Psalm 20 - Some May Trust in Chariots

Psalm 20

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!

May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! 

May He send you help from the sanctuary

And support you from Zion! 

May He remember all your meal offerings

And find your burnt offering acceptable! 

Selah.

May He grant you your heart’s desire

And fulfill all your counsel! 

We will sing for joy over your victory,

And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.

May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;

He will answer him from His holy heaven

With the saving strength of His right hand. 

Some boast in chariots and some in horses,

But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God. 

They have bowed down and fallen,

But we have risen and stood upright. 

Save, O Lord;

May the King answer us in the day we call. NASB

This is a good psalm for a Sunday, where we spend time with the Lord in the sanctuary, and celebrate His support from Zion, the city of God.  We don't worship in exactly the same way as they did in King David's time, but we still glorify God and thank Him for his deliverance.  We make offerings, not of meal and burnt animals, but of time, talents and treasure.  And still we can pray, "May He find our offerings acceptable!"

The Lord is still in the business of fulfilling heart's desires, and fulfilling counsel.  It is such a pleasure to spend time with His people, singing for joy and celebrating the victories.  Oh hallelujah that He still answers from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.

We used to sing the verse about boasting in chariots and horses (See Bob Fitt's version below).  It was a rousing chorus and reminded us to trust not in our things, but to trust in God.  Too many people today trust in their car and their iPhone instead of calling on the name of the Lord.  May we take some time today to bless the Lord, call upon His name, and thank Him for the marvelous things that He has done.

Bob Fitts- Some May Trust In Chariots (Medley) (Hosanna! Music)

Psalm 18 - An Epic of Biblical Proportions!

Psalm 18

This lengthy psalm is a song of celebration after a great triumph in battle, and is full of vivid imagery.  If I were an artist, maybe I could paint this psalm as a picture, but I'm a writer, so let's see if we can use our imaginations together to visualize the wonders that the psalmist portrays with his word pictures.

2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;

Imagine, if you will, the Rock of Gibraltar. See it's majestic cliffs, and deep, intricate caves.  Remember the movies that you have seen where battles were fought over this rock.  Now can you imagine our God as a rock that is bigger and stronger than this?  He is a mighty fortress in which you can take refuge.

4 The cords of death encompassed me,

And the torrents of ungodliness terrified me. 

5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me;

The snares of death confronted me.

Now think about one of the Indiana Jones movies.  This is like a nightmare where you are bound by ropes (or worse snakes), and there are traps set all around to keep you from escaping with the prize.  Can you visualize the terror (queue the scary music!) but can you still hope that there is a way out?  How will the hero survive?

7 Then the earth shook and quaked;

And the foundations of the mountains were trembling

And were shaken, because He was angry.

Oh my!  Now there is an earthquake!  I haven't been in very many earthquakes myself, but I've heard the stories of my sister and her boys who survived that last big San Francisco earthquake.  One of the nephews was driving and his whole truck shook like it was on a roller coaster, because the road was shaking so much.  Now can you image that this terror and turmoil is due to the Lord's anger as He comes to your rescue?  Think of the fright in the eyes of your enemies as they realize that their doom is near!

8 Smoke went up out of His nostrils,

And fire from His mouth devoured;

Coals were kindled by it.

Fire breathing dragons and monsters!  Now we in a major Hollywood blockbuster, Godzilla versus to Hittites!  Smell the smoke as the fire gushes out and consumes the flesh our the enemy.  (I hope you're not eating dinner right now).  Our God is a consuming fire!

11 He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him,

Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. 

12 From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,

Hailstones and coals of fire.

This part is easy for me to visualize because I live on the Gulf Coast where there are frequent strong storms and even hurricanes.  Just yesterday, the clouds rolled in so thick that it turned day into night in just a few minutes, then the thunder rolled as the lightning crackled all around, shaking the house and terrifying the cats.  When you are in the midst of such a storm, you are very thankful if you can take refuge in a strong house, for without shelter, you can be incinerated by lightning, crushed by a falling tree, pounded by hail or blown away by the cyclone and washed away in the flood.  Better to have a secure shelter in such a storm.

19 He brought me forth also into a broad place;

He rescued me, because He delighted in me.

Stay calm now, we're coming to the good part.  Visualize the sun coming out after the storm. The grass is a special kind of green, and the air is fresh with the smell of past rain tinged with the tart smell of ozone from the lightning.  The trees have ceased their shaking and all is calm.  Image yourself in this peaceful place, with the Lord, and try to comprehend the love He has for you as He delights in you.

28 For You light my lamp;

The Lord my God illumines my darkness.

Maybe we can be a little silly now, after all those terrifying thoughts.  Image yourself in a dark, dank cave, with a miners light on your helmut. It's flickering and about to go out, then then the Lord shows up and recharges your light, and the cave is now brilliantly illuminated.  You can see the spectacular stalactites and stalagmites, and the shiny minerals glistening from the walls.  Now you can see what you were missing with your poor, worn out light, now that the Lord has brought His grand light into play!

29 For by You I can run upon a troop;

And by my God I can leap over a wall.

Time for offense now!  The attack is on and you are running with the troops, bounding over walls with the ease of a gazelle!  The enemy is on the run.  Press the fight until complete victory is won.

(We used to sing this verse in church in Pittsburgh, and some would literally run circles around the church.  One of my friends had his eyes closed praying, and got completely bowled over by a rather large sister that was exuberantly running upon a troop!)

33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,

And sets me upon my high places.

Let's finish with this one.  This is a famous verse that inspired the title of the great devotional "Hinds Feet in High Places".  After all the commotion, terror, and war, it's proper to quiet yourself and meditate on the goodness of the Lord who has delivered you.  Think on all of the wonderful thinks that He has done for you. Remember the great bounty that He has brought to your family.  Thank the Lord for all that He has done.

49 Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord,

And I will sing praises to Your name.  NASB

Now listen to Psalm 18 (He Delights in Me) (feat. Shane Heilman) - The Psalms Project

Psalm 16 - Lines in Pleasant Places

Psalm 16

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,

in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

or take their names on my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. ESV

I'm going to exercise writer's prerogative and focus on just one verse.

 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

This morning we were praying for one of our church elders who is moving to another state, and I was thinking about this verse.  When you commit to walk with the Lord, you can be sure that your boundary lines will be laid in good places, but some times the lines move! Where I grew up in Illinois, most people thought of boundary lines a fixed.  Many people were born and died on the same farm.  Some would prosper and purchase a neighboring farm to expand their lines, but most were content to live within the boundaries set by their fathers.

Our family was a bit different in this regard.  Over a period of seven generations, the Brillhart's migrated from Europe to Pennsylvania and then to Illinois.  My great-grandfather moved part of the family on to Kansas, but my grandfather stayed in Illinois.  I had one uncle who moved his family all the way to Colorado, though he was motivated by health reasons.  I myself have made a couple of major moves, from Illinois to Pennsylvania to Alabama.

Sometimes, you can be settled in a place, being content with your lines, when the Lord says, "This is good, but your destiny lies in a different place."  That was certainly the case when I moved from Pittsburgh to Mobile, Alabama.  The Lord had a definite purpose for us on the Gulf Coast that was bigger and better than what we were doing in Pittsburgh.  I'm sure this is the case for Elder M.L., where there is a greater destiny and wider purpose in Texas, even though much has already been accomplished in Alabama.

The psalmist closes with "You make known to me the path of life;...".  Sometimes that path can lead to some different and interesting places, places where you would never have imagined that  you would go.  But when you listen to the Lord's plan, that path will lead to a place where you can say "my lines will fall to me in pleasant places. I have a beautiful inheritance."

Listen to Psalm 16 by the Psalms Project:

Psalm 16 (Fullness of Joy) (feat. Rachelle Hope) - The Psalms Project

Psalm 15 - Teach Your Children Well

Psalm 15

Lord, who may be a guest in your home? 

Who may live on your holy hill? 

 Whoever lives a blameless life, 

does what is right,

and speaks honestly. 

 He a does not slander, 

or do harm to others, 

or insult his neighbor. 

 He despises a reprobate, 

but honors the Lord ʼs loyal followers. 

He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise. 

 He does not charge interest when he lends his money. 

He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. 

The one who lives like this will never be upended

"Teach the children well” was a folk song by Cosby Stills that was popular when I was much younger. It is the earnest cry of every generation that their children would learn to live right. Even back in the days of ancient Israel, I can see King David, with his children gathered about him, singing Psalm 15 to them. Teaching his children how to live a blameless life.

The New American Standard Bible translates verse 1 as;

1 O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?

Who may dwell on Your holy hill?

Isn’t it your desire that your children and grandchildren learn to abide with the Lord. Abiding means to dwell with, in a genuine and intimate relationship.  The picture of being a guest in the Lord’s tent, living with Him on his holy hill, evokes images of close family times, being with special relatives, traveling to the mountains and having good times together.  Our family had many such times traveling to Colorado to visit relatives that lived in the Rocky Mountains.  I learned much from may parents on those trips, mostly be being close with them, but also by experiencing the majesty of God’s creation by visiting the mountains.

Just as I learned from my father to speak honestly and not to harm others, I taught the same things to my children, and hope that my grandchildren learn the same.  Keeping your promises and being generous were important lessons that my father taught me.  From King David’s time till now it has been important to teach our children how to live right so that they may be friends of God and man, and that they may live secure lives which can never be shaken.

Psalm 15 (Who May Abide With You?) (feat. Emily Heilman) - The Psalms Project

Teach the children well ( with lyrics) - Crosby Stills

Psalm 17 - The Apple of Your eye

Psalm 17 - The Apple of Your eye

Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea;

listen to my cry.

Give ear to my prayer–

it does not rise from deceitful lips.

 May my vindication come from you;

may your eyes see what is right.

 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,

though you test me, you will find nothing;

I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

 As for the deeds of men–

by the word of your lips

I have kept myself

from the ways of the violent.

 My steps have held to your paths;

my feet have not slipped.

 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;

give ear to me and hear my prayer.

 Show the wonder of your great love,

you who save by your right hand

those who take refuge in you from their foes.

 Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings

 from the wicked who assail me,

from my mortal enemies who surround me.

 They close up their callous hearts,

and their mouths speak with arrogance.

… NIV

This Psalm is a bit out of order from the previous ones in my blog, but I was feeling a bit out of sorts today, and was encouraged by listening to the Sons of Korah sing Psalm 17.  They chose verse 8 as the theme for their chorus:

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings

This Psalm is a tender cry from one who is close to the Lord.  This is not the first time that he has cried out to the Lord, and he is expecting the Lord to hear and answer his prayer.  “I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;” is his confident prayer. He has examined his own heart and now invites the Lord to examine him as well, confident that the Lord will find nothing wrong.  This is a confidence that can only come from spending time with the Lord, both praying and listening, until you come to know the Lord’s voice and are confident in His love.

The cry isn’t “make me the apple of Your eye”, but it is “keep me as the apple of your eye”.  The psalmist already knows his place in the Lord, under the shadow of His wing, and is just praying to stay there.  

Are you confident of your place in the Lord?  Do you hide in the shadow of His wing? Lord, hear our prayer, and keep us as the apple of your eye. Amen

Sons of Korah - Apple of Your eye (Psalm 17)

Psalm 10 - The arrogant and Wicked

Psalm 10

​ Why, Lord, do you stand far off?

Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble?

The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed;

the oppressed are trapped by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up.

Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants;

the one who robs others curses and rejects the Lord.

The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,

“God wonʼt hold me accountable; he doesnʼt care.”

He is secure at all times.

He has no regard for your commands;

he disdains all his enemies.

He says to himself,

“I will never be upended,

because I experience no calamity.”

His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words;

his tongue injures and destroys.

He waits in ambush near the villages;

in hidden places he kills the innocent.

His eyes look for some unfortunate victim.

He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket;

he lies in ambush, waiting to catch the oppressed;

he catches the oppressed by pulling in his net.

His victims are crushed and beaten down;

they are trapped in his sturdy nets.

He says to himself,

“God overlooks it;

he does not pay attention;

he never notices.”

Rise up, Lord!

O God, strike him down!

Do not forget the oppressed!

Why does the wicked man reject God?

He says to himself, “You will not hold me accountable.”

You have taken notice,

for you always see one who inflicts pain and suffering.

The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you;

you deliver the fatherless.

Break the arm of the wicked and evil man!

Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds,

which he thought you would not discover.

The Lord rules forever!

The nations are driven out of his land.

Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed;

you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.

You defend the fatherless and oppressed,

so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.

The NET Bible

I am deeply troubled as I read Psalm 10 today, while contemplating great evil in the world. Consider a few verses- 

4 "The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks, 

'God wonʼt hold me accountable; he doesn't care.'”

8 He waits in ambush near the villages;

in hidden places he kills the innocent.

10 His victims are crushed and beaten down;

they are trapped in his sturdy nets.

11 He says to himself, “God overlooks it; 

he does not pay attention; he never notices.”

12 Rise up, Lord!

O God, strike him down!

Do not forget the oppressed!

13 Why does the wicked man reject God?

He says to himself, “You will not hold me accountable.”

You have taken notice,

There were examples in the news today that are too terrible to describe, but "crushed", "kills the innocent" and "the wicked man is arrogant" are an all too accurate commentary on today's events.  I sympathize with the psalmist when he cries out "Why, Lord, do you stand far off?"  How long will you allow the innocent to suffer at the hand of the wicked?

We can only stand with the psalmist as he prays, in closing, for justice to be done:

15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man!

Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds,

which he thought you would not discover.

16 The Lord rules forever!

The nations are driven out of his land.

17 Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed;

you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.

18 You defend the fatherless and oppressed,

so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.

We pray the the evil (referred to as "nations" in the Psalms) will be driven out of this land.  We know that the Lord rules forever, but we pray that we will have earthly leaders who acknowledge the Lord and seek righteousness instead of destruction of the innocent. These are difficult times, but maybe not so much worse than in the days that the Psalms were written.  Men who are arrogant and do not give homage to the King of Kings are now, and have always been, evil and dangerous.  Lord, come quickly to defend the fatherless and oppressed and to end the terror. Amen 

Psalm 10 (Yahweh Is King Forever) (feat. Jon DeGroot) - The Psalms Project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aetuJESCpII

Psalm 11 - The Lord is in His Holy Temple

Psalm 11

In the Lord I have taken shelter.

How can you say to me,

“Flee to a mountain like a bird!

For look, the wicked prepare their bows,

they put their arrows on the strings,

to shoot in the darkness at the morally upright.

When the foundations are destroyed,

what can the godly accomplish?”

The Lord is in his holy temple;

the Lordʼs throne is in heaven.

His eyes watch;

his eyes examine all people.

The Lord approves of the godly,

but he hates the wicked and those who love to do violence.

May the Lord rain down burning coals and brimstone on the wicked!

A whirlwind is what they deserve!

Certainly the Lord is just;

he rewards godly deeds;

the upright will experience his favor.

The NET Bible

 The NASB translates verse 1 as, "In the Lord I take refuge."  Sometimes, things in this world just get tough, and we need to flee to the mountains.  Go somewhere where the arrows of the wicked can't find you. To take refuge.  It seems that as long as we live there will be someone flinging arrows our way, or darts, as Paul puts it. So we need to take refuge in the Lord.

3 If the foundations are destroyed,

What can the righteous do? NASB

Verse 3 is the dilemma for our time.  All around us it seems that foundations are being destroyed; foundations of the family, of marriage, of the church and of our nation.  What can we do?  It’s good to know, as the psalmist reminds us that “The Lord is in His holy temple”.  Things on earth may seem in disarray but we need to remember the the Lord is on His throne and that He has everything under control.  He is watching, to approve the good and hate the wicked. The psalmist says that the wicked deserve to be caught up in a whirlwind.  We should keep that in mind the next time there is a tornado warning or hurricane watch!  

Our assurance is that the Lord is just and that He will reward the godly.  So hang in there, keep trusting in the Lord and look to experience His favor.

Psalm 11: "I Trust In The Lord" by Randy Gordon

Psalm 8 - How Majestic in Your Name

Psalm 8

 O Lord, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth,

Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength

Because of Your adversaries,

To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;

 What is man that You take thought of him,

And the son of man that You care for him?

 Yet You have made him a little lower than God,

And You crown him with glory and majesty!

 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet,

 All sheep and oxen,

And also the beasts of the field,

 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,

Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

 O Lord, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth! NASB

Wow!  This is a majestic psalm that just demands to be sung.  There are many arrangements for this, from the Israeli folk tune in the YouTube link below, to Sandy Patti's famous version from a few years back.  How can you read or sing these words and not glorify His name for His magnificent works?  From nursing babes to the moon and stars, all God's creation is wonderful!

Let us consider for a moment, the special place that man has in God's creation.  Since Darwin, modern man has started to take more lowly view of mankind, but according to the psalmist, who echoes Genesis, man was created to rule over the works of God's hands. Over the sheep and oxen and the beasts of the field; over every living creature.  In fact, the Lord's view is than man is just a little lower than the angels.  A magnificent creature indeed, with a wonderful task and destiny!

Do we act like magnificent creatures?  Do we exercise our God given dominion over the created world?  When we do, we honor God, because, it is for this, that He created us.  We demonstrate the glory and majesty of God when we act according to His plan.  When we act cowardly and sniveling we dishonor the image of God, not living up to all that He has planned for us.

Reading, singing and meditating on the Psalms helps us to put our lives into perspective, to realize both how majestic the Lord is, and how majestic we are when we live according to His plan and design.  The next time you sing a Psalm, hymn or spiritual song, lift up your head and proclaim the majesty of God with all the gusto that you can manage, because the Lord is worthy of praise, and we exalt both God and ourselves when we worship Him.

A little something different: Psalm 8 sung in Hebrew:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZTx1vIpksc

Psalm 6 - Prayer in a Time of Trouble

Psalm 6

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the choir director; with stringed instruments, upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

​ O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,

Nor chasten me in Your wrath. 

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am pining away;

Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed. 

And my soul is greatly dismayed;

But You, O Lord—how long?

Return, O Lord, rescue my soul;

Save me because of Your lovingkindness. 

For there is no mention of You in death;

In Sheol who will give You thanks?

I am weary with my sighing;

Every night I make my bed swim,

I dissolve my couch with my tears. 

My eye has wasted away with grief;

It has become old because of all my adversaries.

Depart from me, all you who do iniquity,

For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. 

The Lord has heard my supplication,

The Lord receives my prayer. 

All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed;

They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed.  NASB

The beauty of the scriptures is that, though they are an ancient document, they are relevant to every situation today.  Psalm 6 is a case in point.  We may wish that every day was one of peace and joy, but sometimes s*** happens!  Some days we struggle against sickness and trouble.  Some days we suffer from problems that are self made. (I know that's hard to believe, but even Elder B messes up some times!) The psalmist doesn't say specifically why he is pining away on this particular day, but that allows us to insert our own problem.  Even though our soul is greatly dismayed, we can turn to the Lord for comfort, just as the psalmist did. When we are weary from the struggle and cry ourselves to sleep, God is there with us.  "For the Lord has heard my supplication, The Lord receives my prayer." 

For me, it is sometimes hard to really believe that the Lord loves me, especially in the hard times. Thus I am encouraged by the psalm, "Save me because of Your lovingkindness." It is when the Lord seems to be most distant that we are assured that His lovingkindness is closest to us, surrounding, protecting and encouraging us. It is in times of sickness and grief that we can rely on the Lord must fully.  If you are struggling today, I pray that the realization of the Lord's love will surround you, so that you will know, that you know, that you are loved, and that the Lord hears your cries.

Psalm 6 (Heal Me) (feat. Deryck Box) - The Psalms Project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v8aLMcv3-Y

Psalm 40 - Thoughts on Muck and Mire

Psalm 40: 1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;

And He inclined to me and heard my cry. 

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,

And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. 

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;

Many will see and fear

And will trust in the Lord. NASB

This is just a random though that came to me yesterday when I was listening to Psalm 40 on the way to church.  I was just thinking how often I've been pulled out of the muck and mire.  It seems I've got an affinity for it!  Perhaps it goes back to my childhood, growing up on a farm in Illinois.  With 300 acres of farm land, cows, hogs, and chickens, there was plenty of muck and mire to get into.  We even had a special kind of nasty clay that we called gumbo (not at all like  the southern seafood kind).  Gumbo was a black clay that was hard as a rock when dry and impossible to dig up, but when wet it would pull in the biggest vehicle.  Anything you tried to drive over it would get sucked in, down to the axles, and you would need a much bigger tractor to pull it out.

With all this muck and mire outside, my Mother's eternal mission was to keep it out and to keep the house clean.  Every time that I would drag some sort of mess in, she would exclaim "What! Were you raised in a barn?  Clean that up!".  But to my irony impaired brain, this didn't make a lot of sense.  The completely logical answer was, "Yes, I spend a lot more time in the barn, chicken yard and pig pens than in the house."  Of course, I eventually came to understand that she was making a plea to to keep the barn mess out of her house, and to leave my muddy boots and all the other muck on the back porch!

To my father, the muck and mire was a way of life, but he taught me to patiently keep order and cleanliness wherever possible.  When you have cows in the barn, you are inevitably going to get a lot of muck.  Even Proverbs 14:4 says "Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox."  So the answer is not to try to live in a world without muck, but to clean it out whenever necessary.  One of the never ending tasks on a farm was to muck out the barn and hen house.  You can put down straw for awhile to hide it and dry it up, but sooner or later, it's going to get so deep that the cows can't even walk into the barn so you have to clean it out.  The chicken house was the worst.  It was always my job to take care of the chickens, and cleaning out the hen house was the worst job ever.  It's not only dirty, but smells so strong of ammonia that you can hardly breath.  But in the end, you have a clean barn so the cows and chickens are happy and healthy, and as a bonus, you can spread the manure on the fields to fertilize the crops.

So maybe that's why I always seem to betting stuck in the muck and mire and have to call on the Lord to pull me out and set my feet on the rock one more time.  I do hope that there is some fertilizer somewhere in there, after my barn has been cleaned out, so that something good can grow out of all my mischief! 

Psalm 40 - Sons of Korah

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

Psalm 5 - A Morning Prayer

Psalm 5

For the choir director; for flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

Give ear to my words, O Lord,

consider my meditation.

 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:

for unto thee will I pray.

 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord;

in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness:

neither shall evil dwell with thee.

 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight:

thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing:

the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy:

and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies;

make thy way straight before my face.

 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;

their inward part is very wickedness;

their throat is an open sepulchre;

they flatter with their tongue.

 Destroy thou them, O God;

let them fall by their own counsels;

cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions;

for they have rebelled against thee.

 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice:

let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:

let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

 For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous;

with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. KJV

This Psalm really doesn't need any commentary.  It is the most famous of the morning Psalms and is a favorite one to sing.  I first remember it being sung by Pastor Joseph Garlington in his magnificent baritone voice, and marveling at the beauty of the Psalm.  How beautiful it is to look up to the Lord in the morning and lift our prayers to Him.

Hebrew poetry has a compare and contrast structure rather than a rhyming cadence.  Note how the psalmist compares the righteous man that rises early to bless the Lord with the evil man who causes bloodshed and deceives many. The actions of the two kinds of people are compared, and then the response of the Lord to each is given.  Take care then, that you live a life of worship instead of a life of wickedness, so that you may be blessed by the Lord, and will be protected by His shield.

Bonus: (It's not Joseph, but it's the same arrangement- DB)
Psalm 5 - Chuck Girard with lyricshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0R7X1rigg