Psalms Readings – Week 2
January 10 – Psalm 9
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.
1 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
3 My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you.
4 For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.
5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
6 Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies, you have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished.
7 The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment.
8 He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity.
9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.
12 For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.
13 Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion, and there rejoice in your salvation.
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God.
18 But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
19 Arise, Lord, do not let mortals triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror, Lord; let the nations know they are only mortal.
This psalm begins with a joyful prayer of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord as it builds upon the content of the preceding psalms. David had asked God to deliver him from his enemies and from many other hardships. Now, he thanks God for hearing his prayers and taking care of his enemies. David makes many faith declarations of who God is and what God has done. For the first time in the Psalms, David shows a concern for others who are oppressed and afflicted.
The psalm acclaims God’s everlasting kingship and power. David quickly calls upon God to help him once again so that he can declare the Lord’s praises and celebrate his salvation.
He contrasts the Lord who rules with justice with the wicked who become trapped by their own works of evil and go to the realm of the dead for their just punishment.
God never forgets the needy so that hope is always available for the afflicted.
David reminds us not to forget to give thanks for answered prayer. In fact, the purpose of all of God’s great acts is that we might declare his praise to others so they might know the one true great God.
Memory Verse:
Psalm 9:1, I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Question(s) to Consider:
What can you give wholehearted thanks for what the Lord has done today? Who else will you tell?
January 11 – Psalm 10
1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises.
3 He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
5 His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies.
6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”
7 His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue.
8 He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret for his victims; 9 like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
10 His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.”
12 Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.
13 Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, “He won’t call me to account”?
14 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
16 The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.
This psalm of lament turns the focus away from David’s national enemies that we saw in Psalm 9 and now focuses on the individual wicked person. These persons hunt down the weak and seem to get away with murder. They arrogantly boast about all the evil they do and declare they will never get caught or have to pay. Their lips are filled with lies and threats. They ruthlessly ambush the innocent and the helpless.
They do not believe that God sees their evil nor do they have any room for God in their minds filled with total depravity.
In the midst of this cry asking God why He is not yet intervening is the call for God to arise and do something and not forget the cause of the helpless. Even though it seems nothing is changing and evil prospers without restraint, the psalmist declares faith that God does see the afflicted, that God hears the grief of the afflicted, and that God is the helper of the fatherless. The Lord is King. He encourages and defends the weak and will defeat the wicked.
Even when evil seems to prosper and we wonder how long God will put up with it, we must continue to declare faith in God as the great King of the universe and call on Him to act on behalf of the afflicted and oppressed. Let us be encouraged and not give up hope for the Lord is King!
Memory Verse:
Psalm 9:1, I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Question(s) to Consider:
In what situation are you asking God, “how long before you intervene?” In the midst of your lament, are you declaring your confidence in God’s ability to reign over evil?
January 12 – Psalm 11
For the director of music. Of David.
1 In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain.
2 For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
3 When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.
5 The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.
6 On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.
7 For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.
Psalm 12
For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.
1 Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
2 Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts.
3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—
4 those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”
5 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord.
“I will protect them from those who malign them.”
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.
7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked,
8 who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.
In Psalm 11 David declares God is his refuge in the midst of those who speak to him without faith and feel defeated by the situation. But David reassures them that God is still on the throne and still has the authority to rule. He examines all persons. We might be surprised to read that those who love violence God hates with a passion. They will be judged and punished severely. The Lord is righteous and love justice and those who are the same will be brought into His eternal presence.
In the midst of severe challenges, do we have a defeatist attitude or do we declare that God is our strength who rules in righteousness and justice?
In Psalm 12, David seems to feel more negatively about his circumstances as he declares there are no faithful people. They lie, boast, flatter others, and declare that their own lips will save them because they have no one who will hold them accountable.
However, the Lord will defend those who are treated unjustly. We are given the promise that the words of the Lord are flawless. David reiterates the Lord will keep them safe and protect them from the wicked. They arrogantly boast while everyone else honors such evil.
This is a picture of how evil is celebrated in our culture. For the righteous, we are comforted that the words of the Lord are flawless. For the unrighteous, this is a dire warning of judgment to come.
Memory Verse:
Psalm 9:1, I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Question(s) to Consider:
How do you view your circumstances? Defeated? Remembering who God is and what He promises?
January 13 – Psalm 13
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
Psalm 13 is identified as one of the classic examples of a lament in Scripture. Laments mourn the way things are. They are songs of sorrow. About one third of the psalms, that’s around 50, are in this category. It may surprise us that a huge chunk of the prayer and songbook of God’s people is the honest expression of sorrow for what was happening in their lives and world.
Lamenting prayers ask God, “Why?” because their previous prayers haven’t received a quick answer. Such heart-wrenching prayers often end in the light of trust and offer a fresh sense of God’s presence and hope. God doesn’t answer the why, but the Spirit enters and laments deep within us so we can experience the healing love of God. And out of his abiding, loving, presence can emerge new possibilities, new acts of kindness, new wisdom, and a new hope. Laments often have four parts.
- Turn to God. David keeps going back to God. He does not just talk to other people about his problems, but he goes to God because he believes, ultimately, that God has the answer and will offer him the help he needs.
- Offer your complaint. We honestly tell God our thoughts and feelings. David asked four times in different ways, How long? In other words, When will you answer? When will you intervene? God can handle our raw honesty in the midst of our hurt.
- Ask boldly for help. We tell God what we need. David said it this way, “Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.”
- Choose to trust. This is the destination for our laments. David said it this way, “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.” Even before God’s answer came, he was declaring his trust, his heart was rejoicing, and he was singing praise.
Memory Verse:
Psalm 9:1, I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Question(s) to Consider:
Are you lamenting something? Could you write a lamenting prayer to express your need to God? Would you share it with us?
January 14 – Psalm 14
For the director of music. Of David.
1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
These two psalms show the vast contrast between those who are righteous and unrighteous. The fool in Psalm 14 is one who speaks and believes there is no God. They are morally deficient and do absolutely no good. All have sinned, but these persons are filled with pride and refuse to acknowledge God, repent, and return to God. Instead, they treat the poor unjustly. In contrast to these “fools” are the righteous whom God is near and the poor whom God offers shelter.
In contrast to the fool’s ungodly life in Psalm 14, this psalm focuses on the qualities of a God-honoring life. David begins in verse 1 with two rhetorical questions that he proceeds to answer in verses 2-5. The sacred tent is the tabernacle and the holy mountain is Jerusalem.
He lists 12 requirements that would qualify a person to be with God at his holy mountain. It focuses on holy relationships with others, honoring them, not speaking ill of them, or doing them wrong.
For Christians, this list is a reflection of our trust in Jesus as Lord and the transformation that He brings into our lives to make us into brand new creations. Authentic faith always leads to life change. This psalm assures those who act with this kind of character that they will not be shaken. They will stand before God with confidence because the fruit of their lives reflects their faith-filled relationship.
Memory Verse:
Psalm 9:1, I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Question(s) to Consider:
How would you describe the kind of person God wants you to be? Can you do so in a sentence and share it with us?
January 15 – Psalm 16
A miktam of David.
1 Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
3 I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.
5 Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful[b] one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
In this beautiful psalm of confident trust, David reflects on his close relationship with God, giving thanks for all the blessings that God has provided him. He asks briefly to be kept safe but then spends the rest of the psalm declaring his faith in God.
Because God is David’s Lord, he knows nothing in life compares to God’s goodness. He contrasts the holy people, who we are all called to be, with the unholy who grossly worship other gods.
David declares his singular worship to God for he knows God is his reason for blessing. God alone makes his life secure. God gives him a wonderful inheritance. He praises God who counsels him day and night. He keeps his eyes fully focused on the Lord; he puts God first in all things. Because David does so, he knows God is at the right hand of honor in his life. This is the reason he has such confidence in the midst of all circumstances.
David ends by strongly affirming his confidence in the Lord, which extends far beyond death. Peter quoted verses 8-11 in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, applying it to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:25-28). Paul quoted verse 10 in his speech at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:35).
What a beautiful psalm to enjoy as a prayer and declaration of faith to God. As Christians, we have all the more reason to declare such a confident faith because we know the rest of the story of how God’s generous blessings are found in Christ Jesus.
Memory Verse:
Psalm 9:1, I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Question(s) to Consider:
What speaks to you from this passage? What reasons would you give for your confident faith in Jesus Christ?
January 16 – Psalm 17
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer—it does not rise from deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right.
3 Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me,
you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed.
4 Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded.
5 My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled.
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.
10 They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down; with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord, from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies; may their children gorge themselves on it, and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
In this psalm of petition, David again boldly calls on God to vindicate him. He affirms his own righteousness in verses 1-5 and calls on God to shelter him from his enemies. Since these are such fierce adversaries (verses 10-12), David calls on God to save him and repay them what they deserve. (verses 13-14.)
He concludes with words of assurance that he will indeed be vindicated and see God’s face. This reflects his confidence from yesterday’s psalm. In fact, this psalm continues the theme of Psalms 15-16 which affirm the virtues and blessings of a God-focused life.
As we prepare to gather with our church family in worship, may we take a moment to think about God as David did with these assuring words:
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
Memory Verse:
Psalm 9:1, I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Question(s) to Consider:
How has God shown you the wonders of His great love? What comfort do you take in being the apple of God’s eye or being hidden in the shadow of His wings?