OCTOBER 21, 2023 Psalm 11:3 If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? In the midst of his complaint about the wicked and their constant aggression toward the righteous, David asks the question above — “What will the righteous do if the foundations are destroyed?” Apparently, he was concerned that if evil men […]
OCTOBER 19, 2023 Psalm 10:5-6 His ways are always prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight. As for all his enemies, he sneers at them. He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity.” Assuming that David is the author of this psalm, as Judaism considers him to […]
OCTOBER 20, 2023 Psalm 11:1 In the Lord I put my trust; how can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”? Jewish writers are of the opinion that David wrote this psalm as a result of being hunted by Saul. Once during his time as a fugitive, he was forced to leave Israel and seek […]
OCTOBER 18, 2023 Psalm 10:4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. There is an argument to be made that, when it seems that God is standing afar off, the wicked are seduced into thinking that their actions will prosper and bear no ill consequences for them. Excessive pride […]
OCTOBER 17, 2023 Psalm 10:1 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble? In Jewish tradition, it is believed that this psalm and the previous one is to be read together. At the end of Psalm 9, David — who had been persecuted and oppressed by his enemies — […]
OCTOBER 16, 2023 Psalm 9:19-20 Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. As this psalm concludes, David calls upon the LORD to arise, reminding us of what Moses said in the wilderness — “Arise O LORD and […]
OCTOBER 15, 2023 Psalm 9:15 The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they hid, their own foot is caught. In days of old, hunters used different methods to secure a kill; in addition to spear and arrow, they would often dig pits in which to ensnare their unwitting victim. The […]
OCTOBER 14, 2023 Psalm 9:13-14 Have mercy on me, O Lord! Consider my trouble from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may tell of all Your praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation. In antiquity, the gates of a city […]
OCTOBER 13, 2023 Psalm 9:9-10 The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. Looking at the Scripture overall, it becomes clear that God doesn’t care for bullies which is why David […]
OCTOBER 12, 2023 Psalm 9:7-8 The Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. He shall judge the world in righteousness, and He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness. David begins this verse with an obvious truth — the LORD is eternal; an important truth to retain in our mind and spirit […]
OCTOBER 10, 2023 Psalm 9:1-2 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. In the previous devotion, we addressed the circumstances that may have led to the composition of this Psalm. Assuming […]
OCTOBER 8, 2023 Psalm 8:6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. The Bible records that when God created man, He said to him, “have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing […]
