Gold for the heart - Psalms 140-150

Psalm 140

0 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 1 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; 2 Who devise evil things in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. 3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Rest. 4 Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who has purposed to overthrow my goings.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD camps around those that fear him, and delivers them.

Psalm 91:7 A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you.

Psalm 121:8 The LORD will preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

5 The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set snares for me. Rest. 6 I said to the LORD, You are my God: hear the voice of my humble appeal, O LORD. 7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle. 8 O LORD, do not grant the desires of the wicked: do not promote his wicked plan; lest they exalt themselves. Rest. 9 As for the head of those that surround me, let the evil of their own lips cover them.

God cannot do evil. How wonderful to know that God shields our head in battle.

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Jeremiah 2:19 Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord GOD of hosts.

10 Let burning coals fall on them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they not rise up again. 11 Do not let an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

The LORD maintains the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor

12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. 13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name: the upright will dwell in your presence.

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalm 141

0 A Psalm of David. 1 LORD, I cry to you: hurry to me; listen to my voice, when I cry to you. 2 Let my prayer be set forth before you as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; guard the door of my lips.

God is the best one to ask for help.
God knows everything.
He loves us best.
He has all the power.
God can guard our mouths so that we do not say the wrong things.
The words from God’s mouth are all powerful.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 9 For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

1John 3:20 … God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible.

4 Do not let my heart lean toward any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity: and do not let me eat of their delicacies. 5 Let the righteous strike me; it will be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it will be an excellent oil, do not let my head refuse it: for my prayer is still against their evil.

Remember that the source of evil is the devil.
All that is not from God comes from evil.
This is an important prayer for us to pray regularly.
Evil leads to death.

Matthew 5:37 But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no: for whatever is more than these comes of evil.

God lets the wicked fall into the traps that they set for others

6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they will hear my words; for they are sweet. 7 Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cuts and splits wood on the earth. 8 But my eyes are to you, O GOD the Lord: my trust is in you; do not leave my soul destitute. 9 Keep me from the hands of the trap that they have laid for me, and the snares of those who work iniquity. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while that I completely escape.

Deuteronomy 19:19 Then you will do to him, as he had thought to do to his brother by this you will put the evil away from among you.

Psalm 94:23 And he will bring on them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness; yes, the LORD our God will cut them off.

Psalm 142

0 A Song of instruction from David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. 1 I cried to the LORD with my voice; with my voice to the LORD I made my humble appeal. 2 I poured out my complaint before him; I showed him my trouble.

God knows our path

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walked have they hidden a trap for me. 4 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.

Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take: when he has tried me, I will come forth as gold.

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

He is our hiding place and our portion

5 I cried to You, O LORD: I said, You are my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend to my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors for they are stronger than I.

We can have no better hiding place and no better portion than God. He is infinite and eternal knowledge, power, righteousness, and love.

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward.

7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise your name: the righteous will surround me; for you will deal bountifully with me.

David boldly stated his confidence thatGod would deliver him from his trouble

Hebrews 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder that diligently seek him.

Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

Psalm 143

0 A Psalm of David. 1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my humble appeals: in your faithfulness answer me, and in your righteousness. 2 And do not enter into judgment with your servant: for in your sight will no man living be justified. 3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has struck my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. 4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. 5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all your works; I muse on the work of your hands.

For God to answer in faithfulness and righteousness means that if we pray something that is wrong He will give a right answer.
God is holy.
When we understand holiness from God’s perfect standards then we see our sin.

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Job 5:9 Who does great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number.

6 I stretch out my hands to you: my soul thirsts after you, as a thirsty land. Rest. 7 Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit fails: do not hide your face from me, lest I be like to them that go down into the pit.

John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me will never hunger; and he that believes on me will never thirst.

Isaiah 65:24 And it will come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

His Spirit is good

8 Cause me to hear your love in the morning; for in you I do trust: cause me to know the way that I should walk; for I lift up my soul to you. 9 Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies: I flee to you to hide me with you. 10 Teach me to do your will; for you are my God: your spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. 11 Quicken me, O LORD, for your name’s sake: for your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. 12 And in your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am your servant.

Psalm 36:7 How excellent is your loving kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD camps around them that fear him, and delivers them.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Psalm 144

The LORD is our goodness, our safe place, our deliverer, and our shield; He subdues people under us

0 A Psalm of David. 1 Blessed is the LORD my rock, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: 2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdues my people under me.

The Lord taught warfare.
God fights against evil.
Evil only has access to earth through the choices of mankind. When a man chooses evil he makes himself God’s enemy.
Exodus 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

3 LORD, what is man, that you know him! Or the son of man, that you esteem him! 4 Man is like vanity: his days are as a shadow that passes away. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they will smoke. 6 Cast out lightning, and scatter them: shoot out your arrows, and destroy them.

Lightning is God’s arrow.

2Samuel 22:15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and defeated them.

7 Send your hands from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hands of foreign children; 8 Whose mouth speaks vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God: on a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings I will sing praises to you.

He gives victory to kings

10 It is he that gives victory to kings: who delivers David his servant from the hurtful sword. 11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of foreign children, whose mouth speaks emptiness, and their right hand is a right hand of lies: 12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, fashioned after the likeness of a palace: 13 That our granaries may be full, furnishing all kinds of produce: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: 14 That our oxen may be strong to labor; that there be no breaking in or going out; that there be no outcry in our streets. 15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yes, happy is that people whose God is the LORD.

No crimes or losses or mishaps.
God’s obedient people are blessed in every part of life.
His people are happy.

Psalm 16:11 …in your presence is fullness of joy and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 145

0 David’s Psalm of praise. 1 I will extol you, my God, O king; and I will bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless you; and I will praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation will praise your works to another, and will declare your mighty acts.

‘Extol’ means to praise with great admiration and enthusiasm.
God is so great that none can find the end of His greatness.
He created all things.
He sustains all things.
His love is so great that He paid for our sins with the death of His Son.

The majesty of the LORD is glorious and full of honor

5 I will speak of the glorious honor of your majesty, and of your wondrous works/words/things. 6 And will speak of the strength of your awesome acts: and I will declare it. 7 They will abundantly utter the memory of your great goodness, and will sing of your righteousness. 8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great love.

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Psalm 57:10 For your mercy is great to the heavens, and your truth to the clouds.

The LORD is good to all; His tender mercies are over all that He does

9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. 10 All your works will praise you, O LORD; and your saints will bless/kneel in adoration to you. 11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk of your power; 12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom of all ages, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

His kingdom lasts forever.
He rules throughout all generations.
Revelation 21 describes the eternal kingdom city with its gemstone foundations, gates of pearl, and street of gold, a place where there is no sorrow, tears, pain, or death.
God paid the price with the death of His Son so that all could be with Him there.

He upholds all the fall and raises up all that re bowed down

14 The LORD upholds all that fall, and raises up all that are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all wait on you; and you give them their food in due season. 16 You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and kind/holy in all his works. 18 The LORD is near to all them that call on him, to all that call on him in truth.

There are people who claim God, but refuse His word. He is not near them.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth.

The Lord preserves those that love Him

19 He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he will also hear their cry, and will save them. 20 The LORD preserves all them that love him: but all the wicked he will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD: let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Psalm 146

The LORD, the Maker and sustainer of all things, is our help

1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. 2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises to my God while I have any being. 3 Do not put your trust in princes, or in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4 His breath goes out, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 5 Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose confidence is in the LORD his God: 6 Who made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that is in them: who guards truth forever:

Psalm 33:20 Our soul waits for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

John 17:17 … your word is truth.

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

7 Who executes judgment for the oppressed: who gives food to the hungry. The LORD looses the prisoners: 8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind: the LORD raises those that are bowed down: the LORD loves the righteous.

He preserves the foreigners; He relieves the fatherless; He turns the way of the wicked upside down

9 The LORD preserves the foreigners; he relieves the fatherless and widow: but he turns the way of the wicked upside down. 10 The LORD will reign forever, even your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD.

Earth’s rulers rule for just a short while.
God is Sovereign over them all.
A day is coming soon when His Son, Jesus Christ will come to earth and begin a reign of righteousness that will never end but continue on into the new heavens and the new earth that last forever.
Many passages of scripture speak of this including Revelation 19:11-16:

Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a garment dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he would strike the nations: and he will rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he has on his clothes and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Psalm 147

1 Praise the LORD: for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is sweet/delightful; and praise is beautiful. 2 The LORD builds up peace/Jerusalem: he gathers together the outcasts of the Prince of God/Israel. 3 He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds/griefs.

The LORD appoints the number of stars and calls them by name; His understanding is infinite

4 He tells the number of the stars; he calls them all by their names. 5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. 6 The LORD lifts up the meek: he casts the wicked down to the ground. 7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise on the harp to our God: 8 Who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains. 9 He gives to the animal his food, and to the young ravens which cry. 10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse: he takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

The New American Standard Bible translates ‘lifts up the meek’ as ‘relieves the afflicted.’
Our Lord is so powerful that to create the universe all He had to do was speak.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 9 For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

The LORD takes pleasure in those that fear/revere Him

11 The LORD takes pleasure in those that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy/wait in his love. 12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. 13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. 14 He makes peace in borders, and fills you with the finest/fat of wheat. 15 He sends out his commandment on earth: his word runs very swiftly.

He has strengthened our protection and has blesses our children

16 He gives snow like wool: he scatters the frost like ashes. 17 He casts forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? 18 He sends out his word, and melts them: he causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow. 19 He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his judgments to Israel. 20 He has not done anything like this with any other nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise the LORD.

Isaiah 55:11 So it will be with my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Psalm 148

1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD 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, you heavens of heavens, and you waters that are above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

God alone is infinite and eternal knowledge, power, righteousness, and love.
All other beings and things were created by Him and are sustained by Him.
There is a heaven above the heavens and waters above the heavens.
The Bible is consistently proved to be more accurate than science.
od created all things by commanding it be so.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 9 For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

God's name/person alone is excellent; He exalts the power of His people

6 He has also established them forever and ever: he has made a decree that will not pass. 7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you dragons, and all deeps: 8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling his word: 9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: 10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: 11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: 12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: 13 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name/person alone is excellent/exalted; his glory is above the earth and heaven. 14 He exalts the power of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise the LORD.

Psalm 8:1 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth! Who has set your glory above the heavens.

Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, appearing like a sapphire stone: and on throne was the likeness of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins upward, and from the appearance of his loins downward, I saw the appearance of fire, and it had brightness around it. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain was the appearance of the brightness around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

Psalm 149

1 Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises to him with the tambourine and harp.

God made us; He is our King!
Dancing is okay if it is joyful to God and not lustful.
God is so wonderful that when we finally understand Him and His love for us we will not be able to restrain ourselves from leaping for joy and dancing.

Psalm 100:3 Know that the LORD he is God: it is he that has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

1Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen

The LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beauatify the humble with salvation

4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people: he will beautify the humble with salvation. 5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud on their beds.

Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, appearing like a sapphire stone: and on throne was the likeness of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins upward, and from the appearance of his loins downward, I saw the appearance of fire, and it had brightness around it. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain was the appearance of the brightness around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

Numbers 14:21 as truly as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.

6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with shackles of iron; 9 To execute on them the judgment written: all his saints have this honor. Praise the LORD.

God explains everything to us in His word. This speaks of binding those who rebel against God that they might learn to listen and obey Him for their eternal good.

Psalm 107:10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the most High: 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

Psalm 150

The universe or heavens shows God’s power

1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

God made and sustains the universe.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 9 he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (are held together).

His acts are mighty; His greatness is excellent

2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

1Peter 1:18 you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your empty way of life received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Psalm 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 4 Praise him with the tambourine and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 5 Praise him on the loud cymbals: praise him on the high sounding cymbals. 6 Let every thing that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

Job 12:10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

SUMMARY: Psalms 140-150

God shields our head in battle
The LORD maintains the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor
God lets the wicked fall into the traps that they set for others
God knows our path
He is our hiding place and our portion
His Spirit is good
The LORD is our goodness, our safe place, our deliverer, and our shield
He subdues people under us
He gives victory to kings
The majesty of the Lord is glorious and full of honor
The LORD is good to all; His tender mercies are over all that He does
He upholds all that fall and raises up all that are bowed down
The LORD, the Maker and sustainer of all things, is our help
He preserves the foreigners; He relieves the fatherless; He turns the way of the wicked upside down
The Lord appoints the number of stars and calls them by name; His understanding is infinite
The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear/revere Him
He has strengthened our protection and has blessed our children
God's name/person alone is excellent; He exalts the power of His people
The LORD takes pleasure in HIs people; He will beauty the humble with salvation
The universe or heavens shows God's power
His acts are mighty; His greatness is excellent