(The previous post covered five psalms from David that spoke of God's interactions with man and the effects of man's response.)
Psalm 36
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of Jehovah.
1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, That his iniquity will not be found out and be hated.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: He hath ceased to be wise and to do good.
4 He deviseth iniquity upon his bed; He setteth himself in a way that is not good; He abhorreth not evil.
(Works of the "wicked.")
5 Thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, is in the heavens; Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the skies.
6 Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; Thy judgments are a great deep: O Jehovah, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; And thou wilt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light.
(With God was a fountain of life. A fountain had a continuous flow. With God was a continuous flow of repair. We ought to grow more over time. This took life, the ability to repair. God's revelatory Word was described as the spoken word that flowed like a fountain: rhema.)
10 Oh continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee, And thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise.
Psalm 37
A Psalm of David.
1 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, Neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.
(Evil-doers and those who worked unrighteousness only had short term gain.)
3 Trust in Jehovah, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on his faithfulness.
4 Delight thyself also in Jehovah; And he will give thee the desires of thy heart.
5 Commit thy way unto Jehovah; Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass.
(When we gave our will to God, He would make it come to pass.)
6 And he will make thy righteousness to go forth as the light, And thy justice as the noon-day.
7 Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
(Rest in the Lord meant to "give up the occupation of being a first cause and allow God to direct your actions." Rest was never meant for just sitting around; never meant for slumber.)
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: Fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil-doing.
9 For evil-doers shall be cut off; But those that wait for Jehovah, they shall inherit the land.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and he shall not be.
(The wicked would be judged. Justice would eventually be resolved, like in the Book of Job.)
11 But the meek shall inherit the land, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord will laugh at him; For he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bows shall be broken.
16 Better is a little that the righteous hath Than the abundance of many wicked.
(What the righteous had, even if it was little, was long term. The wicked, even if they had abundantly, would only have it for a short time.)
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; But Jehovah upholdeth the righteous.
18 Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect; And their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be put to shame in the time of evil; And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, And the enemies of Jehovah shall be as the fat of lambs: They shall consume; In smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; But the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.
22 For such as are blessed of him shall inherit the land; And they that are cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 A man's goings are established of Jehovah; And he delighteth in his way.
(The steps (the effects) of a good man were directed by God (the cause), which was grace.)
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For Jehovah upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.
26 All the day long he dealeth graciously, and lendeth; And his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell for evermore.
28 For Jehovah loveth justice, And forsaketh not his saints; They are preserved for ever: But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous talketh of wisdom, And his tongue speaketh justice.
(The righteous spoke wisdom and Justice because it was God through them, which was grace.)
31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
(God's Law was in the righteous' heart: grace.)
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, And seeketh to slay him.
33 Jehovah will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, And he will exalt thee to inherit the land: When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.
36 But one passed by, and, lo, he was not: Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; For there is a happy end to the man of peace.
38 As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together; The end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of Jehovah; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
(God was the righteous' strength in time of trouble.)
40 And Jehovah helpeth them, and rescueth them; He rescueth them from the wicked, and saveth them, Because they have taken refuge in him.
(God would deliver the righteous from the wicked because they trusted in Him.)
Psalm 38
A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.
1 O Jehovah, rebuke me not in thy wrath; Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, And thy hand presseth me sore.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine indignation; Neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
4 For mine iniquities are gone over my head: As a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
(David felt guilt because of his sin.)
5 My wounds are loathsome and corrupt, Because of my foolishness.
6 I am pained and bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with burning; And there is no soundness in my flesh.
(David recognized his flesh was what was giving him troubles.)
8 I am faint and sore bruised: I have groaned by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; And my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heart throbbeth, my strength faileth me: As for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague; And my kinsmen stand afar off.
(Even David’s friends and family were avoiding him, like Job.)
12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me; And they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, And meditate deceits all the day long.
(In 1938, Hitler ordered mass arrests of the Jews.)
13 But I, as a deaf man, hear not; And I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
(November 10, 1938 was "Crystal Night," mass destruction of Jewish property took place and the world turned a deaf ear as Hitler became more bold in his persecution of the Jews.)
14 Yea, I am as a man that heareth not, And in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For in thee, O Jehovah, do I hope: Thou wilt answer, O Lord my God.
(David had faith in God and believed God would answer him, like Job.)
16 For I said, Lest they rejoice over me: When my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.
17 For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
(David believed in confession and felt bad for the sins he committed.)
19 But mine enemies are lively, and are strong; And they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
(Another verse that would have accurately described the conditions of 1938 from the perspective of the Jews.)
20 They also that render evil for good Are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good.
(Those who followed what was good (Right and Just) would be adversaries of those who rewarded evil for good, the unjust.)
21 Forsake me not, O Jehovah: O my God, be not far from me.
22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation.
(These last two sentence could have been uttered by Job.)
Psalm 39
For the Chief Musician, Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.
2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred.
(Again, a perfect description of 1939 from the perspective of the Jews as persecution worsened and the rest of the world did nothing.)
3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned: Then spake I with my tongue:
4 Jehovah, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me know how frail I am.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah
(These verses also could have described the perspective of the Jews during 1939.)
6 Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
(David was contemplating man's unprofitability, like Job did.)
7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.
(Again, David's hope (faith) was in God.)
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; Because thou didst it.
10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.
11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity. Selah
(Man in iniquity was vain (unprofitable). Man in iniquity was man in the flesh.)
12 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and give ear unto my cry; Hold not thy peace at my tears: For I am a stranger with thee, A sojourner, as all my fathers were.
13 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, Before I go hence, and be no more.
(Again, another psalm that could have been uttered by Job.)
Psalm 40
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1 I waited patiently for Jehovah; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay; And he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, And shall trust in Jehovah.
4 Blessed is the man that maketh Jehovah his trust, And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, And thy thoughts which are to us-ward; They cannot be set in order unto thee; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.
(God's works and thoughts toward us were wonderful and couldn't be numbered.)
6 Sacrifice and offering thou hast no delight in; Mine ears hast thou opened: Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I am come; In the roll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God; Yea, thy law is within my heart.
(David delighted to do God's Will. Hebrews 10:5-7 referenced the previous three verses.)
9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great assembly; Lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Jehovah, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great assembly.
(God's Righteousness would come out of your life if you planted it in your heart. Planting in your heart would be the cause of the actions and words that came out of you.)
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Jehovah; Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about; Mine iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; And my heart hath failed me.
13 Be pleased, O Jehovah, to deliver me: Make haste to help me, O Jehovah.
14 Let them be put to shame and confounded together That seek after my soul to destroy it: Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor That delight in my hurt.
15 Let them be desolate by reason of their shame That say unto me, Aha, aha.
16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: Let such as love thy salvation say continually, Jehovah be magnified.
17 But I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinketh upon me: Thou art my help and my deliverer; Make no tarrying, O my God.
(David recognized his blessings from God and remained humble. He was dependent on the Father.)
(This post covered five psalms from David that spoke of difficult times similar to what Job experienced.)
Day 163
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