Gold for the heart - Psalms 19-26

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God

A Psalm of David to the chief Musician.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handy-work. 2 Day to day utters speech, and night to night shows knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tabernacle for the sun,

‘Their line’ is talking about the twelve signs of the zodiac.
God made the stars and placed them on the heavens (Genesis 1:14).
They form word pictures that were the language of the early peoples of the earth.
In the stars God told His story of love to mankind.
Virgo ‘the virgin’ spoke of the virgin birth of the Savior that would come to save.
Today, the original meanings have been distorted by evil into astrology.
Remember when the wise men came to Jerusalem? The asked, ‘Where is He that is born king of the Jews for we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him (Matthew 2:2).

5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat of it.

Christ is the eternal bridegroom of the church, whose face shines as the sun in its strength.
This verse tells the path of the sun among the galaxies of the universe. Our sun began at one end of the universe and goes to the other.

Matthew 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

Revelation 1:16 and his countenance was as the sun shines in his strength.

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting/restoring the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are truth and altogether righteous.

The law of the LORD is the rules that God gave Israel through Moses at Mt. Sinai after He miraculously delivered them from Egyptian slavery.
The testimony of the LORD is the record about God Himself and the things God did in the lives of people.
The law of the LORD converts the soul by returning man’s thoughts back to right things, restoring man back to God, his Maker.
The commandments enlighten by showing man what is good and what is evil.

John 15:3 Now you are clean through the word that I have spoken to you.

God warns; He greatly rewards His servants for keeping His word

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold: sweeter than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them your servant is warned: and in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. 13 Keep back your servant from presumptuous sins; do not let them have dominion over me: then I will be upright, and I will be innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock, and my redeemer.

God has defined His word in His word.
‘Presumptuous’ means not listening.
The first and great command is to love God, so not loving Him is the great trasngression.

Deuteronomy 17:12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not listen to the priest that stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or to the judge, even that man is to die: and you are to put away the evil from Israel.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, You are to 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.

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

Psalm 20

A Psalm of David, to the chief Musician. 1 The LORD hear you in the day of trouble; the person of the God of Jacob defend you/exalt you; 2 Send you help from the sanctuary, and support you out of Zion; 3 Remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice; Rest on that.

The only time God does not hear us is if we regard iniquity in our heart.
When we approach God for help, we need to check our hearts first and confess any sin that we find there.
We need to know God’s word so that we will know what He considers sin.

Psalm 66:18I f I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah 30:15 For this is what the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, says; In returning and rest you will be saved; in quietness and in confidence will be your strength…

4 (The Lord) Grant you according to your own heart, and fulfill all your counsel. 5 We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD; he shall give your the desires of your heart.

The Lord saves His anointed; He hears from His holy heaven

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will hear him from the heaven of His holiness with the saving strength of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. 8 They are brought down and have fallen: but we have risen, and stand upright. 9 Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.

How strong is the One who saves us when we call to Him? The Lord is so strong that He spoke creation into being (Psalm 33:6, 9). He parted the Red Sea for his people. This is the One who is with us.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were 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.

Exodus 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground: and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.

Psalm 21

A Psalm of David to the chief Musician 1 The king will joy in your strength, O LORD; and in your salvation how greatly he will rejoice! 2 You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Rest on it.

The Lord’s strength is infinite.
He has made it available to us.
There is nothing that He cannot empower us to do or to overcome.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were 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.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD; and he will give you the desires of your heart.

3 For you went before him with the blessings of goodness: you set a crown of pure gold on his head. 4 He asked life of you, and you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever.

Revelation1:6 And has made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

2Timothy 4:8 In the future there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all those also that love his appearing.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endures testing/refining: for when he is tried, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.

1Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd will appear, you will receive a crown of glory that does not fade away.

5 His glory is great in your salvation: you have laid on him honor and majesty. 6 For you have made him most blessed forever: you have made him exceeding glad with your countenance.

Revelation 3:21 To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Revelation 21:7 He that overcomes will inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he will be my son.

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.

7 For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the love of the most High he will not be moved.

His mercy provides our stability.

1Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.

His hand finds out all his enemies, those that hate Him

8 Your hand will find out all your enemies: your right hand will find out those that hate you. 9 You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger: the LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire will devour them.

As each person passes through this life, it becomes obvious whether that person will bow before His Maker.
The truth of it is displayed for all heaven to see.
God is not obligated to support the life and breath of those who will not be ruled by Him—those who breed pain, ruin, and destruction.

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water to repentance: but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

10 You will destroy their fruit from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men. 11 For they intended evil against you: they imagined a scheme, which they are not able to perform. 12 Therefore you will make them turn their back; you will make ready your arrows on your strings against their face. 13 Be exalted, LORD, in your own strength: so will we sing and praise your power.

Psalm 97:9 You, LORD, are high above all the earth: you are exalted far above all gods.

Psalm 22

To the chief Musician on Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

Jesus quoted these words while hanging on the cross.
Christ’s suffering was on our behalf.
He bore the guilt and full punishment for our sins.
The Father had to turn away from Him at that time, and only at that time, because He is too pure to look upon evil (Habakkuk 1:13).

2Corinthians 5:21 For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But you are holy, O you that are enthroned on the praises of Israel.

Habakkuk 1:13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity:

4 Our fathers trusted in you: they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you, and were delivered: they trusted in you, and were not confounded. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

The word for ‘worm’ is the crimson-grub worm crushed to make the dye for king’s robes in the ancient world. The LORD was crushed to make us kings and priests.

Revelation 1:6 And has made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus carved us on the palms of His hands

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, 8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 9 But you are he that took me out of the womb: you made me hope when I was on my mother’s breasts. 10 I was cast on you from the womb: you are my God from my mother’s belly. 11 Do not be far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded me: strong bulls of Bashan have circled around me. 13 They open their mouths on me like a lion, ripping and roaring. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue sticks to my jaws; and you have brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me: a band of wicked men have hemmed me in: they pierced my hands and my feet.

The teeth of a lion pierce into bone as if it were a wafer, so did the nails into the hands and feet of our Lord.

Isaiah 49:16 Behold, I have carved you on the palms of my hands…

17 I count all my bones. They look; they stare at me. 18 They divide my garments among them, and cast lots on my clothing. 19 Do not be far from me, O LORD: O my strength, hurry to help me. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my only one from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for you have heard me from the horns of the unicorns. 22 I will declare your name to my brothers: in the midst of the congregation will I praise you. 23 You that fear the LORD, praise him; all you the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all you the seed of Israel. 24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither has he hid his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard. 25 My praise will be of you in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. 26 The meek will eat and be satisfied: they will praise the LORD that seek him: your heart will live forever. 27 All the ends of the world will remember and turn to the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations will worship before you.

Who Jesus is from Genesis to Revelation is food for the heart of man.
Nothing satisfies like this food.
His love poured out for our sins is like wine.

John 6:55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

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 shall never thirst.

The kingdom is the Lords; He is governor among the nations

28 For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations. 29 All they that are fat on earth will eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust will bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. 30 A seed will serve him; it will be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They will come, and will declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, that he has done this.

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David. 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I will not lack anything. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

With God is our shepherd we lack nothing.

John 6:35 I am the bread of life. He that comes to me will never hunger. He that believes on me will never thirst.

Colossians 2:10 you are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

4 Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.

The shepherd’s staff is straight at one end and has a hook on the other end. The one end can strike to stop bad behavior among the sheep. The hook reaches into thorn bushes to pull out stranded sheep. The Lord is with us as we go through death.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your behavior be without covetousness; and be content with what things you have: for he has said, I will never leave you, or forsake you

Hebrews 12:6 Whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son he receives.

Our Great shepherd provides communion with Himself in the midst of trouble

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will feast with him, and he with me.

6 Surely goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

God’s goodness and love chase us around all of your life. Revelation 21 describes our eternal home.
Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple in it: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Psalm 24

A Psalm of David. 1 The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness of it; the world, and those that dwell in it. 2 For he founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.

The Lord owns earth because He made it.
Genesis 1 gives the account of God’s creating the universe, including earth.

3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? Who shall stand in his holy place? 4 The clean of hands and pure of heart; the one who has not lifted up his soul to guile, or sworn in deceit.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

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.

5 He will receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek your face, O Jacob. Rest on it.

God gives righteousness.

Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God that is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and on all those that believe:

The Lord is the King of Glory

7 Lift up your head, O gates; and be lifted up, you everlasting doors; and the King of glory will come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

God’s strength was displayed in creation because all He had to do to create everything from nothing was to speak.
God is infinite and eternal knowledge, power, righteousness, and love.
No other being comes close to knowing everything in the universe.
No other comes close to having that much power.
No other is perfectly and continually right.
No other is love bigger than the universe.
That is glory.
He alone is the king of glory.
The ‘gates’ are governments (2 Samuel 19:8) and the ‘doors’ is the door to our hearts (Genesis 4:7, Revelation 3:20)).

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

Exodus 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

1Samuel 17:47 And all this assembly will know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s

9 Lift up your heads, O gates; even lift them up, you everlasting doors; and the King of glory will come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Rest on it.

The word ‘hosts’ refers to the celestial bodies in the heavens and to angels.
The Lord sustains, and rules over all the countless angels of the heavens.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will feast with him, and he with me.

Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads 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, like 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 25

1 To you O LORD I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in you: do not let me be ashamed, do not let my enemies triumph over me. 3 Yes, let none that wait on you be ashamed: let them be ashamed who transgress without cause. 4 Show me your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. 5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me: for you are the God of my salvation/deliverance; on you I wait all the day long. 6 Remember, O LORD, your tender mercies and your love; for they have been from eternity. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, or my transgressions: according to your love remember me for your goodness' sake, O LORD.

These verses expose the lie that the God of the Old Testament was harsh and bloody.
It is a lie of Satan that God has been harsh, mean, cruel, or in any way unjust.

Hebrews 13:8 He is the same yesterday, today, and forever

8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore he will teach sinners in the way. 9 He will guide the meek in judgment: and he will teach the meek his way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are love and truth to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. 11 For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity; for it is great. 12 What man is he that fears the LORD? He will teach him in the way that he will choose. 13 His soul will dwell in goodness; and his seed will inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.

Isaiah 54:10 For the mountains will depart, and the hills be removed; but my love will not depart from you, neither will the covenant of my peace be removed, says the LORD that loves you.

Ezekiel 16:60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with you in the days of you youth, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant.

15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD; he will pluck my feet out of the net. 16 Turn to me, and bend down to favor me; for I am desolate and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring me out of my distresses. 18 Look on my affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider my enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with violent hatred. 20 O guard my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in you. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on you. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Psalm 26

1 Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in my integrity: I have trusted in the LORD; therefore I will not slide. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 3 For your love is before my eyes: and I have walked in your truth.

John 5:22 For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son:

Jude 1:24-25 Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25.To the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

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

4 I have not sat with lying men, nor will I go with dissemblers. 5I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked. 6 I will wash my hands in innocence: so will I go about your altar, O LORD: 7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all your wondrous works.

Psalm 145:5 I will speak of the glorious honor of your majesty, of your wondrous works.

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

8 LORD, I have loved your dwelling, your house, the place where your honor dwells. 9 Do not gather my soul with sinners, or my life with bloody men: 10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 11 But I will walk in my integrity: redeem me and be merciful to me. 12 My foot stands in an even place: in the congregations I will bless the LORD.

1 Chronicles 16:34 give thanks to the LORD; he is good for his mercy endures forever.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you: he will never allow the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 16:7-8 I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I will not be moved.

SUMMARY: Psalms 19-26

The heavens declare the glory of God
He warns and greatly rewards for keeping His word
The LORD saves His anointed; He hears from His holy heaven
His hand finds out all His enemies, those that hate Him
He has carved us on the palms of His hands
The kingdom is the Lord's
He is governor among the nations
Our great Shepherd provides communion with Himself in times of trouble
The LORD is the King of Glory
He is good and upright giving us paths of truth to walk