What I Noticed Today (Psalms 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, 21)
Psalm 6
Psalm 6 is one of six penitential (or confessional) Psalms: 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143. Verses 1-3 include a prayer for relief from suffering. Deliverance is requested in verses 4-5. Verses 6-7 are a lament describing his suffering, while verses 8-10 describe David’s assurance that God had heard his prayer and would deliver him.
Psalm 8
Psalm 8 begins by describing the Lord’s majesty and His strength (vv. 1-2). In verses 3-8, David marvels at God’s creation and the position of man in the created order. Verse 9 proclaims God’s majesty, repeating verse 1.
Psalm 9
Psalms 9 and ten may have originally been one psalm, as nearly every other verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 9 is a psalm of thanksgiving (vv. 1-2). Verses 3-12 describe the cause for David’s praise: his enemies have been turned away, rebuked, and destroyed; the Lord is the true judge of the world and the protector of the oppressed. The psalm concludes with a prayer to aid the afflicted (vv. 13-20) through the Lord’s justice against the wicked and the hope of the righteous.
It is easy to see David’s heart for the Lord in these psalms. His faith and trust in the Lord are apparent, as is his respect for the majesty of the Lord and His creation.
Psalm 10
Verse 1 wonders why God is far off in times of trouble. Verses 2-11 describe attributes of the wicked as they take advantage of the poor and helpless, thinking that God will not see what he is doing. Verses 12-18 are an appeal to God to take vengeance on the wicked and an expression of confidence God has heard the prayers of the afflicted.
Psalm 14
The entire human race is described as fools having turned away from God (vv. 1-3). The psalmist speaks of needed punishment of the wicked and a time when God would deliver His people Israel (vv. 4-7).
Psalm 16
This psalm describes the joy of fellowship with the Lord. The psalmist describes his absolute trust in the Lord and his delight in Godly people (vv. 1-4). Next, he describes the blessing of his inheritance in the Lord, his confidence in the Lord, and the joy that stems from his confidence that the Lord will never abandon him (vv. 5-11).
Psalm 19
David declares the Law of the Lord is perfect. The glory of the Lord is seen in nature (vv. 1-6). The Law of God is perfect and gives joy to the heart because it causes believers to lead righteous lives. The value of the Law of the Lord is greater than gold (vv. 7-11). David prayed for a complete cleansing so that he would be able to live a blameless life, forgiven for even hidden faults, and prevented from willful sin (vv. 12-14).
Psalm 21
Psalm 21 is related to Psalm 20 and may have been written following the battle anticipated in Psalm 20. The Lord is praised for delivering the victory as an answer to prayer (vv. 1-7). Attention shifts to the congregation, which now addresses the king, affirming that they knew he would defeat his enemies because they trusted in the Lord (vv. 8-13).
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
