Psalm 140
Notes
Transcript
"Finding Refuge in God: Exploring Psalm 140"
Very few situations in this life can frustrate and make us feel powerless like when someone is lying about us.
We are powerless to make the person stop lying
We are powerless to stop others from hearing or believing the lies.
David wrote Psalm 140 as a heartfelt prayer during a time when someone was speaking against him.
When we come up against one of the most vile and vicious weapons that humans possess, the tongue, we need to follow David’s example, and bring it to the Lord.
Traditionally it is thought that this Psalm is written It is very possible that the situation David finds himself is when Saul is seeking him, and David.
In one instance that seems to fit, is when Doeg the Edomite saw David and his men eat at the Table of Show bread and take Goliath’s sword.
Doeg reported this to Saul and Saul confronted the priests.
Then Saul turned to his army and commanded that they kill all of the priests.
They refused to murder God’s anointed priests, so he turned to Doeg the Edomite and told him to kill them.
Doeg murdered 85 priests, and continued the slaughter by killing every man, woman, child, infant, cattle, donkeys and sheep in the city of Nob, where David sought help.
One priest escaped and told David what happened.
This is the kind of man that was seeking and hunting David.
We too have an enemy that is prowling, seeking whom he may devour.
Satan wants the children of God not just killed, but wiped out.
We, like David, need to run to God for our help and trust that He will take care of us and our enemies.
What can we do when we find ourselves in trouble?
I. Acknowledging the Perils
I. Acknowledging the Perils
1 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: Preserve me from the violent man;
2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; Continually are they gathered together for war.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; Adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from the violent man; Who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set gins for me. Selah.
When we acknowledge what is happening, we need to turn to God for our help.
David immediately cries for God to Deliver him.
A. Cry to God for Deliverance
A. Cry to God for Deliverance
1 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: Preserve me from the violent man;
2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; Continually are they gathered together for war.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; Adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
Deliver me...
David was dealing with a viscous enemy, not only Saul and his army, but this wicked Edomite, Doeg.
David cries to God to deliver him from the evil man, preserve me from the violent man.
They imagine mischiefs (bad or evil) in their heart, they are continually gathered for war.
That is the desire of their heart always, war.
Their tongues strike out like a serpent’s poison.
We too face an evil adversary!
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The devil’s tongue is full of poison and ready to strike out, this is his very nature…as Jesus himself said...
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
We must be aware of the perils we face, and put on the armour of God
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
It is our only hope to fight against our enemy.
B. Consider the Deceitful Schemes of the Enemy
B. Consider the Deceitful Schemes of the Enemy
4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from the violent man; Who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set gins for me. Selah.
The enemy tried to capture David.
They were violent men, so they tried to attack him.
They desired to keep David from the task that God had appointed him to.
He was anointed king, but he refused to take the crown by force, but rather waited on God.
Be prepared and aware of the schemes the devil tries against us.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
The Devil will set snares (traps)
He will set cords (another form of trap with a looped rope)
Nets by the wayside (interestingly the word comes from two Hebrew words meaning open hand and circle of the camp.
I think the idea given here is that he entices us with an open hand to come to the wayside where the net is spread for us.
Gins - another word for trap, but in the Hebrew is speaks to the food or bait used in the trap.
The verse ends with the Word Selah - we often define this as stop and think about it - walk circumspectly!
II. Seek God's Protection and Justice
II. Seek God's Protection and Justice
6 I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: Further not his wicked device; Lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
9 As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall upon them: Let them be cast into the fire; Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
David immediately prayed to God for Protection.
When we find ourselves in these situations we too need to...
A. Trust in God as the Ultimate Protector
A. Trust in God as the Ultimate Protector
6 I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: Further not his wicked device; Lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
Thou art my God!
A declaration of trust
A declaration of belonging
David had confidence in God’s ability to shield him and guard him.
He calls out to his God (Yahweh) the Lord (Adoni), the strength (the power of) my salvation (yesua - literally the meaning and Hebrew name of Jesus).
He says, Thou covered my head in the day of battle.
Eph 6.17 speaks of the helmet of salvation.
God becomes our refuge in times of battle, when we stay our minds on Him.
David continues his prayer that God will not allow the enemies wishes to come to fruition in verse 8, grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: Further not his wicked device
Don’t let his wickedness continue.
Lest they exalt themselves
When they seem to succeed they boast in their abilities and accomplishments.
But David is calling on God to stop them in their tracks.
We can pray the same prayers!
Stop the devil’s attacks on me
Cast away any evil presence around me
Don’t let this man who is slandering me to prosper!
And then we need to ...
B. Pray for Intervention and Justice
B. Pray for Intervention and Justice
9 As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall upon them: Let them be cast into the fire; Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
Now David is calling on God to directly intervene.
He calls on God to let the trouble they plot fall on them instead.
That their evil, slanderous words would destroy themselves instead.
He asks God to cause them to reap what they have sown.
We are made in the image of God, so we have a natural desire for justice.
It is never wrong to pray that the evil doers be stopped, nor that justice prevail.
As Christians, we are however held to a higher standard.
We are to pray for them, that their hearts will soften,s o they can hear the gospel
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Of course the Devil will never turn from His ways, God has already seen.
But we can pray for the men and women that are used by Satan to attack God’s children.
God doesn’t want any to perish.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
So we need to pray for them.
And in so doing we need to leave any hope or desire to gain vengeance ourselves to God.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Do Right - Do Good - And Let God handle the rest!
III. Praise God for His Deliverance
III. Praise God for His Deliverance
12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, And the right of the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: The upright shall dwell in thy presence.
David starts this verse with two all important words: I Know!
Notice with me ...
A. The Change from Distress to Praise
A. The Change from Distress to Praise
David’s tone shifts from distress to praise.
When we pray and give it to God, and seek His protection, we can transform our distress to praise!
Faith enables us to rest in His care!
We too can say, “I know that the Lord...”
I know that the Lord will help me
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, Saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
I know that the Lord will sustain me
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
I know that the Lord will cause this to come about for good.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
And so much more!
God can do anything, anything, anything,
God can do anything but fail!
If He allows something to continue, then we know it must be God’s will for our refining.
Hold onto Him through the fire, and come out the other side changed, renewed, and stronger.
We notice the change from distress to Praise, now let’s notice...
B. The Assurance of God's care
B. The Assurance of God's care
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: The upright shall dwell in thy presence.
David expresses confidence in the fact that God will deliver them - the righteous are giving thanks to God for His help.
He know that the upright dwells in God’s presence.
He is always with them.
We need to find our hope in God’s care and protection as well!
Stand fast in the Lord!
We may suffer harm from evildoers.
We may be slandered, we may lose our jobs, some may even be beaten or imprisoned.
Some will give their very lives for Christ.
However we must never lose sight of the fact that God sees and He will bring justice to those who deserve it.
We can stand firmly in God’s presence knowing that His presence will give us the victory over fear of our enemies.
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Conclusion
Conclusion
We as Children of God can stand firm in the realization that we can seek refuge in the arms of God.
We can trust in His protection
and we can rely on His Justice.
When you face your own trials or enemies remember to have the same faith and confidence in God that David displayed here in Psalm 140.