Psalm 144 is a psalm of praise and prayer. David starts by praising the Lord, his Rock... He is my loving God and fortress... what is man that you care for him?... for man is but a fleeting shadow... reach down your hand from on high... rescue me from the mighty waters... I will sing a new song to you, O God... Deliver me from the hands of foreigners... and our sons and daughters will flourish... and our barns will be filled... and our sheep will multiply profusely... Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord!
Wednesday, 1 April 2026
Psalm 143 (résumé): O Lord, hear my prayer!
David, in this psalm, is suffering intense persecution ("the enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground") and strong depression ("my spirit faints with longing... I will be like those who go down to the pit"). David therefore cries for help from God ("listen to my cry for mercy") and pleas for mercy. David recalls all that God has done in the past and his soul thirsts for God. So he asks God to teach him to do his will and he trusts God to destroy his foes.
Psalm 142 (résumé): I cry aloud to the Lord!
Psalm 142 was written by David in the context of being hidden in a cave from Saul expressing his loneliness ("no-one cares for my life"), desperation ("I am in desperate need") and danger ("men have hidden a snare for me"). He cries to God "set me free from my prison that I may praise your name."
Psalm 141 (résumé): O Lord, I call to you!
This psalm of David is a sincere prayer asking God to help him control his tongue ("set a guard over my mouth, O Lord") and to help him to resist temptation ("Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil"). David then expresses that being corrected by a righteous man is a kindness (let him rebuke me - it is oil on my head") and he concludes saying that he takes refuge in the Lord asking God to keep him free from the traps of evildoers.
Psalm 140 (résumé): Rescue me, O Lord!
In Psalm 140 David asks God for protection and to be rescued from evil men who plan to trip him and set traps for him. David goes on to pray for God to "not let their plans succeed". David recalls that "the Lord secures justice for the poor" saying that "surely the righteous will praise you name and the upright will live before you".
Psalm 139 (résumé): O Lord, you have searched me
Psalm 139 is a Davidic meditation on the omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence of God. First of all David considers how God knows what we are going to say before we say it. ("Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely") Then he focuses on God's all invasive presence and that no matter where we go God is already there. Then David points to God's amazing work in creating man who is "fearfully and wonderfully made", and he says that "all the days ordained for me" were pre-written in God's book. David closes the psalm praying for sanctification and holiness saying "search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know me".
Faith that perseveres
Last night I gave the study at the Men's Fellowship on 'Faith that Perseveres' from Matthew 15:21-28. It was a good blessed meeting led by Chief of Police Esau.
In the month of March this blog was read 16,989 times. Thank you and greetings to one and all! If you make comments, which are welcome, then please put your name otherwise I have no way of knowing who spoke.
Last night it rained 10 mm at Green Pastures bringing this years total to 485.6 mm. We have a long way to go to reach the average rainfall of 702 mm.
Today is my sister Joy's birthday there at High Wycombe. Happy Birthday Joy! I clearly remember when she was born.
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