Verse 1 - To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

Encouragement of listening to the history of our religion.

The parents duty, the children’s privilege.

Family conversation – the most profitable way to raise children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Daily, slowly, continually.

The true glory of the "good old days."

Verse 2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

The dealings of God with saint and sinner.

Verse 3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

In days gone by, the victory was in Jesus Christ, just as it is today.

Let us devise our own stories to tell of God’s great victories.

Free grace is not of works.

Human power is a negative.

See the result of divine energy on this present earth, for his people.

The secret source – "…because thou hadst a favour unto them." (The eternal well spring of all mercy.

Verse 4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

Divine royalty acknowledged – Divine savior.

Royal intervention desired.

There is a divine covenant between God and his children.

"My king" – my ruler, my honor, my leader, my defender, my supplier, my everything.

Verse 5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

How we defeat our enemies, by whose strength, and in what spirit.

The closeness of our enemies because they see our vulnerability, or weakness in the flesh, but not the power we have in the spirit of God.

The power of victory is in God, but human responsibility is clearly seen, for God almost always uses means.

Verse 6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

I will not trust in that which I see, because that is not of faith.

My bow –

may miss its aim.

may be broken.

may be taken away by the enemy.

My sword –

may snap or break,

may grow blunt,

or slip from my grip.

Never trust our strength, our abilities, or experience, or shrewdness, or wealth, our friends, so forth.

Self-renunciation – the duty of every saint before victory.

Verse 7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

"But" – God’s intervention on our behalf.

Saved from our enemy, the devil, through salvation. – Satan is confounded, ashamed and confused.

Saved from our enemy, the devil, through progressive sanctification. – The world is dumbfounded by our continual victories to overcome sin, and not allow it to have any effect on us at all.

Note the plurality of enemies – God has saved us from them all.

Verse 8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

We praise God, not our strength, cunning, mental agility, or understanding.

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Verse 9 But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

We all suffer when God puts us away.

We suffer shame, because our rebellion and lack of God’s presence is well known.

We have no help before our enemies, and they know it.

Verse 10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.

We are cowards, who will not stand before the enemy.

Our enemies have the victory over us.

Verse 11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.

God has given us up to defeat because we have not submitted ourselves to him.

We no longer congregate together, but stay away from church services, abiding with the lost.

Verse 12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

There is no gain produced by rebellion against God.

God’s people eventually lose nothing because chastisement brings peace.

The wicked eventually gain nothing, for they are still punished by God.

God loses none of his glory in his dealing with either.

Verse 13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

People all around us know our rebellion. Reproach = disgrace, or rebuke.

We are the laughing stock of our neighbors.

Verse 14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.

Unholy proverbs, and godless bywords.

Verse 15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,

Confessions of the penitent.

When God is gone, there is continual remembrance of his absence.

Verse 16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.

Mockers all around me continually remind me God has cast me off.

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Verse 17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

Verse 18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;

Verse 19 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

Verse 20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

Verse 21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Verse 22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Verse 23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Verse 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

Verse 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

Verse 26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.