Psalms 40:1

 Psalms 40:1 says,To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. After the introduction, verse one says, I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  If we like David, as followers of Christ, wait patiently on God He will always hear our cry or prayer.  Verse two adds, 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.  David said God lifted him up out of the pit and miry clay and put his feet on solid ground.  As Christians, God has lifted us up out of the pit and miry ground of sin and put our feet on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.  Verse three continues, 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.  David said God had put a new song in his mouth, and many would see it and fear and put their trust in the LORD.  God gives us a new song of salvation, and we should share it with the world so that they might come to know and trust Him.  Verse four states, Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.  David tells us that those who put their trust in the LORD and turn aside from the lies of the world are blessed.  There are many lies presented as truth today that go against God's truth, and we as followers of Christ must always put our faith in God's truth, then we will be blessed by God.  Verse five adds, 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.  David said that God's wonderful works were too numerous to be numbered.  We will never be able to count the many wonderous works of God, which is why the only wonderous work we really have to understand is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins.  Verse six continues, Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.  David said that burnt offerings and sin offerings were not what God required.  What God really requires is not ritual, but a personal relationship with Him.  The offerings were simply to show obedience to God.  Verse seven declares, Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,  David said he came to the LORD, and in the volume of the book, God's book of life I believe, it was written of him.  Our works will not get our name written in God's book of life, but only our faith in the salvation of Jesus Christ will.  Verse eight adds, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.  We, like David, need to follow God's will for our life and have His law written in our heart.  Verse nine adds, I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.  David said he had preached the righteousness of God to the great congregation.  We must proclaim the righteousness of Christ to the world around us today, especially the lost people of the world.  If we as followers of Christ do not share the gospel, it will not be shared. 

Psalms 39:1

Psalms 39:1 says,To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.  Again, there are instructions from David, then verse one says, I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.  David said he had taken heed of his ways and had controlled his tongue.  We as Christians need to heed our ways and control our tongue today.  We need to live and speak in such a way that we always bring glory to God.  Verse two adds, I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.  David said he remained silent, even when he thought it would be good for him to speak, and this caused him sorrow.  I don't believe that we should ever be reluctant to speak when it is good to do so, and if we do it may lead us to sorrow.  Verse three continues, My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,  David said that there was a fire in his heart as he mused and held his tongue.  Sometimes, if we are holding back from speaking, it may feel like our soul is burning with a desire to speak.  David said at this time, he did speak.  Verse four states, LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.  When David did speak, it was to God, and not to the wicked around him. David asked God to let him know when and how he was going to die so that he might know how frail he was.  Matthew Henry says that this was more of a prayer to consider his mortality, than for a specific time.  We do need to consider the fact that we will one day die, but we need to leave the time of that up to God.  Even when we feel very frail, God is still in charge.  Verse five adds, Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.  David said that his life, as is the life of every person, is but as a handbreath to God.  David also said that at his best, his life was as nothing compared to God.  The only value our life has is the value that God has placed on it.  Verse six continues, Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. David then said that what we gain in this world is of little lasting value.  Whatever we possess when we die will go to someone else.  Only our relationship with Jesus Christ will matter.  Verse seven asks, And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.  David asked what did he have to wait for and hope for in this world.  He then said his hope was in the LORD.  Nothing in this world will ever bring us salvation outside of following God's will for our life through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse eight says, Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.  David asked God to deliver him from his transgressions and to jot make him a reproach for the foolish.  We always need to ask God for His forgiveness when we know that we have allowed sin back into our life.  Verse nine adds, I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.  David said he hadn't spoken because God had caused him not to.  We need to speak when God calls us to, but we also need to be silent when He doesn't.  Verse ten continues, Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.  David asked God to remove His punishment from him.  As followers of Christ, we already have God's punishment removed from us, but He may still rebuke us if we allow sin back into our lives.  Verse eleven declares, When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.  David said that when God rebuked a person, all the beauty in his or her life was consumed like a moth.  The things of this world which may look beautiful to us will never last if they are not built on God's word and in accordance with His will.  Verse twelve adds, Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.  David asked God to hear him and declared himself to be a sojourner in this life.  He also declared himself to be a stranger to God as were the people of Israel before God revealed Himself to them.  We are all just traveling through this world, and until we respond to God's call we will always be strangers to Him.  Verse thirteen continues, O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.  David then asked God to spare his life.  As long as we live, it will be God Who is sustaining our life.

Psalms 38:12

 Psalms 38:12 says, They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. David said his enemies sought to hurt him all day long.  We may feel at times that the whole world is out to destroy us because of our faith, but God is always with us.  Verse thirteen adds, But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.  David said he was as a deaf man, not hearing their threats.  We should likewise be deaf to the world's threats today and simply stay focused on God.  Verse fourteen continues, Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.  David said since he not didn't hear them, he offered no reproofs for what they were saying.  There is no reason for us to be caught up in arguments with those who deny God.  We simply need to continue to witness by faith.  Verse fifteen declares, For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.  David said that since his hope was in the LORD, he would only listen to Him.  If we are to be obedient to God today, we need to tune out the world and listen to God.  Verse sixteen adds, For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.  David asked God to hear Him and guide him, so that he wouldn't fall and his enemies magnify themselves over him.  The world today delights when a Christian falters, but we as followers of Christ should not.  We need to ask as David did that God hear us and guide us, so that we might not falter in our faith.  Verse seventeen states, For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.  David said he felt ready to give up.  Sometimes, we may feel that we can't go on, but as long as we put our faith in God He will give us the ability to do so.  Verse eighteen adds, For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.  David said he would acknowledge and be sorry for his sins.  We must not only acknowledge our sins, but we must be truly sorry for them.  We can never have a cavalier attitude toward sin simply because we know that through our faith in Christ that our sins are all forgiven.  Verse nineteen says, But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.  David said he enemies, who wrongfully hated him, seemed to be multiplying.  The number of people who wrongfully hate Christians today does seem to be multiplying, but God is still with us.  Verse twenty adds,They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.  David said those who gave evil for good were his enemies, because he followed the way that was good.  No matter what, we as Christians must follow God's way, or the way that is good.  Verse twenty-one asks, Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.  David asked God not to forsake him or be far from him.  As followers of Christ, we know that God will never forsake us and He is always with us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty-two adds, Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.  David asked God to help him quickly and declared Him to be His LORD and salvation.   As Christians, we should always pray for His guidance and deliverance, since He is our Lord and our salvation. 

Psalms 38:1

 Psalms 38:1 says, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.  This is identified as a Psalm of David to bring remembrance, then verse one says, O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.  David asked God to not rebuke Him in wrath nor chasten him in His displeasure.  If we do not want these things to happen to us, we must come to God through faith and live in accordance to His word.  Verse two adds, For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.  David seemed to feel that somehow God was rejecting or punishing him.  Just because things are not going well in life does not mean that God has rejected or is punishing us.  Verse three continues, There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.  David was evidently very sick, and he attributed his sickness to God's punishment because he said he had sin in his bones.  I believe we can be certain, even as Christians, that if we allow sin back in our lives, it will not go without punishment.  Verse four states, For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.  David said his iniquities, or sins, were too great for him to bear, as ours will always be, no matter how great or small they are.  Only when we turn them over to Christ and allow Him to bear them will we find relief.  Verse five adds, My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.  David said his wounds were because of his corruption.  If we are suffering today, we as followers of Christ need to examine our life and see if we have become corrupt in God's eyes because we have allowed sin back into our life.  Verse six declares, I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.  Verse seven adds, For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.  David continues to speak about his physical ailments which he saw as being caused by his spiritual condition.  Though not all physical ailments are caused by sin in our life, we certainly need to examine our spiritual condition to make sure we are remaining true to God, even if we are physically suffering.  Verse eight adds, I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.  David said he was feeble and broken physically, and that his heart was troubled.  Verse nine continues, Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.  David said God knew the desire of his heart, and if we reach out to God in faith today, He will always know the desire of our heart.  Verse ten says, My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.  David continues to speak of his weakened condition.   Verse eleven adds, My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.  David said his friends and family had deserted him.  Sometimes when we are suffering, it may feel as though everyone has deserted us, but as Christians, we can be certain that God never will. 

Psalms 37:29

Psalms 37:29 says, The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.  I believe that the land that the righteous, those who have accepted God's salvation, will inherit is their heavenly home.  Verse thirty adds, The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.  The wisdom that David said the righteous speak is not their own wisdom, but the truth of God.  God gives His people the wisdom about life.  Verse thirty-one continues, The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.  As David said, the law of God should be in our hearts, or minds continually, and when it is we will not slide back into sin.  Verse thirty-two states, The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.  We as followers of Christ, the righteous, will always be watched by the wicked, those who do not believe in or follow God's law through faith in Jesus Christ, and they will often do all that they can to destroy us, or at minimum our witness about Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty-three adds, The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.  David said that God would not leave the righteous in the hand of the evil, nor condemn him when he was judged.  We already have everlasting salvation through our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse thirty-four declares, Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.  As David said, we are simply to wait on the Lord and one day we will inherit our heavenly home, and the wicked will be cut off from it.  Verse thirty-five adds, I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.  David said that he had seen the wicked in power, and we today too often see this in the world around us.  Verse thirty-six continues, Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. David said that though the wicked at times had great power that it did not last, and neither will it today.  Verse thirty-seven says, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.  David said we are to follow the example of the perfect man, and only Jesus Christ is perfect, and to behold the upright, those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, for He is a man of peace.  Verse thirty-eight adds, But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. David then said that the wicked would be cut off, and the wicked, those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, will one day be forever cut off from the presence of God.   Verse thirty-nine declares, But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.  As David said, our salvation is of the Lord, and He gives us strength in the times of trouble.   Verse forty adds, And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.  David said the LORD would deliver the righteous, those who put their faith in Him, and He already has given us an everlasting victory over the wicked of the world. 

Psalms 37:21

 Psalms 37:21 says, The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.  David said the wicked did not repay their debts, but the righteous showed mercy and gave to those in need.  When we as followers of Christ borrow from someone, we need to always return or repay what we borrowed, but more importantly we need to help those in need when we can.  Verse twenty-two adds, For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.  David said that those who are blessed of God would inherent the earth and those cursed would be cut off.  I believe those who are blessed are those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, and those who are cutoff are those who don't.  It is based on ones relationship with Jesus Christ and nothing else.  Verse twenty-three states, The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. David tells us the steps of a good man are guided by God.  It is obedience to God through faith in Jesus Christ that makes one good.  Verse twenty-four continues, Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.  I believe this means if we do fail at times to live up to God's calling or standard that God still holds us securely in His hand.  Verse twenty-five declares, I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.  David said he had lived a long time and had never seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.  As Christians, we will never be forsaken and will always be fed with the Bread of Life, or God Himself.   Verse twenty-six adds, He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.  David said God is ever merciful and that His seed, those that put their faith in Him, are blessed.  We, as followers of Christ, are already forever blessed by His gift of everlasting life through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty-seven states, Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.  This implies making a choice.  We are called on to depart from evil and do good.  Even as Christians, we always have the choice of whether we do good, or what God calls us to do, or do evil, that which goes against God's will.  We need to always choose to do what God calls us to do.  Verse twenty-eight adds, For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.  David tells us that the saints of God, or anyone putting their faith in Jesus Christ, are preserved forever, but that the wicked are cutoff.  Those like David who lived before Jesus Christ came put their faith in His coming, and those who lived after He came put their faith in the fact that He did come.  In both cases, He is the only way to salvation.

Psalms 37:12

 Psalms 37:12 says, The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.  What David said then seems especially true today.  The wicked seem to be plotting continually against the just, or those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse thirteen adds, The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.  David said then, and we can be certain today, that God laughs at those who are wicked, because His day of judgment is coming.  Verse fourteen states, The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.  As in David's day, so many wicked people today are attempting to destroy God's people, but they will never be victorious.  Verse fifteen adds, Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.  David said the wicked would be destroyed by their own weapons, and the wicked will always be destroyed by their own disbelief in God, no matter what weapons they us against Him and His people.  Verse sixteen declares, A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.  As Christians, we need to live by this statement from David.  It is better to have a little and be righteous than to have riches and not be saved.  Verse seventeen adds, For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.  David said the wicked would be defeated, but God would uphold the righteous.  God has already secured the victory for the righteous, those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse eighteen says, The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.  David said that God knows the days of the upright and that their inheritance will be forever.  The upright are made so not by their own abilities, but by faith in Jesus Christ, either as the coming Messiah in David's day or as the Messiah Who has come in our day.  Verse nineteen adds, They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.  David said the upright, those who trusted God, would not be ashamed in the day of evil and would be satisfied even in times of famine.  This is the attitude we as followers of Christ need today.  Verse twenty concludes, But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.  David then said that the wicked, the enemies of God, would perish, and we know that those who refuse to accept God's salvation will one day go away to everlasting punishment.