Psalms 40-45
What I Noticed Today (Psalms 40-45)
Psalm 40
Psalm 40 begins with thanksgiving (vv. 1-10) and concludes with a petition (vv. 11-17).
In verses 1-10, David begins by telling the congregation that after patiently waiting, the Lord had lifted him up, saved him from destruction, and that was the reason for his rejoicing. He proclaimed God’s wondrous deeds as he yielded his life to the will of God. David proclaimed the Lord’s righteousness, faithfulness, salvation, and love to the congregation.
In verses 11-17, David prayed fervently for the Lord to continue to show His compassion to him despite his many sins. David specifically asked the Lord to deliver him from his enemies who intended to hurt him.
Psalm 41
Psalm 41 contains David’s message to the congregation that those who aided the needy would receive deliverance from the Lord. He also called on the Lord to raise him up so that he could repay those who had acted wickedly against him.
In verses 1-3, David began by telling the congregation that the Lord will protect and bless the one who is considerate of the poor.
In verses 4-10, David asked the Lord to heal him from his sins. He also noted that many, including his friends, had maliciously turned against him. David hoped that he would be able to repay those who had turned against him for their treachery.
In verses 11-13, David addressed God, knowing that God had delivered him from his enemies because of his integrity.
Book 2
Psalm 42
Psalm 42 marks the beginning of Book 2 of Psalms. The focus shifts from the Lord as the source of the people’s blessings (Book 1), to the people’s ruin and redemption (Book 2).
Note: Psalm 42 and 43 may have originally been together, which is how they appear in many Hebrew manuscripts.
In verses 1-5, the psalmist writes of his soul longing for God, while others taunted him asking, “Where is your God?”
In verses 6-11, the psalmist refers to his soul being downcast even as he prayed to God. Then he proclaims that God will be with him by day and by night putting a song in his heart. Even so, he concludes, asking God why his enemies still taunt him, and his soul is downcast.
Psalm 43
Psalm 43 is a song of praise asking the Lord to lead the psalmist back to Jerusalem, where he will sing songs of joy and praise.
In verses 1-2, the psalmist asks God to vindicate and defend him against the ungodly who are unjust and deceitful.
In verses 3-5, the psalmist asks for God’s light and truth to lead him to Jerusalem, where he will joyfully praise God. The psalmist finds hope in God despite the fact that his soul is downcast.
Psalm 44
Psalm 44 is a lament of the disasters that the nation had experienced.
In verses 1-8, the people recognize God’s past works on behalf of the people because the people had trusted in the Lord.
In verses 9-16, the people have been disgraced and shamed as they suffered defeat at the hands of their enemies.
In verses 17-22, the people express confusion; they continue to have faith in God, but they have suffered death like sheep led to the slaughter.
In verses 23-26, the people petition God to rescue them from their misery. They felt rejected by God but remained trusting that God would redeem them because He loved them.
Psalm 45
Psalm 45 is one of the royal psalms celebrating a king’s wedding. It is also messianic, reflecting Christ as the bridegroom.
In verses 1-9, the psalmist proclaims the nobility of the song and the majesty of the king, who clearly had God’s blessing. The king was anointed by God because of his righteousness.
In verses 10-15, the psalmist gives advice to the bride to honor her groom. In honoring her groom, she would be blessed with expensive gifts, and others would seek her favor.
In verses 16-17, the psalmist predicts the marriage would produce many princes, and through them, the king would be remembered and praised forever and forever.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.