Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

Psalm 90:1-2 A Prayer of Moses the Man of God.   “LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”   Besides the Book of Job, Psalm 90 is most likely the oldest chapter in the Bible. And interestingly, it is a prayer. It was written by Moses possibl...

Psalm 90 is probably one of the most read and beloved Psalms besides Psalm 23. Next to the book of Job, Psalm 90 is most likely the oldest piece of writing in the Bible. This psalm and probably the anonymous one (Psalm 91), which follows were written by Moses in the wilderness on the way from Egypt to Canaan. When Moses wrote Psalm 90, it is of interest to recall that Genesis had not yet been publ...

Psalm 89:46-52 “How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is; For what futility have You created all the children of men? What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses, Which You swore to David in Your truth? Remember, Lord, the reproach of...

Psalm 89 proclaims the faithfulness of God! The inspired writer of this Psalm was probably in captivity in Babylon with the people of Israel. As he reflected on the present condition of Israel he began to think about the character of God and His past faithfulness of God to the nation (vv. 1-18). The writer not only thought about how God is faithful in His character, but that God Is faithful to His...

Psalm 89 proclaims the faithfulness of God! The inspired writer of this Psalm was probably in captivity in Babylon with the people of Israel. As he reflected on the present condition of Israel he began to think about the character of God and His past faithfulness of God to the nation (vv. 1-18). Often, we as God’s children find ourselves in captivity to our flesh, the world and the devil, and we w...

Today the coast of Florida is getting hit by a major category 4 hurricane which will make its track up through the Southeastern Coastal states. Who knows how many people will be affected and suffer tremendous loss in the next hours. I have two granddaughters who live in the Tampa Bay area and of course we are praying for them and their safety as well as for everyone else that will feel the terribl...

“I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, The theme of Psalm 89 is the faithfulness of God! This is the last Psalm in the Third Book of Psalms as you will see in a note at the end of this chapter in your Bible. This Psalm is entitled "A (Maschil) Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite." It is the t...

From beginning to the end, Psalm 88 is a plaintive prayer from Heman who was a man that was going through a time of trial and deep trouble. He is a man who is desperate, a man who is in despair and anguish of soul. Psalm 88 is considered one of the saddest chapters in the Bible. But remember this is a Psalm of instruction and we can learn at least four things from Heman’s experience. First, in ver...

“O LORD, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; Incline Your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of troubles, And my life draws near to the grave. I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength, Adrift among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom You remember no more, And who are cut off from Y...

Psalm 88 is the last "sons of Korah" psalm in the Psalms and is perhaps the most plaintive song in the entire book. It is also the eleventh of thirteen “Maschil” (Hebrew) or “Contemplation” Psalms written especially to instruct. Universally acknowledged to be the saddest of all the psalms, there is scarcely a glimmer of hope anywhere. It is full of dejection, despair, death. The very las...

Both the singers and the players on instruments say, "All my springs are in you."   Psalm 87 is a worship and praise Psalm that teaches us to rejoice in the foundation and the source of our salvation! Of all the places in the world, God chose Mount Zion, which is on Mount Moriah, on which the city of Jerusalem was built, to give us “His Foundation” for our great salvation. The foundation...

Psalm 87 is about the City of Jerusalem. Remember I said the yesterday that the first mention of Jerusalem in the Bible is in Genesis 14 when Abraham meets up with Melchizedek who was the king-priest of Salem which is Jerusalem, the “City of Peace”.   The second mention of Jerusalem is found in Genesis 22 where God tested Abraham and asks him, “…Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you lov...

Psalm 87 is a song associated with the sons of Korah to be used in worship and celebration by the Jewish nation in the Holy City of Jerusalem located in the heart of Israel. This is a special place for anyone to visit. It would be considered a great privilege to live there or even to be buried.  Jews today will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase a plot in the Jewish cemetery, on th...

“His foundation is in the holy mountains. The LORD loves the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! Selah   Psalm 87 is primarily about the city of Jerusalem. As a pastor I have had the privilege of traveling to many places in the world over the years. My first trip overseas was to Japan in 1976. In my early years, I also went to the P...

Psalm 86 is a “Prayer of David”.  Several times throughout this Psalm David mentions that he is experiencing a time of trouble (v. 7). It appears that the source of this trouble is from proud people who have “risen up against him” (v. 14). Whoever these proud people are we don’t know, but they have also incited a “mob of violent men” who were seeking to kill him, and they had no regard for God or...

Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me; For I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am holy; You are my God; Save Your servant who trusts in You! Be merciful to me, O Lord, For I cry to You all day long. Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O LORD, to...

Years ago in my study Bible, I wrote over the top of Psalm 86, “This is a Psalm I need to memorize”. From the inscription we learn that this is a Prayer of David. In the midst of a group of four Psalms attributed to the Sons of Korah you find this one Psalm by David, the only Davidic psalm in the entire third book of Psalms. When David wrote it, he was facing some formidable enemies whom we cannot...

Psalm 85 was possibly written by one of the sons of Korah after the captivity of Israel in Babylon. The people of Israel were granted a new beginning back in the land. The LORD was gracious to forgive and cover their sin of idolatry. God had lifted His wrath and turned from His anger on them (vv. 1-3). Notice how many times the words “You or Yours ” are repeated in these three verses speaking of t...

We believe Psalm 85 was written by one of the sons of Korah after the captivity of Israel in Babylon. It should have been no surprise to the people of Judah that the Babylonians would invade their land, destroy their city and temple, and take them captive. After all, they knew the terms of the covenant that you find very clearly spelled out in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-30. It was a “conditio...

Psalm 85:1-7 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.   “Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger. Restore us, O God of our salvation, And cause Your anger toward us to...

Psalm 84 is called a “Pilgrimage Psalm or Song”. We believe it was a song that was sung by the Jewish people as they travel up to Jerusalem for one of their feast day celebrations. The psalmist who wrote it had a great desire to go on this journey because he delighted in the Lord (vv. 1-4). He also acknowledged that his strength was from the Lord (vv. 5-8).   Now in verses 9-12, this psalmist decl...

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah O God, behold our shield, And look upon the face of Your anointed. For a day in...

Psalm 84:1-12 “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young-- Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising...

To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.   “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young-- Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God. Bles...

One of the most exciting and encouraging passages in the Bible is connected to this Psalm. 2 Chronicles 20 gives us the details of the story behind this Psalm and prayer of Asaph. It describes a coalition of at least ten Gentile nations that had formed a confederacy to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.   When King Jehoshaphat heard that they were coming he immediately turned to the LORD and c...