In these Psalms, we see David’s unfaltering faith in God and his determined belief that God will give him victory over his enemies; God is good and loves the righteous; God reaches out to all those who seek Him and blesses them abundantly. David sings praises and expresses his deep rooted love for God by admitting that he is nothing without God and His loving care.
Psalm 16
David sings praises of the Lord and rejoices in the relationship that he has with God. He describes God as a mother bird under whose wings the chicks feel safe. David delights in the fact that he has a strong faith in God and that God also loves him as he has always been a righteous child. He says that there is no one who can come to his assistance other than God, who loves his righteous children and protects them from the evil designs of the wicked. David says that people around him worship other gods who are lifeless and useless as they never provide the way his God provides in the times of happiness as well as in sorrow. David’s profound belief is that God is the only provider and He blesses those who have faith in Him while those who worship other gods will soon encounter the wrath of God and His displeasure. David basks in the fact that his staunch belief in the powers of God will always guide him, deliver him in the times of trouble and give him victory over his enemies. He says that he has entrusted his life to God and stands confident that God will always lead him to the best, guide him endlessly and protect him from the evils around him as He has been doing in the past.
Psalm 17
We see that Davidis again imploring God for His Justice; justice for David in accordance to his righteousness and justice for his enemies in accordance to their wicked deeds. David pleads his case by saying that God knows how righteous he is as he fulfills the requirements of a person who can receive favors from God according to the prerequisites he wrote in Psalm 15. Therefore he has a right to God’s justice against his enemies who are trying their best to hurt him. David continues to beseech God to accept his cries and intervene by delivering David from the situation so that his enemies might once again witness the Powers of God and recognize His Might. He requests God to punish his wicked enemies so that they may finally know the consequences of their evil doings and are paid back in the same coin.
Psalm 18
David professes his love for God; an intimate love that is the basis of a personal relationship with God. This is a pleasant respite from David’s endless pleas for God to hear him and rescue him from the wicked ways of his enemies.
David has used several adjectives in praise of God and expresses his gratitude to God for always being there for him. He lovingly addresses God as his strength, his rock, his fortress, his deliverer, his God, his refuge, his shield, his horn of salvation and his stronghold.
David says that he is happy in the fact that God considers him to be righteous, not that he has never sinned, but because God has forgiven him of his sins and cleansed him; his claim is due to the fact that God has always listened to his prayers and He only listens to those who are righteous. David goes on to say that God always regards his children who remain faithful to Him as He is faithful by nature. He is a just God and all his actions do justice; He repays each one of us according to our deeds and actions, blessings for the righteous and reprimand to the wicked.
David says that all his victories have always been due to divine assistance because he could not have defeated his adversaries and enemies on his own. God was always supporting David in all situations and making him strong in battle to employ the heaviest of weapons; David was surefooted when he was confronting his enemies: he was wise in his decisions, and invincible in battle so that no one could defeat him. David says that he received blessings and assistance from God only because he is an ardent believer of the Word of God.
Psalm 19
David writes about the wondrous creations of God that speak of His Might and His Wisdom. He says that the heavens and the earth are testament to God’s Powers and His control over what He has created therein. David says that just as the sun has been created to give life to all of God’s creations, similarly God’s Word provides sustenance to the hearts and souls of the godly. He elaborates that the Word of God that is essential to the point that without it we would be worthless. God’s Word is food for our souls. It tells us how we should live our lives and following it should not be taken as a burden but as a guidance from God that will clear our minds, brighten our vision of the world around us and give us complete satisfaction. He says that wise are those who seek God’s Word for leading their lives in accordance to the commandments of God.
David says that after witnessing the creations of God and understanding His Word the least we can do is praise Him and thank Him for all His blessings. David is however worried about the fact that he is not completely rid of sin. He says that even though God has forgiven him of his sins but he is afraid that he might, knowingly or unknowingly, sin again. He asks God to cleanse him and to provide him with purity so that he might praise God in a befitting manner. David commits to God that he wants to spend the rest of his worldly life in complete submission to God and His Word.
Psalm 20
Psalm 20is a royal Psalm. David has offered a sacrifice to God at Mount Zion before going into battle. The sacred deed is followed by a prayer by the soldiers asking God to give them victory in the battle and to keep their king safe. They ask God to accept the sacrifices offered by their King David and to bless their war plans so that they are victorious in the battle.
David also prays with devout confidence as he trusts God to be with him all through the battle. He says that there is a visible difference in the confidence of those who trust in God and ask for His guidance as compared to those who rely only on their human wisdom.
The unfaltering faith of King David and his men shines through these verses as they are praying with utter confidence and knowledge that their prayers will be answered.
I would like to elaborate upon Psalm 19 which exalts God the creator who has blessed man with everything in this worldly life.
Main point of the passage
Psalm 19 describes the magnanimity of God through His magnificent creations in the heavens and the earth. The character and personality of our beloved God is revealed through each and every thing that He has created; the beauty, the symmetry, the uniqueness and the utility of even the tiniest thing that exists, speaks volumes of what a Great Planner He is.
He has not only decorated the world with His creations but has provided us with the instructions of how to lead our lives, what we should abstain from and what we should practice in abundance; His Word is the most essential and precious thing that He has provided us with for without it we would be completely lost.
Most Important Truth from the Text
However may humans try to accomplish feats in life and believe in their own strength and knowledge, it is impossible to succeed without complete trust in God. Man can only understand things from a very narrow perspective while God can guide us to the best solution as only He knows what His plans for us really are. We should lead our lives according to the “manual” that has been given to us so that we can understand how to actually use the abilities that God has gifted us with. Without understanding the do’s and don’ts of our body, heart, mind and soul, we would only be bringing destruction to ourselves and leading extremely useless and sinful lives.
The Word of God should be the nucleus for us just like the sun is the nucleus of the creations of the heavens and beyond. Just like the sun provides heat to sustain life on earth, the same way the Word of God provides warmth to strengthen the soul.
What is one area in your life from a practical perspective that the text pointed out
Psalm 19 strengthened my existing belief that the Word of God provides us with the guiding principles of our life on earth and a happy eternal life hereafter. I have experienced the love of God and His endless blessings in my life. I trust in God with all my heart and soul. God has always answered my prayers, calmed my soul in distress and showered His love incessantly on my loved ones. I must admit that being human I have erred many times but God has never turned away from me because I have been faithful to Him and have always sought repentance for my sins. His Word has always provided solace to my wounded heart and soul and has always left me placid and tranquil.
