Psalm forty-Two- Longing for God

The palmist, perhaps a Levite, longs for the day when he can again come to the Temple of God.  He seems to be far away from Jerusalem, and in his memory relives the joyous pilgrimages he used to make in the past.

To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.




Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.  (KJV)

Psalms Ninety - At Life's End

A Prayer of Moses the man of God.

 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. You turn man to destruction; and say, Return, you children of men.

For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.





You carry them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which grow up. In the morning it flourish, and grow up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.  (KJV)

Psalm 139 - God is Everywhere

This psalmist feels that God is so near him that God knows his every thought, and yet God is everywhere in this universe, so that the righteous man need to never feel that God is far from him.  Thinking like this brings him strength and confidence.

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

O LORD, you have searched me, and known me. You know my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understand my thought afar off. Thou compass my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou know it altogether.

You have beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.



Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hid not from you; but the night shine as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to you. For you have possessed my reins: you have covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul know right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 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. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  (KJV)

Psalms Eighty-Three

Psalms 83:1 <<A Song or Psalm of Asaph.>> Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

Psalms 83:2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

Psalms 83:3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.




Psalms 83:4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

Psalms 83:5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

Psalms 83:6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;

Psalms 83:7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;

Psalms 83:8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.

Psalms 83:9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:

Psalms 83:10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.

Psalms 83:11Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

Psalms 83:12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

Psalms 83:13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.

Psalms 83:14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

Psalms 83:15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

Psalms 83:16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

Psalms 83:17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:

Psalms 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
 (KJV)

Psalms for the Soul: Psalms Forty

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David

 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Psalms 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

Psalms 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Psalms 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Psalms 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Psalms 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

Psalms 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

Psalms 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Psalms 40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

Psalms 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

Psalms 40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

Psalms 40:12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

Psalms 40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.

Psalms 40:14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.

Psalms 40:15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.

Psalms 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.

Psalms 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
 (KJV)

Psalms 24 | When David Brought the Ark to Jerusalem

A Psalm of David

WHEN DAVID BROUGHT THE ARK TO JERUSALEM

The happiest moment in David's life was the time when he captured Jerusalem and brought the Ark of the Covenant there.  A great procession of priests and Levites sang as choruses answering each other, in celebration of the notable event.  David describes the qualities that the true worshiper ought to have when he comes into God's presence

First Choir:
   The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof the world, and they that dwell therein.

Second Choir: 
 For he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

First Choir:
  Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in his holy place?



Second Choir: 
He that has clean hands, and a pure heart; who have not lifted up his

soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

First Choir: 

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek your face, O Jacob. Selah.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

Chorus of Priests:
 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

MORE OF DAVID MINISTERING BEFORE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT