Sunday, June 9 – Psalms 140, 141

1. From what kind of person does the psalmist ask to be delivered? (Psalm 140:1-4)

2. What will the righteous and upright do? (Psalm 140:13)

3. What does the psalmist ask that his heart not incline to? (Psalm 141:4)

4. To whom will the eyes of the psalmist look? (Psalm 140:8)

Commentary and Reflection

Some believe the “chief musician” refers to the Lord God Himself. In contrast, others suggest it may be a leader of choirs or musicians during David’s time, such as Heman the singer or Asaph (1 Chronicles 6:33, 16:4-7, and 25:6). Charles Spurgeon commented: “The writer desired this experimental hymn to be under the care of the chief master of the song so that it would not be left unsung, nor sung carelessly.”

“Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name.” Psalm 140 ends on a note of confidence. Despite being attacked by the wicked, David trusted in the Lord and surrendered all his desire for retribution to Him. David believed that the righteous would be grateful in the end, and the upright would dwell in God’s presence, the greatest reward.

The psalmist trusts that the wicked will be punished and that the righteous, no matter their sufferings, will ultimately be delivered from their afflictions.

Psalm 141 is the prayer of a man who knows his heart well enough to recognize its danger if unrestrained. He understands the need for the restraining power of the Holy Spirit. God was David’s refuge, not only from Saul but also from his heart.

In Psalm 141, the psalmist demonstrates his confidence in God despite adversity. When distressed and persecuted, it’s easy to lose hope and fall into despair. However, the psalmist teaches us that our strength and refuge are found in God.

Have a truly blessed day.