Psalm 6

 To the Chief Musician. With Stringed Instruments.

On An Eight-Stringed Harp. A Psalm of David.

¹O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,

Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.

²Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;

O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

³My soul also is greatly troubled;

But You, O Lord—how long?

⁴Return, O Lord, deliver me!

Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!

⁵For in death there is no remembrance of You;

In the grave who will give You thanks?

⁶I am weary with my groaning;

All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.

⁷My eye wastes away because of grief;

It grows old because of all my enemies.

⁸Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;

For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.

⁹The Lord has heard my supplication;

The Lord will receive my prayer.

¹⁰Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;

Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,

Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.”

Psalm 6 is a plea and prayer for relief from some chastisement that had shaken David to his core. By the first verse it seems clear David believed his suffering was brought on by some sort of sin or trespass he had committed. Now that is not always the case, as the Book of Job so clearly reveals, for there are many reasons why believers suffer, even suffer unto death, and so to assume such things in all cases is only to commit that grave error that Job’s friends committed in condemning him. Nonetheless believers do sometimes sin, and as a result God does sometimes create or allow suffering, or bring turmoil into our lives, to bring about our confession and repentance, and ultimately our spiritual growth and edification. And so, hear we see that David clearly knew he had done something wrong in the sight of God, and as the nations leader his sin could not go unpunished by God. Knowing that, David in fearing the Lord, now pleads with Him not to rebuke him in His anger, nor chasten him in His hot displeasure. For in having that healthy fear of, and reverence for the Lord, is then the basis for David’s plea for His mercy and relief, which the rest of the psalm contains.

Vs. 2 “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;

O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.”

David’s affliction had already weakened him; indeed, such was its nature that his pain seemed almost intolerable, reaching even to the depths of his bones. Therefore, David desperately pleas to the Lord, for both His mercy and His healing.

Vs. 3 My soul also is greatly troubled;

But You, O Lord—how long?

David was even being troubled to the depths of his soul, and so in pleading with the Lord, he asks Him how long, how long must this continue? Which is a valid question, which we ourselves often ask when faced with our own suffering. Now it must be stated that the Lord’s silence during these difficult times is never His indifference. For even in our darkest times the peaceable fruit of righteousness is often worked in us, and through us (Heb. 12:11; James 3:17-18). And so, though we may also ask these sorts or questions of God, the Scripture never promises us immediate healing or relief from all of our afflictions and plights; sometimes we will have to live with various disabilities and ailments, sometimes we will have to live with difficult circumstances, or in very trying situations, and sometimes this is so, so that God through our weaknesses, (and or inabilities to change our own circumstances), can bring about His Will, for the betterment of all.

Vs. 4-5 “Return, O Lord, deliver me!

Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!

⁵For in death there is no remembrance of You;

In the grave who will give You thanks?”

In midst of his suffering David felt like the Lord had abandoned him, (something not unique to him), and so in his despairing state he pleads with the Lord to return to him. To deliver him from his troubles and save him for His mercy’s sake,

“For in death there is no remembrance of You;

In the grave who will give You thanks?”

Now this too can be our own heartfelt prayer and cry. However, no believer because of the Lord Jesus Christ’s finished work at Calvary, and His Holy Spirit now being given to us who believe in Him, should ever fear the Lord leaving us, for though we maybe severely afflicted in this life, He Promises to never leave us, nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5), for He will always be with us, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). Something which all need to be reassured of in our own plight, just as David did in his.

Vs. 6-7 “I am weary with my groaning;

All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.

⁷My eye wastes away because of grief;

It grows old because of all my enemies.”

David (like Job) deeply despaired of his on-going grief and miseries, some of which were being intentionally forwarded by his own enemies. Nonetheless it always darkest before the light shine, that is God’s light, breaks through the clouds.

Vs. 8-9 “Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;

For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.

⁹The Lord has heard my supplication;

The Lord will receive my prayer.”

 David then have regained his footing, that is, his understanding of God’s dealings with him, that He has not abandoned him, now boldly says to adversaries,

“Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;

For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.

⁹The Lord has heard my supplication;

The Lord will receive my prayer.”

Three things then that David now knew:

First, the Lord had heard his weeping, He had taken notice of his sufferings, (just as He did of ancient Israel’s in Egypt) and so now he knew that the Lord was going to heal and restore him, and deal with those who had, and were afflicting him.

Second, Where David once thought, are any of my prayers and supplications even being heard by God? Now he has a full confidence that they truly are!

Third, and not just heard by God, David now knew that his prayer would be received by God, and thus the Lord Himself was going to act on it, just as He acts on every righteous prayer and supplication made in faith to Him.

 Vs. 10 “Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;

Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.”

And so, David now concludes this psalm with triumph, with a declaration that all of his enemies will be ashamed and greatly troubled suddenly, that is without warning or recourse, when the Lord deals with all of them.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 5

 ¹Give ear to my words, O Lord,

Consider my meditation.

²Give heed to the voice of my cry,

My King and my God,

For to You I will pray.

³My voice You shall hear in the morning,

O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.

⁴For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,

Nor shall evil dwell with You.

⁵The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;

You hate all workers of iniquity.

⁶You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;

The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

⁷But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;

In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

⁸Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;

Make Your way straight before my face.

⁹For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;

Their inward part is destruction;

Their throat is an open tomb;

They flatter with their tongue.

¹⁰Pronounce them guilty, O God!

Let them fall by their own counsels;

Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,

For they have rebelled against You.

¹¹But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.

¹²For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 ¹Give ear to my words, O Lord,

Consider my meditation.

²Give heed to the voice of my cry,

My King and my God,

For to You I will pray.

This Psalm begins with a heartfelt cry to God to hear our words, and to give attention to our meditation, (i.e., the thoughts and intents of our hearts), to give heed to the words of our voice. Which is not just the substance of our words, but the emotions behind them. Now in doing so God Himself is acknowledged as our King, the only One that we pray too. This prayer then is not for the one who is causal with God, but for all of us who want Him to draw near to us.

Vs. 3 “My voice You shall hear in the morning,

O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.”

With then our focus on God, the man (or woman) of God makes their prayers and supplications to Him in the morning, committing their day to Him. For He is the only Just and Righteous God whom we know will be watching over us through this day. Therefore, with boldness and confidence we can also say, “I will look up.” That is in the hope of His Kingdom, we look to God for all justice, righteousness, and truth, because down here all these things are grossly perverted.

Vs. 4-6 ⁴For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,

Nor shall evil dwell with You.

⁵The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;

You hate all workers of iniquity.

⁶You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;

The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

 In order to settle his heart while being faced with adversity at the hands of the wicked, David now reasserts the Character of God. For God takes no pleasure in wickedness, (as the sons of men do), who in their deceived and depraved minds often make light of it, or sport of it, or in "normalizing" it in their conscience and cultures these things become okay. Nonetheless we know that God does not change, therefore He shall never let evil dwell with Him (vs. 4). For He alone sets the standards of righteousness and justice that all of mankind is to live by. Neither then does God endure the boastful, who in their pride exalt themselves against Him, His Word, or others. For they are those who love to parade themselves around in the presence of men, they are those who love to speak boastfully, whose persons walk shamelessly through the earth. Therefore, they shall not stand in His sight, nor will they have any place with Him, for they will never be seen, or heard in His Holy Presence! For the Lord hates all workers of iniquity (vs. 5), He shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man (vs. 6). Those then who speak falsehood, who slander and defame others through the same, or create and or forward all kinds of conspiracy theories and lies so as to create turmoil or conflict amongst men, or simply just to promote their own name and fame so as to get rich, or get elected to office off of the same, should all repent of their ways, because the Lord will destroy all of those who speak falsehood, this the Scripture Promises, how much more than will He do so to everyone who does so in His Name. For the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man, He will render His Judgment and His verdict against every one who does so. His silence now then is not His Full Judgment deferred, only withheld, until He brings it fully forth on His Day. 

Vs. 7 “But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;

In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.” 

Having denounced the works and ways of the wicked, the proud, and the violent and scheming man, David now refocuses his thoughts on our merciful Lord and Savior, on seeking Him in His house, and finding His unending and manifold mercies there. And this he (and we) will do in the fear of the Lord, that is in reverence of Him, we will worship and adore Him in His holy temple, that is those places where He is truly worshiped. 

Vs. 8 “Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;

Make Your way straight before my face.” 

David now begins with his supplications, asking the Lord to lead him in His righteousness, so that he might choose to do what is right in the sight of God; because his enemies are always watching him, always looking for some reason to accuse him. Therefore, David asks that the Lord make His way straight before him, so he can choose to follow it, and put all of his unjust accusers to silence by it.

Vs. 9-10 “For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;

Their inward part is destruction;

Their throat is an open tomb;

They flatter with their tongue.

¹⁰Pronounce them guilty, O God!

Let them fall by their own counsels;

Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,

For they have rebelled against You.

 Their nature then is one falsehood and lies, of rank hypocrisy and evil, of only being skillful plotters and charmers who speak evil of others, while only doing and or desiring the same. Their very words then only bring forth death, (that is with smiles on their faces they speak with all manner of deceitful and sinful tongues, and often with inducements to sin, or down playing the same), nothing Godly then comes out of their mouths. Indeed, their mouths are full of flattery by which they seek to seduce people through the same. Therefore, David asks our God to pronounce them guilty, to let them fall by their own counsels, to cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, because by doing so they clearly show themselves to have openly rebelled against God. 

Vs. 11-12 ¹¹But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.

¹²For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

David’s finial supplication then is that the Lord fill our hearts with rejoicing; for we have turned away from our own sins and transgressions, we have turned away from the lies of this world that only promote sexual sins and the same, for we believe in Him. Therefore, let us (i.e., the righteous, everyone whom God declares righteous by faith in His Son Jesus Christ, who thus now seeks to live righteous lives), ever shout for joy, because it is the Lord who defends us! The Lord's blessing then is on the righteous for with His favor He will surround us as with a shield! 

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

 

 

Psalm 4

 ¹Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved me in my distress;

Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

²How long, O you sons of men,

Will you turn my glory to shame?

How long will you love worthlessness

And seek falsehood? Selah

³But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;

The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

⁴Be angry, and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

⁵Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,

And put your trust in the Lord.

⁶There are many who say,

“Who will show us any good?”

Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

⁷You have put gladness in my heart,

More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.

⁸I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved me in my distress;

Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.”

This Psalm begins with a cry for help by first declaring God’s righteousness. For it is our God who not only imputes His Righteousness to us all who believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus makes us who trust in Him justified in His sight, but He also hears us and judges us and all our cause in His Righteousness. For God is the only One who will always render a just and righteous judgment in this fallen and corrupt world. Therefore, the righteous who live and seek to live righteous lives in His sight can always turn to Him in their time of mistreatment and distress. For He alone can always be trusted to render a just and righteous verdict. Having then appealed to the One who alone is Righteous, we can find relief in our distress because we have committed our cause to Him, to have mercy on us and to hear our prayer and remember us in our distress, just as He has done so many times before.

Vs. 2 How long, O you sons of men,

Will you turn my glory to shame?

How long will you love worthlessness

And seek falsehood? Selah 

It appears that David was the victim of some very cruel and evil slander, being spoken and forwarded by some very unprincipled Godless men and women who had taken it upon themselves to try to ruin him, by openly speaking all kinds of evil lies about him so as set people against him. Now this they did ever so cunningly, knowing that in making him out to be someone others would naturally fear or hate, people would want to side with them against him, and thus ultimately, they too would want to harm him (or kill him) and overthrow him, just as they themselves desired to do. David’s words here then are his rebuke to them, that they should not turn his reputation of glory to shame, that they should not love worthlessness, that will only assure their own judgment in the end, that they should not seek falsehood and lying false testimonies against him. For neither their idols, nor their lies, nor the numbers of their men will deliver them when God judges all of them! (Prov. 16:15; Luke 1:51) 

Vs. 3 “But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;

The Lord will hear when I call to Him.” 

David’s confidence then was not with his own strength, or with some skillful scheme, or with the numbers of men who would side with him, but with His Lord and Savior who has set him apart for Himself because he is a Godly man. For the unchanging and incorruptible Lord will always hear everyone who is Godly when we call to Him! Their confidence then is a false and fleeting confidence, and their end will be ruin!

Vs. 4 “Be angry, and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah” 

In the midst of his distress David now calms himself, reminding himself that it is right to be angry when wronged, yet one must not let ones own anger turn into sinful words or deeds. Therefore, he reminds himself to meditate within his heart on his bed; but not on vengeance schemes as the wicked do; but on the Lord and His Word, and let that still him and quite him.

Vs. 5 “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,

And put your trust in the Lord.” 

Therefore, instead of plotting evil or harm against others, David now counsels us all to offer the sacrifices of righteous; to put on practical righteousness and make that our offering to the Lord. Having done so we are to put our trust in the Lord, who will never allow the righteous to moved (Ps. 55:22), but He will bring forth our righteousness and plead our cause before all. For He will bring forth His justice for us, just as He brings forth the bright shinning sun in the noon day sky! For the Lord loves the righteous, He loves all of those who do what is right in His sight, He loves everyone who trusts in Him!

Vs. 6 There are many who say,

“Who will show us any good?”

Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

Many people who do not know God, are cynical of God, or look at God as if he were to be their servant, as if He should answer their prayers as they wish and bring them His blessing and His goodness according to their will and desires. Instead, the right approach is to ask the Lord to lift up the light of His countenance upon us, to shine forth his goodness and mercy and truth upon us, so that we might be better able to follow Him. 

Vs. 7 “You have put gladness in my heart,

More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.”

Even in our darkest times the Lord Jesus Christ is the Source of our joy, for He is our Savior and Keeper (John 10:28-30). Therefore He puts gladness in our hearts, “More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.” For He is the ongoing Source of our joy and fulfillment long after all the treasures of this world have long ceased to satisfy them. Therefore, we are forever thankful, and not only for what He has done to save us; put what He continues to do in always sustaining us and keeping us, joy and hope filled in Him.

Vs. 8 “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

David then having put to rest his anxieties and fears ’s, now makes a finial declaration of security and safety, of being absolutely sure that the Lord is watching over him (and us), so much so that he can confidently assert: “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Therefore, though evil people were surrounding him on all sides, he was confident of his forever place with the Lord, just as you and I can be because we believe in Him (Isaiah 32:18).

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

 

 

Psalm 3

 ¹Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!

Many are they who rise up against me.

²Many are they who say of me,

“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

³But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,

My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

⁴I cried to the Lord with my voice,

And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

⁵I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.

⁶I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people

Who have set themselves against me all around.

⁷Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God!

For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;

You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.

⁸Salvation belongs to the Lord.

Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

Preamble: This Psalm was written by King David when he was fleeing from his son Absalom, who was trying to overthrow him and take reign of all of Israel. It is a deep Psalm of a father, of a man, who having already suffered the loss of one of his beloved sons at the hands of Absalom, and also who loved Absalom as much as any of his children, and had already forgiven him and seemingly reconciled with him, was now fleeing for his life from him, as Absalom and the conspirators (some of whom were David’s closest confidents) were now closing in on him, with the goal of killing him and taking control of the nation for themselves. There are so many twists and plots and things that underlie this Psalm that one could look into and comment on, and yet to do so now would only take us far away from these Holy Words given us by God through His holy man of God, who when faced with one of the greatest adversities in his life did not turn against God, but turned to Him, with these heart felt and inspiring Holy Words of God, who was himself chosen by God to lead His people, and yet now because of the repercussions of his own sin born out of the Bathsheba affair, was now in his old age being made a refugee, cast out and hunted by the very nation and people whom he loved and served with all his might, all his life.

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 ¹Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!

Many are they who rise up against me.

²Many are they who say of me,

“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

David then in his deep distress now cries out to the Lord, asking Him to see how many people who seeing him in his vulnerable state; are now rising up against him and joining with the conspirators, even though David himself has done nothing deserving of such an attempted coup. For such is always the way of the ungodly, the ambitious, and the cowardly, who always pretend friendship and loyalty outwardly, while only lying-in wait to make their move when they see and perceive that is now advantageous for them to do so, when they believe that their can be no repercussions for them doing so. Therefore, they don’t fear God, but David does, and it is to Him that he is committing his cause. And so, believing that God has now cast him away for his sin, the evil conspirators feel emboldened, and they encourage themselves in their evil deed by saying amongst themselves, “There is no help for him in God.”

David though is not unaware of any of this, for he has lived a life of overcoming adversities, a life that has been led by God, and who by God’s Help he has prevailed against overwhelming enemies and opposition, both outside and within, but not by the strength of His arm, nor by tact of his moves, nor by the numbers of his forces, but by his utter dependence on the Lord, who strengthens him. This then is the foundation of every believer’s success, who finds themselves in similar circumstances, of having to overcome an overwhelming adversity, trial, or opposition, and yet just as we now face our God permitted trial or adversity, so too all the saints of old have also faced, who by God’s help, by faith in Him, have also prevailed, whether in life or death, so then you also will prevail and triumph (consider Hebrews 11).

 Vs. 3 “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,

My glory and the One who lifts up my head.” 

Therefore, though the enemy of our soul increases his forces and lies against us, yet the Lord is always with us, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). Therefore, we are confident in all our trials, all our afflictions, and all our adversities, because it is He who is a shield for us, it is He who guards and keeps us forever (John 10:28-30). For He is our glory, He is the One who lifts up our head, even in the presence of all of those who hate us (Psalm 23:5), who would have us be bowed in shame or defeat before them. For the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will not allow that to happen to us, nor anyone who trusts in Him, (Psalm 71:1; Isaiah 45:17; Joel 2:26-27; Rom. 9:33; 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6). Therefore, He will not allow us to be taken away from Him, nor be driven out from Him, but He will deliver us to our everlasting dwelling places with Himself, where we will dwell safely and securely with Him and His people forever (Isaiah 32:18; John 14:1-3). 

Vs. 4 I cried to the Lord with my voice,

And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah 

Know this then that everyone who cries out to Him, who believes in Him, is heard by Him (Job 34:28).

Vs. 5 “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 

Our confidence then grows in the Lord, as we recall these truths of Him, just as David’s confidence grew, and he was able to put his anxious thoughts away, and find rest and peace again by Him. 

Vs. 6 “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people

Who have set themselves against me all around.”  

David’s confidence and boldness is firm because he knows it is the Lord who is keeping and sustaining him, even when tens of thousands of people have come and set themselves against him, he is not afraid. Therefore, we shall also grow in our confidence when we get to the other side of our own trials and we recall how the Lord also sustained and kept us! 

Vs. 7-8 ⁷Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God!

For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;

You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.

⁸Salvation belongs to the Lord.

Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah 

Having overcome his own anxieties and fears through the night, and now knowing that the Lord is working to re-establish him, David’s finial cry is for the Lord to save him, to save him from the massive multitude of ungodly people who have risen up against him. Therefore, he can confidently assert that the Lord is the One who has struck all his enemies on the cheekbone, it is He who has broken the teeth of the ungodly. Now the first declaration indicates a strike of reproach by the Lord upon them, while the second indicates His removal of the means for them to harm and devour him (Job 29:17; Psalm 58:6). Thus, David can also confidently assert that it is not of man to save himself, for salvation truly belongs to the Lord, who saves His people and whose blessing is forever upon us, Amen!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 2

 ¹ Why do the nations rage,

And the people plot a vain thing?

² The kings of the earth set themselves,

And the rulers take counsel together,

Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

³ “Let us break Their bonds in pieces

And cast away Their cords from us.”

⁴ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;

The Lord shall hold them in derision.

⁵ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,

And distress them in His deep displeasure:

⁶ “Yet I have set My King

On My holy hill of Zion.”

⁷ “I will declare the decree:

The Lord has said to Me,

‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.

⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You

The nations for Your inheritance,

And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron;

You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

¹⁰ Now therefore, be wise, O kings;

Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear,

And rejoice with trembling.

¹² Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,

And you perish in the way,

When His wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. 

Commentary

Vs. 1-3 ¹ Why do the nations rage,

And the people plot a vain thing?

² The kings of the earth set themselves,

And the rulers take counsel together,

Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

³ “Let us break Their bonds in pieces

And cast away Their cords from us.”

This very prophetic Psalm begins by revealing the heart of those who reject the Lord God and His Son Jesus Christ, who in their enraged and evil self-will, seek to scheme and plot against the Lord s Person and His rule over us all. Now this was first shown us when the Apostle Peter rightly quoted from this Psalm to describe how all the factions, both spiritual and political in ancient Israel, who had rejected the Lord’s rule over them, then schemed and plotted together along with their then Gentile rulers to put the Lord Jesus Christ to death. All which brought about that Criminally Abhorrent Day at Calvary when they Crucified the King of kings and Lord of lords to death. Now that such things could be and would be plotted out and executed against the Prince of Peace, by the people He came to save only shows the wickedness and depravity of sinful humanity. Nonetheless by their doing so they themselves fulfilled the Word of the Lord who allowed them to do their evil desires on Him so as to bring about salvation to everyone who believes in Him (Acts 4:25-28). That said, this Psalm is not about them, but it is about the Lord’s Victory over them all! Over every individual and nation in every generation who sets themselves against Him! Which is why the Psalm opens with a mocking question in verses 1-3, for though they rage at Him, and though they try to plot against Him, they will all fall and lie slain prostrate at His feet! This the Scripture guarantees, that the Lord will always and perpetually triumph over every one of His Adversaries (1 Sam 2.10; Psalm 58:10-11; Isaiah 34:2-3; 59:16-21; 61:2; 63:4-6; 66:15-16, 22-24; Micah 5:15; Nahum 1:2; Malachi 4:1-3; Luke 19:27; 2 Thess. 1:6-10; Rev. 19:11-21 etc.)!

Vs. 4-5 ⁴ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;

The Lord shall hold them in derision.

⁵ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,

And distress them in His deep displeasure:

Therefore, the Lord is not troubled by the evil plots of sinful mankind. As if unbelieving humanity in their vain pride and self will can scheme or plot anything against the Lord and His Christ. For before they can even conceive it, He already knows it! Therefore, He who sits in the heavens and observes all the works of man shall laugh at them, He shall hold them in derision, especially when they at the end times unite themselves under the Antichrist and seek to make war against Him and His saints. For it shall be then that He shall again speak to them, (but not of salvation, for they had already rejected that for themselves), but now this time He shall speak to them in His wrath, and He will distress them all in His deep displeasure, for having rejected Him, His Son, and His Word for us all

Vs. 6 “Yet I have set My King

On My holy hill of Zion.”

God Himself then on that Day will exalt His Son the Lord Jesus Christ on His holy hill of Zion, as His King! The Holy Son of God then whom they rejected and Crucified outside of the walls of Jerusalem, will now forever reign from there!

Vs. 7 “I will declare the decree:

The Lord has said to Me,

‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.

 The decree, the unalterable and unchanging Word of God, the Lord’s very decree is that Jesus Christ is His Son, and that He has begotten Him, (not born Him), but now He has established Him to Reign over all of His creation!

Vs. 8 “Ask of Me, and I will give You

The nations for Your inheritance,

And the ends of the earth for Your possession.”

God then will withhold nothing from His Son, all nations shall be given Him by His Father in heaven as His inheritance, and all ends of the earth as His possession, everything on earth then shall be given Him, to do with and distribute as He pleases.

Vs. 9 “You shall break them with a rod of iron;

You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

The Lord Jesus Christ’s Reign then will not be one of compromise or vacillation, He will not be one who will ever tolerate injustice, nor will He overlook evil from either individuals or nations (consider Psalm 72; Isaiah 11:1-9 etc.). For He Himself will break them with a rod of iron, He Himself will dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel (Rev. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15). And so, before the wicked can even hatch his wicked scheme; whether individuals or nations; the Lord Jesus Christ will strike them down!

Vs. 10-12 "Now therefore, be wise, O kings;

Be instructed, you judges of the earth."

This Psalm then goes out to all the kings and the judges of the earth, to everyone who is in power or exercises authority, reminding them that they themselves are accountable to God who Rules over all! Who raises up and brings lows according to His good pleasure and so it goes out to everyone who thinks that they are accountable to no one but themselves. Be instructed and know that it is the Lord who Rules and Reigns and it is to Him that we must all give an accounting of our selves. Therefore:

¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear,

And rejoice with trembling.

¹² Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,

And you perish in the way,

When His wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” 

Therefore we are all to serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling for it is the Lord Jesus Christ alone who has God's Authority and Power to save and condemn, to receive into heaven or send to hell forever, all according to His Righteousness and Incorruptible Judgment. For He will not justify the wicked, but He will justify the repentant and believing, everyone who believes in Him then must revere Him as God's Christ and King before all. Therefore Kiss the Son means that we are all too acknowledge and honor His Person and Rule before all. Because every individual and nation that does not do so will experience the wrath of God from Him! Therefore blessed are all of those who put their trust in Him, because they will have God's mercy and salvation by trusting His death on the Cross and His Resurrection from the dead, for God having made our reconciliation to Himself now possible, will impart to you by His Holy Spirit everlasting life the moment you believe in His Son! Therefore, repent of your sins, of your self-will of trying to save yourself by your own works and through your own ways, and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as God's Son and King and he will receive/save you (John 1:12; Rev. 3:21). 

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

² But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

³ He shall be like a tree

Planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper.

⁴ The ungodly are not so,

But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Preamble 

The Book of Psalms, a book of worship or a book of wisdom? In essence they are one in the same. For who can deny the wisdom found within them? And who can deny the heart felt passion and pleas of them? And so within them contains not only the Wisdom of God but also the heart of God, of Godly men who aligned their persons and lives with His. The Book of Psalms then begins with a Psalm that declares the Promised blessing of God, on everyone and anyone who chooses the God’s path of righteousness and does not follow the lies of this world which always and in every generation expound personal “fulfillment and satisfaction” through sin.

Commentary

Vs. 1 Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, 

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

God’s blessing is on the one who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly; that is, we do not listen to nor walk in the lying counsels of this world which only set people on a course of life against God, by trying to either deny Him and His Word as the sole Originating and Ongoing Source and Substance for mankind’s, and all of creations existence, and thus rule and guidance, to whom we will all be judged by and give an account too, and or trying to normalize doing and pursuing every sinful desire, lust, and evil passion of the flesh which God Himself has condemned in His Word as sin. For the counsels of the ungodly are always spoken through their rejection of God and His Word with an utter denial of the consequences of sin. Therefore, the one who desires to be blessed by God does not listen to them, nor will we follow them in Godless beliefs, pursuits, and ways. Instead we fear God and we move ourselves away from them, from the path of unbelieving sinners and the voices of the scornful, for we know that there is a Judgement to come; that God’s wrath will be laid upon everyone who did not believe and obey the truth of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 1:8-10). Therefore, we will not be partakers with those who want to live by their own Godless demonically inspired and influenced counsels, and thus are only storing up God’s wrath upon themselves. For that is what this Psalm is commanding us to do, to come out and be separate from them, to not be partakers with them in their unbelief and sins (consider 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; Rev. 18:1-4). Therefore when someone clearly rejects God’s Word and Salvation freely offered to us all through the Lord Jesus Christ there no longer remains any reason for us to try to bring the Gospel of Redemption and Eternal Salvation to them, our time with them is done, their blood will be upon their own heads, as the Apostle Paul said (Acts 18:6).

Vs. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law, he meditates day and night.

The man or woman of God then does not get their counsel through the Godless morals, ethics, and ideas of popular culture, nor do they entertain themselves with the degenerate movies, plays, and music and such that always glorify sex and violence and all manner of wickedness and lawlessness that this world expounds and tries to live by. Instead, our delight is in the Law of the Lord, in the entire Word of the Lord, which alone satisfies our souls, and guides our persons and lives into living abundant, fruitful, and morally fitting lives, and thus God glorifying peaceful lives. Therefore, we do not to “mediate” on the sins of this world, but we mediate upon God’s Word, because there is no other defense against the lies of Satan and this world than to daily do this.

 Vs. 3 “He shall be like a tree

Planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper.”

Here then is God’s promised blessing for everyone who keeps God’s commandments and the testimony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17; 14:12). Who does not capitulate their Godly beliefs and righteous moral values to the degeneracy of this world. Therefore, the believer who does so will be constantly nourished by God, by God’s Holy Spirit, they will experience both His personal blessing, but also their whole person and life will always be getting renewed and refreshed, as they pass from one glory to the other, and whatever they set their hand to do God Himself will make it prosper, that is what is here promises to us, that our lives when lived in accord with the Word of the Lord will be like a highway, and not like a hedge of thorns (consider Pr. 15:19; 22:5). Now consider that Caleb in days of Moses was not only blessed by God with a long life, (while the rest of those who did not believe God perished in the wilderness), but even in his old age he was able by the Lord strengthening him, to fully vanquish the enemy, and thus he received his inheritance, because he wholly followed the Lord God. 

 Vs. 4-6 ⁴ The ungodly are not so,

But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Unlike those who live righteous and Godly lives, whose ways are always prospering, the ungodly are likened to the chaff (the seed husks and or stock) from wheat (or other grains) which when the wheat was tossed up in the air (winnowing) the wind would blow away, so as to separate the wheat from it. Thus, unlike those who live righteous lives before God, the ungodly have no permeance, no lasting value, but they and their ways are like chaff which is to be scattered to the ends of the earth (consider Isaiah 5:24; 17:13-14; 29:5-8; 41:14-16). Now this will play out in its fullness when the antichrist and his kingdom is forever vanquished by the Lord Jesus Christ (consider Daniel 2:31-45, vs. 35). Therefore, neither the ungodly, nor sinners; that is the unrepentant, the unbelieving; will stand in the judgment, nor will they find a place within the congregation of the righteous (Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 13:24-30). For when the Lord Jesus Christ Judges, He will separate His people, as Shepherd separates the lambs from the goats, or as the analogy here likens, the wheat being separated from the chaff, which shall all be according to His Everlasting Judgment (John 5:24-30). For then He will bring His wheat into His barn, but He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matt. 3:12; 13:24-30). Therefore, know this that though the way of the ungodly frequently prospers and abounds in this life, there will be no traces of it found in Jesus Christ’s Kingdom! 

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.