 One of the most interesting things about the Psalms is that most of them are not purely praise. The average person, if asked what the Psalms are, would probably think that they are songs of praise to God. The Psalms are compositions of praise to God - but they are more than that. They are songs that were sung to God on a myriad of occasions involving just about every kind of emotion and situation. Psalm 9 is one of the psalms that fit this kind of description. It begins with praise to God, but then quickly turns to how God has delivered the psalmist from past situations of peril and danger - then does another turn to a prayer for God’s future deliverance. Let’s take a closer look at a Psalm that should give us great confidence in our God as the One who has delivered us - and who will deliver us because of His great mercy and compassion.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. David begins with four “I will” statements that open this song to God. This should remind us that a true heart of worship is not an emotional thing - it is a choice. We are to choose to thank God. We are to choose to tell of all God’s wonders. We are to choose to be glad and exult in God. We are to choose to sing praise to the name of God Most High. These are not options for us - to be entered into when we feel like it. They are to be regular choices for the child of God who recognizes that Jehovah is worthy to be praised at any time and in any circumstance. David begins with giving thanks to Jehovah. Often thanksgiving for God’s blessings is a good way to start when we worship Him. Psalm 100 reminds us to enter His gates with thanksgiving - and then enter His courts with praise. Taking a few moments to consider what God has done should be enough to fill our minds with all the ways we should thank God. Take for instance the ground upon which you walk, or the air you are currently breathing. Who is responsible for that? God is, for He created it all. Then remind yourself that according to Psalm 139 you were knit together in your mother’s womb by His hand and formed by His mighty power. If this is not enough remind yourself that you’ve eaten food - or enjoyed a sunset - been amazed at the stars in the sky - or enjoyed the warmth of the sun. Yep - all by His hand and because of His provision. Then think of grander things like your salvation by His grace. The provision of righteousness through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ that has been gifted to you by God. Consider that you have a Bible in your hand or your home - something that has only existed since the printing press - and even then was often opposed and would result in punishment by an anti-God government (by the way there are still governments all over the globe who continue to see the Scriptures as dangerous - and as contraband). All these things are reasons to thank God. David also gives a qualifier in his thanks to God. It is with all his heart. This is not an exercise in “having” to say thank you to God - like you may have had to thank someone as a child being prompted by good parents. This should be an overflow of our hearts as we consider the riches of God’s kindness, goodness, and love. David’s next step is to tell of all God’s wonders. There are the wonders of His creation - which scientists will continue to examine and will never exhaust. There are the wonders of the heavens - stars, planets, solar systems, galaxies, asteroids, supernovas, and the wonders of a universe we can’t even measure yet. There are the wonders of the human body - for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. There are the wonders of this earth with its array of animals and plants - which we have not fully catalogued. There is the wonder of God’s mighty works and the miracles He has wrought among all the peoples of the earth. And if this is not enough - there is the infinite wonder of His person and attributes. He is holy. He is good, He is kind. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He is to be feared. He is to be loved. He is to be gazed at with infinite wonder and amazement. And the list could go on as infinitely and eternally as both time and space could ever offer. Oh the wonders of His plans and purposes that could blow our minds. The wonder of a God who can know the heart of every person - their every word before it comes out of their mouth - and the motive that is behind their every action and attitude. Truly God is a God of wonders and how we should think on them and praise Him for them. David’s third choice is to be glad and exult in God. The word glad is the Hebrew word “samah” which means to rejoice, be joyful, to be glad, even to gloat over how God is the ultimate. The word has the idea of a state of happy and agitated rejoicing. What a fascinating concept that is to consider. We are to be glad in God! We are to choose to rejoice and be joyful - to be glad and to gloat over all other things (other stuff, other false gods, other worldviews, and even other reasons to be happy and glad). We are to choose to be in a state of agitation - but not agitated toward anger or resentment or frustration. No! There should be an agitation of our minds and thoughts to where we are almost over stimulated to rejoice and be happy in God and His plans and purposes for us. There is a second word used here, “exult.” The word is “alats” or “alas” which means to be jubilant in rejoicing. Strongs Concordance says that the word means, “to jump for joy, be joyful and rejoice.” Seeing these two words reminds me that praise and worship is a choice - and when we consider God’s deliverance both past and future - we should jump for joy in a gladness based in God’s infinite goodness and superiority over all things. The fourth and final “I will” David employs is that he chooses to sing praise to the name of the Most High. There is a single word for the phrase “sing praise” in the Hebrew. It is the word “zamar” which means to play an instrument or to sing with musical accompaniment to God using instruments like a harp, lyre, tambourine, cymbals, and even loud cymbals. The sound of singing to God with musical accompaniment on instruments is not only spoken of in the Psalms, it is commanded in many of them. The content of such songs is to praise the name of the Most High. The word “name” has the idea not just of any name, but that of a famous name. It is a name that when heard touts the fame of the one mentioned. Here it is the name of Elyon - the most High. The word indicates not just one who is high - but the very highest of all. The musical song praises Jehovah’s famous name - and sings of how He is highest of all - with none greater and all infinitely inferior to Him. David certainly kicks off this song of praise in high gear. Yet don’t mistake his words for a mere emotional outburst that lasts only as long as the music in the service keeps playing. What David is very clear about here is that whether he is in high spirits or feeling lower than a snake belly in a wagon rut - he chooses to praise God. This is a WILLFUL thing - not just an emotional one. Thus we can learn from him that any time is a good time to “I will” some praise to God. It is a choice we are to make - and make no mistake about it - we will not regret making that choice.
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 Have you ever been concerned that godly men seem to be disappearing from our landscape? Ever get discouraged because the crassness and craven words that seem to be dominating the airwaves and print media? Do you ever begin to lose heart because it seems the only ones who are getting ahead are those who use their mouths and words in such a way as to crush those who are in their path? Well, if you’ve ever felt this way – there is good news. A man who was going through the same thing wrote psalm 12.
David was discouraged. He cried out to God in the midst of his circumstances saying the following: “Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases to be, for the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. 2 They speak falsehood to one another; with flattering lips and with a double heart they speak. 3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things; 4 Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?" David watched as godly men were disappearing from the scene. The word he uses to describe these men has the idea of being like the Lord in his character – but it emphasizes the idea of kindness. These men were fading from the scene, as were faithful men. Where were the men of character and kindness who inspired confidence and gave stability to the society around them. They may not even have been popular for their godly, holy views and yet, the depth of their character and the way they lived stabilized things. The problem was – Saul was the leader – and he encouraged ungodliness in the people. He was only interested in his own power and was willing even to murder the priests of God if he thought for a moment that they were against him. David also watched as leaders arose who ruled with their words. First of all they spoke falsehood and flattery. They said one thing that would flatter you publically, but privately they were weaving a deceptive web to destroy you. Saul confessed sin in chasing David and trying to kill him. He even wept when David confronted him with it. Yet within a very short time Saul was hunting David again. The literal Hebrew in David’s cry to God was that these men “spoke with a heart and another heart.” This was the habit of Saul to speak with one heart – and yet would have another heart that was completely different from his public statements. He was double-hearted, hypocritical man. The men David watched who were in power – boasted that they would prevail with their tongues. Just their speaking would produce heroic things. They thought themselves invincible with their mouths and their speeches. They would say whatever they wanted. No one would be able to take them down. If someone were foolish enough to try, they would lash him or her with their words and tongue like someone whipping a man until he was crushed and destroyed. David’s cries for help did not fall on deaf ears. God heard David and spoke. He assured David that He was the protector of the afflicted and needy when He said this, “Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise," says the LORD; "I will set him in the safety for which he longs.” It is a sweet thing it when God speaks and comforts our souls this way. The first comfort to us is that He has seen what is going on in the world. God speaks of the devastation of the afflicted – the words here describe a violent devastation. He not only hears our prayers – he even hears our groans under such violent oppression. David then reminds himself that God’s words are pure. In fact they are purer than anything imaginable. He speaks of silver refined seven times in a furnace. The beauty in that picture is that no smelter of silver would go through that process more than 3 or 4 times. At that point, one could not get the silver purer because the height of purity would have been reached. Yet David speaks of something smelted 7 times, the number of perfection in the Scriptures. That is because God’s Word is more pure that the purest substance on earth. There is absolutely no impurity in the promises of God – they are true and faithful to the end. This is why David praises God, knowing that when God makes a promise, He will keep His Word. Such a promise to David speaks not just to his generation – but also to all succeeding generations forever. They all can rely on God’s Word as their help in time of trouble and their hope in the most hopeless of moments. Even as David finishes this song to God with confidence he ends it with another reality. We live in a Genesis 3 world where the fallen state of man and the devastation it brought to this earth will remain until this world passes away. Those who look merely to human rulers will be disappointed. The world around us is devolving in sin through every generation. The reason for the devolution of man and every political system by which he seeks to govern himself – sin. There is vileness in this world that began with Adam and will not end until the last trumpet is sounded. Jesus put it in these words, “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. (John 3:19, NASB) Evil is not static. We are reminded in Romans 1:32, “. . . although men know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but give hearty approval to those who practice them.” Is it interesting that hundreds of years after David wrote this Psalm, Paul says pretty much the same thing in the New Testament? There is a vileness that is exalted among the sons of men. The Hebrew word David uses is expansive in its meaning. It speaks of that which is worthless and sinful. It speaks of something contemptible to God both morally and socially, and it usually involves both shameful excesses of ungodliness as well as a complete and total worthlessness to all those around. Vile indeed expresses what God sees as godless men think they reign unrestrained with their mouths and their words. When these wicked men rule – they strut. They boast of their wickedness and say that no one rules over them. Such is the world until Christ returns. An unfortunate reality is that as the years hasten to the day He does return – the wickedness of such vile strutting leaders will increase. Right will be called wrong – evil will be embraced as good. It will pave the way for the “man of sin,” the antichrist. He will be the ultimate vile, strutting ruler – boasting in himself, and even one day taking his seat in the midst of the temple of God – boasting that he is god. But he will be the last of the vile, sin-advancing rulers of this present world. He will be overcome and devastated by the sword that comes out of the mouth of Christ. That phrase simply means that the Word of God (called the sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6) is what will win the day. The victory will be enjoyed by those who put their trust in a silver sword forged 7 times in the fire – free from impurity – powerful in its every statement – and more than strong enough to deal with “the” wicked ruler – and every one of his imitators down through the ages. Trust in that word, children of the King. He spoke it – and He will arise and lift you to the safety for which you long. Psalm 5:4-7 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You. 5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. 6 You destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit. 7 But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house, At Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.
Prayer is communication with God. That is what David is teaching us in Psalm 5. There are times when you talk with God about your requests and what you need. But there are other times when God is communicating to you - even in what you pray. That is what is happening in this second part of David’s song about prayer and seeking God. David walks through a process of reminiscing about God. He reminds himself Who God is as He is seeking Him. What a good reminder this is to all of us as we come into the presence of God. We need to be reminded of Who God is - so that prayer does not become a one-way street where we don’t quite remember who exactly we are talking to as we pray. Another term for this is process is reverence. We need to revere God - honoring Him - respecting Him - even fearing Him as we approach Him to pray. David speaks of 7 different things he knows about God. His reminder of God’s character could be described as praise to God. God Takes No Pleasure in Wickedness David is basically reminded that God is holy. He does not take pleasure in wickedness. The word David uses for wickedness basically means someone who is lawless and a criminal. Those who disobey God and His word - who fight against His will being established in the world are lawless criminals - and God takes no pleasure in their behavior. There is a thought that may shock us a little. Disobedience to God is not just a crime against Sunday School lessons - it is a crime against the God of the universe Who should be obeyed. No Evil Dwells with God Evil is the word “ra” which is the basic word for evil in Hebrew. Thus we see the lawless criminal is evil in God’s sight. Evil is a word we don’t use that much any longer - because to many it is offensive. You can ask someone if they have sinned or are a sinner, and many will agree with you that they are a sinner or have sinned. But ask someone if they are evil - and they will take exception with being described by that Word. Yet to set ourselves in a contrary way than God’s way IS evil. And God said that evil will not receive any kind of hospitality from Him. that is what the word “dwells” means here. It speaks of hospitality - one who is received graciously and who is treated well as they stay with another. God will show NO hospitality or gracious treatment towards evil. Boastful, Foolish People will not Stand Before God David is praying in the midst of the situation with Absalom, who was a foolish, self-centered, proud, boastful man. Here was a conceited, handsome man who had charm and charisma - but who thought that by these he could claim the throne. He was a foolish young man and thought far too highly of himself. Such a self-boaster would be odious in God’s eyes. God hates pride. If we come to Him in prayer with a boastful, self-serving attitude, we can know that we won’t stand in His presence either. God Hates Those Who do Iniquity Not many people realize that God said that He hates things - but He does. The short of it is that God hates sin. The word iniquity speaks of those who chase after empty, meaningless, vain things. God hates it when mankind spends their lives chasing after emptiness and meaninglessness. God calls us to a meaningful life lived for His glory and honor. It might help us to remind ourselves as we seek God’s face - that He has a purpose for our lives - and that His purpose is NOT that we spend our days running after meaninglessness and frivolity. God Isn’t Too Keen on Falsehood Two things are said about those speaking and living in deceit. First off God will destroy them. The word David uses is “abad” which can mean a literal destruction or that God takes what someone does and reduces it to disorder and futility. The second thing God says is that he abhors the man who gives himself to bloodshed and deceit. The word abhor is “ta’ab” and it means to find something utterly abhorrent, detestable, or an abomination. Once again - God is speaking in terms we may think are objectionable for Him to use - and yet He feels that strongly about sin - violence (i.e. bloodshed) and deceit. At this point we might be thinking to ourselves that it is going to be impossible to come into the presence of God to pray. Apart from Jesus Christ - it actually is. The things David describes makes this fairly clear to us. We could become despondent about this whole matter of prayer if it were not for how David finishes this section. Grace and Reverence David’s final statement before he turns to requests is one that should bring a flood of relief to those of us who are sinners and who do evil (which is all of us). There is a way to come before God and be welcome and accepted. It is by the lovingkindness of God. That word “lovingkindness” is precious to us because it means “covenant love.” It is the closest word in the Old Testament to the New Testament word “grace.” It is worth noting that David says it is by “abundant lovingkindness” that he enters God’s house. This is something we MUST remember as we come to pray. The primer on prayer tells us that God is holy. God hates and abhors sin. God despises the very things of which we are guilty - and even promises destruction to those who do them. Therefore we can NEVER step into His presence based on our own works or our own supposed goodness. We would be consumed much like Nadab and Abihu if we come before Him in any way that does not plead for His grace on our behalf. Jesus made the way for us - and it is only and always through Him we will find our entrance to the place of prayer. But, when we come in the name of Jesus, knowing it is His blood that speaks for our sin - and His righteousness that makes us acceptable to God - we are WELCOME! We CAN come into the presence of the Lord - we CAN pray - we CAN know He will receive us graciously. What a glorious reminder! I’ve heard people say we should preach the gospel to ourselves daily. Often I do that as I come into the presence of God to pray. I do it because I feel like I might not be accepted - I might not be welcome - my sins may be too horrible for God to see me that day - or to want to even talk to me. But the truth is that by God’s abundant grace I can enter and I can pray.  David is once again running for his life. This time it is his son who is chasing him around the wilderness. As he climbs the far side of Jerusalem heading for the wilderness (and the climb is a long one), he hears whispers in his heart. There is no hope for you in God, David. Your failures have come home to roost. Yet, as we saw in part one of this study of Psalm 3, David took time to consider what was being whispered in his spirit. What a wise thing to do - to stop and meditate - think about - consider - what is being said.
Selah. David takes a moment and thinks seriously about what he has started this song saying. He is singing a type of the blues - at least a country song that commiserates with his audience about how bad it is for him. But he stops singing the words though for an instrumental portion in the song. Selah means to stop and consider what you've just heard. It was usually done with an instrumental moment in the music. Ever stop in the midst of your miserable self-monologues and think about what you've just said? It is something we should do - especially when our misery wants to lead us to helplessness and despair. "Wait a minute!" we should say to ourselves. Stop and think a moment about what you've just said. "But You, Jehovah, are a shield about me. My glory, and the One Who lift my head." What a radical change from, "no help for you in God" to God being his shield, glory, and head-lifter. Amazing what comes to us when we exercise our right to shut up and listen for a few moments. Astounding what we can learn when we stop and consider the words spoken to us - and even those which we are speaking to ourselves in a rough moment. Are we listening to God - or just focusing on our inner-Eyeore? David, much more than most, had reason to be depressed. He was facing, after all, exile because his son was leading a successful rebellion and overthrow of his kingdom. Yet, stopping and thinking in the presence of God is NEVER a bad idea. Why did I just use the phrase, "stopping and thinking in the presence of God?" It is because that is what is evident in David's words. He stopped and considered things from the stand point of God. He stopped and considered what was being said about God. Is God no longer his deliverer? Is there no hope of salvation for David? Once he stops and considers these words - he doesn't turn only to what God said - but more importantly - Who God is! That is the answer to His dilemma. Who is God right now? What a great question to ask.YOU - Jehovah! That is the answer to every problem we face and every issue that comes up in our lives. YOU - Jehovah! That is ultimately where we need to turn when the world, the flesh, the devil tell us that all hope is lost. Turning to ourselves in such moments is like turning to a defaulted bank for funds. The bank is bankrupt - and has nothing. We ourselves, in ourselves, are bankrupt as well. So - our first thought should be this . . . Who are You in all this, God? That is what will help us in this and every other situation that we face. David is reminded of Who God says that He is. You are a shield about me! You are my glory! You are the lifter of my head! You answer prayer! Let's take a quick look at these answers to David's problem. You, Jehovah are a shield about me. God is a shield and refuge to us. David thinks and remembers the way that God dealt with these situations in the past. Time and time again God surrounded David in times of difficulty and trial like a giant shield. David was protected against the enemy - against Saul when he was crazy - against Goliath - against every foe he had ever faced. This dawned upon him the same way that Elisha's servant was awakened to the protection of God evidenced to him when God opened his eyes to the mountains filled with angels of fire all around him. But then again, that is one of our fundamental problems isn't it. We cannot see Him - so we tend to wonder if He is there. This is not a problem usually for us until the physical problems in our lives get in our face - and we are blinded to the unseen because of the overwhelming presence and demand of the seen. Jehovah was and is a shield to His people and His anointed. But - there are times when though seeing, we are blind to His presence. Regardless of our circumstances though - He is with us - and He is here. You, Jehovah, are my glory! Though this may seem not a huge issue at first, it is the first issue David sees in refocusing on God - and it is a primary issue for him, and for us as well. Honestly, we probably have not thought about "glory" and how important it is to have the right glory in your life. Often we freak out in life because someone is messing with our "glory." Let me explain a little more what I mean by this. Our glory is what is of utmost importance in our lives. For many people that is themselves, their stuff, their position, their power, their happiness . . . in short - they glory in themselves. When someone messes with their glory it is serious. But consider for a moment David and this issue of "glory." As a young man he walked into a situation that involved glory. Goliath stood for 40 days and defied Israel to send out anyone to fight him. Everyone except David missed that glory was being addressed. Saul and his entire army were scared and depressed about this situation - but only saw it in reference to their own glory. This looked bad on them - their fighting ability - their standing and position - and honestly - their own selves - because to go out and fight this monster of a man surely meant death to whoever tried it! Stupid Goliath! He's messing with our glory! Then along came David. He heard the taunts, heard the challenge, heard the same insults and came away with a radically different view of things. How dare this uncircumcised Philistine say these things about God! Stupid Goliath! He's messing with God's glory! That is why he knew he could take Goliath. He KNEW he could take out this doofus who was messing with God's glory! He knew it because he was far more concerned with God's glory than his own. Out David waltzes on the battlefield - no armor - no sword - just a sling and five stones (one for Goliath and each of his ugly brothers too - if they dare to act against God's glory!) WOW - what an amazing faith this young man had! You, Jehovah, are my glory! That is what got David through all this. It is what will get you through your mess too! Your problems and distresses are ultimately NOT ABOUT YOU! God is working through everything He allows so that as you trust Him - look to Him - rely on Him - pray to Him - and fight by His power - you will be to the praise of His glory! Oh God! You are my glory - it is all about You! All this that I am facing - is so that men may see Your glory and what You can do! How did David radically change in these moments? He radically changed the center of this controversy from himself to God. Just a few thoughts. Who did God say that He would build an enduring kingdom through? Who had God said that He forgave when David repented of his sin of adultery, murder by proxy, and deceit? Who did God say that he would protect and keep through all his troubles? And ultimately - Whose glory was MOST affected by Absalom's rebellion, open immorality, and dishonoring of his father and his father's God? Yeah - it wasn't David's glory - it was God's glory. You, Jehovah, are the lifter of my head! The last of these three statements about God may be the most glorious. "Wait a minute," you may think. "What does 'head-lifting' have to do with being chased through the wilderness by another madman?" The answer to that question is found in the whispers that filled David's head - not by his situation in general. David heard that there was no hope for him in God. That meant that God was through with him - done - finished! He wanted nothing more to do with David. But David, in meditating on that thought, realized that this did not fit Who God had been in his life. You see, David was a mess (much like we all are as well). This was not his first rodeo, so to speak. He had failed multiple times before. His failures at times seemed to go above his head so that he feared drowning in the sea of his own transgressions and sin. As David considered his bleak past, he also considered just Who it was that he met at every turn. It was God - Who often was working even through David's sin. He met God at every failure - even though as he came upon the Lord his head was hanging low in shame and disgrace. But God was not there to cast him to the side, offering him judgment and condemnation void of any hope. God met him with grace and forgiveness - as if someone had paid the ultimate price for his sin. (Little did David know - Someone had paid it as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.) This was not a God who banished him. This was The God who "lifted his head" out of disgrace into renewed favor and grace. The golden scepter of grace in Jesus Christ had been extended, removing the death sentence he deserved in the presence of the King Who would never welcome such a sinful man. This is Who Jehovah is - the One Who lifts my head - giving me grace - giving me mercy - offering compassion. No hope for you in God? Far from it saints - but only as you remember Who God is. The answer to your dilemma - indeed to ALL your dilemmas - is found in Who God is. This God, Who maybe even unknown to you allowed these circumstances to come into your life, is not Who you think Him to be. He has not cast you off - thrown you away - or left you behind because of your sins. If He reacted to you apart from mercy - He would have consumed you at the occasion of your first sin! Your God is your shield of protection - only allowing in your life what is needed for your sanctification to be accomplished. Your God is your glory - reminding you to lay down the ridiculous thought that it is or ever was about you and what you want. Your God lifts your head - rather than crushes it due to your sin. He has laid His hand of judgment on His Son at Calvary - and now by faith you receive grace upon grace. Even in the most dire of difficulties this is Who He is. So stop making yourself the center of this situation - your comfort the center of your pursuits - and your glory the purpose of your life. This will lead only to misery in the end. Stop! Consider what you are thinking! And realize the answer is this - Who is God? The sooner we come to this conclusion - the sooner that we can experience the transformation - the same transformation David experienced in Psalm 3.  There are times in life when we feel that the entire world is coming apart at the seams. There are times when those who were close to us may betray us and walk away - times when nothing seems stable. David experienced those times when his son led a rebellion against Him and even sought to hunt him down and kill him.
Absalom had declared himself king and the majority of Israel had been led astray to follow after him. He had fomented discontent in the hearts of the people making them think David was no longer accessible to them. David had to flee the palace and leave Jerusalem. It is interesting to note that songs come to us not just in the "good" moments of our lives, but also in times of distress. Country music and the blues do not have a corner on music written in times of trouble, difficulty, sadness, and even depression. David sang to the Lord - in good times and in bad. So what did David do when faced with very distressing times? That is what we learn in Psalm 3 as we listen to him sing this song in the midst of betrayal and dire trouble. David was facing a very real problem. Thus as he begins this troublesome song he begins by facing the problem. He did not seek to hide from it or deny that it existed. "O Lord how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me! Many are saying of my soul, 'There is no deliverance for Him in God!'" The statement among these three that troubled David most was the third. No deliverance for me - not even from God? Could it be true? Could it be that this was a sign that God was finished with David? Could it be that the sins of David's past had come home to visit him for the last time? Was God saying through His providence in all this that He was casting David off - that he need not even call out to God - that the last of his deliverances was used up - and now all that remained was his pitiful demise? This is one of the most deadly things we face in times like David faced. God is through with you! There is no more deliverance for you from Him. Your sins have risen too high and this stroke of bad fortune is proof of it! There is nothing left for you - you are beyond His mercies or His grace! Oh what a pitiful and horrible place to think you have come to in life. That was the talk that surrounded David in these hours that seemed like days. The truly troubling thing to David in these moments was that he might have believed them. He had failed in the Bathsheba incident. He had blown it when he did not deal with the rape of his own relative, who happened to be Absalom's daughter. He failed to act with strength when Absalom took matters into his own hands and killed his brother, the crown prince, for his actions. Then David flip-flopped in his dealings with Absalom, banishing him - then having him return - then not seeing him - then receiving him after Joab interceded for him. It was quite a mess - and maybe that mess is what led God to allow this. Maybe there wasn't any grace or mercy left for David's failures. Those are hard moments for us too. Moments when all our failures are before us - and we begin to wonder if the whispers in our spirit are accurate. There is no deliverance for us in God. He is sick to death of us and all our multitudinous mistakes, blown moments, and failures. We know we would be sick - and indeed are sick of ourselves. Our number of Romans 7 moments mounting up even as we consider praying in our current mess. These are very dangerous moments for us. They can be moments of incredible despair - and moments when we give up hope - giving up the one thing we truly need, which is the ability to turn to God, crying out to Him for mercy and grace in our time of need. What should we do in moments like this? Where can we turn and how do we get to the point of turning? Moses was told by none other than God Himself what Jehovah's true character is. In Exodus 34 after one of Israel's greatest sins, the making and worshipping of the golden calf, God revealed Himself to Moses as He re-wrote the 10 commandments on new stone tablets. This is what God said to him. "Jehovah, Jehovah God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin . . . " What a glorious revelation of Himself God made. I must also state that in the rest of that verse God also promises to not leave the guilty unpunished. But remember this - He had not consumed Israel in His wrath and judgment. If ever there was a moment to let His wrath fly, that was it! Consume all of them in a moment! There would be no deliverance for them in God - they had sinned - they had blown it again and again through the wilderness! You have got to be kidding to even ask for mercy and grace! Yet - there it is - again - and again - and again . . . mercy . . . compassion . . . forgiveness of iniquity, transgression, sin. Moses turned to God in the worst of situations . . . and in the worst of situations God revealed Himself merciful and compassionate and forgiving. The day would come when the wrath and judgment for sin would fall. But not today. Not on David, even in this moment that reminded him of every failure and every blown opportunity. That judgment would fall . . . on a different One. God Himself - in the person of the Son - would pay the price - WOULD take the fall - the ultimate fall. But today . . . the failures of today . . . the problems, difficulties, horrors of sin's past . . . they would receive mercy - compassion - forgiveness. What a God - indeed - what an amazing God! Where are you - troubled saint of God? Has the rising tide of your past failures come to the point of attempting to drown you today? Have you struggled to keep your head above them, all the while hearing whispers in your spiritual ears that there is no deliverance for you in God this time? Oh, precious saint of God - know that even in this moment your wisest choice is to turn to God - crying out to Him in the midst of your troubles. The One Who showed that His lovingkindnesses indeed never cease is near to the broken-hearted. The One Who revealed that His marvelous compassions never fail will hear your call. Amidst the deafening whispers of the wicked one David still heard the still, small blowing of the Holy Spirit. It was that voice that reminded him that even in Israel's horrific moment of "golden calf" sinfulness and failure that God showed His glory to a broken-hearted Moses who cried out to Him. It was in that most horrible of spiritual devastations that God revealed Himself by His endless mercy and grace. Don't listen to the wicked whispers, most precious ones of God. Listen to the glorious roar of God's gentle breeze - to the precious blowing of the Holy Spirit as He speaks of the "praise of the glory of His grace" to you. It is the song that has comforted the spiritual failures of every generation since the fall of man. It is the song that continues to emanate from the very throne of God - through the blood-stained cross of Calvary. Listen, saints, listen! Can you hear it? |
Pastor John LawrencePsalms for Life . . . God moved on several people to write the Psalms. This is a book of songs and poems written by people who were seeking to be devoted to God as they walked though their lives. This is a collection of songs and poems that express the true, wonderful, and often raw emotions that we have as we journey through life with God. I hope you will be blessed and encouraged as you read. But more than that I hope that these expositions and writings will help you to seek Him in the midst of the life you live in this world. It will be at times comforting and encouraging, while at others it will be challenging and awkward. Regardless of where you find yourself on this spectrum as you read, it will be a reminder that God invites us into His presence to truly walk with Him, know Him, and at times, pour out emotions of joy, sorrow, frustration, anger, and everything else you can imagine. He not only invites you to do this - He delights in it too! Hope you enjoy your journey! Archives
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