Psalm 91

*As I personalize this Psalm, I am going to include a paragraph of insights shared by my pastor today, 03/15/2020, at the end.

1. I, Leigh, will dwell in the secret place of the Most High; I will abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
   
2. I will say of my Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him will I trust.
   
3. Surely, He will deliver me from the snare of my fowler and from the destructive pestilence (literally, death of destruction).
   
4. He will cover me with His feathers and under His wings (representative of the tallit or prayer shawl, it speaks of intimacy with the Lord) will I abide; His truth will be my shield and buckler (a buckler is a large shield which protects from three sides).
   
5. I will not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,
   
6. nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.
   
7. A thousand will fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand, but it will not come near me.
   
8. I will only see the just rewards of the wicked with my eyes.
   
9. Because I have chosen to make the Lord Most High, who is my refuge, my dwelling place … the place where I will live forever.
   
10. In doing so, no evil will befall me, neither will any plague be able to come near my home.
    
11. For He gives His angels charge over me, to keep me in the Way.
    
12. They will bear me up in the palms of their hands so that my feet are kept from being cut upon any stone (This stone is a chiseled stone, cut by men. It represents false, man-made gods).
    
13. Because of this provided safety I can walk on the lion and the adder: I can trample the young lion and the serpent beneath my feet.
    
14. In all of this God says, “because Leigh has set her love on Me, I will deliver her. I will set her on My high places because she knows My name.
    
15. Leigh will call on Me and I will answer her. I AM with her in trouble. I will deliver her and honor her.
    
16. With long life I will satisfy her and show her My Salvation.
    

To dwell within the secret place of the Lord is to live with Him intimately. IT is a “close quarters” dwelling … to live within His arm's length so that He can set His hands upon our head. When the Lord sets His left hand upon our head, He covers us with anointing and His protection. When He sets His right hand upon our head, He covers us with His power … His authority. FYI: this "covering only works while we stay within arm's length He who is doing the covering.  It sounds to me like this “secret place of the Most High” is a place of His grace. In 2 Peter 3:18, we are told to grow in His grace, how better to do this than to dwell within His secret place in a life of total intimacy with the King of kings.

To dwell therein is a choice that we must make. For we have to leave behind everything that would try to separate us from the Lord and His love. And we must enter in with complete and sincere humility. We must place everything at His feet … all of who we are and all of who we ever will or could be, placing all of our cares and trust in Him.

For that place of intimacy with the Lord is an all-consuming fire that burns away all of our impurities and prepares us for total immersion in Him; which is our life in Him for all eternity.

So come, dwell in the secret place of the Most High God and rest within His presence!

Psalm Twenty Two, Verses 16-31

A Psalm of David

For the Music Director. Set to the Tune of "The Doe of the Morning."

David wrote this as a prayer. It is meant to lift us from our depths of great suffering to the highest levels of joys. David believed that God would deliver him from his despair, even though all of his friends had deserted him and it appeared that God had also. No, David continued to look to that future day when God would rule over all the earth.

• 16. A pack of evil men - thugs, if you will - has surrounded me like a pack of wild and vicious dogs. They have trapped me, piercing my hands and feet.
• 17. All of my bones are visible beneath my skin. And the people stand around, gawking at me and gloating.
• 18. They divide my clothes among them, but they shoot dice to gamble for my robe.
• 19. Oh Lord, do not go far away. God, You are my strength, so come quickly to save me.
• 20. Father, please rescue me from this implement of death. Save Your Begotten One from the destruction of these wild dogs.
• 21. Deliver me from the lion's mouth, rescue me from this herd of wild oxen, for my death is imminent without You.
• 22. Regardless, I will shout Your name among my brothers and sisters. Ever will I sing Your praises among the congregation of believers.
• 23.This is the message I will shout; If you fear the Lord God, praise Him! All of God's Israel, give Him the honor and respect He deserves.
• 24. For He has never let you down or looked the other way when you call on Him ... when your enemies kicked you to the ground. Nor has He left you to go off on a tangent ... to do His own thing. NO, He has been right at your side, listening ... waiting to hear your every need.
• 25. Here in the midst of the congregation of believers, I will praise You, for You fill me with songs of great joy. My songs of praise fulfill of all the vows I made before you in the darkness.
  
• 26. If you are poor, humble, meek and/or lowly ... whatever your need, if you diligently seek the Lord, you will be satisfied. And in that satisfaction, you will find your voice raised in joyful praise.
• 27. From the four corners of the earth, people will remember the Lord and turn to Him. The whole world will bow before the Lord, even those who had walked away from Him in years past,
• 28. for the earth belongs to Him ... He rules it all.
• 29. The rich, powerful and famous will bow before Him - worshiping! The poor and worthless - those who seem insignificant - will also kneel before Him in worship, too. No one can save their own soul. 
• 30. Our children - and all posterity - will serve the Lord.
• They will declare His righteousness so that all who ever will live will know His story ... His salvation message. And that He ALWAYS keeps His promises.

The Psalms of Christ

*There are many prophetic passages throughout the Psalms that tell us of Jesus. This Psalm is a compilation of those passages. I have given the references for the Psalms and their New Testament fulfillments.

1. God made a proclamation, do you know what He said? Let me tell you. God said, "You are My Son. Today is Your Birthday, today I declare Your Sonship. 
   
2. What gift would You like? Truly, ask for anything You like, it is Yours! Do You want continents as Your inheritance? The whole world as Your possession? They are Yours!
3. Make them do as You will. Bend them, break them in pieces, or simply throw them away as You wish. *[The Messiah is God's Son. Psalm 2:7-9 / Hebrews 1:5-6.]
4. I will do all that I can to make the Lord happy. For He always gives wise counsel, even through the darkest night.
5. My focus, my whole being is trained on Him, for when I keep the Lord at the center of my life, I can not be moved.
6. It is because of You, Lord, that I am happy from the inside out and from the outside in I am being perfected in Your image ... secure in Your restful hope.
7. For You will not abandon me in death, neither will You allow Your Holy One, Your Anointed, to face destruction, corruption, or decay. *[Messiah will rise from the dead. Psalm 16:7-10 / Luke 24:5-7, Acts 13:35.]
   
8. Lord ... oh my Lord! Why have You left me so alone and desolate? Why are You so far from helping me, removed from hearing the deepest distress filled cries of my heart?
9. Oh Lord, I cry out in deep anguish all day long, but I hear no reply. All through the darkness of night I toss and turn in my despair, but still, I get no response from You.
10. But You who dwell in the praises of Your people, Israel, are Holy, my Lord.
11. It was You our forefathers trusted implicitly. They trusted You because You delivered them when they were in need.
12. They cried out to You over and over; they trusted You and You never disappointed them.
13. But I am not worthy to call on Your name; for I am lower than the dust on a worm's belly. I am less than a man. for I am full of disgrace, despised by my companions ... my peers.
14. They all make fun of me; throwing their insults, and shaking their heads, they make faces and laugh me to scorn.
15. You know, he trusted in God, he believes that God will deliver him. So, let God save him since he puts all of his trust, his delight, in Him.
16. But I do trust You, Lord, because it was You who brought me out of my mother's womb. You put this faith within me while I was suckling at my mother's breast. 
17. From my very first breath, I had to put my trust in You. You made me know that You alone were worthy of that trust, and since that day You have been my God.
18. Then trouble moved in next door. Now You seem so far away, and I need help!
19. My enemies, like a herd of raging bulls, surround me. 
20. Their heads are lowered and bobbing, their horns pointed menacingly in my direction. They paw at the ground and flair their nostrils as if ready to stampede.
21. Like roaring lions, they prepare to tear apart their prey with their mouths open wide for the kill.
22. I am done in. My life is poured out; like a water bucket that has been kicked over and the has o water flowed out onto the ground. My body is spent; I feel as if all of my joints are dislocated. My heart is destroyed; it is as if it has melted within my chest, like wax in the cauldron is melted before being made into candles for light.
23. My strength is gone, it is as dried up as an old bone. I can barely call for help, for my tongue is glued to the roof of my mouth. You may as well throw me out on the dust pile with the trash, for I am all but dead.
24. A pack of evil men - thugs, if you will - has surrounded me like a pack of wild and vicious dogs. They have trapped me, piercing my hands and feet.
25. All of my bones are visible beneath my skin. And the people stand around, gawking at me and gloating.
26. They divide my clothes among them, but they shoot dice to gamble for my robe.
27. Oh Lord, do not go far away. God, You are my strength, so come quickly to save me.
28. Father, please rescue me from this implement of death. Save Your Begotten One from the destruction of these wild dogs.
29. Deliver me from the lion's mouth, rescue me from this herd of wild oxen, for my death is imminent without You.
30. Regardless, I will shout Your name among my brothers and sisters. Ever will I sing Your praises among the congregation of believers. *[The Christ will experience agony on the cross,  Psalm 22:1-22 / Matthew ch 26 and 27. Evil men will gamble for his clothing, Psalm 22:18 / Matthew 27:35, John 19:23-24. He is exceedingly thirsty on the cross. Psalm 22:15 / John 19:28. He will declare God's name. Psalm 22:22 / Hebrews 2:12.]
31. Even in death You protect Him, You keep His bones from being broken. *[His bones will not be broken. Psalm 34:20 / John 19:36-37.]
32. You have opened my hearing, You have enabled my understanding. Sacrifices and offerings - of animals or money, of body and soul - bring you no joy; You have not required nor requested them, for You have no need of them. It is obedience that You require.
33. It was when I came to this realization that I came to You, just as it is written in Your book about me.
34. Therefore, it pleases me to do Your will, my Lord. Yes Your orders, Your very law, is written deep within my being ... directly on my heart of hearts! *[He came to do God's will. Psalm 40:6-8 / Hebrews 10:5-7.]
35. Even my close friend, a trusted brother ... one who shared my food and lodgings has betrayed me. He has lifted his hand against me and is now among my enemies. *[Christ will be betrayed by a close friend. Psalm 41:9 / Luke 22:48]
36. Your throne is God's throne forever and always. The power by which You rule is just; it weighs the intents of the people. [The sceptre (or orb, in some kingdoms) is the symbol of a king's power (or right) to rule.]
    
37. He knows that You love righteousness and hate evil. Therefore God, yes Your God, has anointed You with the oil of His great gladness; He has named You King ... The Leader of Your brothers, Your companions. *[His Kingdom will never end. Psalm 45:6-7 / Hebrews 1:8-9]
38. When You ascended (from the grave) you released the captives from their captivity. You received gifts from the people; yes even wicked people blessed You; that You, our God, might dwell among them ... within them. *[He rose from the dead. Psalms 68:18 / Ephesians 4:8-10. Words in parenthesis added for clarity.]
39. Zeal, enthusiastic diligence, for You and Your household consumes me from within. The insults of those that hate You break my heart. Yes, and they even blame me for all that they hate about You. *[Christ is zealous, enthusiastically diligent, for God and His people. Psalm 69:9 / John 2:17.]
40. Your enemies placed poison in my food, and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink. *[He was offered vinegar while on the cross. Psalm 69:21 / Matthew 27:48.]
41. You have said that You made a covenant with David, Your chosen one. You swore to him, 'I have established your dynasty, your historic line, forever. I have made your throne secure throughout all generations.
42. Once, and for all time, I have sworn by My Holiness - I will not lie to David - his line will continue forever, and his throne will stand before My presence just as the sun and the moon have from the beginning of creation. *[Messiah is a descendant of King David. Psalm 89:3, 4, 35, 36 / Luke 1:31-33.]
43. Announce to the whole world - Our God Rules! It was Him who set the earth securely on its foundation. And He will fairly judge all of its people.
44. Let's hear the heavenly choir joyously proclaim it, as the earth resounds His praises and the oceans join in with their applause.
45. Let the fields be lush with their excitement and the animals dance. Yes, the trees of the forest will sing and shout with pure joy before their God.
46. Indeed, all creation will rejoice; for He comes. The Lord returns to bring His judgment upon the earth. Judgment, tempered with righteousness and love. Love for His whole creation, the earth, and His children. He will set all things right ... make all things new, in His faithfulness. *[Christ will return to judge the earth. Psalm 96:10-13 / 1 Thessalonians1:10.]
    
47. The Lord God said to my lord (king David), 'Sit here beside Me on My throne until I place all of your enemies beneath your feet. 
48. The Lord God will hold the scepter, the symbol of your rulership and strength, over Zion and say, 'Now rule with My power and might even though you are surrounded by your enemies.' 
49. Don't worry, the people will eagerly join you, clad in their holy armor, on the day of your mighty victory. At the dawning of the day, they will join you. You and all of the people will have vitality and vigor of youth. You will be indestructible ... '10 feet tall and bulletproof.' 
50. The Lord God has sworn - He will never change His mind - 'You are a priest forever, just like Melchizedek of old,  *[He is David's son and David's Lord. He is the eternal priest-king. Psalm 110:1-4 / Matthew 22:44, Hebrews 6:20.]
    
51. The Stone which the builders rejected as flawed has been chosen by God as The Capstone of His house.
52. God has chosen, and we marvel at it. We rub our eyes in disbelief.
53. Yet, this is the very day God acted. Let all of His children celebrate with great joy and feasting! *[He is rejected by many, but accepted by God. Psalm 118:22-24 / 1 Peter 2:7-8.]
    

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 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 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!