A Psalme of Dauid. The Lord is my shepheard, I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie downe in greene pastures: he leadeth mee beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soule: he leadeth me in the pathes of righteousnes, for his names sake.

4 Yea though I walke through the valley of the shadowe of death, I will feare no euill: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staffe, they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me, in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oyle, my cuppe runneth ouer.

6 Surely goodnes and mercie shall followe me all the daies of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for euer.

People often use Psalms as magical charms however they are anything but. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Lord of Hosts understands man’s vulnerability to this world and its woes and ills. Now the Psalmists knew and appreciated this. How many times did David pour out his heart to God as an offering? The Lord mentions him so many times through the Old Testament and even though Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord he still persisted until he could no more. Could there be something about David’s openness to God that was cherished by Him? I often speculate that is the case. Why did Jesus come from the house of David?

If we go back to Genesis chapter 3 we will see where this horrible grief began.

¶ And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of vs, to know good & euill. And now lest hee put foorth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eate and liue for euer:

23Therefore the LORD God sent him foorth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence he was taken.

24So he droue out the man: and he placed at the East of the garden of Eden, Cherubims, and a flaming sword, which turned euery way, to keepe the way of the tree of life.

So we see man driven out of the perfection of God’s creation and then murder ensues with Cain killing his own brother Abel. From here we see the escalation of sin in this world and all of the misery we see today because of the certain rebellion of man against God and their idolatry. I personally feel this almost every moment of the day when I see others around me conduct themselves in such wickedness. My desire is to bring peace and be open and soft however those around me only desire to see my demise and destruction. Most of the time they are barely aware of their own evil as they are so accustomed to the sin and its affect upon them that they cannot show any restraint at all.

David was a man of war so many times resolved his conflicts with blood however as we listen to Jesus he does not ever suggest this as a course of action. We live in a world full of such contrary stumbling blocks and our sinful nature always attempts to take situations into its own hands so to speak. It rebels against God and so this shall be until Jesus returns and we exchange the temporary for the eternal. I am greatly comforted by the Psalms as have believers for thousands of years. There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit was upon David as he wrote these songs to the God of creation and that is why they are included in our cannon of scripture amongst many other reasons. Jesus himself quoted scripture when he was tempted by the devil.

1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high: shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almightie.

2I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge, and my fortresse: my God, in him will I trust.

3Surely he shall deliuer thee from the snare of the fouler: and from the noisome pestilence.

4Hee shall couer thee with his feathers, and vnder his wings shalt thou trust: his trueth shall bee thy shield and buckler.

5Thou shalt not bee afraid for the terrour by night: nor for the arrow that flieth by day:

6Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darknes: nor for the destruction, that wasteth at noone-day.

7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.

8Onely with thine eyes shalt thou behold: & see the reward of the wicked.

9Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, euen the most High, thy habitation:

10There shall no euill befall thee: neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11For hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee: to keepe thee in all thy wayes.

12They shall beare thee vp in their hands: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Again we see David placing his hope in the Lord who made heaven and earth.

A song of degrees. I will lift vp mine eyes vnto the hilles: from whence commeth my helpe.

2My helpe commeth from the Lord: which made heauen and earth.

3He will not suffer thy foote to bee moued: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4Behold, he that keepeth Israel; shall neither slumber nor sleepe.

5The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade, vpon thy right hand.

6The sunne shall not smite thee by day; nor the moone by night.

7The Lord shall preserue thee from all euill: hee shall preserue thy soule.

8The Lord shall preserue thy going out, and thy comming in: from this time foorth and euen for euermore.