Psalm 142
Notes
Transcript
Psalm 142 - Read in a moment
I wonder, have you ever found yourself in a situation like David?
Psalm 142’s heading says that this a Maschil of David, That is a poem of David, some believe that the term means a wisdom Psalm, since they are all poems.
The King James translators put a footnote in saying it means giving of instruction.
So if that is true David is giving us some instructions.
The heading then says that it is a prayer when he was in the cave.
Having just come from Gath, the hometown of Goliath, David comes to the cave of Adullam.
He is running from King Saul who is trying to kill him.
He is running out of places to hide.
He is running out of friends.
So he tries the kings enemies
I love Max Lucado’s description of this time, and the setting for this Psalm and as well as Psalm 57, with a similar heading.
Max Lucado, in Facing Your Giants says:
“David gets worse before he gets better. He escapes to Gath, the hometown of Goliath. He tries to forge a friendship based on a mutual adversary. If your enemy is Saul and my enemy is Saul, we become friends, right? In this case, wrong. The Gittites aren’t hospitable. David panics. He is a lamb in a pack of wolves. He pretends to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard. Finally, they shove him out the city gates and leave him with nowhere to go. Can you relate to David’s story? Are you seeking refuge in Gath?
What a great point!
Are we trying to seek refuge in the enemies home?
But in the cave of Adullam, David gathers himself. Here he sits. All alone. But then he remembers: he’s not. He’s not alone. The faithful shepherd boy surfaces again. The giant killer rediscovered courage. He returns his focus to God and finds refuge. Refuge surfaces as a favourite word of David’s. The introduction to Psalm 57 explains its background: “A song of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.”
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge. (v1)
Wilderness survivors find refuge in God’s presence. They also discover community among God’s people. David is a magnet for marginal people. So David creates a community of God-seeking misfits.
Gath, Wilderness, Adullam.
Folly, Loneliness, Restoration.
David found all three. Are you in the wilderness? Find refuge in God’s presence. Find comfort in his people.”
Now David writes this Psalm, Psalm 142.
READ Psalm 142
In the first four verses we can see...
I. The Lies of Discouragement
I. The Lies of Discouragement
How often when we are discouraged we believe the lies that that the devil plants in our hearts.
I have been advised many times, and I will advise you as well…Never make a life changing decision when you are discouraged!
David did the right thing with these lies, he brought them to the Lord.
1 I cried unto the Lord with my voice; With my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
When we are facing these situation in life, we must be sure to bring our complaint to God - He loves us and doesn’t mind, in fact prefers that you bring them to Him.
David said he showed all his trouble to the Lord.
What are the lies that David faced?
A. He Was Overwhelmed
A. He Was Overwhelmed
3a When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then thou knewest my path.
The truth is he could handle anything that the Lord allowed in his life.
But like David we often feel like it is too much!
But the truth is the Lord knows where we are and what we are facing!
David said, “Then thou knewest my path.”
The Lord knew.
There is no need to be overwhelmed when God is right there with us.
When we were on vacation the kids went swimming in the resort’s pool as often as they could.
Ellie doesn’t know how to swim completely yet, so she wears a flotation device.
While I was with them one of the times we went, I held on to Ellie and took off the float.
I placed my hand under her belly and had her practice kicking and moving her arms to keep her afloat.
She did well, but at times she would panic.
Isn’t that just like us?
We know that God has us, but when it feels like the waters will overwhelm us we panic.
Trust that God knows and has us in his hands.
What other lies did he believe?
B. He Would be Caught
B. He Would be Caught
“…In the way where I walk They have hidden a trap for me.”
His eyes were on the traps.
In a way that is good, we ought to walk circumspectly.
But if our whole focus is on the traps, or the possibilities of traps, we lose our focus on the Lord.
Again his answer is what we just discussed, the Lord is there, and He knows our path!
He knows where the traps are.
We just need to be led by Him, and he will guide us through.
I remember hearing a story from a marine who came back from Iraq about the need to be careful when walking through an open field as many landmines had been planted by ISIS.
A team would go out and sweep for landmines, and then lead the convoy through safely. They only needed to trust the team to lead them through safely.
The Lord knows where these traps are, because He knows our path.
we just need to trust Him!
C. He Was Alone
C. He Was Alone
4a I looked on my right hand, and beheld, But there was no man that would know me
David looked to his right and saw no man, he felt like he was alone.
But God was there, He needed no one else!
We often can believe the lies that we are alone, but we are not!
David knew the verses like Deuteronomy 31:6
6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
or Deut 31:8
8 And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
or Joshua 1.9
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
We know many more, like Matthew 28:20
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
or Is 41:10
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
David wrote, Psalm 23:1
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
We are told over and over again throughout scripture that we are not alone, so do not believe Satan’s lies!
You are not alone!
D. He Was Exposed
D. He Was Exposed
“refuge failed me.”
A refuge is a place of escape, or a place to fly.
A location of safety.
David says his refuge failed him.
He is no doubt speaking of the places he tried to go…first at God’s house in Nob... a place of safety, then he tried the enemy of his enemy in Gad… but found no refuge there either.
Now he feels that he has no where else to go.
No where to go.
We may be tempted to believe the lie that we have no where to go for safety, but it is not true…God will provide.
We have a church, the house of God, where we can come and fellowship and get the edification and care that we need.
We have the sacred place of prayer, whether in the church, or in our closet alone with God.
God will provide a place of refuge, for He is our refuge!
1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
27 The eternal God is thy refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms: And he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; And shall say, Destroy them.
2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
We will always find a place to run in our Lord!
E. He Was Unloved
E. He Was Unloved
“No man cared for my soul.”
David believed that not only was he alone, but there was not a man who cared for Him.
He would soon find out, that was definitely not true.
We are always loved
loved by God
loved by our family
loved by our friends
loved by our church
loved by your pastor
Do not believe the lies of Discouragement!
Instead look to ...
II. The Lord of Deliverance
II. The Lord of Deliverance
David realized the lies of discouragement, and said,
5a “I cried unto thee, O Lord...”
What did he find in the Lord?
He found that He was his:
A. Refuge
A. Refuge
5b “I said, Thou art my refuge...”
A different Hebrew word than verse 4, but means generally the same thing. this word means a shelter, a place of safety and protection.
David comes to the truth…the Lord is His refuge, his place of safety and protection.
He does not need to fear.
During an earthquake, a few years ago, the inhabitants of a small village were very much alarmed. One old woman, whom they all knew, was surprisingly calm and joyous. At length, one of them said to her, “Mother, are you not afraid?” “No, she replied, I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world.”
Everyone is always afraid of what they don’t face.
Those who grow up with tornadoes think nothing of them.
Those who grow up with earthquakes think they are fun.
When we have God as our refuge we can face anything He allows in our lives!
David found that God was His...
B. Portion
B. Portion
“And my portion in the land of the living.”
The portion, in the Old Testament often spoke of the Israelites inheritance of the land.
Their portion was the part of the Promised land given to their tribe.
In poetic language it speaks of God being our source of blessings.
He is the one who can give us life, and the blessings that help us in this life.
David says that God is his portion in the land of the living.
He recognized that God is the one who gave him life, and kept him living.
His life, his safety, his very continuance was in the Hand of God.
God has appointed for every man to die.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
God knows the time and day when we will die.
There is no point in fear and fretting…if this is my time to die, there is nothing I can do to stop it.
If this is not my time to die, then there is nothing I can do to make it happen.
Just trust in the Lord!
David found that God was His Refuge and portion, then David learned that He was his...
C. Encourager
C. Encourager
David said, “Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low...”
David was at a low point in his life, he had never faced anything quite this bad before.
David was running from his enemy, an enemy he had tried to help.
God had blessed him, and Saul was jealous.
David was tired of running, everywhere he went he was could not find safety.
But David knew that in His lowest place, God would lift him up!
Jesus told us…we will face tribulation, but don’t despair!
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
God will lift us up, if we will yield to Him and follow Him!
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
If we will just pray and bring our concerns to Christ He will give us peace and will guard our hearts and minds from the lies of discouragement.
He says don’t be anxious...
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.
David learned that God was his
Refuge
Portion
Encourager
He learned that God was his...
D. Protector
D. Protector
“Deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.”
David learned that God could protect him, and deliver him from those who were stronger…because was God was stronger still.
He has promised to protect us… even to use his angels to help us....
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways.
Speaking of the Angels, the writer of Hebrews says...
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
They are ministers for those who are saved.
I read of a Norwegian missionary, Marie Monsen, who served in China in the 1950s. She testified to the intervention of angels when Christians were in great danger. They had taken refuge in the mission compound only to be surrounded by looting soldiers and they were astonished to find that they were left in peace. A few days later the hostile men explained that they were ready to break down the flimsy wall when they noticed tall soldiers with shining faces on a high roof in the compound. Marie Monsen wrote, “The heathen saw them, it was a testimony to them, but they were invisible to us.
Many other stories have been told, just like this one, where it is obvious that God sent his angels to intercede and protect.
God is our protector!
Even just speaking the name of Jesus out loud seems to calm the storm inside our hearts!
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: The righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
David learned that God was
His refuge
His Portion
His Encourager
His Protector
And then he learned that God was his...
E. Liberator
E. Liberator
7a Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise thy name...
David’s soul was in the prison of doubt and discouragement, but God brought his soul out and liberated him!
The result…that I may praise thy name!
We see in 1 Samuel 22 what the Lord did for David!
1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
David soon learned he was definitely not alone.
There in that Cave of Adullam, His family came to be with him…all that was in his father’s house.
We learn that this included his mother and father and brothers.
Once encouraged David found a safe place for his family...
3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.
But he was still not alone, we see also in verse 2, that
2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
We learn that God sent about 400 men, ones that were:
in distress
in debt
discontented
sounds like the ones God send to our churches!
I remember when I was first teaching in a Christian school, my dad was the assistant pastor for church where we worked.
He and the pastor would gather for prayer together and pray for the church.
The pastor made a comment, “Why does God only send us people with problems? Can’t we get some normal people?”
My dad told Him, “What would normal people need us for?”
The church isn’t a museum where we showcase our goodness…it is a hospital where those who are still healing themselves turn and help those who are hurting.
David found his band of men during one of his most discouraging times of his life.
These men loved David and upon hearing David say that he longed for a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate, they were willing to brave death just to bring him a drink from that well.
That is loyalty and love!
Conclusion
Conclusion
God has sent us, at least at first, away from all of our family.
Now he has brought some of them to us.
But God has sent us to a people who love us, and we love them!
In times of discouragement, you have been there to help.
a card
a note
a smile
a hug
a gift
God sends what we need, but we must turn to Him in that time of need!
The righteous shall compass me about; For thou shalt deal bountifully with me!