PSALM 57 Glory of God

In Psalm 57 verse 5  ESV  ,King David prays;-
Let your glory be over all the earth.

In Psalm 72 verse 19 ESV The psalmist again prays ;-
Blessed be his glorious name forever
may the whole world be filled with his glory,
                                                 AMEN AMEN

The whole world will be a holy site of worship
where God makes his presence known.
This prayer is that the whole earth be such a sanctuary.
We live in the age when this is coming about.

HABAKKUK 6:9 ESV
For the earth will be filled
with the glory of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

ISAIAH 6:9  ESV
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts
the whole earth is full of his glory

The song of the seraphim who appeared in Isaiah's  vision.
The glory of God's manifest presence with his covenant people.

PSALM 57 Trinity

Psalm 57:3 New RSV
He will send from heaven and save me
he will put to shame those who trample on me
God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.

This double "sending forth" of saving power and love is remarkable
because the same verb is used twice in Galatians 4:4-6

When in the fullness of time had come,
God sent forth His Son
.......And because you are sons,
God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son.

The words of Psalm 57 seem to suggest that the "Wings of God",
under which believers take refuge are the Son and the Holy Spirit
who were "sent forth" in steadfast love to save us.

The psalmist lived at a time when these wonderful things
were only hinted at.
Believers living in our age experience the active presence
of the three persons of the Trinity in our own lives.

PSALM 57 Images of God

Psalm 57:2 The Message
             I call out to High God
             the God who holds me together.

GNB    I call to God, the Most High
             to God who supplies my every need.

KNOX   I will cry out to the most high God
               the God who has ever befriended me.

RSV      I cry to God Most High
&ESV   to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

SAAS      I will cry out to God most High
                My God who is my benefactor.

NCV        I call out to God Most High
                 to God who takes care of me.

alt             Who perfects his work in me.

REB        I shall call to God Most High
& TLV    to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.

The Cathedral Psalter  New Edition  1880
The American Anglican Church
                 I will call unto the most high God
                 even unto the God that shall perform
                 the cause which I have in hand.

The various translations of the second verse of Psalm 57
spell out incomplete but thoughtful and helpful insights
into the nature of our God as experienced by the psalmist
and the people of God down the centuries .

PSALM 57 Disposition for Prayer

Psalm 57:1 Jerusalem
Take pity on me, God, take pity on me,
in you my soul takes shelter;
I take shelter in the shadow of your wings.....

The prayer of the suffering church is the prayer of Christ
since He is head of the body of Christ.
Psalm 57 then is at once the prayer of God's suffering people.
Here the prayer of David is the prayer of Christ.

For those who  are willing and inclined to pray, our tendency to pray
finds direction and encouragement in Psalm 57.
We are offered in verse 1 a disposition for prayer
and in verse 2, true images of God.

Psalm 57:1 English Standard Version
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me
for in you my soul takes refuge:
In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge
till the storms of destruction pass by.

PSALM 56, Walking With The King

I place my trust in you.
In God , whose word I praise.
In God, whose word I praise--
in the LORD, whose word I praise--
in God I place my trust.

 Psalm 56 verses 5 and 11 (NCV) is talking about
God's "word" by which He committed Himself to His faithful.

Psalm 105:8-10 (NCV)
He is mindful of his covenant forever
the covenant he made with Abraham
and the oath he swore to Isaac.
He established it as a decree for Jacob
and as an everlasting covenant for Israel.

Psalm 56:14 NCV  ( v13)
For you have delivered my life from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk in the  presence of God 
in the light of the living.

The psalmist enjoys ongoing fellowship with God.

Psalm 36:10 NCV
For with you is the fountain of life
and by your light we see light

1John 1:5,6 NRSV
God is light and in him there is no darkness at all
If we say we have fellowship with him while we are
walking in darkness, we lie.......
but if we walk in the light, we have fellowship....

All who are walking in the presence of God
are walking in the light.
1 John 1:7 NRSV
but if we walk in the light, as he himself is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another
and the blood of Jesus his son clenses us from all sin.

Walking is not standing still and not running.
Walking is moving on, moving on with the Lord,
in His company, by His side
with the Lord , whose word we praise
by which He committed Himself to His faithful.
We are walking with the King.

Psalm 16:11 New Catholic Version
You will show me the path to life;
  you will fill me with joy in your presence
  and everlasting delights at your right hand.

PSALM 55 The Fear of God.

In Psalm 55 verse 19 we learn that the wicked refuse to change their ways.
They have no fear of God.
But God who has ruled them forever,
will hear them and humble them.

Similarly , a long and continued period of ease and pleasure
i.e. uninterrupted prosperity
can allow the worst influences to affect people
who do not have the grace or the benefit of an ongoing
personal relationship with the living God.

When trials drive us to seek God's aid.....
Psalm 55:17 NIV..........I cry out in distress
                                       and He hears my voice.
.....we are overwhelmed with awe
in the presence of the everlasting God.
Psalm 55:18 KJV.
He hath delivered my soul in peace
from the battle that was against me.

Then the psalmist and the believer can say with conviction...
Psalm 55:22 KJV   Cast thy burden on the LORD,
and He shall sustain thee.

PSALM 55 The Way of the Wicked

Words used to describe the actions of the enemies of the psalmist in Psalm 55
taken from the Jewish Publication Society Tanakh Translation of Psalm 55
verse 4;- oppression, bringing evil, harassing
verse 18;- lawlessness and strife
verse 11;- evil and mischief
verse 12;- malice fraud and deceit
verse 14;- betrayal of friendship
verse 21 ;- harming allies and breaking pacts.
From the New Living Translation
verse 3;- making loud and wicked threats, bringing troubles
verse 9;- violence and conflict
verse 10;- wickedness in the city
verse 11;- threats and cheating
verse 19;- refusing to change their way,
                not fearing God
verse 20;- betraying friends and breaking promises.
None of these actions draw people towards God.
None of these activities would be motivated by love or truth
None of these activities would be inspired by the Holy Spirit
Psalm 55 is a guide to discernment and common sense for believers.

PSALM 55 The Way of Faith

David, Daniel and Hosea illustrate the real "Way of Faith",
an ongoing relationship with the Living God.
Psalm 55:17  KJV     Evening, and morning, and at noon, 
I will pray, and cry aloud:and he shall hear my voice.

At the risk of being cast into  the den of lions  (Daniel 6:10)..
he went into his house ;
and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem
he kneeled upon his knees three times a day,
and prayed and gave thanks before God.
Three fixed daily prayers are based on the biblical verse
"Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud
and He shall hear my voice"  ( Psalm 55:17 )
These prayers are connected to the visible changes that occur every day:
Shahrit at the beginning of the day, with the rising sun:
Minhah in the afternoon, when the sun turns toward setting;
Ma'ariv in the evening, once darkness falls.
These three prayers correspond to the order of sacrifices in the Temple.
Shaharit corresponds to the daily offering Tamid brought in the morning.
Minhah to the Tamid offering brought toward dusk.
Ma'ariv to the flesh offering burnt on the altar during the night hours.
HOSEA 14:2 NLT    Forgive all our sins and graciously
receive us, so that we may offer you the sacrifice of praise.

HOSEA 14:2 KJV    "Take away all our iniquity and receive us 
graciously. So we will render the calves of our lips"
( Our offering of prayer, a sacrifice equal to the offering of a calf)
Morning , noon and night, believers
offer the sacrifice of our praise with the offering of our prayer.
Openly we offer ourselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable.
That is our spiritual worship..( as in Romans 12:1.)

PSALM 54 A Living Sacrifice

Psalm 54:6 (verse 8 in the St Athanasius Septuagint (SAAS)
I will sacrifice to You voluntarily.

Psalm 54:6 NKJV
I will freely sacrifice to You  

verse 6 is a prophecy of the free sacrifice of the Lord Jesus
on the cross of Calvary  where He gave Himself for us.
The greatest offering we can make is ourselves.

Take my life and let it be,
Consecrated , Lord , to Thee.
                    Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-79

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
                    Isaac Watts 1674-1748
                    from " When I survey the wondrous cross"

Romans 12:1  ESV
I appeal to you therefore , brothers and sisters,
by the mercies of God
to present your bodies as a living sacrifice
holy and acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual worship.

PSALM 54 God is My Helper

Psalm 54:4-5 NKJV
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.

The LORD is with your Doctor , the driver of your train,
whoever you depend on...everyone who upholds your life.
Plotted evil will recoil like curses upon the perpetrators of
injustice and oppression .
The violence which evicts families from their homes......
The violence which denies the poor their medical care.....
will rebound like curses on the perpetrators.

Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
Fear not , for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you.
I will uphold you with My
righteous right hand.

PSALM 54 Oppressors are Godless

Psalm 54:3 NKJV
For strangers have risen up against me
And oppressors have sought after my life.
They have not set God before them.

These men "do not set God before them"
in terms of doing His will or fearing His judgements.
In practice they are atheists.

As the Ziphites betrayed David ( 1 Kings 23:15-21 );-
     Judas  and the Jewish leaders betrayed Christ.

The psalmist expresses his real fear along with a cry for help.
He prays in faith in the midst of his danger
as did our Lord Jesus but our Lord was able to pray;-
"not my will but thine"  

PSALM 54 Prayer of Faith

Psalm 54:2 The Latin text from the Vulgate
Deus exaudi orationem meam auribus percipe verba oris mei
O God , hear my prayer: give ear to the words of my mouth.

The English text from Challoner's revision of the Douay translation.
Psalm 54 is a prayer of faith.
7. For he has delivered me from every trouble
    and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
The psalmist in the midst of his troubles can say this
with expectant hope, because of his faith that God is his helper
and the upholder of his life. ( verse 4 )

PSALM 54 Authority in the Name

Psalm 54 : 1 & 6b  ESV
1  O God, save me by your name
    and vindicate me by your might.
6b  I will give thanks to your name,
      O LORD, for it is good.

Acts 3:6  " In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazereth ,
                   stand up and walk"
The power of Jesus was present and effective because Peter
had the authority from Jesus invested in him.
When a policeman says "Stop in the name of the law"
he has authority invested in him as a police man.
Each believer has the authority of a believer invested
in him or her

John 14:12-14 ESV
12 Truly, Truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me
will also do the works that I do; and greater than these
will he do, because I am going to the Father..
13 Whatever you ask in my name, this will I do, that
the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 I f you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

PSALM FIFTY-THREE verse 6

Foolish unbelief, corruption and vile injustice are administered to people
by governments and international organisations.
" The common good " is no longer a fashionable objective.
Psalm 53:6 NIV
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Who will give salvation to Israel out of Zion ?
Although everyone has turned away from God (verse 3)
and have become corrupt....
God has not turned away from his people.
He remains faithful !

Although the children of Israel have suffered
the consequences of unbelief and disobedience
God restores the fortunes of his people (verse 6)

PSALM FIFTY-THREE verse 5

Psalm 53:5 NIV 
There they were, overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread,
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
you put them to shame, for God despised them.

                          The Lord will judge His people.   
Hebrews 10:31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into
                          the hands of the living God.

PSALM FIFTY-THREE verse 4

Psalm 53:4 NIV
Will the evildoers never learn--
those who devour my people as men eat bread
and who do not call on God ?

The slippery slope is a downward  spiral.
Violence often begins as greed or envy.
Injustice breeds violence.
Dangerous places are not animated by the love of Christ
or by Christian goodness.
In places where people do not know Christian values
and do not practice God's will
because they have no recourse to the one true God in prayer,
things go from bad to worse. 

PSALM FIFTY-THREE verse 3

Psalm 53:3 NIV
Everyone has turned away
they have together become corrupt;
there is no-one who does good, not even one.

In those areas where greed and violence reign,
it is not safe for the innocent to walk the streets.

Where national leaders are corrupt and local leaders are corrupt
there is no justice for the innocent nor for the man in the street.

The psalmist is pointing out that when people banish God from
their thinking, they are lead to exploit their neighbours .
In our generation men have turned away from God
and allowed injustice to become law.......
but the God of the poor is not mocked.

PSALM FIFTY-THREE verse 2

Psalm 53:2 NIV
God looks down from heaven on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

Those who understand would act with wisdom.
Those who seek God in scripture and in prayer
and practice Christian discernment
are much more likely to act with some wisdom
than those who are lost in a sea of self gratification.

PSALM FIFTY-THREE, verse 1

Psalm 53:1 NIV
The fool says in his heart, "there is no God"
They are corrupt , and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.

So are we going to live our lives animated by the love
and wisdom of the true God ?
Or or are we going to make our lives a rat race
animated by self interest ?
Without God, financial self interest becomes greed.
Without God, social self interest becomes at least
                      competitive one-up-man-ship
Without God, morality has little meaning in practice.
Robbing people becomes a virtue not a sin..

The wrong attitude of the "fools"
has resulted in their wrong actions
towards their fellow human beings.

Jeremiah had the same problem (Jer 5:1)
to find even one person
"who deals honestly and seeks truth" 

PSALM FIFTY-TWO, HOLY

LEVITICUS  11:45 NRSV
For I am the LORD your God; sanctify yourselves
therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.

LEVITICUS 19:2 NRSV
1  The LORD spoke to Moses, saying;
2  Speak to the congregation of the people of Israel
    and say to them:  You shall be holy,
    for I the LORD your God am holy

1 Peter 1:15-16 NASB
like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves
also in all your bahaviour 16 because it is written
"YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY"

Psalm 52 TLV
I praise You forever for what You have done
I will hope in Your name, for it is good
In the presence of Your kedoshim (Your holy ones).

Our future is to give thanks and praise for ever
in the presence of Your holy ones..............TLV
in the presence of Your godly ones............NASB.

PSALM FIFTY-TWO, FOR EVER

Psalm9:7 NRSV       But the LORD sits enthroned forever.
Psalm 10:16  NRSV The LORD is king for ever and ever.
Psalm 33:11  NRSV The counsel of the LORD stands for ever.
Psalm 48:14  NRSV  you may tell the next generation
                              14 that this is God
                                   our God for ever and ever.
                                   He will be our guide for ever.
Psalm 52:8b               I trust in the steadfast love of God
                                   for ever and ever.
Psalm 52:9b               I will thank you for ever
                                    because of what you have done.

The ongoing relationship which we have personally with the LORD
our God is a relationship in which we stand in His counsel for ever,
in His guidance for ever, in His steadfast love forever, and is a relationship
in which we give Him our thanks and praise, for ever and ever

2 Corinthians 5:1  New American Bible 1971-1972 edition
Indeed, we know that when the earthly tent in which we dwell
is destroyed we have a dwelling provided for us by God, a 
dwelling in the heavens, not made by hands but to last for ever..

PSALM FIFTY-ONE, Do Good To ZION

Psalm 51:18 ESV
Do Good to Zion in your good pleasure
     build up the walls of Jerusalem.

As a member of God's covenant community
the psalmist prays for Jerusalem.

As a member of the Body of Christ we each pray for the restoration,
renewal and revival of the Body of Christ worldwide.
In confessing our failure to "bloom where we are planted" we look
forward to a time when our God reigns   in our government
in our courts, in the boardrooms of  industry, commerce, finance,
on the air, on the NET, and in all our hearts.

"GOD IS WORKING HIS PURPOSE OUT.
nearer and nearer draws the time
the time that shall surely be
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea."
Arthur Campbell Aigner  1841-1919.

PSALM FIFTY-ONE, A Contrite Spirit

Today we have amazing freedom;- to vote in local and national elections,
to vote with our feet, to vote with our wallets, and our pension funds.
We continue as individuals and communities and nations, to vote for greed
and self indulgence , for adultery, for abortion, for oppression , for
persecution, for addiction and for perversion !
We get the literature we pay for---as a nation.
The media we use is the media we choose.
The "Way" we promote is the life we lead.
If Christian values are not the bench mark, in government, in business and
at the social core of our nation,  it is because our Christian witness,
decade after decade, has not been up to the mark:
So the bench mark has slipped.
How many sinners have returned to God
because we have taught them God's ways ?
Psalm 51 ESV
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to You.
We should be disturbed by our own sin,
and concerned about its effect on others.
Psalm 51:19  TANAKH
True sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit;
God, You will not despise a contrite heart.
51:21  Then You will want sacrifices offered in righteousness.

PSALM 51 Charismatic Renewal

The person who lives dynamically his love for God,
                  who chooses to be led by the Spirit of Christ,
                  whose speech and action exudes the love of Christ
                  lives in an ongoing personal relationship
                  with their savior Jesus Christ.
                                                             see Joseph Tetlow,S.J. "Lightworks"
God's present-continuous "being"
includes dancing (the Father will dance)
and smiling and shining ( His face upon you )
forgiving ( the prodigal in us )
holding you ( in the palm of His hand )
loving you ( as the apple of His eye )
renewing. enabling , calling and sending,
separating light from dark,
and giving life.

Psalm 51:20...In your kindness, deal favorably with Zion
build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Hearts must be transformed.
God alone can effect this new creation, and infuse a new Spirit.
The Psalmist who  acknowledges his own sin,
has hope for himself and for Zion.
i.e.the individual relates to and prays for God,s covenant community.

PSALM 51 Anointed for Praise

Psalm 51: 15  ESV
O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise

Psalm 19:14  ESV
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight O Lord , my rock and my redeemer.

It is the Lord who opens our lips for words of praise
We ask that those words be absolutely right with God

By the Spirits power we cry out to God  ( Romans 8:15 GNB )
Christians are instructed....Be filled with the Spirit  (Ephesians 5:18)
                              and....Pray at all times in the Spirit  ( Ephesians  6:18 ).

John 4:23-24 RSV
But the time is coming, and now is,
when true worshippers will worship the 
Father in spirit and truth, for such the 
Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit,
and those who worship him must worship
in spirit and truth.

PSALM FIFTY-ONE, Gifts to ask for.

Psalm 51 RSV
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
        and put a new and right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence,
        and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of thy salvation,
        and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Psalm 51:11 reveals that the Holy Spirit is the active agent of God the Father in accomplishing His purposes.
In this instance the reference might be to God's anointing and The Holy Spirit's enabling for the individual.
It may refer to The Holy Spirit's role in clensing the inner life by opening spiritual eyes and ears (Ezek 3:27).
Also EZEKIEL 36:27  I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.  ESV

Gifts to pray for in Psalm 51:10,11,12;-
a pure or clean heart
inner renewal
a steadfast/right spirit within
retention of The Holy Spirit and the presence of God
the joy of salvation
a willing spirit ( to uphold )
and a spirit of fervor ( to sustain. )

PSALM FIFTY-ONE, Godly/Christlike

Known as one of the penitential Psalms, Psalm 51 may express King David's repentance
for adultery and murder. It certainly expresses vary frank and sincere confession, and the
entreaty indicates authentic repentance.
We should be disturbed by our own sin and bring it to the Lord for forgiveness.
But we must not become obsessed with sin. verse one puts things in perspective.
ESV Have mercy on me, O God according to your steadfast love.
KJV Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your loving kindness.
NIV Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your unfailing love.
NEB Be gracious to me, O God, in thy true love.
Knox Have mercy on me, O God, as thou art ever rich in mercy.

So it is Godly / Christlike;-
                                         to be ever rich in mercy
                                         to practice loving kindness
                                         to be of unfailing love
                                         to have steadfast love
                                         to be gracious, in true love
                                         to practice great mercy.

We wish all our friends were like that, and they wish we were like that. 

PSALM FIFTY-ONE, Gifts of the Spirit

PSALM 51:8  New Catholic Version..Saint Joseph Edition
But you desire sincerity of heart;
and you endow my innermost being with wisdom.

In this verse the Psalmist is talking about the wisdom to see
what is the will of God in situations;
the wisdom to be less immature in everyday life;
the divinely endowed wisdom which enables men and women
to speak and act as members of the Royal Priesthood ,
with love and patience and kindness:
And, when called upon, to act with wisdom and appropriate authority
in our everyday lives.
Eagerly desire such spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 14:1 NIV
Follow the way of Love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts. 

PSALM FIFTY-ONE, Mercy

Men and women become conscious of the sin that alienates them from God.
We can then pray with the psalmist the words of Psalm51
to ask the Saviour,s mercy and our own inner renewal.
     Have mercy on me , O God, in accord with your kindness*
     in your abundant compassion wipe away my offences;

*Kindness; Hebrew  hessed....may also denote mercy, benevolence and
favour  i.e.the love of the covenant between God and the community of
His people and therefore present in each member of His community...
that is kindness, abundant compassion, forgiveness, benevolence,
favour and love in all the members of the community.

Lord have mercy.......Kyrie  eleison in the Greek.
Words used by the sick in the New Testament, and addressed to Jesus
by people seeking healing.
God's mercy includes tenderness and compassion, covenant faithfulness,
faithful love and uprightness.
miserere mei     in  Latin    in it's original form actually means "to have pity"
"to feel sympathy for"  and  "to be gracious to".

   Thank you Lord;-
that your mercy includes tenderness and compassion
that You have felt sympathy for us
and that You still feel sympathy for us
and have pity on us and are gracious to us.       AMEN.

PSALM FIFTY, LET GOD SPEAK.

Psalm 50:7 TLV.  O my people, listen as I speak.
Here are my charges against you O Israel:
Psalm 50:17 TLV  For you refuse my discipline
and treat my words like trash.

Because He is our Spiritual Director, God reveals out failings to us.
How shall we ever ask for healing grace if we can't see how immature
we are being ?  God tells His people that He does not need their blood sacrifices,
but he does not reprimand them for their efforts.

Psalm 50:8 GNB    I do not reprimand you because of your sacrifices
and burnt offerings you always bring me.

In their longing for God and their desire for the comfort of His presence
They experience Him in Jerusalem, especially in the temple
where their Praise for Him is greatest.
For them God shines from Zion in perfect beauty

Psalm 50:2  TLV  From Mount Zion , the perfection of beauty,
God shines in glorious radiance.

To day those who have an appetite for God are likely to seek His presence
"on retreat" or in their own "quiet times" and contemplation.
Brother Laurence's book is about "Practicing the presence of God"
in an ongoing way.
Yet it is in thanksgiving and praise that something powerful happens.
Psalm 50:23 GNB 
Giving thanks is the sacrifice that  honours me
and I will surely save all who obey me.
Our God does not need food offerings
Psalm 50:12 If I were hungry I would not ask you for food...
How much does our God really need our praise?
God is most Praiseworthy and our praise and thanksgiving
are more than a communication of information.
It is in our most Christlike attitude of love and open worship
in the power of the Holy Spirit that we encounter the
transforming presence and abiding love of
The Almighty God, our LORD.
It is easy enough for us to look back to the psalmist and his friends
enjoying their processions and sacrifices  and think " It was your praises
which enabled you to know  God's presence". Fortunately we can also look
back at Psalm 22:3. As my friend Neil has commented
"God lives in the praises of His people"
Psalm 22:3 But thou art Holy,
O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
.

PSALM FIFTY, Verse 15

Psalm 50:15  English Standard Version
15   and call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you , and you shall glorify me.
Who is speaking in Psalm 50 verse 15 ?

Psalm 50:1 New Catholic Version
The Lord , God of gods, has spoken.
In Hebrew , a threefold formula for the divine
name that can be translated as
" The Mighty One, God, the Lord ".
Psalm 50:1 Tree of Life Version
God, Elohim, ADONAI has spoken.
Ps 50:6 ESV     for God himself is judge
Ps 50:14 ESV   perform your vows to the Most High
Ps 50: 14 Tof L fulfill your vows to Elyon
Ps 50:21 NJB   You do this, and am I to say nothing ?
                       Do you think that I am really like you ?
Ps 50:22 NCV  Remember this, you who forget God (Eloah)
Ps 18:32 NCV  Indeed who is God ( Eloah ) except the LORD. 

The offer is:-  Call on me.
                     I will rescue (or deliver ) you.
                     and you will honour me.
We have established who is speaking.
To whom is this offer addressed ?
In Psalm50      God calls     His people   Ps 50:4 ESV
                                          My people   Ps50:7  ESV
                       My kedroshim                Ps 50:5 TLV
                       My ("holy ones")             Ps 50    TLV
                       My faithful ones              Ps 50:5  ESV
The people of the God of Abraham        Ps 47:9  ESV
we are the people of His pasture            Ps 95:7  KJV

The offer made still stands.
His sacrifice gives us the freedom
to take up the offer or not.

PSALM 50, Sacrifice of Praise

Bring no more vain oblations .  ISAIAH 1:13  KJV

oblations;-  non living offerings ( in contrast to an animal sacrifice )
Our "firstfruits" today are usually money except at harvest festival.
Our tithe is not the blood of goats,
but the sacrifice called for is still a sacrifice of praise.

Offer to God a sacrifice of praise 
And pay your vows to the Most High   Ps 50:14 SAAS

A sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me   Ps 50:23 SAAS

Our sacrifice is not what we put in the collection, that is God's due.
Genuine praise....from the heart....is deep grateful appreciation of
who God is to us personally ...Praise has to be genuine.

ISAIAH 1:13
Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother
is still in darkness.

Genuine praise is not fleeting ( for public performance only )
but ongoing in practice and truth.

Little children let us not love in words or talk
    bot in deed and truth

So the charismatic praise we offer in love and joy
is matched by the love and joy in which we serve Him....
in our neighbour , the hungry, the sick, the homeless
the stranger, the prisoner and all in need, in everyday life.

PSALM FIFTY, Discernment and Deliverance

In our quiet time before God, when we have prayed and asked for His direction.....
in the frame of mind that we want to respond to any revelation of His will for us......
then heart and mind are prepared .

Psalm 50: 7  New Catholic Version
"Listen, my people, and I will speak"

We wait on God knowing we owe Him everything.
If the Lord brings to mind, during our prayer time, any thoughts or attitudes which
reveal that we hate discipline or obedience or won't accept teaching;-
then we desperately need grace to be less immature.

Psalm 50:17 NCT
For you loathe my instruction and cast my words behind you .

If on the other hand , the Lord brings to mind , gratitude which we have expressed
in thanksgiving and praise.....
then the Lord has already been glorified in our attitude and behaviour !

Psalm 50:23 NCT
He who offers me a sacrifice of thanksgiving
     honours me
to him who follows my way
I will show the salvation of God

Psalm 50:15 NCT
Then if you cry out to me in time of trouble
  I will rescue you and you will honour me.

Those who depend on Him call out for deliverance
and our deliverance will glorify the Lord our God !

PSALM 49 ransomed and redeemed

So trust in God and not in men or the organisations of men.
If we are, in practice, trusting our own ideas
or finding our security somewhere else,
we need to change our allegiance!

only God.......can redeem us from the grave.
only God ......can save us from the power of death.
God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol. AMEN
                                              (Psalm 49:15 ESV)

PSALM 49 trusting in Him

Psalm 49:7-8  NAB
7.  They trust in their wealth;
           the abundance of their riches is their boast.
8.  Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
           or pay his own ransom to God.

Trusting in God is a symptom of being Christian.
Trusting in "knowledge" or "money" or "self"  is a symptom
of being turned away from God.

Psalm 49:7 ESV
Truly no man can ransom another
   or give to God the price of his life.

PSALM 49 for ever with God

Psalm 49 is addressed to everyone. There are no categories
of people who stand outside the application of these words.
Psalm 49:15  ESV
 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for He will receive me.

With the psalmist , the believer can sing of the eternal bliss
of being forever with God after death.
This is such an important message that it is addressed to
rich and poor, to wise and foolish, to low and high.
The message is addressed to each of us individually
because we need to respond personally.

PSALM 48, Guidance beyond death

Psalm 48:12-15
Walk about Zion and go round about her; count her towers.
Consider well her ramparts; view her citadels
That you may tell it until the final generations.
For this is overwhelming! Our God exists for ever,
and he will lead us beyond death.

Psalm 48:15 The Knox Translation
Such is the God who is our God for ever and ever;
our Shepherd eternally.

Psalm 48 New English Bible verse 12-14
Make the round of Zion in procession
count the numbers of her towers
take a good note of her ramparts,
pass her palaces in review,
that you may tell generations yet to come;
Such is God  our God for ever and ever
he shall be our guide eternally.

Psalm 45:15 Hebrew Text  JPS
For God - He is our God for ever
He will lead us evermore.

Psalm 73(72) The Knox Translation
Thine to guide me with thy counsel
   thine to welcome me into glory at last.

Psalm 49:15  New RSV
But God will ransom my soul from 
           the power of Sheol
     for he will receive me. 

PSALM FORTY-EIGHT , GOD'S PRESENCE

Psalm 48: 1-2  RSV
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God !
His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,
is a joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion , in the far north,
the city of the great King

New testament Christians join the angels and saints in praise of God,
in His presence.

Hebrews 12:22 RSV
But you have come to mount Zion and to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering
23.........and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

God's presence is active and beneficial.

Hebrews 4:16 RSV
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of trouble.

God is present in active praise

Psalm 22:3
But thou art holy , O thou that inhabitest  the praise of Israel

God's presence in each worshiper

Romans 8:16  RSV
When we cry " Abba ! Father ! " it is the Spirit himself 
bearing witness with our spirit  that we are children of God.

God is present in Christian meetings.

Matthew 18:20 RSV
Where two or three are gathered in my name,
there I am in the midst of them.

Members of the body of Christ form the community of the people of God.

PSALM FORTY-EIGHT ,WHERE GOD IS

Psalm 48:3 NIV   God is in her citadels, he has shown himself to be her fortress.
                  TLT   God himself is in Jerusalem's towers
                            he reveals himself as her defender.
              NASB    God , in her palaces has made Himself known as a stronghold.

Psalm 48 is about wanting to be where God is, in the comfort of His presence within the city wall.

Until recently most people walked !
We walked into battle and then walked home again. We walked on pilgrimages.
Large events were attended by people who walked there.
Refugees have walked in China and in Russia. Many have walked across much of the African continent
to reach Europe.
Walking  people carry only what they can manage and when they get to where they are going,
people make themselves comfortable in a sheltered space.
Generation after generation of God's people can sing with the psalmist ;-
Psalm 48:8 (New RSV)
                                    As we have heard, so we have seen
                                    in the city of the LORD of hosts
                                    in the city of our God
                                    which God establishes forever.

The city walls of Jerusalem encompassed not only a sheltered space but also a sacred space.

PSALM FORTY-SEVEN, GOD and KING

Colossians Ch 1 v 15-16   NAB 1971-72 edition
He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, things visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominations , principalities or powers, 
all were created through him and for him.

Colossians Ch 2 v 9-10  NAB 1971-72 edition
In Christ the fullness of Deity resides in bodily form.
Yours is a share in the fullness in him
who is the head of of every principality and power.

Psalm 47v8 NAB 1971-72 edition
for the King of all the earth is God

To-day the kingdom of God is in every Christian heart and Christian community
for he reigns within the heart of every member of the body of Christ.
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world     1 John4:4 
Our King has provided our victory;-

For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.                            ISAIAH 19:5  NAB

PSALM FORTY-SEVEN , Discernment of spirits.

1 Clap your hands , all you peoples;shout to God with loud songs of joy.
2 For the LORD , the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth.    (Psalm 47 :1-2)

This is the word of the Lord, verse one is an instruction , verse two is the reason.
People  who can't or will not worship God, may be under the wrong spirit.
People who can't raise their hands clap, or shout with loud songs of joy,
may be under the wrong spirit.
But people who spontaneously , clap their hands and shout to God
with loud songs of joy may well be worshiping in Spirit and Truth.
1 John 4:1 KJV
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God.
1 John 4:1 New RSV
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are from God.

Psalm 89:16  New Catholic Version St Joseph Edition
Blessed are the people who know how to acclaim you, O, Lord,
who walk in the light of your countenance.

Romans 8:37 NIV
In all these things we are more than conquerors, through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death not life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the 
love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So if you know someone who exudes the love of Christ,
you have discerned the Spirit that they have chosen to live in.

PSALM FORTY-SEVEN, THE SPIRITUAL REALM

God is the King of all the earth:         Psalm 47:7   KJV
God reigneth over the heathen:         Psalm 47:8   KJV
God also reigns over the inhabitants of the "Spiritual Realm"
For God's are the guardians of the earth  Psalm 47:9 NAB
for the guardians of the earth belong to God  Ps 47:10 JPS translation

When the Most High assigned lands to the nations,
when he divided up the human race,
he established the boundaries of the peoples according
to the number of angelic beings.                            Deuteronomy 32:8 NLT

From the Septuagint (Brenton translation)
he set the bounds of the nations according
to the number of the angels of God                       Deuteronomy 32:8 

Then Michael , one of the archangels of God came to help me, and I
left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.   Daniel 10:13 NLT

People who pray need to know that occupants of the spiritual realm
influence each generation of every nation

For we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high 
places.                                                                     Ephesians 6:8 KJV

PSALM FORTY-SIX , Verse 10

Be Still and know that I am God.       AV and NIV
Stop dancing around and pay attention.
Be quiet and listen.
please pay attention
Be silent and know that I am God                   NLT
Cease striving and Know that I am God         NASB
Be still and acknowledge that I am God         NJB
Desist! Realize that I am God                         Jewish Publication Society

These words speak to the believer, they do,
but in the context of Psalm 46
these words are also a sovereign command.
The Lord is here addressing the enemy nations.
The LORD GOD is ordering them to desist
It is an imperative command
to stop their assault on God's people.
The Lord here asserts that His governance will be obeyed,
 and acknowledged by these very nations.

PSALM FORTY-SIX , Verse 6,7 & 11

Psalm 46:6 NIV  Nations are in uproar, governments fall...

For those who have lived through decades of peace and relative prosperity
in a nation where good health services and good education have been freely
available to all; where law and order and justice and democracy have been
maintained impartially and with integrity....
then we can truely say with the psalmist ;-

The LORD All-Powerful is with us
The God of Jacob is our place of safety.        Psalm 46:7 ERV

Verse 7 and 11 ere identical.
Perhaps Psalm 46 is a responsorial Psalm.
The contents of verses 7 and 11 are repeated by divine inspiration
and so are worthy of earnest contemplation.
the KJV has..............our refuge
NIV,NLT and ESV...our fortress
NASB......................our stronghold
NJB.........................our citadel
SAAS(orthodox)......our protector
Jewish Study Bible....our haven. 

PSALM FORTY-SIX, Verse 4

There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the city 
 of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. Psalm 46:4 AV

The psalmist sings of the waters of a river--but there is no river in Jerusalem;
the city draws its water from deep pools and springs ( 2 Kings 20:20 )
 The river is invisible to those who cannot see it,
but to those who have received the revelation of God
( to those to whom it has been revealed)
the life giving river flows every month of the year.
It flows to the East and to the West and it brings life.
In prophecy a river rises in the temple
to give life to the land  (Ezekiel 47:1-12)

ZECHARIAH 14:8
On that day , living waters shall flow from Jerusalem,
half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea,
and it shall be so in summer and in winter.

REVELATION 22:1-2
The angel then showed me the river of life giving water,
clear as crystal, which issued from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
and it flowed down the middle of the streets.

PSALM FORTY-SIX, Verse 2 and 3

In some ages, people could live a lifetime without
ever experiencing natural disasters like typhoons,
tornadoes or tidal waves: but since we have T.V.
and internet videos,  we have seen; floods, earthquakes,
volcanoes, landslides, sunamies, mudflows, lava flows,
and avalanches.
But such extreme events are still experienced personally
by real people.

Through all this the believer can say;-
The Lord Almighty is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge (Psalm 46:7 & 11 GNB
                                               

PSALM FORTY-SIX, Verse 1

God is a "present help" for those who depend on Him.
Those who deny God
or put their trust elsewhere
find themselves in a different situation.

Those who can say in truth
"God is my refuge and my strength"
will also be able to testify
" a very present help in trouble"

PSALM FORTY-SIX KJV

1 God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed,
   and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though the waters therof roar and be troubled,
   though the mountains shake with the swelling therof.
4 There is a river, the streams wherof shall make glad the city of God,
   The holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved:
   God shall help her, and that right early.

When you know this version off by heart, it becomes part of you.
At the age of ten I wrote out this psalm many times with pen on paper,
after which I knew it , and could say it all and  quote from it.
To have the word of God in you, and to be able to call on it instantly,
like the three times table, is an asset and a source of strength.
I had to learn Psalm 46, but I already knew Psalm 23 off by heart
because we sang the Scottish metrical version so often.

THE TRINITY in PSALM FORTY-FIVE

I am glad that our God is the Trinity.
Where would we be without a Saviour ?
or without our enlightening enabling Holy Spirit ?
or without the Almighty God who is also our heavenly Father ?
Our ongoing relationship with the one true God
requires our personal awareness of the three persons of the Trinity....
in our hearts as we pray and in our minds in everyday life
as we live always in the very presence of the tri-personal God.
This is the experience of believers with or without study of theology.
   The psalmist , who knows that he is standing before the God of Abraham
and Issac and Jacob, discloses in verse one that "his tongue is the pen of a skilful writer"
i.e. inspired by the Holy Spirit.
The inspired prophecy which the psalmist utters in this Psalm addresses a King
who is anointed with oil of joy...above his companions,
who has an eternal throne, and an everlasting kingdom.
A prophecy never fulfilled by any of the Old Testament kings,
but fulfilled completely by God the Son , Jesus Christ , King of Kings and God forever.
   The King who is anointed By God is revealed to be Jesus , in Hebrews 1:8
We here catch a glimpse of the relationship between God The Father and God The Son
which is more revealed in the New Testament.

PSALM FORTY-FIVE Victory in Christ

Psalm 45:2  NIV.......your lips have been anointed with grace
                                 since God has blessed you forever

This verse is true for every believer who by grace has been saved through faith in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 45:4 NIV       ride forth victoriously
                                in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness.

These words are addressed to every believer, and in so far as we achieve any of that
it is Christlike to do so.

Psalm 45:6 NIV    Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever
                             a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

Our King is King forever, Transient unrighteous powers will fade.
We need to put our trust in eternal truth. We need the grace to discern
for ourselves and for our communities. A political awareness is necessary
to defend and promote  The Kingdom of God.

Psalm 45:7  God has anointed you with oil of gladness..with oil of joy

People notice our good demeanor, but we are glad to be members of the Body of Christ
and grateful to be Children of the Kingdom.

2nd Corinthians 2:14 NIV    But thanks be to God, who always leads us
                                            in triumphal procession in Christ
                                            and through us spreads everywhere
                                            the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. 

PSALM FORTY-THREE Verse Five

PSALMS ANEW,  Christian Brothers Publications, Minnesota  1986
Put your hope in God, for I shall again be thankful
in the presence of my Saviour and my God
Psalm 43:5 is a repetition of Psalm 42:11 and Psalm 42:5
so we have been told the same thing three times.

The psalmist is in exile and he is suffering persecution and injustice.
Although he feels some separation from God and a lack of God's
presence in his circumstances....he still puts his hope in God

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my saviour and my God.

But the Christian believer lives in the transforming presence
and abiding love of God.
So we can sing with the psalmist;-
New American Bible 1971-72 edition
Hope in God ! For I shall again be thanking him,
in the presence of my saviour and my God.

PSALM FORTY-THREE Light and Truth

PSALM 43:3-4  NIV
Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain
to the place where you dwell.
Then will I go to the altar of God
to God, my joy and my delight,
I will praise you with the harp, 
O God, my God.

We need God's light and truth to see things as they really are.
Having discerned what will be Right with God,
we ourselves can make informed life choices;
but we cannot make choices for other people.
We can only be signposts and point people in the Right direction.
We all have to see the Right way,
choose to go the Right way
and then in everyday life---put that into practice.

In the meantime we need to be upheld from above
as we make our stand for what is right with God.
Psalm 43:1 NIV   Vindicate me , O God,
and plead my case against the ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

PSALM FORTY-TWO Deep calls to deep

Psalm 42:7   ESV
Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls.

If you have visited a big waterfall or a hydro electric dam
   you may have heard the power of the water
        the roar which makes the ground shake
            and the echo which reverberates back and forth.

As we quietly prepare for our prayer time, as we make ourselves comfortable ,
take up a respectful posture, open our bible and light a candle.....
our heart realizes, recognizes and knows again
that it is the power of the voice of God which calls us to prayer.

PSALM FORTY-TWO Charismatic

Psalm 42:1-2   English  Standard  Version
As a deer pants for flowing streams,  so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.......

The psalmist is longing to participate in Spirit filled worship.
Most Charismatic Christians identify with the psalmist and have the same attitude.
People seeking to engage in robbery with violence do not live in this dynamic.
People who are totally engrossed in self gratification do not live in this dynamic.
Christian discernment reveals what is motivating  attitudes and actions.
The choices we make which result in our being drawn closer to God are informed by love.
Choices we make which draw us away from God lead only to darkness .

Psalm 42:4  English Standard  Version

How I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise
a multitude keeping festival.

If this is what is going on in the hearts of everyone at the meeting
it is going to be a most beneficial charismatic experience.

PSALM FORTY-ONE God is for us

Psalm 41:4  KJV
I said, LORD, be merciful unto me:
heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

Psalm 41:4 GNB
I said " I have sinned against you, LORD;
be merciful to me and heal me."

Psalm 41:10 GNB
Be merciful to me, LORD, and restore my health.....

When we experience guilt or shame or remorse we feel the need of mercy.
When we experience pain or paralysis or palpitations we know our need of healing.
That is not academic or theoretical , it is experiential .
With the psalmist we can turn to God with our pain or our shame
because we know that God is not only with us, God is for us,
and the longer we live in that dynamic the more we experience the truth of it
and grow in appreciation of our ongoing fellowship with the living God
and the Fatherly wholesomeness of His will for us.....
personally.

PSALM FORTY-ONE A characteristic of the lifestyle of the people of God

Poverty is evidence of a world out of kilter with its Creator.
Anyone acting to relieve it finds a following wind of God,s favour.
                                                     James Jones "With my whole heart"

The idea here is that concern for the powerless is a characteristic of
the lifestyle of the people of God.
                                                     James Limburg "PSALMS"

Happy are those who consider the poor.    Psalm 41:1  NRSV

PSALM FORTY-ONE The Dynamic in which to live

Psalm 41:2 New American Bible
Happy is he who has regard for the lowly and the poor.

In the context of scripture, these words are about the merciful man receiving mercy.
In the context of a city mission,  this verse could be their mission statement.
Any nation or society which has no regard for the lowly and the poor is a bleak place.
Listening to politicians or people in the street, regard for the lowly and poor----or the lack of it, is an indication of what is in the heart and what dynamic that person is living in.
The person whose speech and action exudes the love of Christ for the lowly and the poor in their own community, is living dynamically their love for God.

PSALM FORTY The Mind of God

PSALM 40:14     New International Version
May all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

If you care about someone or some people who are suffering serious injustice, socially or financially;
or if you know folk who are about to be seriously disadvantaged , Psalm 40 verse 14 is the word of God.
In prayer we can and should defend the oppressed.
    Whether they are being taken to the cleaners through the courts or threatened by financial institutions,we can pray for people who need prayer.In every land there are people who have nothing to sell but their labour.. In prayer and where possible in action we are free to support them from discrimination, persecution and oppression .
Systems which keep people in poverty,
practices which keep people at a disadvantage,
firms which take unfair advantage of the underprivileged ,
and governments which keep people in subjection,..........
do so in the face of GOD.
We can proclaim the word of God prophetically because it is the truth.
Where the lives of individuals are threatened by deprivation of food, deprivation of healthcare, or actual physical oppression and violence..........we can pray the whole verse !

May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.                 PSALM 40:14

.....and we can pray this on behalf of family members, folk we know and every soul who stands in the need of prayer including ourselves.
When the Lord draws our attention to good people with their backs to the wall, He sometimes brings to mind a verse which speaks to their situation.
Sometimes we can speak aloud the word of God. We can also bring oppressed people before God in the arms of prayer with a very appropriate verse in mind.....believing that we are praying in Spirit and Truth. Where the word of God, in the bible, reveals the mind of God for people alive today, we can pray in love with particular faith and hope.

PSALM FORTY unifying prayer.

In Hebrews 12:1   Paul exhorts us ;-
Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus.

Life is sometimes a marathon. The psalmist also appreciates the challenges and prays
for his fellow runners.
Psalm 40:16
may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you.

A very thoughtful prayer we can make in the midst of our own difficulties.
A prayer  for all of us who are running our race with perseverance.
A prayer which expresses care and unity.

PSALM FORTY The Will of God.

Psalm 40:8  New Revised Standard Version
I delight to do your will, O my God;
     your law is written within my heart.

The desire that springs from our heart is happily in tune with our personal disposition.
This is opposite to legalism or mandatory fulfillment of imposed obligations.
Our delight in the will of God is more than voluntary.
We are motivated most strongly to think and act in harmony with the will of God.
The voluntary sacrifice of our will to His is the most desired offering we can make.
In His  love for us, His will for us exceeds anything we can imagine .

People do not make profession of Holy Vows every day, but when you look at this verse;
it is personal,  one to one and addressed to our God.

"To do your will, O my God, is my delight
       and Your Law is written within my heart".

To pray this verse with conviction ...is strong...deep..and engaging...an encounter.

PSALM FORTY Testimony

It is the joy of a soul that knows how to hope
in the hour that would otherwise seem nothing but despair.
                                              Thomas Merton - On The Psalms

There is also gratefulness infused with joy when, we in our own situation, realize that in grace, faith and hope, we ourselves have been brought through from our own crisis to a place of safety and relief.

With the psalmist we can speak out the testimony of our deliverance

Psalm 40:2 NRSV   He drew me up from the desolate pit out of the miry bog.
                                 and set my feet upon a rock.
And if that is Christ speaking, then it would be all the more Christlike of us
to speak out the testimony of our deliverance and His..
God the Father brought our Lord Jesus back up from the miry bog.
(the death and decay of the grave)
He drew Him up from the desolate pit and put His foot upon a rock.

Our testimony is the testimony of Jesus Christ.
With the psalmist we can speak out the testimony of our deliverance
but our testimony is the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

PSALM FORTY Progression of prayer.

Psalm 40  New American Bible (1970)
2  I have waited, waited for the LORD
       and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
3  He drew me out of the pit of destruction,
       out of the mud of the swamp;
    He set me free upon a crag;
       he made firm my steps.
4 And he put a new song into my mouth,
       a hymn to our God.
   Many shall look on in awe
       and trust in the LORD.

PROGRESSION OF THE PRAYER OF FAITH AND TRUST
Patient waiting links the prayer of faith to the divine response. The song of thanksgiving leads on to public praise and testimony. The prayer of the redeemed has been heard and attended to by the Lord of the universe ! In Psalm 40 praise is identified with song and music. A new song, inspired by God, sounds spontaneous.  Spontaneous praise sounds charismatic.
The spirit filled praise and thanksgiving, and the personal sharing and public testimony caused many to look on in awe and trust in the Lord. A gracious and powerful work of The Holy Spirit with life changing grace for those who saw and heard was the personal experience of thousands of people during the time of charismatic renewal.

PSALM THIRTY-NINE HOPE

From The New English Bible Psalm 39:7
And now , Lord, what do I  wait for?
  My hope is in thee.

truly my hope is even in thee  (from the book of Common Prayer)

When we pray this verse we do so as a personal confession of faith,
speaking to the Lord
"My hope is in you"   AMEN.

From The New American Bible 1st edition  Psalm 39:18
Hear my prayer, O LORD,
                            to my cry give ear;
                            to my weeping be not deaf !
For I am but a wayfarer before you,
                            a pilgrim like all my forefathers.

NAB    a wayfarer                       a pilgrim
AV       a stranger                        a sojourner
NLT     a traveler passing through

When we pray as a sojourner, that is part of our disposition in prayer,
as a pilgrim passing through.
As sojourners we come and go. What traces will we leave of our faith?
....empty buildings or radiant communities of faith ?

PSALM THIRTY-NINE Lack of discernment

From Psalm 39:6 New Living Translation ( 1996 )
We are merely moving shadows,
       and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth for someone else to spend.

New Living Translation ( 2004 )  Second Edition.
We heap up wealth not knowing who will spend it 

There are many hard working Christians who pay their taxes, avoid excesses such as drink and gambling.
Christians who send their children to church based schools, (Catholic or Cof E in the UK) .
We go to churches which are attended by "People like us" which might be less attractive to people who are not like us, and which might be less than welcoming to "less desirable people".
Many churches are nor welcoming to people who do not think like us.
As far back as 150 years ago the Christian leaders of the day spent the money of their congregations on competitive architectural structures to separate themselves from "others" who were held in serious disregard.

PSALM THIRTY-NINE A more mature disposition

From The New English Bible  Psalm 39:4
Lord, let me know my end
          and the numbering of my days;
Tell me how short my life must be.

Life is too short for all that angst.
"the numbering of our days" puts things in context.
When we feel how fleeting life is,
our heart might be disposed to some humility
and our tongue would more likely be curbed.
Other priorities may alter too.

Let us pray with the psalmist for the numbering of our days.

PSALM THIRTY-NINE The Mind of Christ in Psalm 39

From The New American Bible (1970) Psalm 39:1-3

I said, " I will watch my ways, so as not to sin with my tongue;

I will set a curb on my mouth"

While the wicked man was before me, I kept dumb and silent;

I refrained from rash speech, But my grief was stirred up;                ( he was grieved )

hot grew my heart within me; in my thoughts, a fire blazed forth,

I spoke out with my tongue:

From The New Jerusalem Bible Psalm 39:4  (verse 2&3 in some bibles)

I stayed dumb, silent, speechless,

but the sinner's prosperity redoubled my torment.

my heart had been smouldering within me,

but at the thought of this it flared up

and the words came bursting out.

The word grief can mean; sorrow or distress or remorse.

When a ship comes to grief we call it a shipwreck

when the ship is lost ir destroyed.

Allowing resentment and aggression to build up in our own heart,

over things which have happened in the past,

or have been happening recently........brings harm to ourselves.

The wicked sail on oblivious .

PSALM THIRTY-EIGHT DISCERNMENT AND GRACE

The psalmist does not rebel in psalm thirty-eight, he thinks that he deserves his suffering.

" as a result of my sins"  in verse four             New Catholic Version  A Saint Joseph Edition

The evidence that he has inner hope is the complete abandonment to God which he expresses

I place my hope in you , O LORD;                 N.C.V. Psalm 38:16 .

When praying psalm 38, we need to examine our own life and conscience with penetrating
impartial honesty, to discern where we fall short of wholesome righteousness in everyday life.

O LORD , all my longing is to known to you
and my sighs are not hidden from you.            N.C.V. Psalm 38:10

We need the grace of Christ for the renewing of our mind

"Come quickly to my aid ,  O LORD my saviour"
                                                                            N.C.V. Psalm 38:23

PSALM THIRTY-EIGHT DISCERNMENT AND GRACE

They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries            Psalm 38:20  AV

The thought that anyone I know could render evil.....is shocking.
That anyone would render evil for good              .....is bad.

They reward me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul               Psalm  35:12  AV

To the spoiling of my soul  !   is this possible ?
Yes if people repay your kindness with evil (deception, injustice or mistreatment ),
you might be sad , disappointed or resentful....or even feel  undervalued or unloved !

Forewarned is forearmed .We need to be able to see these folk coming

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he (or so he becomes)             Proverbs 23:7  AMP

People get into the habit of living in the dynamic of deceit and self interest.
Be aware of the tell tale signs.

We also need discernment to recognize the effects on our own soul.
Any adverse reaction within ourselves needs to be replaced with inner peace.

Each Christian needs both discernment and grace in everyday life.....but;-

The face of the LORD is against them that do evil .                      Psalm 34:16 AV.

They may curse, but you will bless;                                                 Psalm 109:28  
                                                                                             Revised English Bible

PSALM THIRTY-SEVEN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION Verse 20, 23, 34, 37.

Psalm 37:20 New Living Translation
But the wicked will perish
The LORD'S enemies are like flowers in a field
they will disappear like smoke.

Christians have confidence
   No matter how "established" the enemies of Christ look,
   No matter how "attractive or acceptable" they try to make themselves appear,
   they will disappear like smoke.
   Those who are persecuting Christians to-day will disappear like smoke!

Psalm 37:23 New Living Translation.
The LORD directs the steps of the godly
He delights in every detail of their lives.

Verse 1-8 shows how to pray for this sort of direction.

Psalm 37:34 New Living Translation
Put your hope in the LORD
  Travel steadily along His path

We are to share our hopes with the LORD
and follow his direction and we have His promise;-

Psalm 37:37 New Living Translation
Look at those who are honest and good
for a wonderful future awaits those who live in peace. 

PSALM THIRTY-SEVEN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION Verse 1-8

The words of Psalm 37 do not address God because, in this kind of prayer, we listen to God, eager to respond to Him.
In Psalm 37 Our Creator delivers Fatherly words of wisdom, admonition,warning and promise.
He speaks these words right into our heart; Hence the importance of an eager open heart.
In this kind of prayer, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit helps us to identify how each word applies to our own life currently, how God's word of admonition, warning or promise speaks about our own attitudes and actions , our intentions and hopes.
It is Jesus who lives within our heart who enables and empowers our responses to this divine revelation about ourselves !
By the grace of Jesus himself we are able to respond eagerly......in the sight of God.
As our Counselor and Comforter gently makes the words of our Heavenly Father personal  to us,
it is the indwelling Christ who both enables and motivates us to;-
     Cease from anger and forsake wrath
     Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him
     Commit our way unto the LORD
     and trust in Him
     Delight in the LORD
     Trust in the LORD and do good
     Fret not for ourselves
     or envy evildoers !

PSALM THIRTY-SEVEN Verse 4

Psalm 37:4 N.I.V.

Delight yourself in the LORD

  and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Jesus said (Jn 4:34) "My food is to do the will of him who sent me"

The more we seek the more we find.

The more we seek his presence in prayer and scripture.......

The more we seek his presence in everyday life.....

The more we recognize his presence in the generous and sacrificial

actions of people around us.

The more we seek "His presence" in people

the more we find and recognize  Christlike behaviour

in people around us.,

PSALM THIRTY-SIX Verses 1 to 7

Psalm 36:1-4  N.L.T.
Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts,
They have no fear of God at all.
In their blind conceit they cannot see
how wicked they really are.
Everything they say is crooked and deceitful
They refuse to act wisely or do good.
They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots.
Their actions are never good
They make no attempt to turn from evil.

Psalm 36 compares the attitudes and actions of
"the wicked" and of "the righteous",
In everyday life we can see that there are those around us
who have no fear of God at all, who are conceited and
cannot see how wicked they are. Their word cannot be trusted
and they are not motivated to do good for others.
They seem to have nothing in them which would cause them
to turn from their single minded self interest.
With discernment we can examine our own lives in prayer
and seek to grow in grace and in the love of the LORD.

Psalm 36:5-7
Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
Your righteousness  is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the ocean depths.
You care for people and animals alike, O LORD
How precious is your unfailing love O GOD !
All humanity finds shelter  in the shadow of your wings.

"The righteous" have deep resources of love
Their faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds
They stand for justice and peace.
The righteous care for people and animals alike.
Real Christians are known for their love.
True Charity is Christlike.
Christian charity serves the afflicted around the world.
Is this spirituality or common sense ?
It must be spirituality, otherwise the wicked
would "see" and change their ways.

PSALM THIRTY-FOUR Verse 5

Fix your gaze on Yahweh and your face will glow bright.                 N.J.B.

Look to him ,  and be radiant.                                                            N.R.S.V.

Keep your eyes on the LORD !  You will shine like the sun.           C.E.V.

Every face turned to him grows brighter.                                           JERUSALEM

N.I.V.  Hebrews 1:3   The Son is the radiance of God,s glory.

N.I.V. Ps 19:8    The commands of the Lord are radiant
                            giving light to the eyes.

Hebrews 5:27 talks about a radiant church:
which it is: it is filled with radiant people.

The person who lives dynamically his love for God,
who chooses to be led by the Spirit of Christ,
Whose speech and action exudes the love of Christ,
clothes himself with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience.
With Christian discernment we can see that ,
in our society, those who look to the Lord shine like the sun.

PSALM 37:5+6  NLT
Commit everything you do to the LORD,
Trust him and he will help you'
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause 
will shine like the noonday sun.




.

PSALM THIRTY-FOUR Verse 15+

Psalm 34:15,  17a,  18.  New Revised Standard Version

15  The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
      and his ears ere open to their cry.

17a  When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears,

18  The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
      he saves the crushed in spirit.

Our LORD has got his eyes on us. He can see and hear us.
He is already with those who are depressed and despondent,
bankrupt and betrayed, redundant and rebuffed.
When we visit folk in hospital ,in prison or in care we know that
Jesus is already  there.
"God with us"  is  with us   at all times and continually.

PSALM THIRTY-FOUR Verse EIGHT

Psalm 34:8 New Revised Standard Version

8  O taste and see that the LORD is good;
    happy are those who take refuge in him.

In verse two the believer is invited to hear and be glad.
Here in verse eight we are invited to taste and see;
for in taking refuge in the LORD  we come to experience
and acknowledge the kindness and the blessings of the Lord
in everyday life.
Those who experience His love and forgiveness can testify to that.
Those who experience His self-revelation, His teaching and shepherding,
His deliverance and His healing, and His counsel and comfort,
enjoy a spiritual life which pervades and influences our worldly existence
.

PSALM THIRTY-FOUR Verse SEVEN

Psalm 34:7 New Revised Standard Version

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around
   those who fear him,  and delivers them.

Psalm 91:9a & 11  RSV
9a  Because you have made the LORD your refuge...
11  ...he will give his angels charge of you
      to guard you in all your ways.

Hebrews 12:1 NRSV
1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great 
    a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight
    and sin that easily distracts.

Our most commonly used prayer includes the words
"Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven"
which draws our attention to a spirit world,
some would add "beyond the grave"
      But Psalm 34:7 tells us that spirit creatures (angels)
are close to believers and have beneficial influences
on us--here and now.
Psalm 91:9a and 11 confirms this and Hebrews 12:1
reveals to us that we are never alone: and that we are
permanently surrounded by angels and saints
who have a keen interest in our exploits .
  

PSALM THIRTY-FOUR Verse FOUR

Psalm 34:4 New Revised Standard Version.

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
      and delivered me from my fears.

There is often something coming up about which we might be anxious.
We take it to the LORD in prayer, and things work out better than we feared.
Through out life there are things from which we need to be delivered, some more serious than others.
Christian discernment is of utmost value.
When the Lord reveals something that needs prayer
we can turn to Him for the grace we need.
His love and His grace powerfully effect the life and circumstances
of ourselves and those we pray for.