Psalms for Shepherds

Today we're in Psalm 70 and in these five short verses, we see the beauty of David’s dependence on God. It is clear that David needs help and he is turning to God for that help. 1 Please, God, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. 2 May those who try to kill me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. 3 Let them be horrified by thei...

Today we're concluding our time in Psalm 69. In these final verses, David reminds us how to display our trust for the Father. Even in the midst of persecution, he praises God and trusts that he will be delivered. 30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31 This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs. 32 When the humble see it...

Today we're back in Psalm 69, focusing on verses 19 through 29. In verses 1-18, David is telling God how much he needs God's intervention, and in this portion, David is praying against the individuals coming against him and asks for God to save and deliver him. 19 You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you. 20 Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in d...

Today we're in the first 18 verses of Psalm 69, which is a Psalm of desperation as it's called, "Save Me, Oh God." This is also a Messianic Psalm and is the most frequently quoted Psalm in the New Testament. 1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.[a] 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. 3 I am weary with my...

Today, we'll complete our time in Psalm 68 with verses 28–35. 28 Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us. 29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bear gifts to you. 30 Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war.[g...

We continue in Psalm 68 where we'll be focusing on verses 19–27. 19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah 20 Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death. 21 But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways. 22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring th...

We continue in Psalm 68 where David is reminding us of not only God's might, but also of His mercy and kindness. Today we'll be focusing on verses 7–18. 7 O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah 8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. 9 Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroa...

Today we are in Psalm 68, and we're going to stay in this chapter for the next few episodes as we do a deeper dive into these 35 verses. To begin, we'll focus on verses 1–6. 1 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! 2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! 3 But t...

Today we're in Psalm 67, the third in a line of four psalms of praise and thanksgiving. 1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah 2 that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity an...

Today we're in Psalm 66, another psalm of thanksgiving. Throughout this psalm, you will hear the word "selah." I encourage you to pause with me when I read that word and picture what God is saying for you to do in that moment as well. 1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! 3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power t...

After many psalms of anguish, Psalm 65 is a psalm of absolute joy. A psalm of who God is and what He has done. 1 What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, 2 for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you. 3 Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all. 4 What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts....

Psalm 64 (NLT), a psalm of David 1 O God, listen to my complaint. Protect my life from my enemies’ threats. 2 Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers. 3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows. 4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly. 5 They encourage each other to do evil and plan how to set th...

In Psalm 63, David is writing this psalm when he is fleeing his son Absalom and in reading, you can almost feel his anguish. If you are interested, Second Samuel 15-17 will give you a bigger picture of what is happening to David. My Soul Thirsts for You 1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no wate...

Psalm 62. A psalm of David. 1 I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. 3 So many enemies against one man— all of them trying to kill me. To them I’m just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. 4 They plan to topple me from my high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to m...

Psalm 61. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David. 1 Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; 2 from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, 3 for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. 4 Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah 5 For you, O God, hav...

David writes about the military struggles he had with the nations surrounding Israel. He felt like all was lost for his kingdom which had been promised by God to Abraham. It is believed that Psalm 60 was a national prayer for God's help to intervene as these nations were successfully attacking Israel. 9 Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me victory over Edom? 10 Have you rej...

David is writing this psalm when Saul is pursuing him. First Samuel 19 will give you a bigger picture of what is happening to David. Psalm 59 is most certainly a song of lament, but David is more than sorrowfully lamenting the situation he is in with Saul. He is confidently holding onto God and His promises. 14 My enemies come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. 15...

Psalm 58 is a liturgical word from David. A passionate psalm dealing with vengeance and justice, but perhaps causing us to think differently about these two words. 1 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly? 2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth. 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from bir...

In Psalm 56 we heard from David as he was hiding in Gath. Now in Psalm 57 he is hiding from Saul in a cave. 1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. 2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. 3 He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me....

Psalm 56 is another psalm David wrote when he was in trouble. We learn in 1 Samuel 21 as David ran from Saul he went to Gath which was Philistine territory ruled by Achish. The Philistines were unhappy David was there. David became very afraid of what they would do to him. He was so afraid that he pretended to be insane. In this moment, David also called out to God ... just as we should. 8 You kee...

Psalm 55 is a fabulous reminder by David to give our cares to the Father. Historians and scholars believe this psalm was written early in Absalom's rebellion against his father, David. Not only had Absalom betrayed him, but so did his trusted advisor, Ahithophel. 16 But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. 17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voic...

Psalm 54 is a beautiful reminder by David that when we are in danger our God, our Shepherd, is there for us. The starting point for many of us is fear. We can seek God at that time and then have confidence in our Lord. The finishing point should be praise to the Lord even when don't know the outcome. 1 O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might. 2 O God, hear my prayer; give ear t...

Psalm 53 is almost exactly like Psalm 14. David is saying the same in both psalms, "There is no one who does good, not even one." 1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. 2 God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all fallen away; togeth...

Psalm 52 is titled, "The Steadfast Love of God Endures." This psalm is one of the eight psalms written by David when he was fleeing from Saul. This psalm specifically references Doeg, who went to Saul to accuse Ahimelech of assisting David. You can read the story in 1 Samuel chapters 21 and 22. 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and...

Psalm 51 is titled, "Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God." This psalm of David is one that you may have read and heard many times before. Today sit and soak in David's words and hear the heart of this psalm. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins,...