Psalms 143:1

Psalms 143:1 says, A Psalm of David.  This is identified as a psalm of David, then verse one says, Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.  David asked God to hear him based on God's goodness and righteousness and not on David's.  When we ask help from God, it must be in accordance with God's goodness and righteousness and not our own.  Verse two adds, And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.  Just like David, we must acknowledge that no one is justified before God by their own merit.  As followers of Christ, we are all simply sinners saved by grace, unworthy of God's forgiveness.  Verse three continues, For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.  David said that his enemies had reduced him to almost nothing.  He was living in darkness amongst the dead.  Until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, no matter how successful we may be in the world, we are living in spiritual darkness amongst those who are spiritually dead.  Verse four states, Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.  David said his spirit was overwhelmed and his heart was desolate.  I believe that as Christians we should never feel this way, because the Holy Spirit is always with us, but sometimes when things go terribly wrong, we may.  Verse five adds, I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.  Like David, when things look bleak, we need to remember how God has been with us in the past in bad situations.  Verse six continues, I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.  David said he reached out to God and his soul thirsted for God like a dry land thirsts for water.  Our soul as a follower of Christ should always thirst for His living water.  Verse seven says, Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.  As David asked then, we need for God to hear us quickly when we are in distress, to keep us from being like those who go down into the pit of the unrighteous.  We have everlasting life if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, but we can still fall into bad habits if we are not careful and follow after some of the ways of the world.  I believe having worry and doubt are two of the ways that we can become like those of the world.  Verse eight adds, Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.  David asked that God allow him to hear His voice of lovingkindness in the morning, to guide the way that he should walk, because he lifted up his soul to God.  This should be our prayer every morning.  Verse nine states, Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.  Like David, we must turn to God to deliver us from our enemies.  We cannot be spiritually successful on our own.  Verse ten adds, Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.  David asked God to teach him to do God's will, because He was David's God.  We cannot do God's will or truly learn His ways if He is not our God, which is only possible by putting our faith Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven continues, Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.  When we ask God for deliverance, we must always do so not just for our own benefit, but so that He might be glorified.  Too often I believe that God blesses us by delivering us out of a bad situation and we never give Him the glory.  Verse twelve concludes, And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.  As Christians, out of His mercy God has already cut off our enemies, forever, in the spiritual aspect. 

Psalms 142:1

Psalms 142:1 says, Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.  This is identified as a maschil, or prayer, of Davd, written in the cave, then verse one says, I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.  This was written when David was hiding from Saul in a cave.  Even after God chose David to be king, not everything was perfect in his life.  We should not expect everything in this world to be perfect after we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord either.  David cried out to God during this time, and so should we as Christians in times of trouble.  Verse two adds, I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.  David said he poured out his complaint to God.  I don't believe that he did that in a demanding way, but as a prayer for help.  I believe that we should let God know our concerns in life, not because He doesn't already know them, but to show our faith in Him.  Then, we should have faith in His answering us in the best way possible.  Verse three continues, When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.  David said even when he felt spiritually overwhelmed that God knew the path that he should take, and where the snares that his enemies had laid for him were.  God is with us and knows the source of all our problems even when we are feeling spiritually overwhelmed.  Verse four states, I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.  David said he could find no one to help him.  If we are ever feeling alone in our spiritual walk, we need to look to God for strength as followers of Christ.  Verse five adds, I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.  David cried out to God, declaring God to be his refuge in the land of the living.  God is our refuge as Christians, not only in this life but in the everlasting life to come.  Verse six continues, Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.  David, known for his strength and bravery, asked God to deliver him because his enemies were stronger than he was.  David's strength always came from God, and so does ours.  Verse seven concludes, Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.  David asked God to bring him out of the prison that he felt he was in because of Saul wanting to kill him.  He said he wanted this so that he could praise the name of God, knowing that God would deal bountifully with him.  When we ask God for help in times of trouble, we should always do it so that God's name can be praised, and never for our own profit or glory.  God has already dealt bountifully with us by providing salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Psalms 141:1

Psalms 141;1 says, A Psalm of David.  This is identified as a psalm of David, then verse one says, LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.  Once again,  David was crying out to God and asking God to hear him.  If we as Christians call out to God in faith, we can be certain that He will hear us.  Verse two adds, Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.  David asked that his prayer be as sweet as incense before God and as important as the evening sacrifice.  God does value our prayers more than our sacrifices I believe, and they are always sweet for Him to hear, even when we pray out of distress, because they show our faith in Him.  Verse three states, Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.  David asked God to guard his mouth.  Verse four adds, Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.  David then asked God to keep His heart from being inclined toward those that worked evil and to keep him from eating their dainty things. We need God to guard what we say and what we a)low to come into our life as followers of Christ.  Even if something looks and tastes sweet, even if only mentally, but is evil in God's sight we must not allow it to come into our life.  Verse five says, Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.  David said that he wanted the righteous, those who truly believed in and followed God's laws, to tell him of his faults.  David said he would continue to pray for them if they were in trouble.  We should welcome the correction of other Christians if we have allowed some sinful practice to come into our life, and we should still pray for them.  Too often when corrected we become vindictive towards those who correct us, even if we know they are right.  Verse six adds, When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.  David said that if those who judged him were overthrown, he would still reach out to them with the sweet words of truth.  We should not rejoice when our enemies are overthrown, but should still reach out to them with the sweet news of the gospel.  Verse seven states, Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.  Matthew Henry says David was complaining about how his fellow Israelites were being destroyed with no compassion for them even in death.  We may at times feel that as followers of Christ that the whole world is against us, but I don't believe that we should complain about it.  God has already assured us everlasting victory.  Verse eight adds, But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.  Like David, we must put our trust in the Lord, and if we do He will never leave us destitute.  Verse nine says, Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.  We need to rely on God to keep us from falling into sinful snares today as David asked of God then.  Verse ten adds, Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.  David asked that the wicked be allowed to fall into their own traps as he escaped.  One day, if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will escape all the snares of the wicked and they will indeed fail by their own snares. 

Psalms 140:1

Psalms 140:1 states,To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. This is identified as a psalm of David, then verse one says, Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;  David was often surrounded by evil men, and he looked to God for deliverance from them.  In this evil world in which we live, God is our only hope of everlasting deliverance.  Verse two adds, Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. We are not the first generation of people for whom war seems to be a constant threat.  David lived in a time that was the same.  Verse three continues, They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.  David said his enemies were like poisonous snakes ready to bite, or attack, him.  Verse four states, Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.  David again asks God to keep him out of the hands of wicked men.  We as followers of Christ should pray for the same thing today, but we must never lose our faith in God no matter what happens to us in the world.  Verse five adds, The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.  David said that those full of self pride were setting traps for him, who was the leader of God's chosen people.  We may not be as important or powerful as David was, but the world is still out to trap or at least discount us as Christians, God's people today.  Verse six declares, I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.  If we want God to hear our prayers, we like David must first declare God to be our God.   This is only possible through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Verse seven adds, O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. David said God was the strength of his salvation Who protected him in battle.  David did not say that God kept him out of battles, but that He protected him in his battles.  As Christians, we are not promised a life free of problems, but we are promised that God will carry us through those battles.  Verse eight continues, Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.  David asked that the wicked not be allowed to prosper so that they might not brag.  Verse nine says, As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.  David asked that the things that the wicked proposed to do to him fall on their own heads instead.  We can be certain that one day, when God's judgment comes, something even worse than they can think of will happen to those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse ten adds, Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.  This is the everlasting fate of those who do not believe in God and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, whether they are really evil or not.  Verse eleven states, Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.  David asked that those who spoke evil never be established in the earth and that evil would come on them instead.  We know that evil men do come to power In the world today, but they will always be defeated, if not in this life, then in the one to come.  Verse twelve adds, I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.  David said God would always maintain the rights of the poor and afflicted.  I believe this applies to the poor and afflicted who have put their faith in God.  Verse thirteen continues, Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.  If we are righteous and upright with God, which can only happen by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we should give thanks to God because we always dwell in His presence. 

Psalms 139:11

Psalms 139:11 says, If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Verse twelve adds,Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.  David said the darkness of night could not hide him from God, because God could see just as well in the darkness as in the light.  No matter how dark it may be where we are, God's light will still shine through. Verse thirteen states, For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.  David said that God had protected him from the time he was conceived.  Several places in the Bible tell us that life begins at conception, and no law that we pass will change that.  Verse fourteen adds, I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.  Like David, whether we believe in God or not, we are wonderfully made by God.  Also like David, we should acknowledge this and praise God for it.  Verse fifteen continues, My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  David said that God always knew what he was, a lowly sinner who was given life and purpose by the grace of God, and so are we all.  Verse sixteen says, Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.  David said God knew he was imperfect spiritually even before He formed him.  Since Adam and Eve, we have all been born with the ability to be spiritually imperfect.  At some point, we all become aware of good and evil and choose to do evil.  Verse seventeen adds, How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!  David said that God's thoughts were precious to him.  As followers of Christ, what God thinks should always be precious to us and guide our actions.  Verse eighteen continues, If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.  David said he could not count God's blessings, and neither can we.  It is also not a competition as to how much God blesses us versus how much He blesse others.  Verse nineteen states, Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.  It may not be today, but God will certainly one day send all the wicked, those who have not accepted the salvation of Christ, away to everlasting punishment.  Verse twenty adds, For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.  David said that those who spoke evil against God and used His name in vain would be punished.  As Christians, we can often use God's name in vain if we call on Him without faith that He will hear and answer us.  I don't believe that we will be held unaccountable for this, even though our salvation is secure.  Verse twenty-one asks, Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?  Though we should be grieved by those who stand against God, we should not hate them, but should reach out to them with the love of God.  Verse twenty-two adds, I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.  Again, even though we should hate the actions of those who stand against God, we should not hate them.  Verse twenty-three declares, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  As Christians, God does search our hearts and know our thoughts, and we should welcome Him to do so.  Verse twenty-four adds,  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way  everlasting.  Like David, we should want God to search our hearts for any wickedness that might be there and correct us if there is any.

Psalms 139:1

Psalms 139:1 says, To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.  This is identified as a psalm of David and sent to the chief musician, then says, O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.  David said God had searched Him and knew him, and this was to be sung by the people of Israel.  As followers of Christ, God has searched us and knows us, and we shouldn't be afraid to share this fact with anyone we meet.  Verse two adds, Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.  David said God knew when he sat down and when he got up, and even understood David's thoughts.  God knows us just as intimately today.  He is not some absentee God Who only looks down on us occasionally, as some people believe of their gods.  Verse three continues, Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.  As David said then, God knows all our ways as Christians.  Verse four states, For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.  David said that God knew every word that he spoke, and we know that even more than that, He knows every thought that we think.  We should therefore guard our words and thoughts so that they might glorify God.  Verse five adds, Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. David said that God was behind him and before him to protect him.  God surrounds us with His protective hand today if we put our faith in Him through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Verse six declares, Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.  David said that God's knowledge was above his comprehension.  This will always be true for everyone.  We cannot comprehend the knowledge of God, but fortunately we do not have to.  We would be without hope if we had to understand everything about God in order to be saved, but fortunately all we need to know is Jesus Christ, crucified, resurrected, and Lord and accept this by faith.  Verse seven asks, Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  David asked where could he go to escape the presence of the Spirit of God, and the answer is nowhere.  As Christians, whenever we go, the Holy Spirit is always with us.  Verse eight says, If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  David said that he could not be out of the presence of God in heaven or in hell.  I don't believe that this means that God is with people in hell, but that they will be aware of His presence just out of their reach.  Verse nine continues, If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;  Verse ten concludes, Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.  David said that if he went to the uttermost part of the sea to live that God would still be with him and protect Him.  As followers of Christ, there is nowhere that we can go that God is not with us to protect us spiritually since we have put our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Psalms 138:1

Psalms 138:1 says, A Psalm of David.  This is identified as a psalm of David, then verse one says, I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.  David said he would sing praises to God with his whole heart before the false gods.  As followers of Christ, we should also wholeheartedly worship God, especially in the presence of false gods.  Verse two adds, I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.  As David said then, we should magnify God above everything else for His lovingkindness to us.  Verse three continues, In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.  As God answered David when he cried out to Him, God will answer us when we as Christians call out to Him today.  We simply need to be ready to accept His answer.  Verse four states, All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.  There is coming a day when  everyone, including all the rulers will praise God, but for many it will be to late.  These are the people who refused to hear God's word of salvation in this lifetime.  Verse five adds, Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.  In that coming day, everyone will praise God, even if it is too late for them to know the joy of His salvation.  Verse six declares, Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.  God is indeed high and lifted up, and we can only come to Him as lowly sinners, and never high and lifted up in self pride.  Verse seven adds, Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.  David didn't say that God removed Him from trouble, but that He was with him in the times of trouble.   As Christians, we cannot expect to never have trouble in life, but we can expect God to be with us in times of trouble.  Verse eight continues, The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.  God will indeed perfect the work that we do for Him, and that is all the work that matters.