God set forth to be a propitiation (Romans 3:23-25). The Mosaic Law commanded both individual and collective confession. On the great day of atonement the high priest used to go into the Holy of Holies, first with blood for himself, and the Lord would accept his repentance, then with blood on behalf of all the people so that the Lord would forgive them all (Leviticus 16). Nehemiah did the same when he said, Both my father's house and I have sinned (Nehemiah 1:6). Daniel, too, prayed and confessed his own sin and that of his people (Daniel 9:20).

Iniquities and transgressions are the enemies that we cannot overcome on our own, for they "prevailed against us". No one, however righteous, can provide atonement for himself. Let us all turn to the Lord and implore Him, saying, Forgive us our sins and atone for our transgressions. After confessing our sins and repenting, God provides atonement for us and our sins no longer stand against us in His presence. It is noteworthy that forgiveness and atonement go together. Thus the New Testament teaches us that the redeeming sacrifices of the Old Testament were symbols for Christ's perfect sacrifice, Who is the lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)? It is He Who washed us clean from our sins by His great sacrifice and made us kings and priests for God His father (Revelation 1:5,6). Through His atonement Christ pays our debts: But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5 NIV). Through His cross He fulfilled the demands of divine justice as well as demonstrating God's mercy in the clearest way. Through His atonement Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other (Psalm 85:10).

Believers praise Him whom they worship: Blessed is the man whom You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts(verse 4a). The Lord chose the tribe of Levi and the descendants of Aaron to serve His house, but also designed all the children of Israel to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). In doing so He made them His guests and filled them with His grace, as well as considering them His own household. He gave them the responsibility of delivering the message of His love and goodness to their neighbours. Yet they were reluctant to do that and kept it all to themselves. Consequently, God gave this privilege to everyone who would accept Christ as Saviour and Redeemer. Blessed is the man whom God chooses to dwell in His courts because He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). Such a person is secure. His alienation from God has ended and he can now settle down and rest. Such a person can be described by this statement: And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for habitation. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful things to the children of men! (Psalm 107:7,8). He who dwells in the courts of the Lord worships Him in the adornment of holiness (Psalm 93:5). He hears His word that cleanses the heart (John 15:3), enjoys an intimate relationship with God and receives the fulfilment of Christ's statement: He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves me will be loved by My father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him... If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him (John 14:21,23).

The greatest blessing, however, is that We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple (verse 4b). In the Lord's holy temple the soul becomes satisfied: The desire of our soul is for You (Isaiah 26:8). They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house (Psalm 36:8). It is not by bread alone that man lives, but by having his spirit satisfied with the word of the Lord. Jesus said, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).

Believers praise the One who is in full authority: By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation(verse 5a). We fear and reverence God. His loving care strikes us with awe as we see Him answering us with remarkable concern. Examples of this care were manifested in the miracles that happened with the children of Israel. Here are a few: the Exodus, the pillar of fire, the pillar of smoke, the division of the Red Sea, the water that gushed forth from the rock, the skies that rained manna every morning and the clothes and the sandals that never wore out in the span of forty years. Seeing the punishment God inflicted upon them and the blessings God bestowed on the Israelites, the Egyptians were struck with awe. These are the "awesome deeds in righteousness". God strikes the enemy with awe and dread because He is righteous and just, and saves His own because He is merciful.

Today we can experience both God's justice (righteousness) and mercy, for He pays everyone according to his own works. He forgives the wrongs of those who confess their sins and take shelter in Christ's atonement. So let us walk in obedience to God, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God Who works in us to will and to act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:12,13 NIV).

Believers praise the God of the whole universe: You Who are the confidence of the ends of the earth, and of the far-off seas(verse 5b). Even if they did not know or worship Him, they still rely on the light of His sun and the generosity of His rain. Here the psalmist goes beyond the local thought of the Israelites to speak of God, the God of the entire universe. He sees Him as the God of all beings, the confidence of all mankind and the One Who hears the cry of all people. All the ends of the earth shall repara and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You (Psalm 22:27,28). The Lord does good to all people with genuine love, and he does not reproach. These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season... You open Your hands, they filled with good (Psalm 104:27,28). Paul said to the idolatrous people of Athens, Therefore, the One Whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: God, Who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth... He gives to all life, breath, and all things (Acts 17:22-25).

Nature praises God who establishes it: Who established the mountains by His strength, being clothes with power(verse 6). He is a Creator Who does not forget about His creation. He created it and cares for it; planets go around in their orbits, stars revolve in exactly the same location and mountains remain unmoved in their places. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides (Psalm 119:90). Therefore they were called "the perpetual hills" (Habakkuk 3:6). Christ said, My Father has been working until now, and I have been working (John 5:17). Truly, God's work in the creation of the world ended, but He still rules the universe. Let us, therefore, cry out, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power (Revelation 4:11).

Nature praises Him who stills its noise: You Who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people(verse 7). The Lord said, I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it (Jeremiah 5:22 NIV). It is the Lord Who rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up; so He led them through the depth, and through the wilderness. He saved them from the hand of them who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy (Psalm 106:9,10). It is the Lord also Who silences the storm. Storms rage and the waves rise up, so the Lord silences the storm to make the waves calm down. Christ did just the same, for He had authority over nature (Matthew 8:26,27). Describing God's authority over the nations that rose against His people like raging seas, Isaiah said, Woe to the multitude of many people who make a noise like the roar of the seas, and to the rushing of nations that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. Then behold, at eventide, trouble! And before the morning, he is no more. This is the portion of those who plunder us, and the lot of those who rob us (Isaiah 17:12-14).

When the waves of the sea roar, trouble comes and the nations get confused. Sometimes nations rise against God's people and we wonder, Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1). God stills the roaring and the tumult in such a way that nature praises the Lord Who stills its noise, and the believers join in!

Nature praises the Lord who uses it to teach mankind: They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs; You make the outgoing of the morning and evening rejoice(verse 8). When men ponder God's work in nature, they see that The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world (Psalm 19:1-4 NIV). God makes His sun rise, making the dawn rejoice in the beginning of a new day. As the sun goes down, then comes the dusk of the evening, making the people rejoice because God has crowned the work of the day with success. He gave His labouring servants rest after a long day's work.

In the same way God crowns the beginning of a repentant sinner's life as a believer with forgiveness, making the dawn of his life rejoice. At the end of his life, too, God gives him the crown of life, so that he ends his days rejoicing: The righteous shall shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:43).

The harvesters praise Him who waters the land: 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 have You prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth(verses 9,10). God sends early rain at the beginning of winter to prepare the ground for the seeds, as well as the latter rain at the end of winter to prepare the crop for harvest. Harvesters cannot reap an abundant crop unless God sends rain at the right time and in suitable quantities. The Lord has storehouses of water (Deuteronomy 11:11; Job 38:25-28). This is how He provided their grain: He prepared the ground for the seeds through early showers of rain, watered its ridges and prepared its furrows. He also settled its soil to make it easy for the roots to go down. The farmer does his job of tilling the land and sowing the seeds, but the seeds will not germinate unless God does His job, for neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, Who makes things grow (1 Corinthians 3:7). As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yield seed for the sower and bread for the eater (Isaiah 55:10 NIV). Moreover, the harvesters cannot reap any harvest unless the ground embraces the seeds, producing first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head (Mark 4:28).

Believers also rejoice in the living water with which Christ revives the souls of those who love Him. Christ says to them, Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14). Christ satisfies the souls of those who love Him according to His promise: I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and He who believes in Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).

The harvesters praise Him who gives growth to the plants: You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side(verses 11,12). The fields yielded their fruits and the people reaped a good harvest. God has crowned the year with His goodness, for the crown of the year is the reaping of the harvest. God's gifts manifested themselves so evidently in the trails of carts laden with plenteous crops and in what overflowed from every side of the carts. The carts were loaded to capacity with such a blessing that they just dripped with abundance. This figure of speech means that God gave a greater blessing than they asked or thought. He showered them with more than just their needs, because He gives liberally and richly. Grass increased in the pastures and there was enough feed for the flocks, therefore the little hills rejoiced on every side. This figure means that the hills tied their waist with a belt to dance for joy. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12 NIV).

Harvesters praise the shepherd of sheep and men: The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing(verse 13). The number of sheep increased so that the pastures were covered with them. They looked like they were clothed with sheep! The land received its share of water and yielded grass and grain, which germinated and covered the valleys like a garment. He makes peace in your borders, and fills you with the finest wheat (Psalm 147:14). With the swaying of plentiful vegetation in the mild winds, it seemed that the valleys were swaying too, suggesting to whoever saw them that they were dancing. Crops covered every part of the valley, so the valleys shouted aloud and sang a song of thanksgiving and praise to God for the blessing given them by His loving care.

So let us praise God our Shepherd Who looks for the one lost sheep until He finds it, and when He finds it He carries it on His shoulders and celebrates its deliverance and safe homecoming. Let us praise God our Shepherd, with Whom we lack nothing (Psalm 23:1). Let us praise Him Who sets the poor on high, far from affliction (Psalm 107:41). Let us sing this psalm because God always hears and forgives. He gives us another chance to repent and worship Him, answers us and allows us to enjoy nature as He establishes it and subdues it, in order to teach us that it is under His command. He always waters and satisfies us in a much greater measure than we need and gives us what we cannot get if we depend on our own efforts. He is worthy of our praise. All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might (Psalm 145:10,11 NIV).

How does nature praise God?

How do harvesters praise God?

A call to thanksgiving (verses 1,2):

The motive for the declaration of thanksgiving (verses 3,4):His works that gladden His servants terrify His enemies, thus all his works praise Him (Psalm 103:22).

A Meditation on God's works (verses 5-7):

He saved him from stumbling: Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved(verse 9). Their enemies wanted them to die, but God bound their lives securely in the bundle of the living (1 Samuel 25:29 NIV). Their enemies wanted their feet to stumble into the pit of slavery and torment, but He rescued them because He rules supreme forever! Having given us new birth and saved us from bondage to Satan, He now shields us by His power so that we can continue in the life of liberty (1 Peter 1:3,5 NIV). Believers are called and kept by Jesus Christ (Jude 1). The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand (Psalm 37:23,24).

He saved him from testing: For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver(verse 10 NIV). The Lord allowed the enemy to trouble His people so that they would draw closer to Him. The fires of pain were to refine and purge them so that they should become as pure as silver. All their dross would then be burnt away as the Bible says, I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities (Isaiah 1:25 NIV). Oh that the enemy would know that his persecution of believers does not burn but that it purges them! Oh that he would know that the blood of the saints is the seed of the Church! Oh that the enemy would know that the flames do not burn the bush but makes it turn greener! May all believers know that the aim of every testing and trouble is to purify them, so that we would be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:7).

He saved him from pressures: You brought us into the net; You laid afflictions [Heb: mu'akah meaning pressure] on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water(verses 11,12a). God allowed the enemies to hunt His people and gather them like fish in a net, or like a prisoner in a dungeon. They laid heavy burdens on them, both financially and emotionally, so that their wealth was plundered and they had to pay tribute. They were defeated in wars; they went through fire and through water and cried out along with Jeremiah, From above He has sent fire into my bones, and it overpowered them; He has spread a net for my feet and turned me back (Lamentations 1:13). But the Lord has promised that When you pass through waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you (Isaiah 43:2). God allowed His people to be caught in the hunter's net, the adversary's fire and the drowning waters, yet He is with them throughout all these. He brings them out purer and more refined.

A promise to pay his vows: I will go into Your house with burned offerings; I will pay You my vows, which my lips have uttered and my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble. I will offer You burns sacrifices of fat animals, with the sweet aroma of rams; I will offer bulls with goats(verses 13-15). The psalmist felt indebted to God's grace and mercy and did not want to appear before the Lord empty-hand (Deuteronomy 16:16). He decided to offer to God the best things he had in payment of his vows. (See comment on vows in Psalm 50:14.)

The psalmist decided to offer to God sacrifices of thanksgiving as he had previously promised. Here he describes the burnt offering of rams as incense from a sweet-smelling offering. This was in accordance with the Mosaic Law: Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire (Exodus 29:18 NIV). This was not a destructive act, but rather an expression of love for the Lord, much the same way as the repentant woman expressed her love by pouring the precious nard on Christ's head. Her love was commended (Mark 14:3-9). All who act in the same spirit store up for themselves treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:20).

The New Testament teaches us to love God by offering ourselves and our families to Him: But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15 NIV), as well as all of our possessions. Then we will shout aloud, I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me (Song of Solomon 7:10 NIV). Today we offer God our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is our spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1 NIV). The Lord is Master over all our lives because He created us and, when we went astray, redeemed us.

A promise to testify to God's kindness (verses 16-20):

The psalmist acknowledges a threefold kindness and calls on believers to listen to him as he testifies to God's favour toward him:

How did the psalmist proclaim his praise?

What were the promises of the psalmist to God?

God's mercy: God be merciful to us(verse 1a). The psalmist requests God to be merciful to him and his brethren, because he recognises that he is unworthy. Mercy stops our deserved punishment, and grace gives us undeserved blessing. The thing that man needs from God's mercy is the forgiveness of his sins. Man cannot be eligible for God's mercy unless he prays, God, be merciful to me a sinner! (Luke 18:13). God made His people the recipients of His mercy when He said, Say to your brethren, 'My people,' And to your sisters, 'Mercy is shown.' (Hosea 2:1). They did not deserve to be shown mercy, but God showed them mercy anyway and made them a people of mercy.

God's blessing: And bless us(verse 1b). He sought blessing for himself and for believers; the blessing of triumphing over the enemy of people's souls. King Jehoshaphat was afraid when the Moabites and the Ammonites went out to war against him. He fasted and prayed. So the Lord sent him Jahaziel the prophet to encourage him. The children of Israel went out shouting and singing, Praise the LORD, for His mercy endures forever. God gave victory to His ancient people over their enemies, so the hungry were filled, the penniless became rich, and the fearful waxed bold. The name of the place was called the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the LORD (2 Chronicles 20).

Believers today take up the cup of blessing whenever they sit around the Lord's table. When they are filled with Christ they say, The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16). They are blessed by the Lord, through their fellowship with each other, and through the divine presence amongst them.

God's favour: And cause His face to shine upon us(verse 1c). The psalmist asks for God's favour to shine upon him and upon other believers. When God smiles at them, they know he is pleased with them, and then the promise is fulfilled: The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord shines on us with the light of Christ who said, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life... As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5).

The Lord makes His face shine upon us as He guides us. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). God shone upon the desolate and formless earth with His light and covered it with life and beauty. And He does the same with the sinner when he repents.

They declare the Lord's way to the world: That Your way may be known on earth(verse 2a). Rain falls first on the hills, and then forms into streams that run down to the valleys. Just so, God's blessings do not reach mankind except through the blessed life of believers, whose light shines before men so that all should see their good works and glorify their Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). His way may be known on earth as they see Him bear them on eagles' wings (Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:11). He looks after them like a mother looks after her nursing child, and carries them from the womb even to grey hairs. He will carry, and He will bear and will deliver also (Isaiah 49:15; 46:3-5).

They declare the Lord's salvation to the world: That... Your salvation [may be known] among all nations(verse 2b). This is a prophetic utterance about God's salvation reaching all parts of the world, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). Watching believers' lives being transformed, the nations will understand the meaning of God's salvation and realise the meaning of the new birth. God's salvation is manifest in redemption, divine providence and victory. God says about the salvation of His people, And I will cause the captives of... Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honour before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it (Jeremiah 33:7-9).

They inspire the world to praise the Lord: Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You(verse 3). The same words are repeated in verse 5. The world praises God as it witnesses His mercy and blessing, which shine on His people. It offers Him thanksgiving as it enjoys His salvation. Therefore, the psalmist calls to the people in Psalm 117 to Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD! Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and will have mercy on His afflicted (Isaiah 49:13).

They gladden the world through God's justice: Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously(verse 4a). God listens to the poor man who cries out because of injustice, and He avenges him. Then those who are tormented in the earth will rejoice in divine justice. The Lord sits upon His throne to rule in righteousness and justice, and judge the people. A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgement and righteousness in the earth... Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUS (Jeremiah 23:5-6). It was Isaiah who foretold that There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth... Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist (Isaiah 11:1-5).

They gladden the world through God's government: And govern the nations on earth(verse 4b). The Hebrew for "govern" is nacha, which actually means, "to guide". People are ignorant, unjust, unbelieving, dead in sins, and separated from the Lord by nature. When a sinner is guided by God's mercy, blessing and favour, he becomes a living, tangible example of what the saving grace can do. Such an example gives a soul that is far away from God a hope in salvation and guidance, because it demonstrates that there is nothing impossible with God in terms of His mercy, and that the door of mercy is ever open. Whoever comes to the Lord, the Lord will by no means cast out, just as Paul said, I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief... And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life (1 Timothy 1:13-16).

They gladden the world with God's gifts: Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us(verse 6). When sin entered the world, the earth was cursed, but all creation will be delivered from the bondage of corruption (Romans 8: 21). Further, God says, If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely (Leviticus 26:3-5). Yes, the LORD will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway (Psalm 85:12,13).

They bless the world though the fear of the Lord: God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him(verse 7). There is a general blessing and a special blessing. The general blessing involves all the people, but the special blessing is a personal relationship with the Lord. Some people get to know the Lord in a personal, saving way as a result of the good life that believers lead. The rest still recognise that a life of righteousness is worthy of respect, even if they themselves do not aspire to it!

What are the blessings the believers receive from God?

How do the believers bless the world?

Introduction (verses 1-6):

God gave victory to His people throughout the ages (verses 7-18):

The psalmist supplies three examples of God's help to His people from the history of the children of Israel:

The Lord will grant victory to His people over their enemies (verses 19-23):

The people will thank the Lord for victory (verses 24-27):

These verses depict a procession of thanksgiving heading toward the temple of God to thank Him for the old, new and future victories. God had rescued them from harsh and mighty enemies, like Pharaoh and Og, who were bent on exterminating them. But He delivered them, and they described it in verses 21-23. He must also deliver them in the future, because the ways of the Lord are the ways of triumph and holiness. They are the ways of the Almighty, who has authority over heaven and earth.

As the people celebrate through thanksgiving, the singers came up, followed by the dancers and the players of instruments, as Miriam did when they celebrated the Exodus. They blessed the Lord, whom the psalmist called the fountain of Israel (verse 26). This means that in Him they live and move and have their being, because He is their Creator and Protector (Acts 17:28).

Among those who thanked God by shouting was little Benjamin. From Benjamin came Saul, the first King, and from Judah, the ruler. Also David, Solomon, and the coming Messiah sprang up from him. The land of the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah lay in the south. Among those who thanked God by shouting were also Zebulun and Naphtali, whose lands lay in the north. Being the experts in war, Deborah eulogised them in her famous poem (Judges 5:18). Here we notice how the psalmist sees his present life in the light of his past one. He was sure of his future, therefore he encouraged the hearts by saying, Bless God in the congregations (verse 26).

The people will pray for a manifestation of God's power to the nations (verses 28-31):

In verses 28 and 29 the psalmist requires the Lord to confirm what He had done for His people. He who delivers us will also grant us a better life. When He begins a good work He always completes it. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Romans 5:10). When we receive the gift that God gives us, He showers us with greater graces grace for grace (John 1:16).

The psalmist stresses that God has commanded strength and power for His people. He requests divine support for the continuity of the victory of God's people, so that all the opponents are subjugated to them and the defeated kings should come and offer gifts to the Lord in His temple as token of surrender. Isaiah prophesied, In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts from a people tall and smooth of skin, and from a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation powerful and treading down, whose land the rivers divide; to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, to Mount Zion (Isaiah 18:7).

The psalmist asks the Lord to Rebuke the beasts of the reeds (verse 30). These are crocodiles or hippopotamuses. It is a metaphor for Egypt in which reeds and papyrus abounded. The psalmist also asks the Lord to rebuke the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, which are the minor kings together with their people, who struggle and fight for the silver and the booty. The bull symbolises arrogance and defiance, whereas the calves symbolise subordination and submissiveness. Nations usually follow their arrogant kings who lead them into wars with hope for the plunder.

Verse 31 proclaims that the nobility of Egypt will come, together with the Ethiopians, in submission to God. Egypt symbolises the enemies of the people, and Ethiopia symbolises the far lands. Both the enemies and those who are far away will submit to God.

All this came true on the day of Pentecost when representatives from those countries came to Christ. It will also be fulfilled in a clearer way when every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10,11).

The psalmist calls on all the peoples to praise the Lord (verses 32-35):

The psalmist calls upon them to join the children of Israel in singing to the Lord. He says, Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; Oh, sing praises to the Lord (verse 32). He is the eternal God, the Creator of all things, the proprietor of authority in heaven and on earth. He made everything and He holds them under control. He carries everything by the word of power. He is the final authority everywhere.

This good God deserves all praise, for He is the powerful God, the owner of eternal authority, who created and established heaven and earth. He rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old (verse 33). He is also the God of the covenant, The God of Israel (verse 35) who strengthened and empowered His people. Blessed be God who can do all things. Great and marvellous are Your works... O King of the saints... For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgements have been manifested (Revelation 15:3,4).

Reading verses 4-6 why do the believers praise God?

The psalmist records three victories God gave His people. Mention them.

A complaint of troubles (verses 1-4)

The cause of trouble (verses 5-12):

A prayer in the midst of trouble (verses 13-21):

The psalmist expects the salvation (verses 29-31):

Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high(verse 29). This is a prayer, as well as a confident declaration that God will set him on high on an unapproachable tower or a fortress. He believes that God will surely save him and lift him up above his emotional crisis. Then the water that has flooded his soul (in verse 1) will go out from him, his foolishness and iniquities (of verse 5) will be forgiven, and his prayer (which he lifted up in verse 13) will be answered. Indeed, the just shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4). And then he will offer to God praise that is more desirable to Him than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves (verse 31). The horns indicate that an ox is one year old, and is good to be slaughtered. Having hooves means that it is a clean animal that is fit for food and for offering as sacrifice (Leviticus 11:3).

The psalmist rejoices in salvation (verses 32-34):

When salvation is complete, the psalmist rejoices, and all the humble rejoice together with him. They have empathised with him and offered their prayers for him, therefore their hearts were refreshed by joy since God answered him and them.

In this final part of the psalm, the psalmist goes beyond the dismal realm of complaining to the cheery realm of hope. So he declares God's benefaction and recognises that the hearts of those who seek the Lord must live, not die of sorrow (verse 32). God accepts the repentance of the penitent who were prisoners of his punishment because of their sins. Now that they are delivered, they became prisoners of God's mercy and love (verse 33).

Here all nature trembles, together with the heavens, earth, the seas, and all that moves in them. They sing together of the Lord's salvation Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel (Isaiah 44:23).

God's congregation rejoices in salvation (verses 35,36):

The Lord saves His people who cry out to Him, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against them (Matthew 16:18). The Lord will add to the church daily those who are being saved (Acts 2:47). The meek shall inherit the earth (Psalm 37:11; Matthew 5:5), and shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward (Isaiah 37:31). The descendants of the righteous will prosper (Psalm 37:25). They shall build the old waste places, raise up the foundations of many generations; and shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In (Isaiah 58:12).

According to verse 5 what was the main reason for the psalmist's troubles?

What are the hopes of the troubled believer?

The psalmist's knowledge and belief in God's care for him, and that he is precious in the sight of his God: Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste to help me, O LORD!... Make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay(verses 1,5).

2- The intensity of the psalmist's need: Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek my life; let them be turned back and confused Who desire my hurt. Let them be turned back because of their shame, who say, 'Aha, aha!'(verses 2,3). The intensity of the need comes from the intensity of the attack. The psalmist mentions three sorts of enemies attacking him: those who pursued him, those who contented themselves with wishing him ill, and those who flouted him.

The description of believers:

These two traits, those who seek Him, and those who love His salvation reveal the quality of the life of faith. It is a life of seeking the Lord through prayer and waiting. It is a life of salvation from all that may disturb us or spoil our peace. Sin is the primary cause of disturbance, and it is through His precious atonement that God rids us of it. Anxiety also disturbs, but God's antidote against it is peace and rest. Enemies may disturb us, too, but the Lord delivers us from them and gives us reassurance.

The psalmist's request for believers:

The Lord is a helper and deliverer:

The psalmist needs the Lord desperately for two reasons:

What did the psalmist ask for himself?

What did he ask for the believers?