Psalms 72:1

Psalms 72:1 says, A Psalm for Solomon.  This is identified as  Psalm for Solomon, then verse one says, Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.  David asked that God give not only himself but his son the ability to rule by God's judgment.  We must pray not only for our salvation and obedience to God, but for that of our children as well.  Verse two adds, He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.  David asked that his son, Solomon, would rule under the guidance of God and that his rule would be fair to the poor.  We don't have leadership by succession of birth, but we do have children who go out into the world in positions of leadership, and we need to pray that they have accepted Christ and will lead by His guidance.  Verse three states, The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.  Matthew Henry says this asks that the higher courts and the lower courts rule by God's judgment.  Verse four adds, He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the opvpressor.  David asked that Solomon would rule with fairness to the poor and break the power of those who oppressed them.  Too often today, people take advantage of the poor, but as followers of Christ we should always help them whenever we can.  Verse five declares, They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.  David asked that people would always fear, or respect God, as long as the world continued to exist.  It is our responsibility as Christians to make sure that people today know God through a relationship with Christ, so that people will continue to know Him in the coming generations.  Verse six adds, He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.  Matthew Henry says that this psalm is not only about Solomon but is also about Jesus Christ.  We know that Jesus did come down like a renewing rain, since He is the living water.  Verse seven continues, In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.  David asked that the rule of Solomon would be one in which righteousness and peace abounded, and we know that this is what will be true when God's kingdom is finally ushered in at His judgment.  It is our responsibility as Christians to live by the righteousness of Christ today so that His kingdom might be advanced.  Verse eight says, He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. Though  Solomon's rule may not have reached the whole world, the kingdom of Christ does.  Verse nine adds, They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.  David said that even those who lived in the wilderness would bow before Christ, and until we accept Him as our Savior and Lord we are in the wilderness of sin.  Verse ten continues, The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.  David said the other rulers would bring gifts to Solomon, and even if the rulers of the world today never bring gifts to Christ, one day they will acknowledge Him as the Lord.  For too many, this will come too late for it to do them any good.  Verse eleven concludes, Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.  As stated, one day everyone, from the leaders of the world to the poorest, least powerful person in the world, will fall down and worship Jesus Christ. 

Psalms 71:13

Psalms 71:13 says, Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.  David prayed that were adversaries to his soul be confounded and consumed.  I don't believe that we are doing wrong if we pray for those who would harm us spiritually to be confused, but we are still called on to reach out to them with the love of Christ.  Verse fourteen adds, But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.  David said that even if he were surrounded by enemies that he would continually put his faith in God and praise Him even more.  So must we as followers of Christ today.  Verse fifteen declares, My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.  David said that he would speak of God's righteousness and His salvation all day, because he did not know the number of his days.  We should also speak of God's righteousness and salvation daily, because we don't know the number of our days nor the number of the days of those that we are witnessing to.  Verse sixteen adds, I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.  David said that he would go in the strength of God and make mention of Him only.   As Christians, as we go about our everyday life, we need to go under God's power and to always give Him the credit for everything good in our life. Verse seventeen continues, O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.  David said that God had taught him from his youth and that he had declared God's wonderous works since then.  We may or may not have been a follower of Christ since our youth, but no matter how long we have been, we must always declare God's wonderous works to the world.  Verse eighteen states, Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.  David asked that God not forsake him now that he was old and grayheaded, but that he be allowed to continue to tell and show the future generations about God's power.  No matter how old we may be as Christians, we still have the commission to share the gospel with the next generations, and God will never forsake us as we do so.  Verse nineteen adds, Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!  David declared God's righteousness to be very high and said that He done great things that no one else could do.  We as Christians serve an all powerful and righteous God, and it is through the righteousness of Christ alone that we are made righteous before God.  There is no other God but Him.  Verse twenty continues, Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.  David said that even though God had allowed him to suffer great troubles that even when he died that God would raise him up again.  No matter how many troubles we face in life as Christians, even if we die for our faith or for any other reason, God will one day raise us up from the grave.  Verse twenty-one says, Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.  Like David said then, God increases our greatness by giving us everlasting life when we put our faith in Jesus Christ.   Verse twenty-two adds, I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.  David said he would sing praises to God and so should we.   Verse twenty-three continues, My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.  David said his lips would greatly sing the praises of God, because God had redeemed his soul.  David did not speak about his position or material wealth as a reason to praise God, but of the fact that God had saved his soul.  This should be our reason for praising God today.  Through our faith in Jesus Christ  our soul has been redeemed.   Verse twenty-four continues, My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.  David said that he would speak of God's righteousness all day long, because those who sought to bring him to shame were confounded, or confused.  We should likewise proclaim God's righteous all day long, because those who deny Him and maybe even attempt to harm us are spiritually confounded or confused.  We must tell them of the righteousness of God and the mercy that He has shown by sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins and make salvation possible. 

Psalms 71:1

Psalms 71:1 says, In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.  As followers of Christ, we like David have put our faith in God, and we should never allow the world to lead us to confusion about what that means.  We are forever a part of the family of God because we have accepted the salvation of Christ.  Verse two adds, Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.  David asked that God deliver him by God's righteous, and not ny his own, and to allow Him to escape from his enemies.  David also asked God to hear him and save him.  As Christians, God has saved us from our sins by His righteousness and allows us to escape the punishment we deserve.  God will always hear us and has already saved us forever.  Verse three continues, Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.  David asked for God to be his strong habitation where he could always live, and as followers of Christ, God provides us with a strong fortress where we will dwell forever.  As David said, Christ is our rock and our fortress.  Verse four concludes, Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.  David asked that God, his God, deliver him from the hand of the wicked.  Though God is the only real God, for Him to save us from the sinful world, He must be our God, which is only possible by putting our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse five states, For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.  David said that God was his hope and that he had trusted Him since his youth.  God is our only hope today, no matter what age we may be when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse six adds, By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.  David said that God had preserved his life from the time that he was in his mother's womb on.  I don't believe that we can truly believe in God and not believe that life begins at conception.  Verse seven says, I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.  David said that many people questioned his faith in God when he suffered at times, but he still knew that God was his strong refuge or resting place.  If the world seems to be beating us down as Christians today, we need to always remember that we have a refuge, a resting place, with God, no matter how much the people of the world may question this.  Verse eight continues, Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.  Like David, as followers of Christ, our mouths should be continually filled with praises to God.  This means in the bad times as well as the good.  Verse nine states, Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.  David asked God to not cast him aside when he was old and his strength failed, and we can be certain as Christians that God will never do this to us.  We are forever His.  Verse ten adds, For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,  David said that his enemies spoke against him and laid wait for his soul.  Like David, we may feel that the whole world is out to destroy us,but as long as we remain faithful to God it never will, even if we lose our life because of our faith.  Verse eleven adds, Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.  David said that his enemies felt free to persecute him because they thought that God had forsaken Him.  No matter what the people of the world may think nor no matter how bad things may get in life, as followers of Christ, God will never forsake us.  Verse twelve continues,  O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.  As Christians, as David asked, we can be certain that God is always near us,because the Holy Spirit indwells us.  Because of this, there is nothing in the world for us to fear.

Psalms 70:1

Psalms 70:1 says, To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.  After the introduction which states that this is a psalm to bring remembrance, verse one says, Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.  This psalm is almost word for word the last five verses of the fortieth psalm, and as Matthew Henry says may have been used as a prayer.  David asked for God to help him quickly.  If we are in a bad situation, we should ask God to help us quickly, but then we should rest in the assurance that He will help us when His timing is right.  Verse two adds, Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.  David then asked God to leave his enemies confused and ashamed.  Those who are at war with the followers of Christ are already confused, and one day, when God's judgment comes, they will realize this and be very ashamed that they did not put their faith in Jesus Christ instead of being at war against Him.  Verse three continues, Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.  David again asked that his enemies be turned back as a reward for their actions against him because of his stand for God.  Those who oppose and oppress Christians will one day receive the reward for their actions, which is everlasting separation from God and punishment in hell.  Until then, though we should pray to God that they not be victorious over us, we should also pray for their salvation with a Christ like love for them.  Verse four states, Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.  Having prayed for the defeat of his enemies, David now prayed for the rejoicing of those who put their faith in God.  Having put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, there should never be anything that keeps us fom rejoicing in the Lord.  We should rejoice whether things are going well or whether we are surrounded by enemies.  Verse five adds, But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying. David pronounced himself to be poor and in need of God's help and again asked God to come quickly to deliver him.  Until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are poor spiritually and need to ask God to come quickly and save us, and He will immediately save us once we put our faith in Christ.   Jesus Christ is the only help and Redeemer that anyone can ever have, and once we put our faith in Him, nothing can separate us from God.  The Holy Spirit is with us continually to guide us and help us in times of trouble. 

Psalms 69:25

Psalms 69:25 says, Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.  David continued to ask God to punish his enemies.  I believe that too often we do the same thing, even though we as Christians are called on to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate us.  Verse twenty-six adds, For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.  Matthew Henry says this refers to Jesus Christ, the Messiah Who was to come in David's day and Who has come in our day.  Verse twenty-seven states, Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.  We are to pray for the salvation of everyone, but those who reject Jesus Christ are adding iniquity to their iniquity.  Verse twenty-eight adds, Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.  Again, though this is not to be our hope for anyone, it is the future for those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Their name will not be written in the Lamb's Book of Life as is the name of those who are made righteous through faith in Christ.  Verse twenty-nine declares, But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.  David said he was poor and sorrowful, and so are we all spiritually before God.  David then asked God to set him on high, and this is what happens to anyone spiritually when the accept the salvation of Christ.  Verse thirty adds, I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.  Like David, we need to praise God and magnify Him with our thanksgiving.  This should not be a sometimes thing when life is going well, but a continual thing no matter what.  Verse thirty-one continues, This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.  David said singing praises to God and offering Him heartfelt thanksgiving pleased Him more than ritualistic sacrifices.  We must be sincere in our worship of God, because He does not honor worship that is simply us going through the motions.  Verse thirty-two says, The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.  As David said, those that humble themselves and seek God through faith in Jesus Christ will find His  salvation and shall live with a happy heart.  Verse thirty-three adds, For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.  David said that God hears the poor, and no matter how many riches we may have in the world, we are but poor sinners before God.  Verse thirty-four states, Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.  David asked that all of creation praise God, and we know that there is coming a day when all people will acknowledge God.  Verse thirty-five adds, For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.  Though David spoke of God saving the people of Israel and restoring them, we know that He has done so much more by saving all who put their faith in Jesus Christ and restoring them to an everlasting relationship with Him.  Verse thirty-six continues, The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.  David said that God's salvation was available to all coming generations.  When Christ came and died on the cross, it was for the sins of all people of all time and to bring salvation to all who put their faith in Him as their Savior and Lord. 

Psalms 69:13'

Psalms 69:13 says, But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.  David said that his prayer to God was that at an acceptable time God would hear his prayer through the truth of his salvation.  When we pray to God, it must be through the truth of our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and we must be content for God to answer in His acceptable time.  Verse fourteen adds, Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.  David asked God to deliver him from the murky situation he was in and from those who hated him.  If we find ourselves in a bad situation today, we should pra for God to deliver us, but if  He does not, we also need to remember that He has already given us everlasting deliverance if we are Christians.  Verse fifteen continues, Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.  David asked God to not allow Him to be defeated forever, and as already stated, we have the assurance that God will never allow this to happen to us if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.  Verse sixteen states, Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.  David asked God to hear him, not because of David's goodness, but because off the mercy and lovingkindness of God.  We cannot appeal to God because of our own goodness, but must appeal to Him because of His mercy and lovingkindness.  Even as Christians, we cannot stand by our own worthiness, but must stand by faith in Jesus Christ alone.  Verse seventeen adds, And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.  David asked God to not turn away from him because he was in trouble and needed God's help quickly.  It we are in trouble because of our faith in Christ today, we need to ask God for help, but we need to be content to wait for His answer as well.  Verse eighteen continues, Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.  David asked God to draw close to him and redeem him from his enemies, and as followers of Christ, God has already done this for us.  We are forever in God's presence and forever redeemed, no matter what is going on in our life.  Verse nineteen says, Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.  David said that God already knew what was happening in his life, and God already knows what is going on in ours.  If we are reproached by the world, we need to realize that this is to be expected, since Jesus Christ Himself was as well.  Verse twenty adds, Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.  Like David, it may seem that there is no one who looks to comfort us,but as long as we remain faithful to God in end it does not matter.  Verse twenty-one declares, They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.  This is a reference to what happened to Christ on the cross.  We will never suffer more for Jesus Christ than He suffered for us.  Verse twenty-two adds, Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.  David asked that the things that his enemies, and God's enemies, thought to be blessings become a trap to them.  People who deny God and put their faith in the things of this world, even if they become really rich, will one day realize what a trap this was.  Verse twenty-three continues, Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. David asked that God make his enemies weak and helpless.  God has already done that to our enemies today if we put our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty-four concludes, Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.  David asked God to deal with his enemies.  Those who refuse to accept the salvation of Christ will one day face the judgment of God instead of coming to Him through the mercy He showed them by Jesus Christ dying for their sins on the cross. 

Psalms 69:1

Psalms 69:1 says, To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David.  Again, we have an introduction, then verse one says, Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.  David asked God to save him because his soul was drowning.  David had reached a point of spiritual suffering, and not just physical.  If we begin to feel spiritually defeated, we need to cry out to God as David did.  Verse two adds, I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.  David said he couldn't find a place solid enough to stand on, and until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we will never find a solid rock to stand on.  Verse three states, I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.  David said that he had cried out to God so long that he was weary and his throat had died out.  What we need to realize as Christians is that if we cry out to God He will always hear us and we simply need to wait on His answer.  Verse four adds, They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.  David said his enemies were too numerous to counted and that they hated him without cause, and that he had even given back things to them that he hadn't taken to start with.  Jesus Christ also has many enemies that hate Him without cause, and we as Christians may as well.  Verse five declares, O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.  Like David, we need to acknowledge that God knows our foolishness and that our sins are not hidden from Him.  We may hide sinful thoughts from everyone else, but we will never hide them from God.  Verse six adds, Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.  I believe that David was asking God to not allow others to question Him because of David's situation.  We should also pray that we as followers of Christ never become a reason for others to question God and His goodness.  Verse seven continues, Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.  David said that he had borne shame and reproach for God's sake.  If we are suffering shame and reproach in the world today, we need to make sure that it is for God's sake and not because we have allowed sin to come back into our life.  Verse eight says, I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.  David said he had become a stranger even in his own family.  As Christians, if we fall on hard times, some who call themselves our brothers and sisters in Christ may desert us, trying to put the blame for our situation on sin in our life, even if this isn't true.  Verse nine adds, For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.  David said that he was being persecuted because of His zeal for God's house, or His relationship with God.  We today as followers of Christ may be persecuted because of our zeal for God, but we should never be discouraged if this happens.  Verse ten states,  When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.  Verse eleven adds, I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.  David said that he was being reproached because he was humbling himself before God.  People in the world today may look down on Christians if they live humble lives before God.  We sometimes hear the question that if God is so powerful why do those who put their faith in Him suffer, but they fail to realize that no matter what happens in this lifetime that we as Christians already have a heavenly home that is rich beyond all compare.  Verse twelve continues, They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.  David said that those in power spoke against him, and that even drunkards had made up songs about him.  People in power today may speak out against Christians, and even the drunkards of the world my go along with them, but it is only God's judgment that matters, so we should never be discouraged no matter what is happening in life.