Psalm 48 was written in honor of the city of Jerusalem and the God who protected it. The sons of Korah invited their readers to observe the city’s architecture and recall God’s generational faithfulness so they could teach their children about the Lord. Many nations had opposed Jerusalem over the years, but God had made it into a fortress.  

Psalm 47 is a psalm of worship, written by the Sons of Korah. The author encourages his hearers to clap their hands and sing songs of joy to the Lord. Although there were many reasons to praise God, two are highlighted in Psalm 47, (1) God’s special favor towards the nation of Israel, and (2) God’s power and rule over all nations of the earth.

Psalm 46 is a psalm of worship in which the author praises God for being a refuge to His people when the world around them is in chaos. He begins with the well-known words, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (46:1). The psalmist’s confidence in God was resilient even in the face of the world’s worst calamities.

Psalm 45 describes a praiseworthy king and his admirable bride. The psalmist praises the king for standing for righteousness and justice. He is a glorious king without compare. The bride is counselled to be faithful to her king, and in return she is promised honor and sons who will be princes. There are many parallels in Psalm 45 between the king and Jesus, and the king’s bride and Jesus’ Church.

The sons of Korah, who wrote Psalm 44, recounted God’s great deeds in supporting the nation of Israel during the time of their forefathers. They trusted in God, but their faith was being tested because God had allowed them to lose some military battles, and they couldn’t figure out why. They asked God to “Rise up” and come to their aid against their enemies.

The psalmist asked the Lord to vindicate him from his enemies as he fought off discouragement due to constant opposition. The author’s confidence was in God, but the persistence of his enemies made him wonder why God hadn’t acted more quickly and decisively against them. In the end, he chose to “hope in God,” believing that God would come through for him in the end.

Psalm 42, attributed to David of Israel, is an expression of longing for God's presence amidst spiritual despair. The psalmist compares this longing to a panting deer’s thirst for water. David fights for joy in God amidst attacks from his enemies who laugh at him for his trust in the divine. David reminisces on past worship experiences as he battles for his faith, ultimately choosing to “Hope in God” for his deliverance.

In Psalm 41, David blesses those who help the poor, promising them God's help during their times of trouble. David then talks about his own suffering, and his hope in God's mercy and healing. He laments the betrayal of friends and the ill will of his enemies. Despite his struggles, David expresses his trust in God's goodness, concluding with a blessing of praise.

The words of Psalm 40 were true of David but even more true of the Messiah. David begins the psalm thanking God for delivering him from a trial. He goes on to publicize God’s goodness and encourage his countrymen to trust in God. In Psalm 40:6-8, David spoke prophetically about Jesus, the one who had ultimate trust in God and who publicized “glad news” to the entire world.

In Psalm 39, David resolved to hold his tongue in the presence of wicked people, but he almost broke his resolve and lashed out at them. Instead, he vented his frustrations to God. He asked God to teach him the brevity of life, to forgive his sins, and to help him in his trials as he tried to do the Lord’s will.

Psalm 38 is a psalm of confession in which David describes the burden of his sins. He freely admits he has sinned and asked God to forgive him. Even though he is confident of God’s mercy, he is still affected by the guilt and the way it wears on him, both physically and emotionally.  

In Psalm 37, David discusses the common question of “Why do the wicked appear to succeed on earth?” In this psalm, he encouraged himself and others to follow the Lord’s way of life. The success and wealth of evildoers is temporary and quickly fades. In contrast, God will bless the humble and meek man and establish them forever.  

In Psalm 36, David contrasts the righteousness and goodness of God up against the lifestyle of a wicked man. God is full of kindness, love, and patience. The evil man is full of lies, trouble, and self-flattery.

Psalm 35 is an imprecatory psalm, one in which David prays for the downfall of his enemies. David asked God to contend for him against his wicked people. Men were slandering him and trying to ruin him unjustly. Rather than taking vengeance himself, he entrusted God with handing out justice.

David encourages his men to “bless the Lord.” He told them how God had saved him out of all his previous trouble and invited them to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” He instructed them to pursue lives of holiness rather than wickedness, because the Lord’s blessings were poured out abundantly on the righteous, but His anger awaited the evil.

In Psalm 33, David praises God for His creation of the whole world. Then he worships the Lord for being the King of Kings, the supreme ruler over all nations. He writes that the Lord’s words are true forever, but the best laid plans of human governments are temporal and can be vetoed by God.  

Psalm 32 is a meditation on the relief David felt after confessing his sins to God. He had tried to hide them, to bury them, but that only brought more stress into his life. He confessed them and found happiness and peace with God. He encouraged other people to humble themselves and do the same.

David used Psalm 31 to express his unwavering confidence in God, even though he was going through a time of trial. Psalm 31:5 was quoted by Jesus to express the same sentiment just before He died on the cross.

David writes Psalm 30 reflecting back on God’s goodness towards him. God had delivered him from trouble, blessed his life, showered him in mercy, and turned his mourning to dancing. He wrote of God’s grace, “For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (30:5).

In Psalm 29, David calls on the heavenly servants of God to praise His name in worship. He goes on to speak of the majesty and authority of God’s voice, mentioning 6-8 ways in which God’s voice powerfully works in the natural world.