Psalm 7 God is the refuge of the believer - his place of safety and dwelling is in God himself. In verses 6 - 11 God is displayed as the righteous Judge of all people - it is God who "Tests the minds and hearts" of people. God is indignant towards sin. This is easy to say without the pronoun "my" - but to say "God who feels indignation every day" towards my sin. This is reason to rejoice in the saving Grace of Christ - without whom we face a righteous judge for all of our sins. Sese Grudem on the Righteousness of God The Psalm closes with a reminder in verse 12 - If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow. See Jesus' call for repentence in Luke 13:1-5 Psalm 8 This is a great Psalm of worship of which many a song has been written. O Lord, our Lord how majestic is you name - God's glory is far above all things. The psalmist looks at the heavens, the work of the hand of God and he feels the immensity of God's works and the smallness of his own life. What is man that you even care about him? This tiny creature, on a speck of dirt called earth, flying through a vast and glorious universe. What indeed is humanity that God would care so much for him? A little lower than the angels and crowned with Honor - man has been placed as the steward of creation - the image bearer of God himself. A proper view of nature and its wonders - and the place of human beings in the created world - should provoke worship...the psalm ends as it begins - Oh Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth. Psalm 9:1-2 When we think of all that God has done - his creation, his plan of redemption unfolding throughout the ages, his inclusion of us in his church - his called out people - the only appropriate response is seen in verse 1 - I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart. Verse 2 continues this heart and mindset - I will be glad and exult in you...singing praise to the name of the Most High. To exult we do not use such language today - what does this mean? To exult means to rejoice, be joyful, to celebrate in great triumph. The Triumph of God in all things - his glorious nature and works should cause in our hearts exaltation.

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