Psalm 9 (Part 1)

Introduction:

We’re going to begin tonight with a little group participation.

What does it mean to praise God?  Let’s come up with a working definition...

Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” 

For the Christian, praising God is an act of humbling ourselves and centering our attention on the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving. 

Ok... how do you praise God?

There are many actions involved with praise to God — verbal expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing instruments, shouting, and then comes the two areas the Bible addresses on praise that make good fundamental Baptists like us wiggle uncomfortably in our pews . . . dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. 

However, true praise is not “merely” going through these motions. 

In fact, Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the pharisees, whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart. (Matthew 15:8)  

Unpretentious praise and worship pleases the Lord . . . He delights in the love and devotion of His children. 

According to the scriptures, the various expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord. 

He’s said to be eagerly awaiting the fragrance of our affections, all the while desiring to manifest His awesome presence and power in our midst. (John 4:23)

Ok . . . one more question with group participation and I’ll leave you alone.  How do you define the Psalms . . . what are the Psalms?

Part of the answer is that they are prayers.  Part of it is that they’re poems . . . but the primary purpose and definition of the Psalms is that they are hymns through which David or one of the other authors praise God.

The Psalms are hymns of praise.

Transition:

Now we begin this way tonight because up to this point in our reading of the Psalms there have been no chapters that are purely all about praise.

When we get closer to the end of the Psalms the majority of them are purely praise Psalms . . . but here at the beginning of it has been very different.

As commentator James Montgomery Boice points out, “The first two psalms are introductory.  The next psalms ask for help or deliverance or justice, all in varying ways.  The psalm closest to being a praise psalm thus far is Psalm 8, which begins and ends, ‘O YHWH, our Adonihu, how majestic is you name in all the earth!’  But even that psalm was chiefly a celebration of man’s place in the created universe . . .  Psalm 9 is the first psalm that is chiefly a song of pure praise.”

Life Patterns of Praise:

What I’d like to do tonight is discuss a life pattern of daily praise that I believe to be a necessity for a believer in their pursuit of a healthy and growing relationship with God.

We find this pattern here in Psalm 9 and it’s this: Each and every prayer of petition, request for help, or cry of anguish can and should follow a similarly themed prayer of praise.

And here’s what I mean by this in the way of an example: “Lord, thank you for the breath that you give to me each new day, I ask that with each new breath you would give me purpose and direction with my words and actions so that I might speak words of substance and truth and act in a way that brings glory and honor to you.”

Now that’s a generic, simple one.

But what if we applied this principle to all of our prayers?  Would it change what we prayed for?  Could it change our outlook on God’s goodness and on His activity in our lives?

Friends, I believe that if we were to acknowledge the goodness and provision of God more frequently in our lives we will see and understand His goodness more often.

I believe that we will, in fact, develop a more positive and spiritual heart and mindset.

Quick Exposition:

Let’s quickly look at how David does this here in Psalm 9 

vs.1-2 set the tone for the rest of the Psalm introducing David’s resolve to worship God. vs.1-2.

The rest of the Psalm can be broken down into two parts... part 1 contains praise for David and Israel’s past deliverance... the 2^nd part, which grows out of it, is petition for further deliverance.

What I’d like to do is read you the whole Psalm breaking down into categories of praise and petition and then well talk a little application.

Beginning in vs.3, vs.3-6 - David’s praise for past victory over the nation of Israel’s enemies.

vs.7-8 - David praises God for being a just Judge and for setting up His system of Justice in Israel.

This would have been especially significant to David as he was responsible for seeing that justice was done in civil matters.

vs.9-10 - David praises God for the refuge that He had given, in times past, from the wicked.

In vs.11-12 David draws the readers attention back to the necessity of praising God. vs.11-12

Only now, after having thoroughly and appropriately praised God for His goodness in dealing with enemies, doling out justice, and providing refuge from the wicked, does David begin to petition God for future deliverance.

vs.13-20

I think it’s important to notice the beginning of David’s petition here, vs.13.

Despite David’s intimate knowledge of and relationship with the Lord David never approaches God with any claims or ideas about his own worth or goodness.

David always approaches God as a sinner seeking mercy.

And why does David seek this mercy?  vs.14

The idea is best summed up by the puritans in the Westminster Catechism question 1 answer 1, namely “What is the chief and highest end of man? --- Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.”

Application:

Ok, application time.  What do your prayers sound like?  When was the last time praise was a priority for you?

Think about it honestly for a moment . . . what do you have to praise God for that might touch on the needs, the requests, that you have today?

And listen . . . this will take work.  When you’re sick you don’t spend your time thinking about the days that you were well.  When one part of your body aches your mind doesn’t immediately think of all the other parts that are functioning properly and without pain.

Friends . . . you have to train yourself to praise God.

Next week we’re going to come back to Psalm 9 and look at the instruction, the 4 phase plan that David has for training yourself to have a consistent response of praise in every situation.

Psalm 8:1-2

Introduction:

• Who hasn’t stared into the heavens on a clear night and wondered about the nature of God, the origin of humanity, and other weighty questions?
• This psalm reflects David’s musings about such things.

Vs.1

• In vs.1 David begins with an acknowledgment that all of creation is God’s.
• He says, “Oh YHWH (the primary name for God) our Adoneinu (designating God as master, controller, and caregiver)  how addir mecha (how mighty, powerful, and noble it is to simply speak your name) in all of the earth.”
• And then I love the next part... because in the remainder of vs.1 on into vs.2 David says that those who are observant see the majesty of God.  He says, “You need only look at the size and the order of Th. solar system to see a reflection of the Creator.”

Vs.2

• And then in vs.2 he tells us that the best way to see this reflection is through the eyes of young children.
• By the way... did you notice who were God’s warriors in the fight against His adversaries and enemies.  Infants and small children.
• Don’t let this statement escape you because in it I believe that we find one of the purest forms of faith in God that we could ever hope to see on this planet.
• Have you ever heard children argue with other children?  and in the course of their argument one of the children will say to the other one, “Well my dad says...”
• I think that this is perhaps one of the best definitions of faith, “My father said it, therefore it is true.”
• When you’re a child, relatively untainted by human skepticism, doubt, anxiety, anger issues and the likes, all you need is the word of a parent to confirm your ideas concerning truth and error.
• Let me ask you another question, when and why does this go away?  When do parents go from being omniscient to being foolish and shortsighted?
• Jr. High?  the when doesn’t really matter... why?  Why does this happen?
• It’s not TV’s fault, it’s not the current education system... it’s that parents aren’t perfect.  Parent’s don’t know everything about everything.  And so the time will come when a child finds out that their parents are fallen beings, not to be trusted or followed blindly and without question.
• But here’s the thing... God is the perfect parent.
• I can’t remember where I heard this but it’s stuck with me for years and years... it’s this idea that when God decided to call Himself the Father His PR person must have been out for the day.
• How many people cringe at the mention of their earthly father... those who have been abused, abandoned, berated or ignored.
• Even when you sit back and think about how culture defines the role of a father in a child’s life... financial provider, disciplinarian, handyman, protector... I mean, the source of love, family unity, always being around to help heal self inflicted wounds... that’s not typically the role that an earthly father would play.
• But what we have in God is the perfect example of how our earthly fathers are supposed to be.
• To my friends and family members who have a difficult time understanding and receiving God as their Father, for whatever reason they might have... I’m often compelled to challenge them to think of God as the Father that they always wished they had.

Psalm 7

In Psalm 6 we received instruction concerning how we are to repent before the Lord when we have sinned against Him and/or others.

In Psalm 7 we are given a glimpse of how we are to pray when we are innocent of sin and yet we are receiving persecution.

Superscription:

• "Cush the Benjamite"
• We do not know who Cush was
• The name means "black"
• Some say "Cush" is a poetic name for King Saul.  At the very leasty the name infers that this man was a kinsman, or at the very least a tribesman, of King Saul.
• Whether "Cush" is Saul or someone close to him is irrelevant.  What matters is that David is speaking of a villain who is constantly speaking vile and false things against him.

vs.1

• "Oh LORD [YHWH] my God [Elohim], in Thee do I put my trust:" - In my opinion this may be the most powerful way to begin prayers of praise or petition.
• "Oh LORD" - David calls on the Covenant God
• "my God" - David calls on Creator and Controller of all things.
• "in Thee do I put my trust" - if an individual means this than it will drastically change the words of the prayer that follows.

vs.3-5

• What a great thing to have such a clear conscience.  What a bold thing to come before God and be able to pray, "If I'm guilty of the things I'm being accused of then hand me over to my enemies.  If not, then let my innocence be known."
• The only reason that David was able to pray like this was because David was indeed fully innocent before the Lord concerning not only this matter, but other matters as well.
• I think that it's important to understand that this is not a prayer that should be prayed if someone has simply got a few of the details of the story wrong about you.  This prayer should only be prayed if the individual is completely innocent in terms of the accuser and the accusation.
• Slander is one of the most difficult things to fight.  An individual's only hope is to be able to ask the Lord to vindicate you and justify you.  It is impossible to do so for yourself.

vs. 6-8

• Notice that David asks God to act in judgment, to judge first the wicked and then to also judge the just.
• The fact that David asks God to judge the just is, perhaps, the key to honestly praying this prayer.
• Are we really willing to give God free reign over our church, our families, our religious friends, or ourselves.
• What does an honest examination of the righteous in the LORD bring to light?  Sin.  Sinners who are not yet perfected in the Lord.  Which means that God might show us things that we need to get rid of, things that we need to cast off in order to put on Jesus.
• But understand how dangerous this prayer actually is... because people do not like to be told to change or move or that their not perfect.
• Think about it for a moment in terms of yourself.  I am very quick to accept something that I may not have known before when some sort of new information comes my way.  However, I am extremely hesitant to accept that I have been wrong about something that I felt I was informed about or justified in believing.
• However, if we are unwilling to ask for the all knowing God to judge us it would stand to reason that we are unwilling to do the hard work of personal and corporate spiritual growth.
• This alludes to something that we mentioned in our study on Psalm 6... the judgment and the punishment that is doled out by a loving parent is almost always a blessing.
• We should pray for God to judge His children (i.e. those who can claim His righteousness), but we must first be willing to invite the burning eye of God to turn on ourselves first.  This is an extremely bold prayer.
• Do you want to grow spiritually?  Do you feel like you aren't being challenged by your church or by your reading?  Do you feel like you've hit a plateau in your maturation process?  Pray this prayer.  No excuses.  No one else's to blame.

vs.9

• "O, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end."  I love this part of David's prayer.  What David is asking for here is for the evil that has been done and is being done by the wicked  to  bring about the wicked persons own end.
• Perhaps this might help us to understand how God can be both loving and at the same time holy when it comes to the eternal judgment of the unsaved.
• Understand that the request that David makes here is the exact way in which God's judgment of both the lost and the saved works.
• It is God's will that none should perish but God does not force His will upon humankind.
• In the end it will all be judged on our own righteousness and on our own misdeeds.  All will be found guilty but those who have admitted their guiltiness and have asked for justification and redemption from God through the Son will be absolved of their guilt.
• Judgment and punishment are not the results of an incredibly unloving God... they are the result of our own wickedness.  Salvation in spite of our wickedness, the very fact that God will allow any into His Kingdom is the result of an incredibly loving and merciful God.
• In his commentary on the Psalms author John Phillips expands on this idea saying, "Thus we see Haman being hanged on the gallows that he prepared for Mordecai.  We see Jacob being cheated by his uncle in the same ways that he had cheated his father and his brother.  We see David, later on in life, laying down with his own hands the paving stones along which the retribution of God followed.  The principle of God's judgment is summed up in the sobering words: 'Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.'  It is the law of the soil; it is also the law of the soul."

vs.10

• This verse lends itself nicely to the above principle in that it tells us where our defense will lie when we face our ultimate judgment.
• It is God who saves and it is God who makes us upright in heart.

vs.11-13

• These verses should serve as a comfort and as an urgent call to do the work of evangelism for the believer as we realize that God is not asleep at the wheel. 
• Even now God is preparing for the final destruction and judgment of broken humankind.
• God will judge, God must judge, and because He is the only One who is worthy to judge, He must bring about the time of all humankinds judgment..

vs.14-16

• In the concluding verses of this Psalm David describes and explains God's moral government of the universe.
• vs.14 - The process of an individual's sin is like the process of giving birth.
• Sin is first conceived of in the mind, it is then created through our actions, and it is finalized by what our actions bring forth.
• vs.15 - The premeditated nature of sin is like a trap which is set by the individual hoping to rob, ruin, or revile someone or something for their own benefit.
• This alludes to the fact that most sin isn't accidentally stumbled into.
• This type of sin happens but it must be understood and prevented in other ways.
• However, this type of sin happens rarely and most often cannot be prevented without a firm grasp on how to prevent premeditated sin.
• The picture that David paints here for us tells us that premeditated sin will inevitably be just like falling into a trap of our own creation.
• While sin might seem and feel like a good idea at the time, while it may appear to serve our best interest, it will always lead to our fall.
• David is explaining to us that God allows us to basically dig our own graves.  We are the source of our own destruction.
• vs.16 - The inevitable punishment or our sin is like a boomerang.  By our own power and our own actions we throw it out only to have it return to us.

vs.17

• "LORD" - YHWH: David concludes this Psalm by calling out to the God of covenant who's righteousness demands judgment.  But it doesn't end there because David continues by saying that He will praise the God of Covenant because of His power and control over sin and judgment.
• "LORD Most High" - YHWH Elyon: Covenant Controller.
• This closing designation for God informs the reader that our God is the one who blesses as well as judges and because He is just, and because He is merciful, and because He is good... we should lift our hearts, hands, and voices in praise and thanks to Him.

   


 

Psalm 6

In Psalm 3 and 4 we’ve repeatedly seen the theme of David’s peace and rest through the night.
Here in Psalm 6 David is unable to sleep because he is so distraught from what he views as hopeless and helpless circumstances

The opening superscription, or title, of this Psalm calls for “sheminith,” which, to the best of our knowledge, is a musical notation that lets the reader and performer know that the Psalm is to be played in a low octave using an 8 stringed harp.
This is a dark Psalm surrounding impossibly difficult circumstances accompanied with a broken and beaten down heart.

vs.1

• The opening verse of this Psalm informs us that this is David’s penitential response to some unknown sin in his life.
• This is a Psalm of return and repentance.
• Here we find a pattern for our own repentance before God.
• “Your anger” is a reference to the Holy justice and Righteous anger of God.
• “Your hot displeasure” is a phrase that expresses God’s emotional state toward David.

vs.2,3

• David is apparently aware that he is in need of chastening from the Lord.
• Sin without punishment is often an unjust response. Without some form of punishment from the Lord an individual is more likely to return to their sin without fear and an awareness of God.
• Just like it would be unjust for a parent to spare the rod from their child, it is unjust for God to spare us some form of chastisement when we live in sin.
• Plus, it is also important for us to understand that if we petition God to forgive us without chastising us and He answers our prayers we miss out on the blessing that accompanies punishment.
• So it is here that David asks for God to respond to his sin as a loving parent as opposed to an angry one.
• “I am weak... my bones are troubled... my soul also is greatly troubled.” Notice the effect that sin has on David.
• David is so conscious of his sin that it is effecting every aspect of his being.
• Here we witness David returning to the Lord without excuse or explanation for his sin but with total brokenness and helplessness because of it.
• This too should be our response to sin.

vs.4

• “deliver me... save me for Your mercies’ sake!” it’s this phrase that gives us a glimpse into the reason that God forgives His wayward children.
• It’s not for the good of the individual because it would be so much better for a child of God to be taken out of this world and to be delivered into the presence of God.

vs.5

• Instead, forgiveness is for the sake of God’s glory.
• We are restored into a right relationship with our Heavenly Father so that we might bring more glory and honor to him having come through our sin to the other side of forgiveness.
• It’s like a battle wound that should have been fatal but miraculously is healed. The scar will never go away... but the scar tells a story. A story of salvation through failure, a story of grace and mercy from hopeless circumstances.
• When we are forgiven from our sin we are equipped with a very specific message of God’s power and goodness.
• Our lives will stand as a testimony to the fact that God forgives. And this forgiveness is not something to hide away.
• While it may seem prudent to cover the scar of sin and continue on as if nothing had ever happened so as not to draw attention to yourself, we must understand that God forgives so that the healed wounds may be seen by those with fatal open wounds.

vs.6,7

• These verses speak to David’s sleeplessness... tears replaced his rest.
• “All night I make my bed swim... my eye wastes away...”
• I think that it’s important to recognize that private nature of David’s brokenness and repentance.
• It is not all day and all night, is is merely all night that David is reduced to incapacitating tears.
• Repentance begins privately and is made public once the individual has been restored.
• God is not glorified in the public nature of an individual’s sin... He does not demand that the person be morally burned at the stake.
• When an individual is in need of forgiveness from any sin, whether public or private, whether it involves only them or any number of others, it is the biblical pattern to first petition and receive forgiveness from the Lord and then to go and seek forgiveness from others that have been sinned against.

vs.8

• Apparently news of David’s broken condition had reached his enemies. This suggests that David had traitors serving in his own court.
• Being that David wept in private and even though his personal anguish must have been, on some level, transparent during the day it’s apparent that news had leaked outside of the kingdom walls to David’s enemies.
• Here there is a sudden shift in David’s strength and in his prayer.
• The focus changes from hopelessness to confidence. The explanation is simple, God answered David’s prayer.
• This, in my opinion, is what forgiveness and restoration from God is like. It’s immediate, it’s unconditional, it’s refreshing.
• This seems like a totally foreign concept from our human perspective.
• Often when sin is committed against us the process of forgiveness is long and arduous... it is often conditional and partial.
• Intellectual forgiveness is often the first step. We have heard the request for forgiveness from the individual, we acknowledge the request and understand that it is our duty to God to forgive the person for their sin against us.
• However, emotional forgiveness does not frequently accompany intellectual forgiveness.
• Emotional forgiveness, for us, takes a significant amount of time and often may never fully take place.
• This is not right but it is reality. We tend to separate forgiveness from trust... however, true forgiveness is never complete until trust is restored.
• Because we do not have the divine knowledge and heart of God it is imperative to understand that total forgiveness (including the restoration of trust in a relationship) will and should take time... this is, often, the only wise way to live.
• It would be foolishness to fully trust a person without proof of their true repentant nature and their divine restoration.
• Since we do not have access to the spiritual state of an individual’s heart than without time there is no way to know if they have truly repented before the Lord and have made the 180 degree turn from their actions required by true repentance.
• To that end, forgiveness is a process that must be actively pursued by both the guilty party and the party sinned against.

vs.9

• Notice the immediate nature of God’s forgiveness. The Lord heard, the Lord received (or accepted).
• God made Himself known to David once again and restored his confidence and this had immediate results.

Closing note.

• Did you notice how often in this Psalm, even in the midst of his greatest anguish, David calls upon YHWH?
• Five times in the first four verses... three more in the concluding verses.
• If there is a key to the power of repentant prayer this is it... it is the name of the God of our covenant promise.
• Understand that forgiveness is essentially the restoration of a broken covenant.
• It is not that we have lost our ultimate salvation, this is not at risk in the New Covenant, it’s that we have lost the openness and blessing of a relationship with our Creator.
• The reality of a severed relationship with God should physically, emotionally, and spiritual reduce us to weeping. Where is hope, peace, and mercy without an ongoing, unfettered relationship with the Almighty God?

    

Psalm 5

vs.7

• David is a successful warrior and king, but he doesn’t attempt to draw on his accomplishments to earn God’s favor.
• This verse indicates that David realizes that it is only by God’s divine mercy that anyone is able to approach the Lord, so he maintains an attitude of reverence and humility.
• I believe this has it’s greatest application in times where we are hopelessly lost.  Rarely does a human being approach God when they are full of pride and self-aggrandizing thoughts.
• On the reverse side of that, rarely does a human being approach God when they feel like they are too deeply rooted in their sins and/or deserving of the brokenness that they are experiencing.
• David reveals to us that both mindsets are foolish and inaccurate.  We lie to ourselves in both scenarios.

vs.8

• David states that even the assaults of his enemies make him stronger because they drive him to seek God’s strength.
• Do you ever pray for opposition?  D fail in their pursuit of evil intentions and o you ever ask God to put you into a situation where you will be forced to rely on His power and attributes?
• Maybe a more common request is one for spiritual growth.  Understand that, often, these requests will produce the same results.
• These are dangerous prayers because they are high risk for personal distress and brokenness.
• However theses are also high reward prayers for those whose can focus their perspective on God and make it through to the other side.
• What does this perspective look like?

vs.9-10

• A God focused perspective sees those who have set themselves against you for what they really are in the sight of God... namely, foolish in their every action and rotten from the inside out.
• How would this perspective aid the believer?  It should break our hearts for those who are so lost and hopelessly.
• Understand that the lost are slaves to our broken cultures false assumptions and ideals.

vs.11-12

• In contrast, David now describe those who seek God and who have gained a godly perspective towards their circumstances.
• Look at vs.11.  Notice any repetition or theme.  The God given response to adversity is joy.
• It’s not joy that is found in the adverse circumstances... but joy that is found in the comparison.  You are the recipient of God’s favor.  This knowledge will serve as your shield.

Psalm 4

vs.1-2

• The circumstances surrounding Psalm 4 are similar to those of Psalm 3.  However, things had simmered down, for Absalom failed to follow up his initial advantage and David had time to recruit forces of his own.
• The tone of this Psalm and the gentle, instructive nature with which David speaks, suggests that this Psalm is more personal in nature and, given the circumstances, may very well be David's prayer and instruction for his wayward son Absalom.
• This application would give some clarity to the idea of David's glory considering that the glory of an earthly father was in his name and carried through to the first born son, the heir.
• "How long will you love worthlessness" - is speaking of David's perception of his earthly royal power and position. 
• To David, who came from obscurity into the throne of Israel, the position of king was something fleeting.  Given one day and gone the next.
• Absalom's desire was to be king, to possess David's throne and scepter.
• In the second part of vs.2 David pleads with his son to see the foolishness of his own desire.

vs.3

• vs.3 holds in it the doctrine of sanctification.  Sanctification is separation from ungodliness and separation to God. 
• What does it mean to be separated to God?
• Think of it in terms of a can of green beans at the grocery store... there are hundreds of cans of vegetables on the shelf at the grocery store.  But when you go into the store to buy vegetables you only select one can of one type of vegetable.
• Then you purchase the can, with your money which you earned.
• After paying for this can of vegetables they are completely and fully yours to do with as you please.  They've been separated from the rest of the cans at the store, you can't take any of those cans home with you because they don't belong to you.
• But your can is separated from every other can to you... to your home, to your shelf, to your will.
• This is a simple illustration of what sanctification means in relationship to God and the individual.
• You have been separated from the lost, you have been purchased through the payment of Jesus' blood, you now belong to God.  He has possession and ultimate control over you.

vs.4

• "be angry" - is a phrase translated from the Hebrew word "ragaz" which literally means, to be agitated, quiver, quake, be excited, and/or perturbed.
• And note what follows this first sentence of Psalm 4:4... it's essentially, "calm down, be still, think about what your doing before you end up doing something destructive.
• Is there such a thing as righteous anger for a person?
• Go to Romans 3... beginning in vs.9 through vs.26
• There are two types of righteousness that we need to know about.
• God's righteousness - holy, justified, God's and God's alone
• Jesus' imputed righteousness - the righteousness by which we are made holy in the sight of God.  This is a righteousness given to us at the point of our salvation.  It is ours to claim when we stand before God the Father at the judgment seat of Christ.
• We do not become a righteous person at any point of our natural human lives.  However, we possess the righteousness of Jesus at the point of salvation.
• So, can we manifest God's righteousness and Jesus' righteousness by anger during our present lifetime before we are made perfect by God?
• Look at James 1:19-20 - "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
• The simple answer is no.  We should be moved to action... we should be passionate and not passive, we should be upset and bothered by the condition of our world.
• However, anger is never the appropriate response.  Anger cannot manifest itself in a God-honoring way through fallen, imperfect people.
• All that to say that vs.4 of Psalm 4 might be better understood to say, "Don't over-react based on human emotion... that will cause you to sin.  Instead, calm yourself... separate yourself from other people.  Allow your heart (seat of the emotions) to quiet itself.  Just be still."

vs.5

• So what's an appropriate response when you feel yourself starting to get worked up?  vs.5
• "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness" - ask for forgiveness.
• "put your trust in the LORD" - remember your sanctification.  Remember that God is in control and that He is big enough to handle any stress or any challenge that you might be facing.  Trust that YHWH (the God of Covenant) will be good to keep His promise of protection, provision, and justice.

vs.6

• But what about when it's impossible to see God's goodness to His covenant promises in a given situation?
• The same question is asked and answered in the remaining verses, vs.6-8.
• In verse 6 we hear the struggling perspective of those who were with David, faithful to him and therefore in a similar life threatening position.
• Notice that their question is still a common one, "God works all things together for good to those who serve Him?  How is this good?  Where can you find any good in this situation?"
• I believe that this mindset is very clearly represented through the Exodus of the nation of Israel as they wandered through the desert.
• Many times you will hear the people complain about their circumstances and question the goodness of God saying, "Why did you bring us to the desert to die?  At least in Egypt, even though we were in slavery, we had enough food and a greater variety of food to eat."
• The problem now becomes one of perspective.  While David's friends reminisced and longed for the good old days, David focuses on and longs for the goodness of God.

vs.7

• These two outlooks are compared in vs.7, which gives a classic contrast between inward and outward joy,
• Inward joy wells up steadily from God through every discouragement.
• Outward joy is most often the rare product of a pleasant set of circumstances.
• Notice also that outward joy hinges on things that are incredibly temporary while inward joy relies on the eternal and unchanging goodness of God.

vs.8

• Here again, as in Psalm 3, we see David resolve his struggle as he lays in bed and drifts off into a peaceful sleep.
• This is significant.  Some of our deepest fears and worries are realized in the solitude and quiet that we experience between the time that we finally lay down in our beds and the time that we actually fall asleep.
• Charles Spurgeon once wrote, "There is a trial in stillness; and oftentimes the chamber makes a larger demand upon loving trust than the battle field."
• I believe that we are never more directly forced to deal with the reality of our circumstances, our reactions, and our feelings than at the tail end of a day when we attempt to shut off our brains for the night.
• This may be the reason that people feel the need to work until they pass out from sheer exhaustion, drown all of their issues with the noise of television, and/or drink themselves into a mind numbing stupor.
• We run from solitude and quiet reflection.
• This, by the way, may be one of the many reasons we find it difficult and laborious to pray.  Prayer often demands quiet solitude.
• In order to find true, substantial rest one must rest in God.  In order to find rest in God, one must position themselves in a place and atmosphere that allows them to hear the quiet, gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit.

 

Psalm 3

Psalm 3

Psalm 3 tells the story of 2 Samuel 15 &16

• vs.1-2
• According to vs.1,2 David's foes are not only numerous but they are also trying to undermine his trust in God.
• "There is no help for him in God."
• Has anyone ever mocked you for your beliefs?
• I find it fascinating how often those who believe in God live in fear of standing out from those who have no relationship with God.  Our tendency is to imagine groups of our friends standing in circles laughing at us while we are not around.  This is human nature, this idea that the world and that other people are consumed with thoughts and conversations about us.  The idea that we are the center of everyone's universe.\
• One of the most amazing things about the believers life is that the focus can be taken off of themselves and instead shifted to God.  We no longer have to live a life that is consumed with all of our personal hang-ups and imperfections.  Instead we can live out our lives with a divine consciousness.  A knowledge that the problems that we face each day (personal or public) are passing by and are equivalent to a thin mist that evaporates as the sun (SON) shines through.
• However, I'm certain that there are moments where believers are the center of everyone's focus and perhaps even their ridicule.  While these moments may be difficult to endure it is even more certain that in the private moments when we are thought of and/or focused on (which are much fewer than we might imagine) that those who might mock us outwardly, long for what we have.
• Think about it for a moment.  Do you know what a life of faith in God's promises and trust in the LORD's provision offers us?  It offers us a life free from worry, doubt, hopelessness, fear, anxiety . . . and the list goes on and on.
• Why wouldn't we want to live in such a way that exemplifies these truths, and in so doing, why wouldn't we want to be so transparently different from those who do not know God that surround us.
• The Christ-one's life is not something to be ashamed of, hidden and private.  Instead it should be something that we are excited to have brand us, that we are excited to carry as a banner for all of the world to see.
• Why would anyone really want to fit in to a culture where distractions are a necessity.  Where business must be maintained or else one might be forced to spend time in quiet reflection on their own humanity.
• What's of even greater danger here is the personal thought that this might be true.
• Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote, "It is the most bitter of all afflictions to be led to fear that there is no help for us in God."
• The danger here is one of self-focus... see the next section.
• vs.3-6
• A lot happens between vs.1-2 and vs.3. 
• The first two verses are an expression of the crisis that come into David's life because of the uprising of a number of his enemies.
• vs.3 introduces a section of confidence in God.
• What produced this change?  David's attention turned from his enemies to God.
• Herein lies the same principle which helped David defeat Goliath.
• While the entire camp of Israel was consumed with visions of a giant, David saw past the giant and saw God.
• Obstacles and enemies always seem bigger and more impossible when they are all that you are looking at.  However, when a person turns their eyes and thoughts toward God, God is seen in his true, great stature, and the obstacles shrink to manageable proportions.
• vs.3-6 are the appropriate response to such moments of ridicule or self-doubt.
• vs.3 - The LORD is a shield.
• What does a shield do?  For a warrior like David this metaphor would have had some intense personal meaning.
• The shield David is speaking of here would have protected the entire body.  It would have protected David from any attack that the enemy would attempt.
• However, a shield only absorbs the initial force of the blow.  An attack from a powerful or close range weapon (like a family member, a dear friend, a trusted co-worker) would still be felt through the shield and might even damage, knock down, or wound the shield bearer.
• David is not saying that the person whose trust is in the LORD is indestructible.
• It's foolish to assume that a relationship with the LORD will ensure an end to every human suffering, that you will never be broken, wounded, or damaged by any of the evil's of this world.
• vs.3 - the One who lifts up my head
• 2 points of application here.
• 1) The head, in time of trouble and sorrow is naturally bowed down, as if overpowered with the weight of affliction.  To lift up the head, then, is to relieve David's distresses, or to take away his troubles.
• 2) To lift up the head would help David to change and maintain his focus on God.  The reader should be instructed to ask God, as head lifter, to help them obtain and retain the proper perspective.
• vs.4
• David is hurt in this Psalm.  He has been knocked down, he is vulnerable, he is in great need.  This is why, in vs.3, we hear David cry out to God.
• vs.4 - Selah
• We are not certain of the meaning of the word Selah.
• Selah appears a total of 71 times in the Psalms and only once, Habakkuk 3, in the rest of Scripture.
• Because of this we can be certain that Selah is a musical reference.
• Given it's placement in the Psalms, I believe that Selah serves as a crescendo mark in the music.
• Where previously the music had been soft David makes a note for the musicians to build it's intensity.
• Rarely does the word Selah appear at the end of a Psalm.  Most frequently it's found when the author wishes to draw special attention to the emotion with which a  promise is being claimed or a truth exclaimed.
• vs.5-6
• Have you ever been so troubled by something that you lose sleep?  If any person had a reason to lose sleep from worry or fear it was David.
• At any moment his enemies could have discovered where he was hiding
• Yet David sleeps peacefully.
• The looming attack.
• It's doubtful that any of us are faced with the potential military uprising of thousands at some point during our day.
• However, you may be facing a battle and enemies.  After all, how many enemies does it take to make life miserable and possibly lead to great personal loss?
• The restful night.
• The reader shouldn't be fooled into thinking that David simply prayed for safety and went to bed, sleeping like a baby.
• While this is certainly a possibility for the Christ-one, wrongly applied I believe it to be dangerous.
• David, and his small army of faithful men, would have taken great precautions before settling down for the night.
• They would have strategically hid themselves.
• They would have had watchmen, in shifts, all night.
• They would have had an attack and an escape plan pending any activity by the enemy.
• An important lesson to take away from this is that the LORD will give rest to the wise and diligent.
• David has done everything that he possibly could do.
• All that was left over was in the LORD's hands.
• Sometimes the only thing a person can do is cry out to the LORD.  There will come times when an individual is unable to do anything other than pray.  However, those times are few.
• Matthew Henry notes, Care and grief do us good, when they engage us to pray to God, as in earnest."  This is true.  I would add to this that trials and opposition do us good when they force us to practice personal discipline, when they make us honestly examine our lives, when they cause us to be more diligent in our Scripture reading, and so on.
• You can always rest on God, but God does  not always have to do all the work.
• A rejuvenating morning.
• Having rested in God and having survived the night David's trust and strength in the LORD is renewed.
• This should teach us to rejoice in the sustaining grace of the LORD.
• Although the problem had not been solved and the enemy was still in hot pursuit, David was refreshed to fight and struggle anew.
• Sometimes God's provision does not take the shape of a total solution to one's problems.  More often than not God will simply protect and sustain the believer during a trial.
• Victory in God, then, is more about the individual's response to their difficult circumstances than about the defeat of the circumstance itself.
• vs.7-8
• Strong battle and warrior imagery is used here.  The enemy is pictured as a wild animal attempting to devour.
• David, with his shepherding background, claims here that God has knocked the teeth out of the mouth of the lion or bear (his enemies) making their attacks much less lethal.
• The attacks would still come but they would be unable to harm David in the way that they intended.
• vs.8 Salvation belongs to the LORD
• This statement is true in the metaphorical, the literal, and the spiritual sense.
• The manner in which God chooses or allows an individual to be saved will change, but the power and the process of salvation belongs solely in the hands of the LORD.
• This statement should force us into the realization that turning to anything and/or anyone else for our salvation is foolishness.  We must begin by petitioning God.  The way out of any valley, out of any hopelessness, will always be found as we follow the leading of the Good Shepherd.