Psalms of Comfort 16; 19-21; 23; 27

The following material is adopted from James’s Montgomery Boice’s 3 volume commentary on Psalms. Additional material from MacArthur Bible Studies, Psalms: Hymns for God’s People. Introductory material from Psalms of Grace, Philip Webb, editor. Additional material taken from sources listed at the end

Q: Where do you tend to turn when you are looking for comfort? Why that particular source?

In this lesson, we will take a look at several psalms that were written to offer comfort to those who read or sang them. Some of these psalms are connected to specific events or circumstances, such as Psalm 20 and 21, which directly address God’s people before and after a battle. Other psalms in this group are more general in offering comfort based on God’s character. Psalm 23, for example, is perhaps the most famous passage of the Old Testament because it is a compact, visual, and beautiful expression of God’s goodness even in the face of difficult circumstances.

Each of these psalms was written by King David, who is the most famous and most prolific author within the Psalter. David is directly named as the author of seventy-three psalms (out of a total of 150); however, the New Testament attributes David to be the author of two more: Psalm 2 (Acts 4:25) and Psalm 95 (Heb 4:7).

Psalm 16

This psalm focuses upon a vital truth: the resurrection. There is a reason David trusts in God to keep him, delights in God’s people, and does not deviate to any other god. There is a reason that Yahweh is David’s portion and he delights in Him. There is a reason that David sets God before him and will not be shaken. All of this is because David believed in the resurrection of the Messiah, God’s holy one, and the resurrection of all those who are in Him. The resurrection grants believers have trust, loyalty, satisfaction, and security in God.

A Michtam of David

— In spite of many conjectures, this designation remains obscure

— For similar designations, see Pss 56; 57; 58; 59; and 60

A Prophecy of the Resurrection

— In the first Lord’s day, following the resurrection, two disciples were walking to Emmaus from Jerusalem

— One of them was Clopas ( Luke 24:18 )

—If this Cleopas was the same man as the Clopas of John 19:25 (which seems likely since the names are nearly identical), and if both were disciples of Jesus and were in Jerusalem at this time, then the other of those two disciples was probably Mary, Clopas’s wife

— The story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus is found in Luke 24:13-35

—The Lord gave a sermon on his own resurrection and expounded on OT text that his prophesied triumph over the grave on Easter morning

Q: What texts you suppose Jesus spoke of?

Jesus Resurrection

— We can’t know the answer with certainty but one can be certain that he used Psalm 16:10

Psalm 16:10 NASB95

For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

— Peter used this section to preach about the resurrection on Pentecost ( Acts 2:25-28)

— Paul used it in his sermon to the Jews in the synagogue of Antioch ( Acts 13:35-37)

Our Portion in Life and Death

— Some have tried to make this entire psalm all about David

— Most of it should be seen as referring to the life of David and not Jesus

The Psalmist Relationship to God ( vv 1-2)

— The essence of David’s relationship with God is the names that he uses

— The first word is el, translated simply as “God” (v. 1)

— While common, what is unique is that David describes God as “the Strong (or Mighty) One”

— The second name is Jehovah, translated LORD (v. 2)

— This is the personal name of the great God of Israel

— It is the name that God revealed to Moses at the burning bush

Exodus 3:13–14 NASB95

Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

— The third name for God is Adonai, translated “Lord” (v. 2)

— This can refer to an earthly Lord or to God

— This is equivalent of this in our NT way of speaking when we say that Jesus is our Lord and Savior

— Savior corresponds to el, since it is as “the Strong One” that Jesus saves us

— Lord is the equivalent of Adonai, which means that Jesus is also Master of our lives

— If Jesus is your Lord and Savior you should be able to say with David (v. 2)

— “Apart from you I have no good thing”

— Apart from Jesus, even the best things of life have no value

Matthew 16:26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Macarthur

(16:1) Preserve Me

— This is a frequent request, begging God to protect the psalmist (cf. Pss 17:8; 140:4; 141:9)

(16:2) O my soul, you have said

— The italicized words indicate there is a variant in the Hebrew Bible concerning the verb

— It may be just as well to regard the verb as a shortened form of “I said” (cf. 1 Ki 8:48; Job 42:2; Ps 140:13; Ezek 16:59)

(16:2) My goodness is nothing apart from you

— In other words, “My well being is entirely dependent on you”

The Immediate Result of the Psalmist’s Relationship to God (vv 3-4)

— It follows that loving God will show up in how we view relationships

Q: Do you love other Christians? Do you seek their company? (v.3)

— David is drawn to the righteous and says, “they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight” (v. 3)

— On the other hand, he is turned away from the wicked.

Psalm 16:4 “The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied; I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips.”

— Again, do you find it uncomfortable to be with those who sin openly?

— Are you troubled by their values, shocked by their desires, repulsed by their blasphemies?

— Or are you at ease among them? if like Peter, you have no difficulty warming your hands at the fire of those who are hostile to your Master, it is because you are far from him.

The Psalmist’s Present Blessings (vv 5-8)

— The third part of the psalm describes David’s blessings

— First, “you have assigned me my portion and my cup” (v. 5)

— Portion could mean daily sustenance or inheritance of land

— Since it is linked to the word cup in this verse and since the idea of an inheritance occurs in the next verse, portion is probably the psalmist’s daily food and other necessities.

— As our Lord taught us to pray, “Give us our daily bread” we should look to God for our provisions

— Second, “you have made my lot secure” (v 5b)

— This is speaking to David’s general circumstances as secure

— Third, “the boundary lines have fallen fro me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” (v. 6)

— The psalmist is content with what God has given to him

— Discontentment is one of the most striking characteristics of our time

— Fourth, “the Lord… counsels me” (v. 7)

— God provides us counsel if we should ask

James 1:5 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

The Psalmist’s Future Hope (vv. 9-11)

— Now David turns to what the Lord will do for him in death and even beyond death

— This is where the verse that prophesies the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ comes in

— Did David consciously prophesy the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ

— He may have or he may not have

— Peter did call David a prophet in Acts 2:3

— But later Peter wrote that the prophets searched intently for the time and circumstances of the suffering of the Christ (1 Peter 1:10-11)

— This means that David did not necessarily understand that he was writing of Jesus’s resurrection when composed verse 10

—Yet, if he was not writing of Christ, the verse is in some ways even more remarkable

— In that case, David was writing of his own hope expecting that God would not abandon him to the grave

— He reasoned that if God has blessed him and kept hi in this life, then God, who does not change, would undoubtedly keep him and bless him in the life to come

Macarthur

(16:9) My glory

— Starting back in verse 7, the psalmist referred to his core of being as literally

— “my kidneys”

— “my heart”

— “my glory”

— “my flesh”

— “my soul”

— The anthropological terms stand for the whole person

— So it is best to consider “my glory” as referring to that distinctive way in which man is created in the image of God

— His intelligence and ability to speak

(16:10) You will not leave my soul in Sheol

— The words expressed the confidence of the lesser David

— But were applied messianically to the resurrection of the greater David (the Lord Jesus Christ)

— Both by Peter (Acts 2:25-28) and Paul (Acts 13:35)

Faith Is the Victory

— David achieved the greatest pinnacle of his life by trusting God in death through the application of his faith

Reuben A. Torrey, a Bible teacher of an earlier generation, tells the story of four men who were climbing the most difficult face of the Matterhorn. A guide, a tourist, a second guide, and a second tourist were all roped together. As they went over a particularly difficult place, the second tourist lost his footing and went over the side. The sudden pull of the rope carried the second guide with him, and he carried the other tourist along also. Three men were now dangling over the cliff. But the guide who was in the lead, feeling the first pull of the rope, drove his ax into the ice, braced himself, and held fast. The first tourist then regained his footing, the guide regained his, and the second tourist followed. They went on in safety.

So it is in this life. As the human race ascended the lofty cliffs of life, the first Adam lost his footing and tumbled headlong into the abyss. He pulled the next man after him, and the next, and the next, until the whole human race hung in deadly peril. But the second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, kept his footing. He stood fast. Thus all who are united to him by a living faith are secure and can regain the path.

Psalm 19

This psalm presents the glories of general and special revelation. The heavens declare God’s glory. Though they do not speak, the message of God’s majesty extends everywhere the sky reaches and the sun sets. It renders all men without excuse before God. Special revelation is different. It restores the soul, makes wise the simple, gives joy, grants illumination, stands forever, and makes one stand righteous before God in the end. General revelation leaves all without excuse, special revelation drives salvation, sanctification, and glorification. In light of this, David prays that God’s Word have a deep work in his heart. May His Word search out hidden faults and may it direct the meditation of our heart to be acceptable to God.

The Big Book and the Little Book: Part 1

The Revelation of God in Nature

— This psalm is considered great poetry

— C.S. Lewis, “The greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world”

— But just because it is great poetry does not mean that we should sing it as a church

— What makes this psalm so profound is the statement of doctrine concerning revelation

— General Revelation (vv. 1-6)

— Special Revelation (vv. 7-11)

— David applies this revelation to himself (vv. 12-14)

General Revelation (vv. 1-6)

— This is what theologians refer to as the revelation of God in nature

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.”

— The psalmist is saying that the heavens and stars are a witness to the existence of their creator

— But more than that, they are a witness to his “glory”

— Alexander Maclaren notes that this psalm has no “moral element”

— It does not testify to God’s moral qualities

— Attributes like justice, mercy, grace, compassion, love and wrath

— But the psalm certainly testifies to his existence and power

— This is what Paul says in the opening chapter of Romans

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

— God’s revelation of glory is so great that it should lead every human being to seek God out, thank him and worship him

But that is what we do not do. What Paul says in Romans is that, apart from God’s special intervention in our lives to save us, all human beings actually suppress the truth of God’s general revelation, either denying his existence altogether or else erecting a lesser god, an idol, in the true God’s place. As a result of this, the wrath of God has been revealed against us and our truth-suppressing cultures.

The Nature of This Testimony

— We have three profound statements about the nature and extent of this general revelation

General Revelation is Continuous

— These revelations are not once and done

— They are continuous

— The skies reveal the glory of God every single night of the week, every week of the year, year after year

Psalm 19:2 “Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge.”

General Revelation is Abundant

— It is abundant

— In the words of the psalm, it pours for speech (v. 2)

— In Hebrew this is the idea of a gushing sprint that pours out sweet, refreshing water

— Every individual piece of nature testifies to its Creator

— The heavens testify to God’s power

—The human body testifies to an all-wise Creator

— The petals of a flower, a blade of grass, the snowflake, the atom, the nature of light — all testify to a divine mind that lies behind them

General Revelation is Universal

— The psalmist says that everyone in every land has “heard” this general revelation

— The message extends everywhere — no one is exempt from it

— And none has followed up on it in order to seek God

Psalm 19:3–4 “There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard.

Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world.”

Macarthur

(19:2-3) Speech…no speech

— This is not a contradiction, but shows that the constant communication of heavens is not with words of a literal nature

— This is the basis for the universal guilt that Paul describes in Romans 1

The Glory of the Sun

— David describes the sun in verses 4b-6 as the crowning achievement of God’s creation

— David did not know as much as we do today about the sun

— He knew that the sun is God’s handiwork and that it displays his glory

— C. S. Lewis has rightly pointed out that the key line in this description is the last, which says that

“nothing is hidden from [the sun’s] heat”

— This line links the witness of the physical creation to the witness of the Word

— The Word, likewise, is penetrating, warming, and life-giving while also searching, testing and purifying

The Big Book and the Little Book: Part 2

— Verses 7-11 talk about the special revelation of God

— The second, specific revelation is superior to the first general revelation

— It is similar to Peter’s experience recorded in 2 Peter 1:16–19

“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.”

— Peter was an eyewitness to the transfiguration and hearing God the Father’s voice

— But glorious as it is, it cannot be compared to the written revelation which is “more certain” or “more sure”

— Peter is ranking Scripture over experience which is more permanent and more authoritative

— And this is what we have here in the second half of this psalm

Words to be Obeyed

— David viewed the bible as words to be obeyed

— Verses 7-9 contains six parallel statements

— Six nouns

— Law — this means instruction; everything God has revealed or we would say Scripture

— Statutes - literally “testimony”

— Precepts and Commands — Orders, precision and authority with which God addresses us

— Fear — it describes Scripture by the effect they produce in us to response to the revelation

— Ordinances — “judgments” or “verdicts,” that is, the divine evaluation of our thoughts and actions

— The interesting thing about this list is that it is entirely different way of dividing up Scripture than we are accustomed to

— The one thing that is common about David’s list is that they all portray the Bible as words to be obeyed

— This is the same thing that Paul says in 2 Tim 3:16

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”

Training in Righteousness

— David says that the Law does six things

— Being Perfect, it revives the soul

— The law is so complete that it covers every aspect of life

— Jesus said “Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4, c.f. Deut 8:3)

— Being trustworthy, the law of God makes the simple wise

— If we are open to God’s instructions we will become wise

— If we think ourselves too wise, we will show ourselves to be fools (1 Cor 1:19-21)

— Those who have abandoned the truth have given themselves over to a lie (Rom 1:25)

— Being right, the law of God makes the heart rejoice

— Right means straight as opposed to crooked and linked to the idea of righteousness

— Being radiant, the law of God gives light to the eyes

— An object that is radiant gives off light

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

— Being pure, the law of God endures forever

— The “fear of the Lord” actually denotes Scripture

— The effect is being substituted for the cause

— A wise person will build his life on the enduring Word of God

— Being sure and altogether righteous, the law of God warns the servant of God against sin and provides him with great reward

— The psalmist introduces a personal evaluation of the ordinances of God, saying

Psalm 19:10 “They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”

— He then completes the parallelism

— First, the servant is warned against the lies and errors of this world, against sin and its harmful effects

— John Bunyan was right when he said, “This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book”

— Second, the keeper of the law is rewarded

— The text does not say that we will be rewarded, though that is certainly true too

— Rather it says that “in keeping them there is great reward”

Heart to Heart

— In the last section the psalmist applies what he learned to himself

— First, the psalmist prays that God will forgive him of his sins

— He knows that he can never be fully aware of his sins unless God reveals their presence to him by the written law

— He divides them

— Errors - wrongs innocently committed

— Hidden faults - unknown to himself but not hidden from God

— Willful sins - deliberate presumption

Macarthur

(19:12-13) Who can understand his errors?

—The psalmist deals respectively with unintentional sins and high-handed infractions (Lev 4:1ff; Num 15:22ff)

— David’s concerns reflect the attitude of a maturing disciple who, by God’s grace and provisions, deals with his sins and does not deny them

— Second

— An appeal to God as his Rock and Redeemer

— The Bible no only shows us to be sinners, but leads us to the One who is able to deliver us from sin

— And wonder of wonders, he is the same one who has revealed himself gloriously in the heavens

Q: What does Psalm 19 teach about God’s Word?

Exploring the Meaning

We can find comfort in God’s Word

Psalm 19 begins with wonderful expressions of praise to God, with David connecting different aspects of creation to the glorious nature of God’s character. The second half of the psalm shifts away from the world and focuses squarely on God’s Word: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD s sure, making wise the simple; the status of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes” (vv 7-8). These are beautiful expressions of admiration and adoration from David for the Scriptures — both for what they themselves are, and for what they accomplish in our lives. The Bible is more desirable that gold, “Yea, than much fine gold,” and “Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (v. 10). The incredible value of God’s Word should not be lost on modern readers who, unlike David, have access to the full canon of Scripture. That value can be an amazing source of comfort. No matter what happens in life — no matter what we endure or what we might face — we have access to the very words of God spoken to bless and benefit us.

Psalm 20

Israel prayed this prayer before their king went into battle. In this psalm, they express their desire that God have favor on their king. They also desire God fulfill the king’s counsel in battle. All of these requests are motivated by the truth that God saves His anointed and that we must boast in Yahweh and not in horses or chariots. Only in Yahweh alone, will we rise when our enemies fall. So Israel must trust in Him and His promises to His king. The battle belongs to Him.

God Save the King

— The following two psalms (20 & 21) are different than the others thus far

— They were designed to be sung by the Jewish people to their king and nation

— The first (20) is a prayer for the King’s victory in battle

— The second (21) is a prayer of thanksgiving for that deliverance

— This is a model for what we should seek in our political leaders and how we should pray for them

Prayer for the King

— These are not prayers to God to directed towards the king

— The people want God to hear his petitions

— This is a picture of the king, a man of prayer

— We do not know the circumstances of the original composition of this psalm, but it seems to have a setting in which the king is praying before the tabernacle or temple prior to going out to battle and the people standing a bout him joining in his petitions

— In other words, he is leading them in prayer

— If this is a psalm of David, as the title says it is, we have no difficulty believing that David would have done this

— A nation is blessed if it favored with such godly leaders

MacArthur

(20:1) May the LORD answer you: This is the prayer of God’s people for their king-general (see “His anointed,” verse 6). In a theocracy, battles were to be considered holy wars. The chain of command was (1) the Lord as commander-in-chief over (2) the anointed king-general and (3) the theocratic people — soldiers. All holy convocations, both before and after battles, involved prayer and praise assemblies dedicated to God, who grants victories through the theocratic king-general. Psalm 20, in anticipation of a military campaign, commemorates a three-phased ceremony regularly conducted by the people in the presence of the commander-in-chief on behalf of the king-general: (1) an offering of their prayers (vv 1-5); (2) a confirmation of their confidence (vv 6-8); and (3) a reaffirmation of their dependence (v. 9).

A Nation under God

Q: What about our country?

— Today is it fashionable to decry the religious foundations of our nation

— Many of the founding fathers were deists, skeptics or unbelievers

— America had many such leaders at one time

— John Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony

He wrote: I desire to make it one of my chief petitions to have that grace to be poor in spirit. I will ever walk humbly before my God, and meekly, mildly and gently towards all men… I do resolve first to give myself — my life, my wits, my health, and my wealth — to the service of my God and Savior who, by giving himself for me and to me, deserves whatsoever I am or can be, to be at his first commandment and for his glory

— George Washington, was devout Anglican

He wrote: O god, who are rich in mercy and plenteous in redemption, mark not, I beseech thee, what I have done amiss; remember that I am but dust, and remit my transgressions, negligences and ignorance, and cover them all with the absolute obedience of they dear Son, that those sacrifices (of sin, praise and thanksgiving) which I have offered may be accepted by thee, in and for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered upon the cross for me…Direct my thoughts, words and work, wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart by the Holy Spirit

When the vote was taken for American Independence there was a moment of solemn silence in which Samuel Adams spoke

— He voiced what many were thinking

We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom alone men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and .... from the rising of the setting sun. May his kingdom come

— Even Benjamin Franklin, who was not a Christian, broke the deadlock over the American Constitution in 1787 calling for daily prayer

I have lived, sir, for a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: “that God governs in the affairs of man.” And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?

We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without his concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel; we shall be divided by our little, partial interests; our projects will be confounded; and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a byword down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from the unfortunate instance, despair of establishing government by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war or conquest.

Assurance of the King’s Success

— The heart of t his section is verse 7, which compares Israel’s trust in God to the confidence the pagan nations have in their arms (cf. Deut 17:16)

Psalm 20:7 “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.”

— Trust, boast, and praise must not be directed to the wrong objects but only to God Himself( cf. Deut 17:16;20:1-4; Lev 26:7-8; Ps 33:16-17; Is 31:1-3; Jer 9:23-24; Zech 4:6)

— Later in history under Solomon Israel became very much like her neighbors

— The history of Israel had a long experience of God’s powerful intervention

— Abraham was no warrior

— He had no army, only loyal servants

— Yet when the four kings from the east attacked Sodom and carried off his nephew Lot and his family, he pursued them with 318 of his men

— He routed the army and rescued Lot and his family

— It was not Abraham’s courage that gave him victory but God, as he was reminded by Melchizedek (Gen 14:20)

— The deliverance from Egypt was a spectacular example of God’s strong intervention (cf. Exod 15:1-2)

— Joshua’s victory at Jericho

— Gideon’s defeat of the Midianites with a handful of soldiers

— David killing Goliath

— A country that forgets God will be overwhelmed by tyranny

— Our country, in spite of its genuinely religious roots, seems hell-bent on doing just tha

A Summary Petition

— The psalm ends with a summary petition in verse 9

Psalm 20:9 “Save, O Lord; May the King answer us in the day we call.”

— Here is an OT text telling us to pray for our leaders

— The NT tells us the same thing (cf. 1 Tim 2:1-3)

Exploring the Meaning

We can find comfort in God’s strength

Not only do we have access to the Bible to bring us comfort during difficult times, but we also have access to the Author of the Scriptures, God Himself. Psalm 20 was written as a ceremonial blessing before battle — specifically, a blessing for the king among God’s people. As the king himself, David knew where to go when we was in need of both comfort and strength: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember that name of the LORD our God” (v. 7). Psalm 21 was written as a celebration of a victorious battle. Once again, David made certain to identify the real Source of any victory: “The king shall have joy in Your strength, O LORD; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!” (v. 1). David ended with a sentiment we can (and should) echo today: “Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength! We will sing and praise Your power” (v. 13). Even as we worship God for His incredible strength, we can find comfort that He uses that strength on our behalf.

Psalm 21

As the previous psalm asked for God’s favor in going into battle, this psalm celebrates how God has answered. The psalmist expresses how God has provided and how the king should rejoice in God’s lavish work. All of this revolves around how the king trusts in Yahweh and how Yahweh will support the true king by destroying his enemies. For all the saints, this psalm reminds believers to never fail to give thanks for answered prayer and that God will specifically fulfill His promises about the Davidic king ultimately in the Messiah. As David says, he will be most blessed forever.

A Day of National Thanksgiving

— The twenty-first psalm is a prayer of national thanksgiving for deliverance

— These psalms are linked

— The earlier psalm says, “O LORD, save the king! Answer us when we call!” (Psalm 20:9)

— This psalm says begins “O LORD, the king...” after which it tells us how God has answered the earlier petitions (Psalm 21:1)

— The prior psalm asked God to give David the desire of his heard (Psalm 20:4)

— This psalm says, “You have granted him the desire of this heart” (Psalm 21:2)

— The previous psalm said “May the LORD grant all your requests” (Psalm 20:5)

— This psalm answers , “You … have not withheld the requests of his lips” (Psalm 21:2)

— The earlier psalms says “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7)

— The twenty-first psalm declares, “the king trusts in the LORD” Therefore, “he will not be shaken” (Psalm 21:7)

The Importance of Giving Thanks

— It is easy to pray when we are in trouble

— Even unbelievers do so

— These two psalms show the importance of always being thankful

— When Jesus healed the ten leapers only one was thankful and returned to Jesus, fell at his feet, and thanked him profusely

— Jesus then asked those who were standing by, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:11-19)

Thanksgiving for Past Victories

— The people or the king, give thanks for six blessings

Victory through God’s strength (v. 1)

— The victory was not with through chariots and horses

— It was a victory which God granted

Answered prayer (v. 2)

— The king had been praying for victory

— The psalmist thanks God not just for the victory but also answering prayer

— This is an example of the many answers God gives in response to is people’s earnest petitions

Rich Blessings associated with the crown (v. 3)

— The welcome of this verse must be the welcome that David received upon returning from battle

— The rich blessings would be associated with the king’s rule over his kingdom

— Our equivalent would be the blessings that God bestows upon us

— Are we grateful for all these things? Do we thank God for them?

Length of days (v. 4)

— Are we thankful for the length of days that the Lord has given us?

— David lived to be seventy

Glory, splendor and majesty (v. 5)

— Glory, splendor and majesty have come to David as a result of his victories

— It is hard not to think of this in terms of the superlative glory given to Jesus Christ because of his victories over sin on the cross and over death by his resurrection

The joy of God’s presence (v. 6)

— The last of these blessings is a partial present enjoyment of the blessings of the future age

— This is described as joy in God’s presence

The Covenant-Keeping God

— Verse 7 is rich with covenant language

— hesed (translated “unfailing love” or “lovingkindness”

— botha, “trust”

— Verse 7 is a bridge from the past victories celebrated in verses 1-6 to the future victories anticipated in verses 8-12

Thanksgiving for Future Victories

— We are not sure of who is being addressed (vv. 8-12)

— It could be the king, in which case God would give him power over his enemies

— Or God himself, in which case God will achieve the final victory

— There is no doubt who is addressed in the final verse (v. 13)

— He is God alone

Psalm 23

Psalm 23 unveils God as the sovereign and glorious shepherd. He is the caring shepherd who provides for and guides his people. He is the ever present shepherd who is with His people even in death. He is the victorious shepherd who exalts his people above their enemies. And He is the eternal shepherd who ensures His people dwell in fullness with him forever.

— This is the most beloved psalm in the entire bible

— Charles Haddon Spurgeon call it “the peal of psalms”

— Many people have memorized it, even those who have learned few other Scripture portions

“The Lord is my Shepherd”

— What an amazing juxtaposition of ideas!

— The LORD is the OT translation of the personal name of God

— First discussed in Ex 3 and the Moses and the burning bush

— It refers to God’s timelessness on the one hand and his self-sufficiency on the other

— He needs no power; he is all-powerful

— On the other side is the shepherd

— His work was considered the lowest of all works

— They had to live with their sheep twenty-four hours a day

— Jesus defended mingling with tax collectors and sinners by using a reference to a shepherd and lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7)

— Jesus taught that he was the shepherd (John 10:2-4, 11-12, 14-16)

“I Shall Not Be in Want”

— Left to themselves, sheep lack everything

— They are the most helpless animals

— But if we belong to the one who is self-sufficient, inexhaustible, and utterly utterly unchanged by time, we will lack nothing

I shall Not Lack Rest

— Pastor Phillip Keller was a shepherd for eight years and author of the book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.

— Sheep will not lie down easily. Four Requirements must be meet

— They must be free of fear

— Free of friction from other sheep

— If they are tormented by pests they cannot relax

— If they are hungry they cannot lie down (Famine)

— Jesus said, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28)

— He also said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35)

— And before his crucifixion he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27)

I Shall Not Lack Life

— Keller describes the “cast (or cast down) sheep”

— The sheep lays down on its side

— Gravity causes the sheep to roll over on the back so that the legs no longer touch the ground

— Within a few hours the sheep will die unless the shepherd intervenes

— Sometimes we are like cast sheep who are spiritually on our backs helpless

— But Jesus comes to us when we are in this condition as he did to Peter after he denied the Lord (Matt 26:72, 74)

— The Lord restores us

I Shall Not Lack Guidance

— This is because the Lord “guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (v. 3)

— Sheep are foolish animals and probably the most stupid animals on earth

— One aspect of that foolishness is that they wander away

— A shepherd may bring the sheep to a field with plenty of grass and drinkable water

— They will still wander away to barren lands and undrinkable water

— Or they may eat every blade a grass until the fields are ruined and they themselves are impoverished

— No other class of livestock requires more careful handling than sheep

I Shall Not Lack Safety

— This is because, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (v. 4)

— The shepherd protects the sheep in times of danger

— We are never so conscious of the presence of God as when we pass through life’s valleys

I Shall Not Lack Provision

— The shepherd also provides for the flock

— “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (v. 5)

— If we allow God to lead us where he will, we will find that a table has been prepared for us

— Our heads have been anointed with purest oil

— Our cups have been filled with the overflowing wine of pure joy

I Shall Not lack a Heavenly Home

— This psalm portrays the life of a pilgrimage and the final verse is our ultimate goal, which is God’s house

— Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”

—The Lord has gone before us to prepare that home (John 14:2-3)

Exploring the Meaning

We can find comfort in God’s direction

There is an interesting detail in Psalm 23 that is often overlooked: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (v. 4). We see the value of God’s presence when we are within “the valley of the shadow of death.” But what about God’s “rod” and “staff”? How do those instruments provide “comfort”? In the ancient world, shepherds used several tools to carry out their duties. The rod and staff, sometimes called the club and crook, each had a function. The former was for protection. If the sheep were under attack, the shepherd could strike the antagonists with the club and drive them off. The staff was typically a long pole with a curve at the end. If a sheep wandered off in the wrong direction, the shepherd could “hook” the end of the staff around its neck and pull it back into line. Of course, even the most dedicated followers of Jesus will at times go astray. It’s comforting, therefore, to know that Christ Himself, the Good Shepherd, is watching. Not only is he watching, but He provides direction and even re-direction when we need it.

Psalm 27

in the most perilous of times, we must put our full trust in Yahweh. He is our light and salvation. Dwelling with Him is one thing we must focus on and seek. That is what our heart must be set on knowing that only He will conceal us from calamity and that He is faithful even when our own family abandons us. We should have despaired if we did not believe that we would see the goodness of Yahweh. So for all God’s people, we are to be strong and courageous in our hope in Yahweh.

My Light and My Salvation

— This is one of the best know psalms

— But hard to know —

— Is it a song of confidence

— Or a psalm of despair

— The first half (vv. 1-6) exudes confidence

— The second half (vv. 7-14) is a very moving prayer

My Light

— We often associate God with light based on this NT verse:

1 Timothy 6:16 “who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”

— It might be surprising to learn that nowhere in the OT is God actually called light - except here in this psalm

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?”

— In the NT we find that light is a name for Jesus Christ

— John 1:5,9

— 1 John 1:5

Q: Why does John say that Jesus Christ is light?

— In 1 John light has to do with God’s purity or sinlessness because it is opposed to sinful behavior (v. 7)

John MacArthur adds:

In scripture, light and darkness are very familiar symbols. Intellectually, “light” refers to biblical truth, while “darkness” refers to error or falsehood (cf. Ps 119:105; Prov 6:23; Jn 1:4; 8:12). Morally, “light” refers to holiness or purity, while “darkness” refers to sin or wrongdoing (Rom 13:11-14; 1 Th 5:4-7). The heretics claimed to be the truly enlightened, walking in the real light, but John denied that because they do not recognize their sin. About that basic reality, they were unenlightened.

My Salvation

— The Hebrew word for salvation means “deliverance”

— Here it means deliverance from the king’s immediate enemies

— The very next psalm expresses the same idea when it says

Psalm 28:8 “The Lord is their strength, And He is a saving defense to His anointed.”

Or, another translation says, “The LORD is the strength of is people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed ones”

The Stronghold of My Life

— David provides three images of God that all deal with military deliverance, but a greater meaning for us:

— Light - spiritual understanding

— Salvation - deliverance, namely from sin by the death of Christ

— Defense - spiritual refuge from the pains of life

The Soul’s Desire

— David longs for the house of the Lord, an earthly tabernacle

— At this point God’s house was still a tent

— David erected a tent when he brought back the ark from Kiriath Jearim to Mount Zion (cf. 2 Sam 6:17)

— It wasn’t the earthly temple that charmed David

— It was the Lord himself that he was seeking

Psalm 27:4 “One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple.”

The Soul’s Prayer

— Here the tone of the psalm changes in language, structure and tone

— Verse 10 gets a lot of attention

Psalm 27:10 “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the Lord will take me up.”

— The mood changes from confidence to entreaty (vv. 7-9)

— Clinical psychiatrists tell us that many patients speak of being abandoned emotionally by their parents

— One psychiatrist uses this psalm to teach her parents that God does not abandon us like our earthly, sinful parents or friends

We seek acceptance

— Most of us experience rejection from someone almost every day

— David knows that God will not reject him (v. 9)

We seek to be guidance

— In God we have one who can be turned to for guidance

Psalm 27:11 “Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a level path Because of my foes.”

The Soul’s Prescription

— David is confident that the Lord will provide him with acceptance, guidance, and protection

— And he is not speaking of heaven but life here and now

Psalm 27:13 “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.”

— But there is a warning: We must wait for God’s time

Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.”

Additional Resources

Boice, J. M. (n.d.). Psalms. Vol 1: Psalms 1-41. Baker Books.

MacArthur, J. (2023). Psalms. Hymns for God’s People. Harper Christian Resources.

MacArthur, J. (2020). The MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition. Thomas Nelson.

C. H. Spurgeon. The Treasury of David, Vol 1a, Psalms 1-26 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan 1968)

Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy: The Inferno, trans. Dorothy L. Sayers (Harmondsworth, England: Penguin, 1951).

Reuben A. Torrey, The Bible and Its Christ (New York: Revell, 1906).

C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms (New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1958).

Alexander Maclaren, The Psalms, vol 1, Psalms 1-38 (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1893).

From the Winthrop Papers, published by the Massachusetts Historical Society, vol 1., 196, 201. Quoted by Marshall and Manuel, The Light and the Glory.

William J. Johnstone, George Washington, the Christian (Nashville: Abingdon, 1919).

Charles E. Kistler, This Nation under God (Boston: Gorham Press, 1924).

Norman Cousins, In God We Trust (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1958).

Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970).

Webb, P. (Ed.). (2022). Psalms of grace. The Master's Seminary Press.