The people of Judah offered all the correct sacrifices, but they failed to obey God and to walk in His ways (vv. 21-29). Verse 22 is not to be understood as a denial that God commanded the sacrifices to be made. Rather it is an argument against substituting sacrifice for obedience …
Nobody can hope to have any real guidance unless he is willing to spend time in the Word of God (vv. 12-14). David says that the Lord rescues him from every trap (v. 15). When he is lonely and troubled the Lord has pity on him (v. 16). It is evident that as he is writing this psalm he is in …
We find in these verses a strong warning against taking advantage of the poor (vv. 22-23). The Lord is on the side of the weak and helpless and will bring judgment on those who take advantage of those who are needy. Next, we have a warning against being a friend or even associating with a …
Believer are called to suffer. We shouldn’t fear men or circumstances, but instead we should consider it a high privilege to suffer (vv. 13-14). God is working in our lives to teach us something. Just as parents discipline their children to teach them, so God sometimes disciplines believer …
The nation acknowledges that God has tested them with all kinds of burdens and oppressions, but He has finally brought them to a place of abundant blessing. Israel is a nation that has been hated and hunted but impossible to exterminate. For thousands of years the history of the …
We find in this Psalm the cry of distress, in the petition of a man falsely accused. It may well date from the time when David was being pursued by Saul. We see David as a warrior, a witness and a worshiper. He first realizes that it is almost impossible to fight against gossip. People he had …
The sight the apostle beheld at the opening the fifth seal was very heart searching. He saw the souls of the martyrs under the altar, at the foot of the altar in heaven, at the feet of Christ. Evidently these were the martyrs of the first months of the tribulation period (v. 9). Note that these martyrs …
At the conclusion of the service at the synagogue Jesus goes to the home of Simon Peter. Peter’s mother-in-law was very sick “with a great fever” (v. 38). In a moment Jesus heals her and she is able to “minister unto them” (v.39). It is quite evident from …
It seems that several years (some say 30) have transpired between the experience of Daniel’s three friends in chapter 3 and Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and period of insanity in chapter 4. King Nebuchadadnezzar tells all people to prosper (v. 1). Although Nebuchadnezzar pr …