Psalms 89:1

Psalms 89:1 says, Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.  This is identified as a psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite, then verse one says, I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. Ethan said he would sing of God's mercy and make known His faithfulness to all generations.  This is what we must do today as followers of Christ, since we are a part of the generations that Ethan spoke of, and we must make sure that future generations know of God's mercy.  Verse two adds, For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.  Ethan said God's mercy would be built up forever and established in heaven.  God's mercy is everlasting, and comes down from heaven to us.  Verse three declares, I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,  God said He had made a covenant with His chosen, and that is us if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse four adds, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.  Again, this is us and our children if we enter into a covenant relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse five continues, And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.  The heavens are God's creation and will always proclaim His wonders and faithfulness to all who will but look.  The heavens continue in their orderly ways that God set them in.  Verse six asks, For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?  The answer to this question then, now and always will be that no one can compare to God.  Verse seven states, God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.  We are to have an awesome respect for God as Christians, because those who do not come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ should fear Him.  Verse eight asks, O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?  The question is repeated as to who is like unto God, and the answer is no one.  God alone is God.  Verse nine declares, Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.  God created and controls the seas.  We need to never forget the power of God.  Verse ten continues, Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.  We do not have to fear our enemies today because God supports us with His strong arm, no matter what happens in this lifetime.  Verse eleven continues, The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.  As Ethan said, everything belongs to God, because He created it all.  Verse twelve says, The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.  This continues to speak of the fact that God created everything and that the world should rejoice because of it.  Verse thirteen adds, Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.  Nothing is more powerful than God, so we can rest secure if we a personal relationship with Him through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse fourteen continues, Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.  Justice and judgment ultimately come from God alone.  Fortunately for Christians, because of our relationship with Jesus Christ we never have to face God's judgment, but are under His mercy instead. 

Psalms 88:11

Psalms 88:11 says, Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?  Heman asked if the dead could declare God's lovingkindness or His faithfulness from destruction.  Even though our spirit will live on, our bodies cease to be able to declare anything, good or bad, once we die.  We must therefore declare God's goodness and mercy while we are alive.  If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, our soul will still praise God after the body dies.  Verse twelve adds, Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?  This was still asking about God's will being known in the grave.  As Matthew Henry says, deceased bodies cannot know anything of God, even if their spirit does.  Verse thirteen states, But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.  Heman said that he was alive and had called to God every morning.  As long as we live as followers of Christ, we should continue to pray to God, even if the answer to our prayer does not come immediately.  Verse fourteen asks, LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?  Heman now basically asked how God could abandon him and hide Himself from him.  Once more, even if our prayers are not immediately answered, or if they aren't answered the way we want them to be, we must never believe that God has abandoned us or doesn't hear us.  Verse fifteen declares, I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.  Heman said he was ready to give up and die.  He had become afraid of God's wrath against him.  One thing we as Christians never have to fear is that God is going to abandon us because of His wrath against us.  If we problems of the world seem overwhelming, we need to just move closer to God in faith.  Verse sixteen adds, Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.  Heman continued to speak of his fear of the wrath of God.  We as followers of Christ should never fear God's everlasting wrath, even if He does not immediately answer our prayers.  Of course, if we allow allow sin back in our life,we may be chastised by God, but we still do not have to fear facing His everlasting wrath when judgment day comes.  Verse seventeen continues, They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.  Matthew Henry says that Heman had suffered from these times of fear from his youth, but they had become worse.  Some people, even though they know they are saved by their faith in Jesus Christ, still tend to have bouts of doubt about God's protection, but He will never fail us.  Verse eighteen concludes, Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.  Heman said everyone, even those that he loved and his acquaintances had left him, and seems to imply that God had caused this to happen.  Even if the whole world deserts us, we must remain faithful to God and never blame Him for this happening. 

Psalms 88:1

Psalms 88:1 says, A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.  There is a long introduction and dedication, then verse one says, O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:  Heman called God the God of his salvation, and then said he cried day and night before Him.  As followers of Christ, God is the God of our salvation, and we should pray to Him night and day, or continually.  Verse two adds, Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;  As Christians, we need to understand that God always hears our earnest prayers.  He also answers them in the best way possible.  Verse three continues, For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.  The psalmist asked God to hear his prayers because his life was full of trouble and he felt that he was close to dying.  Life may not always seem fair to us today as followers of Christ and it may seem that all we have is trouble in our life, but we need to remember that through our faith in Jesus Christ that God has already given us everlasting victory.  Verse four states, I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:  Heman, a very good and wise man according to Matthew Henry, felt that he was without strength and doomed like those who go down into the pit.  We need never feel that way as Christians.  Because of God's salvation given to us through faith in Christ, we shoulad never be in despair.  Verse five adds, Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.  Heman said he felt he was no better than a dead man, who God would no longer remember, even though he had declared God the God of his salvation.  We, as Christians, should never feel this way, no matter how bead things get in life.  Verse six continues, Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.  Heman said God had placed him in the deepest pit, but it was really his lack of faith that put him there.  As long as we maintain our faith in Christ, we should never feel that God has put us in a place where we are without hope, even if we are suffering in life.  Verse seven says, Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.  Once more, Heman attributes his suffering to God.  God is never going to directly cause our suffering if we are followers of Christ, but He may allow us to suffer for our faith.  We must simply remain faithful to Him without questioning His love and mercy.  Verse eight adds, Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.  Heman said God had shut him away from his acquaintances and made him an abomination to them.  God never removes us from our brothers and sisters in Christ, and if He removes those who aren't from our life, it is for our own good.  Verse nine states, Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.  Heman said he mourned because he had cried out to God daily but believed that God had not heard him.  Even if we feel that God has not heard us because whatever we are praying about has not changed, He always hears the prayers of those who believe in and put their faith in Him.  Verse ten asks, Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.  One day, God will indeed show the wonder of resurrection to everlasting life to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and who have died.  This life is not the end.

Psalms 87:1

Psalms 87:1 says, A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.  We have the dedication, then verse one says, His foundation is in the holy mountains.  Matthew Henry says this applies to the church, which is founded on the rock of Christ.  It has a solid foundation that will never fail.  Verse two adds, The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.  Zion was known as the city of God, and even though the people of Israel worshipped in their homes, God preferred their public worship of Him in His holy temple.  Matthew Henry says this means that even though we should worship at home, God expects to to worship Him publicly even more.  We need to let the world know that we are worshipping God, and this may not be evident if we never worship Him in public.  Verse three continues, Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.  Glorious things were spoken then about the city of God, and glorious things should be spoken about the church today.  As Matthew Henry says, even when the church is at its lowest, we as followers of Christ should still speak about how wonderous it is, because it belongs to God. Verse four states, I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.  Zion was preferred above all other nations, even those known for their power.  Also, this could be interpreted as the fact that the gospel of Christ was going out to all nations, making those who accepted it just as much a part of the people of God as those born as Jews.  God's salvation has always been available to those who put faith in Him.  Verse five adds, And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.  Those who are born in Zion, spiritually, shall be established in His kingdom by God Himself.  Verse six adds, The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.  This is once again a reference to Jesus, Who was born as the way to Zion, the temple of God. We cannot become a part of God's kingdom based on where we were born in this world, but can only become a part of it based on our relationship with Jesus Christ.  Verse seven concludes,  As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.  The praises of God will be sung by His people, who have the Living Water flowing through them.  We, as God's people today, should never stop singing praises of God to the world. 

Psalms 86:10

Psalms 86:10 says, For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.  As David said, God is great and does wondrous things, and He alone is God.  This always has and always will be true.  Verse eleven adds, Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.  We, like David, need to ask God to teach us His ways, and when He does,then we need to unite our hearts with His laws.  Verse twelve continues, I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.  David said he would praise God, his LORD, with all his heart forevermore.  Before we can praise God, He must be our God through accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, and once He is we should praise Him with all our heart forevermore.  Verse thirteen states, For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.  As David said, as Christians, God's mercy is great towards us and He has delivered us from hell.  Of course, God's mercy is great towards everyone, but unless each individual accepts God's salvation, then he or she will not benefit by being delivered from hell.  Verse fourteen adds, O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.  David said men filled with self pride had risen against him and sought his soul, because they had not set God before them.  Ultimately, if we allow those in power in the world to come between us and accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, it is our soul that they will cause to suffer, even if we are successful in this lifetime.  Those who refuse to put their faith in God will always try to lead others away from Him.  Verse fifteen declares, But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.  God always was and always will be a God full of compassion, grace, and longsuffering Who is full of mercy and truth.  Anyone who meets God as a God of justice against sin instead of a God of mercy Who has forgiven their sins does so because of their own choice.  Verse sixteen adds, O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.  When we, like David, call out to God to have mercy on us and give us strength to follow Him, He always will. Verse seventeen continues, Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.  The token, or sign, that we have today of God's grace is the sign of the cross of Jesus, and there is no other sign that we can show people to prove the grace of God, and we must accept this by faith. 

Thanksgiving

 It is Thanksgiving Day once again.  Psalms has a lot to say about giving thanks to God, but Thanksgiving Day is an American holiday established to give thanks to God.  Though not from the Bible specifically, it was created on Biblical principles.  It was also created to acknowledge the goodness of God, though now many people in America too often don't even want God mentioned in the celebration of Thanksgiving Day.  It is also a day to celebrate with our family and friends.  We should value the time that we have together everyday, but this is a special time to celebrate God and family.  It is also a day to reach out to those in need.  It is not turkey day, though a lot of turkey may be eaten.  It should not be a day to spend planning what we can rush into stores to buy tomorrow.  It certainly shouldn't be a day when stores attempt to get people to rush into them today.  We need to reclaim Thanksgiving Day as what it is supposed to be, and that is a day to thank God for His love and mercy, as we gather together with family and friends.  

Psalms 86:1

Psalms 86:1 says, A Prayer of David.  This psalm is identified as a prayer of David, then verse one says, Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.  David asked God to bow down and hear Him.  I believe that though God is above us, He really doesn't have to lower Himself to hear us.  God is both above us and all around us.  We reach up and out to Him by faith in Jesus Christ, because as David said we are poor and needy spiritually.  Verse two adds, Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.  David asked God to preserve his soul, then declared himself to be holy and God's servant who trusted Him.  The only way we can be made holy is by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and once we do, then we need to serve God in all that we do.  Verse three continues, Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.  Though David asked God to be merciful to him, as Christians God has already been merciful to us by giving us salvation.  The sad thing is, God has already done the same for everyone, yet many will never know His mercy because they reject the salvation that He offers them.  Like David, we need to cry to God daily.  Verse four states, Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  David asked God to cause his soul to rejoice and said he lifted his soul up to God.  When we lift our soul up to God through faith in Jesus Christ, God gives us a reason to rejoice every day.  Verse five adds, For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.  David then gave the reason to rejoice, and that is because of the goodness and mercy of God.  Our rejoicing should not be based on the things of this world, but on the goodness and mercy of God to us.  Verse six continues, Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.  As followers of Christ, even if we may sometimes feel that God isn't listening to us, He always hears our prayers.  Verse seven declares, In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.  David said he knew that God would answer him when he called on God in his time of trouble, and we should have that same assurance today.  If we call on God in faith today, at any time, He will hear us.  Verse eight adds, Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.  There is no false god like God, and the works of false gods can never rival God's work.  Verse nine continues, All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.  This will one day happen, but unfortunately it will be too late for too many people to benefit from the salvation that God makes available through Jesus Christ.  The idea that there may be a God, but not for me, will one day be proven wrong.