The book of Psalms was written mainly by King David, but also by other writers. The end of the composition work would be in the 5th century BCE.
The book of Psalms is a collection of sung poetry. The style is very figurative, which allows for better memorization of the poetic idea. For example, Psalm 1 compares a human who reads the Bible to a tree on the edge of a river that will never lack water: “He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, A tree that produces fruit in its season, The foliage of which does not wither. And everything he does will succeed” (Psalm 1:3). After this easy-to-memorize image, the psalmist makes a simple application of it: “everything he does will succeed”. During this meditative walk through these sung poems, there will be many illustrations that are easy to memorize, to then see their practical value in our lives.
Another way to memorize and understand an idea, is through synonymous parallelism. In this case, the same idea is repeated in a different way. For example, Psalm 1: “Happy is the man who does not walk according to the advice of the wicked And does not stand on the path of sinners And does not sit in the seat of scoffers” (Psalm 1:1). The simple idea is that the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked will be happy. The first expression “Happy is the man” is not repeated. However, the reason why he is happy is explained by a first idea, then it is clarified by two other parallel expressions that allow us to understand the first expression expressed in an abstract way. Thus, the attentive reader of the Psalms will understand that not walking in the counsel of the wicked means not having the same conduct as them, not following their way or path and not associating with them by sitting in a seat beside them.
There is the antithetic parallelism: “For evil men will be done away with, But those hoping in Jehovah will possess the earth” (Psalm 37:9). Thesis: “The evil men will be done away with”. Antithesis: “Those hoping in Jehovah will possess the earth”.
Synthetic parallelism consists of adding other ideas to the same repetition, in order to amplify it. For example, Psalm 19:
“The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring strength.
The reminder of Jehovah is trustworthy, making the inexperienced one wise.
The orders from Jehovah are righteous, causing the heart to rejoice;
The commandment of Jehovah is clean, making the eyes shine.
The fear of Jehovah is pure, lasting forever.
The judgments of Jehovah are true, altogether righteous” (Psalm 19:7–9).
The first expression “The law of Jehovah” is explained in five different ways: The reminder of Jehovah, The orders of Jehovah, The commandment of Jehovah, The fear of Jehovah, The judgments of Jehovah. Then it is written that the law of Jehovah is “perfect”, although easy to understand, this qualifier needs to be specified and this is what the psalmist did five times: trustworthy, righteous, clean, pure and true.
Returning to the first idea, the psalmist explains why the law of Jehovah is perfect: “restoring strength”. Although this expression is easy to understand, it remains very abstract and needs to be clarified and this is what the psalmist does: to restore strength means making the inexperienced one wise, causing the heart to rejoice, making the eyes shine, lasting forever (being unchanged). The synthesis is the fact of completing a first idea, by a second which explains it: “The law of Jehovah is perfect, (why?) restoring strength”. The synthetic parallelism, at the same time clarifies or explains an idea, by amplifying it by other qualifiers or other thoughts.
There are other variations to these three forms of parallelisms mentioned above:
The emblematic parallelism which is nothing more nor less than a metaphorical comparison: “As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset,
So far off from us he has put our transgressions” (Psalm 103:12).
The stairlike parallelism is a repetition of an expression, amplifying it with other qualifiers:
“Give Jehovah his due, you sons of mighty ones,
Give Jehovah his due for his glory and strength.
Give Jehovah the glory due his name.
Bow down to Jehovah in holy adornment” (Psalm 29:1,2).
The introverted parallelism:
1) “The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
2) The work of human hands.
3) A mouth they have, but they cannot speak;
4) Eyes, but they cannot see;
5) Ears they have, but they cannot hear.
6) There is no breath in their mouth.
7) The people who make them will become just like them,
8) As will all those who trust in them” (Psalms 135:15–18).
What is the introverted parallelism in Psalm 135?
Idea (1) corresponds to idea (8):
1) The idols of the nations are silver and gold. 8) As will all those who trust in them.
Idea (2) corresponds to idea (7):
2) The work of human hands. 7) The people who make them will become just like them.
Idea (3) corresponds to idea (6):
3) A mouth they have, but they cannot speak. 6) There is no breath in their mouth.
Idea (4) corresponds to idea (5):
4) Eyes, but they cannot see. 5) Ears they have, but they cannot hear.
A simplified form of the introverted parallelism is by the words:
“Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
Nor will Judah show hostility toward Ephraim” (Isaiah 11:13).
Added to the Psalms with parallelisms are the acrostic or alphabetic Psalms which allowed for good memorization (Psalms 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, 145).
The Psalms have prophetic content. Jesus Christ showed the prophetic dimension of the Psalms: “He then said to them: “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was yet with you, that all the things written about me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and Psalms must be fulfilled”” (Luke 24:44). On the road to Emmaus, Jesus Christ showed that in the Psalms there are messianic prophecies.
The Psalms enrich our prayers to Jehovah God, the Heavenly Father:
“May my prayer be as incense prepared before you,
My uplifted hands like the evening grain offering” (Psalm 141:2).
The Psalms allow us to see that the psalmists had feelings similar to ours: “Elijah was a man with feelings like ours, and yet when he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, it did not rain on the land for three years and six months” (James 5:17). While the prophet Elijah did not write the Psalms, the disciple James clearly explains that these writers or prophets of the past had the same feelings as we do. These feelings, common to humans, are expressed in the Psalms. For example, when reading Psalm 73, we see how Asaph was affected by the impunity of the wicked. Psalm 51 expresses very well the feelings of guilt when a human has committed a serious sin. This meditation on the book of Psalms will be very rich spiritually, its purpose is to encourage us to read or reread them to strengthen our faith.
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PSALMS 1 (Read on your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Commentary: Bible reading is much more important than commentary. If possible, we should strive to read the Bible every day and meditate on it. Bible reading is to nutrition, what meditation is to digestion. Of course, we should ask God for this understanding of His written thoughts (Matthew 11:25; James 1:5). Bible commentaries should be simple signposts as to the understanding of the text. It is up to each of us to accept or reject the indications. God created us with the capacity to think for ourselves and we are free to choose what seems true to us. And if this is truly the case, Jesus Christ said it would be seen: “All the same, wisdom is proved righteous by its works” (Matthew 11:19). And in doing so, as it is written in this Psalm, we will be like a tree near a stream, constantly irrigated which gives its fruit in its time, and this, whatever the trials of life that we may undergo.
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You are my son, today I have become your father (Psalms 2:7)
PSALMS 2 (Read on your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Commentary on Psalm 2: This is the first prophetic Psalm regarding Christ, being anointed as King. This anointing of Christ, by his Heavenly Father Jehovah God, took place by decree, at his baptism on earth. On this occasion, the Heavenly Father said this, concerning his Son: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved” (Matthew 3:17, compare with Psalm 2:7). However, it was much later that Christ the King, would inherit the governance of a Heavenly Kingdom. Moreover, Psalm 110 mentions that after Christ’s ascension to heaven, he sat at the right hand of the Heavenly Father in a waiting situation. Psalm 2 describes the moment when his Heavenly Father gives the governance of the Heavenly Kingdom, in the midst of his enemies both heavenly (Satan the devil and the demons) and earthly (all the current nations who do not desire this heavenly governance).
According to the prophecy of Daniel chapter 4, it would seem that Jesus Christ received this Kingdom in 1914, the moment when both Satan the devil and the demons were cast out of heaven, around the earth (Revelation 12:7–9). This is why, according to Psalm 2, the world as a whole has clearly shown that it will not submit to the King Jesus Christ, causing, under the governance of the devil, great misfortunes on earth, until our days (Revelation 12:12). According to Psalms 2:9, Jesus Christ, the warrior King will break the nations, at the Great Tribulation (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21; Revelation 14:18–20; 19:11–21).
PSALMS 3 (Read on your Bible or in a Bible Online)
As the title of this Psalm 3 indicates, David was in serious danger and he prayed for Jehovah, the Heavenly Father, to save him. Jesus Christ, in the prophecy of the last days (Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13 and Luke 21), said that his disciples and the worldwide people would live through very difficult times. Regarding these difficult situations that we are living through, Jesus Christ gave a simple recommendation concerning prayer: “Keep praying” (Matthew 24:20). Jesus Christ clearly said, in Matthew chapter 6:9,10, that prayers should be addressed to his Heavenly Father alone (as we read in Psalm 3) and not to Jesus Christ, nor to the virgin Mary or other saints.
PSALMS 4 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
The psalmist asks God to answer his prayer (verse 1). God gives him an answer with a rhetorical (thought-provoking) question (verse 2). Jehovah God, the Heavenly Father, will always know how to distinguish the righteous man (verse 3). Verse 4, shows that we can express, in our prayers, our feelings in a frank and sincere way, like Job (chapter 3) when he was in distress, as well as the prophet Habakkuk (1:2–4) and the psalmist Asaph (Psalm 73). Verses 5 to 8, express faith and confidence, that God will answer his expectations, we just have to be patient during the trials of life.
PSALMS 5 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
The Heavenly Father understands even feelings not expressed in words: “In like manner, the spirit also joins in with help for our weakness; for the problem is that we do not know what we should pray for as we need to, but the spirit itself pleads for us with unuttered groanings” (Romans 8:26).
PSALMS 6 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Throughout the Bible, death is described as the opposite of life and not as a passage to another life (Psalm 146:3,4). Jesus Christ described the death of his friend Lazarus as a sleep: “After he said these things, he added: “Lazʹa·rus our friend has fallen asleep, but I am traveling there to awaken him.” The disciples then said to him: “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get well.” Jesus, however, had spoken about his death. But they imagined he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly: “Lazʹa·rus has died”” (John 11:11–14). Nevertheless, the Bible as a whole and Jesus Christ in particular taught the hope of the resurrection: “Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28,29; read also the narrative of the resurrection of Lazarus in chapter 11).
PSALMS 7 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
The heart and the reins symbolize the secret personality of each human, whether good or bad. God will judge not only our actions, but especially our motives: “So, then, each of us will render an account for himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
Jesus Christ clearly showed that if a human has good motives in his actions, he is spiritually pure. For example, concerning his 11 apostles, he said to them: “Whoever has bathed does not need to have more than his feet washed, but is completely clean. And you men are clean, but not all of you.” For he knew the man who was betraying him. This is why he said: “Not all of you are clean” (John 13:10,11). The twelfth apostle, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Christ, was not spiritually clean. On another occasion, Jesus Christ taught that what makes a person spiritually unclean is his evil motives: “With that he called the crowd near and said to them: “Listen and get the sense of it: It is not what enters into a man’s mouth that defiles him, but it is what comes out of his mouth that defiles him’” (Matthew 15:10,11). Then he explained to his disciples privately what he had said to the crowd: “Then the disciples came and said to him: “Do you know that the Pharisees were stumbled at hearing what you said?” In reply he said: “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. Let them be. Blind guides is what they are. If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Peter responded: “Make the illustration plain to us.” At this he said: “Are you also still without understanding? Are you not aware that whatever enters into the mouth passes through the stomach and is discharged into the sewer? However, whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and those things defile a man. For example, out of the heart come wicked reasonings, murders, adulteries, sexual immorality, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man; but to take a meal with unwashed hands does not defile a man”” (Matthew 15:12–20).
PSALMS 8 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
“When the chief priests and the scribes saw the marvelous things he did and the boys who were shouting in the temple, “Save, we pray, the Son of David!” they became indignant 16 and said to him: “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them: “Yes. Did you never read this, ‘Out of the mouth of children and infants, you have brought forth praise’?”” (Matthew 21:15,16).
God and His Son want that as adults we have the same frame of mind as children when we give them glory, doing so with enthusiasm, modesty and humility: “In that hour the disciples came near to Jesus and said: “Who really is greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens?” So calling a young child to him, he stood him in their midst and said: “Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become as young children, you will by no means enter into the Kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this young child is the one who is the greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens; and whoever receives one such young child on the basis of my name receives me also. But whoever stumbles one of these little ones who have faith in me, it would be better for him to have hung around his neck a millstone that is turned by a donkey and to be sunk in the open sea” (Matthew 18:1–6).
PSALMS 9 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
The nations have sunk down into the pit they made, their own foot has been caught in the net they hid (Psalms 9:15)
There are other verses similar to the one in Psalm (9:15), showing that at end the wicked will reap the fruits of their evil ways. To see this, we must be patient. We must be waiting for God, be in God’s timing, a time that takes its time…
“He excavates a pit and digs it deep,
But he falls into the very hole he made” (Psalms 7:15).
“May disaster come upon him by surprise;
May the net that he hid catch him;
May he fall into it and be destroyed” (Psalms 35:8).
PSALMS 10 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
For the wicked one boasts about his selfish desires and blesses the greedy one (Psalms 10:3)
This Psalm explains how the wicked oppress the afflicted people. He thinks that God does not exist:
“In his haughtiness, the wicked man makes no investigation;
All his thoughts are: “There is no God”” (Psalms 10:4).
The wicked man feels strong and thinks that he and his offspring will be able to act for a very long time:
“He says in his heart: “I will never be shaken;
For generation after generation
I will never see calamity”’” (Psalms 10:6).
The wicked think that if there is a God, he does not see his actions:
“He says in his heart: “God has forgotten.
He has turned away his face.
He never notices”” (Psalms 10:11).
The psalmist implores God to act, so that the wicked will understand that he will be held accountable for his wicked actions:
“Rise up, O Jehovah. O God, lift up your hand.
Do not forget the helpless ones.
Why has the wicked one disrespected God?
He says in his heart: “You will not hold me accountable”” (Psalms 10:12,13).
The conclusion of this psalm shows the psalmist’s confidence that God will deliver the afflicted from the clutches of the wicked:
“But you will hear the request of the meek, O Jehovah.
You will make their hearts firm and pay close attention to them.
You will render justice to the fatherless and to those who are crushed,
So that mortal man of the earth may no longer make them afraid” (Psalms 10:17, 18).
We must be patient as we wait for that time when God will call the wicked to account.
PSALMS 11 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
God has set a time when he will settle accounts with all humanity, especially with those who act wickedly. As it is written in this Psalm, God will make humans who behave wickedly disappear. This will happen at the time of the great tribulation mentioned by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:21 (Read Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13 and Luke 21).
The apostle Peter illustrated it well in one of his two letters: “First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4 and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.”
5 For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; 6 and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water. 7 But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people.
8 However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. 9 Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. 10 But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed.
11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, 12 as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt in the intense heat! 13 But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell” (2 Peter 3:3–13).
According to the context of this letter, the “new heavens” represent the kingdom of God, a heavenly government (Matthew 6:9 “thy kingdom come”) and the “new earth,” a righteous humanity before God and the King Jesus Christ (Apocalypse 21:1–4).
PSALMS 12 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
They speak lies to one another, they flatter with their lips and speak with deceitful hearts (Psalms 12:2)
It is important to understand the point of view of God, on theft and lying. When Adam and Eve sinned by the impulse of the temptation of the devil, there was the lie of the devil and the theft of the fruit belonging to God, by Adam and Eve (Genesis chapter 3). Regarding this biblical narrative, Jesus Christ associated the lie of the devil with homicide: “you are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie” (John 8:44). Through this lie of the devil, sin entered the world through the disobedience of the first man, Adam. The result was that death, spiritually and genetically, extended to all of his offspring (Romans 5:12; 6:23). To this situation which seemed hopeless for the whole of mankind, it was necessary for Jehovah God, the Father, to consent to the death in sacrifice of his beloved Son, Jesus Christ (Yehoshuah Mashiah), to save the humanity (John 3:16,36).
From this perspective, we understand better, the words of Jesus Christ when he connects the lie to homicide or murder. In the case of the devil, but also for the earthly son of Satan, who constantly sought to kill him (John 5:18; 7:1). Sometimes people say there are “little” and “big” lies. The problem is, that the “necessity” and the scale of the seriousness of the lies, are often set by the liars themselves. However, to get back to the important idea, it is necessary to know the point of view of God on this issue through the biblical accounts. A simple statement from Christ shows that humanly establishing such a scale of gravity is a mistake: “The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much” (Luke 16:10). This can be illustrated by the example of Ananias and Sapphira, his wife, who sold their property to give the money to the Christian congregation in the days of the apostles. However, the record informs us that they withheld some money from the sale for themselves, while leading the apostles to believe that they had given all of it. The result is that God put them to death for telling such a lie (Acts 5:1–11). The biblical observation is simple: lying can have disastrous consequences not only for the victims, but also for the liars themselves.
PSALMS 13 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
How long, O Jehovah, will you forget me? Forever? How long will you hide your face from me? (Psalms 13:1)
Why has God allowed suffering and wickedness?
God has allowed the suffering in order to respond to the challenge of Satan the devil based the legitimacy of the Sovereignty of God (Genesis 3:1–6). God has allowed the suffering in order to respond to the accusation of the devil against the integrity of human beings (Job 1: 7–12; 2: 1–6). Satan the devil is responsible for the suffering (1 John 5:19). God doesn’t cause the suffering. He only allows this suffering for a determined time (Santiago 1:13; Revelation 21:3,4). The suffering is the result of four major factors: Satan the devil can be directly responsible of suffering (but not always) (Job 1: 7–12; 2: 1–6). The suffering is the result of our general condition of sinner inherited from Adam, thus resulting in old age, disease and death (Romans 6: 23; 5: 12). The suffering can be the result of bad human decisions, in connection with our inherited sinful condition inherited from Adam (Deuteronomy 32:5; Romans 7:19). The suffering may be the result of “time and the unexpected event”, which makes that the person is at the same time, in the wrong place at the wrong time (Ecclesiastes 9:11). The Fate is not a biblical teaching, there is not a fatalistic force which would control our “free will” to do good or to do evil. On the basis of free will, as a gift of God, we decide to make “good” or “bad” by choice (Deuteronomy 30:15).
PSALMS 14 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Their actions are corrupt, and their dealings are detestable, no one is doing good (Psalms 14:1)
According to the context of Psalm 14, it is those who do not believe in God, who are acting in this way. Currently, many display their atheism and their contempt for divine standards based on benevolent principles. Hence the description in verse 4, showing that they do not hesitate to oppress people.
The apostle Paul also described the evil behavior that comes from unbelief: “For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable. For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their senseless hearts became darkened. Although claiming they were wise, they became foolish and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and birds and four-footed creatures and reptiles” (Romans 1:20–23).
Of course, not all who do not believe in God act this way. Likewise, those who say they believe in God can sometimes behave worse than unbelievers by killing in the name of religion and by being hypocrites (Read Matthew 15:1–20).
PSALMS 15 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Who may reside in your holy mountain? (Psalms 15:1)
This Psalm 15 is very beautiful and contrasts with Psalms 10 and 14, which describe spiritually fallen humans, not respecting God’s principles.
The two questions at the beginning are synonymous, they mean the same thing, while being expressed differently. The tent of God in question is the tabernacle where the priests rendered sacred service to God. This tent of God is symbolically mentioned in the book of Apocalypse: “With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them” (Apocalypse 21:3). This sacred tent, the Tabernacle was replaced by the Temple built by King Solomon, on the Holy Mountain, mentioned in Psalm 15, Mount Zion.
Those who in the future will “reside” in this sacred place, are humans, redeemed from the earth to live with Christ, they are described as being with Christ, on the Heavenly Mount Zion in the book of Revelation: “Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads” (Apocalypse 14:1).
There will also be humans on earth who will serve God in sacred service, the members of the Great Crowd who will have passed through the Great Tribulation, mentioned in the book of Apocalypse: “After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. And they keep shouting with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb”” (Apocalypse 7:9–17).
The continuation of Psalm 15 shows that God will choose humans, men and women, according to the mentioned criteria of integrity, simple but essential. For this, He knows how to read hearts: “You, O Jehovah, who know the hearts of all” (Acts 1:24).
PSALMS 16 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
For you will not leave me in the Grave (Psalms 16:10)
Verse 10, “For you will not leave me in the Grave. You will not allow your loyal one to see the pit”, prophetically alludes to the resurrection of Christ.
Indeed, the apostle Peter, in his talk after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, used this text from the Psalms to explain that the resurrection of Christ had been prophesied in the Psalms:
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ was a man publicly shown to you by God through powerful works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know. 23 This man, who was handed over by the determined will and foreknowledge of God, you fastened to a stake by the hand of lawless men, and you did away with him. 24 But God resurrected him by releasing him from the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held fast by it. 25 For David says about him: ‘I keep Jehovah constantly in front of me, for he is at my right hand that I may never be shaken. 26 On this account my heart became cheerful and my tongue rejoiced greatly. And I will reside in hope; 27 because you will not leave me in the Grave, nor will you allow your loyal one to see corruption. 28 You have made life’s ways known to me; you will fill me with great joy in your presence.’
29 “Men, brothers, it is permissible to speak with freeness of speech to you about the family head David, that he died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of his offspring on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he forsaken in the Grave nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 God resurrected this Jesus, and of this we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore, because he was exalted to the right hand of God and received the promised holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’ 36 Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you executed on a stake” (Acts 2:22–36).
The resurrection of Christ is the guarantee of the future resurrection of the dead (John 5:28,29).
PSALMS 17 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
What lesson to draw from the model prayer?
Is it appropriate to repeat this prayer by rote, without thinking about it? On the basis of the declarations of Jesus Christ, it is obvious that no. We can read again what he said about not mechanically repeating, without thinking, always the same things, in our prayers: “When praying, do not say the same things over and over again as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words” (Matthew 6:7).
We must pray to God with love and affection, as when a son and a daughter speak to their father whom they love deeply and sincerely. We must be concerned for His Name, to be sanctified, which includes the desire to defend the reputation connected with the divine Name. We must express to God our sincere desire that his righteous purpose be fulfilled on earth (Matthew 6:9,10). Jesus Christ makes it clear that our prayers, in general, should be an act of worship directed towards God, expressing to Him praises and deep gratitude for the many expressions of love that He manifests to us. The book of Psalms gives many examples of praises we can direct to Jehovah God, such as a pleasant spiritual incense for Him: “May my prayer be as incense prepared before you, My uplifted hands like the evening grain offering” (Psalm 141:2). Jehovah God is very sensitive to the fact that we love Him and that we make him know by our praises and our good conduct: “(God) showing loyal love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:6). Through our prayers and good behavior, let us respond to His Love, BY loving God in return. Psalm 145, is very rich in praise directed to God: “I will exalt you, O my God the King, I will praise your name forever and ever” (Psalms 145:1).
Then we can pray to God, referring more specifically to our personal needs, such as to ask God to help us spiritually and materially. We can share with God our most intimate feelings that concern us, or express to Him our joy in thanksgivings (The biblical book of Psalms is a precious poetic collection of feelings expressed to God). Jesus Christ, in the last part of the prayer, encourages us to ask God to help us to fight against our weaknesses, that the devil is exploiting to tempt us and thus undermine our integrity (Matthew 6: 11–13 Romans 7: 21–25).
PSALMS 18 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
With the pure you show yourself pure, but with the crooked you show yourself shrewd (Psalm 18:26)
God will always manage to catch the wicked in his own game. Making the perverse people fall into the trap they have dug…
The reign of King David was the prophetic image of the reign of King Jesus Christ. This psalm prophetically alludes to the victorious kingship of Christ, who will be victorious over his enemies, both in the spiritual and earthly spheres (read especially verses 31 to 50).
In the book of Apocalypse, King Jesus Christ is described as a warrior who completes his victory over his enemies:
“And I saw, and look! a white horse, and the one seated on it had a bow; and a crown was given him, and he went out conquering and to complete his conquest” (Apocalypse 6:2).
PSALMS 19 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
There is no speech, and there are no words, their voice is not heard (Psalms 19:3)
This psalm shows that the divine qualities are seen in creation which silently proclaims it because “there is no speech” (oxymoron). The glory of God’s creation is revealed by the sun all day long in this tent, the sky, pitched by God and which walks as “a bridegroom emerging from the bridal chamber”. The divinity of creation is the testimony of God’s existence: “For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable” (Romans 1:20).
The continuation of Psalm 19, explains how “The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring strength”. The application of divine principles in our lives brings immediate and long-term benefits.
PSALMS 20 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
May he grant you the desires of your heart and give success to all your plans (Psalms 20:4)
This psalm allows us to better understand the reason why Jesus Christ recommends us to pray. Prayer is the main way to be in direct contact with his Heavenly Father, and thus obtain his protection from him (Matthew 6:5–14).
This psalm shows that God is sensitive to the prayers of humans who offer him a whole sacrifice, with all their heart, “May he remember all your gift offerings; May he accept with favor your burnt offering”, because the love they show him costs them and is precious in his eyes and those of his Son Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ showed that we must persevere in prayer and in our petitions to God:
“Then he went on to tell them an illustration about the need for them always to pray and not to give up, 2 saying: “In a certain city there was a judge who had no fear of God and no respect for man. 3 There was also a widow in that city who kept going to him and saying, ‘See that I get justice from my legal opponent.’ 4 Well, for a while he was unwilling, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Although I do not fear God or respect any man, 5 because this widow keeps making me trouble, I will see that she gets justice so that she will not keep coming and wearing me out with her demand.’” 6 Then the Lord said: “Hear what the judge, although unrighteous, said! 7 Certainly, then, will not God cause justice to be done for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, while he is patient toward them? 8 I tell you, he will cause justice to be done to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man arrives, will he really find this faith on the earth?”” (Luke 18:1–8).
PSALMS 21 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
You will make them like a fiery furnace at the appointed time when you give them attention (Psalms 21:9)
This psalm prophetically alludes to the Kingship of Christ, represented by that of King David. When the millennial reign of Christ will be established on earth, it will be done with violence and noise because the nations do not want and will not want to grant him authority (Psalms 2; Apocalypse chapter 20). Consequently, they will have to make war on those who oppose his Kingship, during the great tribulation: “Your arrows are sharp, making peoples fall before you; They pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies” (Psalms 45:5; Daniel 12:1; Apocalypse chapter 19).
PSALMS 22 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalms 22:1)
This psalm prophetically evokes the circumstances surrounding Christ’s death:
Psalm 22:1: “From the sixth hour on, a darkness fell over all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour, Jesus called out with a loud voice, saying: “Eʹli, Eʹli, laʹma sa·bach·thaʹni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”’” (Matthew 27:45,46).
Psalm 22:7: “And those passing by spoke abusively of him, shaking their heads” (Matthew 27:39).
Psalms 22:8: “He has put his trust in God; let Him now rescue him if He wants him, for he said, ‘I am God’s Son” (Matthew 27:43).
Psalms 22:14: “But he was in such agony that he kept praying more earnestly; and his sweat became as drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44).
Psalms 22:16: “When they had nailed him to the stake, they distributed his outer garments by casting lots” (Matthew 27:35).
Psalms 22:18: “And they nailed him to the stake and distributed his outer garments by casting lots over them to decide who would take what” (Mark 15:24).
PSALMS 23 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Though I walk in the valley of deep shadow, I fear no harm, For you are with me (Psalms 23:4)
This is the psalm of trust in God the Heavenly Father. As the Great Shepherd, He will always be there to help us in the different stages of our life, provided we trust Him: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5,6).
He will be there especially in the moments of our life when we will have the impression of “walking in the valley of deep shadow”, because of more or less serious problems that worry us. In this case, we must do like the psalmist, having trust in God and in his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ the Son whom He appointed as the Excellent Shepherd (John chapter 10:1–16). He is the one who will guide humanity to the future earthly paradise (Apocalypse 7:9–17).
PSALMS 24 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Who is this glorious King? (Psalms 24:8)
This glorious King is Jehovah (YeHoWah (Masoretic pointing)). As it is written in the rest of this Psalms, “Jehovah, strong and mighty, Jehovah, mighty in battle”. He is an Almighty God who does not hesitate to wage war against those who challenge His Kingship. For example, concerning the original serpent, Satan the devil, who positioned himself as a rival in Eden, God decreed his destruction. (Genesis 3:15) Concerning the nations (as governments) that refuse to submit to His Son, they will be broken with His iron rod, “You will break them with an iron scepter, And you will smash them like a piece of pottery” (Psalm 2:9).
Why must we accept the Kingship of the Almighty God? Psalm 24 answers: “To Jehovah belong the earth and everything in it, The productive land and those dwelling on it. For he has solidly fixed it on the seas And firmly established it on the rivers” (Psalm 24:1,2). We owe Him our life, He is the source of life, and He is the One who keeps us alive…
PSALMS 25 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
May integrity and uprightness safeguard me, For my hope is in you (Psalms 25:21)
In the part of the Hebrew text of the Bible, the Old Testament, the word which would come closest to the Greek word for “maturity” or perfection, is the word “integrity”, translated from the Hebrew “tummâh” (Strong’s Concordance (H8538)), which also means “innocence” in the sense, there is not guiltiness. This Hebrew word comes from another root “tôm” (Strong’s Concordance (H8537)), which can mean: complete, integrity, perfect, perfection, right, righteousness: “Until I expire I shall not take away my integrity from myself!” (Job 27:5). Thus, following the example of the faithful servant of God, Job, a human, man or woman, can reach completeness, perfection, integrity, in the eyes of God and of Christ, and this, despite our genetically and spiritually sinful state, inherited from Adam (Romans 5:12).
A way to maintain a state of integrity before God and his Son Jesus Christ, is to know what God’s will is for us:
“Make me know your ways, O Jehovah; Teach me your paths. Cause me to walk in your truth and teach me, For you are my God of salvation” (Psalms 25:4,5).
We can know God’s will by reading and meditating on the biblical texts that we read.
It is appropriate to be aware of our sinful state and ask forgiveness for our sins and strive to improve our behavior both towards God and his Son Jesus Christ, and towards our neighbor:
“Do not remember the sins of my youth and my transgressions. Remember me according to your loyal love, For the sake of your goodness, O Jehovah” (Psalms 25:7).
Jesus Christ said well that the most important thing is to do the will of his Heavenly Father: “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will” (Matthew 7:21).
PSALMS 26 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Examine me, O Jehovah, and put me to the test, refine my kidneys and my heart (Psalms 26:2)
The symbolic kidneys and heart represent the inner part of people, the personality of the human being, the thoughts that germinate in his heart, and his deepest intentions rooted in the kidneys. God can make these hidden elements, the thoughts and intentions, come out in a visible way by means the actions of people.
The painful situations of life are not caused by God, but they are allowed. Through these unfavorable events, man can reveal the best in himself and thus, his good intentions will be visible to God and humans. Of course, the opposite is true; the trials of life can reveal the worst in man.
Currently, in the difficult time that mankind is experiencing, the works and intentions of people are being revealed to both God and His Son Jesus Christ. The symbolic hearts and kidneys of humans are being examined by God. A prophecy of Apocalypse (Revelation) is being fulfilled: “He also tells me: “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, for the appointed time is near. Let the one who is unrighteous continue in unrighteousness, and let the filthy one continue in his filth; but let the righteous one continue in righteousness, and let the holy one continue in holiness”” (Apocalypse 22:10,11).
PSALMS 27 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Even if my own father and mother abandon me, Jehovah himself will take me in (Psalms 27:10)
Verse 10 of Psalm 27 is often understood in the hypothesis of the voluntary abandonment of the parents. However, this is not necessarily the case, because there is necessarily, at a moment in life, the departure of our parents to the abode of the dead. At the time of their death, parents leave their children. In this difficult situation, of the absence of loved ones who have passed away, God the Heavenly Father tells us that He will be with us to comfort us in different ways:
“Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6,7).
Furthermore, God and His Son Jesus Christ inform us of the hope of the resurrection: “I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous” (Acts 24:15).
PSALMS 28 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Those who are speaking words of peace with their fellow man while evil is in their hearts (Psalms 28:3)
We are living in a time when people and especially some leaders, use deception and practice accusatory inversion. In Isaiah 5:20 it is written: “Woe to those who say that good is bad and bad is good, Those who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, Those who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”. This text describes very accurately the perverse and demonic inversions of values of these engineers of lies and murderous manipulation (John 8:44).
In the global health crisis they lied to the people. These shepherds who feed themselves, have forbidden doctors to treat elderly people with inexpensive molecules (read Ezekiel chapter 34). These shepherds who are feeding themselves, have forbidden doctors to treat the elderly with inexpensive molecules. Then these same shepherds who are feeding themselves, ask the children to risk their own health, until their life, for these same old people whom they put in danger of death by forbidding the doctors to treat them. These same shepherds who are feeding themselves, ask children to risk their own health, until their lives, for adults when it should be the opposite, namely that it is adults who should be willing to risk their lives for children, representing the future of humanity…
Psalm 28 shows that we must ask God for help through prayer so that He delivers us from these difficult situations. If we persevere in prayer, making the right decisions for ourselves and our family, God will deliver us through His Son Jesus Christ:
“Pay them back for their deeds,
According to their evil practices.
Repay them for the work of their hands,
According to what they have done.
For they pay no attention to the activities of Jehovah,
Nor to the work of his hands.
He will tear them down and not build them up.
May Jehovah be praised,
For he has heard my pleas for help” (Psalm 28:4–6).
PSALMS 29 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
The glorious God thunders (Psalms 29:3)
In the book of Proverbs it is written: “The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). Psalm 29 shows the different reasons that should teach us the fear of God. The manifestations of Divine Power in creation, show His glory, that is, His Authority. The power of water, fire, wind and the sound of thunder being preceded by lightning, demonstrate a tiny part of His omnipotence. We must fear God reverently, with deep respect for His Name and Person.
PSALMS 30 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Weeping may come in the evening, but in the morning, there is a joyful cry (Psalms 30:5)
God allows us to have trials. They can be more or less serious. Sometimes, some have the impression of being at the gates of the abode of the dead, living in countries in a situation of war, insurrection and famine: “O Jehovah, you have lifted me up from the Grave. You kept me alive; you spared me from sinking into the pit” (Psalms 30:3).
Others, rightly or wrongly, have the impression that God has hidden his face from them, that is to say that they would be in a situation of disapproval before Him: “But when you hid your face, I became terrified” (Psalms 30:7).
Nevertheless, Jehovah God is never far from those who have sincere faith in Him. He uses trials to make us better men and women, with empathy, compassion, helping and loving our neighbor. In doing so, we will benefit from his loving kindness in a lasting way: “Because being under his anger is only for a moment, But being in his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may come in the evening, but in the morning, there is a joyful cry” — Psalm 30:5.
PSALMS 31 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
For you are my crag and my stronghold, for the sake of your name, you will lead me and guide me (Psalms 31:3)
Why does the psalmist use the expression of “for the sake of your name”? The Hebrew word “shem” (שֵׁם), translated by “name”: “a primitive word [perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064]; an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: — base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report” (Strong’s Corcondance (H8034)).
For example, when Moses asked God, “What is his name?” he knew his Name as such, YHWH (YeHoWaH), but his question was based on the “renown” or “fame” of the Divine Name (Exodus 3:13). Given Jehovah’s response (from the biblical context), and the definition of “shem” (name), we understand that this is the name with its memorial of past actions that was to constitute his reputation:
“So God said to Moses: “I Will Become What I Choose to Become.” And he added: “This is what you are to say to the Israelites, ‘I Will Become has sent me to you.’” Then God said once more to Moses: “This is what you are to say to the Israelites, ‘Jehovah the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered from generation to generation” (Exodus 3:14,15).
The last part of Jehovah’s answer makes it possible to understand the implication of the question of Moses: “I am to be remembered from generation to generation”. The question “what is your name?” Should be understood in the following manner, “What is your “name”, the “memorial” of its past actions connected to your name”. And his answer, “I Will Become What I Choose to Become” is to be put in perspective to the idea that the Israelites and probably Moses, had regarding the name of the gods: To each god his name, connected with his miraculous power. The “I Will Become What I Choose to Become”, also implies, that Moses wanted to know what to say about the miraculous power attached to Jehovah’s Name.
Thus, when Jehovah God speaks of his Name as a “Memorial”, it means that the question of Moses concerning the Name was: What will I say to the Israelites concerning the power of your Name and the extraordinary actions attached to this Name (As Memorial of past actions)? The question of Moses, regarding the Divine Name is inscribed on the capacity of action of the True God, who resides in the power of his Name. Nevertheless, Jehovah’s response is very subtle: In Egypt, every god had a name attached to a very precise miraculous power of action. Thus, in his answer, “I Will Become What I Choose to Become”, Jehovah does not want human intelligence to lock his Name only in one miraculous ability. In the account of Exodus 4:1–9, it is written that Jehovah did four miracles, showing his capacity for creation by turning the staff of Moses into a serpent, and making it become a staff. Also, by making the hand of Moses to have leprosy (destruction) and after, healing it (recreation). Through these two series of two miracles, Jehovah God illustrated his all mightiness, and therefore only his extraordinary actions would reveal the memorial of his name. “I Will Become What I Choose to Become”, it is the action undertaken by God that would give the spiritual meaning to his Name, of Who “He is”.
Thus the expression “for the sake of your name” alludes to the fact that God always acts according to the glory of his Name, his authority and his renown. In the prayer of the Our Father, Jesus Christ clearly showed the importance of the spiritual meaning of the Divine Name: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified” (Matthew 6:9)… To sanctify the Divine Name is to reveal its glory and authority and Jesus was the depositary of this Name as authority: “I used to watch over them on account of your own name, which you have given me (…) I have made your name known to them and will make it known” (John 17:11,12,26).
PSALMS 32 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Happy is the one whose transgression is pardoned, whose sin is covered (Psalms 32:1)
In the Model Prayer, Jesus Christ showed that we must ask the Heavenly Father for forgiveness for the sins we commit every day: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).
Psalm 32 shows that God’s forgiveness is a blessing that allows us to have peace of mind. God forgives the sins of those who have an upright heart: “Happy is the man whom Jehovah does not charge with guilt, In whose spirit there is no deceit” (verse 2). Failure to confess serious sins to God will work on the conscience to the point of removing the inner peace: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away because of my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me. My strength evaporated like water in the dry summer heat” (verses 3 and 4). Confession of sins to God has a liberating effect: “Finally I confessed my sin to you; I did not cover my error. I said: “I will confess my transgressions to Jehovah.” And you pardoned the error of my sins” (verse 5).
Sometimes the sins committed are extremely serious and have a disastrous effect on oneself and others. Many men and women have made irreversible mistakes, such as killing many humans (in the context of conflict) or taking part in abortions, sometimes even late. Many of them think that it is impossible that God would forgive them. Add to this a deep feeling of remorse and indignity. Regarding Jehovah’s immense mercy, this is what it says: “”Come, now, and let us set matters straight between us,” says Jehovah. “Though your sins are like scarlet, They will be made as white as snow; Though they are as red as crimson cloth, They will become like wool”” (Isaiah 1:18). This verse is especially addressed to those men and women who sincerely repent before God, asking for forgiveness: God forgives sincere repentance on the basis of the precious blood of Jesus Christ: “My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one. And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s” (1 John 2:1,2). Moreover, Jehovah God will resurrect the millions of dead who were victims of the many genocides (John 5:28,29). What is irreversible for man, is not for God (Matthew 19:26 “to God all things are possible”).
It is possible that even if the mercy of God applies to sincere repentance, a feeling of remorse and indignity will continue to harass them. However, they must know that God is greater than hearts: “By this we will know that we originate with the truth, and we will assure our hearts before him regarding whatever our hearts may condemn us in, because God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. Beloved ones, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have freeness of speech toward God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we are observing his commandments and doing what is pleasing in his eyes” (1 John 3:19–22).
PSALMS 33 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
For he spoke, and it came to be, He commanded, and it stood firm (Psalms 33:9)
Psalm 33 glorifies the Word of God. It is often said that the past no longer exists and the future does not exist, while only the present exists. However, if this simple observation is true, the Word of God has the capacity to precede tangible reality, that is, to make the future exist through the certainty of the fulfillment of promises.
For example, in the past, the Word preceded the reality of creation:
“By the word of Jehovah the heavens were made,
And by the spirit of his mouth everything in them” (verses 6 and 7).
The Word of God makes tangible by the certainty of its fulfillment, in a future that normally, by definition does not exist, the announced event:
“For he spoke, and it came to be, He commanded, and it stood firm” (verse 9).
The action of the Word of God is always right and faithful:
“For the word of Jehovah is upright,
And everything he does is trustworthy” (verse 4).
It is a faith in the Word of God and in this future reality that is not seen: “By faith we perceive that the systems of things were put in order by God’s word, so that what is seen has come into existence from things that are not visible” (Hebrews 11:3).
We must have absolute confidence in God’s Word, and give glory to Him: “When those of the nations heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of Jehovah, and all those who were rightly disposed for everlasting life became believers” (Acts 13:48).
PSALMS 34 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
The angel of Jehovah camps all around those fearing Him, and he rescues them (Psalms 34:7)
There is a Messianic prophecy that was fulfilled at the death of Christ:
“He is guarding all his bones; Not one of them has been broken” (Psalm 34:20).
The apostle John recorded how this was fulfilled: “Since it was the day of Preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the torture stakes on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath day was a great one), the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and those of the other man who was on a stake alongside him. 33 But on coming to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers jabbed his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And the one who has seen it has given this witness, and his witness is true, and he knows that what he says is true, so that you also may believe. 36 In fact, these things took place for the scripture to be fulfilled: “Not a bone of his will be broken”” (John 19:31–36).
The angel of Jehovah camps all around those fearing Him, and he rescues them (Psalms 34:7). The whole theme of Psalm 34 is that Jehovah God delivers those who take refuge in Him. Verse 7 does not necessarily mean that every serve of God would have a guardian angel, preserving them from misfortunes because in that case they would not have any serious trials in their lives. This text shows that in one way or another the angel of God will deliver God’s servants from their trials. This of course raises the important question of whether or not God would protect humans in general (For a more detailed examination of the existence of evil on earth, please click on the following link: Why? : http://www.yomelyah.com/435935499).
PSALMS 35 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Fight against those who fight against me (Psalms 35:1)
In Psalm 35, God is described as a warrior God. Likewise, His Son Jesus Christ, in the book of Apocalypse, is described as a warrior King who will fight with his angels, against the enemies of the people and especially the people of God. The book of Apocalypse describes the demise of the wicked enemies of mankind in its conclusion: “Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to repay each one according to his work. I am the Alʹpha and the O·meʹga, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Happy are those who wash their robes, so that they may have authority to go to the trees of life and that they may gain entrance into the city through its gates. Outside are the dogs and those who practice spiritism and those who are sexually immoral and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices lying” (Apocalypse 22:12–15).
The bull’s face corresponds to the face of a cherub. In Ezekiel (1:10), these four creatures with four faces, are designated by that of a man, a lion, a bull and an eagle. While in Ezekiel 10:14, the face of the bull is designated by that of a cherub. What is the function of a cherub? The first mention of the cherubim is in Genesis (Bible): “So he drove the man out, and he posted at the east of the garden of Eʹden the cherubs and the flaming blade of a sword that was turning continuously to guard the way to the tree of life’ (Genesis 3:24). We understand that cherubim are powerful guardians with a symbolic sword. If the lion is the representation of Jehovah’s sovereignty by the glory and authority of kingship, the bull is an expression of Jehovah’s sovereignty by his almighty. Jehovah God, if necessary, imposes his sovereignty by war, the sword of the cherub, or the terrible power the symbolic horns of the bull. The horns are the symbols of the powerful sovereignty of Jehovah. The facts that two cherubim were on the ark of the covenant show that the cherubim are the guardians of Jehovah’s holiness, through battle or war (if any) (Exodus 25: 17–22). The fact that the Jehovah’s altar, from which the animals were sacrificed, had four horns, one for each angle, demonstrates that the bull’s horns also symbolize the maintenance of the holiness of Jehovah’s creatures by force or war (where applicable) (Leviticus 4: 7,18). It is therefore logical to think that the bull, in the context of sacrifices, whether atonement sacrifice or burnt offerings, is the representation of the righteous and pure human being (Exodus 29:11).
PSALMS 36 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
With you is the source of life, by your light we can see light (Psalms 36:9)
Jehovah God, the Heavenly Father, is the source of life. He and his Son Jesus Christ are the source of the light of our hope of everlasting life. His Son Jesus Christ is the one who will allow us to obtain eternal life, thanks to his sacrifice: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life. (…) The one who exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; the one who disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him. (…) This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (John 3:16,36; 17:3).
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the guarantee of the future resurrection of the dead, whether in heaven or on earth. It is precisely the apostle Paul who wrote it in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, dedicated especially to this theme of the resurrection. While some people in the congregation said there would be no resurrection, here is what the apostle Paul wrote in response:
“Now if Christ is being preached that he has been raised up from the dead, how is it some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If, indeed, there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised up. But if Christ has not been raised up, our preaching is certainly in vain, and our faith is in vain. Moreover, we are also found false witnesses of God, because we have borne witness against God that he raised up the Christ, but whom he did not raise up if the dead are really not to be raised up. For if the dead are not to be raised up, neither has Christ been raised up. Further, if Christ has not been raised up, your faith is useless; you are yet in your sins. In fact, also, those who fell asleep [in death] in union with Christ perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:12–19; the reader who wishes, may read the whole of chapter 15, about the different kinds of resurrections).
PSALMS 37 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
He will make your righteousness shine like daybreak, and your justice like the midday sun (Psalms 37:6)
This is a very comforting Psalm, showing that God will make our way succeed if we trust in Him: “Commit your way to Jehovah; Rely on him, and he will act in your behalf” (Psalms 37:5). It shows an aspect that is little mentioned in Christian churches, the hope of eternal life on a earthly paradise, a restored paradise: “Those hoping in Jehovah will possess the earth. (…) The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it” (Psalms 37:9,29). Jesus Christ spoke of this earthly hope of everlasting life on earth: “Happy are the mild-tempered, since they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Thus, a large part of the resurrected ones will come back to life on a paradise on earth (John 5:28,29). Another important point mentioned in this Psalm is the definitive disappearance of the wicked ones, especially during the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21,22): “Do not be upset because of evil men Or envious of wrongdoers. They will quickly wither like grass And shrivel like green new grass” (Psalms 37:1,2).
PSALMS 38 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
There is no peace within my bones because of my sin (Psalms 38:3)
This Psalm poetically illustrates the psychological and physical effects of a guilty conscience:
“My whole body is sick because of your indignation.
There is no peace within my bones because of my sin.
4 For my errors loom over my head;
Like a heavy burden, they are too much for me to bear.
5 My wounds stink and fester
Because of my foolishness.
6 I am distressed and extremely downcast;
I walk around sad all day long.
7 There is a burning within me;
My whole body is sick.
8 I have grown numb and become completely crushed;
My anguished heart makes me groan aloud” (Psalm 38:3–8).
The psalmist’s concern was to regain a right relationship with God:
“Do not abandon me, O Jehovah.
O God, do not remain far away from me” (Psalms 38:21).
These are the effects of the conscience that legislates, that judges us and either approves of us or condemns us and takes away our peace of mind: “For when people of the nations, who do not have law, do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves. They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them, and by their own thoughts they are being accused or even excused. This will take place in the day when God through Christ Jesus judges the secret things of mankind, according to the good news I declare” (Romans 2:14–16). Psalm 38 and this biblical text show that the conscience is linked to our relationship with God and his Son Jesus Christ, because they are the ones who will judge us: “So, then, each of us will render an account for himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
PSALMS 39 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle (Psalms 39:1)
This Psalm shows the importance of controlling the tongue, especially when dealing with “ad hominem”, attacks against our person. We must remain silent even when we are experiencing intense emotional pain:
“I said: “I will guard my step
To avoid sinning with my tongue.
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle
As long as anyone wicked is in my presence.”
I was speechless and silent;
I kept quiet even about what is good,
But my pain was intense.
My heart smoldered inside me.
As I pondered, the fire kept burning” (Psalms 39:1–3).
We must exercise faith that in due time, God will act on our behalf. We just have to be patient and wait for His action in our favor:
“What, then, can I hope for, O Jehovah?
You are my only hope” (Psalms 39:7).
Jesus Christ and John the Baptist were the object of ad hominem attacks, to their person, to their reputation. He showed that by exercising patience, truth and wisdom always triumph over lies:
“With whom will I compare this generation? It is like young children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to their playmates, saying: ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we wailed, but you did not beat yourselves in grief.’ Likewise, John came neither eating nor drinking, but people say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of man did come eating and drinking, but people say, ‘Look! A man who is a glutton and is given to drinking wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ All the same, wisdom is proved righteous by its works” (Matthew 11:16–19).
Today, the memory of the good deeds of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist are written in the history of humanity, while their slanderers have disappeared like a “mere breath”:
“Surely every man, though he seems secure, is nothing but a mere breath” (Psalms 39:5).
PSALMS 40 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Sacrifice and offering you did not delight in (Psalms 40:6)
“Sacrifice and offering you did not delight in”: Jesus Christ showed that mercy and common sense should not be sacrificed for the literal application of the Law. For example, on the Sabbath His disciples began to gather ears of wheat because they were hungry. The Pharisees seized on the opportunity to point out that they were breaking the Sabbath by “gathering” ears of wheat to eat right away. Here is Christ’s answer using one of the thoughts from Psalm 40: “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples got hungry and started to pluck heads of grain and to eat. At seeing this, the Pharisees said to him: “Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them: “Have you not read what David did when he and the men with him were hungry? How he entered into the house of God and they ate the loaves of presentation, something that it was not lawful for him or those with him to eat, but for the priests only? Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and continue guiltless? But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. However, if you had understood what this means, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless ones. For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath”” (Matthew 12:1–8).
The apostle Paul explained the meaning of Psalms 40:6–9, showing that the sacrifices of the Law had prophetic value and were now replaced by the sacrifice of Christ:
“For since the Law has a shadow of the good things to come, but not the very substance of the things, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make those who approach perfect. Otherwise, would not the sacrifices have stopped being offered, because those rendering sacred service once cleansed would have no consciousness of sins anymore? On the contrary, these sacrifices are a reminder of sins year after year, for it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take sins away.
So when he comes into the world, he says: “‘Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but you prepared a body for me. You did not approve of whole burnt offerings and sin offerings.’ Then I said: ‘Look! I have come (in the scroll it is written about me) to do your will, O God.’” After first saying: “You did not want nor did you approve of sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin offerings” — sacrifices that are offered according to the Law — then he says: “Look! I have come to do your will.” He does away with what is first in order to establish what is second. By this “will” we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time” (Hebrews 10:1–10).
PSALMS 41 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Even the man at peace with me, one whom I trusted, who was eating my bread, has lifted his heel against me (Psalms 41:9)
Even the man at peace with me, one whom I trusted, who was eating my bread, has lifted his heel against me (Psalms 41:9).
King David had a special advisor named Ahithophel. He was a man of great wisdom and King David trusted him. However, when Absalom, King David’s son, conspired against him, Ahithophel betrayed the king’s trust. Finally, when Ahithophel realized that God had frustrated his counsel, he went and hanged himself in his house (2 Samuel chapters 15–17). Psalms 41:9 alludes to this betrayal. Nevertheless, this verse has not only historical value, but also prophetic because it mentioned the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ:
“I am not talking about all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this was so that the scripture might be fulfilled: ‘The one who was eating my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ (…) After saying these things, Jesus became troubled in spirit, and he bore witness, saying: “Most truly I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples began to look at one another, being at a loss as to which one he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining close to Jesus. Therefore, Simon Peter nodded to this one and said to him: “Tell us whom he is talking about.” So the latter leaned back on the chest of Jesus and said to him: “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered: “It is the one to whom I will give the piece of bread that I dip.” So after dipping the bread, he took it and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Is·carʹi·ot” (John 13:18,21–26).
“Happy is anyone who shows consideration to the lowly one;
Jehovah will rescue him in the day of calamity” (Psalms 41:1).
Psalm 41 shows that God places great importance on the help we can give to our neighbor. He shows that God will bless men and women who show compassion by action:
“Jehovah will guard him and keep him alive.
He will be pronounced happy in the earth;
You will never turn him over to the will of his enemies.
Jehovah will sustain him on his sickbed;
During his sickness you will completely change his bed” (Psalm 41:2,3). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, showed that he will use this standard of judgment:
“Then the King will say to those on his right: ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. For I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably; naked and you clothed me. I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous ones will answer him with the words: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ In reply the King will say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’’” (Matthew 25:31–46).
PSALMS 42 AND 43 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
My God, I am in despair. that is why I remember you, from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar (Psalms 42:6)
This part of the book of Psalms mentions the sons of Korah. He was the cousin of Moses and Aaron, a Levite member of the prestigious Kohathite family (of which Moses and Aaron were part). He is known (in the biblical story) for having organized a sedition against Moses and Aaron. Because of his charisma, he led with him, hundreds and later thousands of people to follow him. Finally, God put an end to this rebellion which particularly attacked the priesthood of Aaron (read the story of Numbers chapter 16). Korah had three sons, Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph (Exodus 6:24).
The three sons of Korah had the courage not to join in their father’s rebellion. According to the book of Psalms, they and their offspring were among the Levites who specialized in composition, singing, and music. It was King David who established their descendants in this prestigious position (1 Chronicles 6:31–37). In addition, God allowed them to have certain poetic songs that are part of the biblical book of Psalms (Psalms 42–49,84,85,87,88).
Of course, Korah’s sons were not contemporaries of King David. The expression “sons of Korah” can directly refer to the three sons and in this case, it would mean that these Psalms would have been compiled later in the songs of the Tabernacle and then of the Temple. Otherwise the expression “sons of Korah” could mean descendants of the sons of Korah.
This information helps to better understand the allusions mentioned in these two psalms (42 and 43, especially verse 42:6). God remembered the courage of the three sons of Korah by having them mentioned for their faithfulness: “For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name by ministering and continuing to minister to the holy ones” (Hebrews 6:10).*
PSALMS 44 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
It was you who saved us from our adversaries, you who humiliated those who hate us (Psalms 44:7)
This Psalm refers to the conquest of the Promised Land. The historical account of these battles can be read in the biblical book of Joshua. As it can be read both in this Psalm and in this book, it was God who acted towards the people who He had chosen:
“It was not by their own sword that they took possession of the land,
And their own arm did not bring them victory.
Rather, it was by your right hand and your arm and the light of your face,
For you took pleasure in them” (Psalm 44:3).
As an example, we can read the story of the capture of Jericho, which was a true miracle caused by God (read Joshua chapter 6).
However, when the Israelites did not respect God’s will, they lost His approval, and He made them retreat before their enemies:
“But now you have cast us off and humiliated us,
And you do not go out with our armies” (Psalm 44:9). And indeed, during the capture of Jericho, something happened that was not in accordance with God’s will, which caused the Israelites to flee before the city of Ai (read the story of Joshua chapters 7 and 8.).
We can also read this alternation between God’s approval and God’s blessings, and God’s disapproval and curses, throughout the book of Judges.
This Psalm 44 teaches us that only God can assure us of long-term blessings, despite the difficulties we encounter, provided that we strive to do His will as best we can:
“Rise up as our helper!
Rescue us because of your loyal love” (Psalm 44:26).
PSALMS 45 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
You are the most handsome of the sons of men.
Gracious speech flows from your lips.
That is why God has blessed you forever (Psalms 45:2)
The theme of this Psalm is prophetically centered on Jesus Christ as King and his marriage. The prophetic account of the marriage of the Lamb is also found in the book of Apocalypse (19:1–10). God the Father is the One who arranges this marriage:
“God is your throne forever and ever;
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness” (Psalms 45:6).
“And I heard what sounded like a voice of a great crowd and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of heavy thunders. They said: “Praise Jah, because Jehovah our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king! Let us rejoice and be overjoyed and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife has prepared herself. Yes, it has been granted to her to be clothed with bright, clean, fine linen — for the fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the holy ones”” (Apocalypse 19:6–8).
The magnificence of Christ’s heavenly bride is prophetically described in Psalm 45 and Apocalypse, she is called the New Jerusalem:
“The royal consort has taken her stand at your right hand, adorned in gold of Oʹphir” (Psalms 45:9).
“I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Apocalypse 21:2).
From this union will be born sons of the Kingdom on earth who will represent its authority on earth:
“Your sons will take the place of your forefathers.
You will appoint them as princes in all the earth” (Psalms 45:16).
PSALMS 46 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
He is bringing an end to wars throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
He burns the military wagons with fire (Psalms 46:9)
The beginning of the Psalm shows that only Jehovah God, the Heavenly Father, is a refuge in times of great upheaval:
“God is our refuge and strength,
A help that is readily found in times of distress” (Psalms 46:1–4).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, foretold a time of great distress before the end, before the great tribulation, in Matthew (chapter 24), Mark (chapter 13), and Luke (chapter 21). He urged us to be ready for his return that will mean the end of all these troubles: “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. On this account, you too prove yourselves ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it” (Matthew 24:43,44).
It is also written in this Psalm this:
“There is a river the streams of which make the city of God rejoice,
The holy grand tabernacle of the Most High” (Psalms 46:4).
This same tabernacle of God is mentioned in the book of Apocalypse, announcing the end of misfortunes on earth:
“With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away”” (Apocalypse 21:3,4).
But before that, God will have to definitively eliminate the evil organizations and those who support them:
“Come and witness the activities of Jehovah,
How he has done astonishing things on the earth.
He is bringing an end to wars throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
He burns the military wagons with fire” (Psalms 46:8,9).
Jehovah God, by means of his Son, King Jesus Christ, will destroy the spear and the chariots of war, the military-industrial complexes and global finance that work hand in hand to organize wars, famines, epidemics in order to reduce the world population through the first world war, the second world war, the cold war and which want their third world war (by means of the conflict in Ukraine). These sons of the devil and these earthly demons will disappear for eternity, at the time of the great tribulation:
“I saw also an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice and said to all the birds that fly in midheaven: “Come here, be gathered together to the great evening meal of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of military commanders and the flesh of strong men and the flesh of horses and of those seated on them, and the flesh of all, of freemen as well as of slaves and of small ones and great.”
19 And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. 20 And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. 21 But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh” (Apocalypse 19:17–21).
PSALMS 47 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
God has become King over the nations.
God sits on his holy throne (Psalms 47:8)
The expression of the Psalm giving glory to the Kingship of God the Heavenly Father is found regularly in the book of Apocalypse: “You are worthy, Jehovah our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they came into existence and were created. (…) I heard a loud voice in heaven say:“Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! (…) And I heard what sounded like a voice of a great crowd and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of heavy thunders. They said: “Praise Jah, because Jehovah our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king!”” (Apocalypse 4:11; 12:10; 19:6).
In Apocalypse 12:10 the Kingship of God is associated with the authority of the King Jesus Christ. He received this authority after his resurrection: “Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth”” (Matthew 28:18).
According to the book of Apocalypse chapter 20, the reign of Christ will last a thousand years: “And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed for the witness they gave about Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had not worshipped the wild beast or its image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for 1,000 years” (Apocalypse 20:4).
When King Jesus Christ will have restored all things, he will return this authority to His Heavenly Father: “But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone” (1 Corinthians 15:28).
Thus, as prophetically written in Psalms 45 and 47, Christ’s kingship is based on the Kingship of His Heavenly Father:
“God is your throne forever and ever;
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness” (Psalms 45:6).
PSALMS 48 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion in the far north,
The city of the Grand King (Psalms 48:2)
Mount Zion is the biblical symbol of the Davidic kingship which itself represented the Kingship of God. While on earth, Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem, where Mount Zion is, as heir to the Davidic kingship, because he was a direct descendant through his mother and adoptive father (read Matthew 1:1–16 and Luke 3:23–36): “When they got close to Jerusalem and arrived at Bethʹpha·ge on the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them: “Go into the village that is within sight, and you will at once find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If someone says anything to you, you must say, ‘The Lord needs them.’ At that he will immediately send them.”
4 This actually took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, who said: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion: ‘Look! Your king is coming to you, mild-tempered and mounted on a donkey, yes, on a colt, the offspring of a beast of burden.’”
6 So the disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and its colt, and they put their outer garments on them, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their outer garments on the road, while others were cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Moreover, the crowds going ahead of him and those following him kept shouting: “Save, we pray, the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name! Save him, we pray, in the heights above!”” (Matthew 21:1–9).
And then Jesus Christ inherited the kingship in heaven on the heavenly Mount Zion with the 144,000: “Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads” (Apocalypse 14:1–5).
Of course, according to Psalms 45 to 48, the Kingship of Christ is the expression of the Kingship of his Heavenly Father, Jehovah God:
“For this God is our God forever and ever.
He will guide us forevermore” (Psalms 48:14).
(Political Zionism is inspired by this biblical teaching. However, it is an ideology that advocates violent means to impose itself, which is contrary to the idea of Jesus Christ (a Jew on earth): “Then Jesus said to him: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword”” (Matthew 26:52)).
PSALMS 49 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
But God will redeem me from the power of the Grave, for he will take hold of me (Psalms 49:15)
Psalm 49 teaches two important things:
1 — Humans are unable to redeem themselves or their human life on their own:
“None of them can ever redeem a brother
Or give to God a ransom for him,
(The ransom price for their life is so precious
That it is always beyond their reach)” (Psalms 49:7,8).
2 — The psalmist had faith that Jehovah God, the Heavenly Father, would provide this ransom, and could resurrect him. He had faith in the hope of the resurrection:
“But God will redeem me from the power of the Grave,
For he will take hold of me” (Psalms 49:15).
Jesus Christ pointed to Himself as His Father’s means of redemption, or that doorway to the hope of the resurrection:
“Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life” (John 11:24,25).
Jesus Christ called for His sacrifice to be remembered each year:
“Keep doing this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
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http://www.yomelyah.com/437355109 .
PSALMS 50 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
What right do you have to relate my regulations
Or to speak about my covenant? (Psalms 50:16)
In this Psalm, God appears in a fearsome way, as a judge who calls his people to account:
“Our God will come and cannot remain silent.
Before him is a consuming fire,
And a great storm rages all around him.
He summons the heavens above and the earth,
So as to judge his people” (Psalms 50:3,4).
It seems obvious that God is angered by the arrogant attitude of his people:
“Listen, O my people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will bear witness against you.
I am God, your God” (Psalms 50:7).
First of all, God draws attention to the fact that his people cannot claim their merit before Him because of their sacrifices, because the gifts they make are only a restitution of what already belongs to Him:
“For every wild animal of the forest is mine,
Even the beasts upon a thousand mountains” (Psalms 50:9–12).
God desires his people to make sacrifices that count, that is, with good motives, love, mercy, gratitude and trust in Him:
“Offer thanksgiving as your sacrifice to God,
And pay your vows to the Most High” (Psalms 50:14).
Jesus Christ made the same reproach to the Pharisees whose hearts were devoid of love for the people they were supposed to teach: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. ‘For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners’” (Matthew 9:13).
God then denounces the gap between the knowledge of the wicked who know God’s Law well, but who do not apply it:
“But God will say to the wicked:
“What right do you have to relate my regulations
Or to speak about my covenant?
For you hate discipline,
And you keep turning your back on my words”” (Psalms 50:16,17).
This is exactly the reproach that Jesus Christ made to the Pharisees: “Therefore, all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but they do not practice what they say” (Matthew 23:3; read the whole chapter 23).
Likewise today, many Christian congregations or assemblies claim to obey Christ and practice the idolatry of statues or idolatry of humans even elevating them to the rank of Christ and God his Father, saying that obeying them is obeying God. Other organizations that call themselves Christian wallow in finance by handling billions of dollars of assets, while Jesus Christ did not even have where to lay his head: “But Jesus said to him: “Foxes have dens and birds of heaven have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay down his head”” (Matthew 8:20).
It is time, before it is too late, for these Christian assemblies to change their attitude, and return to true Christianity as Christ taught us:
“When you did these things, I remained silent,
So you thought that I would be just like you.
But now I will reprove you,
And I will state my case against you.
22 Please consider this, you who forget God,
So that I may not tear you to pieces with no one to rescue you.
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me,
And as for the one who follows a set course,
I will cause him to see salvation by God”” (Psalms 50:21–23).
PSALMS 51 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Show me favor, O God, according to your loyal love.
Blot out my transgressions according to your great mercy (Psalms 51:1)
As the title of this Psalm indicates, the context is King David’s sin of adultery with Bath Sheba, followed by the murder of her husband, Uriah. This entire dramatic account is in the second book of Samuel (Chapter 11 to 12:1–15).
When David says this,
“Against you — you above all — I have sinned;
What is bad in your eyes I have done.
Therefore, you are righteous when you speak,
You are right in your judgment” (verse 4).
These words may be shocking because King David also seriously sinned against Uriah by committing adultery with his wife and plotting his murder.
The fact that God recorded this narrative of King David’s revolting conduct demonstrates this fact. However, these words must be seen in context, namely that marriage is a provision of God, the prohibition of murder is a law of God, therefore, breaking them by adultery and at the same time by murder is a sin against God.
More generally, Psalm 51 describes the sinful condition of human beings and their propensity to do evil:
“Look! I was born guilty of error,
And my mother conceived me in sin” (Psalms 51:5).
The apostle Paul has well illustrated this sinful human condition that pushes us to do evil. Nevertheless, he showed that through Christ’s sacrifice we can attain the forgiveness of God of our sins:
“I find, then, this law in my case: When I wish to do what is right, what is bad is present with me. I really delight in the law of God according to the man I am within, but I see in my body another law warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to sin’s law that is in my body. Miserable man that I am! Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death? Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, then, with my mind I myself am a slave to God’s law, but with my flesh to sin’s law” (Romans 7:21–25).
Jesus Christ called for His sacrifice to be remembered each year:
“Keep doing this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
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PSALMS 52 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Why do you boast about your evil acts, you mighty one? (Psalms 52:1)
As the title of this Psalm indicates, King David is specifically addressing to Doeg the Edomite, who was responsible for the deaths of many priests, including Ahimelech, for helping him to escape from King Saul (read 1 Samuel chapters 21 and 22). Just as Doeg likely ended up paying for his crime after King David’s enthronement, so too will all murderers who currently enjoy impunity end up paying for their crimes: “Outside are the dogs and those who practice spiritism and those who are sexually immoral and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices lying” (Apocalypse 22:15). Jesus Christ alluded to Ahimelech’s courage and common sense when he helped King David and his men: “Now on a sabbath he was passing through grainfields, and his disciples were plucking and eating the heads of grain, rubbing them with their hands. At this some of the Pharisees said: “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” But in reply Jesus said to them: “Have you never read what David did when he and the men with him were hungry? How he entered into the house of God and received the loaves of presentation and ate and gave some to the men with him, which it is not lawful for anyone to eat but for the priests only?” Then he said to them: “The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath”” (Luke 6:1–5).
PSALMS 53 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Their unrighteous actions are corrupt and detestable (Psalms 53:1)
Psalm 53 aptly describes the mindset of the wicked generation, which acts as if God does not exist or will not hold them accountable for their actions. The apostle Paul aptly described the mindset of this wicked generation in the last days: “But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1–5). Political, commercial, and religious shepherds, arms dealers, and war organizers for the survival of their evil organizations, devour “people as if they were eating bread”, in the Gaza Strip under a continuous stream of bombs every day, in the Russo-Ukrainian war where Slavic brothers are killing one another, in Syria where innocent civilians, including many Christians, are being massacred by religious fanatics. These sons of the devil have no regard for the lives of civilians who only ask to live in peace. However, as written in Psalm 53, the day will come when God himself will scatter the bones of everyone who camps against the innocent…
The day is approaching when King Jesus Christ will come to rescue God’s chosen people, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues (Daniel 12:1; Apocalypse 7:9–17).
PSALMS 54 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
For he saves me from every distress (Psalms 54:7)
The title of this Psalm explains that David was the subject of another denunciation, this time collectively, while fleeing for his life from King Saul.
Staying on the theme of denunciation, some political dictatorships have used denunciation to keep the people in forced submission. Some globalized American Christian religious dictatorships use the same method of social engineering to punish the slightest offense of opinion, particularly based on Leviticus 5:1:
“If someone sins because he has heard a public call to testify and he is a witness or has seen or learned about it and he does not report it, then he will answer for his error” (Leviticus 5:1). The context of this text is clear: it concerns serious situations, such as curses or other attitudes that could endanger the integrity and life of others. For example, Mordecai revealed an attempted plot against the king, according to Esther 3:21–23. In a congregation and in society in general, it is obvious that it is appropriate to reveal criminal acts, such as sexual abuse, homicide, and theft. But of course, the “curses” (a public call) mentioned in Leviticus do not include simple offenses of opinion. Regardless, if someone has been a victim of such a wicked attitude on the part of these globalized religious dictatorships, they should keep faith that God will, in due time, bring the truth to light:
“Hear the word of Jehovah, you who tremble at his word:
“Your brothers who hate you and exclude you because of my name said, ‘May Jehovah be glorified!’
But He will appear and bring you joy,
And they are the ones who will be put to shame”” (Isaiah 66:5).
“For he saves me from every distress,
And I will look in triumph on my enemies” (Psalms 54:7).
PSALMS 55 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Throw your burden on Jehovah,
And he will sustain you.
Never will he allow the righteous one to fall (Psalms 55:22)
Reading this psalm will help spiritually and emotionally those who are in a very worrying situation. It describes the emotional storm of the one in anguish, and the psalmist, while pleading with God for help, shows that one should place one’s complete trust in Jehovah God:
Verses 1–3 explain the reasons for the psalmist’s worries. These could be for other serious reasons, such as war, famine, disease, or other time-related traumas and unforeseen events (read Ecclesiastes 9:11):
“Because of what the enemy is saying
And the pressure from the wicked one.
For they heap trouble upon me,
And in anger they harbor animosity against me” (Psalms 55:3).
Verses 4–8 describe the psalmist’s anguish:
“My heart is in anguish within me,
And the terrors of death overwhelm me.
Fear and trembling come upon me,
And shuddering grips me” (Psalms 55:4, 5).
Verses 12–14 show that the worst opposition does not come from declared enemies, but rather from former companions who have acted treacherously:
“But it is you, a man like me,
My own companion whom I know well.
We used to enjoy a warm friendship together;
Into the house of God we used to walk along with the multitude” (Psalms 55:13, 14).
This passage obviously brings to mind the betrayal of Judas Iscariot mentioned in the Gospel of Luke (22:21, 48).
Verses 16–23 encourage us to rely on God in situations that seem to have no short-term outcome, for which we cannot see a solution. The following verse encourages us to be patient and trust in Jehovah God:
“Throw your burden on Jehovah,
And he will sustain you.
Never will he allow the righteous one to fall” (Psalms 55:22).
PSALMS 56 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
In God I put my trust; I am not afraid.
What can a mere human do to me? (Psalms 56:11)
This Psalm deals with the fear of man, as in this case (David), learning to overcome it by trusting in God. The title of this Psalm alludes to a distressing situation experienced by David, fleeing from King Saul, recorded in the first book of Samuel (21:10–15):
This Psalm encourages us to put our complete trust in God and overcome the fear of man that may be within us. The fear of man is the concern to gain the approval of others or to avoid their disapproval. When this fear is taken to extremes, it can override our awareness of being in harmony with ourselves (by not lying to ourselves), or worse, place this fear above the fear we naturally owe God.
In David’s case, life and death were at stake. Nevertheless, by trusting in God, he understood how to escape this situation while preserving the integrity of his relationship with God (Samuel 21:10–15). Currently, some followers of Christ in the Middle East are faced with this life-or-death choice when fanatical religious assassins demand that they renounce their faith in Christ. In Syria, they are either killed or mistreated. In the West, Christians who wish to respect their consciences sometimes face a difficult or more subtle choice when faced with globalized American so-called “Christian” religious dictatorships, which demand obedience to their “Talmuds,” placing it above the obedience we naturally owe to God and Christ, through the Bible (Sola Scriptura). In this case, the issue is the social life or death that awaits those facing this crisis of conscience. Some agree to give in to the fear of man, in defiance of their conscience, fueling a voluntary servitude, to borrow an expression from Étienne de la Boétie, fueling and being in part responsible for this globalized religious dictatorship. Other Western Christians, following the example of David in Psalm 56, have decided, like Christians in Syria, the Middle East, and in some African countries, to place their trust in God and in His Son Jesus Christ, at the cost of enormous sacrifice, a long-term social death, sometimes many years, separated from their friends, a son, a daughter, a father, and a mother. Beyond the emotional suffering caused by this painful situation, they apply this biblical maxim found in Psalm 56:
“In God — whose word I praise —
In God I put my trust; I am not afraid.
What can mere man do to me?” (Psalms 56:4, 11).
PSALMS 57 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
He will send help from heaven and save me.
He will frustrate the one snapping at me (Psalms 57:3)
This Psalm was written during the flight of David and his men from King Saul. They were living in a cave. According to the account in the First book of Samuel, David had an opportunity to kill King Saul, but he did not (read the narrative in 1 Samuel 24:2–7).
The apostle Paul showed the need not to seek revenge, but to rely on God: “Return evil for evil to no one. Take into consideration what is fine from the viewpoint of all men. If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.” But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good” (Romans 12:17–21).
When a person or group of people act badly toward us, we must take a step back like King David in the cave in the presence of King Saul, avoiding taking revenge ourselves, but allowing God to act according to His will toward us: “May Jehovah be the judge, and he will judge between you and me, and he will see and will plead my case and judge me and rescue me from your hand” (1 Samuel 24:15; Matthew 5:39).
PSALMS 58 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Can you speak about righteousness when you are silent?
Can you judge in uprightness, you sons of men? (Psalms 58:1)
Jesus Christ said this in the introduction to his Sermon on the Mount: “Happy are those hungering and thirsting for righteousness, since they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). In some biblical texts below, we can read how this hunger and thirst for righteousness is expressed and what we may feel personally. In Psalm 58, we read how those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied by God’s mighty deeds:
“How long, O Jehovah, must I cry for help, but you do not hear? How long must I ask for help from violence, but you do not intervene? Why do you make me witness wrongdoing? And why do you tolerate oppression? Why are destruction and violence before me? And why do quarreling and conflict abound? So law is paralyzed, And justice is never carried out. For the wicked surround the righteous; That is why justice is perverted” (Habakkuk 1:2–4).
“Again I turned my attention to all the acts of oppression that go on under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and there was no one to comfort them. And their oppressors had the power, and there was no one to comfort them. (…) During my futile life I have seen everything — from the righteous one who perishes in his righteousness to the wicked one who lives long despite his badness. (…) All of this I have seen, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun, during the time that man has dominated man to his harm. (…) There is something futile that takes place on the earth: There are righteous people who are treated as if they had acted wickedly, and there are wicked people who are treated as if they had acted righteously. I say that this too is futility. (…) I have seen servants on horseback but princes walking on foot just like servants” (Ecclesiastes 4:1; 7:15; 8:9,14; 10:7).
“O God, knock the teeth out of their mouth!
Break the jaws of these lions, O Jehovah!
7 May they disappear like waters that drain away.
May He bend his bow and make them fall by his arrows.
8 May they be like a snail that melts away as it moves along;
Like a woman’s stillborn child who never sees the sun.
9 Before your cooking pots feel the heat of the bramble,
He will sweep away both the moist and the burning twig, as in a storm wind.
10 The righteous one will rejoice because he has seen the vengeance;
His feet will be drenched with the blood of the wicked.
11 Then men will say: “Surely there is a reward for the righteous.
There is indeed a God who judges in the earth”” (Psalms 58:6–11).
PSALMS 59 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
David composed this Psalm at the very beginning of his flight from King Saul, who wanted to assassinate him, according to the narrative in the first book of Samuel (19:9–17).
“For the sin of their mouth, the word of their lips,
May they be trapped by their pride,
Because of the cursing and deception that they speak” (Psalms 59:12):
Jesus Christ taught that at the last judgment, humans will be judged according to the words of their mouths: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure sends out good things, whereas the wicked man out of his wicked treasure sends out wicked things. I tell you that men will render an account on Judgment Day for every unprofitable saying that they speak; for by your words you will be declared righteous, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:34–37).
Jesus Christ said that in most cases, the words that come out of the mouth reveal the inner state of our personality (the heart), whether good or bad. Furthermore, he showed that it is appropriate to be careful, because with the tongue one can sin against the Holy Spirit, that is, a sin that condemns to death without the possibility of resurrection: “For this reason I say to you, every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. For example, whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him, no, not in this system of things nor in that to come” (Matthew 12:31,32).
PSALMS 60 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Help us in our distress,
For salvation by humans is worthless (Psalms 60:11)
The context of Psalm 60 is a retrospective of King David’s military conquests (verses 6–9). The title of the psalm mentions a military feat, the capture of Edom (2 Samuel 8:13). Edom was a sister nation of Israel, which has since disappeared, and was located in the far south of present-day Palestine, between the Negeb Desert (to the west) and the Arabian Desert (to the east). It was a very difficult nation to access, which mountains provided a natural defense, to the point of becoming arrogant. This is what we read in Jeremiah’s prophecy about the arrogance of this nation:
“The shuddering you caused has deceived you,
The presumptuousness of your heart,
O you who reside in the retreats of the crag,
Occupying the highest hill.
Although you build your nest high up like an eagle,
I will bring you down from there,” declares Jehovah” (Jeremiah 49:16):
The conclusion of this Psalm shows us that only with God’s help we can achieve success in our actions even when they seem impossible (as in the context of Psalm 60, the military conquest of Edom):
“Help us in our distress,
For salvation by humans is worthless.
By God we will gain power,
And he will trample on our adversaries” (Psalms 60:11,12).
PSALMS 61 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
“From the ends of the earth I will cry out to you, when my heart grows feeble” (Psalms 61:2):
The heart, in a figurative sense, refers to a person’s feelings and motives. A weakened heart means to be physically, mentally, or even spiritually tired, which can lead to temporary or chronic discouragement or depression. The psalmist wrote that it is in these moments that he will ask God for help, through prayer, so that He can compensate for his lack of physical, mental, or even spiritual energy. The apostle Paul wrote this about this situation:
“So I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in times of need, in persecutions and difficulties, for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful” (2 Corinthians 12:10). A weakened man (or woman) will feel less confident and will be more likely to rely on God’s supplementary help to be resilient or to have endurance in the trials.
When he wrote that he is powerful in the moments when he is weak, he is describing the effect of God’s Holy Spirit in enabling one to be resilient and in persevance in the face of opposition, demonstrating a kind of divine inner strength, given by God: “For all things I have the strength through the one who gives me power” (Philippians 4:13).
PSALMS 62 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Indeed, I wait silently for God.
My salvation comes from him (Psalms 62)
This Psalm simply explains why, when faced with difficulties created by opponents, it is generally advisable to remain silent:
“How long will you assault a man in order to murder him?
All of you are as dangerous as a leaning wall, a stone wall ready to collapse.
For they consult together to topple him from his high position;
They take pleasure in lying.
With their mouth they bless, but inside they are cursing” (Psalms 62:3,4).
This Psalm explains why we must remain silent. By labeling opponents as leaning walls, unreliable, and resorting to lies and deceit, it is impossible to have reasonable communication with them in order to calm the situation. In these cases, it is much wiser to remain silent in order to avoid losing our dignity. We must place matters in God’s hands:
“Indeed, I wait silently for God
Because my hope comes from him.
Indeed, he is my rock and my salvation, my secure refuge;
I will never be shaken” (Psalms 62:5, 6).
PSALMS 63 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
I remember you while upon my bed;
I meditate on you during the watches of the night (Psalms 63:6)
This psalm expresses the delight of a good relationship with God. It is written that we can use the night watches, the moments of sleeplessness, to meditate on our relationship with God. During the night, everything is calm, the body and mind are at rest, and this allows for greater clarity. This time allows us to remember divine principles to make good decisions for the day ahead. They are like help from God, but also from his Son Jesus Christ, as for example his advice in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7):
“For you are my helper,
And I shout joyfully in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
Your right hand keeps fast hold on me” (Psalms 63:7,8).
Following the guidance of God and Christ, which a moment of sleeplessness can remind us of, is like a child grasping the hand of a trusted father and not letting go. Of course, through meditation we can pray to God to help us make good decisions, or to overcome worries or emotional pain…
PSALMS 64 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Hear my voice, O God, as I plead.
Safeguard my life from the dreadfulness of the enemy (Psalms 64:1)
This psalm describes the sophistication and ingenuity in creating evil, through marketing and social engineering that make lies and criminal acts invisible to the eyes of human law, both from political power and from billionaire religious organizations with their armies of lawyers. However, Jehovah God, the Heavenly Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, see them clearly (Romans 14:12)… Some might become impatient. Nevertheless, the apostle Peter explains why we must learn to be patient:
“Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Thus, among those who currently commit wickedness, some of them have the opportunity to change their attitude and repent of their actions, thus obtaining everlasting life. For those who are in a waiting situation, it is important not to give up, but to continue moving forward, always being vigilant (2 Peter 3:10).
PSALMS 65 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
The pastures are covered with flocks,
And the valleys are carpeted with grain.
They shout in triumph, yes, they sing (Psalms 65:13)
It is true that it is written in the Bible that a small number of humans will live in heaven, with Christ and the angels (Apocalypse 5:9,10; 7:4–9; 14:1–5). It is also true that the Bible says that there will be a restoration of the earthly paradise that existed in Eden, where a large number of humans, men, women, and children, will live (Genesis 2). Psalm 65 provides a beautiful and comforting description of this. In this future earthly paradise will live the members of the great crowd, mentioned in Apocalypse 7:9–17, and the earthly resurrected, mentioned in Apocalypse chapter 20: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away”” (Apocalypse 21:1–4).
PSALMS 66 and 67 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
For you have examined us, O God;
As silver is refined, so you have refined us (Psalms 66:10)
God can refine a people, just as He can refine a particular person, man or woman, whom He considers desirable. For example, here is what is written in Deuteronomy: “Remember the long road that Jehovah your God made you walk these 40 years in the wilderness, to humble you and to put you to the test so as to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not” (Deuteronomy 8:2).
The refining process brought about by God is a test that reveals what is in each person’s heart. The historical narrative in the biblical books of Exodus and Numbers allows us to see how some people behaved well and others were unfaithful to God. In the case of the stubborn Pharaoh of Egypt, he made sure that he would not exalt himself:
“He rules forever by his might.
His eyes keep watch on the nations.
Those who are stubborn should not exalt themselves” (Psalms 66:7). As for those whom God considers desirable, He also puts them through a refining process, a testing process that teaches humility and modesty and can bring out undesirable aspects of their personality, which must be eliminated if they wish to continue to have divine approval:
“If I had harbored anything hurtful in my heart,
Jehovah would not have heard me.
But God did hear;
He paid attention to my prayer.
Praise to God, who did not reject my prayer
Or withhold his loyal love from me” (Psalms 66:18–20).
This text shows that God takes into account the limitations associated with our sinful condition, which causes us to have “hurtful things in our hearts”, He uses patience and mercy so that we may be perfected as choice vessels:
“You will therefore say to me: “Why does he still find fault? For who has withstood his will?” But who are you, O man, to be answering back to God? Does the thing molded say to its molder: “Why did you make me this way?” What? Does not the potter have authority over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for an honorable use, another for a dishonorable use? What, then, if God had the will to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, and he tolerated with much patience vessels of wrath made fit for destruction? And if this was done to make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory” (Romans 9:19–23).
PSALMS 68 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Jehovah gives the command: the women proclaiming the good news are a large army (Psalms 68:11)
This psalm celebrates Jehovah God’s victories over the wicked and how he cares for the most vulnerable, widows and orphans:
The women proclaiming the good news are a large army (Psalms 68:11): Some Christian congregations apply this text to women disciples of Christ who are preaching the “good news” (Matthew 24:14 “good news”). The context of Psalm 68 describes military victories celebrated by women who led songs and dances upon the soldiers’ return. The most well-known example, for Bible readers, is that of Miriam, Moses’ sister, who organized women’s dances to celebrate Jehovah’s victory over the Pharaoh of Egypt: “Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and with dances. Miriam sang in response to the men: “Sing to Jehovah, for he has become highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea”’” (Exodus 15:20,21; the examples of Deborah (Judges 5:1) and Jephthah’s daughter (Judges 11:34)).
PSALMS 69 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
I have become a stranger to my brothers, a foreigner to the sons of my mother (Psalms 69:8)
Through this psalm, King David expressed to God his suffering and anguish over the dangerous situations he was experiencing. In broad outline, this psalm describes the suffering that Christ endured throughout his earthly ministry until his death:
Some details of Christ’s life are described in this psalm:
“I have become a stranger to my brothers, a foreigner to the sons of my mother” (Psalms 69:8): “His brothers were, in fact, not exercising faith in him” (John 7:5). “But when his relatives heard about it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying: “He has gone out of his mind”” (Mark 3:21). Jesus had four brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Jude, and at least two sisters (Matthew 13:55, 56). During his earthly ministry, none of them exercised faith in him; on the contrary, they thought he had lost his mind.
“Zeal for your house has consumed me” (Psalms 69:9): “His disciples recalled that it is written: “The zeal for your house will consume me”’” (John 2:17; Mark 11:15; Matthew 21:12).
“But for food they gave me poison, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Psalms 69:21): “They gave him wine mixed with gall to drink; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. (…) And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and soaked it in sour wine and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink” (Matthew 27:34,48).
The sufferings Christ endured throughout his earthly ministry are summarized by the words of the apostle Paul: “During his life on earth, Christ offered up supplications and also petitions, with strong outcries and tears, to the One who was able to save him out of death, and he was favorably heard for his godly fear. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. And after he had been made perfect, he became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him, because he has been designated by God a high priest in the manner of Mel·chizʹe·dek” (Hebrews 5:7–10).
PSALMS 70 and 71 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
“Do not cast me off in my old age, do not abandon me when my strength fails. (…) Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon m” (Psalms 71:9,18). Twice the psalmist asked God not to abandon him in old age, when humans generally gradually lose their independence. This situation clearly distressed him, as it continues to distress millions of elderly people who are alone. How can God care for elderly people who are alone? At the root of this, is the entire family, the children, or the community where the elderly person lives. Nevertheless, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, reminded us of the commandment to honor our father and mother, that is, to care for them in their old age and to keep them company (Luke 18:20). The apostle Paul also reminded the Christians of Ephesus of this commandment: “Honor your father and your mother” is the first command with a promise: “That it may go well with you and you may remain a long time on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2,3).
Jesus Christ clearly showed that the practice of Christianity must not hinder the implementation of this commandment, by rightly denouncing the abject behavior of the Pharisees in this regard: “Further, he said to them: “You skillfully disregard the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. For example, Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Let the one who speaks abusively of his father or mother be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother: “Whatever I have that could benefit you is corban (that is, a gift dedicated to God),”’ you no longer let him do a single thing for his father or his mother. Thus you make the word of God invalid by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this”” (Mark 7:9–13). Some religious organizations (which operate as commercial enterprises) do the same by recruiting young people to serve God (in their opinion, but in fact serving their own financial interests) and at the same time dispossessing many elderly relatives of their only necessary support during their old age.
As Christ so clearly emphasized, what matters is not only the spiritual dimension of the practice of Christianity, but also its humanitarian dimension based on love of neighbor (John 13:34,35; Matthew 25:31–46).
PSALMS 72 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Give your judgments to the king, O God, and your righteousness to the king’s son (Psalms 72:1)
This psalm describes the future blessings of the Kingdom of God, mentioned by Jesus Christ, particularly in the model prayer: “Let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth” (Matthew 6:10).
As mentioned at the beginning of the psalm, the reign of King Solomon was an early example of this righteous kingship, accompanied by many blessings for the people of Israel, as long as they did the will of Jehovah God, the Heavenly Father (1 Chronicles 22:12 and 29:19). However, in the future earthly paradise, it is King Jesus Christ with the 144,000 heavenly kings and priests who will exercise this kingship on earth in fulfillment of the prayer mentioned in Matthew (6:9,10) (Apocalypse 5:9,10; 7:4–8; 14:1–5). Psalm 72 describes the blessings of God on earth of this kingship. In verse 1, the son of the king is mentioned (who was at that time the future king Solomon), that is to say, the prince, and indeed it is written in the Bible that there will be righteous earthly princes who will represent the heavenly kingship of Christ and the 144,000 kings and priests: “Look! A king will reign for righteousness, and princes will rule for justice” (Esaiah 32:1).
PSALMS 73 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
As for me, my feet had almost strayed, my steps had nearly slipped (Psalms 73:2)
Asaph, the inspired author of this psalm, expressed his indignation at wickedness and injustice. He honestly explained that he almost strayed spiritually by envying the wicked who seem to be successful in their behavior, by mocking God. Asaph allowed himself to be dominated by a destructive bitterness in the face of this absurd situation.
Following this observation, Asaph expressed his dismay:
“Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
And washed my hands in innocence.
And I was troubled all day long;
Every morning I was chastised” (Psalms 73:13,14).
However, we see that Asaph was able to pull himself together, regain sound judgment, a discernment that allowed him to better understand the situation from God’s perspective:
“Surely you place them on slippery ground.
You make them fall to their ruin.
How suddenly they are devastated!
How sudden is their finish as they come to a terrible end!” (Psalms 73:18,19).
Psalm 73 can be a help to those who personally suffer injustice. Jesus Christ said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled (Matthew 5:6). This psalm shows that in the meantime, we should take refuge in our relationship with God, trusting that He will find a solution to our difficult situation:
“My body and my heart may fail,
But God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever.
Truly, those keeping far from you will perish.
You will put an end to everyone who immorally leaves you.
But as for me, drawing near to God is good for me.
I have made the Sovereign Lord Jehovah my refuge,
To declare all your works” (Psalms 73:26–28).
PSALMS 74 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Why, O God, have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger burn against the flock of your pasture? (Psalms 74:1)
Psalm 74 refers to the destruction of Solomon’s temple by the Babylonians in 607 BCE (or 20 years earlier for others). The mention of Asaph is evident (in this and other psalms) of Asaph’s sons as offspring (as with the sons of Korah from Psalm 42 onward) because he was a contemporary of King David (several centuries earlier) (2 Chronicles 35:15).
“Why, O God, have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger burn against the flock of your pasture?” (Psalms 74:1). These two questions allude to God’s rejection of his people Israel, because that nation had fallen into apostasy by worshiping other gods and goddesses. This rejection led to the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, and the deportation of its population to Babylon for 70 years (verses 3–8; compare with the historical account in 2 Kings chapter 25).
This psalm is a plea to God not to reject his people permanently (verses 2, 11). It recalls God’s miraculous acts to save his people, which contrast with this rejection (verses 11–17). This psalm shows that this situation will not be permanent due to the outrageous attitude of his people’s enemies in this circumstance (verses 18–23).
In general, this psalm shows that God’s discipline, to correct his people (even on an individual level), can be particularly painful. However, it remains temporary for those who accept it in order to improve their behavior:
“In your struggle against that sin, you have never yet resisted to the point of having your blood shed. And you have entirely forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not belittle the discipline from Jehovah, nor give up when you are corrected by him; for those whom Jehovah loves he disciplines, in fact, he scourges everyone whom he receives as a son.”
You need to endure as part of your discipline. God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? But if you have not all shared in receiving this discipline, you are really illegitimate children, and not sons. Furthermore, our human fathers used to discipline us, and we gave them respect. Should we not more readily submit ourselves to the Father of our spiritual life and live? For they disciplined us for a short time according to what seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit so that we may partake of his holiness. True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but it is painful; yet afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:4–11).
PSALMS 75 and 76 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
For God is Judge. He puts one man down and exalts another (Psalms 75:7)
“For he says: “I will cut off all the horns of the wicked,
But the horns of the righteous will be exalted”” (Psalm 75:10).
The horn, in this context, symbolizes glory, which is heard through a fearful sound, and the majesty and authority associated with it. For example, at Mount Sinai, the glory of God’s presence was heard through the sound of the horn: “On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning, and there was a heavy cloud on the mountain and a very loud sound of a horn, and all the people in the camp began to tremble” (Exodus 19:16). The horn of the wicked can be perceived by an arrogant attitude that escapes no one, like the imposing sound of the horn. Jesus Christ warned against such an attitude, which consists of deliberately attracting the attention of others by boasting about the acts of mercy one has performed: “Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you” (Matthew 6:1–4). Jesus Christ said about the sound of the trumpet or horn, intended to draw attention to oneself and work for one’s own glory by boasting. Thus, we must let God decide who He will exalt and who He will humble, for He is the only judge (through Christ (Matthew 25:21–46)):
“For God is Judge.
He puts one man down and exalts another.
For there is a cup in Jehovah’s hand;
The wine is foaming and is fully mixed.
He will surely pour it out,
And all the wicked of the earth will drink it, down to the dregs” (Psalms 75:7, 8).
PSALMS 77 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
And I will meditate on all your activity and ponder over your dealings (Psalms 77:12)
Psalm 77 is the psalmist’s melancholic expression of waiting for God to act and waiting for the fulfillment of hope. Without losing faith, he expresses his perplexity, which provokes his melancholy, through some rhetorical questions:
“Will Jehovah cast us off forever?
Will he never again show his favor?
8 Has his loyal love ceased forever?
Will his promise come to nothing for all generations?
9 Has God forgotten to show his favor,
Or has his anger caused his mercy to cease? (Selah)
10 Must I keep saying: “This is what distresses me:
The Most High has changed his position toward us”?” (Psalms 77:7–10).
However, by meditating on the mighty past deeds of Jehovah God, in his moments of melancholy and perplexity, he strengthens his faith and confidence:
“I will remember the works of Jah;
I will remember your marvelous deeds of long ago.
12 And I will meditate on all your activity
And ponder over your dealings” (Psalms 77:11, 12).
Then he poetically describes this meditation on God’s miraculous actions to deliver his people during their exodus from Egypt (Psalms 77:13–20).
This poetic text shows that it is normal to feel, from time to time, melancholy and perplexity during times of waiting for God by means his actions to deliver us from difficult situations. In the meantime, we must do as the psalmist did, recalling the miraculous actions of God and his Christ while he was on earth. By reading again, for example, the four Gospels, we can recall his miracles of healing and resurrection, which will strengthen our faith in the future fulfillment of God’s promise: “And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away” (Apocalypse 21:4).
PSALMS 78 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Listen, my people, to my law, Incline your ear to the words of my mouth (Psalms 78:1)
This psalm provides a historical account of the Exodus of the people of Israel from the land of Egypt, culminating in the reign of King David. Psalm 78 particularly emphasizes the rebellious behavior and lack of faith of the people of Israel toward God, saddening and testing Him. Some highlights from Psalm 78, with concise commentary:
“Listen, my people, to my law;
Incline your ear to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a proverb.
I will propound riddles of long ago.
3 The things we have heard and know,
Which our fathers have related to us,
4 We will not hide from their sons;
We will relate to the generation to come
The praiseworthy deeds of Jehovah and his strength,
The wonderful things he has done” (Psalms 78:1–4).
The Bible contains many proverbial sayings and riddles. Some passages in the Bible require God’s help to understand them. For this, we must ask Him in prayer to have insight. Jesus Christ said that this understanding is given to the humble people: “At that time Jesus said in response: “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to young children”” (Matthew 11:25).
“Then they would not be like their forefathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation whose heart was unsteady
And whose spirit was not faithful to God” (Psalms 78:8).
A steady heart is willing to obey God; the opposite is a stubborn heart: “You must now circumcise the foreskin of your hearts and stop being so stubborn” (Deuteronomy 10:16).
“Because they did not put faith in God;
They did not trust in his ability to save them” (Psalms 78:22).
Lack of Faith is a serious sin before God that can deprive of the fulfillment of Christian hope: “Moreover, without faith it is impossible to please God well, for whoever approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him” (Hebrews 11:6).
“Their heart was not steadfast toward him;
And they were not faithful to his covenant” (Psalms 78:37).
A heart that is not steadfast is a heart that does not keep its commitments. Jesus Christ said that we must have only one word: “Just let your word ‘Yes’ mean yes, your ‘No,’ no, for what goes beyond these is from the wicked one” (Matthew 5:37).
“Again and again they put God to the test,
And they grieved the Holy One of Israel” (Psalms 78:41).
To test God is to disappoint Him by an attitude that persists in practicing sin, while at the same time He is patient with that person or group of people: “Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
PSALMS 79 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Quickly show us your mercy, For we have been brought very low (Psalm 79:8)
Psalm 79 alludes to the historical context of Psalm 74. Here’s a reminder: this psalm refers to the destruction of Solomon’s temple by the Babylonians in 607 BCE (or 20 years earlier for others). It alludes to God’s rejection of his people Israel, because that nation had fallen into apostasy by worshiping other gods and goddesses. This rejection led to the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, and the deportation of its population to Babylon for 70 years (verses 3–8; compare with the historical account in 2 Kings chapter 25).
However, Psalm 79 is different regarding the petition made to God. It is a call for vengeance against the nations that, at that time, destroyed the nation that represented God’s people:
Is it illogical to think that God will avenge the innocent blood shed throughout human history, especially that of His servants? No. However, it is important to remember that this vengeance does not belong to humans, but rather to God:
“Return evil for evil to no one. Take into consideration what is fine from the viewpoint of all men. If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.” But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good” (Romans 12:17–21).
PSALMS 80 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
And look upon the son whom you made strong for yourself (Psalms 80:15)
Psalm 80 is a cry for help to the Shepherd of Israel, to the One who sits above the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant, in the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle and later of the Temple. Israel is designated by Joseph, and then by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, Benjamin being his brother through their mother Rachel. Benjamin was the first royal tribe, through Saul. This kingship has been transferred to King David and his dynasty, from the tribe of Judah. In this psalm, Israel is symbolized by a vineyard. This psalm evokes the same situation poetically described in Psalms 74 and 79. The psalmist begs God to deliver them from this painful and distressing situation.
Jesus Christ took up this illustration, referring to himself as the vine and his disciples as the branches: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the cultivator. 2 He takes away every branch in me not bearing fruit, and he cleans every one bearing fruit, so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in union with me, and I will remain in union with you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you unless you remain in union with me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in union with me and I in union with him, this one bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing at all. 6 If anyone does not remain in union with me, he is thrown out like a branch and dries up. And men gather those branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in union with me and my sayings remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will take place for you. 8 My Father is glorified in this, that you keep bearing much fruit and prove yourselves my disciples. 9 Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love. 10 If you observe my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love” (John 15:1–10).
From now on, this vineyard of God with its branches constitutes the Israel of God, the Christian congregation (Galatians 6:16; Acts 11:26). This congregation or church is made up of both Jews in the flesh and people of all nations, with the spiritual circumcision of the heart (which represents obedience to God and to Christ (Deuteronomy 10:16)): “For not all who descend from Israel are really “Israel”” (Read Romans chapter 9 and 11:17–24; John 10:16).
PSALMS 81 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Shout joyfully to God our strength. Shout in triumph to the God of Jacob (Psalms 81:1)
PSALM 81:
Psalm 81 poetically evokes the Festival of Booths (Tabernacle) or Ingathering, which was celebrated on the 15th of Ethanim (Tishri) of the Hebrew calendar (between September and October). The particularity of this festival was that it was particularly joyful; God wanted every Israelite to rejoice: “God will bless all your produce and all that you do, and you will become nothing but joyful” (Deuteronomy 16:15). Psalm 81 is the poetic expression of this joy:
This joy will be expressed in the future earthly paradise. According to Zechariah’s prophecy, in this Festival of Booths and Ingatherings that will be celebrated, in the future paradise, the Kingship of Jehovah God with joy: “Everyone who is left remaining out of all the nations that come against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to bow down to the King, Jehovah of armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Booths” (Zechariah 14:16). “For since the Law has a shadow of the good things to come” (Hebrews 10:1).
PSALMS 82 (Read in your Bible or in a Bible Online)
Defend the lowly and the fatherless.
Render justice to the helpless and destitute (Psalms 82:3)
Psalm 82 metaphorically refers to human judges as gods, and God asks them to judge justly:
Jesus Christ quoted a passage from Psalm 82 to explain to his audience that his claim to be the Son of God was not blasphemous because this psalm refers to humans in the role of judge as gods: “Jesus answered them: “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said: “You are gods”’? If he called ‘gods’ those against whom the word of God came — and yet the scripture cannot be nullified — do you say to me whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me” (John 10:34–37).
It is obvious that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and not God himself. The apostle Peter said this and commended him for giving such a correct answer: “He said to them: “You, though, who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In response Jesus said to him: “Happy you are, Simon son of Joʹnah, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but my Father in the heavens did’” (Matthew 16:15–17).
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