Tag Archive | David’s Psalms

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 106

Apr16
Day 106.  Reading Psalms 56, 120, 140. 141, 142

Read today’s scripture.

How do you relate to these Psalms of David?

Psalm 56.

Hear how David lays out his prayer needs and then focuses his hope and trust on God alone.

  • Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me: all day long an attacker oppresses me; many attack me proudly.
  • When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
  • In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust;  I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
  • All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil.
  • They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life.  For their crime, will they escape?
  • You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?
  • This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, In the LORD, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Psalm 120.

Hear David’s frustration and exhaustion in this Psalm.

  • Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
  • Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!

Psalm 140.

We cringe, but here, David seems vengeful.  Hiding in caves around the Dead Sea, perhaps he can see the sulfurous tar pits and remember Sodom. God hears our hearts. In the end, David leaves it to God’s justice.

  • Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their hearts and stir up wars continually.
  • They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps.
  • Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet.
  • I say to the LORD, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD!
  • O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation…..
  • Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked…..
  • Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into the fire, into miry pits, no more to rise!
  • I KNOW that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.

Psalm 141. 

David is far from the “house of the LORD.  He can’t go there to call on Him, burn incense, or offer the evening sacrifice.  He can only call on the name of the LORD, pray, and lift up his voice and his hands where he is.

  • Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips, do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds.
  • Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
  • But my eyes are toward You, O GOD, my Lord; in You I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless. Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers.
  • Let the wicked fall into their own nets … while I pass by safely.

Psalm 142.

David is feeling pretty low in this psalm. He’s hiding in a cave, he feels alone and unnoticed, uncared for.

  • With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice, I plead for mercy to the LORD.
  • I pour out my complaint before Him; I tell my trouble before Him. 
  • When my spirit faints within me, YOU know my way!
  • Look to the right and see: there is NONE who takes notice of me; no refuge remains for me; NO ONE CARES FOR MY SOUL!
  • I cry to YOU, O LORD;  I say, YOU ARE MY REFUGE, MY PORTION IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING.
  • Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low!
  • Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your Name!

Have you ever felt such anguish and depression?  Have you cried out to God in your dark prison of the soul?  (I have.)

But remember, the line in David’s other psalm. Psalm 23:4. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of DEATH … I will fear no evil, for YOU are with me;” 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 105

Apr15
Day 105.  Reading Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52.
 

Read today’s scripture.

How do you love in these Psalms?

Psalm 7.

David has been anointed as the future king, but he’s a fugitive with a band of misfit soldiers who love him. King Saul in his madness desperately searches for David to kill him.  The Sweet Psalmist of Israel takes comfort in his relationship with and trust in the LORD God.

  • O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me.  
  • O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust.
  • My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
  • I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the Name of the LORD, the Most High.

Psalm 27.

  • The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
  • The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
  • Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
  • Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!
  • You have said, “Seek my face,” My heart says to You, Your face, LORD do I seek. Hide not your face from me.
  • Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
  • Wait for the LORD: be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.

I love how David “preaches” to himself in the psalm.

Psalm 31.

  • In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!
  • Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily!
  • Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!
  • You ARE my rock and my fortress; and for Your Name’s sake You lead me and guide me; You take me out of the net they have hidden for me; for You are my refuge.
  • I will rejoice and be glad in Your steadfast love, because You have seen my affliction; You have known the distress of my soul, and You have not delivered me into the hand of my enemy: You have set my feet in a broad place.
  • I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” 
  • My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
  • Blessed be the LORD, for He has wondrously shown His steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. I said in my alarm, “I am cut off from Your sight,” But You heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to You for help.
  • Love the LORD, all you His saints!
  • Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

Psalm 34.

  • I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear of and be glad.
  • O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His Name together! 
  • I sought the LORD and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
  • The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them.
  • Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
  • Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
  • The LORD redeems the life of His servants; NONE of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Psalm 52.

This psalm was written when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul “David has come to the house of Abimelech.”

  • Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
  • Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
  • You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right.
  • You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
  • But God will break you down forever; He will snatch and tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living!
  • The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him saying, “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches.”

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****FATHER, may I learn from these psalms of David to take refuge in You in all situations, to trust in You for deliverance, and to rejoice in You in whatever situation I am in.  YOU will make all things RIGHT in Your time.