Psalm 56: the Reliability of God’s Word

Posted inPsalm Translations, Psalms Commentary
To the chief musician,On the Silent Dove in Distant Lands,Of David, a Miktam,When the Philistines took him in Gath.1. Be gracious to me, O God, because a mortal tramples me.Fighting all day he oppresses me.2. My adversaries trample me all day,Because many are fighting against me proudly.3. In the day when I fear, In You…

Psalm 149: the Triumph of the Gospel

Posted inPsalm Translations, Psalms Commentary
1. Praise Yahweh!Sing to Yahweh a new song,His praise in the congregation of saints.2. Let Israel rejoice in the one who made him.Let the sons of Zion be glad in their king.3. Let them praise His name with dancing.With tambourine and harp let them hymn to Him,4. Because Yahweh takes pleasure in His people.He will…

Special Features of Psalm 148

Posted inPsalm Translations, Psalms Commentary
1. Praise Yah!Praise Yahweh from the heavens!Praise Him in the heights!2. Praise Him, all His angels!Praise Him, all His hosts!3. Praise Him, sun and moon!Praise Him, all stars of light!4. Praise Him, heavens of the heavens,And the waters which are from above the heavens!5. Let them praise the name of Yahweh,Because He has commanded and…

Psalm 86: Answer Me Because

Posted inPsalms Commentary
Psalm 86 is a song of personal petition to God for help in a time of trouble. Verse 14 identifies the trouble: "the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life, and have not set you before them." David had experienced much persecution especially at the hands of…

Speaking to One Another in Psalms

Posted inPsalms Commentary
We think of our singing in worship as singing to the Lord, offering him our praise and thanks and bringing to him our petitions. He is, indeed, the main object of our sung speech, and that rightly. We come together to worship, and whatever we say in worship is before him. He is our primary…

Christ in the Psalms: Psalm 9

Posted inChrist in the Psalms, Psalms Commentary
We can never go wrong by reminding ourselves that our Lord sang and prayed the psalms during his earthly ministry. He made them his own. He experienced what David and the other psalmists experienced. Their praise and thanksgiving, both for who God is and what he has done, are his. Their cries for help are…

Psalm 119: Keeping His Testimonies

Posted inPsalms Commentary
One theme that appears again and again in Psalm 119 is keeping the testimonies of the Lord. The psalm uses two Hebrew words for keep, both of which appear in verse 34: Cause me to understand, and I will observe [natsar] your law, and I will keep [shamar] it with my whole heart. The second…

The Structure of Psalm 26

Posted inPsalm Translations, Psalms Commentary
of David1. Judge me, Yahweh, For I in my integrity walk, and in Yahweh I trust. I will not slip.2. Examine me, Yahweh, and test me. Try my kidneys and my heart.3. For your lovingkindness [is] before my eyes, and I walk in your truth.4. I do not sit with men of vanity, and with…