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Psalm 10: Praying When We Feel God Is Far From Us

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Psalm 10:1  Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?  This is an anonymous Psalm that begins with the Psalmist asking why it seemed that God was not near, and why He was hiding from His people in times of trouble. Of course, we know the character of God is unchanging and that He is always near His people and He always cares for us. Therefore, this Psalm will walk us through an adjustment in the heart of the Psalmist, as he states how he feels alone, followed by the present realities of his situation and ending by focusing on what is true of God. The Psalmist may be speaking for himself or for Israel as a nation in stating that it seemed like God had abandoned him. Any time that we feel like God is not near is a time that we should examine our own heart and ask God to show us if there is any unconfessed sin that we must address. Isaiah 59:1-2  Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that ...
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Psalm 9: Praying While Under Pressure

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King David wrote this Psalm to help us know how to pray when we encounter trials, troubles or afflictions. Psalm 9:1-2  To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.  2  I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.  King David expressed joy and gladness in his own heart because he knew Jehovah as his God and Savior (Remember that Jesus' name means Jehovah saves!). Jehovah's name is mentioned eight times in this Psalm, showing that His word, His works and His righteous judgments are the objects of the Psalmist's joy. The word "muthlabben" literally means the death of the son, and there is some scholarly debate about how this word was used. Some think it is a musical notation for a boys choir to sing the words of this Psalm.  This seems to be the most likely application to me, given that the Psalms were hymns sung by the ...
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Pastor Alvis: The Power Of God's Word

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  Here is where to find indexes to all Bible lessons posted on this blog since its inception in 2019. Click on the drop down menu and look for the archives tab. Then find the date listed below to find the appropriate index. I hope this will help you find lessons on a particular book of topic that we have studied through. An index for all lessons posted from 2019 through 2021 , was published on September 7, 2022. An index for all lessons posted in 2022 , was published J anuary 24, 2023. An index for all lessons posted in 202 3 was published on February 28, 2024.  An index for all lessons posted in 2024 was published on January 21, 2025. An index for all lessons posted in 2025 was published on January 24, 2026. I was ill on Sunday so Pastor Alvis took my place in the Sunday School hour. He preached an excellent sermon on the power of God's Word. The link to his sermon is below and I hope that each one who reads it will find great encouragement and blessing as I did. Bob
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Psalm 8: Declaring The Glory Of God's Son, Jesus Christ!

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Psalm 8:1  To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.  This is another Messianic Psalm, meaning that it is applied to Jesus Christ. King David wrote this Psalm full of worship, praise and adoration of God.  It richly reflects what David knew to be true of God. What is a "gittith" ? It has two meanings. First, it can refer to a harp and that would certainly be fitting to include it in the title of this Psalm. The other meaning of this word is a winepress, which generally represents God's blessing on the harvest such that it yields an abundance of good wine. Thus, a "gittith" represents an instrument used to worship God and it reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes to us from our Father in heaven. King David ascribed excellence to the name of God as a reflection upon the very perfect and unchanging character of our LORD. The word translated ...
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Psalm 7: Commit The Judgment Of Your Enemies To God

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Psalm 7:1-2  Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:  2  Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.  The word "Shiggaion" is a song of wandering, a song of various parts woven together by the Spirit of God. In this case, the heading provides a Biblical context for David's Psalm.  David served King Saul faithfully, but Saul was often moved by a dark spirit and sought to kill David on many occasions. David was brought into the palace to play his lyre when Saul was under the influence of a evil spirit, and this usually soothed the king. At other times, Saul would hurl a javelin at David, trying to kill him Eventually, David was forced to flee Jerusalem but Saul and his army hunted him down. In this specific instance, David and his men were hiding from Saul in a cave, and ...
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Psalm 6 God Chastens His Children For Our Good

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P salm 6:1  To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.  This is another Psalm of David, a poem set to music for stringed instruments. This Psalm focuses on David being corrected or rebuked by the LORD for some unknown sin. When the Spirit of God does not tell us what the specific circumstances were that prompted this Psalm, it is best not to speculate. If God wanted us to know why He rebuked King David, He would have included it in the inspired record. Therefore, this prayer can serve as a reminder for us about God's loving work of chastening each one of His children when we need it. His reproof is always meant for our good, to help us confess and forsake sin and to draw us closer to God. The Lord sometimes rebukes us by His spirit, and sometimes by His word  and sometimes by His providential ordering of our lives. His goal is to make us aware of our sin so that we ca...
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Psalm 5: A Godly King's Pattern of Prayer

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Psalm 5:1-3  To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.  2  Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.  3  My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.  King David wrote this psalm and it was to be accompanied with a flute like instrument. David begins with a plea to God for a hearing, having full confidence that the LORD will indeed be attentive to his prayer. David did not beat around the bush when praying to God.  He asked the LORD to hear his prayer and to consider all the things that weighed upon his heart at that point in time. David had political pressures to contend with and many difficult family issues that arose.  Yet,  more than anything  as we read David's psalms,  we sense that he desired to be in the presence of God. The King wanted to worship H...
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