Pastor Coe's Devotional Commentary on the Psalms Psalm # Pastor
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Pastor Coe’s Devotional Commentary on the Psalms Psalm # Pastor Coe's Comments 1 A great introduction to the Psalter. Verse 3 is a wonderful goal for the Christian life. 3 Verse 3 is a great prayer. This psalm is a lament with a powerful statement of faith included in 3, 5, 6. 4 An evening psalm. Verse 8 is a great prayer as we get into bed. 5 Following the evening psalm, psalm 5 is a great morning psalm. 6 A powerful lament and prayer for recovery from illness. Think of the workers of evil in verse 8 as the cells of illness. Verse 6 & 7 offer powerful imagery. 7 Verse 14 has some beautiful poetry. They "conceive" evil, are "pregnant" with mischief, and "give birth" to lies. 8 A beautiful hymn of praise of God and God's creation. We humans are humbled by God's majestic creation. Also an excellent example of the literary form called "inclusio." The first and last verse are identical, acting as bookends to the psalm. 9 Verse 18 is well known and often heard. God's promise of care for the needy. 10 The first use of the phrase "incline your ear" in the Psalter. The idea of God inclining his ear to us is a common and powerful image in the Psalms. It occurs (1) as a request that God will incline his ear, and (2) as a promise that God will incline his ear or (3) as a praise and thanksgiving to God for doing so. The following verses request God to incline his ear: Ps. 17:6 Ps. 31:2 Ps. 71:2 Ps. 86:1 Ps. 88:2 Ps. 102:2 And these verses are either promises of God to incline his ear or praise to God for doing so. Ps. 10:17 Ps. 40:1 Ps. 116:2 13 An excellent example of a lament with an accompanying expression of faith. A psalm that prays itself in our hearts. 14 Psalm 14 is nearly identical to Ps. 53, yet the former uses the divine name, Yahweh, and the latter the generic name, Elohim. The same is true for Ps. 40:13–17 and Ps. 70. 16 Another great lament with a statement of faith. "The Lord is my chosen portion and cup." Pastor Coe's Devotional Commentary On The Psalms.Docx Page 1 August 14, 2014 17 Verse 8 is part of the Compline Service or Evening Prayer. A beautiful verse. 18 A Thanksgiving psalm with beautiful and comforting expressions. See especially vss. 1-2, 29, 33. We don't often remember to tell God that we love Him. Praying this psalm will help us to do just that. For additional references in relation to vs. 33 regarding the feet of a deer, see 2 Sam. 22:34 and Hab. 3:19. 19 Another great hymn of praise to God for Creation. Verse 1 is well known. See verse 19, a variant of which you hear me say every Sunday. 20 Vss 4-5, 7 are a great benediction. 22 A powerful lament with a wonderful change to praise at verse 22. This psalm was quoted by Jesus as he hung on the cross. We use this in Good Friday or Maundy Thursday worship. 23 Can you memorize this psalm? It is one that can provide comfort to us throughout life. 25 I love vss. 6 and 7. In verse 6 we tell God what we want Him to remember. In verse 7 we tell God what we want him to forget. 26 Do you like coming to church. Psalm 26:8 is your verse! 27 A psalm of confidence. Pray verse 1 and 14 over and over. 30 Thanksgiving for recovery from illness. Verses 4 & 5 give a great promise, of which we can always remind ourselves. I like verses 6 & 7. When we are "prosperous," when we are experiencing the mountaintop, we have great faith, we "shall never be moved." But at the first sign of trouble, at the first hint that God may have hidden his face, we "are dismayed." Verse 11 is famous and beautiful. God turns our mourning into dancing. 31 Pray verses 3 and 5. A lament with a statement of faith. Can we pray with the author in verse 14-15 that we trust God and that our "times are in his hand." 32 A psalm of forgiveness. 33 Vss, 20-22 a wonderful prayer. 34 Check out the well known and wonderful verse at 8. 36 How big is God's steadfast love (vs. 5)? Who is welcome under God's wings (vs. 7)? 37 Check out vss 23-24. God holds us up, even when we are stumbling, God holds us by the hand. Whew! Thanks be to God. 39 How many times do I keep coming back to verse 1 and trying to muzzle my mouth? Please don't answer that question. 40 As a pastor, verse 10 is my prayer, but often verse 12 is my experience, and verse 17 is my hope and joy. You may have the same experience. 41 Verse 13 is the doxology ending Book I of the Psalms. Pastor Coe's Devotional Commentary On The Psalms.Docx Page 2 August 14, 2014 42 Don't we often long for God as verses 1-2 describe. This is the beautiful poetry of the psalms. 46 A favorite psalm of many people. One we can come back to day after day. "Be still and know that I am God." 48 A Song of Zion praising the Jerusalem temple. 50 See verse 15, God WANTS us to call on him. He wants to hear from us. It is not a burden to God, he desires to hear from us. 51 A well known psalm of confession. "Have mercy on me, O God," not because I deserve it, be according to your steadfast love. It is all about you, God. It is not all about me. Verse 15: "Lord, open my lips," you have to do it, I can't praise you on my own O God, you must open my mouth, I am too guilty to speak. You do it, O God! 55 Two of our favorite songs comes from verse 6. I'll Fly Away and On the Wings of A Dove. And verse 22 is beautiful and has also inspired songs. 56 Check out the last line of verse 9. God is "FOR YOU." On your side, in your defense, on your team! How about that! God is for YOU! 57 I love verse 1 and the idea of hiding under God's wings until the storms pass by. Such marvelous imagery. And again, read verse 10 to be reminded of how big God's love is. 58 Know someone that you are mad at? Someone that you are angry with? Check out verse 8. No it's not pretty, not polite, not kind, not loving our enemies as Jesus teaches--but it is what we feel sometimes. The psalms pour out real life feelings and experiences to God. And then they remember that judgment and retribution is left to God, it is not our job. Whew, I hope you never think that about me. 59 Vss 9 & 17--A new name for God that I love, "O my strength." Try praying to God and addressing your prayer to "O my strength." Beautiful! 60 It was Nikita Khrushchev that allegedly took off his shoe and pounded it on the podium at the United Nations? Verse 8 provides biblical support for God doing the same thing. Can you imagine how big God's shoes must be? How often do I remind myself of vss 11 and 12. Human help certainly is worthless, but with God we shall do valiantly. Thanks be to God! 62 Verse 8 - when should we trust in God? When life is easy, when things are going well? NO! At all times, ALL TIMES! God is our refuge. Pour out your heart to God, that is what God wants. 63 I challenge you to read verse 1 without feeling your mouth begin to go dry. Are there not times when our spirits feel parched and cracked? This is the psalm for those days. 65 Verse 9--and in answer to the dryness of psalm 63, "the river of God is full of water." Pastor Coe's Devotional Commentary On The Psalms.Docx Page 3 August 14, 2014 Life-giving water. 69 This is one of my favorite psalms and prayers. How often I have prayed verse 1, crying out to God. Verse 6 is a pastor's prayer--that my mistakes will not in any way bring shame upon God. After the great lament in the early verses, look at the powerful statement of faith in verse 13. Given everything else I could depend upon O Lord, my prayer is to YOU! "At an acceptable time, O God," not in my timing, not according to my plan, but according to YOUR plan, answer my prayer. What powerful faith this represents! 71 Verse 9 & 18 are the prayer of all of us who are beginning to feel a little old. See how the psalms cover every age and situation of life? 73 Some of the Bible Study groups have had discussions about the question, "Why am I a Christian?" A great answer is in verse 25. There is none for me in heaven but you, O God and there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you. As Peter says to Jesus, "Where else would we go, Lord, for only you have the words of eternal life." 77 A great lament with verses 11-15 telling us what to do when things are bad.