Psalms 22:22

 Psalms 22:22 says, I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.  David said he would declare God's name to his brethren.  We need to do that as well, but even more so we need to proclaim God's word to everyone we meet.  Verse twenty-three adds, Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.  David then called on people who believed in God to praise Him, especially the people of Israel, God's chosen people.  Like them,we need to have an awesome respect for God.  I don't believe we are to be afraid of God as followers of Christ, but we are to recognize His complete power in the universe.  Verse twenty-four continues, For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.  David said that God had not despised nor abhorred the afflicted, nor had He hidden His face from them, and when they cried out to Him, He heard them.  We can never be so bad that God will turn away from us, and if we call out to Him in faith He will always hear us.  Verse twenty-five states, My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.  David said that he would declare his praise of God to the people and that he would keep his vows to Him.  It is not enough to just praise God without keeping our vows to Him.  Verse twenty-six adds, The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.  David said the meek would eat and be satisfied.  I believe that as followers of Christ we are to be meek and humble people and not loud and bragging on our own abilities.  If we humbly put our faith in God, then we can eat and sleep in peace.  Verse twenty-seven declares, All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.  David said that people throughout the world, and not just the people of Israel, would turn to God and worship Him.  God is worshipped throughout the world by people today, but not by all the people of the world.  Verse twenty-eight adds, For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations.  David declared God to be the ruler of all nations.  Even if they don't acknowledge God's sovereignty in this lifetime, when Jesus Christ returns in judgment, every person who ever lived will acknowledge God's sovereignty.  Verse twenty-nine continues, All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.  David said that everyone would one day be held accountable, as I had stated.  We cannot keep our own soul alive, nor can we destroy it.  All we can do is choose our everlasting destination by either accepting or rejecting salvation made available through Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty says, A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.  David said there would always be a remnant that served God and that those who did would be counted as a generation to God.  As followers of Christ, we are part of that remnant.  Verse thirty-one adds, They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.  David said that the coming generations that put their faith in God would declare His righteousness to the world.  This is our responsibility as Christians today.

Psalms 22:11

Psalms 22:11 says, Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. David asked God to be close to Him, because trouble was near him.  We need to always be close to God and ask Him to always be close to us, because trouble is always near and God is the only One we can rely on to always help us.  Verse twelve adds, Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.  David said he had many very strong enemies around him.  If we feel that the evil of the world has surrounded us today, we are not the first people to feel so.  Verse thirteen continues, They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.  David felt that everyone was speaking against him, and it may seem that most people in the world today speak out against Christians, but we need never be afraid, because God is with us.  Verse fourteen states, I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.  David, the mighty warrior that he was, said he felt as weak as water.  Still, it was not his strength that he was to rely on, but God's strength.  When we feel our weakest, that is when we especially need to look to God for strength.  Verse fifteen adds, My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.  David continues to speak about how weak and helpless he felt.  If we feel weak and helpless today, we need to focus on God and not our situation.  Verse sixteen continues, For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.  This is once more a reference to Jesus Christ,  Who had His hands and feet pierced on the cross.  Matthew Henry says the first twenty-one verses are a reference to Christ, but I believe most of the verses refer to how David was feeling at the time as well.  Verse seventeen says, I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.  Again, we know that those that crucified Jesus looked on Him with contempt, so we should not be surprised if they do the same to us today if we are followers of Christ.  Verse eighteen declares, They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.  This is a definite prophesy about what happened to Jesus when He was crucified.  Verse nineteen adds, But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.   Whether this refers to Christ or David himself, it should also be our prayer.  We need God's help to be successful in our Christian walk, whether in times of trouble or times of prosperity.  Verse twenty continues, Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.  Verse twenty-one concludes, Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.  David asked God to deliver his soul from the sword.  We can rest assured that through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord that God has already delivered our soul from all adversity. 

Psalms 22:1

Psalms 22:1 says, To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.  As often is the case, we have the introduction, then verse one says, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?  David asked God why He had forsaken him, and we recognize these as the words of Christ on the cross as well.  Of course, though David was God's chosen leader for His people, he could not bring them salvation, and if he felt that God had deserted him, it was for a different reason than Jesus Christ did.  If we feel that God has deserted us today, it will never be because He has actually done so if we are followers of Christ.  Verse two adds, O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.  David said he called out to God day and night, but that God did not hear him.  Once more,we know that God will always hear His people when they call out to Him, but we may sometimes feel that He doesn't because we are calling out for our own reasons and not for God's will to be done in our life.  Verse three declares, But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.  David said that even if he felt God had forsaken him, that he still recognized the holiness of God.  We must never forget the holiness of God, even if we feel that He has somehow forgotten us.  Verse four adds, Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.  David said he knew that when the people of Israel put their faith in God in the past that He delivered them.  We have the Bible to attest to this, especially with Jesus Christ.  We also have the testimony of other Christians.  Verse five continues, They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.  David continues to speak of God's deliverance of the people of Israel in the past.  We have even more people that we can point to that God delivered when they called out to Him in faith.  Verse six states, But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.  David, though God's chosen king, said he was but a worm and despised by men. We today often don't like to think of ourselves as being so lowly, even changing the words of a hymn that said such a worm as I to sinners such a I.  Verse seven adds, All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, Verse eight continues, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.  David said people mocked him because of his situation and said that David had trusted in the LORD but that the LORD had not delivered him.  We cannot judge God's deliverance on earthly situations.  Verse nine declares, But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.  Verse ten adds, I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.  David said God was with him while he was still in the womb.  We can never deny the fact that even those in the womb are God's creation. 

Psalms 21:1

Psalms 21:1 says,To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.  Once more, after the introduction, verse one says, The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!   David was the king, so he really was saying that he would rejoice in God's strength, and so should we, no matter our status in life.  Verse two adds, Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.  David said God had given him everything he desired, not denying any request.  As long as we make our requeste in accordance with God's will, He will always grant our request, but that doesn't mean that He will give us everything we desire.  Verse three continues, For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.  David said that God had made him king.  God should always be the One Who is given the credit to for our success in this lifetime.  Verse four states, He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.  David said God gave him life forever and ever.  When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, He gives us everlasting life.  Verse five adds, His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.  David said God's glory was great because He was the One Who provided salvation.  Salvation always has and always will come from God, and we should give Him all the praise for it.  Verse six adds, For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.  David said God had made him blessed forever and exceedingly glad with God's countenance.  God's blessing is everlasting to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ and we should be exceedingly glad in His presence.  Verse seven continues, For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.  David said that by God's power he would not be moved, and neither will we be if we are living by faith in Christ.  Verse eight declares, Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.  As David said, God will find out all those who are His enemies, and until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we will be enemies of God.  Verse nine adds, Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.  David spoke of the enemies of God being devoured by fire, and those who do not accept salvation through Christ will one day find themselves in the fires of hell.  Verse ten continues, Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.  Even the descendants of those who are the enemies of God, unless they come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, will be in the fires of hell as well.  Verse eleven states, For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.  David said God's enemies intended evil against Him but were unable to perform it.  There are many people today who do everything they can to discredit God, but they will never be successful in doing so.  Verse twelve adds, Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.  David said that God's enemies would attempt to turn away from His judgment, but they would be unsuccessful in doing so.  Verse thirteen concludes., Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.  David then called on people to exalt God because of His strength and power.  We serve the all-powerful God as followers of Christ, and we need to give Him all our praise. 

Psalms 20:1

Psalms 20:1 says, To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.  Once more the instructions, then verse one says, The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;  David asked God, Whom he called the God of Jacob, the only true God,  to defend him in the time of trouble.  God is still the God of Jacob, the only true God.  Verse two adds, Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; David asked that God send strength from out of His sanctuary.  David asked for God's divine strength and not just earthly things to help fight the enemy.  If we have faith in God and rely on His strength, that is all we need to be victorious in the world today.  Verse three states, Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice. Selah.  David asked God to remember all the offerings that he had made to Him and to accept the burnt sacrifices.  The only sacrifice that we can offer God that He will remember is ourself by putting our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse four declares, Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.  David then asked God to do this because of Who God is.  God has mercy and provides salvation and protection for us today as Christians because of Who He is and not because of who we are.  Verse five adds, We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.  David said that the people of Israel and he himself would rejoice in God's salvation and proclaim God's goodness to the world.  We today as followers of Christ need to be rejoicing in our salvation and proclaiming God's goodness to the world.   Verse six declares, Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.  David could have been referring to him self as God's anointed king, but I believe the greater reference is to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Who is the true Anointed One.  Verse seven adds, Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.  David said that instead of trusting in horses and chariots, or things used in war, that the people of Israel would put their faith in the LORD.  We will never defeat the evil in this world with military might, but will only defeat it by faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse eight continues, They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. David said that his enemies had fallen, but by God's strength he and the people of Israel were still standing. As long as we live by faith in God, we will always stand spiritually victorious.  Verse nine concludes, Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.  David asked that God hear and save them.  We need to ask the same thing of God today.  Unless we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we cannot expect God to deliver us from the evil in the world, but once we do, then we can always go to Him in prayer and ask His strength to keep us safe forever. 

Psalms 19:1

Psalms 19:1 says, To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.  Once more the introduction, then verse one says,, The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  Like David, we need to recognize that heaven and earth themselves, all of the universe, reflect God's work in creation.   Verse two adds, Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  David also said that the fact that time was separated into day and night showed God's creative work.  Verse three continues,  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.   David said that people didn't have to speak a particular language to see the testimony of God's work in the order of the heavens and the earth.  Verse four concludes, Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,  David said there was no place in the earth where God's creative work could not be seen.  Those who deny God as the Creator of the universe will be without excuse.  Verse five declares, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run.  David said the sun shines everyday without tiring.  Nothing is too hard for God to do, and He delights in His creation.  Verse six adds, His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.  David said that the sun influenced everything in the earth, just as the Son came to shine the light and glory of God to the world.  Verse seven declares, The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.  David declared God's law to be perfect, in the rest or creation and in the soul of man.  We sometimes forget that mankind was created perfect, but with free will to deny God.  Verse eight adds, The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.  David said that God's laws were perfect and brought joy to the heart.  This should still be true for followers of Christ today.  We should see God's law as a delight and not a burden.  Verse nine continues,The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.  God's judgment is pure and endures forever.  There was never anything wrong with God's law, but the problem was the inability of people to live up to His law, and that will always be the problem.  Verse ten continues, More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  David said that God's law should be desired more then riches or the sweet things in life.  This should still be true for Christians today.  Verse eleven states, Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.  David tells us that God's laws warn us of the dangers in life and says that there is great reward in keeping them.  As followers of Christ, we have the great reward of everlasting life through our faith in Him, and God's laws still tell us of the danger of not obeying Him.  Verse twelve asks, Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.  David said that we might not always know that we have committed errors in keeping God's law, but that we should ask God to cleanse us from even these secret faults.  Verse thirteen adds, Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.  David then asked God to keep him from wilful sins.  It is bad enough to be guilty of sinning without realizing it, but it is worse to wilfully sin.  Verse fourteen concludes, Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.  This should be our prayer today.   All that we say and do should be acceptable in God's sight, because He is our strength and Redeemer. 

Psalms 18:29

 Psalms 18:29 says, For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.  David said that God had empowered him to be victorious over great obstacles.  When we see the obstacles to following God today, we need to keep our focus on God and not the obstacles.  Verse thirty adds, As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.  David stated that God's ways were tried and true.  This will always will be true.  Verse thirty-one asks, For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?  David basically asked who else besides God was God.  Who else could they rely on to keep them strong.  There is no other God, and He alone can give us strength in the world today.  Verse thirty-two adds, It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.  David once again said that God, and not David himself, was the source of his strength and his goodness.  We cannot rely on our own strength and goodness and be successful Christians, but must always rely on God's strength and goodness.  Verse thirty-three continues, He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.  David continues to state that God is the One Who lifts him up to the high places.  Verse thirty-four declares, He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.  The world may have seen David as a great warrior, but he said God was the One Who empowered him.  We should always give God the credit for our strength today.  Verse thirty-five adds, Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.  David said God gave him the shield of salvation and held him up with strength and gentleness.  If we have salvation today, it can only come from God, and when we claim salvation through Jesus Christ, He will hold us up with both strength and gentleness.  Verse thirty-six says, Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.  Verse thirty-seven add, I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.  Once more, David gives God credit for his success against his enemies.  If we as followers of Christ are to be successful against our enemies today, we must look to God for strength and give Him credit for our success.  Verse thirty-eight states, I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.  Verse thirty-nine adds, For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.  David said God gave him strength and that God subdued his enemies.  What we as Christians need to realize today is that God has already subdued our enemies.  We have everlasting victory through our faith in Jesus Christ, no matter what happens in this lifetime.  Verse forty continues, Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.  David was still just giving God credit for his success.  God has already destroyed our enemies which we will see when He comes in judgment, and He will give us the strength to not be overcome by them today as long as we remain faithful to Him.  Verse forty-one states, They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.  David said that there was no one to save his enemies.  He also said that they cried to God and He didn't hear them.  We have to assume that they were not calling out to God in sincerity, because I believe that God will always hear those that sincerely call out to Him, for salvation first and then in obedience and praise afterward.  Verse forty-two adds, Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.  David said he totally destroyed his enemies by the power of God, and so can we today.