Day 174 Psalm 83-85 Supplemental notes

Psalm Chapter 83
Israel, physical or spiritual (see Physical and Spiritual Israel) has always been surrounded by potential enemies e.g. "the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined them" in this Psalm is just a partial listing. But the enemies of Israel were only allowed to become strong at the times when Israel's faith and obedience to The Lord became weak.

"A Song. A Psalm of Asaph. O God, do not keep silence; do not hold Thy peace or be still, O God! For lo, Thy enemies are in tumult; those who hate Thee have raised their heads. They lay crafty plans against Thy people; they consult together against Thy protected ones. They say, "Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel [see Yis-raw-ale for the actual sounds in Hebrew of many well-known people of Bible History] be remembered no more!"
Yea, they conspire with one accord; against Thee they make a covenant - the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites [see Isaac and Ishmael], Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. [Selah]
Do to them as Thou didst to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, "Let us take possession for ourselves of the pastures of God."
O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff [see Baptism Of Fire] before the wind. As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, so do Thou pursue them with Thy tempest and terrify them with Thy hurricane! Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Thy Name, O Lord. Let them be put to shame and dismayed for ever; let them perish in disgrace. Let them know that Thou alone, whose Name is The Lord [see YHVH, Adonai, Jehovah, LORD], art the Most High over all the earth." (Psalm 83:1-18 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 84
"Even The Sparrow finds a home" around The Lord's presence attests to how The Lord, although absolutely Almighty, is kind and gentle to whatever or whoever is at peace with Him.

"To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. How lovely is Thy dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! [see Host] My soul longs, yea, faints for the courts [see Court] of The Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at Thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Thy House, ever singing Thy praise! [Selah]
Blessed are the men whose strength is in Thee, in whose heart are the highways to Zion [see Zionism]. As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with Pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! [Selah]
Behold our shield, O God; look upon the face of Thine anointed! For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For The Lord God is a sun and shield; He bestows favor and honor. No good thing does The Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who Trusts in Thee!" (Psalm 84:1-12 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 85
"Thou didst pardon all their sin" is a process from The Lord which is granted upon an enduring repentance. Otherwise, "when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does the same abominable things that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds which he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, he shall die." (Ezekiel 18:24 RSV).

"To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. Lord, Thou wast favorable to Thy land; Thou didst restore the fortunes of Jacob. Thou didst forgive the iniquity of Thy people; Thou didst pardon [see Your Pardon] all their sin. [Selah]
Thou didst withdraw all Thy wrath; thou didst turn from Thy hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away Thy indignation toward us! Wilt Thou be angry with us for ever? Wilt Thou prolong Thy anger to all generations? Wilt Thou not revive us again, that Thy people may rejoice in Thee? Show us Thy steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us Thy salvation. Let me hear what God The Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people, to His saints, to those who turn to Him in their hearts. [see A Pure Heart] Surely His salvation is at hand for those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.
Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. Yea, The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and make His footsteps a way." (Psalm 85:1-13 RSV)

Day 173 Psalm 80-82 Supplemental notes

Psalm Chapter 80
Although humans have rarely performed well as My Brother's Shepherd, The Lord has forever been a good shepherd of His flock. Even when they strayed, God's "sheep" have always found their way home by the sound of The Shepherd's Voice.

"To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony of Asaph. A Psalm. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou who leadest Joseph like a flock! Thou who art enthroned upon the cherubim [see The Ancient of Days], shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh! Stir up Thy might, and come to save us!
Restore us, O God; let Thy face shine [see also The Shining], that we may be saved! O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt Thou be angry with Thy people's prayers? Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. Thou dost make us the scorn of our neighbors; and our enemies laugh among themselves.
Restore us, O God of hosts; let Thy face shine, that we may be saved! Thou didst bring a vine out of Egypt; Thou didst drive out the nations [see Strong Is He Who Has Come Down] and plant it. Thou didst clear the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches; it sent out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the River.
Why then hast Thou broken down its walls [e.g. see Why Babylon?], so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it. Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock which Thy right hand planted [see also Grafting]. They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of Thy countenance!
But let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand [see The Lord's Plumb Line], the son of man whom Thou hast made strong for Thyself! Then we will never turn back from Thee; give us life, and we will call on Thy name! Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! let Thy face shine, that we may be saved!" (Psalm 80:1-19 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 81
Israel's troubles have always happened when they became unfaithful and disobedient to The Lord. "Hear, O My people, while I admonish you!" has systematically been The Lord's way of redirecting wayward sheep back to where it is safe (see Where Is It Safe?).

"To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! Raise a song, sound the timbrel, the sweet Lyre with the harp. Blow the trumpet at the new moon [see New Moon, New Month], at the full moon, on our feast day. For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known: "I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of Thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. [Selah]
Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. I am The Lord [see YHVH, Adonai, Jehovah, LORD] your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt [to understand Who that was, see Why Did Christ Put Moses To Death?]. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. "But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would have none of me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their foes. Those who hate The Lord would cringe toward Him, and their fate would last for ever [see They Shall Be Ashes]. I would feed you with the finest of the wheat [see Corn], and with Honey from the rock I would satisfy you." (Psalm 81:1-16 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 82
"God has taken His place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods He holds judgment" is a plain statement of, what should be to everyone, obvious reality that only God is God. It is foolish to worship mere objects or creatures of creation rather than the Almighty Creator of all things.

"A Psalm of Asaph. God has taken His place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods He holds judgment: "How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? [Selah]
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver [see Deliverance] them from the hand of the wicked."
They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I say, "You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, you shall die like men [see What Happens When You Die?], and fall like any prince." Arise, O God, judge the earth; for to Thee belong all the nations!" (Psalm 82:1-8 RSV)

Day 172 Psalm 77-79 Supplemental notes

Psalm Chapter 77
"Heaven" in the Holy Bible refers primarily to two levels; the atmosphere (e.g. "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater" Isaiah 55:10 RSV) and space (e.g. "And beware lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and worship them and serve them, things which The Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven" Deuteronomy 4:19 RSV). This Psalm refers to the many times that The Lord amplified and directed "heaven" to demonstrate His Almighty power on earth e.g. "The crash of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; Thy lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook." (Psalm 77:18 RSV).

"To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph. I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek The Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit [see Giving Up The Ghost] faints. [Selah]
Thou dost hold my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, I remember the years long ago. I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit: "Will The Lord spurn for ever, and never again be favorable? Has His steadfast love for ever ceased? Are His promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His Compassion?" [Selah]
And I say, "It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed." I will call to mind the deeds of The Lord; yea, I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate on all Thy work, and muse on Thy mighty deeds. Thy way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? Thou art the God who workest wonders, who hast manifested Thy might among the peoples. Thou didst with Thy arm redeem [see Ransom] Thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. [Selah]
When the waters saw Thee, O God, when the waters saw Thee, they were afraid, yea, the deep trembled. The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth Thunder; Thy arrows flashed on every side. The crash of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; Thy lightnings lighted up the world [see also Lightening, Not Lightning]; the earth trembled and shook. Thy way was through the sea, Thy path through the great waters; yet Thy footprints were unseen. Thou didst lead Thy people [see The God Of The Old Testament] like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron." (Psalm 77:1-20 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 78
Along with Prophecy (see also Christ In The Psalms) and Christian Living (see also The Harp String Verses), the Psalms are rich in recorded Bible History - a testament of the covenants (see Covenant and Testament) made by The Lord with His people.

"A Maskil [i.e. "a teaching song"] of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old [see Timeless], things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of The Lord, and his might, and the wonders which he has wrought. He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children; that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the Works of God, but keep His commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God [see A Pure Heart].
The Ephraimites [see The Israelite Patriarchs - Ephraim; also The Gathering of Israel and Judah], armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God's covenant, but refused to walk according to His Law. They forgot what He had done, and the miracles that He had shown them. In the sight of their fathers He wrought marvels in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap [note: "and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same supernatural food and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ" 1 Corinthians 10:2-4; see also Why Did Christ Put Moses To Death?]. In the daytime He led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light. He cleft rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
Yet they sinned still more against Him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert [see A Journey Without A Destination]. They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness? He smote the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can He also give bread, or provide meat for his people?" Therefore, when The Lord heard, He was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob, His anger mounted against Israel; because they had no faith in God, and did not trust His saving power.
Yet He commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; and He rained down upon them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven [see Christ, The Bread of Life]. Man ate of the bread of the angels; He sent them food in abundance. He caused the east [see also Why Did They Face East?] wind to blow in the heavens, and by His power He led out the south wind; He rained flesh upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas; He let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their habitations. And they ate and were well filled, for He gave them what they craved. But before they had sated their craving, while the food was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them and He slew the strongest of them, and laid low the picked men of Israel.
In spite of all this they still sinned [see What Is Sin?] ; despite His wonders they did not believe. So he made their days vanish like a breath [see Giving Up The Ghost], and their years in terror. When He slew them, they sought for Him; they repented and sought God earnestly. They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer [see also The Ancient of Days]. But they flattered Him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward Him; they were not true to His covenant [see Why A New Covenant?]. Yet He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; He restrained His anger often, and did not stir up all His wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.
How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! They tested Him again and again, and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not keep in mind His power [see Strong Is He Who Has Come Down], or the day when He redeemed them from the foe; when He wrought His signs in Egypt, and His miracles in the fields of Zoan. He turned their rivers to blood [see The Ten Plagues], so that they could not drink of their streams. He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them. He gave their crops to the caterpillar, and the fruit of their labor to the locust. He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with frost. He gave over their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to thunderbolts. He let loose on them his fierce anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels. He made a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague. He smote all the first-born in Egypt, the first issue of their strength in the tents of Ham.
Then he led forth His people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. He led them in safety [see Where Is Your Place Of Safety?], so that they were not afraid; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. And He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain which His right hand had won. He drove out nations before them; He apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God, and did not observe His testimonies, but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow. For they provoked Him to anger with their High Places; they moved Him to jealousy with their graven images. When God heard, He was full of wrath, and He utterly rejected Israel. He forsook His dwelling at Shiloh [see What Happened To Shiloh?], the tent where He dwelt among men, and delivered His power to captivity, His glory to the hand of the foe. He gave His people over to the sword, and vented His wrath on His heritage. Fire devoured their young men, and their maidens had no marriage song. Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
Then The Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine. And He put his adversaries to rout; He put them to everlasting shame. He rejected the tent of Joseph, He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim; but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion [see Zionism], which He loves. He built His Sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which He has founded for ever. He chose David His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; from tending the ewes that had young He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob His people, of Israel His inheritance. With upright heart he tended them, and guided them with skilful hand." (Psalm 78:1-72 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 79
When the Israelites became corrupt, The Lord allowed their enemies to conquer them (i.e. see The Galilee Captivity and Why Babylon?). Many still did not learn their lesson, because it wasn't the enemies of God's people who "defiled Thy Holy Temple" - it was the Israelites who "defiled Thy Holy Temple" with their corrupt behavior. For that very same reason, even today, what many people call "the holy land" is referred to by The Lord as Sodom and Egypt. It won't be truly Holy until The Lord reigns there (see the Fact Finder question below).

"A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen [see Heath Of The Wilderness] have come into Thy inheritance; they have defiled Thy Holy Temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the bodies of Thy servants to the birds of the air for food, the flesh of Thy saints to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them. We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those round about us.
How long, O Lord? Wilt Thou be angry for ever? Will Thy jealous wrath burn like fire? Pour out Thy anger on the nations that do not know Thee, and on the kingdoms that do not call on Thy Name! For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste His habitation. Do not remember against us the iniquities of our forefathers; let Thy compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Thy Name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for Thy Name's sake! Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of Thy servants be known among the nations before our eyes! Let the groans of the prisoners come before Thee; according to Thy great power preserve those doomed to die!
Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted Thee, O Lord! Then we Thy people, the flock of Thy pasture, will give thanks to Thee for ever; from generation to generation we will recount Thy praise." (Psalm 79:1-13 RSV)

Day 171 Psalm 74-76 Supplemental notes

Psalm Chapter 74
This Psalm describes one of the major devastations of Jerusalem that The Lord not only permitted, but brought about because the people had corrupted themselves. "Remember Mount Zion, where Thou hast dwelt" is a stark statement that The Lord only remains with those who remain with Him.

"A Maskil of Asaph. O God, why dost Thou cast us off for ever? Why does Thy anger smoke against the sheep of Thy pasture? Remember Thy congregation, which Thou hast gotten of old, which Thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of Thy heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where Thou hast dwelt. Direct Thy steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the Sanctuary!
Thy foes have roared in the midst of Thy holy place; they set up their own signs for signs. At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes. And then all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. They set Thy sanctuary on fire; to the ground they desecrated the dwelling place of Thy Name. They said to themselves, "We will utterly subdue them"; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. We do not see our signs; there is no longer any Prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.
How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? [see They Shall Be Ashes] Is the enemy to revile Thy name for ever? Why dost Thou hold back Thy hand, why dost Thou keep Thy right hand in Thy bosom?
Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Thou didst divide the sea by Thy might; Thou didst break the heads of the Dragons on the waters. Thou didst crush the heads of Leviathan, Thou didst give him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. Thou didst cleave open springs and brooks; Thou didst dry up ever-flowing streams. Thine is the day, thine also the night; Thou hast established the luminaries and the sun. Thou hast fixed all the bounds of the earth; Thou hast made summer and winter.
Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs, and an impious people reviles Thy name. Do not deliver the soul of Thy dove [see also Do Animals Have A Soul?] to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of Thy poor for ever. Have regard for Thy covenant [see Covenant and Testament]; for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence. Let not the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise Thy Name.
Arise, O God, plead Thy cause; remember how the impious scoff at Thee all the day! Do not forget the clamor of Thy foes, the uproar of Thy adversaries [see Adversary] which goes up continually!" (Psalm 74:1-23 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 75
The Coming World Dictator is going to be welcomed by His people because He will be perfect in all ways. No rightous person will have anything to fear.

"To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song. We give thanks to Thee, O God; we give thanks; we call on Thy Name [see What Is God's Name?] and recount Thy wondrous deeds.
At the set time [see also Could Christ Return Tonight?] which I appoint I will judge with equity. When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. [Selah]
I say to the boastful, "Do not boast," and to the wicked, "Do not lift up your horn; do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with insolent neck." [see The Two Kinds Of Pride]
For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up; but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. For in the hand of The Lord there is a cup, with foaming wine, well mixed; and he will pour a draught from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs [see Grapes Of Wrath].
But I will rejoice for ever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked he will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted." (Psalm 75:1-10 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 76
The Lyre was the most popular of the "stringed instruments."

"To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song. In Judah God is known, His Name is great in Israel [see The Gathering of Israel and Judah]. His abode has been established in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion. There He broke the flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. [Selah]
Glorious art Thou, more majestic than the everlasting mountains. The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; all the men of war were unable to use their hands. At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse [see Horses] lay stunned. But Thou, terrible art Thou! Who can stand before Thee when once Thy anger is roused? From the heavens Thou didst utter judgment; the earth feared and was still, when God arose to establish judgment to save all the oppressed of the earth. [Selah]
Surely the wrath of men shall praise Thee; the residue of wrath Thou wilt gird upon Thee. Make your vows to The Lord your God, and perform them; let all around Him bring gifts to Him who is to be feared, who cuts off the spirit of princes, who is terrible to the kings [see also Lamb of lambs, King of kings] of the earth." (Psalm 76:1-12 RSV)

Day 170 Psalm 71-73 Supplemental notes

Psalm Chapter 71
The irony of aging in God's people is that the farther that they are from their physical birth, the closer they are to their spiritual birth - if their conception (see the Fact Finder question below) is truly that of one of God's children. But, unlike physical birth whereby the child had no choice, God's children must decide for themselves if they will be born to eternal life; that's why our Father commands us to choose life by means of The Process Of Conversion.

"In Thee, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! In Thy righteousness deliver me [see Deliverance] and rescue me; incline Thy ear to me, and save me! Be Thou to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for Thou art my rock and my fortress. Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. For Thou, O Lord, art my hope, my Trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon Thee I have leaned from my birth; Thou art He who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of Thee. I have been as a portent to many; but Thou art my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with Thy praise, and with Thy glory all the day.
Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent [see When Will You Be Judged?]. For my enemies speak concerning me, those who watch for my life consult together, and say, "God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him." O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt. But I will hope continually, and will praise Thee yet more and more. My mouth will tell of Thy righteous acts, of Thy deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come, I will praise Thy righteousness, thine alone. O God, from my youth Thou hast taught me, and I still proclaim Thy wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, till I proclaim Thy might to all the generations to come.
Thy power and Thy righteousness, O God, reach the high heavens How High Is Heaven?. Thou who hast done great things, O God, who is like Thee? Thou who hast made me see many sore troubles wilt revive me again [see The Quick and The Dead]; from the depths of the earth Thou wilt bring me up again [see Sheol and Hades]. Thou wilt increase my honor, and comfort me again.
I will also praise Thee with the harp [see The Harp String Verses] for Thy faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to Thee with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to Thee; my soul also, which Thou hast rescued. And my tongue will talk of Thy righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disgraced who sought to do me hurt." (Psalm 71:1-24 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 72
David's son and successor Solomon (see The United Kingdom) also wrote some of the Psalms. Although Solomon's "Give the king Thy justice, O God, and Thy righteousness to the royal son! May he judge Thy people with righteousness, and Thy poor with justice!" was a prayer for himself, it was also obviously a recognition of how God's Son will be King over all the earth (see Israelite Monarchy - The Messiah) until God Himself arrives (see The Throne Of God, From Heaven To Earth).

"A Psalm of Solomon. Give the king Thy justice, O God, and Thy righteousness to the royal son! May he judge Thy people with righteousness, and Thy poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor! [see Swords Into Plowshares] May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations! May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth! In his days may righteousness flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth! May his foes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! [see Christ the Conqueror For Peace] May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!
For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems [see Ransom] their life; and precious is their blood in his sight.
Long may he live, may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day! May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may men blossom forth from the cities like the grass of the field! May his name endure for ever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May men bless themselves by him, all nations [see The House Of Prayer Of All Nations] call him blessed!
Blessed be The Lord, the God of Israel [see The God Of The Old Testament], who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name for ever; may his glory fill the whole earth! Amen and Amen!
The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended." (Psalm 72:1-20 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 73
Asaph was a Levite (see Levites to understand how the Levites and priests were organized) who served as one of the lead singers in the time of King David. A dozen Psalms (Psalm 50 and Psalms 73-83) are credited to him.

"A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to the upright [see The Lord's Plumb Line], to those who are pure in heart [see A Pure Heart]. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant [see The Two Kinds Of Pride], when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For they have no pangs; their bodies are sound and sleek. They are not in trouble as other men are; they are not stricken like other men. Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment [see Why Does God Allow Evil?]. Their eyes swell out with fatness, their hearts overflow with follies. They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. Therefore the people turn and praise them; and find no fault in them. And they say, "How can God know? [see Glass Houses] Is there knowledge in the Most High?"
Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken, and chastened every morning [see No Pain, No Gain].
If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have been untrue to the generation of Thy children. But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end. Truly Thou dost set them in slippery places; Thou dost make them fall to ruin. How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes, on awaking you despise their phantoms. When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was stupid and ignorant, I was like a beast toward Thee. Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou dost hold my right hand. Thou dost guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward Thou wilt receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides Thee. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. For lo, those who are far from Thee shall perish [see They Shall Be Ashes]; Thou dost put an end to those who are false to Thee. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works." (Psalm 73:1-28 RSV)

Day 169 Psalm 68-70 Supplemental notes

Psalm Chapter 68
The purpose of Why Does God Allow Evil? has not always been well understood, even among God's people, including David in this Psalm, but all nevertheless know that The Lord's victory for His people is certain and certainly coming (see the Fact Finder question below) in all the world.

"To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song. Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee before Him! As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked perish before God! [see They Shall Be Ashes] But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy!
Sing to God, sing praises to His Name [see What Is God's Name?]; lift up a song to Him who rides upon the clouds [see The Clouds of Heaven]; his name is The Lord, exult before Him! Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation. God gives the desolate a home to dwell in; He leads out the prisoners to prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land [see Heath Of The Wilderness].
O God, when Thou didst go forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness, [Selah] the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, at the presence of God; yon Sinai [see The Wilderness of Sin] quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel [see "The God Of The Old Testament"]. Rain in abundance, O God, Thou didst shed abroad; Thou didst restore Thy heritage as it languished; Thy flock found a dwelling in it; in Thy goodness, O God, Thou didst provide for the needy.
The Lord gives the command; great is the host [see also The Host Of Heaven] of those who bore the tidings: "The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!" The women at home divide the spoil, though they stay among the sheepfolds - the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with green gold. When the Almighty scattered kings there, Snow fell on Zalmon.
O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan! Why look you with envy, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount which God desired for His abode, yea, where The Lord will dwell for ever? [see Who, What or Where Is Zion?] With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands, the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place. Thou didst ascend the high mount, leading captives in Thy train, and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that The Lord God may dwell there. Blessed be The Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. [Selah]
Our God is a God of salvation; and to God, The Lord, belongs escape from death. But God will shatter the heads of His enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways. The Lord said, "I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, that you may bathe your feet in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe."
Thy solemn processions are seen, O God, the processions of my God, my King, into the Sanctuary - the singers in front, the Minstrels last, between them maidens playing timbrels: "Bless God in the great congregation, The Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!" There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali [see The Gathering of Israel and Judah].
Summon Thy might, O God; show Thy strength, O God, Thou who hast wrought for us. Because of Thy temple at Jerusalem [see Zionism] kings bear gifts to Thee. Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war. Let bronze be brought from Egypt; let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out her hands to God. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord, [Selah] to Him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens [see The Ancient of Days]; lo, He sends forth His voice, His mighty voice. Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and His power is in the skies. Terrible is God in His sanctuary, the God of Israel, He gives power and strength to His people. Blessed be God!" (Psalm 68:1-35 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 69
The "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" is not merely a modern-day sporting term. God's people have always experienced No Pain, No Gain - so that their psychological and spiritual balance not be lost. The apostle Paul (see Paul's Ministry) summed it up with "And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 RSV).

"To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Psalm of David. Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?
O God, Thou knowest my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from Thee. Let not those who hope in Thee be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek Thee be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. For it is for Thy sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brethren, an alien to my mother's sons. For zeal for Thy house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult Thee have fallen on me. When I humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. When I made Sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
But as for me, my prayer is to Thee, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of Thy steadfast love answer me. With Thy faithful help rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. Let not the flood sweep over me [see Planet On Fire!], or the deep swallow me up, or the pit [see Sheol and Hades] close its mouth over me. Answer me, O Lord, for Thy steadfast love is good; according to Thy abundant mercy, turn to me. Hide not Thy face from Thy servant; for I am in distress, make haste to answer me. Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies!
Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to Thee. Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me Vinegar to drink [see Christ In The Psalms]. Let their own table before them become a snare; let their sacrificial feasts be a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; and make their loins tremble continually. Pour out Thy indignation upon them, and let Thy burning anger overtake them. May their camp be a desolation, let no one dwell in their tents. For they persecute him whom Thou hast smitten, and him whom Thou hast wounded, they afflict still more. Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from Thee. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living [see When Will You Be Judged?]; let them not be enrolled among the righteous. But I am afflicted and in pain; let Thy salvation, O God, set me on high!
I will praise The Name of God with a song; I will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This will please The Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs. Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For The Lord hears the needy, and does not despise His own that are in bonds.
Let heaven and earth [see Between Heaven and Hell] praise Him, the seas and everything that moves therein. For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; and His servants shall dwell there and possess it; the children of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it." (Psalm 69:1-36 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 70
David's plea to "make haste to help me!" will be answered in God's Timeless way (see also How Old Is God?).

"To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering. Be pleased, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt! Let them be appalled because of their shame who say, "Aha, Aha!" May all who seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee! May those who love Thy salvation say evermore, "God is great!"
But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! Thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not tarry!" (Psalm 70:1-5 RSV)

Day 168 Psalm 63-67 Supplemental notes

Psalm Chapter 63
David's "my soul thirsts for Thee" in this Psalm was an analogy of how a Conscience that thirsts for righteousness can be compared to a physical body (see Where Is Your Soul?) that is needing water. If lacking, both ache for what must be there for life, water for physical life, The Spirit Of God (see also the Fact Finder question below) for the life to come.

"A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah. O God, Thou art my God, I seek Thee, my soul thirsts for Thee; my flesh faints for Thee, as in a dry and weary land where no water is.
So I have looked upon Thee in the Sanctuary, beholding Thy power and glory. Because Thy steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise Thee. So I will bless Thee as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on Thy Name [see What Is God's Name?].
My soul is feasted as with marrow and fat, and my mouth praises Thee with joyful lips, when I think of Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the watches of the night; for Thou hast been my help, and in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to Thee; Thy right hand upholds me. But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth [see Sheol and Hades]; they shall be given over to the power of the sword, they shall be prey for jackals.
But the king [see Israelite Monarchy - The Messiah] shall rejoice in God; all who swear by Him shall glory; for the mouths of liars will be stopped." (Psalm 63-1-11 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 64
David's rise to the responsibility of political power was, on a merely human level, against high odds for success (see Israelite Monarchy - The Origin and The Civil War), but David always recognized that he was merely a servant of an all-powerful King who never loses (see Christ the Conqueror For Peace and The King Of The King Of Kings).

"To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy, hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the scheming of evildoers, who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows, shooting from Ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear.
They hold fast to their evil purpose [see Evil Means Fool]; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, "Who can see us? Who can search out our crimes? [see Glass Houses] We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot." For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep!
But God will shoot His arrow at them; they will be wounded suddenly. Because of their tongue He will bring them to ruin; all who see them will wag their heads.
Then all men will fear; they will tell what God has wrought, and ponder what He has done. Let the righteous rejoice in The Lord, and take refuge in Him! Let all the upright in heart glory!" (Psalm 64:1-10 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 65
David's "Blessed is he whom Thou dost choose and bring near, to dwell in Thy courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy House, Thy Holy Temple!" was spoken before the Temple in Jerusalem was built (i.e. it was constructed in the time of David's son Solomon, after David had died) was a prophecy of the ultimate meaning and purpose of The Lord's Temple (see The House Of Prayer Of All Nations)

"To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song. Praise is due to Thee, O God, in Zion [see Zionism]; and to Thee shall vows be performed, O Thou who hearest prayer! To Thee shall all flesh come on account of sins. When our transgressions prevail over us, Thou dost forgive them. Blessed is he whom Thou dost choose and bring near, to dwell in Thy courts! [see Court] We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, Thy Holy Temple!
By dread deeds Thou dost answer us with Deliverance, O God of our salvation, who art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of the farthest seas; who by Thy strength hast established the mountains [see Christ The Creator], being girded with might; who dost still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples; so that those who dwell at earth's farthest bounds are afraid at Thy signs; Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.
Thou visitest the earth and waterest it, Thou greatly enrichest it; the river of God [see the Fact Finder question below] is full of water; Thou providest their grain, for so Thou hast prepared it. Thou waterest its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. Thou crownest the year with Thy bounty; the tracks of Thy chariot drip with fatness. The pastures of the wilderness drip, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy." (Psalm 65:1-13 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 66
"To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm" (see The Harp String Verses) plainly states how the Psalms were songs and music, but they were far more. The Psalms are rich in accounts of Bible History, foresights of Prophecy and righteous principles of Christian Living.

"To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm. Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His Name; give to Him glorious praise! Say to God, "How terrible are Thy deeds! So great is Thy power that Thy enemies cringe before Thee (e.g. see "Strong Is He Who Has Come Down"). All the earth worships Thee; they sing praises to Thee, sing praises to Thy name." [Selah]
Come and see what God has done: He is terrible in His deeds among men. He turned the sea into dry land [see also Why Did Christ Put Moses To Death?]; men passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in Him, who rules by His might for ever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations - let not the rebellious exalt themselves. [Selah]
Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard, who has kept us among the living [see What Happens When You Die?], and has not let our feet slip. For Thou, O God, hast tested us; Thou hast tried us as silver is tried. Thou didst bring us into the net; Thou didst lay affliction on our loins; Thou didst let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet Thou hast brought us forth to a spacious place.
I will come into Thy house with burnt offerings; I will pay Thee my vows, that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. I will offer to Thee burnt offerings of fatlings, with the smoke of the sacrifice [see Burnt Offerings to understand the related origin of the word holocaust] of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. [Selah]
Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for me. I cried aloud to Him, and He was extolled with my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, The Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!" (Psalm 66:1-20 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 67
This Psalm is also prophetic in that it awaits a time when, after the return of Jesus Christ (see What Is Jesus Christ Doing Right Now?) all the earth will joyfully come to know The Lord e.g. "It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of The Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of The Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us His ways and we may walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of The Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Micah 4:1-3 RSV).

"To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us, [Selah] that Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise Thee, O God; let all the peoples praise Thee! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for Thou dost judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. [Selah]
Let the peoples praise Thee, O God; let all the peoples praise Thee! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. God has blessed us; let all the ends of the earth fear Him!" (Psalm 67:1-7 RSV)