421 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
421
421 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.
421 A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God.
421 To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.
421 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, OÂ God.
441 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
441
441 O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:
441 We've been hearing about this, God, all our lives. Our fathers told us the stories their fathers told them,
441 To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, The deeds You did in their days, In days of old:
441 OÂ God, we have heard it with our own ears- our ancestors have told us of all you did in their day, in days long ago:
(Read Psalm 44:1-8)
Former experiences of God's power and goodness are strong supports to faith, and powerful pleas in prayer under present calamities. The many victories Israel obtained, were not by their own strength or merit, but by God's favour and free grace. The less praise this allows us, the more comfort it affords, that we may see all as coming from the favour of God. He fought for Israel, else they had fought in vain. This is applicable to the planting of the Christian church in the world, which was not by any human policy or power. Christ, by his Spirit, went forth conquering and to conquer; and he that planted a church for himself in the world, will support it by the same power and goodness. They trusted and triumphed in and through him. Let him that glories, glory in the Lord. But if they have the comfort of his name, let them give unto him the glory due unto it.
451 My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
451
451 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
451 My heart bursts its banks, spilling beauty and goodness. I pour it out in a poem to the king, shaping the river into words:
451 To the Chief Musician. Set to 'The Lilies.' A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love. My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
451 Beautiful words stir my heart. I will recite a lovely poem about the king, for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.
(Read Psalm 45:1-5)
The psalmist's tongue was guided by the Spirit of God, as the pen is by the hand of a ready writer. This psalm is touching the King Jesus, his kingdom and government. It is a shame that this good matter is not more the subject of our discourse. There is more in Christ to engage our love, than there is or can be in any creature. This world and its charms are ready to draw away our hearts from Christ; therefore we are concerned to understand how much more worthy he is of our love. By his word, his promise, his gospel, the good will of God is made known to us, and the good work of God is begun and carried on in us. The psalmist, verses 3-5, joyfully foretells the progress and success of the Messiah. The arrows of conviction are very terrible in the hearts of sinners, till they are humbled and reconciled; but the arrows of vengeance will be more so to his enemies who refuse to submit. All who have seen his glory and tasted his grace, rejoice to see him, by his word and Spirit, bring enemies and strangers under his dominion.
461 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
461
461 God is our refuge and strength, a very present
461 God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.
461 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
461 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
(Read Psalm 46:1-5)
This psalm encourages to hope and trust in God; in his power and providence, and his gracious presence with his church in the worst of times. We may apply it to spiritual enemies, and the encouragement we have that, through Christ, we shall be conquerors over them. He is a Help, a present Help, a Help found, one whom we have found to be so; a Help at hand, one that is always near; we cannot desire a better, nor shall we ever find the like in any creature. Let those be troubled at the troubling of the waters, who build their confidence on a floating foundation; but let not those be alarmed who are led to the Rock, and there find firm footing. Here is joy to the church, even in sorrowful times. The river alludes to the graces and consolations of the Holy Spirit, which flow through every part of the church, and through God's sacred ordinances, gladdening the heart of every believer. It is promised that the church shall not be moved. If God be in our hearts, by his word dwelling richly in us, we shall be established, we shall be helped; let us trust and not be afraid.
471 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
471
471 Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
471 Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo! Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
471 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
471 Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise!
(Read Psalm 47:1-4)
The God with whom we have to do, is a God of awful majesty. The universal and absolute sovereignty of a holy God would be too terrible for us even to think of, were it not exercised by his Son from a mercy-seat; but now it is only terrible to the workers of iniquity. While his people express confidence and joy, and animate each other in serving him, let sinners submit to his authority, and accept his salvation. Jesus Christ shall subdue the Gentiles; he shall bring them as sheep into the fold, not for slaughter, but for preservation. He shall subdue their affections, and make them a willing people in the day of his power. Also it speaks of his giving them rest and settlement. Apply this spiritually; the Lord himself has undertaken to be the inheritance of his people. It shows the faith and submission of the saints. This is the language of every gracious soul, The Lord shall choose my inheritance for me; he knows what is good for me better than I do.
481 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
481
481 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain,
481 God majestic, praise abounds in our God-city! His sacred mountain,
481 A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain.
481 How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on his holy mountain!
(Read Psalm 48:1-7)
Jerusalem is the city of our God: none on earth render him due honour except the citizens of the spiritual Jerusalem. Happy the kingdom, the city, the family, the heart, in which God is great, in which he is all. There God is known. The clearer discoveries are made to us of the Lord and his greatness, the more it is expected that we should abound in his praises. The earth is, by sin, covered with deformity, therefore justly might that spot of ground, which was beautified with holiness, be called the joy of the whole earth; that which the whole earth has reason to rejoice in, that God would thus in very deed dwell with man upon the earth. The kings of the earth were afraid of it. Nothing in nature can more fitly represent the overthrow of heathenism by the Spirit of the gospel, than the wreck of a fleet in a storm. Both are by the mighty power of the Lord.
491 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:
491
491 Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
491 Listen, everyone, listen - earth-dwellers, don't miss this.
491 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
491 Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world!
(Read Psalm 49:1-5)
We seldom meet with a more solemn introduction: there is no truth of greater importance. Let all hear this with application to ourselves. The poor are in danger from undue desire toward the wealth of the world, as rich people from undue delight in it. The psalmist begins with applying it to himself, and that is the right method in which to treat of Divine things. Before he sets down the folly of carnal security, he lays down, from his own experience, the benefit and comfort of a holy, gracious security, which they enjoy who trust in God, and not in their worldly wealth. In the day of judgment, the iniquity of our heels, or of our steps, our past sins, will compass us. In those days, worldly, wicked people will be afraid; but wherefore should a man fear death who has God with him?
841
841 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
841 What a beautiful home, God of the Angel Armies! I've always longed to live in a place like this,
841 To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts!
841 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven's Armies.
(Read Psalm 84:1-7)
The ordinances of God are the believer's solace in this evil world; in them he enjoys the presence of the living God: this causes him to regret his absence from them. They are to his soul as the nest to the bird. Yet they are only an earnest of the happiness of heaven; but how can men desire to enter that holy habitation, who complain of Divine ordinances as wearisome? Those are truly happy, who go forth, and go on in the exercise of religion, in the strength of the grace of Jesus Christ, from whom all our sufficiency is. The pilgrims to the heavenly city may have to pass through many a valley of weeping, and many a thirsty desert; but wells of salvation shall be opened for them, and consolations sent for their support. Those that press forward in their Christian course, shall find God add grace to their graces. And those who grow in grace, shall be perfect in glory.
851 Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
851
851 Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
851 God, you smiled on your good earth! You brought good times back to Jacob!
851 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
851 Lord, you poured out blessings on your land! You restored the fortunes of Israel.
(Read Psalm 85:1-7)
The sense of present afflictions should not do away the remembrance of former mercies. The favour of God is the fountain of happiness to nations, as well as to particular persons. When God forgives sin, he covers it; and when he covers the sin of his people, he covers it all. See what the pardon of sin is. In compassion to us, when Christ our Intercessor has stood before thee, thou hast turned away thine anger. When we are reconciled to God, then, and not till then, we may expect the comfort of his being reconciled to us. He shows mercy to those to whom he grants salvation; for salvation is of mere mercy. The Lord's people may expect sharp and tedious afflictions when they commit sin; but when they return to him with humble prayer, he will make them again to rejoice in him.
871 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.
871 On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
871 He founded Zion on the Holy Mountain -
871 A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song. His foundation is in the holy mountains.
871 On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord .
(Read Psalm 87:1-3)
Christ himself is the Foundation of the church, which God has laid. Holiness is the strength and firmness of the church. Let us not be ashamed of the church of Christ in its meanest condition, nor of those that belong to it, since such glorious things are spoken of it. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, even Jesus Christ. The glorious things spoken of Zion by the Spirit, were all typical of Christ, and his work and offices; of the gospel church, its privileges and members; of heaven, its glory and perfect happiness.
881 O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
881
881 O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you.
881 God, you're my last chance of the day. I spend the night on my knees before you.
881 A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. Set to 'Mahalath Leannoth.' A Contemplation of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You.
881 O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night.
(Read Psalm 88:1-9)
The first words of the psalmist are the only words of comfort and support in this psalm. Thus greatly may good men be afflicted, and such dismal thoughts may they have about their afflictions, and such dark conclusion may they make about their end, through the power of melancholy and the weakness of faith. He complained most of God's displeasure. Even the children of God's love may sometimes think themselves children of wrath and no outward trouble can be so hard upon them as that. Probably the psalmist described his own case, yet he leads to Christ. Thus are we called to look unto Jesus, wounded and bruised for our iniquities. But the wrath of God poured the greatest bitterness into his cup. This weighed him down into darkness and the deep.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 42:1
Commentary on Psalm 42:1-5
(Read Psalm 42:1-5)
The psalmist looked to the Lord as his chief good, and set his heart upon him accordingly; casting anchor thus at first, he rides out the storm. A gracious soul can take little satisfaction in God's courts, if it do not meet with God himself there. Living souls never can take up their rest any where short of a living God. To appear before the Lord is the desire of the upright, as it is the dread of the hypocrite. Nothing is more grievous to a gracious soul, than what is intended to shake its confidence in the Lord. It was not the remembrance of the pleasures of his court that afflicted David; but the remembrance of the free access he formerly had to God's house, and his pleasure in attending there. Those that commune much with their own hearts, will often have to chide them. See the cure of sorrow. When the soul rests on itself, it sinks; if it catches hold on the power and promise of God, the head is kept above the billows. And what is our support under present woes but this, that we shall have comfort in Him. We have great cause to mourn for sin; but being cast down springs from unbelief and a rebellious will; we should therefore strive and pray against it.