Daily Meditations

Psalm 72:1 A Prayer for the King   The context of this, Psalm is complex. You will note that it is described as being “of Solomon” but it has all of the hallmarks of David’s authorship. I tend to agree with those who think this song was written by David for his son Solomon who would succeed to the throne of Israel and rule over God’s holy people. Two characteristics of a godly king are mentioned in the Psalm, two characteristics that David often mentions, they are righteousness and justice. (When David speaks of the Lord God, he usually adds truth to complete the trio).  There is another school of thought that we will definitely pursue as we work our way through these verses; Jewish tradition saw this as a Messianic Psalm and the early church agreed! In other words, the entire song extols the virtues of Yeshua and His kingdom. I can’t wait to learn more! Finally, notice that these verses are more than a just a statement of intent, they are prayer to Almighty God, a prayer that He will

Psalm 71:24 Telling the story - all day long! God is a covenant-keeper. He sets up contracts with mankind which are good for us and pleasing for Him. While we shilly-shally around looking for loopholes, forgetting the terms and generally making a mockery of it all, the Lord God honours every detail. How can He do anything else? He is a righteous God. His covenants must stand, and all the fine print will be upheld. Thus, history is an account of His dealings with mankind, the integrity of His promises and the abject failure of human beings to keep their side of things, even when it is in our interests to do so.  David trusts in this God, He trusts in His character, in His word, in his plans, in His covenants and in His righteousness. Those who have such faith, have a never-ending story to tell, a story that is filled with the righteous acts of the Lord. A story that bears repeating over and over, a story that never ends. You and I are storytellers, we have an account of our God and His

Psalm 71:23 My lips will shout for joy The years 2,000 and 2021 were dominated by Covid and our lives were restricted by lockdowns and various other constraints, designed to keep us all safe. As I write, it is the end of February 2022 and this week all the rules have been lifted and we can pursue some kind of normality again. Shortly, my wife and I will be joining others at the Queens Hall in Halstead, to dance, to wave banners, to sing praise and to pray for the people of Ukraine, who were invaded by Russia this week. So, the world lurches from one crisis to another but our God and our praises remain the same.  Most of the time, we are restrained in our praises but that is not what the Lord God intended. David spells it out in this verse,  “My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praise to you – I whom you have delivered.”  God wants us to SHOUT for joy, to let go of our inhibitions, to proclaim His praises at the tops of our voices. “Make some noise,” He says, if you really want to h

Psalm 71:22 The Holy One of Israel We know, that amongst all his other attributes, David was a skilled musician. What a shame it is that we do not know the tunes to his many hymns and psalms! As a young man he played the harp for Saul and his playing brought peace and solace to the tormented king. The harp and lyre are both stringed instruments and are not dissimilar in their playing techniques; the harp, however, is much larger and has more strings. Guitarists and other instrumentalists will know that you need strong nails and fingers and good co-ordination to be able to play these well. David anticipates rising from his bed of suffering, shaking off the effects of old age and picking up his instruments and playing the familiar melodies once again. What will he play? Praises to God for His faithfulness. Praises to the Holy One of Israel.  Isaiah uses the term “the Holy One of Israel” 26 times, it describes God’s character but also His special affiliation with the land and with the Jew

Psalm 71:21 You will increase my honour Faith is a glorious quality. It makes us resolute in the face of threats and danger. It allows us to confront uncertainty with hope. It removes fear and pierces the ominous clouds ahead of us. It is a ray of light in the darkness and a secure anchor in turbulent seas. It is our rescue helicopter and our lifeboat. It is the inner voice that calms and makes sense of difficulties, it is also the reassuring revelation that allows us to see the armies of heaven that surround us. Faith allows us to jump off cliffs and to dive into deep waters, it makes the impossible a possibility and the unreal a reality. Faith is our map and our torch, and it is the solid staff in our hands.  Of course, it all depends on who we have faith in! What help can a lifeless image give us or a man-made trinket? How can imaginary deities possibly help us to face the future? Faith’s only power lies in its object and in our case, as with David, it is faith in the living God who

Psalm 71:20 You will restore my life again There’s no question that David had a troubled life. A life that most of us would choose to avoid, we often say, “anything for a quiet life!”  David’s troubles started when he was a young man in charge of his father’s sheep, and he had to fight lions and bears. From there he went on to expose the cowardice of the Israeli army and single-handedly defeated the Philistine giant – Goliath.  The following years saw him move from conflict to conflict, sometimes as a fugitive and, at other times, as the Commander of his own army. David was built for trouble, he had it painted in big letters on his heart! The miracle is, that David always triumphed, he always overcame, and he always gave God the glory. In some ways, his was a charmed life, although it probably never felt that way.  The reason that he triumphed was his relationship with God Almighty. It was God who brought him through, who saved him and protected him and who engineered the downfall of h

Psalm 71:19 Your righteousness reaches to the heavens This is one of those statements that many of us have often read and just let it slip by without too much thought. Even if we have stopped and pondered for a moment, we’ve probably decided that the words here are metaphorical or couched in terms that were in common use at the time. However, our journey through the Psalms has opened so many windows into God’s truth that we must now stop and ask what is really being explained here? How does the righteousness of God reach up to the heavens? The first explanation is simply that His acts of loving kindness are so plenteous that they have piled up and now fill the empty spaces between earth and heaven.  For those of us who know and love the Lord, that is utterly believable. Maybe David is trying here to exalt God’s righteousness, and the only thing He can compare it with is the highest thing he knows, the heavens.  The greatest act of righteousness that God has shown us, is through the vis

Psalm 71:18 Even when I am old and grey!! What a verse! I do not consider myself to be old, although some may disagree, however I cannot deny that I am grey (white). Even as I write this blog, I am waiting to have a Facetime chat with my dad who is in hospital, pending a probable move to a Care Home. Now he is definitely old, as he will be 93 later this year. The reason I am telling you this is that dad has been getting a little bit impatient with the Lord lately, he believes that it is time to leave this world, that being trapped in a hospital bed and rendered helpless by old age is a pretty miserable existence. He wants to “go home” and in that sense feels that the Lord has forsaken him! However, he has declared God’s power to the next generation, His mighty acts to all who are to come. My sisters and I all follow Christ. Of dad’s 9 grandchildren and step-grandchildren, 5 are believers and the rest of them are being prayed for every day.  This should be a lesson to all of us. It is a

Psalm 71:17 Since my youth ..... You have taught me I am reminded here of Paul’s words to Timothy.  “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”  2 Timothy 3:14-15.  “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, lives in you also.”  2 Timothy 1:5. Timothy and David may well have enjoyed a similar upbringing. We know that Timothy’s mother was a Jewish Christian although his father was an unbelieving Greek. (Acts 16:1) It appears that the boy had a Christian grandmother also and, as Jewish boys began to study the Hebrew Scriptures at the age of five, Timothy would certainly have been taught by his mother and grandmother from infancy. Wouldn’t it be great if all our children were able to say,

Psalm 71:16 His righteous deeds There are two things here that the Psalmist is going to proclaim. Before we look at them, let’s just think about that word proclaim. The Bible uses this word to describe a herald and his public announcements, He is someone who has a special message to deliver to the world. So, this verse is not talking about a private event, David intends to go up to the Holy Place and speak out, like a town crier. He is going to address the congregation and there are two things in particular that he wants them to hear. Firstly, he will proclaim the Sovereign Lord’s mighty acts. Secondly, he will proclaim the Sovereign Lord’s righteous deeds.  The term “mighty acts” can be read as “marvellous acts”. In other words, these were the times, occasions, and events when God intervened and miraculously helped His people. David has a good memory; He can begin with Abraham and the patriarchs and speak for a long time about all the Lord has done for Israel and for him. However, he

Psalm 71:15 Speaking of Him - all day long! Wow! Let’s expand these words just a little to catch their full meaning.  “Lord, I am coming  to Your Holy Place, the tabernacle, to tell out all of Your righteous deeds. I will speak of Your deliverance, of Your protection, of Your salvation. I will give an account of every occasion when You have acted on behalf of Your people and blessed them. I will speak of the countless occasions when You have intervened in my life too. Oh, Sovereign Lord, You have saved me and saved Israel again and again, even if I extolled Your righteous deeds all day long it would not be enough. I really cannot find the words to speak of all that You have done. Your power and presence have been so great, over such a long period, that it is impossible to recall and recount every act of mercy, love, kindness and grace that You have shown towards us. Frankly, Lord, I realise that if I were to try to speak of all that You have done, well, it would be an impossible task.

Psalm 71:14 I will always have hope I first heard about the return of Jesus Christ when I was a child. I still remember a preacher speaking about this subject, to a large gathering on a Thursday night, at a chapel in a village called Woolpit. The preaching was so powerful that you could hear a pin drop, and everyone present was willing the trumpet call to be blown, heralding Christ’s return for His people. David did not have such a prospect, but he knew enough about the Lord God and His plans that nothing could ever take away His hope. We are so privileged for, since the time of David, Messiah has come. Since David’s day the New Testament Scriptures have been written. David could not conceive of resurrection or church communities of believing people, filled with the Holy Spirit. All he had was the tent on Mount Zion and a lifetime of knowing the presence and protection of Almighty God. Believers in Yeshua, those who truly follow Him, are the most blessed people who have ever lived. Our

Psalm71:13 Sin again God's people will be punished It’s time to reiterate what has been said, many times in the Psalms, about the vastness of the great gulf that exists between those who know and love God and those who do not. Sin has been allowed in this world, Satan has been permitted to brandish his fiendish authority over mankind and most have fallen for it. Indeed, we have all succumbed to temptation and to the law of sin and death that seems to work so effectively within us. God, in His mercy, has done a number of things for the human race to redeem us from this slavery. He has made an escape route through faith as opposed to our attempts to improve ourselves. He has broken the stranglehold of sin at the cross. He has implanted His Spirit in those who are willing and obedient, and He is, even now, preparing for His chosen people to live in a heavenly kingdom that is sin free! Sin cannot go unpunished; the laws of God must be solemnly adhered to, and justice must be appropriat

Psalm 71:12 Do not be far from me Theology teaches us that God is immanent. In other words, He is an essential and integral part of all creation. His nature is all-encompassing. He is over all, through all and in all. Ephesians 4:6. God is also before all things, and He holds all things together. Colossians 1:17.  We believe David wrote the words we are studying her in Psalm 71 and so it seems a strange request for him to ask,  “Do not be far from me, my God.”  The same writer says in Psalm 139:7-8, “ Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there .” This is the God who whose eyes are everywhere, who sees a sparrow fall to the ground and who numbers the hairs on our heads, who is revealed in all that He has made. He is not an aloof God but One who is ever present and who may be found by all who diligently seek for Him.  So why this cry of anguish from the lips of a man who kne

Psalm 71:10-11 God has forsaken him? We now find that the doubts expressed in verse 9 are rooted in the comments of David’s enemies. It is they who have been saying that God has deserted him and that he is weak and vulnerable to attack. It is because of the seeds of doubt that have been planted that our writer pleads that God must not  “cast him away when he is old.”  It is not difficult to imagine the whispers, the furtive conversations, the secret discussions, and the evil strategies that are being devised by the king’s enemies as they see him declining in age and health.  It's interesting to note that the enemies of David believe that God has forsaken him, which somehow suggests that they also believe that God must have been with him in earlier times! In other words, it is God that they fear and if God is not present then they will be able to carry out their plan to seize the king and dispose of him.  I wonder if our enemies look for signs of weakness in us that may suggest that

Psalm 71:9 When I am old The spiritual journey of life has many twists and turns. From my own experience I can say that my early years were full of earnest endeavour, but my personal, spiritual nourishment was minimal, what saved me was the effort I put into feeding others! The inner battles, in those years, were intense and highly discouraging; when was I going to be the man I wanted to be, let alone what God wanted me to be? Raising a family, running a business, leading a church, all of these things took so much time and effort, that my middle years were also times of wilderness experience where it was not easy to find time to draw near to my Lord. And yet! And yet, there were moments when He drew near to me, outstanding moments that changed my life and convinced me that I was His child.  Now that I am older, I can certainly say with the Psalm that it would be a tragedy if the Lord were to desert me and forsake me. He is closer today than he has ever been. However, at this moment in

Psalm 71:8 Declare His splendour all day long! Another thought about praise! How many times have you heard music or song, and something has been out of tune or flat? The discordant note grates, it is out of place, something of beauty becomes spoiled. Some composers put in the wrong note deliberately, other modern composers write entire pieces that are discordant!  God’s created world and His presence are about harmony, beauty and creativity, where nothing is out of place, and all is agreeable. You could say therefore, that Satan is the author of all discord, chaos and ugliness. If that is true in earthly music and art, it is also true in heavenly music and art. Satan’s world jars us, it produces conflicts and friction, things are out of place, incompatible and inappropriate. This applies to many areas from mental health, to people’s behaviour, to international politics, to relationships ….. the list is a long one! One method that God has given to dispel the clouds, the confusion and th

Psalm 71:7 You are my strong refuge What a testimony!  “I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge.”  David was a king, he had many subjects, he was well-known and well-loved by many. Even his detractors knew a great deal about him as they watched his life unfold. The word “sign” here is used in a very positive sense, some versions substitute “wonder”. As people have watched events develop, over many years, they have been amazed by the king. You can imagine the comments; - “How did he survive that? How come he got healed? His enemies have been defeated yet again! I thought he’d copped it that time but somehow, he got through. Everyone who sets up against him, is defeated. He has deposed kings, princes, generals, commanders, great warriors, whole kingdoms; they are all gone but he is still here! He’s a tough cookie. He has outwitted the best of them.” And so it goes on. The thing is, David does not take credit for his survival, he gives the glory to God.  “You are my strong

Psalm 71:6 From birth .... Psalm 22:10-11 says, “ From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.” Psalm 139:13-15, on a similar theme,  “For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.” Our verse today joins with its slightly better known cousins above, in detailing the events that brought us into this world. Put together they cover the moment from conception, to birth, to present day and tell us that God was actively involved in each stage of the life process. He was there when we were made in the secret place. He was watching over us in our mothers’ wombs. He was attentive at the moment of birth, and He has been with us ever since. E

Psalm 71:5 You have been my hope This verse gives us a further hint of the kind of hope that comes from trusting in the Lord. Against a background of intimidation and threats, of wicked and cruel enemies, the writer here needs reassurance. There seems to be no earthly way out, no close accomplices who might come to the rescue, so David’s eyes (see the introduction) go heavenward. As he reflects on his past, he realises that there has only ever been one sure hope, one reason to keep going, one bright beam of light in the darkness of his journey. That light is, of course, the Lord.  Such hope is more than just a vague anticipation that things might get better. It is more than a diary date that may or may not be kept. It is greater than a rational expectation that something will come good. Farmers hope for good crops. Holiday makers hope for good weather. Exam students hope for good results. Expectant mothers hope for the safe delivery of their babies. These forms of hope have varying deg

Psalm71:4 Deliver me, my God Some of us were bullied when we were younger. I lived in fear of a number of older, bigger boys who liked to flaunt their strength and their physical dominance and because I didn’t fit into their social class, I had to put up with their taunts. The trouble is, there were one or two who took this further and laid in wait, they would push me to the ground and use their fists to intimidate and provoke me. Verbal bullying is bad enough, physical abuse is extremely unpleasant, and I wish I had been aware of this verse at the time! (Not that young boys could fully understand the import of an obscure text in the middle of the Psalms!) I wonder if there is someone reading this who has experienced violence of this kind, who experiences it even now? You live under the dominance of another individual and he or she uses bullying and physical force to express their control over you. If that is so, then maybe this verse is the starting point on your journey to freedom. W

Psalm 71:3 My rock and my fortress We have commented, often it seems, on the geological nature of God! He is our rock, He is our cliff, He is our high mountain, He is the boulder we hide behind, He is our stone foundation, and He is our castle on the hill. Everywhere we go and every time we need stability and safety He is there! The “rock of refuge” here in this verse describes the familiar cliff. The rock face that beckons us to escape from trouble, to ascend to a higher place, away from the clutches of the enemy. The psalm cries out, “ Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go.”  And He will and He is. Whatever our trouble, however dangerous the situation might be, we can run to Him, He is always there for us.  Angels may assist us to climb that cliff face. The Holy Spirit may grant courage and strength to climb. The Word may provide specific instructions about the route to be taken. Yeshua Himself may stand at our side and offer a helping hand. Whatever we need, He will give th

Psalm 71:2 In Your righteousness It is not an easy thing, to appeal to the righteousness of God. By that I mean, when we are in a fix or troubled or afraid and we need protective care and help, we may think about turning to the Lord but then a little, inner voice says, “But you are not worthy!” That awareness of our own fallibility, weakness and sin tends to hinder us from declaring dependency on Him who is perfect and righteous! You see, God’s righteousness is linked to His justice which is borne out of His faithfulness and appealing to One who is so immense in character and stature can be quite intimidating.  The thing is, God knows who He is and He knows who we are. He would not have chosen us if He had not predetermined that He would protect us, help us and right our wrongs. The sacrifice of His Son upon the cross is all the evidence we need of this. It is our enemy who whispers  “You are not good enough. How can you appeal to the righteousness of a holy God when you are so dirty a

Psalm 71:1 A plea from old age There is reason to believe that this Psalm is linked to the one that precedes it and that David is the writer of both. What is poignant about Psalm 71 is that it is obviously written by someone in their old age! That does not mean that all who are younger should overlook it, there are lessons for us all here. Maybe the writer is aware of his failing strengths and is also conscious that his enemies are sharpening their swords and looking to take advantage? Let’s unpack the song and see what pearls of wisdom will be presented to us.   v1        How many refuges have you sheltered in and what were they like? A simple shelter from the rain? A building to hide away in? The protective arms of mum and dad? A quiet place away from it all? There are so many forms of refuge but, as the words suggests, they are all places of safety and protection from danger. In today’s world people think of Women’s Refuges, places to hide from domestic abuse. Or we talk about refug

Psalm 70:5 You are my help and my deliverer The final verse of this short Psalm of David reveals a moment of honest truth. Crowds may gather to praise the Lord, as in verse 4. Individuals may declare with pride,  “The Lord is great!” . There may be rejoicing and gladness but, when alone, and all is quiet, David looks inside of himself and has to admit,  “I am poor and needy.”  When the singing is over and the moment of adulation passes, when he looks within instead of looking up, he sees a broken man, a sinful man, a man who is weak and who struggles at so many levels.  Here we have an honest assessment of us all. How many of us have been caught up in joyful experiences of praise but, later, have been prompted to look within and see our weaknesses?  All of this is part of life’s spiritual journey and both moments are important. How great is our God! How weak and helpless am I. In this moment of clarity, we may turn from self and appeal to the Lord to come quickly to help and deliver us

Psalm 70:4 The Lord is great! Whilst it is possible to be a Christian in isolation, the faith we hold is meant to be lived corporately and shared with others. Not least because mutual sharing of experiences brings mutual encouragement. So, starting with Bible characters of old, through the testimony of the Apostles and early saints, to the witnesses of the Reformation, to the revivals and missionary endeavours of the 19 th  and early 20 th  centuries, to attendees at Billy Graham rallies, right through to this present time, we are surrounded by a  “greater cloud of witnesses”. Hebrews 12:1. Every one of the people included in this vast number has a story to tell and, in their stories, we see a reflection of our own salvation and we know that we are not alone. Sharing our experiences of the Lord are a vital part of any faith community. One of the major purposes of church should be that people can come together to say, from experience,  “The Lord is great!”  We come together to rejoice a

Psalm 70:3 Aha! Aha!  How the world has changed in my lifetime! I’m not hankering after the past but 60 years ago the Christian faith was part of our culture and churches still fulfilled an important function in every community. School days started with Christian Assemblies. Sunday was still a quiet day for worship and family. Shops were closed and few people worked. Sunday Schools were full on Sunday afternoons, and no one thought you were completely mad if you said that you believed in God!  Today, the arrogance of man and the absolute belief that everything can be explained without a superstitious faith in a God, has completely undermined the life of faith for most. Today, Christians are regarded as freaks, faith has been replaced by so-called fact, and to state your beliefs risks accusations of narrow-mindedness and ignorance. Like David, we face the taunts “Aha! Aha! You are a Christian are you. I feel sorry for you. Don’t you dare visit your opinions on me, I am educated and civi

Psalm 70:2 Shame and confusion on our enemies We’ve discussed it all before, haven’t we? The dreadful fears of King David as he became increasingly aware of the large numbers of his conspirators and the depth of their loathing. He knew that they would stop at nothing to bring him down, to end his reign and, if possible, to kill him. Popularity is a fleeting and fickle friend, no sooner have you enjoyed the adulation of the masses than you realise that there are many who detest you. Prominent politicians soon discover this, as do many celebrities. For some reason, if you give a lot of people the right to love you, then as many will want to hate you. Satan is always at the heart of these shenanigans. He loves nothing better than to cause divisions, public disquiet, protests and to undermine authority. It proves to him that his schemes still work and that however much the Lord God controls affairs, he still has the power to bring chaos and instability. Let’s be frank here. If we choose to

Psalm 70:1 A plea for mercy   Psalm 40:13-17 reads as follows: - 13  Be pleased to save me, Lord;      come quickly, Lord, to help me. 14  May all who want to take my life      be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin      be turned back in disgrace. 15  May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”      be appalled at their own shame. 16  But may all who seek you      rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say,      “The Lord is great!” 17  But as for me, I am poor and needy;      may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer;      you are my God, do not delay.   As you can see these words are almost exactly replicated in Psalm 70 and it would be easy to give them a miss or to copy the thoughts that accompanied these words, thirty Psalms ago. However, let’s see if they have something new to say, after all, if the Bible repeats itself, it must be saying something very important.   v1        Quite clearly, this Psalm is a cry for