THE LORD GOD LOVES HIS HOLY CITY AND HIS HOLY TEMPLES

Proclamation:

“He has founded His city on the holy mountain.  The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.”  Psalm 87:1-2 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written by the sons of Korah under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The sons of Korah were descendants of Levi, the grandfather of Moses.  They were the gate-keepers and musicians in the temple at Jerusalem.  The holy mountains refer to the mountains of Zion and Moriah where the temple of God stood.  The foundation of the holy mountains, the temple, the church, and all believers is Jesus, The Christ.  The Lord God loves all of Zion, the church, and He dwells in the hearts of his people.  He loves the hearts of His people more than any of the physical structures where His people reside.  The city of Jerusalem is God’s chosen worship center and its gates represent access for the potential worshiper into a special worshiping relationship with God.

Application:

Believers know that Zion is a special spiritual place.  However, one does not have to travel to Jerusalem to get there.  All of the structures where The Lord God is worshiped are referred to as the house of God and His presence can fill any temple.  Believers also know that The Holy Spirit of God dwells within each of us. (John 14:17)  Therefore our bodies are also temples of God and we should be very careful regarding how we treat God’s house.  We should each be “centers” for, and vessels of, praise and worship.

TEACH ME YOUR WAY LORD AND GIVE ME AN UNDIVIDED HEART

Proclamation:

“Teach me Your way, Lord, that I may rely on Your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.  I will praise You, Lord my God, with all my heart, I will glorify Your name forever.”  Psalm 86:11-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm was written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This psalm is another one of the many prayers which David spoke to The Lord when he was in distress. (Psalm 86:1 and 6-7)  He acknowledged who The Lord God was and how great His deeds were. (Psalm 86:8-10)  Then he asked God to teach him and show him the way.  He had been blessed with knowledge before, but he wanted more instruction. (Psalm 25:4)  One cannot truly love The Lord with a heart that is divided between the love of God and the love of the world.  A unified and undivided heart is a gift from the Lord so that His people would love and fear Him. (Jeremiah 32:39)  He wanted to praise God with his whole heart and with all that was within him. (Psalm 103:1)

Application:

The only way for us to walk God’s way is for Him to show us the way. (Psalm 119:105)  He must teach us, lead us, and guide us in order for us to walk His way.  Only with the single-mindedness of a single-hearted loyalty to The Lord God can we truly love Him with all of our heart, mind and soul. (Deuteronomy 11:13 and Joshua 22:5)  Jesus, The Christ, said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)  We cannot love Him if we do not follow His Holy Word.  We cannot love Him if we confess a sin and then continue to repeat that sin.  That is proof that we love the sin more than we love Him. (John 3:19)  Our lifestyle is a reflection of our beliefs.  Believers are not perfect, but we follow God’s way.  If you continually follow the sinful path, you are not walking God’s way.  You must turn from your wicked sinful ways and seek Him if you want The Lord God to hear and answer your prayers. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

I WILL LISTEN TO WHAT THE LORD GOD SAYS

Proclamation:
“I will listen to what God The Lord says; He promises peace to His people, His faithful servants, but let them not turn to folly.”  Psalm 85:8 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were thought to be written by the three sons of Korah, Asir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  They were descendants of Levi and thought to be the gate-keepers and musicians in the temple at Jerusalem.  The psalmist begins telling The Lord God that He had forgiven the people of their iniquity and sin in the past, and he asks that The Lord would restore them again. (Psalm 85:4)  He offers a petition to The Lord on behalf of the people, whom he represents, stating that even though they did not listen in the past, they would listen to Him now.  The psalmist knows that God’s Word is the gospel of peace.  Then he prayed that the people would not return to their sinful ways of idolatry, immoral living, self-righteousness, or blatant neglect of Christ and The Word of God.

Application:

Believers know that The Lord God speaks to us through His Word.  His Holy Spirit brings to our mind the remembrance of the things which we read and heard preached from The Word of God. (John 14:26)  The promises that He made to us are contained within His Holy Word.  The problem is with our lack of willingness to read The Word of God and to be obedient to it.  Some people hear the gospel preached but it “goes in one ear and out of the other” without the benefit of affecting anything in their brain as it passed through.  However, hearing and believing The Word of God will change an individual and transform their mind. (Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 5:17)  Then they will no longer want to do all of the sinful things that they used to do.  They will not become perfect, but they will change.  The more we listen to what The Word of God says, the more Christ-like we will become, and the more likely we will become a good and faithful servant.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE HEARTS ARE SET ON THE JOURNEY TO HEAVEN

Proclamation:

“Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You.  Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.”  “Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in You.”  Psalm 84:4-5 and 12 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were thought to be written by the three sons of Korah, Asir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  They were descendants of Levi and thought to be the gate-keepers and musicians in the temple at Jerusalem.  The psalmist begins by stating how “lovely” is the dwelling place of The Lord, and how he longs to be there. (Psalm 84:1-2)  Then he states that those who have died and gone to heaven are blessed to be with The Lord, and to be continually praising Him. (Psalm 84:4)  He follows that by stating that those of us who believe in Him, are pilgrims still on this earthly journey heading to heaven, are also blessed. (Psalm 84:5)  In the middle of this psalm he makes the statement that every usher knows, “… I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.” (Psalm 84:10)  He concludes it by saying that those who trust in The Lord are blessed. (Psalm 84:12)

Application:

All believers know that this world is not our home.  We are in this world but not of it, just as Christ was. (John 8:23)  We are pilgrims in this barren wicked land on our way to our home in heaven.  We know that one day with The Lord is better than a thousand days anywhere else. (Psalm 84:10)  We miss those loved ones who have gone on to glory before us, however, I am sure that none of them want to come back here.  None of them would trade the blessings that they enjoy in heaven for the blessing which we receive while we are on the journey to get there.  We just have to trust in The Lord and know that all that we are going through will work towards our benefit. (Romans 8:28)  The Lord will bestow honor, and favor, and blessings upon those who walk His way. (Psalm 84:11)

THE LORD GOD IS IN CONTROL OVER ALL OF THE EARTH

Proclamation:

“Let them know that You, whose name is The Lord, that You alone are The Most High over all the earth.”  Psalm 83:18 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, the director of music during the time of King David, who was also a seer who was said to prophesy. (2 Chronicles 29:30)  This is the last of the psalms to be written by this psalmist.  It was written under a prophetic spirit and foretold of the enemies of Israel joining forces and conspiring against God’s people. (Psalm 83:2-5)  It includes a request that The Lord God would destroy them. (Psalm 83:9-14)  It ends with a request to let their enemies, and the whole world, know that The Lord God is The Most High God, and that He alone is in control of all of the earth.

Application:

The Lord God is the only true and living God. (Jeremiah 10:10)  He is self-existent and eternal.  He was, is, and is to come, and always will be. (Revelation 1:4)  He is all powerful, (Mathew 28:18 and Revelation 19:6) all knowing, (1 John 3:20) and everywhere all at the same time. (Matthew 28:20)   There will come a time when the nations will join forces against Israel and The Lord God will destroy them. (Ezekiel 38:18-23 and Revelation 20:8-9)  This will be done so that all men will know that The Lord God alone is The Sovereign Ruler over all of the earth.  Unto Him every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord. (Romans 14:11)  For in the end He shall judge every man according to what they have said and done. (Revelation 20:12-15)

ALL LEADERS MUST GIVE AN ACCOUNT FOR THEIR USE OF AUTHORITY

Proclamation:

“God presides in the great assembly; He renders judgment among the ‘gods’… The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.  They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.”  Psalm 82:1 and 5 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, the director of music during the time of King David, who was also a seer who was said to prophesy. (2 Chronicles 29:30)  This psalm is thought to be written by the psalmist, under a prophetic spirit, who foresaw the great corruption of the judges, rulers, kings, princes, and civil magistrates who abused their power.  They are called ‘gods’ because they see themselves as such.  Their perversion of justice causes the cities, states, countries, and kingdoms to be thrown into disorder and confusion.  The Lord God will preside over “the great assembly”, a gathering of all of the leaders and rulers who will have to give an account for the way they used or abused their authority. (Psalm 82:1)  They will pay for their corruption, they will fall from power and die like the mere mortals that they are. (Psalm 82:6)

Application:

All too often we find ourselves under the leadership of individuals who do not understand that they were put in positions of authority by The Lord God, and they will have to give an account to Him.  The wicked and corrupt leaders, civil and religious, will be cut down like grass and wither away. (Psalm 37:2)  Believers need not worry about them.  They will be judged, and punished for their abuse and misuse of their authority.  There is a righteous God to whom we have recourse, and on whom we may depend, when we have been mistreated by unjust leaders.  When we pray for relief from corrupt and abusive leaders, our prayers are heard and will be answered.  By the wrath of God He will avenge us and repay those who abuse us or cause us harm or suffering. (Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30)

PRAISE THE LORD WITH SINGING AND WITH A LOUD VOICE

Proclamation:

“Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to The God of Jacob!”  Psalm 81:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, the director of music appointed by King David, who was also a seer who was said to prophesy. (2 Chronicles 29:30)  This psalm is a song which was to be sung at their celebration feasts.  Here the people are encouraged to make a joyful noise unto The Lord (Psalm 81:1-3) as they are in several other psalms. (Psalms 100 and 150)  It is a song about the strength of The Lord God, regarding what He had done for them and what He would do.  The psalm was written from the perspective of God with the majority of it lamenting because the people would not listen to Him. (Psalm 81:8-16)

Application:

We are encouraged to sing, and shout, and generally make a joyful noise as we praise The Lord.  He has done great things.  We do not want to displease Him by ignoring Him or by taking Him for granted. (Psalm 81:8, 11 and 13)  We do not want to miss out on blessings (Psalm 81:16) or cause Him to punish us. (Psalm 81:12)  So, let us praise The Lord, and do it often and with a loud voice.  His praise should continually be in our mouth. (Psalm 34:1, 71:6, and Hebrews 13:15)

MAY THE LORD GOD LET HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU

Proclamation:

“Restore us, O God, make Your face shine on us, that we may be saved.”  Psalm 80:3 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, the director of music appointed by King David, who was also a seer who was said to prophesy. (2 Chronicles 29:30)  This psalm is a song and a prayer.  This verse is stated three times, maybe to add emphasis to it. (Psalm 80:3, 7 and 19)  The psalmist wanted The Lord God to return them, the back-sliding sinners though they may be, to Himself by repentance.  He recognized that they could not save themselves, and that only by the grace of God shining upon them could they be saved.  In verses seven and nineteen he addresses The Lord God as The God of Hosts, or The Lord God Almighty, as he repeats the verse.  In verse fourteen he again asks The Lord God Almighty to restore them but he uses different words.  He asks God to look down from heaven and watch over them.

Application:

When we pray and ask The Lord God to restore us, we want Him to forgive our sins, cleanse us from all unrighteousness, create within us a clean heart, and put us back in good fellowship with Him. (Psalm 51:1-12)  We want Him to remove our sins and look upon us only after He has cleaned us up so that we may bask in the sunshine of His love.  Asking The Lord to let His face shine on someone is a good way to ask for a blessing for them.  The Lord God spoke to Moses and told him to tell Aaron to bless the people of Israel by saying unto them, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; The Lord let His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (Numbers 6:22-26)  So, I say may The Lord God let His face shine upon you.  May He give you spiritual guidance, bless you with His presence, look upon you with His love, and grant you His grace, favor and peace.

WE THE PEOPLE OF GOD WILL PRAISE HIM FOREVER

Proclamation:

“Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will praise You forever; from generation to generation we will proclaim Your praise.”  Psalm 79:13 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, the director of music appointed by King David, who was also a seer who was said to prophesy. (2 Chronicles 29:30)  This psalm is thought to be written by the psalmist, under a prophetic spirit, who foresaw and foretold things which would come to pass regarding the destruction of Jerusalem and the affliction of the Jews by their enemies. (Psalm 79:1-7)  This disaster came upon them because they did not keep their end of the covenant with God.  His prayer is that The Lord God would not hold their past sins against them, that He would forgive them, and that He would avenge their suffering and pay back their enemies seven times the suffering that they had cause them. (Psalm 79:10-12)  For this His people would be eternally grateful and praise His name forever.

Application:

When we pray and petition The Lord God for mercy, forgiveness, and a blessing, we should believe that He will answer us and we should thank Him and praise Him as if it has already been done.  Many times the suffering that we endure we bring upon ourselves by our willful disobedience to The Word of God.  That is why we should first as for His mercy and His forgiveness before we ask for His favor.  We need to acknowledge our sins and then ask Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (Psalm 51:1-4 and 1 John 1:9)  Then we can ask for that which will give Him glory.

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ABOUT THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“… He commanded our ancestors to teach their children so that the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.  Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands.”  Psalm 78:5-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, the chief singer who was the director of music appointed by King David, who was also a seer who was said to prophesy. (2 Chronicles 29:30)  This psalm is a didactic psalm and a historical psalm written to teach the children about the graciousness of God in spite of the rebellious nature of their ancestors. (Psalm 78:3-58)  It recounts the history of God’s chosen people.  The purpose was that they would not be like their fathers or the generations before them. (Psalm 78:8)

Application:

If we do not teach our children about The Lord God, then the world will teach them to disregard Him.  We are commanded to tell our children who He is, what He has done, and what The Word of God says. (Deuteronomy 6:7 and 11:19)  If we train them the right way while they are young, when they grow up they will walk the right way. (Proverbs 22:6)  Children learn what they see and what they hear at home.  If they see us reading The Bible and praying, and hear us quoting verses from The Bible, that will be imprinted in their minds and hearts.  If they see us behaving in a Christ-like manner, that will be the beginning of their Christian foundation.  It is not good enough to tell them one thing and then do another.  Our actions speak louder than our words.

JUST THINK OF HIS GOODNESS IN THE PAST

Proclamation:

“I will remember the deeds of The Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago.  I will consider all Your works and meditate on all Your mighty deeds.”  Psalms 77:11-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, who was the director of music appointed by King David.  The psalmist begins by expressing his distress and his concern that caused him to question whether The Lord had forgotten him. (Psalm 77:1-9)  Then he said, this is my lot and I know how I will deal with it.  He said that he would remember the previous actions and miracles that the Lord had performed and meditate on them.

Application:

When we are feeling down or depressed and it seems that The Lord has forgotten us, we need to remember His word and His promise that He would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  We should reflect on the things that He has done for us, and for others, in the past and realize that He will make a way when there seems to be no way. (Isaiah 43:19)  We just need to trust in The Lord.  He will show us the way and provide a lamp unto our feet and a light on our pathway. (Psalm 119:105)  Remember, the wind and the waves of our storms obey His will. (Mark 4:39)  And, if He chooses not to calm the storms, He said that He would be with us and protect us through the storms of life.  Either way He does it, we win.

WHO CAN WITHSTAND THE WRATH OF GOD

Proclamation:

“It is You alone who are to be feared.  Who can stand before You when You are angry?  From heaven You pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet; when You, God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land.”  Psalm 76:7-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of the psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, a Levite who was an outstanding musician in the days of King David, who was also appointed minister of music or choir leader.  This psalm depicts the awesome power and the wrath of God, and why He is to be feared.  He rose up, judged, and destroyed the Assyrian army to protect Jerusalem for King David’s sake from Sennacherib, King of Assyria. (Psalm 76:5)  The Angel of The Lord destroyed the entire Assyrian army in one night while they slept. (2 Kings 19:34-36 and Isaiah 37:35-37)

Application:

The fear of the wrath of God should be enough to cause all men to praise The Lord. (Psalm 76:10)  However, there will come a day when all mankind will recognize and respect Him for who He is, and everyone will bow down to Him. (Isaiah 45:23 and Romans 14:11)  Some of us will see Him as Lord and Savior and will blessed to be with Him in glory, while others will see Him as judge and will be condemned to spend eternity in the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:12-15)

PROMOTION COMES FROM THE HAND OF GOD

Proclamation:

“No one from the east or the west of from the desert can exalt themselves.  It is God who judges; He brings one down, He exalts another.”  Psalm 75:6-7 (NIV)  The King James version of The Bible for this verse reads: “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor the west, nor the south.  But God is the judge; He putteth down one and setteth up another.”

Explanation:

The words of the psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, a Levite who was an outstanding musician in the days of King David who was also appointed minister of music or choir leader.  The psalm is a song that begins by praising The Lord God.  The psalmist states that if is not for man to promote himself, all promotion comes by the permissive will of God who exalts whom He pleases and puts down whoever He pleases.

Application:

Worldly fame, fortune, position, power, and honor all come from The Lord God and He can give it to, or take it away from anyone that He pleases.  All too often we think that we “deserve” a promotion or position, and we get upset when we don’t get it.  We need to understand that The Lord opens some doors of opportunity for us and He closes others. (Revelation 3:7-8)   He knows what we have done and we will only get that which He has in store for us.  Position, power, and prestige are only given to those whom He chooses and that fits in with His plan and purpose.

THE LORD GOD IS THE ALL POWERFUL KING OF KINGS AND MY KING

Proclamation:

“But God is my King from long ago; He brings salvation on the earth.  It was You who split open the sea by Your power; … The day is Yours, and Yours is the night; You established the sun and moon.  It was You who set the boundaries of the earth; You made both summer and winter.”  Psalm 74:12-17  (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  It is not clear whether the human author is Asaph, who lived during the time of King David, speaking prophetically, or one of his descendants with the same name, speaking after the Jews were taken into captivity into Babylon and the temple was burnt. (Psalm 74:6-7)  The exact timing of the writing of this psalm is unsure since the psalmist stated that there were not prophets left. (Psalm 74:9)  Either way, in the middle of the psalm he talks about the awesome power of God, the creation of the sun and the moon, day and night, summer and winter, and the earth. (Genesis 1:1-18)  He also mentions the splitting of the sea which could be (probably) the dividing of the waters during creation (Genesis 1:6-8) or (less likely) the parting of the Red Sea. (Exodus 13:17-22)

Application:

When we think about the awesome power of God, that He spoke and created something out of nothing, we ought to realize just how insignificant we are.  We should humble ourselves and praise Him for who He is, for how great and awesome He is, and for all that He has done.  His praise ought to continually be in our mouth and in our thoughts.

LET US FOLLOW THE WISE COUNSEL OF THE LORD

Proclamation:

“Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory.”  Psalm 73:23-24 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of the psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, a Levite who was an outstanding musician in the days of King David who was also appointed minister of music, or choir leader, in the center of worship in Jerusalem.  Even though he had been tempted to sin because he envied the prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 73:3) and was angry with God for allowing them to prosper, (Psalm 73:21-22) The Lord God took him by the hand, like we would do a small child, gave him wise counsel and led him to the sanctuary.

Application:

After going through the temptations, trials, and tribulations of our journey in the wilderness of this world, if we would just follow the guidelines from The Word of God, The Lord will lead us to His sanctuary.  We need not concern ourselves with what others have or are doing, we just need to pray and do that which is right in the sight of The Lord.  Then, after this life is over and we have passed through death, He will receive us into His kingdom to enjoy everlasting joy in His presence for eternity.

GOD BLESSES US BECAUSE WE ARE PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT

Proclamation:

“For He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.  He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.  He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in His sight.”  Psalm 72:12-14 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of the psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Some Bible scholars attribute this psalm to King Solomon because the words “of Solomon” are in the title.  But if this psalm is to be taken literally, verse one and verse twenty suggest that it was written by King David regarding his son Solomon.  However, if it is taken figuratively, this psalm is a prophetic reference to Jesus, The Christ, The Son of God, as indicated in verses five, eight, and eleven.  Solomon did not endure “through all generations” or rule “to the ends of the earth” and all nations did not serve him as these verses suggest.  Additionally, Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of The Lord is the death of His saints.”  This seems very similar to “… precious shall their blood be in his sight.” (Psalm 72:14)  Only Christ is able to deliver the needy, help the afflicted, grant mercy to the weak and needy, and save their souls from death.  Bible scholar John MacArthur states that this psalm presents a prophetic reference to the reign of Christ when He returns: a just reign (Psalm 72:1-4); a universal reign (Psalm 72:5-11); a compassionate reign (Psalm 72:12-14); a prosperous reign (Psalm 72:15-17); and a glorious reign. (Psalm 18-19)

Application:

God is all-powerful, (omnipotent) all-knowing, (omniscient) and everywhere (omni-present) all at the same time.  He can hear the cries of the needy, the afflicted, the weak wherever they are, and He hears all of our prayers.  He knows exactly what we all need, even before we ask.  Because of His goodness and His loving-kindness he showers us with His grace and mercy.  He protects us and rescues us from harmful situations, and when our work here on earth is through, He calls our soul from labor here to reward in heaven with Him.  We are precious to Him because we are His children. (Matthew 5:9 and 5:44-45)  That is why Jesus, The Christ, taught us to pray to Him as “Our Father, which art in heaven …” (Matthew 6:9) because He is our Heavenly Father and He loves all of us.

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DO NOT FORSAKE ME WHEN I AM OLD AND GREY

Proclamation:

"Even when I am old and grey, do not forsake me, My God, until I declare Your power to the next generation, Your mighty acts to all who are to come."  Psalms 71:18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words are believed by most Bible scholars to have been written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This request for The Lord God not to forsake him when he is old and weak is stated earlier in this psalm (Psalm 71:9) but here he repeats it and offers a reason along with the request.  The psalmist stated that he wanted to tell all who would listen about the righteous deeds and mighty acts of God. (Psalm 71:15-16)  He stated that God had taught him things since the days of his youth. (Psalm 71:17)  Now he was asking God not to forsake him and to spare him until he had declared God’s power and mighty acts to the next generation. 

Application:

Do not discard or disregard the "seasoned" senior saints, there is a lot of wisdom tied up in all those years that could be useful to the believers of the world.  For we who are old have seen, and experienced, and learned a lot during our Christian walk that could benefit the younger generations.  We can truly testify, based upon our trials and tribulations, about the strength and power of The Lord, and what He has done in our lives.  To the young I say, listen when the elderly speak, you just may learn something.  We have been through more than you can imagine.  God is not through with us old folks yet, and with His help there is still some kingdom building work for us to do, including teaching the young.  To the old I say, share what you have learned with the younger generations, with your children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and anyone’s child who will listen.  He has blessed us so that we can be a blessing to others.  God has left us here among the living because our work here is not done.  That is why we can pray this old man's prayer.  We need to praise Him for all that He has done. (Psalm 71:14)  We need to pray for His help to guide our tongue as we speak to the younger generations as well as to all others.

LET THE LORD GOD BE MAGNIFIED CONTINUALLY

Proclamation:

“But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who long for Your saving help always say, ‘The Lord is great!’”  Psalm 70:4 (NIV)  The King James version of The Bible for this verse reads: “Let all those that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; and let such as love Thy salvation say continually, ‘Let God be magnified.’”

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This psalm is a prayer which was to be sung during worship services.  This psalm is almost a repeat of the words at the end of Psalm 40. (Psalm 40:13-17)  Here David repeats himself and says let that those who seek The Lord and want to know His Holy Word rejoice and be glad.  May those who seek Him continually magnify The Lord God.

Application:

Those who truly seek The Lord God will find Him. (Deuteronomy 4:29, Proverbs 8:17, Jeremiah 29:13, and Matthew 7:7-8)  Also, those who believe in Him and diligently seek Him will find Him and will be rewarded. (Hebrews 11:6)  “O magnify The Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” (Psalm 34:3)

BUT AS FOR ME AFFLICTED AND IN PAIN I WILL PRAISE GOD

Proclamation:

“But as for me, afflicted and in pain, may Your salvation, God, protect me.  I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving.”  Psalm 69:29-30 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  David begins this psalm by comparing his situation to a drowning man, up to his neck in water. (Psalm 69:1-2)  He prays to The Lord God to rescue him, to not let him drown or be swallowed up by a pit. (Psalm 69:13-18)  Many Bible scholars believe that this psalm referred to Christ and predicted events documented in The New Testament.  (Psalm 64:4 people hating Him without cause in John 15:25; Psalm 69:9 the zeal for God’s house consuming Him in John 2:17; Psalm 69:21 being given vinegar and gall to drink in Matthew 27:34; Psalm 69:22 let their table be made a snare in Romans 11:9; and Psalm 69:25 about Judas’ house being deserted in Acts 1:16-20)  But even while suffering the psalmist prays and says that he will praise God and give Him thanks.

Application:

Even in the midst of His pain and suffering while He was on the cross, Jesus prayed for us saying, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)  Nothing that we go through is as bad as what He went through and He was still able to pray, and to pray for others.  Nor have we gone through things as bad as King David went through, and even with all of his sins David prayed and praised God and he was a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22)  We need to keep our focus on The Lord God and not on our problems.  Prayer, praise, and thanksgiving are always appropriate, even in the midst of our storms.

FROM THE SOVEREIGN LORD COMES ESCAPE FROM DEATH

Proclamation:

“Praise be to The Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.  Our God is a God who saves; from The Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.”  Psalm 68:19-20 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  Exactly what David was dealing with when he wrote this psalm is not clear.  This is a song which addresses many issues.  Here he notes that believers should praise The Lord for it is He who daily bears our burdens.  He also states that our God is The God of salvation.  He himself has conquered death and He will deliver us from it.

Application:

He bore all of our griefs and sorrows, and He was wounded and bruised for our sins. (Isaiah 53:4-5)  For all that The Lord God has done for us and all that He does for us daily, (Psalm 68:19) we ought to praise Him daily and continually. (Psalm 34:1)  God gave His only begotten Son so that we would have a chance at salvation and eternal life. (John 3:16)  Jesus, The Christ, said that all power in heaven and earth was given to Him. (Matthew 28:18)  He also has the power over death. (1 Corinthians 15:52-57 and Revelation 1:18)  He has defeated death and those of us who believe in Him will be delivered from death. (John 5:24 and 6:40) 

MAY GOD BE GRACIOUS TO US AND BLESS US

Proclamation:

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine on us; so that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.  May the peoples praise You, God; may all the peoples praise You.  May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth.”  Psalm 67:1-4 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm of praise and thanksgiving was written by an unknown human author under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The psalmist begins this song by, asking The Lord God to bless us with His unmerited mercy, through the riches of His grace let the face of Jesus, The Christ, shine on us and grant us His gracious presence and His love. (Psalm 67:1)   He asks that God’s way, His method of salvation, the way for sinners to Him through Christ, the way, the truth, and the life, (John 14:6) the way of the gospel, be known throughout all of the earth. (Psalm 67:2)  Let all of the people in all of the nations of the world praise The Lord. (Psalm 67:3)  Let all of the people rejoice and be glad.  Lead us and guide us as a shepherd does His sheep. (Psalm 23:1-3)

Application:

This psalm is a song and a prayer, a prayer that we should pray for all of the believers in the world.  We should pray that The Lord God would be gracious to us, show us His loving kindness, and grant us His mercy and unmerited favor.  We should thank God for His Son Jesus, The Christ, who made a way for us to receive salvation and eternal life.  For this we should rejoice and praise His holy name.

LET US LET THE SOUND OF HIS PRAISE BE HEARD

Proclamation:

“Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard; He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.  For You, God, tested us; You refined us like silver.  You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.  You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us to a place of abundance.”  Psalm 66:8-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm of praise and thanksgiving was written by an unknown human author under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The psalmist begins by encouraging group praise, (Psalm 66:1-4) then he presents evidence of God’s previous faithfulness to His people, (Psalm 66:5-7) and then he addresses God’s continual protection. (Psalm 66:8-12)  This is followed by individual personal praise and a personal testimony regarding answered prayer. (Psalm 66:13-20)  The psalmist invites people to “come and see” (Psalm 66:5) what The Lord has done and then he invites them to “come and hear” his personal testimony. (Psalm 66:16-17)

Application:

We should praise and thank The Lord God publicly and privately for who He is and for all that he has done in each of our lives.  God has allowed the golden moments of our lives to keep rolling on and not let us slip into death.  He has brought us through purifying trials of fire and suffering which made us stronger.  He has never forsaken us and He brought us to the place where we are now in life, enjoying the abundance of His grace and blessings.  The promises that we made to Him during our times of affliction should be honored. (Psalm 66:13-14)  When others hear our testimony they will also praise The Lord and be glad. (Psalm 34:2)

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOM THE LORD CHOOSES TO BRING NEAR

Proclamation:

“Praise awaits You, our God, in Zion; to You our vows will be fulfilled.  You who answer prayer, to You all people will come.  When we were overwhelmed by sins, You forgave our transgressions.  Blessed are those You choose and bring near to live in Your courts!  We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple.”  Psalm 65:1-4 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This psalm is a song of thanksgiving for spiritual blessings (Psalm 65:1-4) and natural earthly blessings (Psalm 65:5-13)  The house of God is a house of prayer and it is also a house of praise and worship.  All of the people of God will come to the place where He dwells, where His presence can be felt and appreciated. (Psalm 65:1-2)  There we will also give thanks to Him for forgiving us of our transgressions.  All of the elect of God are blessed, but some will enjoy a closer walk with Him than others.  However, all believers will eventually enjoy the goodness of His presence and the bounty of His blessing.

Application:

As we go through the trials and storms of this life, The Lord God hears and answers our prayers, and we should thank and praise Him daily.  We say that we love The Lord, and if so then we should show it by obeying His Holy Word.  Because we asked Him, He has forgiven us of our many sins and blessed far beyond measure.  He deserves our praise and worship.  The day will soon come when we will be blessed to enjoy the endless bounty of His presence, riches, and glory.  Our God is an awesome God. (Psalm 65:5-13) 

LET THE PEOPLE OF GOD REJOICE FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE

Proclamation:

“The righteous will rejoice in The Lord and take refuge in Him; all the upright in heart will glory in Him!”  Psalm 64:10 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This psalm begins with a prayer that God would hear him and preserve him from his enemies.  He spends most of the psalm describing what his enemies would do to him. (Psalm 64:2-6)  Then he focuses on what he wants God to do them. (Psalm 64:7-8)  After the righteous have seen what The Lord God will do to his enemies, they will rejoice and they will trust in Him. (Psalm 64:8-10)

Application:

When others see or hear of the things that The Lord God has done for us, they are encouraged to believe and trust in Him. (Psalm 64:9-10)  That is why we are to witness to the lost so that they might be saved.  No one can tell our story like we can, and no one has had the same experiences that The Lord has brought us through.  When we could not see our way out of some situations, He made a way.  Not only should we be grateful and thankful for who He is and for what He has done, but by sharing it with others and being His witnesses we help with building the kingdom of God. (Isaiah 43:10)

EARNESTLY SEEK THE LORD GOD AND THIRST FOR HIM

Proclamation:

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You, I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”  Psalm 63:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The title of this psalm states that David was in the desert of Judah when he wrote it.  David’s wilderness experience has been compared to the wilderness experience of Jesus, The Christ, when He was tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1-3)  In a dry land without water, David was seeking The Lord God, the living water.  He knows that God’s loving-kindness is better than life itself. (Psalm 63:3)  That is why he sought after Him with his whole being, with all of his heart and all of his soul. (Deuteronomy 11:13)

Application:

All believers, at one time or another, will undergo a wilderness type of experience where we must suffer and do without something that we need.  This suffering should strengthen our faith and bring us closer to The Lord.  Those “wilderness experiences” are the times when we learn to depend upon The Lord God and to turn to Him to supply our needs. (Philippians 4:19)  When we hunger and thirst after Him, we will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)  When we truly seek Him with all of our heart and soul, we will find Him. (Proverbs 8:17 and Matthew 7:7-8)

TRUST IN THE LORD GOD AT ALL TIMES

Proclamation:

“My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty Rock, my refuge.  Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.”  Psalm 62:7-8 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This psalm is a song which was intended to be sung during worship services.  The second verse is a stanza, or refrain, that is repeated, verbatim, in the middle of the song. (Psalm 62:6)  “Truly He is my Rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”  David wanted everyone to know that The Rock upon which the church is built is The Rock that provides his safety, shelter, and salvation.  All of the accolades that he received are due to his being blessed by the righteousness and grace of God.  Here he encouraged the people of God to confess and present the desires of their heart, their cares and concerns, and all of their problems to The Lord for He is also their safe haven.

Application:

As believers we are to trust in The Lord God.  We can tell Him everything that is on our mind, things that are troubling us, and all of our wants, wishes, and desires. (Philippians 4:6)  We know that He hears us and He knows our heart. (Luke 5:22)  He knows what we need. (Matthew 6:8)  We are also to wait patiently for Him and expect that He will keep His word. (Psalm 27:14, Psalm 37:34, Psalm 62:1 and 5)  That which He has promised to us, we will receive. (Psalm 62:12) 

WE WANT TO DWELL IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

Proclamation:

“For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.  I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.”  Psalm 61:3-4 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  David begins this psalm with a prayer.  He is far from home and feeling overwhelmed.  He asks The Lord God to lead him to a rock that is higher than he is then. (Psalm 61:2)  Some Bible scholars believe that the rock that he is referring to is Christ, The Rock of Israel, The Rock of our salvation, and our refuge.  In the next verse he states that God has been his refuge.  The he states that he longs to dwell in the house of God and take refuge under His wings. (Psalm 61:3 and 4)  He wants to be in the presence of God here and throughout eternity. (Psalm 23:6 and 61:4)

Application:

Being far away from our home and our normal place of worship can cause some feelings of being lost, alone, and depressed.  When we are “down in the dumps” we need God’s help to climb back up on “The Rock of our salvation.” (Psalm 89:26 and 95:1)  Even though we know that The Lord God is always with us, there are times when we feel like we have fallen down and lost the joy of our salvation and we need God’s help to restore that joy. (Psalm 51:12)  We want to enjoy the presence of God now and throughout eternity.

SAVE US SO THOSE OF US YOU LOVE MAY BE DELIVERED

Proclamation:

“But for those who fear You, You have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.  Save us and help us with Your right hand, that those You love may be delivered.”  Psalm 60:4-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This psalm is thought to be a literal reference to the dismay of the people over a military battle lost (Psalm 60:1-3) and a subsequent victory over them. (Psalm 60:8)  It is also thought to be a prophetic reference to the coming of Christ. (Psalm 60:4)  The banner here is thought to be a reference to The Messiah, who will be the standard or ensign of Israel in the last days. (Isaiah 11:10-16)  Jesus, The Christ, came into the world so that the people of God, those who believe and fear Him, and whom He loves, could be saved and delivered.

Application:

Jesus, The Christ, came into this world to save us because we were all lost in sin. (Matthew 18:11, John 1:29, and 1 John 2:2)  Only those of us who believe in Him will be saved and delivered. (John 3:16)  Once we are saved our job is to praise Him and to tell others about Him.  We are to go forth into the world and spread the gospel to the lost. (Matthew 28:19)  We are to invite them and compel them to come to The Lord. (Luke 14:21-23)  We are to hold Christ up for the world to see, by our words and our behavior, and He will draw them to Himself. (John 12:32)  Those who were invited and chose not to come will remain lost for eternity. (Luke 14:24)  However, in order for us to do God’s work, we will need God’s help. (Psalm 60:12)  We are in a battle with Satan for the lost in this world. (Ephesians 6:12)  We need to put on the whole armor of God in order to stand tall in this battle. (Ephesians 6:11-18)  By doing so, in the end we will be victorious. (Romans 8:37-39)