Psalms 33:12

Psalms 33:12 says, Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.  David tells us that the nation whose God is the LORD is blessed.   If we as a nation hope to be blessed today, we must put our faith in the only true God, and be His people by putting our faith in Jesus Christ.  Then, we will be a part of those chosen to be a part of His inheritance.  Verse thirteen adds, The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.  David tells us that God is watching all people from heaven.  Nothing that we do is hidden from God.  Verse fourteen continues, From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.  Again,  David tells us that God doesn't just look on some people, but all people.  Verse fifteen states, He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.  David tells us everyone is created the same, and then God observes our works.  I believe this means whether or not our works are done under God's leadership through our faith in Christ.  Verse sixteen adds, There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.  David said that rulers were not saved by their own strength, and no matter how strong rulers may think they are today, if they are not putting them faith in God and following Him, they will fall.  Verse seventeen continues, An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Horses were considered a source of power during wars in David's time, but God said they were a vain thing to look to for safety.  No matter how powerful we may feel militarily today as a nation, it is a vain thing if we have not put God first.  Verse eighteen declares,  Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;  David also tells us that God is watching those that put their faith in Him.  God doesn't just look down on His people occasionally, but He looks down on us continually.  Verse nineteen adds, To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.  David said God looking down on His people to deliver their soul from death and to keep them from famine.   When we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, our soul is forever delivered from spiritual death, and God will always provide for our needs if we rely on Him through faith.  Verse twenty says, Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.  We, like David, must wait on God and rely on His strength to shield us from evil in this world.  Verse twenty-one adds, For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.  David said that the hearts of God's people would rejoice in Him, because they had trusted in His holy name.  We as Christians should always rejoice in God if put our trust in His holy name.  Verse twenty-two concludes, Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.  David asked that God's mercy be on people according to their hope in Him.  As followers of Christ, God's mercy is always on us, and because of that we should always live by faith.

Psalms 33:1

 Psalms 33:1 says, Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.  As David said then, the righteous need to rejoice in the LORD, because praising Him is comely, or what we should do.  Verse two adds,, Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.  David said that God's people were to praise Him with songs and musical instruments.  Some people today believe that musical instruments have no place in worship, but if we look to what David said, then we should see that this is not the case.  Verse three continues, Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.  David called on people to worship God with a new song and to play skillfully with loud noise.  Sometimes, the new songs that are sung and played in worship may sound like loud noise, hopefully skillfully played, but if it is offered in sincerity to praise God, then we should find nothing wrong with it.  Verse four declares,  For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.  David tells us that we should worship God because His word is right and all His works are done in truth.  God will never do anything wrong or that is based on a lie.  Verse five adds, He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.  David said that God loves truth and righteous and that the earth is full of His goodness.  This has not changed.  God still expects His people to be righteous based on His judgment, and even with all its problems, the world is still full of the goodness of God.  Verse six continues, By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.  David said that God brought all of creation into being by the power of His word, so we need never doubt God's power in the world today.  Verse seven concludes, He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.  David continued to speak of God's power over the earth.  God gathered the seas together and separated the land.  Verse eight states, Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.  David called on all the earth to fear and stand in awe of God.  I don't believe that we are to be afraid of God, but we are to have an awesome respect for Him.  We don't need to fear that God is just waiting to destroy us, but instead that He stands ready to forgive us if we will only put our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse nine adds, For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.  David tells us that we need to stand in awe of God because He spoke everything in to existence.  God's power has not diminished since He created the heavens and the earth, and we need to acknowledge His power today.   Verse ten says, The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.  As followers of Christ, we have no reason to fear the heathen, those who do not believe in God, because God makes all their devices, or power, to no effect in our spiritual life.  Verse eleven adds, The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.  David said that God's word will endure forever.  If we put our faith in Jesus Christ, God secures us as His forever.  There is no power that can separate us from God as long as we put our trust in Him.

Psalms 32:1

Psalms 32;1 says, A Psalm of David, Maschil. Again, the identification of this being a psalm of David, then verse one says, Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  David said that those whose transgressions were forgiven and whose sins were covered were blessed.  As followers of Christ, this means us.  By the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, our transgressions are forgiven and our sins are coveredby His blood.  Verse two adds, Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.  David said the person whom God does not hold his or her iniquity against is blessed.  The only way for this to happen is through faith in Jesus Christ.  If we put our faith in Him and follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, there should be no guile in us.  Verse three states, When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.  David said he had kept silent about the sin around him and his sins and it made him grow old.  If we do not speak out against sin and confess our own sins, we will begin to feel old and defeated.  Verse four adds, For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.  David added that when he refused to speak out against sin that God's hand was heavy on him.  If we refuse to renounce sin today as followers of Christ, then we should not be surprised if we feel God's hand pressing down on us and drying up our joy.  Verse five declares, I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.  David said he confessed his sins to God, and that God forgave him.  If we confess our sins to God through our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then God will always forgive our sins.  Verse six adds, For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.  David tells us that because of God's salvation from our sins that we should seek Him while He may be found.  Jesus Christ died for the sins of everyone, but for this to have effect in our life, we must come to Jesus Christ when God calls us.  Verse seven continues, Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. David pronounced God to be his hiding place, or his place of security.  As Christians, as long as we put our faith in Jesus Christ, God will always be our place of security.  Verse eight says, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.  David said he would teach others about God because he knew Who God is from his personal relationship withHim.  We as, followers of Christ today, must teach others about God  and share the gospel wherever we go.  Verse nine adds, Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.  David asked that people not be like a horse or mule who need someone else to force them to obey.  I believe that David was saying that we should not have to be forced to do God's will, but that we should do so willingly.  Verse ten states, Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.  As David said, if not in this lifetime, then at God's judgment day certainly, many sorrows will come to the wicked, but to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ  God's mercy will encompass them.  Verse eleven adds, Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.  David called on the righteous to rejoice in the Lord, and that includes us today as followers of Christ. 

Psalms 31:14

Psalms 31:14 says, But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.  David said he always trusted in the LORD, because He was his God.  There should never be a time when we do not trust in God as Christians.  Verse fifteen adds, My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.  David placed his life in God's hands and asked God to deliver him his enemies.  We need to put our lives in God's hands as followers of Christ and leave it up to Him to deal with our enemies.  Verse sixteen states, Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake.  Once more, David asked God to shine His mercy on him for God's sake.  We should recognize that God sheds His mercy on us for His glory and not for ours.  Verse seventeen adds, Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.  David asked that God enable him to not be ashamed of his relationship with God.  Instead, he asked that his enemies be ashamed and silent in the grave.  We need to also ask God to give us the strength and dedication to never be ashamed of our relationship with Him.  The enemies of God will on day realize their shame, and they will have nothing to say to God in their defense.  Verse eighteen says, Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.  David asked that those who lied against the righteous be put to silence.  When God's judgment comes, this will be their status.  Verse nineteen declares, Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!  David stated that God's goodness was great, and we as Christians should always acknowledge this fact.  Verse twenty adds, Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.  David continued to talk about God protecting those who put their faith in Him.  As David said, as followers of Christ, God keeps us safely in His pavilion.  Verse twenty-one states, Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.  David declared that he proclaimed his blessing to God because of God's marvelous kindness.   We should never forget to praise God for all His blessings that He bestows on us daily, even when the world seems to be out to destroy us.  Verse twenty-two adds, For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.  David said in his haste that he thought he was cut off from God, but then he realized that God had always heard him when he called out to Him.  Sometimes, when life seems to be overwhelming, we may in our haste feel that God has forgotten us, but He never will if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty-three states, O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.  David called on all the saints of God to love the LORD because He preserved the faithful, and this still applies to us today.  As Christians, we are the saints of God.  Verse twenty-four adds, Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.  David then asked those who put their faith in God to be of good courage.  As followers of Christ, we should live courageously for God today, never wavering in our faith.

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.