Psalm Nineteen

The heavens declare the glory of God; each day He paints the skies with beautiful sights with just a whisper on the wind.

Morning and evening He speaks to us, teaching us with these visions He has painted within the clouds. There is no people or place on earth where His voice is not heard and His lessons learned in this manner. And so, His unspoken truth is known around the world; it is spoken of in every culture on earth.

God placed the sun in its place in the sky. It appears every morning, reminding us of a bridegroom from ancient days that, when leaving his bridal suite, he runs joyously as would a track star who has broken the finish line and is dashing to accept his award. He runs his course through the skies from morning to night, hiding nothing from his light and his warmth. It is in this way that the whole world has received God’s message.

God’s law is total perfection, it converts the soul. It's testimony, its witness, is confident; for in its simplicity it brings us wisdom, for we are simple.

God’s rules to live by are the right road to travel, for they will fill you with His great joy. The commands He gives are pure truth. This truth gives us true enlightenment for our minds.

The fear and respect of God bring clarity which will last us our whole lives … even throughout eternity. When God judges, His judgments are truly righteous – unlike those of mankind.

All of these are to be desired more than the finest things this world can offer … more than the best food and wines, and even more than all the wealth this world could ever give you.

And by living according to God’s ways there is a great reward – in this life and throughout eternity, therein is your warning to live for God alone.

God, will You wash clean our lives so that we can start anew with You? Will You help me keep from these stupid sins I keep falling into? From thinking that I can replace You in my life and succeed? This is the prayer of my heart each day. Please accept them as I lay them on Your altar within my heart. Then You will be my God, the keeper of my soul … my heart of hearts. And I will be Your servant.

Amen!

Psalms Eighteen, Verses 19-50

Chapter Intro - Restated:

To: The Chief Musician; A Psalm of David (and of Leigh), who sang these words to the Lord on the day when God delivered him from hands of his enemy ... of Saul.

Singing:

You, Lord, have brought me out into a spacious place; You delivered me because I have brought you delight, I have made you smile.

You have rewarded me according to the righteousness I have found in You, Your Spirit within my mind - my conscious thought, my honesty, and my trustworthiness; because my hands are clean in Your sight, You have rewarded me.

For I have stayed true to Your path, Lord. I have not strayed from Your side nor Your ways.

All of Your directions are ever before me, I will never let them slip away from me.

I stand in Your presence without blame, for I am clothed in Your righteousness and ever in a state of readiness so that I may keep myself free from sinning and the guilt that come with that lifestyle.

It is for these reasons that You have rewarded me for my presence in Your righteousness - because I can stand tall and straight in You - because of Your righteousness, my hands are clean in Your eyes.

You will always show Yourself kind and merciful to those who reflect Your kindness and mercy in their hearts and lives; as with those who are honest and straightforward, you will act honestly, too.

Those who are pure of heart will see Your purity, and those who are corrupt will see Your anger and hostility.

For You, my Lord, have delivered the tormented, timid and withdrawn people, but You will destroy those who look down upon them; the contemptuous, indifferent and overbearing.

It is You alone that have given Light to my life; You have made me to shine, causing the brightest light to flood my darkness.

With Your light, and the power it gives me, I can meet any band of attackers and defeat them handily. In Your strength, I can leap over the highest walls to bring them down.

Lord, all of Your ways are perfect! Your Word is tested and tried and has been proven true; You protect all who see You for refuge better than the best shields or forcefield available; all who seek shelter, placing their trust in You, will certainly find it.

So, who can be our Master save our God? Or who is a better Fortress to provide us protection than God? The same God who clothes me with His strength and makes me completely mature as I walk His pathway?

Lord, You strengthen my foundation, making me able to stand on spiritual high places like a deer on the mountain heights. In fact. You even set me upon those heights when I am strong in You.

You alone can train me to battle the enemy, making my arms strong enough that I could pull a bow made of bronze.

You have given me the Shield of Your Salvation, Your very Son, who is Your Right Hand, has held me up; Your loving-kindness, tenderness, and patronage caress me.

You have cleared the path ahead so that there is nothing on which I would trip and fall.

When I chased the enemy, I was able to overtake and destroy them. They were not able to rise again once they fell, wounded and near death at my feet.

Your strength wraps around me, holding me tight like a girdle, to build me up for the battle; and when it is over, I see the very enemy that had tried to defeat me, now underneath my feet. You alone have made them turn tail and run the other direction so that they come no longer into my presence.

These enemies cried for help but they found none. They even tried to get Your attention, Lord, but You refused to hear their cries.

Then I was able to totally defeat them, they appeared as small as grains of dust blowing in the wind, and I poured them out of my life, as one pours out the dust in a dustpan onto the garbage heap.

Lord, You set me free from anxious people; You made me a leader within my community; people whom I had never met walk beside me to serve Your Kingdom. As soon as they heard of me and Your message that I bring, they submitted themselves to Your call. Strangers, corrupt beings, came crawling out of their hiding places in fear, pretending to serve You.

But You Live, my Lord! You make me happy within Your protective Fortress. And I will lift Your name in exaltation! Yes, My Lord is the God who takes revenge on my behalf, trampling my enemies beneath His feet, giving me complete deliverance. Yes, You have delivered me from the destruction of the evil one. It is for this reason that I will ever praise You, giving You thanks and singing songs of worship every day. 

And You will deliver me with Your greatness whenever I am in need. For You show mercy and unfailing love to those who have covered by the Blood of Your Son, anointing me and covering me - and those I bring alongside - with your Holy Power and Love forever.

Amen!

Psalm Eighteen - Verses 1-19

Intro:

To: The Chief Musician

A Psalm of David (and Leigh), who sang these words to the Lord on the day when God delivered him from hands of his enemies ... of Saul.

Singing:

Lord, I love You so much! You are my Strength, The Source of my Help.

Lord, You are my Strong Tower, my Fortified City, the only real Deliverer I have. My God and my King, the solid Rock of my Foundation, the one in Whom I can put all of my trust and take refuge within, the Shield of my Defenses, and the Father of my Salvation - Jesus, the Place of my Greatest Safety.

So I will proclaim aloud the trustworthiness of my God. For You have saved me out of the clutches of my enemies. For the grief and sorrow of impending death surrounded me, ungodly men swirled around me as a torrential flood. The hoards of Hell assembled round about; I had been captured in the midst of the dead.

Then I called out to You in my confinement. And you heard my cries from Your temple. From Your spiritual dwelling place within my soul, my cries came into Your very ears.

At that very moment there was a great earthquake. The foundations of the mountains trembled; they were deeply moved, shaken  by Your fury; for You were indignant at my imprisonment; angered by my enemies' mental and physical torture. So angry, in fact, that smoke billowed from Your nostrils and devouring lightnings proceeded from Your mouth, so much so that coals were kindled among the rocks and trees round about by it.

You stepped down from Your throne and came down among us. Your feet were shrouded in a thick cloud of darkness. Riding upon a cherub, a ministering spirit from Your throne room, You flew swiftly. You soared on the very wings of the winds. You clothed Yourself in darkness, making a canopy of the gathering black clouds, clouds like of the fiercest thunderstorm.

Out of the brightness of Your presence, You broke forth from Your dark, stormy canopy hurling thunderbolt and hailstones toward the earth. Your voice thundered, as if from Heaven, through the souls of evil men. Your burning coals of fire scattered the enemy. Thunderbolts. huge and ominous, routed them completely.

All of the fury of nature You brought to bear against the foundations of the earth. The ocean floor was laid bare at the rebuke of your voice, at the very breath of Your nostrils.

Yet in the midst of all this, You reached down from on high, You picked me up. You drew me out of the violent danger all around, delivering me from my strong enemy, from all those who loathe and despise me, for they were much too strong for me alone.

They had confronted me, coming upon me when all around me was already in turmoil. But You Lord, are the Pillar of my Strength, my Rock and very Foundation and Support. You rescued me, for I bring You delight. You have placed me in a roomy and comfortable place, both in body and in spirit.

~*~

Our God is so AWESOME! He will always save and deliver those you make pleasing Him their very delight. And He chose us, the people He created, to bring Him delight, honor, love, worship, praise and glory ... and of all this He ALONE is Worthy!

Psalm Seventeen

Intro:

A prayer of David.

Lord, I beg You ... listen to what I have to say. Hear my cries for fairness and lend Your help. For my pleas do not come from deceitful lips or a heart filled with lies and deception.

I know that when You judge me I will be found guiltless; for You have examined my heart and see the Truth within. You questioned and tested me all night and found no variance in my answers. I have not sinned by word nor deed. Not only that Lord, but I have heard and obeyed Your orders and have not done as evil people would do. I have not failed You.

I know that when I call on You, You will answer; so hear me now, Lord. Listen to what I have to say. 

show us Your wonderful mercy and loving kindness, You that saves Your children with the awesome might of Your right hand; You protect them from the destruction of the wicked.

So protect me Lord, as You would the very sight of Your eyes, from those who would destroy me. Shelter me as You would a young bird beneath Your Mighty, Sheltering Wings,thus keeping those who would oppress me ... from the enemies of my soul that seek my death, that surround me everywhere I go. 

Look at how selfish they are! They are all wrapped up in their own wealth, boasting for any and all who would listen.*

They have run me to ground, wearing me out completely to aid them in their attack. Look at them, they are like young, crouching lions waiting to attack .... prepared to pounce on me for the kill.

Rise up, Lord, and destroy their plans to attack. Humble them with Your sword - the powerful words from Your lips, as You deliver me from their hands.

Thoughts:

*Verse 10 in the King James Version of the Bible reads,"They are enclosed in their own fat:with their mouth they speak proudly."

This verse didn’t mean much to me, so I did a bit of research. I used the Strong’s Concordance to do a word by word, phrase by phrase study to find a clear meaning. I also looked into the cultural thoughts of the day to know the thoughts of people of that time period in regards to weight. Below is what I learned:

Strong’s Definitions:

• ·        They are enclosed = cagar (saw-gar’) – to shut up; figuratively, to surrender: close up, deliver up, give over to, enclose, X pure, repair, shut (in, self, out, up, up together), stop, X straightly.
• ·        In their own fat = cheleb (kheh-lev) – to be fat; fat, whether literal or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part: -- X best, fat(-ness), X finest, grease, marrow.
• ·        With their mouth = peh – the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figuratively (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to: --accord(-ing, as, -ing to), after appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), X eat, edge, end, entry, file, hole, X in mind, mouth, part, portion, X (should), say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, X spoken, talk, tenor, X to, two-edged, wish, word.
• ·        They speak = dâbar (daw-bar) – perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue: -answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, X well, X well, X work.
• ·        Proudly = gê’ûwth (gay-ooth’) – excellent thingfs, lifting up, majesty, pride, proudly, raging.

Point by point, stepping through the definitions I found these phrases can be written as follows:

• They are enclosed = They are closed, shut up, they are delivered, they are repair(-ing, -ed), they are all bound up in, they are enclosed … 
• In their own fat = in their own overweight condition, because of their riches, their vast finery, their wealth … 
• With their mouth = blowing with their mouth, (speaking) out of the side of the mouth … 
• They speak = they talk, they give a speech, they speak … 
• Proudly = exalting, giving majesty, with great pride, proudly …

After reading through these definitions, I looked into the culture. I found that in this time, just like our earlier western cultures, those with wealth could afford to eat more and more often. They wore their wealth proudly in their weight as well as their jewelry and decor. The bigger the body, the more opulent the jewelry, the bigger the bank account, so to speak. Yes, fat was considered beautiful, at least to the affluent.

Because of the above definitions and the thoughts of the day on wealth and beauty, I came to rewrite the passage as:

“Look at how selfish they are! They are all wrapped up in their own wealth, boasting for any and all who would listen.”

So when you are reading from God’s word and get “stuck in translation,” you can find the meaning by using the free study tools that you can find online at blueletterbible.org. There are a variety of useful tools, including the Strong’s Concordance that I used here.

I hope that I have brought you some clarity in your bible reading. Until next time …

Be Blessed!

Psalm Sixteen

Intro:

A poem of David, intended to record memorable thoughts.

Eternal Life for one who trusts.

My Intro:

A prayer of my heart, to record my thoughts on the Lord in my life.

My Lord, if I have found a place of refuge in You, if You are indeed the Rock of my Salvation, then I place all of my trust fully in You; within the folds of Your wings, I will hide and safely remain. For I know that You will protect me and keep me safe ... Always!

For You are my Lord and Master; nothing I am or have is any good without You. I have no righteousness unless I am washed clean by Your Blood.

As for Your other followers throughout the nations, it is they who have an excellent relationship with, and right standing in You. I am honored to be counted among them, delighted to follow their example as they follow after You.

But those who choose to follow after other gods, their fellowship offerings I will not offer; neither will I mention their names ... I refuse to allow them to proceed from my lips.

Lord I have chosen You as the cup I will drink from and my lot life has drawn from Your hands, my only favored serving from life's pie.

Battle lines have been drawn and my position chosen.I see I have been placed in battle array on the front lines, yet because You have appointed it I know that it is a protected position, a pleasant place from which I will joyfully serve You.

So I will fight valiantly in order to please You; just to make You crack a smile. For You have always given me wise counsel. Your Spirit, deep within my heart, guides me in dark times.

Because You are the source of my strength, my very right hand, I will not be moved. No force of the enemy can muster will displace the dynamic power of Your Spirit within me!

Therefore will I sing Your songs of praise; my lips, yes my very heart of hearts shall rejoice evermore ... Yes, my whole being is filled with restful hope in You alone.

For I know that You will not leave my soul in the torment of hell and destruction. No, You will not allow Your saints to see corruption, or to suffer eternal separation from You -- You who are the very source of our life ... of my life.

Yes You have shown me that real life is non-existent without You ... for You are life itself! Only in Your presence is their true joy. So this is where I choose to be ... to take my stand ... at Your right hand forevermore! 

Hallelujah!

Amen and Amen

Psalm Fifteen

Intro:

Characteristics of the Godly. 

A Psalm of David

Lord, who can abide in Your tabernacle, who can tolerate standing within Your house of Worship? Who has permission to make their home on Your Holy Hill?

Only those who stand up straight and true, those who are clothed in Your righteousness and walk Your pathways. Those that speak Your truths from their hearts. Those who do not speak slanderously, who treats his neighbors with out evil or malice, and doesn't pick up the offense of another against his friends. Those who view evil and wicked people with complete and utter disdain, but who gives honor to all who honor and respect God. Who will make a promise and keep it, even if it causes himself hurt. He will not loan out his money with exploitative interest rates. Neither will he take any bribes in order to pervert justice.

All who can live in this manner will never be moved in their stand for Christ! They are grounded, standing on a firm and solid foundation that will last through eternity.

Thoughts:

David starts off by asking The Lord a rhetorical question ... Who may live with You, Lord? Then he starts describing what a child of God would look like. So I am going to give you my best description of what a child of God looks like to me.

One who follows after God would need to know and love Him, unconditionally. They would be rooted and grounded in His word, and ever striving to know more of Him from it. For it is their firm foundation in Christ. They are able to stand in His presence uprightly and without wavering.

They are so filled with His love toward Him that they would always speak His truths because it would permeate their hearts and minds.

They would never speak falsely against anyone, nor do any wicked or unjust thing against a friend. Nor would they take up another's offense against a neighbor. They would hate the deeds of wicked and detestable people, but show honor and respect for others - especially those of the Body of Christ, those who serve and worship the Lord.

They stand for truth, righteousness and godliness no matter the cost; even if it cost their very lives. for they know that it is just what He would expect of them.

They will not lend money to anyone with an unfair, unjust, interest rate; they would rather give it away, expecting nothing in return, than cause any one hurt or harm.

They will take no bribe, regardless of impending wealth or fame it may bring. For it is unthinkable to them to commit any evil act against any person, especially the innocent.

NO a truly godly person would never knowingly do any of the things that our God hates. And no one, no human or spiritual entity would be able to shake them off their true foundation, or otherwise move them from their godly course of action.

And I am striving to live so that I may be such a one as this!

This is what our spiritual house should look like beneath the facade of our physical being.

• Foundation: 
• Jesus Christ 
• Matthew 16:18
• Colossians 3:11
• Ephesians 2:20
• Psalm 27:4
• Supports: 
• Worship
• John 4:23
• Service
• 1 John 3:18
• Fellowship
• Hebrews 10:24-25
• Evangelize
• Romans 10:14
• Disciple
• Mark 28:20
• Ceiling:
• Unity of ALL Believers
• John 13:34
• Trusses (Roof Supports)
• Spiritual Maturity (i.e. Complete in Christ, Perfected in His Righteousness)
• Hebrews 6:1
• Roof and Attic
• The Fullness of Christ
• Ephesians 4:13

So Grow in His Grace and in your love of and for God!

Colossians 1:3-8 NIV:

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

2 Peter 3:17-18, NIV:

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! 

Amen!

Psalm Fourteen

Intro:

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

I see foolish men (and women) saying aloud that there is no God. It is an idea that emanates from deep within their heart. They are so evil, they have done so many repulsive acts; is there no one that does anything good?

Lord, look down from heaven upon the children of men. See if there is anyone who understands, who seek your face for Your care, Your Love, Your Wisdom. No, there are not. They have all turned away from Your pathway. They have become totally corrupt ... there is none who do good. Not Even One!

And the Lord replies, "Doesn't any of these evil people know anything? Anything at ALL? They eat up my people, just like they eat their dinner. And they NEVER call on Me for help. They tremble with great fear, for they see that I am with those who can stand uprightly in My presence."

"Hey, you there! Can't you see that you shame the counsel of the poor, but they don't care. For I am there refuge!"

Lord, I pray that You would send Your Son once more to earth. Bring Your final Salvation to Your children. Break all of their bonds and release them from all that would hold them captive. And Jacob will sing with JOY. Yes, Israel will shout with pure, unrestrained joy for all of Your marvelous ways!

Thoughts:

Now that David has quit feeling sorry for himself, he takes a new look at his unrighteous and evil enemies. He states that they are foolish and shallow beings, corrupt in all their ways. All of their deeds, every action they make, are evil to the core, vile and abominable. They haven't even one good deed to their credit.

He sees God, looking down from His throne upon the clouds in the sky, shaking His head; for He sees no righteous influence among these evil souls. But David knows the Lord, and that He holds a remnant of godly men and women safe within His protective grasp. He alone is their refuge.

The Lord God will save His people; He will save them from all these ungodly fools. And His chosen ones will rejoice in Him and His provision evermore!

Amen!

Psalm Thirteen and some thoughts on David's version

Intro:

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

Lord, how long will You forget all about me? How long will You turn Your face away from me? How long will You leave me alone with my own thoughts as my guide? How long will I be fulled with grief deep in my soul? How long will You allow my enemies to rule over me? How long, Lord? How Long?

Listen to me, oh Lord, and consider what I have to say. Then fill my soul with the wisdom I need to give me insight that will keep me safe from death at the hands of my enemies. This will keep them from spewing his lies ... from saying, "See, I beat her at her own game." This will keep them from rejoicing over my perils .... gloating over my calamities.

I trust You, Lord. I trust in Your mercy. I rejoice in Your Salvation. And I will ever sing to You the praises You have filled my heart and soul with, for You and blessed me exceedingly. You have given me that "abundant life" You spoke of to the first disciples You trained.

Thoughts:

As I read through this Psalm, I saw David as throwing a great pity party, so let's see how that goes:

Boo who! God is sooo far away. Why has He placed me in such isolation while my enemies are on the loose? How long will I have only my dark thoughts of fear and dread to guide me? Forever?

Listen to me, God! Now ... Before I Die!*

(*This kind and of reminds me of when my kids would argue, then come crying to me for help. I always told them they would have to work it out for themselves.)

"Hear me before my enemies laugh as they are conquering me."

(Here I see David getting a glimpse of Truth once again. So he starts to refocus his thoughts on the Lord rightly.)

"I have always trusted You, for You alone are worthy of my trust. I know that Your mercy prevails and that I will rejoice in Your Salvation evermore. Then I will sing allowed once more. I will lift my voice in songs of praise to You; for You have always dealt with exceeding grace and bountiful mercy toward me.

Thank You, Lord for all of Your wondrous Love and Mercy!

Amen

Psalm Twelve

Intro: 

To the Chief Musician, to be played on an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David ... Man's Treachery and God's Constancy.

Lord Help Me! For it seems like all the godly people have disappeared; those in the faith, who have previously proved faithful, have vanished from the face of the earth.

All those that remain speak only small talk, their words are useless flattery and vain lies. They are double minded, having no firm foundation in truth, they say what those around them want to hear; they change their messages to satisfy their current audience.

Lord, show them the error of their ways by Your destruction of them. Remove their proud and arrogant words from their lips: for they have boasted, "we will rule by our own thoughts, words and ideals. We will reign by all that comes from our mouths. No one else is "Lord" over us, we are our own king!

But I hear You saying, Lord, "I will raise up because of the oppression of the poor and needy. I have heard their deep sighs of agony and distress and I will step in, pick them up and put them in the safe house that they desire; the fortress they so long for."

And I know that You will do just that, my Lord. For You are me God. You are a promise keeper; You never break Your promises. All of Your words are 100% pure truth, as if tried in the fire seven times - like silver - to remove all of its impurities. You have kept them constant and consistent from the beginning. And You will continue to preserve them throughout all generations.

Yet, the ungodly still sneak about wrapped up in their darkness; they still exalt their evil ways, expounding on and glorying in their very wickedness of thought and deed.

Psalm Eleven

Intro: 

For the Chief Musician or Choir Director. A Psalm of David

Jesus is my protective defense system, in Him alone do I place my full trust; for He is worthy ... His ways unbeaten!

I see my enemies preparing for the coming battle, his evil troops load up their rifles, mortars and grenade launchers in readiness. They will be ready to attack when night falls. When darkness looms they can shoot at the righteous, picking off the warriors of the Lord in secret. Hidden in the shadows they try to destroy us.

So how can you tell me to run away and hide? It was for this very battle that He has been preparing me.

See now the Lord is in His tabernacles; His very dwelling places. He sits upon His heavenly throne within the hearts of His warriors! I see Him watching over the children of men, the movements of His eyelids tries them, testing them for their upcoming conflicts, strengthening and preparing them. He proves all of our abilities to obey.

But upon the wicked, the evildoers ... all of the unbelievers of the world, He rains down judgment; He pummels them with fiery coals and burning rocks, all the while He is setting traps for their feet and arms to snare them while allowing the burning winds to scorch them in the process. And all of this is their reward for their thoughts, words and deeds, it is the very portion that He has filled each of their cups with.

For my God is True and Total Righteousness. He loves and blesses the righteous acts of His Children. And all of His Children, the precious Children of God, have the privilege of seeing His face as He holds them .... holds us ....  securely in His arms.

And I am Blessed to be counted among His Children!

Lord, I give you all thanksgiving and praise for ALL of Your Marvelous Ways!

Psalm Ten

Lord, why do you seem so far away? Why do you seem removed from my presence, so distant from me? Why do You hide Yourself, closing Your eyes when I am in dire straights ... in desperate trouble?

The wicked in their arrogant pride savagely chase after the poor to persecute them; may they be caught in the evil they have designed to the hurt of others. For they boast and brag of their wicked ways; they sing praises of the evil exploits they desire to do. Yes, the greedy in nature and desire despise You, Lord; they renounce all Your ways.

In their prideful conceit they will not seek after God, nor will they inquire after Him at all: for their minds have already concluded that God doesn't exist, so how can He punish their wrong doings? In all of this they are persistent and seem prosperous. Though Your commandments and accompanying judgments are beyond their comprehension, they have rejected them all. They taunt their enemies, all the while thinking to themselves, "Nothing and No One can harm me ... Nothing can shake my resolve!

Their mouths spews forth lies and curses, oppression and destruction, yet still they are filled with sinfulness and persecution.

They wait in dark alleys to strike at unsuspecting passersby. They hide in doorways to kill the innocent, watching sneakily for the helpless and less fortunate ... dragging them into their traps, crushing them as sink into its destruction; and all they while they think deep in their heart, "God has totally forgotten all about me! His eyes are closed tight, He can't see what I'm up too!"

 "Oh Lord, Open Your eyes, lift up your hands to protect the humble and do not forget them."

Why do the wicked try to deny Your existence? Why do they believe they will not be held accountable for what they have done? I know that you have seen it! Yes, You jot down notes of Your grief and hints of Your coming wrath.

Yet they that have been maligned and persecuted commit their ways to You. For You are the One who helps the fatherless, widows and orphans. You will always defend their cause.

So break the arms of the evil and depraved, make him pay for all the wrongs they have done! Expose them and their activities for all to see. Then will the innocent masses disappear from their sights, they will be unreachable to them forevermore. And all will know that You, Oh Lord, are King of Kings and Lord of Lords, forevermore.

For You, oh Lord, hear the cries of the oppressed, seeking righteousness for their cause. You feel their longings, their very hearts' desires, listening intently to their every word ...

So avenge them, my Lord; seek justice and righteous judgment for them, my God. Then will all men know that You are in charge and will not cause terror unjustly or without cause.

Amen!

Psalm Nine

Intro:

To the Chief Musician; possible set for soprano voices. A Psalm of David.

A Song of Thanksgiving!

Lord, I give You thanks from a heart filled with gratitude ... it knows no bounds.

While I write a book of Your exploits, I am whistling, laughing, and jumping up and down for the pure joy that it brings. Lord, I sing all of Your songs of praise, from beginning to end. Then I start all over again.

Do You remember the day that my enemies decided to run away from the scene of their crimes? I do! They were running away, watching over their shoulders all the way. They were so busy looking behind themselves that they tripped over their own feet, falling right on their faces. Then You stepped in and set everything to rights once more.

You were there exactly when I needed you. You took charge and everything went exactly as You had planned.

Lord, You are the original '"whistle blower;"  You blow the whistle on the ungodly nations and throw their evil politicians - all dirty dealers and cheating players of all stripes - out of the game, removing their names from the official records. Your actions on the playing field encourages other enemies, that have been sitting in the grandstand watching, to pick up their seat cushions and leave in haste; their reputations in ruins and their names erased from their roll call of recognition ... removing them from their "hallowed halls of fame."

It is God alone, not Atlas, who balances the worlds in His hands. He put everything that is askew in the world back into it's proper place and position. He knows what is best for every thing and every body in His creation, and He gives them each just what they deserve.

My Lord, You are a safe haven for the broken, battered and bruised; a place of refuge especially set aside for when things, times, and people are evil and destructive. When I step within, I am finally able to relax. And I am always glad to be at home within this peaceful place of refuge.

I will sing songs of praise to You, oh Lord ... You who lives within my heart. I will tell all of the stories of Your marvelous works, all of Your awesome exploits, to everybody that I meet: how You track down and pass judgement on all evildoers, yet all the while You watch over every cry of pain and sigh of despair.

Oh Father, please treat me with Your loving-kindness, for I have been pushed around - kicked about - for far too long; but You pull me back from the edge of destruction, from the very brink of death. For this reason I will proclaim Your name, I will shout praises of You from the rooftops! I will give You thanks for Your saving grace.

Lord, look at the ungodly masses; those peoples who have sought their own paths, their own righteousness. They have set traps for the unsuspecting, snares for those they seek to rob; but they have tripped themselves up, they have been caught in their own webs of deceit. They know that there is no excuse for their destructive deeds; for Your ways are well known, Your exploits have been broadcast far and wide. Yet they continue making their evil designs, breaking their own fingers as they go.

Yet, all that choose to be wicked and evil have already purchased their one-way tickets to Hell.

But all of those who are poor will no longer be a nameless, faceless mass of humanity. No more will the humble in spirit be humiliated. For You, my Lord, have had enough, You will no longer allow this type events to proceed, the wicked have reached the end of Your ropes! For I see that you are sick and tired with all of the posturing of these evildoers. You are about to expose them and all of their "grand schemes." Stir up that hornet's nest, Lord, and let them see just how stupid it all is and how silly they really look!

Amen!