Psalm 65 
World English Bible

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song.
65 Praise waits for you, God, in Zion.
    Vows shall be performed to you.
2 You who hear prayer,
    all men will come to you.
3 Sins overwhelmed me,
    but you atoned for our transgressions.
4 Blessed is the one whom you choose and cause to come near,
    that he may live in your courts.
    We will be filled with the goodness of your house,
    your holy temple.
5 By awesome deeds of righteousness, you answer us,
    God of our salvation.
You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth,
    of those who are far away on the sea.
6 By your power, you form the mountains,
    having armed yourself with strength.
7 You still the roaring of the seas,
    the roaring of their waves,
    and the turmoil of the nations.
8 They also who dwell in faraway places are afraid at your wonders.
    You call the morning’s dawn and the evening with songs of joy.
9 You visit the earth, and water it.
    You greatly enrich it.
The river of God is full of water.
    You provide them grain, for so you have ordained it.
10 You drench its furrows.
    You level its ridges.
    You soften it with showers.
    You bless it with a crop.
11 You crown the year with your bounty.
    Your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The wilderness grasslands overflow.
    The hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The pastures are covered with flocks.
    The valleys also are clothed with grain.
They shout for joy!
    They also sing.

David sees that the future holds worshipers of the LORD from all peoples and that all who remain on the earth will belong to God and will worship Him forever and ever.  They will give Him the glory, honor and praise He is due.  Why does He deserve this?

He is worshiped by His people because He made atonement for their sins--David seems to understand the the LORD is going to do something himself to make that atonement possible for all people in all places at all times.  The blood of bulls and goats shed on His Altar at His Tabernacle or Temple were pictures of something better to come.  A better sacrifice for a better atonement would be provided (see the book of Hebrews and how Jesus is that more excellent sacrifice for that more excellent atonement and He is our more excellent High Priest who lives and makes atonement and intercession for us all day, every day, for all eternity).

Speaking of intercession, another point that David makes is that the LORD is worthy to be praised because He hears and answers the prayers and cries of His people.  Sometimes these cannot even be formed into words, but they are simply groanings within our spirit that the Holy Spirit who lives within us understands and He intercedes for us and speaks for us when we don't know how to speak for ourselves.  Jesus also sees us and intercedes for us before the Father because He was human and understands our every weakness and was tempted in every way like us, yet without sin.  This is why the atonement that He provides is better--because He offered Himself in the place of each and every one of us so that we could be brought from death to life, from wickedness to righteousness, and from those deserving wrath to those inheriting every spiritual blessing that belongs to Jesus (we become co-heirs with Him).

​He is worshiped by His people because He drew near to them and revealed Himself to them.  We have no hope of drawing near to Him and making it to heaven without Him drawing near to us, having compassion on us, and giving Himself for us.  All this because He wanted to redeem a people unto Himself for His good pleasure and to the praise of His glory (so that He and His Holy Name might be lifted high both now and forever more).  And what better way do we summarize these many ways in which He has saved us and all His people throughout all the ages than by the words David uses here?  His wonderous signs He is salvation to all those in the world who fear and obey Him and belong to Him, but to those who rebel against Him, those same wonderous works strike fear and dread in their hearts.  Why?  Because they see that it is impossible for them to win in their rebellion and that they will not escape their day in His heavenly court where they will stand condemned.  This "drawing near" that brings joy and comfort to His people (those He has declared peace with) brings fear in His enemies who know that He comes to make war with them.  Both are reasons to praise Him now and forever more.

David then looks at the temporal reasons that we have to give praise to Him--He causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the just and the unjust.  He causes the plants to grow to give food to us and all the creatures of the earth, and He given us rivers and all kinds of fresh water to drink and to use to water our plants (not just the vast saltwater of the seas and oceans).  He has given us more than enough (there are places where people do struggle because of the scarcity of resources right now, but, in general, the world produces more than it needs to consume, and this also points forward to a time in the new heavens and the new earth when no one will be without and all there will be equity as all will have more than enough).

Equity is another reason that David praises the LORD--He makes the low places high and the high places low.  David looks forward to a time when the River of Life will water the whole earth and will bring life to the desert and wilderness areas.  There will be pastures, and fields of grain, and flocks and herds everywhere.  It will all be lush and green.  Everyone will receive the full bounty of the inheritance that they never earned--Christ is the only one who earned and deserved it, but He gives it freely to all who belong to Him.  We will be His Bride and He will be our Bridegroom, and there will be nothing that will separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Psalm 13 
World English Bible

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
13 How long, Yahweh?
    Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
    having sorrow in my heart every day?
    How long shall my enemy triumph over me?
3 Behold, and answer me, Yahweh, my God.
    Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
4     lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him;”
    lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your loving kindness.
    My heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to Yahweh,
    because he has been good to me.

David feels separated from the LORD and like the LORD's grace and favor are no longer on him (the image of the LORD turning His face towards you is an image of blessing and that of Him turning His face away from you is an image of disapproval, shame, and that curses are likely going to fall on you--or at least the natural consequences of your actions).

David feels like the LORD is hiding from him, and he's crying for the LORD to remember him and reveal Himself once again.  David knows he has no chance of finding God on his own.  David is sort of having his own version of wandering through the wilderness, and, if this is the period of his life when he is running and hiding from Saul, he really is living in the wilderness, though he has no Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire to guide, protect, and comfort him.

David is a pour counselor for himself, and he's tired of feeling sorry for himself.  He wants the circumstances to change, and he wants to be able to do something about it.  He has said he would not lay a hand on the LORD's anointed (King Saul) and that he would wait for the LORD to take care of Saul, but he didn't expect the LORD to take so long.  David knows the LORD's long-term plan, but he wishes it wouldn't be so long-term.  He also doesn't want to give his enemies a chance to gloat that the LORD and His plan to make David king has been defeated, and it seems David is not altogether sure that the LORD has not changed His mind.

All David can cling to is the LORD's covenant love which he knows is unchanging.  He does not break His promises.  His timing is perfect and He saves His people from themselves and from their enemies.  Though David cannot see it in this wilderness moment, He believes that the LORD is still good to him now because He has always been good to David n the past, and God has not changed.  Therefore, David will choose to sing to the LORD.

Psalm 106
 World English Bible

106 Praise Yahweh!
    Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh,
    or fully declare all his praise?
3 Blessed are those who keep justice.
    Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.
4 Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people.
    Visit me with your salvation,
5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen,
    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
    that I may glory with your inheritance.

6 We have sinned with our fathers.
    We have committed iniquity.
    We have done wickedly.
7 Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt.
    They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses,
    but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake,
    that he might make his mighty power known.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up;
    so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.
10 He saved them from the hand of him who hated them,
    and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11 The waters covered their adversaries.
    There was not one of them left.
12 Then they believed his words.
    They sang his praise.

13 They soon forgot his works.
    They didn’t wait for his counsel,
14     but gave in to craving in the desert,
    and tested God in the wasteland.
15 He gave them their request,
    but sent leanness into their soul.
16 They envied Moses also in the camp,
    and Aaron, Yahweh’s saint.
17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
    and covered the company of Abiram.
18 A fire was kindled in their company.
    The flame burned up the wicked.
19 They made a calf in Horeb,
    and worshiped a molten image.
20 Thus they exchanged their glory
    for an image of a bull that eats grass.
21 They forgot God, their Savior,
    who had done great things in Egypt,
22     wondrous works in the land of Ham,
    and awesome things by the Red Sea.
23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them,
    had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach,
    to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.
24 Yes, they despised the pleasant land.
    They didn’t believe his word,
25     but murmured in their tents,
    and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice.
26 Therefore he swore to them
    that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,
27     that he would overthrow their offspring among the nations,
    and scatter them in the lands.
28 They joined themselves also to Baal Peor,
    and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds.
    The plague broke in on them.
30 Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment,
    so the plague was stopped.
31 That was credited to him for righteousness,
    for all generations to come.
32 They angered him also at the waters of Meribah,
    so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;
33 because they were rebellious against his spirit,
    he spoke rashly with his lips.
34 They didn’t destroy the peoples,
    as Yahweh commanded them,
35     but mixed themselves with the nations,
    and learned their works.
36 They served their idols,
    which became a snare to them.
37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
38     They shed innocent blood,
    even the blood of their sons and of their daughters,
    whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
    The land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus they were defiled with their works,
    and prostituted themselves in their deeds.
40 Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people.
    He abhorred his inheritance.
41 He gave them into the hand of the nations.
    Those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also oppressed them.
    They were brought into subjection under their hand.
43 He rescued them many times,
    but they were rebellious in their counsel,
    and were brought low in their iniquity.
44 Nevertheless he regarded their distress,
    when he heard their cry.
45 He remembered for them his covenant,
    and repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
46 He made them also to be pitied
    by all those who carried them captive.

47 Save us, Yahweh, our God,
    gather us from among the nations,
    to give thanks to your holy name,
    to triumph in your praise!

48 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting even to everlasting!
Let all the people say, “Amen.”
    Praise Yah!

God was good to His people--we see a refrain in Psalm 106 that is throughout the Psalms--"His love endures forever!"  However, we quickly move to a time of confession about how sinful and rebellious His people have been.  When they were being redeemed from their slavery in Egypt, they did not understand the significance of what was going on--that this was all about their sins and wanting to free them from their slavery to sin and breaking the Curse of the Law and bringing them from Death to Life.  Even so, He saved them, though they in no way wanted or deserved His salvation.  He did so for the sake of His Name and because that is who He is and what He does.  He is in the business of redeeming and saving people who aren't even looking for (and maybe even are actively resisting) salvation.

Even with so great a salvation, the people of God soon forgot about Him and turned to other gods.  They desired to be just like all the other nations around them instead of being called apart to be separate and holy--the LORD's treasured people that He chose for His very own.  He would be their God and they would be His People.  They would bear His Name and be his ambassadors to the world.  That was the plan, but they despised that plan and desired to give into their sinful lusts and passions.  If it were not for Moses constantly interceding for them, the LORD certainly would have destroyed them all, and it was the zeal of Phineas that saved them from destruction as they were on the border of Canaan.  They were within eyesight of the Promised Land and gave into idolatry and sexual immorality so that the LORD's anger burned against them and He was ready to destroy them.

They sacrificed their sons and daughter to the demons (idols and false gods), they called evil good and good evil, and though the LORD rescued them from the consequences of their sins many times, they continued to rebel.  They wanted His blessing and protection, but did not want His Law or a relationship with Him beyond that they wanted Him to serve them and give them everything they wanted (even things that were not good for them).  They wanted a "god" they controlled.  This led to them being taken into Exile.  Even then, the LORD remembered His covenant with them and did not destroy all of them, and He allowed them to return.  Yet, they are still the same wicked people.

The Psalmist cries out for the LORD to save them from themselves because they are their own worst enemy.  Only the LORD can gather all His people from where they were scattered among the nations and turn them into the people He wants them to be.  The LORD will do this and all His people--people from every tribe, tongue and nation--will praise Him for it forever and ever.  May the Name of the LORD be praised both now and forevermore!

Psalm 116
World English Bible

116 I love Yahweh, because he listens to my voice,
    and my cries for mercy.
2 Because he has turned his ear to me,
    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death surrounded me,
    the pains of Sheol got a hold of me.
    I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called on Yahweh’s name:
    “Yahweh, I beg you, deliver my soul.”
5 Yahweh is gracious and righteous.
    Yes, our God is merciful.
6 Yahweh preserves the simple.
    I was brought low, and he saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
    for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For you have delivered my soul from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before Yahweh in the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore I said,
    “I was greatly afflicted.”
11 I said in my haste,
    “All people are liars.”
12 What will I give to Yahweh for all his benefits toward me?
13     I will take the cup of salvation, and call on Yahweh’s name.
14 I will pay my vows to Yahweh,
    yes, in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in Yahweh’s sight is the death of his saints.
16 Yahweh, truly I am your servant.
    I am your servant, the son of your servant girl.
    You have freed me from my chains.
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
    and will call on Yahweh’s name.
18 I will pay my vows to Yahweh,
    yes, in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of Yahweh’s house,
    in the middle of you, Jerusalem.
Praise Yah!

The Psalmist loves the LORD because He hears and listens to the Psalmist's cries for help and mercy.  The LORD inclines His ear (proverbially) towards the Psalmist--He wants to hear the prayers and cries of the Psalmist.  He awaits our cry for help so that He can save us.  He is a loving Father who has His ears tuned to the sound of the voices of His children so that as soon as they cry "Daddy!" or say "Help!" or especially, "Daddy, help me!," He hears and responds.

Sometimes, it seems like He waits beyond what we think is the last minute.  Death seems be surrounding is and crushing us from every side so that we see no escape, but He loves making a way of escape when no way of escape is humanly possible.  He saved the Psalmist from death (it appears like this happened more than once) and restored him after he had been humbled.

The Psalmist knows that this means that he still has work to do in the land of the living, and some of the work is to bring praise to the LORD for who He is and what He has done.  Yet, the LORD does not choose to save everyone from what we call physical death, and the death of His saints is a sweet thing because to be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD (at least on this side of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus--before that, saints were taken to a place called Paradise or Abraham's Bosom to await the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  Now they are in heaven worshiping around the throne of God and waiting for us to join them one day).

The Psalmist realizes that he is the servant of the LORD and because the LORD has saved him from his imprisonment (I think he's looking at his imprisonment to sin now), the Psalmist will offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise to the LORD, and the Psalmist will call on the Name of the LORD so that all people in all place will know "Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised!"  The Psalmist will call on all the earth to praise Him and serve Him with gladness, starting with those that live in the Holy City of Jerusalem.  Praise the LORD!

Psalm 8
World English Bible

For the Chief Musician; on an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by David.
8 Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
    You have set your glory above the heavens!
2 From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength,
    because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars, which you have ordained,
4 what is man, that you think of him?
    What is the son of man, that you care for him?
5 For you have made him a little lower than the angels,
    and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You make him ruler over the works of your hands.
    You have put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and cattle,
    yes, and the animals of the field,
8     the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea,
    and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 Yahweh, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

The Psalmist breaks out in praise as he thinks about the greatness of God and how His majesty is proclaimed by all His marvelous works--chiefly, the praise that comes from the mouths of babes and infants that silence the strong adversaries of the Psalmist.

Both great and small things declare His greatness--the sun, moon, and stars and the domesticated and wild animals.  Every man is fearfully and wonderfully made in His image to reflect His glory.  He made us to have a relationship with Him and glorify Him both now and for all eternity.  O LORD our Lord, how majestic is your Nam ein all the earth!

Psalm 5
World English Bible

For the Chief Musician, with the flutes. A Psalm by David.
5 Give ear to my words, Yahweh.
    Consider my meditation.
2 Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God,
    for I pray to you.
3 Yahweh, in the morning you will hear my voice.
    In the morning I will lay my requests before you, and will watch expectantly.
4 For you are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness.
    Evil can’t live with you.
5 The arrogant will not stand in your sight.
    You hate all workers of iniquity.
6 You will destroy those who speak lies.
    Yahweh abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But as for me, in the abundance of your loving kindness I will come into your house.
    I will bow toward your holy temple in reverence of you.
8 Lead me, Yahweh, in your righteousness because of my enemies.
    Make your way straight before my face.
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth.
    Their heart is destruction.
    Their throat is an open tomb.
    They flatter with their tongue.
10 Hold them guilty, God.
    Let them fall by their own counsels.
Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions,
    for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice.
    Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them.
Let them also who love your name be joyful in you.
12     For you will bless the righteous.
Yahweh, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.

David cries out to the LORD for hear his prayers that he makes early in the morning.  He cries out for the LORD to deal with the wicked and arrogant and all those who are workers f iniquity.  Yet, the psalmist does not pray this concerning himself.

Instead, the psalmist says that he will come to the LORD house to seek Him and worship Him.  David asks the LORD to lead David in His righteousness, because David's enemies who are also the LORD's enemies are watching and waiting for David to mess up so that they can besmirch the Name of the LORD. 

David returns to the charges against the wicked and why they are deserving of destruction, in contrast to those who are true worshipers of the LORD and who walk in His righteousness.  The wicked and workers of iniquity are faithless and they have their hearts set on destruction.  Their throat and mouth are an unclean as an open grave and they use their mouths for flattery.

David cries out for the LORD to hold them to account and find them guilty (He desires justice, but the LORD says that mercy is even better and He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy--His Elect).  Though all men deserve the LORD's wrath, those who are in the LORD are no longer under His wrath because He has taken the wrath we deserve and poured it out on the Son of God.  The LORD will be their Shield and Defense and He will bless those who belong to Him--they will not be destined for wrath or destruction.

Psalm 17
World English Bible

A Prayer by David.
17 Hear, Yahweh, my righteous plea.
    Give ear to my prayer that doesn’t go out of deceitful lips.
2 Let my sentence come out of your presence.
    Let your eyes look on equity.
3 You have proved my heart.
    You have visited me in the night.
    You have tried me, and found nothing.
    I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.
4 As for the deeds of men, by the word of your lips,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths.
    My feet have not slipped.
6 I have called on you, for you will answer me, God.
    Turn your ear to me.
    Hear my speech.
7 Show your marvelous loving kindness,
    you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye.
    Hide me under the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who oppress me,
    my deadly enemies, who surround me.
10 They close up their callous hearts.
    With their mouth they speak proudly.
11 They have now surrounded us in our steps.
    They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.
12 He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey,
    as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, Yahweh, confront him.
    Cast him down.
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14     from men by your hand, Yahweh,
    from men of the world, whose portion is in this life.
You fill the belly of your cherished ones.
    Your sons have plenty,
    and they store up wealth for their children.
15 As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness.
    I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form.

David starts this Psalm by declaring how he believes he is blameless (not the same as perfect) before the LORD.  All his sin has been dealt with and atoned for and there is no unrepentant sin or rebellion that would prevent the LORD from hearing and answering his prayer.

David next prays for protection from the wicked that are all around him.  He prays for the LORD to strike them down and protect him from what seems to be certain defeat (maybe even ending in death) if the LORD does not intervene.  They may live lives of ease and leave a good inheritance to their children, but it is the children of the LORD that will inherit eternal life and will dwell face-to-face with the LORD one day.