Psalm 35 - Contend O Lord

Psalm 35 - Contend O Lord

“Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;

Fight against those who fight against me” NASB

At first reading, I was sort of put off by the militaristic language of this Psalm.  I mean asking the Lord to use your spear and lance doesn’t exactly sound like Jesus saying “turn the other cheek”.  But then I considered more closely.  The Hebrew word translated fight or contend could also be translated “plead my case”.  That got me to thinking about the lawyer adds that you see on late night TV. “Have you been injured by big truck?  Call ABC and we can get you the big settlement that you deserve!”   Now most days you don’t need a lawyer, but if you do get hit by a big truck, just minding your own business, sitting at a red light while taking the kids to school, you would want one of these aggressive lawyers pleading your case! Especially if you had a family member hurt in the wreck, you would want the trucking company to pay and pay big!

Sometimes it’s the same in your spiritual walk.  You’re just going to church, minding your own business, when this demonic semi truck broadsides you with something like cancer or loss of your job.  That is the time you need an advocate, and you want the biggest, baddest, meanest one that you can find!  That’s exactly how the psalmist was feeling when he wrote this psalm.  I don’t know exactly what kind of trouble he found himself in, but he needed a powerful lawyer to plead his case.  And what more powerful advocate could we have than the Lord God himself? This is exactly what is promise to us in John 2:1

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins,    we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;… NASB

So take heart, if you find yourself struggling with serious trouble in your life, you have an advocate in heaven that will fight for you, will plead your case, and will get a righteous judgement for you that you may triumph over your enemies!

This psalm may not struck you as the most likely one to inspire a song, but the Sons of Korah have come up with a very beautiful and haunting melody which is a very appropriate setting for this psalm.  Listen then to them sing Psalm 35 and see if you don’t come away with a deeper appreciation of the advocate that you have in heaven.

Sons of Korah - Psalm 35 Contend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfoyhlSJ9f8

Psalm 35

1 O Lord, fight those who fight with me!

Attack those who attack me!

2 Grab your small shield and large shield, 

and rise up to help me!

3 Use your spear and lance against those who chase me!

Assure me with these words: “I am your deliverer!”

4 May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated!

May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed! 

5 May they be like wind- driven chaff,

as the Lord ʼs angel attacks them! 

6 May their path be a dark and slippery,

as the Lord ʼs angel chases them!

7 I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me

and dug a pit to trap me. 

8 Let destruction take them by surprise! 

Let the net they hid catch them!

Let them fall into destruction! 

9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord

and be happy because of his deliverance. 

10 With all my strength I will say, 

“O Lord, who can compare to you?

You rescue the oppressed from those who try to overpower them; 

the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them.” 

11 Violent men perjure themselves, 

and falsely accuse me. 

12 They repay me evil for the good I have done; 

I am overwhelmed with sorrow. 

13 When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, 

and refrained from eating food. 

(If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!) 

14 I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother. 

I bowed down in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother. 

15 But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together;

they gathered together to ambush me. 

They tore at me without stopping to rest. 

16 When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, 

and tried to bite me. 

17 O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this? 

Rescue me from their destructive attacks;

guard my life d from the young lions!

18 Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly; 

I will praise you before a large crowd of people! 

19 Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason gloat over me!

Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes! 

20 For they do not try to make peace with others, 

but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting. 

21 They are ready to devour me; 

they say, “Aha! Aha! Weʼve got you!” 

22 But you take notice, a Lord!

O Lord, do not remain far away from me!

23 Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me! 

My God and Lord, defend my just cause! 

24 Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God!

Do not let them gloat over me!

25 Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha! We have what we wanted!” 

Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”

26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! 

May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation! 

27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice!

May they continually say, “May the Lord be praised, for he wants his servant to be secure.” 

28 Then I will tell others about your justice, 

and praise you all day long. 

The NET Bible

Psalm 34- O Magnify the Lord with Me

Psalm 34- O Magnify the Lord with Me

Psalm 34 picks up on the same theme from Psalm 33:

  “ I will bless the Lord at all times;

  His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

   My soul will make its boast in the Lord;

  The humble will hear it and rejoice.

   O magnify the Lord with me,  

  And let us exalt His name together.”

These verses have inspired a number of songs.  See the link at the bottom for a simple and elegant acoustic guitar version of verse 3, Let us Exalt His Name Together.  You might also remember other versions of, “O Magnify the Lord with Me”, including a popular one by Sandy Patti.  Whichever version you sing, and in whichever language, the message is the same, let us bless and magnify the Lord and exalt his name together!

I think back to ancient days, to what it might have sounded like in the tabernacle of David, with stringed instruments and cymbals, and the voices of the people of Israel lifted in praise.  And then I think to the future, to the throne in heaven described in Revelation 5, where all the elder bow down and all the myriad of angels surround the throne and sing “worthy is the lamb…” O what a glorious day! Past, present, future: it’s really all the same; the eternal tapestry of worship woven by the voices of the people of God from creation to eternity.

Back to our Psalm in verse 8, “taste and see”.  We only have the present, so let us just take a sample, a taste if you will, of that eternal worship, and exalt the Lord in our time. Let us lift up the eternal God in the time that He has given us and exalt His name to the nations and people who are living now.  That can be our contribution to the eternal symphony of worship, as we add our voices to that never ending song.

What more important thing can we teach our children (verse 11), than to teach them to worship, to fear and reverence the Lord, that they may see length of days and no lack of good things.

We must not leave the Psalm without noting the presence of Jesus here in verse 20.

    “He keeps all his bones,

     Not one of them is broken.”

Some question the value of studying the Old Testament in the age of the New Covenant, but the wise will see Jesus through the Old as well as the New.  This little snippet is a prophetic revelation of the Lord’s manner of death on the cross, but revealing that not one bone would be broken in the process, contrary no normal practice in crucifixion. The Word is indeed marvelous and able to instruct in all of its parts.

Well, we’ve gone on a bit, but us kick back a bit now and enjoy this simple acoustic guitar rendition of Let us Exalt His Name Together:

(Psalm 34) Let Us Exalt His Name Together Forever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkxotaO76yg&index=34&list=PLs-e_mJnYlwgPUmMnO2erKVXdlWSoRWLn

Psalm 34

1 I will praise a the Lord at all times;

my mouth will continually praise him. 

2 I will boast a in the Lord;

let the oppressed hear and rejoice! 

3 Magnify the Lord with me!

Letʼs praise a his name together!

4 I sought the Lord ʼs help and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him for help are happy;

their faces are not ashamed. 

6 This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;

he saved him a from all his troubles.

7 The Lord ʼs angel camps around

the Lord ʼs loyal followers and delivers them. 

8 Taste a and see that the Lord is good!

How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him! 

9 Remain loyal to a the Lord, you chosen people of his, 

for his loyal followers lack nothing!

10 Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come children! Listen to me!

I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord. 

12 Do you want to really live? 

Would you love to live a long, happy life? 

13 Then make sure you donʼt speak evil words 

or use deceptive speech! 

14 Turn away from evil and do what is right! 

Strive for peace and promote it! 

15 The Lord pays attention to the godly

and hears their cry for help. 

16 But the Lord opposes evildoers

and wipes out all memory of them from the earth. 

17 The godly a cry out and the Lord hears;

he saves them from all their troubles. 

18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;

he delivers a those who are discouraged. 

19 The godly a face many dangers, 

but the Lord saves them from each one of them.

20 He protects a all his bones; 

not one of them is broken. 

21 Evil people self- destruct; 

those who hate the godly are punished. 

22 The Lord rescues his servants; 

all who take shelter in him escape punishment. 

The NET Bible

Psalm 33- Blessed is the Nation Whose God is the Lord

Psalm 33- Blessed is the Nation Whose God is the Lord

1 You godly ones, shout for joy because of the Lord!

It is appropriate for the morally upright to offer him praise.

2 Give thanks to the Lord with the harp!

Sing to him to the accompaniment of a ten- stringed instrument!

3 Sing to him a new song! 

Play skillfully as you shout out your praises to him! 

4 For a the Lord ʼs decrees are just, 

and everything he does is fair. 

5 The Lord promotes a equity and justice;

the Lord ʼs faithfulness extends throughout the earth. 

6 By the Lord ʼs decree a the heavens were made;

by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created. 

7 He piles up the water of the sea; 

he puts the oceans in storehouses.

8 Let the whole earth fear the Lord!

Let all who live in the world stand in awe of him!

9 For he spoke, and it came into existence,

he issued the decree, and it stood firm.

10 The Lord frustrates the decisions of the nations;

he nullifies the plans of the peoples.

11 The Lord ʼs decisions stand forever;

his plans abide throughout the ages. 

12 How blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession. 

13 The Lord watches from heaven;

he sees all people.

14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully

at all the earthʼs inhabitants.

15 He is the one who forms every human heart,

and takes note of all their actions.

16 No king is delivered by his vast army;

a warrior is not saved by his great might.

17 A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory;

despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.

18 Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers, 

those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness 

19 by saving their lives from death 

and sustaining them during times of famine. 

20 We a wait for the Lord;

he is our deliverer and shield. 

21 For our hearts rejoice in him,

for we trust in his holy name.

22 May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord, 

for we wait for you.

The NET Bible

The is the kind of Psalm that gets a musician’s heart started! Give thanks with the harp, accompany with the ten-stringed instrument, play skillfully, and shout out your praises to Him!  That’s about all the encouragement it takes to grab a guitar (six stringed instrument) or a piano (stringed instrument with keys) or a horn (a fancy way to shout) and start making some music to praise the Lord. Even if you are not a skilled musician, your heart should be stirred to shout to the Lord.  Everyone can do that, even if you can’t sing on key.  My mother used to say that she couldn’t carry a tune in an old wooden bucket, but she still loved the old  hymns.  Fortunately, he mother was musical and I inherited my grandmother’s musical talent, so I can play the horn a little closer to being on key, but I think that to the Lord, the heart is more important than the skill.

There are lots of musicians that are skillful, but whose heart doesn’t long to worship the Lord.  Others may not have the skill to earn a Grammy award, but they  have a heart to worship and it is the latter that are pleasing to the Lord.  So grab and instrument, or just lift your voice, and lets praise the Lord together!

Verses 4 though 11 list a great many things to praise the Lord for, but if you think about it, you can come up with your own list.  The list is really endless of all the good things that the Lord has done for us, and we need to thank and praise Him for His goodness.  This is not only beneficial to us and to our relationship to the Lord, but verse 12 says that this actually can bless our nation!  Oh, how our nation needs God’s blessing in these days.  Do you suppose it would be possible for us to gather our voices together and praise the Lord for His goodness one more time in this nation?  If so, maybe the Lord would look from heaven (verse 13) and bless our land once more.  Let us praise the Lord together, and wait, with the Psalmist, for the Lord to be our help and shield. And so let our hearts rejoice in Him as we trust in His holy name!

and now for something a bit different, here is a musical version by

Sinéad O' Connor Psalm 33 @ Paris Trianon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VIQzuAtuYY

Psalm 32- How blessed is He who is forgiven

Psalm 32

1 How blessed is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven,

whose sin is pardoned!

2 How blessed is the one whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish,

in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 When I refused to confess my sin,

my whole body wasted away,

while I groaned in pain all day long.

4 For day and night you tormented me;

you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. (Selah)

5 Then I confessed my sin;

I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.

I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.”

And then you forgave my sins. (Selah)

6 For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you

while there is a window of opportunity.

Certainly when the surging water rises,

it will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place;

you protect me from distress.

You surround me with shouts of joy from those celebrating deliverance. (Selah)

8 I will instruct and teach you about how you should live.

I will advise you as I look you in the eye.

9 Do not be like an unintelligent horse or mule,

which will not obey you

unless they are controlled by a bridle and bit.

10 An evil person suffers much pain,

but the Lordʼs faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly!

Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright!

The NET Bible

"How blessed is he..." starts off this Psalm, much like Psalm 1. Both Psalms encourage the believer to pursue a path in life that will result in blessing.  Everyone wants to be blessed with lots of money, loving relationships and rewarding accomplishments, but how many want to pursue the Lord's path to blessing?  It is not that hard to understand; in this case you just need to acknowledge your sin, commit to change, and ask to Lord to forgive you.  In fact, the Psalmist is downright insulting to those who refuse to understand this simple process, he calls them stupid mules (v9)! (That might be considered a micro aggression in today's society; disrespecting the intellectually challenged!) But in any case, the Psalmist lays out the consequences to those who choose to not obey; "10 An evil person suffers much pain."  It's so much easier to listen to the Lord and obey His commands and avoid all that pain. Then you can be "overwhelmed by faithfulness", "Rejoice in the Lord and be happy", and "shout for joy". It only makes sense if you have more sense that "an. Unintelligent horse of mule".

Now listen as the Sons of Korah sets this beautiful Psalm to music. 

Psalm 32- Sons of Korah

http://youtu.be/8QD-9Mcf2R8

Psalm 31- How Bad Can it Be?

When one thinks of parties in America, one tends to think of the Republican or Democrat Parties, especially in this election season.  However, if you listen to the talk all around, it seems to me that the most popular party in the United States is the Pity Party.  It doesn't take much these days for someone to complain that they have been disrespected or discriminated against.  When I was a kid we didn't even have a word for "disrespected"; we really didn't have much choice, we either respected people or else!  But now, with the invention of "microagressions", you don't even have to intend to harm someone to be accused of discrimination, or worse. Has it always been this way?

Now in the days of King David, they had some real problems to complain about.  This psalm was written in his old age as he looked back over his life. 

"My eyes grow dim from suffering.

I have lost my strength.

For my life nears its end in pain;"

David had seen real enemies with real swords, and vindictive family members with real conflicts.  One son of his even started a revolution and tried to steal his throne. But he continues to appeal to the Lord for help:

"Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me."

But despite all of his own suffering, the king was also looking prophetically into the future to the sufferings that would be experienced by the Son of David. Consider this passage and compare it to the last week of Jesus' life:

"I have lost my strength.

For my life nears its end in pain;

my years draw to a close as I groan.

My strength fails me because of my sin,

and my bones become brittle.

Because of all my enemies, people disdain me;

my neighbors are appalled by my suffering - 

those who know me are horrified by my condition;

those who see me in the street run away from me.

I am forgotten, like a dead man no one thinks about;

I am regarded as worthless, like a broken jar.

For I hear what so many are saying,

the terrifying news that comes from every direction.

When they plot together against me,

they figure out how they can take my life.

But I trust in you, O Lord!

Jesus experience real pain and suffering as he took our sins upon himself to the cross.  He paid the awful price for our sins that we may have life.  And when he was done, Jesus quoted this psalm of King David:

'Into Your hand I commit my spirit;'

Now it's not like we won't ever experience real suffering of our own. This same verse was also quoted by Stephen, the first martyr, as he was stoned to death. (Acts 7:59) If Stephen was stoned for his faith, who are we to expect to be treated better? But even in these most severe of sufferings, we can have confidence that Father God is with us, and we can agree with the psalmist as he concludes this psalm:

"Be strong and confident,

all you who wait on the Lord!"

For a musical interpretation of this Psalm, let us listen to Esther Mui:

"Make Your Face Shine Upon Your Servant"

http://youtu.be/ch-YMog_OyY

Psalm 31

For the music director; a psalm of David.

​ 

In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!

Never let me be humiliated!

Vindicate me by rescuing me!

Listen to me!

Quickly deliver me!

Be my protector and refuge,

a stronghold where I can be safe!

For you are my high ridge and my stronghold;

for the sake of your own reputation you lead me and guide me.

You will free me from the net they hid for me,

for you are my place of refuge.

Into your hand I entrust my life;

you will rescue me, O Lord, the faithful God.

I hate those who serve worthless idols,

but I trust in the Lord.

I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness,

because you notice my pain

and you are aware of how distressed I am.

You do not deliver me over to the power of the enemy;

you enable me to stand in a wide open place.

Have mercy on me, for I am in distress!

My eyes grow dim from suffering.

I have lost my strength.

For my life nears its end in pain;

my years draw to a close as I groan.

My strength fails me because of my sin,

and my bones become brittle.

Because of all my enemies, people disdain me;

my neighbors are appalled by my suffering - 

those who know me are horrified by my condition;

those who see me in the street run away from me.

I am forgotten, like a dead man no one thinks about;

I am regarded as worthless, like a broken jar.

For I hear what so many are saying,

the terrifying news that comes from every direction.

When they plot together against me,

they figure out how they can take my life.

But I trust in you, O Lord!

I declare, “You are my God!”

You determine my destiny!

Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.

Smile on your servant!

Deliver me because of your faithfulness!

O Lord, do not let me be humiliated,

for I call out to you!

May evil men be humiliated!

May they go wailing to the grave!

May lying lips be silenced - 

lips that speak defiantly against the innocent

with arrogance and contempt!

How great is your favor,

which you store up for your loyal followers!

In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter in you.

You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks of men;

you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks.

The Lord deserves praise

for he demonstrated his amazing faithfulness to me when I was besieged by enemies.

I jumped to conclusions and said,

“I am cut off from your presence!”

But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.

Love the Lord, all you faithful followers of his!

The Lord protects those who have integrity,

but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly.

Be strong and confident,

all you who wait on the Lord! The NET Bible

Psalm 30 - Garments of Joy

Psalm 30

A psalm - a song used at the dedication of the temple; by David.

​ I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up,

and did not allow my enemies to gloat over me.

O Lord my God,

I cried out to you and you healed me.

O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol;

you rescued me from among those descending into the grave.

Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers of his;

give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger lasts only a brief moment,

and his good favor restores oneʼs life.

One may experience sorrow during the night,

but joy arrives in the morning.

In my self-confidence I said,

“I will never be upended.”

O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure.

Then you rejected me and I was terrified.

To you, O Lord, I cried out;

I begged the Lord for mercy:

“What profit is there in taking my life,

in my descending into the Pit?

Can the dust of the grave praise you?

Can it declare your loyalty?

Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me!

O Lord, deliver me!”

Then you turned my lament into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy.

So now my heart will sing to you and not be silent;

O Lord my God, I will always give thanks to you. NET Bible

Back when I was struggling to come out of a difficult situation and was beginning to follow the Lord, we used to sing verse 11; 

"Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing:

thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;"

Emotionally I was a mess, trying to recover from my wife leaving me and failing an oral exam that forced me to change from one university to another one.  It was also during this time that my father died, so I had much to mourn.  However, the Spirit of the Lord was with me and was teaching me to dance in the midst of all of that.  I was much more comfortable in sackcloth (metaphorically), but the Lord was teaching me to put on the garments of gladness.  That is still something I struggle with from time to time, but I'm so grateful that the Spirit is with me to lead me out of those times of mourning when I get down on myself.

As is says in verse 5 "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." most of life's troubles will pass.  It's alright to weep during the dark night of the soul, but once the night is over, you need to embrace the joy that comes in the morning.  For me, the key to finding that joy is reading the Psalms and playing worship music.  For others, it's spending time in prayer of spending time fellowshipping with the saints.  Whatever it is that helps you find the joy, you need to embrace it and remember that there is a way to find joy again.

So that leads us to end at the beginning:  

    "1 I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up, ..." 

We thank you and praise you Lord, for the times of darkness and the times of light; the times of mourning and the times of joy.

And now for one of my favorite interpretations of Psalm 30 by Sons of Korah, "Garments of Joy”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcceI6j1Z9U