Psalms 31:1

 Psalms 31:1 says, To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The introduction, then verse one says, In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.  David said he put his trust in the LORD and asked that he never be ashamed of that fact and asked God to deliver him by God's righteous, not David's.  As Christians, we are delivered by God's righteous, so we need to put our trust in Him and never be ashamed of the fact that we do.  Verse two adds, Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.  David asked God to listen to his prayers and to be his defence in the world, bringing him a quick delivery from his enemies.  We know that God always hears His people when they pray, and when we put our faith in Jesus Christ spirituallly we have immediate and everlasting delivery from all our enemies.  Verse three continues, For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.  David proclaimed God to be his rock and fortress and asked God to lead and guide him for God's sake.   As followers of Christ, God is our rock and fortress, so we should pray for His continual leadership and guidance, and we should then follow Him for His name’s sake, or glory.  Verse four states, Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.  David asked God to deliver him from the snares, or nets, that his enemies had secretly laid for him, because God was his strength.  No matter how many snares the world may set for us today as Christians, as long as we put our faith in God, He will always deliver us, even from those secret snares we may not see.  Verse five declares, Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.  Like David, as Christians we must commit our spirits to God, because He alone can redeem us, since He is the God of truth.  We cannot sometimes believe the truth of God and other times question it if we are to be saved.  Verse six adds, I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.  David said he had hated those who spoke vain lies and had put his trust in the LORD.  We are not to hate those who speak lies today, but we are to hate the lies that they tell, and we are always to put our faith in the truth of God as followers of Christ.  Verse seven continues, I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;  David said he would be glad and rejoice in God's mercy, because God had considered him in his troubles and adversities.  David did not say that God had always kept him from trouble and adversity.   We need to rejoice in the Lord, not because He will keep us from trouble and adversity, but because He will always be with us and lead us through them by His power.  Verse eight concludes, And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.  David said God had not shut him up in the hand of his enemy, but had set his feet in a large room.  God will never leave Christians in the hand of their enemies spiritually.  Verse nine asks, Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.  David asked God to have mercy on him in his time of trouble, when he was filled with grief.  As followers of Christ, if we find ourselves in times of trouble and grief, we need to pray to God for His deliverance from the situation, and as long as we continue to pull our faith in Him, we can be certain of His everlasting delivery.  Verse ten adds, For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.  David said his years were filled with grief and his strength failed because of his iniquity.  If our lives seem to be filled with grief and our strength failing as followers of Christ, we need to see if we have allowed sin back into our life.  Verse eleven declares, I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.  David said he had become a reproach not only to his enemies but also to his acquaintances.  David had seemingly fallen out from under God's protection, and his enemies were all around him, so even his acquaintances were afraid to be around him.  Even if we are following God's leadership, at times it may seem that everyone has turned away from us, even our friends.  Verse twelve adds, I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.  David said he was forgotten as a dead man and that he was a broken vessel.  We may think of David as a mighty king, but he was often in trouble in the world, so why should we think that we should be any different?  Verse thirteen concludes. For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. David said the people all around him slandered him and plotted against him seeking to kill him.  If we feel that the world is against us as Christians, we will not be the first to feel that way, and we must never forget that God is with us no matter what happens. 

Psalms 30:1

Psalms 30:1 says, A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.  This introduction is a little more specific, then verse one says, I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. David said God lifted him to victory over his foes.  David never bragged on himself, but always gave God the glory.  If we rely on God's strength and guidance, we will always be victorious over sin, and we must always give God the glory.  Verse two adds, O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.  David said when he cried to God, or earnestly prayed to Him, that God healed him.  Through our faith in Jesus Christ, God has healed us forever, no matter what happens in this lifetime.  Verse three continues, O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.  David said that God had delivered his soul fom hell, and so does God deliver the soul of anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as his or her Savior from hell.  Verse four states, Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.  David calls on all saints, or those who believe in God, to sing to Him with  thanks as they remember His holiness. We as Christians are called saints of God, and we should continually give Him the thanks and remember His holiness.  Verse five adds, For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.  David said that God's anger was brief but His favor brings life.  God is angry at our sin, but when we earn His favor through faith in Jesus Christ it lasts forever.  David said that things may look bad at night, but through faith joy comes in the morning.  Verse six says, And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.  David said that during his time of prosperity that he believed he would never be moved.  Matthew Henry says that David was self confident and not truly looking to God.  Often, in times of prosperity we become the same way.  Verse seven adds, LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.  David does give God credit for success, but then says that God hid His face from him.  I believe that the reason David felt this way was because he had stopped being in continual communication with God.  Sometimes, when we as Christians are being successful in life we can tend to forget about God and lose our continual communication with Him.  Verse eight continues, I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.  David said that he cried to God, I believe when his mountain, or success had been shaken.  We may not cry out to God when things are going well, but we are always quick to call out to Him in times of need.  Verse nine asks, What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?  David asked how his destruction could profit God and who would praise God and declare His truth if David was dead.  We may feel that we alone are proclaiming God's truth and that God would not profit from our death, but we are not alone in proclaiming God's word.  We need to be faithful to God no matter how much we may be shaken in the world, even if we lose our life doing so.  Verse ten declares, Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.  Like David, we need to ask for God to hear and have mercy on us, in times of prosperity as well as in times of trouble.  We will always be in need of God's help in this world.  God has already shown His mercy to everyone, but in order to claim that mercy we must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  When we do, God through the Holy Spirit is always there to help us if we are following God's will.  Verse eleven adds, Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;  David said God had changed his mourning into dancing, put off his sackcloth of mourning, and wrapped him in gladness.  This is how we as followers of Christ should feel every day.  Verse twelve concludes, To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.  David said that he could not be silent in giving his praises to God, and neither should we be today.

Psalms 29:1

Psalms 29:1 says, A Psalm of David. After the introduction,  verse one says, Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.  David called on the mighty, those who were in power in the world, to give glory to God.  We need the mighty in the world today to give unto God, beginning with themselves.  If they didn't give themselves to God through faith in Christ, then nothing else would matter.  Verse two adds, Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.  David asked that the mighty give unto God because He was due their glory and for them to worship Him in the beauty of His holiness.  We should worship God because of Who He is.  Verse three states, The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.  David begins to speak of the voice of the LORD. He said God's voice in on the waters, or reaches all nations.  Verse four adds,The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.  David also spoke or the power and majesty of God's voice.  God brought all things into existence by the power of His voice, and He calls everyone to salvation by that same powerful voice.  Verse five continues, The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.  The cedars of Lebanon were considered to be strong trees, but David said God's voice could bring them down.  There is nothing in the world more powerful or stronger than the voice of God.  Verse six says, He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.  David said that powerful nations were no more than a weak calf to God.  There is no nation nor any power in the universe that can stand before God, and we need to acknowledge His power in our life today.  Verse seven adds, The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.  We may sometimes think of fire as almost uncontrollable, but David said God's voice could divide, or control, the flames of fire.  We also know that God's spares us from the fires of hell if we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse eight states, The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.  David said God's voice could also shake the wilderness.  People may think that if they go into the wilderness areas of the world that they can escape God, but God is there and in control.  Verse nine adds, The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.  David said that God had the power over the birth of animals, and we can add even over the birth of people.  We need to pray that in God's temple that everyone speaks of His glory.  Verse ten declares, The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.  David said that God sat on the flood.  Most of the world was destroyed by the flood in Noah's day, but God limited it destructive power.  Verse eleven adds, The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.  David said God would give strength to and bless His people with peace.  If we do not have peace in our life as followers of God, we need to look to God in faith allowing His peace to come into our life.  We have no reason to fear anything in this world, because God is more powerful than anything. 

Psalms 28:1

 Psalms 28:1 says, A Psalm of David. After the introduction, then verse one says, Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.  David asked God to not stop speaking to him so that he would not be like those who went down into the pit.  As Christians, we should not find it strange that God speaks to us, though it probably won't be with an audible voice, but we should be alarmed if He stops speaking to us.  Verse two adds, Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.  David then asked that God hear him when he prayed to Him in humbleness.  We can be certain as followers of Christ that God will always hear our prayers if we come to Him simply seeking His will.  Verse three continues, Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.  David asked that God not send him away with those who worked iniquity, claiming to come in peace with their neighbors but really having mischief in their hearts.  We will not be sent away with the wicked if we have truly accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and if we have, we should never mistreat our neighbors.  Verse four states, Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.  David basically asked God to give the workers of iniquity what they deserved.  I really don't believe this should be our attitude, since we are all but sinners saved by grace.  God will take care of punishing those who refuse to accept His salvation plan in His own way and time.  We simply need to reach out to them with the gospel and pray for their salvation.  Verse five adds, Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.  David said that God would destroy those who did not regard Him and would not build them up.  Those who deny God today will one day be destroyed, along with everything that they have gained in this world.  Verse six declares, Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.  David then said that He blessed the LORD because He had heard David's prayers.  When God hears our prayers today, we should give Him the glory, even if His answer to our prayers is no.  Verse seven adds, The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.  Like David, we need to acknowledge God as the source of our strength and know that He will shield us from the sins of the world.  For this, like David, we need to rejoice in our heart and sing praises to God.  Verse eight continues, The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.  David said God was the strength of those who put their faith in Him.  As those who have put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, God is our strength as long as we seek His will in our lives.  Verse nine concludes, Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.  David asked God to provide for His people and to bless them and keep them safe forever.  We as followers of Christ are His forever, and He blesses us beyond measure, no matter what happens in this lifetime. 

Psalms 27:1

Psalms 27:1 says, A Psalm of David. After the introduction as a psalm of David, verse one says, The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  David said that since God was his light, salvation, and strength, he asked whom should he be afraid of.  If we put our faith in  God, like David, we should be afraid of no one.  Verse two adds, When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.  David said when his enemies came upon him to destroy him, that God caused them to fall.  Even if our enemies defeat us in this world, God has already caused them to fall in the everlasting perspective.  Verse three continues,  Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.  David said that no matter how large the force against him might be, that he would still be confident in the LORD.  This should be our belief today as well as followers of Christ.  Verse four states, One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.  David said that the one thing that he had desired and sought after was to dwell in God's house all his days, to behold the beauty of God and to seek God's will there.  We should also want to live in God's presence and seek His will in our lives as Christians.  Verse five adds, For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.  David said that God would hide him in His security in times of trouble.  God will always keep His people securely in His strength in times of trouble.  Verse six declares, And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.  David said that since God had lifted him up above his enemies that he would offer sacrifices in God's temple and sing praises to Him.  David gave God the credit for his success in life, even when at war, and so should we.  Verse seven adds, Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.  David asked God to hear him and have mercy on him.  If we are to be successful life today, we must first ask God to hear us and have mercy on us.  We cannot demand that God hear us, but if we call out to Him sincerely seeking His mercy through faith in Jesus Christ, He always will hear us.  Verse eight says, When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.  David said that when God told him to seek Him, he obeyed.  God tells everyone to seek Him first today, and our relationship to Him depends on whether we do or not.  Verse nine adds, Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.  David asked God, Whom he called the God of his salvation, to not forsake him.  As Christians, who have salvation through Christ, we can be certain that God will never forsake us.  We have everlasting security through our relationship with God when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse ten states, When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.  David said that even if his father and mother forsook him, he would still put his faith in the LORD.   Even if all the world were to forsake us, even our closest relatives, we must still continue to put our faith in God.  Verse eleven adds, Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.  Like David, we need to ask God to lead us in the plain path of righteousness, because we like David have enemies all around us.  Verse twelve continues, Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.  David asked God to keep him safe from the false witnesses that had risen up against him.  We need to ask the same of God today.  Verse thirteen says, I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.  David said that if it weren't for his faith in God that he would have fainted.  We must never allow our faith in God to falter.  As followers of Christ, God secures us by His power and goodness.  Verse fourteen adds, Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.  Like David, we simply need to wait on the LORD, both in times of trouble and in times of prosperity.  We need to give God the glory no matter what happens in our life. 

Psalms 26:1

Psalms 26:1 says, A Psalm of David.  After being identified as a Psalm of David, verse one says, Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.  David asked God to judge him, and then said that God knew he had sinned but also that he had trusted in the LORD.   God will one day judge us, whether we ask Him to or not, and we are all guilty of sin, so our only hope is to put our faih and trust in the Lord, Jesus Christ.  Verse two adds, Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.  David then asked God to examine his heart.  It is not enough for us to pronounce ourselves innocent, but we need to continually ask God to examine our life to see if there are any sinful thoughts or actions in our life.  Verse three continues, For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.  David said God's lovingkindness, His mercy, was before his eyes, and that he had walked by God's truth. Because of God's lovingkindness, or mercy, toward us, we should walk guided by His truth.  Verse four states, I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.  Though we are told to go into all the world to share the gospel, this does not mean that we are to sit with those we witness to all the time.  Verse five adds, I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.  David said he hated the congregation of the wicked and would not sit with them.   Again, we are to hate the sins of people and to witness to them about Jesus Christ, but we are not to make congregating with them a way of life.  Verse six declares, I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:  David pronounced his innocence before God and his right to come to God's altar.  David's innocence came from his faith in God and God's mercy and not from his own goodness.  The only way we can stand innocent before God is by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. Verse seven adds, That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.  David said that he would tell the world of all of God's wondrous works in his life, and so should we as Christians.  Verse eight continues, LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.  David said he had loved being in God's house  where God's honor dwelt.  We should love being in God's house today, but when we are gathered in His house, all that we do there should honor Him.  Of course, anywhere that we are as Christians should be God's house for us and we should honor Him in all that we do.  Verse nine says, Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:  David asked that his soul not be gathered with sinners.  David had proclaimed his innocence because of God's grace to him and his faith in the LORD, and asked that he not be sentenced to the same fate as the sinners who had not put their faith in the LORD.  We are all sinners, but if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will not be judged with those who don't.  By our faith in Jesus Christ, we are pronounced innocent.  Verse ten adds, In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.  David then spoke of some of the actions of the sinful men.  Their hands were full of mischief and bribes.  There will always be sinful people in the world, but as Christians we must not be a part of them.  Verse eleven declares, But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.  David said that he would walk in his integrity, but at the same time asked God to redeem him and be merciful to him.  We cannot save ourselves by our own integrity, but can only be saved by the mercy of God, which we must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord to obtain.  Verse twelve adds, My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.  David said he stood on the even ground of God and would bless the LORD in the congregation.  When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, He leads us on the even ground and keeps us from stumbling, and for this we should always give Him the praise. 

Psalms 25:11

Psalms 25:11 says, For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.  David asked God to pardon his great iniquity for the sake of God's name.  When God pardons our sins, whether great or small, it is God's name that is glorified and not ours.  Verse twelve asks, What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.  David asked who was the man who would fear the LORD, and said that it was the one who allowed God to show him God's way.  It is always our choice.  Verse thirteen adds, His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.  David said the person who chose to follow God would live at ease and that his or her descendants would inherent the earth.  If we look back to the beginning of creation, God placed the earth in the care of and under the control of mankind.  I believe this was what David was referring to, and not to claiming all the riches of the world.   Verse fourteen declares, The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.  We cannot discover God's secret or truly understand His covenant without Him revealing it to us, and the only way it is revealed to us is by putting our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse fifteen states, Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. David said his eyes were continually on God, Who would pluck him out of the snares of life.  If we keep our eyes continually focused on God,  we will never fall into the traps of sin.  Verse sixteen adds, Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.  David was asking God to look at him in his desolation and affliction and not for God to turn to David's way.  We need to continually be in prayer to God, but especially so when things seem desolate or we are suffering affliction.  Verse seventeen continues, The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.  Verse eighteen concludes, Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.  David just continues to speak of the great distress that he is in.  Sometimes, the world may seem to be overwhelming us, but if that happens, we need to call out to God.  Verse nineteen says, Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.  David asked God to consider his enemies, which he said were many and that they hated him.  David was a great and powerful king, but he recognized that God was the source of his strength, and so must we today.  Verse twenty adds,  O kee!p my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.  David asked God to keep his soul and deliver him.  He asked that he not be ashamed of putting his faith in God, because God was the One Who delivered him from his enemies.  Through faith in Jesus Christ, God has already delivered us to victory over all our enemies, so we should never be ashamed to say so.  Verse twenty-one declares, Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.  David asked God to help him live in integrity and uprightness.   David knew he couldn't do this by his own ability.  We need to put our faith in God and wait on Him to show us the way he wants us to live our life.  Verse twenty-two adds, Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.  David then asked God to redeem Israel out of all his troubles.   We should be in prayer not only for ourselves but for everyone, and especially for God's people who may be in distress, wherever they may be.