Psalms for Shepherds

Psalm 50 is a psalm of Asaph titled, "God Himself Is Judge." This psalm powerfully reminds us that God owns everything already. 1 The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. 4 He...

Psalm 49 is titled, "Why should I fear in times of trouble?" This psalm is specifically written for the whole world. The word "world" in verse 1 is the translation of an unusual Hebrew word that means 'the total human scene. The whole sphere of passing life.' How appropriate the title of this psalm because it is from beginning to end that we face troubled times. 1 Hear this, all peoples! Give ear,...

Psalm 48 is a psalm by the descendants of Korah focusing on the deliverance of the City of Jerusalem from the danger it had been in. The knew the city's protection came from the Lord Jehovah and not the stone and mortar. 1 How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on his holy mountain! 2 It is high and magnificent; the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount...

The theme of Psalm 47 is the kingship of the Lord and how the Israelites worshipped God as King over all the earth with pomp and circumstance. 1 Go ahead and celebrate! Come on and clap your hands, everyone! Shout to God with the raucous sounds of joy! 2 The Lord God Most High is astonishing, awesome beyond words! He’s the formidable and powerful King over all the earth. 3 He’s the one who conquer...

Psalm 46 is recognized by many as the basis of Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." This Psalm, as well as 47 and 48, may have been written by Hezekiah and celebrates God's victory over the enemy and because of the plural pronouns is for communal encouragement and worship. It is a song you might sing as a congregation, praising and thanking Him for His protection. 7 The Lord of hosts is...

Picture the first half of Psalm 45 being our Jesus, the King of Kings. Then the latter half is about us, the Bride of Christ. 1 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. 2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. 3 Gird your sword on your thigh,...

After boasting and then feeling forsaken by God in verses 1-16 of Psalm 44, we'll see Israel ultimately placing their trust in Him. 17 All this has happened though we have not forgotten you. We have not violated your covenant. 18 Our hearts have not deserted you. We have not strayed from your path. 19 Yet you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home. You have covered us with darkness and death....

Psalm 44:1-16 is the first part of this psalm that was written for the descendants of Korah. First we'll see how we can both boast in God and then at times feel forsaken by Him. 1 O God, we have heard it with our own ears— our ancestors have told us of all you did in their day, in days long ago: 2 You drove out the pagan nations by your power and gave all the land to our ancestors. You crushed the...

We will combine Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 because many Hebrew texts combined both of these psalms together. This is because the refrain is repeated in both psalms. (42:5, 11; 43:5) 4 There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God! 5 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my S...

Today we end our time in Psalm 41. This psalm is written by David in a time when he had been ill and betrayed by some who are closest to him. 11 By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. 12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. 13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and...

The Psalms do a beautiful job of teaching us that we can seek God with our whole heart and we can tell Him the truth all the time about everything. David does this in this Messianic Psalm 41. 4 O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you.” 5 But my enemies say nothing but evil about me. “How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask. 6 They visit me as if they w...

In Psalm 41 David shares his confidence in the Father that He would rescue him during a time that David was sick and was unable to reign as he wanted to. David was also betrayed by one of his most trusted advisors, Ahithophel, when his son, Absalom took advantage of the situation and led a rebellion against his father. 1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when th...

In Psalm 40 David looks both backward and forward as he considers his need for God. He speaks about what God has done in his life and how faithful God is. David has confidence in the future because he knows all that God has done for him in the past. 1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the m...

In Psalm 39 David is greatly lamenting his sin and asking for forgiveness and healing. In the first three verses we read David's resolve for self control followed by a prayer for understanding and perspective. Finally, a request for mercy and relief in the final verses of this psalm. 4 “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! 5 Behold, you hav...

In Psalm 38 David was asking God to begin to act on his behalf and meet his needs. David had sinned greatly and he wanted God to remember him, grant forgiveness, and healing. 15 Lord, the only thing I can do is wait and put my hope in you. I wait for your help, my God. 16 So hear my cry and put an end to their strutting in pride, to those who gloat when I stumble in pain. 17 I’m slipping away and...

In this final part of Psalm 37 David continues to show us the different ways God deals with the righteous and the wicked, to wait on the Lord and keep His ways. 32 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. 33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inher...

This third part of Psalm 37 continues to show us that God understands our situation, blesses His people, and judges the wicked. Remember, this psalm by David is written in a Hebrew acrostic with each verse beginning with a Hebrew letter--this helps us to remember what David has written. In verses 21-31 we're reminded of what our Father does for us. 21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but...

This second part of Psalm 37 continues to show us that God understands our situation, blesses His people, and judges the wicked. Remember this psalm by David is written in a Hebrew acrostic with each verse beginning with a Hebrew letter. This helps us to remember what David has written. 12 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, fo...

This first portion of Psalm 37 is full of wisdom of how God understands our situation, blesses His people, and judges the wicked. These verses show how God takes almost everything we know and turns it upside down by doing the opposite of what we think we should do. This psalm by David is written in a Hebrew acrostic with each verse beginning with a Hebrew letter. This helps the reader remember wha...

Psalm 36 is a reminder of who David serves and whom he follows. This can be a good reminder for us as well. 1 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. 4 He plots tro...

In Psalm 35 verses 19-26 David cries out to God in lamentation (a passionate expression of grief and sorrow) to vindicate and rescue him and concludes by praising God for His deliverance. 19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. 20 For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words...

In Psalm 35 verses 11-18 David is crying out to God to rescue him, and then gives Him praise. 11 Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. 12 They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. 13 But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. 14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my broth...

In Psalm 35 there are three sections of laments from David followed by praise for each one. A lament is a passionate expression of grief or sorrow, a sorrow that comes from deep within. In the first 10 verses David is asking for God's protection against enemies who hate him; eight verses of lament and two verses of praise. 1 Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; Fight against those who fi...

In Psalm 34 David writes about one of his experiences when he was fleeing from King Saul and ended up in front of the Philistine King, Abimelech, an enemy of the Jews. You can read more about this story in 1 Samuel 21. 15 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. 16 But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memor...

The 22 verses of Psalm 33 are like the who, how, why, and what of praise. Who should praise, how we can praise, why we should praise, and what happens when we praise the Father. 1 It’s time to sing and shout for joy! Go ahead, all you redeemed ones, do it! Praise him with all you have, for praise looks lovely on the lips of God’s devoted lovers. 2 Play the guitar as you lift your praises loaded wi...