PSALM PARAPHRASES

PSALM 1

To be envied is the man who does not make daily life decisions based on the advise of those who leave God out of their lives.  This man does not stand with, or stand up for people who act contrary to the character of God.  He does not throw in his lot with those who don’t believe there is a God, or those who don’t care.  

To be envied is the man who takes joy and pleasure in living in obedience to God.  Night and day he studies God’s Word, and communicates with himself in order to make decisions based on what he  knows is pleasing in God’s sight.  

This godly man shall flourish.  God Word will continually supply all the nutrition and support that he needs for spiritual growth.  His spiritual life will be healthy and he will bring forth fruit.  He will be able to withstand hard times.  He will not get weary in well doing and his efforts for the Lord will prosper.  

The opposite is true of the ungodly.  They are not to be envied.  If you choose to ignore or disobey God’s Word,  your life will produce nothing of value.  All your works and deeds will not only not count,  they will be blown away.

When judgment time comes, you will not have a leg to stand on.  You will be in a group completely separate from those who are anticipating reward.  

Don’t make a mistake…God knows the life and choices of both the godly and the wicked.  Those who choose to ignore God have nothing to look forward to for all eternity.

PSALMS  2

“Escaping God’s Authority”

Why do people think that they can ignore or get out from under the authority of God?  No matter how much they kick and scream, they are imagining something that can never happen.  No matter how many earthly kings and rulers decide that they will not submit to God’s authority, and try to break loose from His control,  it does not change anything.  Even if all the kings and rulers joined together against God, is it possible for them to win?

God is not threatened by man’s pathetic attempts to ignore His authority.  He is the sovereign Lord.  Because God is very displeased with the hardness of their hearts, they will one day, not only fear Him, they will hear and see His wrath.  

God will set up His king in Jerusalem.  This king will be God’s Son, Jesus, who was raised from the dead.  Because of Jesus’ humility and obedience to His Father, all He needs to do is ask and all people and lands will be under His authority.  The entire world will be His possession.  When He rules He will have supreme authority.  He will use His “rod of iron” to break the “clay pots” that rebel against Him.  

If you allow yourself to be instructed instead of stubborn rebellion, this would be a wise move.  If you serve Him and obey Him, you’ll find rejoicing at the end of the journey.  It is in your overall best interest to honor God and His Son.  Failure to honor God results in God’s anger and death.  A little portion of God’s wrath can do a lot of damage.  Trust Him instead of fighting against Him.  It’s a really good idea to be on God’s side.       

 Psalm 3

“David Running From Absalom”

Lord, the opposition is great.  There are many that have risen up against me.  They have surrounded me.  Escape seems unlikely.  People are convinced that I am done.  I have fallen out of favor with God.  They believe that God will not come to my rescue.  They say that God is not interested in my plight.  As I pause to think about that… “are they right?”

No, they are not right!  I know by experiences of the past that you are my full body shield.  If I have accomplished anything in my life, I owe it all to God.  If I become discouraged, God is the one who encourages me and lifts my head.   I pray to God from His temple here in Jerusalem, and He hears me from His throne in heaven.  The fact that God listens to our prayers…should make us pause and really think about how amazing that is.

I can sleep at night because I trust Him and I’m confidently resting in His care.  I can close my eyes knowing that I will wake up alive and safe the next morning.  You know, it really doesn’t matter how many take sides against me, even if 10,000 have totally surrounded me and it looks hopeless.  You’ve saved me before and you can do it again.  One punch from you,  in the mouth of my enemies, will knock their teeth out.  They will cease to be a threat.  If I am to be delivered, you are the one who will do it.  God takes care of His own.  It is God’s desire to pour out His blessing upon those who have a relationship with Him. 

Psalm 4

“How To Behave When In Distress”

Please hear me O God.  You know of my innocence, you know that I am righteous.  You know this is not what I want.  When I’ve been in tight places before, you broke down barriers and created space for me.  Again, I need your mercy, even though I don’t deserve it.  My life has many shortcomings.  Please hear me!

Listen, you friends of Absalom.  You might want to consider which side you are on.  How long will you continue to attack me when God is the one exalting me?  How long will you pursue selfish ambition?  How long will you continue to spread and follow lies?  You need to stop and think long and hard about your actions.

You need to know and understand that the Lord has set me apart for Himself.  This has been going on for a long time.  God has a purpose for my life.  I want to live a life that gives the right opinion of God.  He does and will hear my prayer.  You want to fight against that?

For those of you who are on my side,  first, we need to stand in awe of our God.  We need to understand the moment, and see what God is about to do. Secondly, we need to live in obedience, make sure that sin has been taken care of.  Also don’t let your anger at the situation cause you to sin.  Thirdly, instead of worrying about what others are doing, we need to check out our own hearts.  As you lie down for the night, pray and ask God for wisdom.  Fourthly, and maybe the hardest, just be still.  Silence is a good plan…act don’t react.  At this point it might be a good idea to again, stop and think about all that is happening.  

The fifth thing that we need to do is live a righteous life.  Do the right things for the right reasons.  This kind of sacrifice pleases God.  Finally, we need to TRUST IN THE LORD.  The size and number of the enemy is insignificant to the Lord.     

If we follow and practice the six items above, God will show us His goodness and favor.  Man pleads for God to show some light at the end of the tunnel.  Is there any good that will come from this?  God’s smile, the light of God’s presence can change the darkness to daylight.  God will put gladness in our hearts that will be greater that the joy of a bountiful harvest.  The goodness of God and the gladness in our hearts will only be rivaled by the peace and safety He provides.  I can close my eyes and sleep in peace fully aware that God ALONE is the one who can rescue me.  

A Confident Cry For Help

PSALM  5

Dear Lord, when something is constantly going over and over in my mind, please pay attention to my words.  These thoughts may go from inward meditation to an outward cry for HELP because I am in great distress!  You are my king.  You are my God.  I’m counting on you and no one else to hear my petition.  If something is really troubling me, you can listen for me in the morning as soon as I rise.  Looking to you gives me hope for the day.  

There are some that cannot expect their prayer to be heard.  God is not pleased, nor inclined to help those who are wicked.  Those whose lives and choices run contrary to the nature and character of God.  God and evil cannot dwell together in the same house.  God doesn’t like or tolerate evil.  Some men are foolish. These men know what is right, but they chose to do what pleases them in the moment.  They have no respect for God’s opinion or God’s authority, as a result, they too cannot expect to stand before God and have their petitions answered.  God hates the stubborn and rebellious heart that will not acknowledge His existence, His authority or His gifts to mankind.  God not only doesn’t help liars, He destroys them.  Liars and false teachers lead people away from the true God and God’s plan for the salvation of mankind.  God also hates murder and deceit…two words that clearly describe Satan.  The Devil is a deceiver and a destroyer  (John 8:44).   

Now Lord I want you to know that I am different from those men.  I desire to approach God’s house and worship recognizing that its only possible because of your mercy.  My worship will be my awesome respect for your laws.  I will worship you by obeying your commands.  I want you to lead me.  I am ready to follow your path and plan for my life.  Show me where to walk safely.  Show me the clearly the path that I should take and I will follow it.

Again, the wicked man and his words cannot be trusted.  He has no loyalty to God.  His heart and mind are very wicked.  He has a filthy, deadly mouth that seeks to gain favor with God and others by issuing false loyalty and praise and saying what people want to hear to gain an advantage for themselves.  Let them work their schemes and plans until they lead themselves to destruction.  Their sins are many, but the main thing is rebellion against God and His authority.  They will NOT submit to God’s authority.

Lord, I know and am confident that you defend those who trust you and love you.  Knowing of your protection, causes your people to rejoice and shout for joy.  It is also awesome how you surround your people with blessings and favor.  

Psalm 6

“Let My Enemies Be Wrong”

Please Lord, when you seek to correct my activities, don’t do it in your anger.  If I don’t listen to your instruction and you need to discipline me, again, please don’t do it when you’re angry.  I need your mercy Lord.  This chastening, designed to restore me to fellowship with you, has been pretty hard on me.  I have become physically weak.  My bones even hurt.  I am in such a bad way, that my soul even hurts.  I need you to show your mercy by not delaying to come to my rescue.  I’m not claiming to be innocent.  I just really need to be restored to fellowship with you.  

This has gone on long enough.  I am weak, and at the point of death.  If I die, no one will ever again hear from me how awesome you really are.  If I’m dead,  people will never again hear me praise and thank you for all you’ve done for me.  If I live, I’ll be able to honor you better.  I’m weary from being weary.  I cry throughout the night.  I cry so much that my bed is soaking wet with tears.  I’m tired of being miserable.  I can’t see an end to this.  There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.  My enemies are enjoying my misery.  They are convinced that you won’t deliver me.  I’m struggling not to believe them.

I won’t lose my confidence in the Lord.  Enemies!  Get lost…go away; stay away.  I know God hears me!  He hears and knows about by tears.  He has heard all my petitions and prayers.  Not only has God heard my prayers, He has received them…He’s going to do something about it.  If you’re my enemy, you’re God’s enemy and you have chosen poorly.  

Lord, help them see that they are on the wrong side.  May there be some serious consequence for their actions.  May it be that the next time they see me, I’ll be restored and delivered.  Lord, I know that they are wrong.  Matter of fact, right NOW would be a good time for them to understand the relationship we have with one another.  

PSALM  7

Despite the attacks from others,  I will depend and trust in my God.  Lord, I need you to save and deliver me from those who persecute me without cause.  Just like the Devil, (I Peter 5:8), their plan is to attack and tear my soul apart as a lion tears his prey.  They are counting on no one coming to my rescue.  If I am guilty, if I have done wrong, if I have treated someone unfairly, or been deceitful and treacherous,  then I deserve the attack.  If I deserve it Lord, then let my enemy win.  Let him persecute my soul, let him tread down my life and remove all honor from my name.  However, none of this is true.  I saved the life of a man who without cause, is my enemy.

Lord, I need you to awake and arise to my defense.  You should wake up angry because of all the noise the enemy has created.  You promised, if they behaved badly that they would be punished.  Lord, if you show up, your people will rally around you.  They all need that encouragement.  When you show up to judge all mankind, I have nothing to fear.  Check it out, I am not guilty of what they are accusing me.  I have walked in integrity towards Saul and his entire family.  I would like the wicked behavior of the wicked to cease.  Please clear me of these charges.  Lord, you know my heart and inner thoughts.  I know you will come to the right decision concerning my heart and motives.  You are the rightful judge and your opinion is the only one that matters.  The wicked are in trouble because God hates sin and His wrath against the wicked can be seen every day.  If the wicked does not change his behavior, God will pursue him with His sword, with His bow and arrows and with other weapons ordained to destroy the wicked.  

Sometimes its hard to understand, but the wicked are their own worst enemy.  They work hard at doing wrong.  They continually give birth to mischief.  They originate and manufacture lies.  They have dug their own grave and fallen into it.  It is clear that they will eventually reap what they have sown.  All their evil thoughts, plans and deeds will fall violently upon their own heads.

I know all this and praise God because He is righteous.  I can sing this song because the name of God is worth praising.  His name is a reflection of His character and everything He is.  God can be trusted because He is always righteous.

HOW  EXCELLENT  IS  THY  NAME

Psalm  8

Lord, I am so glad that you are OUR LORD.  Your excellent character is known throughout the earth.  You are not just a tribal God for Israel, your name is universally known to be excellent.  Your glory is incomprehensible.  It is above and beyond the heavens.  

You show your awesome power by using helpless, nursing babies to fight against your enemies.  We can’t do much in our own strength.  We are so weak and so small, but with your power, you can use us to destroy large enemies.  I remember a time when a baby went to fight a giant.  Little children cry out perfect praise to you…The confidence and perfect faith of singing children silences the voices of your enemies.  

How amazingly creative are your hands, or should I say fingers.  By holy design and decree, you made the moon and the stars.  

How amazing is your plan for mankind!  What are we?   We have pride, but should we?  We are weak and frail.  We are children of the earth, or dust.  We are really no big deal.  You choose to include us in your plans.  Why do you even think about us?  Why do you make yourself known to us?  Why do you desire to spend time with us?  For some reason, you choose to honor us.  For now, we have been created a “little lower” than the angels.  They have better bodies and abilities.  They are not subject to death.  But still, we are higher than animals.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Higher than animals, a little lower than angels, but one day, when we get our new bodies, we will judge and rule over angels 

(I Corinthians 6:3).  We will have dominion over all of the works of your hands.  Now it is earthly animals and such, but one day it will include heavenly bodies as well.  You have given us responsibility and dominion over all the land beasts, including sheep and oxen.  We also have dominion over the birds and the fish and whatever other sea beasts roam through the PATHS OF THE SEA.  

We are now back to where we started.   The God of the universe is interested in exalting frail men to positions of honor.  Lord, I am so glad that you are OUR LORD.  Your excellent character is known throughout the earth.

PSALM  9

“There Is A God And You’re Not Him”

I will praise thee with all of my being.  I will praise thee with all my heart, soul and mind.  I will take the time to point out to others all your marvelous works, everything from the creation of the world to how you show yourself in the daily affairs of our lives.  I am so glad that you are my God.  I am so filled with joy that I can’t help but sing to the God who is above all gods.

I have many reasons for my praise.  The first is that you rebuke my enemies.  They attack and have to retreat.  They think they are attacking me, but in reality they encounter you.  You are constantly at my side and on my side.  You continually show that I am in the right and that I am supposed to be the King of Israel.  You sit on your throne and rule everything in a righteous manner.  You have rebuked the heathen, time and time again…but they just don’t heed.  Their life, names and deeds will all be blotted out and forgotten.  All the things they considered to be accomplishments result in no eternal rewards or glory.  

A second reason for my praise is that you are a refuge for those who know you.  Enemies will come to an end, but God is not going anywhere.  He is the judge now and will be the final judge.  He is ready and capable to judge and whatever He decides will be right.  God is a refuge, a high and safe place.  He is an impenetrable stronghold.  You can run to him…his gates are open when you are oppressed or in times of trouble.  The more you know about God, the more you can trust Him.  I know by experience that God doesn’t forsake or turn His back on those that are seeking Him.  

The third reason for my praise is that God avenges the righteous and rights all wrongs.  God’s people need to know that He is present with us.  They need to know and be reminded of all His deeds.  He remembers all those who have served Him and lost their lives…their murders will be carefully investigated.  God will collect all the facts.  He will get to the bottom of the crime.  He will enquire with all diligence and care.  He hears every cry and does not forget the cry of the humble.  He show mercy when I am in trouble.  He comes to my rescue even when it appears to me that its too late.  

The final reason that I will praise Him is that He ALWAYS judges right.  I want to let all the people know.  I want God’s people to continually hear of God’s deliverance.  God not only is aware of the deeds of the wicked, he causes the plans and traps of the wicked to backfire on themselves.  They fall into the pit that they dug.  They get caught in the net that they hid.  God has a reputation for getting things right.  Again, the wicked reap what they sow and snare themselves in the traps they have set for the righteous.  Mankind should pause, stop and think seriously about how awesome our God is.

The wicked and all the nations that pay no attention to God or His laws, will have a horrible end.  The needy will be remembered.  The poor will have more than they ever could have imagined.  Oh God, its time to let the whole world see who you are.  Show the heathen that they are not winning…put them in fear and terror.  Help the nations to see and realize that they are just weak, frail, puny men attempting to go up against the great God of the universe.  God is almighty and men are just dust.  Now that is something that men should seriously pause to consider.