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3:1-6
This Psalm begins with the human situation - ‘O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him”’' (1-2). It ends with the divine provision - ‘From the Lord comes deliverance’(8). How does the Psalmist rise above his deeply distressing circumstances? He takes his problem to the Lord. The Psalm’s opening words, ‘O Lord’, indicate the way toward its triumphant conclusion. Why is the Psalmist not overwhelmed by depression? - He is looking to the Lord. This is not a case of ‘positive thinking’ on the part of David. This is deliverance from the Lord. There is no simple ‘psychological’ explanation for David’s change of mood. He is delivered by the Lord. He is raised from his depressive mood by the Lord, ‘my Glorious One, who lifts up my head’( 3). What He’s done for others, He can do for you!

4:1-8
There is a great message of the Gospel here. By ourselves, we are sinners, turning God’s glory to shame, loving delusions and seeking false gods (2). By grace, God has done something about this - ‘the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself’(3). When we pray, ‘Answer me’(1), we have this confidence: ‘the Lord will hear when I call to Him’(3). The Lord hears the sinner’s prayer, ‘Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer’(1). Jesus Christ is God’s Answer to this prayer. Christ brings relief (salvation). This salvation arises from the mercy of God. In Christ, we have a ‘joy’ and ‘peace’ which the world can neither give nor take away (7-8). When the seeking sinner comes with question, ‘Who can show us any good?’(6), the Gospel Answer is always the same - Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

5:1-12
This is a morning prayer: ‘morning by morning’, we are to come before the Lord ‘in expectation’ of His blessing (3). The Psalmist prays with great earnestness. His prayer is a ‘sighing’ before God, a ‘cry for help’(1-2). He acknowledges the holiness of God: ‘You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil, with you the wicked cannot dwell’(4). The words of verse 9 apply to every one of us. Paul quotes this verse in support of the conclusion that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’(Romans 3:13, 23). There is, however, a way of coming to God. It is ‘by His mercy’(7). Each of us has been declared guilty by God (10; Romans 3:19-20). For the fallen, God has provided a way of forgiveness. For the guilty, He has provided a way to gladness (11; Luke 2:10-11). ‘Hallelujah! What a Saviour!’(Church Hymnary, 380).