Psalms 49:7-9, 15 No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him – 8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough – 9 that he should live on forever and not see decay…15 But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.
 
YOU might title this psalm, “You can’t take your possessions with you.” Of course, we all know that, but many people still put wealth accumulation as their most important reason for their lives. That’s why we need such reminders as V 17 for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Some of you reading this have accumulated wealth. Others find wealth if you have enough funds for tomorrow’s meal, a first Bible or school fees for your children. The psalmist’s wisdom reminds us we all must keep wealth in proper perspective regardless of our income.
   After all, this world is not our home. Our destination is sure. The day will come when each of us v 19 will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of life. V 11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.
   This is our destination apart from God. But oh what great joy to know God promises he will v 15 redeem my life from the grave, so he will surely take me to himself.
   To redeem is to purchase something with a proper price. Jesus is Redeemer. He paid the complete cost of our sin with his blood. In Christ, you are redeemed from an eternal dwelling in a tomb because God chose to surely take (you) to himself.
   Humbly consider this. Do you grasp Jesus’ redeeming blood is God’s complete payment, so he can take you into himself forever? God takes you. You don’t take him. He paid for you, and then he spiritually took you home. He didn’t pay for you and then ask, “Do you want to come with me?” He takes you because he has decided he wants you to be with him forever. Jesus, your Redeemer said so in John 14:2 “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
   You are safe where Jesus is. The world’s turmoil and fears cannot touch your soul. V 5 Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me – 6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
   Too easily we can forget mankind is the center point of God’s redemptive plan. Set your mind to know the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15b) Be wise to understand God has made it possible to take you out of death, into life in heaven. Savor the security of God’s promise to take you as his own. 

Psalms 48:1, 12-14 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain…12 Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, 13 consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation. 14 For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.
 
HAVE you ever taken a “God Walk”? One way to do this is to walk to observe God’s creation. There are many places to walk and enjoy beautiful scenery. A God Walk at night may show you countless stars and numerous planets to his glory. Even as you walk along common pathways, you can observe God’s role in the people and places around you.
   Reading this Sons of Korah psalm, you can take a God Walk around Jerusalem, the city of our God, his holy mountain. On your walk you will see the city’s strength as compared with the local mountain ranges. Jerusalem’s high walls created a mighty fortress set on a mountain. Even kings with many armies found defeat at Jerusalem’s gates.
   Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts and view her citadels. Such a glorious sight would teach you of God’s strength. You would tell your children that the God who dwelled there is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. A walk in the temple would reveal people praising God, meditating on his Word and trusting God’s right hand of righteousness. This is a glorious view of God’s holy city.
   Do you know Jesus commands you to take a God Walk with him? Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) Following requires purposeful walking in Jesus’ footsteps. When you walk with Jesus, you must look upon his strength. Consider the towers of his truth. View the ramparts of his justice. See his citadels of love, joy and peace stand tall against the world’s armed forces. Know his strength to forgive. Submit to his authority. Believe he guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. (Psalms 25:9)
   Jesus’ disciples were walking with Jesus one day just before the cross: As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” They were excited to see the city’s physical strength. But then Jesus said, “Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:1-2)
   The Jews had stopped walking with God. They had rejected Jesus’ dramatic call to walk with him in strength and purpose for the kingdom of God. Because the Jews rejected the Son of God, Jesus prophesied Jerusalem’s walls, citadels and towers would be destroyed. Forty years later, Rome completely demolished the city and the temple. A city built for with material strength will not prevail when it is spiritually weak.
   God’s promise is sure. Walk with him, and he will make you like him: John 16:13a But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
   Enjoy your God Walk. 

Psalms 47:1-9 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. 2 How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! 3 He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. 4 He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. 5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. 8 God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. 9 The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted. 

ARE you excited? Do you clap your hands because you know God is your God forever? Do you sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises because you know you and all of his church will worship him in fullness and glory one day? Philippians 2:9 Therefore God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 
Yes God does rule the earth now. But his sovereign reign still allows people and nations to live under Satan’s deceits. His governing purpose now is to teach us that from him and through him and to him are all things. (Romans 11:36) Against evil our salvation reveals God is the King of all the earth. He reigns over the nations. God is seated on his holy throne. 
On the day Jesus returns his reign will be complete. The King of kings will welcome his chosen people into his home. And he will reject those who have rejected him. His sovereign rule determines who is with him and who is not. He will reign forevermore with his people, and the enemy will be bound in hell. 
Psalm 47 anticipates that day with great joy. Join with the singer. Give thanks to the LORD your God, who is among you, a great and awesome God. (Deuteronomy 7:21)
Sing often and loudly in your heart as you thank God for his magnificent promise to rule your heart forevermore. What a joyous future to anticipate as you know your life is completely under God’s rule. 

Psalms 46:1, 10-11 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble…10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
 
THESE three verses promise God’s strength surrounds us. Psalm 46:10 is often quoted amid some very serious issues. Even with smaller challenges of everyday aggravations, we are wise to be still and consider the ways God is around us with his strength.
   The dramatic images in verses 2, 3 & 6 can be real descriptions of the earth’s groaning under sin’s burden: the earth gives way, mountains fall into the sea, nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall and the earth melts. Earthquakes, floods, fires and political rebellion disturb many regions of the world.
   These violent images can also represent assaults on your life. Sudden bad news is as a mountain crushing you. Your emotions quake with anger when someone treats you unfairly. Finances, occupations and relationships you believed were your safeguard, crash in the sea of despair. You don’t know if it is possible to be safe.
   God promises you are safe with him. Verses 4, 5 and 7 exalt God’s eternal sanctuary: V 4 There is a river that makes glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
   A full, flowing river is life. Genesis 2:10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden. From there it branched into four rivers that became the center of early civilizations. Water is real life.
   Water is also spiritual life. Ezekiel 47 is a vision of God’s life water flowing from Jerusalem’s temple. It begins as a small trickle and expands into a deep, wide flowing river, filled with life and bordered with fruit trees.
   Jesus also used this image one day when he taught in Jerusalem: John 7:38 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” The gospel of salvation, the eternal river of life, began as a trickle with 12 apostles. It has become a deep, wide, life-giving river for all who believe.
   All who believe will rejoice in the river of life in the holy city where the Most High dwells: Revelation 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 
   You can trust that out of sin’s raging devastation will come God’s enduring peace. V 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
   When the roaring is far too loud and the shaking seems uncontrollable, God wants you to know his life power flows eternally from his throne into you. In faith hear his promise, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  The God you worship is in charge of all creation. He’s in charge of you.

Psalms 45:1-2, 6 A wedding song. My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. 2 You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever…6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
 
DO you love weddings? God does. When God brought Eve to Adam (Genesis 2:22), our Father in heaven revealed his design for a holy union between himself and his creation. Marriage is to be the primary view of God’s relationship with us. Even though sin has now corrupted this holy image, the psalmist pointed to its restoration. He wrote this wedding song to celebrate the day Jesus, the Son of God, will be wholly joined with his bride: Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”  How will this holy, blameless union happen?
   The singer with a Spirit-inspired tongue as the pen of a skillful writer revealed God’s plan to the Jews. This beautiful prophecy to Jesus. Jesus is the most excellent of men whose lips have been anointed with grace. We know this is Jesus because he addressed this same person in verse 6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. Jesus is fully man. Jesus is fully God, ruler of all nations. Jesus is God’s perfect evidence that he has asked you, “Will you join with me in holy matrimony?”
   The singer then honors Jesus’ ministry. V  4a In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness. Jesus truth reveals wonderful works among his people. V 4b Let your right hand display awesome deeds.
   The church will come to Jesus: V 10 Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear: Forget your people and your father’s house. 11 The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. And v 15 They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king.
   With many images the psalm describes the beauty and perfection of the holy wedding. People will come from all nations to God’s eternal marriage. God’s truth will move through the generations: V 16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land.
   God’s reign is eternal. V 17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.
   Are you prepared to join in holy union with God? Trust in Jesus. Know that in faithful anticipation of your marriage to God, you can joyfully sing with a heart stirred by the noble theme of God’s promise that his church will be Jesus’ bride forever.    

Psalms 44:26 Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love.
 
THIS is another maskil – a song of instruction from the Sons of Korah. They are teaching God’s love does not fail.
   In contrast, if you’ve read the entire psalm, you may think, “God’s love seemed to fail Israel.” The psalmists lament in v 10 You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us. 11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.
   How was this possible? After all, the psalm also teaches of God’s history to fight for Israel. V 2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish.
   Had Israel sinned to cause their defeat? Many times God’s judgment was to use Israel’s enemies as a punishing rod. But the psalmist objects. V 17 All this happened to us, though we had not forgotten you or been false to your covenant. 19 But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals and covered us over with deep darkness. “Why us? What have we done?”
   Have you asked those questions? Did you feel God had so deliberately and unjustly fought against you – even covered you with deep darkness? The psalmists even seem to accuse God. V 22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. “Because we fight for you, God, we suffer!” Then comes the plea: v 24 Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression? Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love.
   Where, then, is God’s unfailing love? One of the great benefits of carefully reading the entire Bible is to understand how God’s love works to fulfill his promise of an eternal Savior. God continually renews his promise to Israel throughout their centuries of sin. If his love had ever failed, he would have destroyed Isarel on their desert journey. But his unfailing love called them back from their sin. His unfailing love became very real when Jesus submitted to the cross.
   That’s why the apostle Paul wrote this remarkable truth oof God’s unfailing love promise in Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  God’s eternal promise is real for you. His love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:8)
   The psalms are a collection of God’s people expressing many emotions toward God. God inspired various men to skillfully record the depth and height of their emotions. God’s unfailing love opened the door for their honest expression of their frustrations and their joys.
   This is our human condition. God wants our emotions. He wants to hear from us, so he can speak into our hearts. Each time we wonder, “Where is God’s love?” we must know nothing separates us from God’s love. The cross’ message does not fail.  
 

Psalms 43:3-4 Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. 4 Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.
 
ONE can easily join Psalm 42 with Psalm 43. The author is the same, and he uses this psalm to confirm he has rediscovered God’s song in his heart.
   He hears the songs of praise and thanksgiving because he knows the way to God’s joy. The night is done, and the light comes over the land. God’s life-giving light directs a downcast soul into God’s presence.   
   When the psalmist once more asked in v 5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? he did not have the same weary attitude as in Psalm 42. Instead, he was confessing, “It’s not possible to be downcast when I look up and put my hope in God, for I know I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Twice he confirms a personal relationship with God. This is living under God’s joy to know the pleasure of belonging to him.  
   How good it is to know God is my joy. How wonderful to say, “God is my delight.” You will know this when you understand how completely God has controlled history to put you at his altar today. This is the psalmist’s praise. He looks beyond his personal circumstances that have caused his downcast soul (see Psalm 42), in despair of God’s goodness. Now within God’s light, joy has given him a new attitude. “I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.”
   One of Christianity’s most beloved hymns is How Great Thou Art. It begins with these 4 words: “O Lord my God.” We claim God as the psalmist did. “O king, my ruler of heaven and earth.” The hymn continues, “when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made…how great thou art, how great thou art.” The hymn proclaims the wonder of God’s greatness over all the world and in heaven to come. It describes the way to God’s altar. “And when I think that God is Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in…Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art.”
   The psalmist found God’s joy when he discovered God is a very personal, compassionate, loving God. Jesus said it this way: Matthew 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
   Your most precious possession is God himself. Faithfully confess to him from Psalm 42: You are God my stronghold. O God, my God. I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Live with joy. Know nothing will steal God from you. Acknowledge with joy he has shown you the way to his holy altar.
 

Psalms 42:1, 8 A maskil of the Sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God…8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.
 
THIS psalm is from a Levite who was descended from Korah. Numbers 16 records Korah’s and others’ rebellion against Moses. God punished them with swift death as the earth opened and swallowed them, their immediate families and possessions. But the LORD was merciful. He allowed other relatives of Korah to live. Some became faithful priests and wrote a few psalms attributed to sons – descendants – of Korah.
   This psalm is a maskil, so it is a song written for instruction. Overall, it’s a difficult teaching. The psalm reflects one deeply thirsty for God’s care. Verse 1 is very familiar as it has for many years been sung in various forms among the Christian community. The writer represents a soul longing for God. Read through the psalm, and you may wonder, “What has caused the psalmist to be so sad, so thirsty for God?” It’s difficult to respond to one who asks, v 5 “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?”  Three times he refers to a downcast soul. Perhaps it is the psalmist’s technique to help us know how low our emotions can be when we do not focus on God’s magnificent mercy.
   But then the psalmist instructs you to know God is present, even when your soul is dry and downcast. Faithfully he confesses that by day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.
   Do you hear God’s song within you, even when troubles dry your soul? You do if you listen to the Bible reveal who God is.
   Who is God? He is Maker of heaven and earth. He has formed you into his likeness. (Genesis 1:26) He has created you to be new in his kingdom under Jesus’ redeeming blood. (2 Corinthians 5:17) God is Father, Son and Spirit, who direct your life into his eternal joy. (Ephesians 2) God’s songs are his many promises, some we’ve read these past few weeks. There are the songs of his comfort, peace and joy that are always present, even when he seems afar.
   When the psalmist lamented his sadness, he stopped to thank God. By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life. The night could be a literal night. Perhaps you are afraid of this time of day because the reasons for your downcast soul seem to deepen in the darkened sky. But you can make this a good way time to calm your soul from the day, so you have a quiet time to measure God’s gifts for your life.
   Night or day, sing thanksgiving songs to God. You will quickly discover your downcast soul will rise toward heaven’s throne. Sing, “Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. (Isaiah 12:4-5)
   It is estimated God’s Word speaks 750 promises to you. Can you count the blessings he has bestowed upon you? 

​ Psalms 41:1-4 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. 2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3 The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness. 4 I said, “O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
 
EVEN though this scripture uses “he” and “him”, David was praying for himself. David prayed for God’s mercy to deliver him from sickness after he had survived Absalom’s rebellion. David prayed the LORD would protect him from “friends” within his court who would betray him. This had happened in the rebellion. One of his friends, Ahithophel, betrayed him, and then hanged himself (2 Samuel 16:20-17:3,23) V 9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. Jesus, the Living Word, used this scripture when he spoke of Judas’ betrayal: John 13:18 But this fulfills the Scripture that says, “The one who eats my food has turned against me.”
    David expected God to have regard for his life because David had regard for the weak. He believed God would be merciful to him because he had been merciful to others. This was not an empty claim. David’s had shown mercy on King Saul when he could have easily killed the king two times. David was merciful to Saul’s grandson – Jonathan’s son – the crippled Mephibosheth and welcomed him to his table. New kings often killed many relatives of the king they succeeded. There is evidence David was also merciful to the poor in Israel. David was confident that (v 12) in my integrity you uphold me
and set me in your presence forever.
   We can easily understand that David felt very alone. How difficult it is when you don’t know whom you can trust! This is the seventh time in the first 41 psalms David prays, “Be merciful to me.” He knew God’s mercy from the many times God had saved his life and had led his armies to victory. David knew God’s mercy in his battle with Goliath. God was merciful to protect him from wild bests in the sheep pastures. With great mercy, God forgave David’s most woeful sins. That’s why he could confidently pray in verses 10-11 and13, “But you, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them. I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.”
   Jesus confirmed David’s faith in God’s mercy: Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God commands the Christian to mercy. There is no room for judgment and unforgiveness in the redeemed heart. He has been most merciful to you. Be most merciful to his people.   
 

Psalms 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
 
MANY of the psalms to  this point have been David’s prayers and pleas to God to save him from King Saul’s persecution. This psalm celebrates David’s deliverance from Saul. David rejoiced God has lifted him out of the slimy pit of persecution, despair and danger. “Slimy pit” is an appropriate illustration of those hard circumstances that seem to be far too common. How is it possible to climb out of a pit covered with slime? You need a helper, don’t you?
   The prophet Jeremiah’s story is a real example. The Jews who objected to his prophecies of God’s judgment put Jeremiah in a slimy pit: Jeremiah 38:6 So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud. God’s faithful servant was trapped in a deadly prison.
   Then God delivered his prophet. The king’s servant named Ebed-Malech was from Egypt. It is not known if he worshiped God. But it is interesting to note God used a foreigner to rescue Jeremiah. Ebed-Malech took 30 men to save Jeremiah. Thirty men were needed to pull Jeremiah safely from the slimy pit and to guard him from those who sought his death. Jeremiah could, indeed, proclaim, “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire.”
   But was it God who put these men in the pit? As  the Bible tells us, sometimes God does do this to exalt his purposes. Often he does so to draw his anointed into a greater trust in his power to do all things, even the impossible to lift them up spiritually and physically to safety. God wants us to know, as Jesus taught, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
   We must know that “all things” includes all things. This may be an obvious sentence. But, in truth, it’s easier to assure someone that all things are possible with God. But do you believe what you say? Perhaps you may find it impossible to believe this for your own life.
   That’s why you need a helper. A pit is not only slimy, it is dark. You cannot see for yourself the way out to rescue yourself. A rescuer must come to pull you up and out. In each “impossible” pit we must see through the darkness to know with God all things are possible. When Jesus said this, he was telling his disciples salvation unto heaven is impossible with our own efforts. But God has made eternal kingdom life possible. With the help of the Holy Spirit, there is no slimy pit that can keep you from God’s eternal helping hand.
   Call to him in faith. Know he hears your plea. Understand he lifts you up into his presence to call you his own. Your physical circumstances may remain the same. But you will certainly be made new in God’s eternal rescue.
   Rescued from the pit, you will sing a new son of praise. You will see and worship and put your trust in the LORD.