The Strand Study Bible

PSALMS 32:9

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PSALMS 34:6

12 6 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD: and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. 13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. 14 From the place of his habitation he loo- keth upon all the inhabitants of the earth. 15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. 16 There is no king saved by themultitude of an host: 7 a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. 22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. READ NEXT - I Samuel 17:52,53 Psalm 34 A psalm of David [Written when David (26 years old) changed his behavior before King Abimelech (Achish) - I Sam 21:10-22:1] Date Written - c. 1054 BC/AM 2946 1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 8 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3 O magnify the LORD with me, and 9 let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, 10 and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

9 1 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. 10 2 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. 11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. READ NEXT - II Samuel 12:24,25 Psalm 33 Probably a psalm of David [Written after young David (19 years old) defeated the giant - I Sam 18:4] Date Written - c. 1061 BC/AM 2939 1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. 2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise. 4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth. 5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. 6 By the 3 word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them 4 by the breath of his mouth. 7 5 He gathereth the waters of the sea to- gether as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. 10 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. 11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

1. Prov 26:3 2. Prov 13:15 & Lk 15:11-19 3. Jn 1:1 & Heb 11:3 4. Job 26:13

5. Job 26:10 & 38:8 6. I Sam 17:45-46 7. I Sam 17:4-10, 41-45 8. II Sam 6:16 9. Note - David was speaking to his own family here ( let us ) who had come to see him (I Sam 22:1). 10. I Sam 21:10-15

33:12 According to Genesis 11:1-9, nations are the outcome of what ought never to have been. Because of man’s defiance against his Creator, civilizations have been founded upon sin and selfishness instead of God’s laws. Any nation wanting God’s “blessing” must choose to obey His laws. America was once such a nation. Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1879), French observer of America in 1831, author of Democracy in America , noted:

Upon my arrival in the United States, the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there, the more did I perceive the great political consequences resulting from this state of things, to which I was unaccustomed. In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom pursuing courses diametrically opposed to each other; but in America I found that they were intimately united, and that they reigned in common over the same country. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great ( blessed ) because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. 1

1 Tocqueville, Alexis de. Democracy in America , NY, NY: Penguin Classics. 2003. Print.