As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts

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Psalm 48:8–14, “As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.”

The city, which the Lord chose three thousand years ago is still one of the most important cities on the earth. It is considered to be a sacred city by nearly half the people on the earth. This was the place where Solomon built the Temple and where David, the prototype for all Israel’s kings, chose to establish his dynasty. One day the entire world will be ruled from this great city.

Great is the LORD

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Psalm 48:1–7, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.”

This is a Psalm that rejoices in the Lord. Not only is the Lord great, He deserves to be be praised by everyone living on the earth, which He made. He chose Jerusalem to be His city and to place His Name there. All the earth will fear the Lord when they finally see His true majesty and power.

God is gone up with a shout

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Psalm 47:5–9, “God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.”

People shout to show awe and worship for the Lord and trumpets are sounded to call the Lord’s people together. (see Lev 9: 33, Ex 19: 13) The Lord’s people are called to show Him respect for He is majestic and powerful and to come together to enjoy His great power. The Lord reigns with benevolence and compassion in holiness and His people are summoned to respect His majesty.

O clap your hands, all ye people

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Psalm 47:1–4, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.”

People clap their hands to show that they are happy and grateful to the Lord God. (Compare 2 Kings 11: 12) In this case they are called on to clap and shout for joy because the Lord has won a great victory. He is the king of the whole earth and always rules in heaven and on the earth. Even though the Lord allows people to make choices and to have the fruit of the choices they make, no one can stop the Lord’s will from happening. Of course, it is always His will that we get what we choose in the end even though He takes time to allow us to realise that we have been foolish from time to time.

The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved

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Psalm 46:6–11, “The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

When the heathen and those who didn’t believe in the Lord came to attack the Lord’s people they discovered that the Lord was more powerful than all of them put together. If we sit still and wait for the Lord then we will see Him work. Of course waiting for the Lord includes praying and bringing our praise and thanks to Him as well. When we believe in the Lord and trust Him them even the heathen will see and know how great He is.

God is our refuge and strength

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Psalm 46:1–5, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.”

Those who trust in the Lord can be sure that He is faithful and secure. Whenever we face trouble we can be sure that the Lord knows what is best for us and is doing what is good for us. Even though the whole world is against us the Lord is still on our side and superior to all those who are mustered against us.

Hearken, O daughter, and consider

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Psalm 45:10–17, “Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour. The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.”

In Biblical times royal marriages were more about treaties between two nations than about love and the future. A wife went to her husband king to look after her father’s interests and she was a hostage so that she could be punished for the perceived sins of her father. However, the Messianic King would be good and perfect in every way and his wife would be committed, firstly, to her husband because He will lover her for herself and she will love Him for Himself. The Messianic King will always act in the best interests of His bride, that is, His people, and she will be able to trust Him completely.

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever

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Psalm 45:6–9, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.”

While this Psalm was originally penned about the king at the time, it looks forward to the ultimate Davidic king as well. The last and the best of all the true kings of Israel. He will reign forever, not only over Israel but over all the earth. He will be incorruptible and benevolent. Everyone will rejoice when He rules and He will be the delight of the entire earth. This great King is the Messiah, Who will come to the earth to rule.

My heart is inditing a good matter

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Psalm 45:1–5, “My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.”

The Psalmist was a true Israeli and loved his king. The very thought of his king gave him a sense of joy. When he thought about the king he knew that he was thinking of someone special and important. He decided to compose a song about the king and talk about his power, strength and majesty. He knew that the king was one of the best looking men in the kingdom and a great warrior. He praised his king for these attributes. Of course if the king was so good then the Lord God, Who raised this king to the throne, was much greater and more majestic.

All this is come upon us

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Psalm 44:17–26, “All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth. Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.”

Israel struggled with defeat by their enemies but they said that they had kept the contract. If they kept the contract then they should expect the Lord to keep them and protect them throughout their tenure in the Land. However, there were times before, like their first attack on Ai, when there were secret sins in among the people. They needed to examine themselves and see if they were sinning. On the other hand, if they could say with pure hearts that they hadn’t sinned then they could thank the Lord for He was giving them a chance to rely more closely on Him and understand the full extent of His love even though they were suffering. (Compare Hab 3:17–19, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.)Even though the Lord helped Israel throughout the years, He had a contract with the nation and, with integrity, He kept to the terms of the contract. Israel sinned against the Lord and followed after strange gods so they suffered punishment. Their enemies came and attacked them and the Lord didn’t give them great victories as He had done before. The heathen nations knew that they Lord wasn’t helping them any longer and they cursed Israel. However, the Lord was working to restore Israel to their former place where they kept to the terms of the contract that they had agreed to.

But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame

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Psalm 44:9–16, “But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies. Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves. Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen. Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.”

Even though the Lord helped Israel throughout the years, He had a contract with the nation and, with integrity, He kept to the terms of the contract. Israel sinned against the Lord and followed after strange gods so they suffered punishment. Their enemies came and attacked them and the Lord didn’t give them great victories as He had done before. The heathen nations knew that they Lord wasn’t helping them any longer and they cursed Israel. However, the Lord was working to restore Israel to their former place where they kept to the terms of the contract that they had agreed to.

We have heard with our ears

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Psalm 44:1–8, “We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.”

Whenever David felt he was struggling with problems in the present, he looked back into history and saw what the Lord had done before. He could read what the Lord had done for Israel in years gone by. The Lord took them away from slavery in Egypt and gave them a land of their own. They didn’t do much to gain the land but the Lord acted as the greatest warrior in history and drove out their enemies before them. These people lived in the Land but they didn’t value the Land and debased it with their foul, inhuman practices. David knew that he served the same Lord and that the Lord would continue to act as He had always acted in love, for the good of the chosen people.

Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation

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Psalm 43:1–5, “Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man. For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”

When David wrote this Psalm he felt as though the evil men were triumphing and those who trusted in the Lord were suffering shame and defeat. He asked the Lord to fight on his side against those who were deceitful and unjust. He longed to be free to go the Lord’s altar and worship, offering songs of praise to the Lord. In fact, he asked himself why he was feeling so bad because he knew that he was free to place his hope in God and then he would praise God.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me

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Psalm 42:6–11, “O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”

David had been remembering the Lord’s goodness because he was trying to escape from a time of poor morale. He was feeling sad and lonely but he knew that he could overcome these circumstances by remembering the Lord and all that He had done. The Lord controls the entire creation but David felt as though the waves of a great storm were passing over him. He lifted his mind up to the Lord and His love and asked why the Lord had forgotten him. His enemies were taunting him and asking him what had happened to his God, the God who was the source of his joy and gratitude. David knew that he just had to put all his hope in the Lord because he knew that, eventually, the Lord would bless him.

As the hart panteth after the water brooks

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Psalm 42:1–5, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”

David had come to admire and love the Lord during the course of his life. He knew the Lord’s majesty when he was a young shepherd and saw the wonders of the heavens as he watched the sheep during the long night hours while he protected his flock. He had seen the greatness of the Lord when he fought Goliath and many other enemies and triumphed. More than all of this he had sinned against the Lord and knew the Lord’s gentle grace and mercy after he confessed his sin, repented and was forgiven. All in all, David longed to spend time alone with the Lord in prayer, thanksgiving and worship. He was attacked by his enemies and they mocked him for trusting in the Lord for they believed that the Lord couldn’t protect David at all. However, when David was able to go to a private place where he could pray or go into the public place of worship, he was able to rejoice in the Lord’s love and goodness. At those time he asked himself why he ever felt downhearted because the Lord is trustworthy and always available to hear the cries of those who trust the Lord.

Mine enemies speak evil of me

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Psalm 41:5–13, “Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish? And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it. All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.”

David’s enemies hated him and said bad things about him behind his back. They were waiting for him to die so that they could at last feel as though they had won. However, when David though about his situation he realised that his enemies still hadn’t won because he was still alive. He knew about the Lord’s integrity and knew that the Lord would never do anything to harm those who trusted in Him. He knew that he believed in the Lord and was counted among the righteous. The Lord lasts forever and He will never fail or change His perfect and loving nature.

Blessed is he that considereth the poor

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Psalm 41:1–4, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.”

One of the great things about the Lord is that, even though He is Almighty God and far superior to everyone on the earth, He cares for the poor and the needy, the lonely and the orphan. The Lord has a special place in His heart for those who are in need and struggle from day to day. He will deliver the person in their trials at all times. The Lord is merciful because He doesn’t always treat sinners according to their sin but according to His grace.

Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me

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Psalm 40:11–17, “Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha. Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified. But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.”

After looking forward to the future, David considered his own situation again. He had been through such a hard time but the Lord had delivered him so he prayed that the Lord would continue to bless him. He was in danger all the time because there were so many who wanted to destroy him. He remembered that he was just a poor and needy man who needed the Lord.

Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire

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Psalm 40:6–10, “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.”

As David meditated on the Lord and all the good things that he had done, the king began to think about the ultimate promise that the Lord had made. The Lord promised, in the beginning, that one day, He would finally defeat Satan, the source of all evil and trouble on the earth. The Lord had asked Israel to offer sacrifices as a temporary remedy for sin but the ultimate Servant would come and offer Himself to the Lord. This servant, a descendant of Eve, would come, willingly, to do the Lord’s will and effect this final victory of good over evil. He would preach righteousness to all the people of the world. He would come and make public the way of the Lord and show the Lord’s love, grace and mercy to the world.

I waited patiently for the LORD

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(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Psalm 40:1–5, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”

Much of David’s early life was spent waiting in patience. He had to wait many years before he became the king. Even though he had to wait, he knew that the Lord heard his cry and acted for his benefit. He was in a terrible place, perhaps this could have been an emotional place as well as a physical place. He may well have struggled with depression but then he began to think on the Lord rather than on his own circumstances. The Lord gave him a new song to sing and delivered him from his depression. The Lord God only does good things and evil happens when people ignore the Lord and all His wisdom. David knew that he could talk about the Lord and His goodness for the rest of his life and would still not run out of new and exciting things to talk about.