Psalm 144: Our Refuge and Deliverer
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
There is the story of a man who turned to God as his rock and fortress, echoing the prayer of David in Psalm 144. His name was Richard Wurmbrand. Wurmbrand, a Romanian pastor of Jewish descent, lived in a time of turmoil and oppression in the mid-20th century.
He was a man who knew the true meaning of seeking refuge in the Lord. In 1948, in communist-ruled Romania, he decided to change his life forever. He publicly declared his faith in Christ and criticized the communist regime for forcing churches to become propaganda tools.
For his bravery and devotion to his faith, Richard was imprisoned for 14 years, enduring unthinkable torture and hardship. His first stint in prison lasted 8 years, in complete isolation. The solitude was crushing. He later revealed that he had no Bible, no books, nothing to write on or with, no music, and was allowed no visitors. It was a form of torture designed to break a person's spirit.
Yet, in this immense suffering, he found his refuge in God. Richard would later say that in the stillness of solitary confinement, he learned to love Christ in a way he could never have imagined. The themes of Psalm 144 resonate through his experience: "Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge..."
After his release, Richard became a voice for persecuted Christians worldwide. He moved to the United States and established Voice of the Martyrs, a non-profit organization that assists the persecuted church worldwide.
Richard Wurmbrand's life demonstrates the raw, enduring faith in Psalm 144. His story shows us how, even in dire circumstances and persecution, one can turn to God as a refuge and find deliverance. Today, as we delve into the depth of Psalm 144, let's remember this extraordinary example of faith and resilience. Just as Richard Wurmbrand and King David turned to God as their fortress and Deliverer, we can find refuge and deliverance in God during trials and tribulations.
Structure
This summer, Redeemer Bible Church has been going through Book 5 of the Psalms. Before each sermon, we spend a few minutes discussing the structure of the Psalm. These are some of my favorite times, as I have enjoyed theologically nerding out and have always loved poetry.
Psalm 144 is the last of the royal Psalms; it's the last time David is mentioned. It is sovereignly placed between a series of laments, leading to a series of hymns to close the book. In many ways, we can see shadows of Psalm 18; some wonder if Psalm 144 isn't simply a prayer of Psalm 18. With four stanzas, revered scholar, Derek Kidner, who Pastor Matt mentioned a few weeks ago, notes that the Psalm "is more of a mosaic than a monolith, skillfully composed from fragments of other Davidic psalms."
This Psalm is a vibrant collage of David's prayers, praises, and pleas. This unique composition is evident, most substantially, in the echoes of Psalm 18, yet traces of other parts of the Psalter are visible, too, each piece adding depth and color to the overall picture. This perspective invites us to see the Psalm as a dynamic compilation, as much an expression of David's evolving faith journey as it is a testament to his poetic skill.
I. God as Our Refuge and Deliverer (Verses 1-2):
I. God as Our Refuge and Deliverer (Verses 1-2):
David gives us a profound opening: "Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;"
Can't you just see that imagery. In my mind's eye, I picture a soldier, sitting on a hillside reflecting on a battle, looking upon his hands and his fingers, seeing the intricacies of God’s involvement. It's a picture that reminds me of my dad. My dad has spent 30+ years in the concrete industry, and his fingers show it.
Tough rock hands that are so strong that even though my brother and I tower over him, we still refuse to play mercy against him. You know that game where you interlock fingers with your opponent and squeeze and bend, trying to inflict enough pain to get your opponent to cry, "Mercy! Mercy!". Children, please do me a favor and do not go home and dominate your sibling with the new game Mr. Brandon taught you at church.
No, my dad's hands are tough, and the evidence of so many years in concrete shows.
When I visit him in the small town we grew up in, I see all these homes with concrete structures. After 30 years, you look around my city and most homes my dad had a hand in building. My dad's hands have brought refuge to many. As impressive as that is, it's not profound like David's opening statement. David acknowledges that we start with the refuge when we know our Lord as Lord. O Lord, my rock... my fortress... my shelter... my refuge, who trains my hands. When we know God, he already brings refuge, but that doesn't mean we can relax and don't have any response. David sees this as he has to go to battle. We're called to be doers of His word. There is an awareness of the present we too should carry in our walk with the Lord, knowing that through whatever we are facing, ultimately …
“he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.” (Psalm 144:2, ESV)
II. The Fleeting Nature of Man (Verses 3-4)
II. The Fleeting Nature of Man (Verses 3-4)
Astonishingly, God would as such to us. David sees this audacity and prays, "Lord, what is man,..." Now David is not confused or mistaken.
He's not questioning gender, especially in the way that is challenged in our culture today. David is well aware of what a man is... and that awareness has provoked him to ask this question. We are the created, not the Creator; we are like ants looking up to humans. Yet, our God is a merciful, loving father who brings us refuge, he delivers us.
We cannot earn God's favor; not even David, a man after God's heart, dedicated and victorious on the battlefield, was earning God's blessing. When we are doers of His word, we respond to the love he's shown us; we're not earning it. This opportunity for response is so short. Our lives on the spectrum of time are relatively short.
If you don't know this God I speak about as Father, as your Lord, then I plea to turn to Him and get to walking and talking with Him.
I don't aim to preach in fear of hellfire and brimstone, but the reality of life is that our time is short. David shares in the prayer, "Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow." Life is hard but not long-lasting, and though we are so insignificant, God offers such a mighty shelter.
III. God's Intervention in Human Affairs (Verses 5-8)
III. God's Intervention in Human Affairs (Verses 5-8)
The Psalmist continues through verses 5-8 and paints a vivid picture of God's infinite power and divine intervention in the lives of His people.
Here we see a heartfelt plea to the Almighty to descend from the heavens, demonstrate His power, and deliver His people from the hands of foreigners who speak lies and operate with deceit.
Our God is a God who "bends the heavens and comes down
"He is not a distant deity detached from our earthly reality but a present help in times of need. When David called on God to "touch the mountains so that they smoke," he invoked the same God who descended on Mount Sinai with smoke billowing from its peak, proclaiming His presence to His people. This image is a compelling reminder that when we call upon God in our distress, He responds with the total weight of His power and might.
In the late 18th century, John Newton, a slave trader, encountered a fierce storm at sea. Newton cried out to God for mercy with the winds howling and the ship threatening to capsize. In the terrifying moments that ensued, Newton experienced a dramatic conversion.
He later wrote the well-known hymn "Amazing Grace," a testament to God's deliverance from a life of sin and despair. Just like in the days of David, God stretched out His hand from on high to rescue and deliver Newton from his figurative 'many waters.'
David's plea for deliverance also draws our attention to God's intolerance of deceit and falsehood.
The Psalmist appeals for rescue from "foreigners whose mouths speak lies, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood ."Here, David distinguishes between those who acknowledge God's lordship and those who resist it.
Like David, we, too, are often surrounded by falsehood and deceit.
We face circumstances that challenge our faith and confront forces that aim to undermine our commitment to truth.
But in such moments, David's plea serves as a reminder of God's unchanging nature. He remains committed to rescuing His people from the grip of deceit and delivering them to the freedom of His truth.
When we engage with this passage, we are urged to mirror David's confidence in God's active involvement in our lives.
We are called to recognize God's hand in our deliverance, acknowledge His intolerance for deceit, and celebrate His powerful intervention when falsehood threatens to overpower us. This acknowledgment is crucial in understanding God's relationship with His people - a relationship built on trust, tested through trials, and fortified in the face of adversity.
Psalm 144:5-8 calls us to appreciate the depth and breadth of God's intervention on our behalf.
It encourages us to seek His deliverance when overwhelmed by life's 'many waters .'Above all, it invites us to experience the immeasurable joy and unparalleled security that comes from knowing that our God bends the heavens, descends, and fights for us. Just like in the stormy days of David, the turbulent life of John Newton and the persecuted life of Richard Wurmbrand, He remains our Rescuer, our Deliverer, and our ever-present Help in times of need.
IV. A Promise of Praise (Verses 9-11)
IV. A Promise of Praise (Verses 9-11)
In verse 9, David declares, "I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you.
" This is an expression of joy and victory, the songwriter's response to God's blessings and deliverance. Brothers and sisters, I long for the time I join David in the worship of our Father. This new song isn't just any ordinary melody; it is unique, reflective of the specific blessings and victories God has bestowed.
In our Christian walk, we, too, should sing 'new songs' to God, a testament to our gratitude for our daily unique blessings. The phrase' new song' isn't just about the latest contemporary Christian music but the fresh expressions of praise we offer to God that correspond to our current experiences of His grace and mercy. Our worship should never grow stale but be continually renewed, just as God's mercies are new every morning.
For us, as Christians, the application is clear. Whether we're leading a business, a church, a family, or just trying to manage our own lives, our victories come not from our strength but from God. Therefore, We should live humbly, recognizing God as the source of our successes, and with confidence, knowing that the same God who rescued David stands ready to deliver us.
Yet, even as David praises God, he pleads for deliverance: "Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood" (verse 11). This plea is striking. Even in his victory, David acknowledges his continued reliance on God for protection.
Today, we live in a world rife with deception and falsehood. Like David, we need God's deliverance from every lie that seeks to entangle us. This could be the deceptive allure of sin, false teachings that distort the Gospel, or the discouraging lies we sometimes tell ourselves about our worth or abilities.
V. A Plea for Deliverance and Prosperity (Verses 12-15)
V. A Plea for Deliverance and Prosperity (Verses 12-15)
At this point, the Psalmist shifts; we see a pronoun change from "I" to "ours," indicating the inclusion of God's people as a whole:
"May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace; may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields; may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing; may there be no cry of distress in our streets!"
There's a cross-reference on "like plants full grown" to Psalm 128:3, which says
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
The olive tree, abundant throughout the Mediterranean, specifically around Bethlehem and Hebron, holds a deep significance in the Bible. The olive tree thrives along the coast, embracing the salty air and mists. The tree is resilient and productive even in harsh conditions. Capable of flourishing where other trees cannot and yielding copiously with minimal care. So this is the picture David gives, for his prayer for sons of God’s people. Likewise, for “our daughters”...
Meanwhile, the Psalmist continues "daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace" is a picture of memorable beauty. Corner pillars were critical structural elements in ancient buildings, especially in palaces. They were often beautifully adorned and carved, enhancing the structure's aesthetic appeal, but their significance went beyond their beauty. They provided support and stability, bearing the weight of the building and ensuring its endurance over time. See the image Detail of the Porch of the Caryatids on the Acropolis of Athens, Greece.
The following verses say,
may our granaries be full,
providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
and ten thousands in our fields;
may our cattle be heavy with young,
suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;
may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
"may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields; may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing; may there be no cry of distress in our streets!" all speaking to being well off agriculturally. So wait a minute, is David speakings on Prosperity Gospel here? Is he demonstrating permission for prayer to be prosperous? No!!! Brothers and sisters, this is why context is so important to us.
David is motivated off the promises from Deuteronomy 28:1-14 read it with me.
Read with me Deuteronomy 28:1-14
“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
“The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The Lord will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground, within the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I command you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
Now look closer here; David recognizes that as a king, in light of God's promises about obedience to His commands, it will go well for the king and the people.
Remember, the pronouns change from "I" to "our." Some translations even include a "then" at the beginning of verse 12.
To say that the King obeys, "then" it will go well for the people. Look at the picture forming in these verses, David, this shepherd, this king, recognizing that obedience to God's commands, will result in the people being blessed and doing well. Do you see it? It's a picture for us of what happens or, better said, HAPPENED. When our Shepherd, our King, obeyed God's commands, it goes well for His people. The Gospel is on full display here; the good news is that while we are inherently separated from God, Christ, the son of God, the Father, came to earth, miraculously born of a virgin, wrapped in flesh, perfectly obeying God's commandments, taking on God's wrath at the cross, conquering death to rise above and be our Lord. It's right here, and if you do not know that to be true, respond and turn away from the deception of this world.
We're not done yet; David bookends this Psalm with yet another profound statement. "Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!"
I want to share the CSB translation for this verse:
Happy are the people with such blessings.
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.
The Hebrew word here is "אַשְׁרֵי ʾashrê*", which means happy, happiness.
Psalm 144:15 “Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!” (ESV)
Psalm 144:15 “Happy are the people with such blessings. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.” (CSB)
I'm so grateful for my testimony, where I witnessed this happiness. Let me say real quick that if you have a testimony and don't think it's exciting because you have always believed or started to believe at a young age, you tell those thoughts to kick rocks. God the Father, who created the world, and redeemed you at a young age, says to that story because the world needs to hear it.
Now for me, I was in my early twenties, and I was an atheist. Not agnostic or nominal, I didn't believe God existed and I hated Christians. But by God's providence, I was invited to a party by a Christian friend. I knew everyone else at the party would be a Christian, but being new to Denver, I didn't have many friends or options, so I went. What I saw in these people, these Christians was a raw happiness that I did not have. They had a joy, a life about them. It was an impression I will never forget because that happiness was not a product of their worldly circumstances; it was God in their life. They were blessed.
This “happiness” is not a transient feeling but an enduring peace and joy stemming from the knowledge and relationship with God. This “happiness” is a result of genuine acknowledgment of God that goes beyond a mere profession; it is to embrace God as the Almighty Father, the central figure of our lives, not just a supplementary being called upon in times of distress.
This deep acknowledgment of God brings true happiness, despite the trials that may arise. There's also joy in serving God, using our talents for His glory, and spreading the Gospel. Earthly pleasures will wane with time, but our relationship with God remains satisfying and fulfilling regardless of our changing circumstances or advancing years.
Conclusion
Today we journeyed through Psalm 144, a poignant example of King David's trust in God as his refuge and Deliverer. We saw David begin the Psalm in praise, recognizing God's personal, relational nature, His power, and His majesty. We saw him plead for deliverance from deceptive, worldly forces and foresee the blessedness and prosperity that comes from obedience to God's commandments.
To draw all these threads together, let's revisit a compelling story. Consider the olive tree we discussed earlier, thriving along the Mediterranean coasts. Its resilience is a testament to its adaptability in harsh conditions; its productivity is a testament to its design. This olive tree stands as a reminder of our relationship with God. Like the olive tree standing strong and productive amidst the salt and storms, we too can thrive in the harshest of life's circumstances when rooted in our trust and obedience to God. Even more, this tree doesn't only stand for itself. It provides shelter for others, its olives are used for food, and its oil is used for light and nourishment. Similarly, when we obey God, we become a source of blessing and light for others.
I urge each of you today, in light of the reflections from this Psalm, to respond in obedience to God. The blessedness David speaks of is accessible to each of us when we walk in God's ways and allow Him to be our refuge and Deliverer. It's not a happiness contingent on fleeting circumstances but an enduring peace and joy found only in a deep relationship with our Lord.
In all of life's battles, both seen and unseen, may we echo the Psalmist's words: "Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!" May we find our strength in the Lord our Rock, just as David did, so that we can stand firm against the deceptive forces of this world. May our lives be like the thriving olive tree, resilient and productive, illuminating the world around us with the love and truth of God.
Let's respond in obedience, trusting our Lord as our fortress and, as a result, living a life that reflects His glory. Let's step into the world, living testimonies of God's transforming love, ready to share His message and be the light amidst the storm. For indeed, blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.