Psalm Sermon

Intro

Introduce who I am:

Hello if you don't know who I am. My name is Josiah Wilson. I'm one of the pastors here at NC.

Synopsis of Wisdom:

We have been in the Wisdom books for this sermon series. Some definitions I want to remind you of is:

Wisdom is the application of Knowledge and/or experience

Wisdom is the Ability to Predict Outcomes

Fear of the Lord:The recognition of God’s existence in a way that causes you to behave better

Talk about the complexity of Wisdom: (Make the Joke about vexes me)

Proverbs was dealing with the complexity of living in a community with a focus on external actions with the community.

Psalms complexity is with the internal side of a community. All of us have emotions, feelings, and complex thoughts. Sometimes we have no idea how to deal with them. We have all experience this moment where we feel this awkward feeling a tension in our stomachs. where the best word to describe it is just experiencing turmoil? Have you felt this before? where your stomach just feels like it is being stretched like 5 different ways? I think the Psalms give us an answer for those moments.

What is a Psalm?

The Psalms are compiled into 5 books full of prayers, songs, and praises. Some were used in temple worship. Some were used in their homes. Some were used when Israel was in exile to experience God in their time of exile.

3 three categories:

Orientation: Such as human life consists in seasons where life is just a blessing and full of gratitude. Psalms of orientation is to articulate the joy, delight, and goodness of God, his creation and God’s governing law.

Disorientation: is when we find ourselves in a moment where we can trust God but something happens and it surrounds seasons of life that are full suffering, death, hurt, rage, hate. Psalms has poems and speeches that express those emotions.

Re orientation: is when life consists of when joy breaks through despair. When it seems to be so dark but the light shines through it all. These moves of seasons in life aren't developmental but they are transformational.

What does all of this have to deal with Psalms? What does this have to deal with Wisdom? Great question!!

Lets read Psalm 1

Psalm 1 (NRSV)

Happy are those

who do not follow the advice of the wicked,

or take the path that sinners tread,

or sit in the seat of scoffers;

but their delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law they meditate day and night.

They are like trees

planted by streams of water,

which yield their fruit in its season,

and their leaves do not wither.

In all that they do, they prosper.

The wicked are not so,

but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.

Remember when Todd talked about how wisdom is what to do when the Law does not. This is where wisdom starts in the Psalms of what to do with these internal emotions? The Psalms give us an example or wisdom on how to express ourselves to our God and as a community.

Three questions I want to walk through

What does Psalms have to say about God?

What does Psalms have to say about Humans?

What does Psalms have to say about the relationship between God and Humans?

What do the Psalm have to say about God?

Remember how one of our definitions is The recognition of God’s existence in a way that causes you

to behave better.

Talk about How the Psalms helps us understand the heart of God

The fear of the Lord. The Fear of the lord is The recognition of God’s existence in a way that causes you

to behave better.

The fear of the Lord in the Psalms is expressing everything to God this is how we can behave better. Because this allows an intimate relationship to grow between you and God. Just as you tell everything to your wife about how you are feeling and what is going on do the Same with God.

He can handle anything. God can handle all of our troubles, expressions, worries, doubts, pain and suffering.

God can bring re-orientation When the opportunity arrives when we expression all things to God.

Where does this appear in the Psalms?

Lets read Psalm 121

Psalm 121 (NRSV)

A Song of Ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the hills—

from where will my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

He who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time on and forevermore.

This Psalm shows the wisdom of Who God is and why we should expresses ourselves to him. My help comes from the LORD. The LORD will keep you from all evil.

What the Psalm says about God is who he is

His love

His providence

His mercy

His justice

The Psalms show us the heart of God!

What do the Psalms have to say about humans?

Lets read Psalm 53

Psalm 53 (NRSV)

To the leader: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they commit abominable acts;

there is no one who does good.

God looks down from heaven on humankind

to see if there are any who are wise,

who seek after God.

They have all fallen away, they are all alike perverse;

there is no one who does good,

no, not one.

Have they no knowledge, those evildoers,

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon God?

There they shall be in great terror,

in terror such as has not been.

For God will scatter the bones of the ungodly;

they will be put to shame, for God has rejected them.

O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!

When God restores the fortunes of his people,

Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Who we are and we need God.

Talk about how we are fallen and broken. (Psalm 88) “I Cry out in your presence”. We need God to help us. We need God to re orientate our lives. The wisdom here is to depend on God and the ability to predict outcomes. If we do not express ourselves than we will stay in this feelingness of brokenness we will stay as a fool. The correct outcome is to express ourselves to God. Because that is how we can experience re orientation.

Thats why Psalms like 23 exist. we need God there is a reason why that Psalm is so famous or, Psalm 19, Psalm 88, Psalm 42. So many more.

What does it say about the relationship between Humans and God? God Relationship with God and humans and humans

When everything was broken. in Genesis with the relationship between God and humans was broken the same was said with humans and humans. Most of the Psalms are using I wording or language but this was sung by communities. God wants to be with creation and his creation wants to be with him

let me Read Psalm 150

Psalm 150 (NRSV)

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty firmament!

Praise him for his mighty deeds;

praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;

praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance;

praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with clanging cymbals;

praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

and

Psalm 132:13–14 (NRSV)

For the Lord has chosen Zion;

he has desired it for his habitation:

“This is my resting place forever;

here I will reside, for I have desired it.

If we are working off the definition of wisdom is the ability to predict outcomes. Todd talked about this idea that we have to use that ability for good benefits if we do not then we are Manipulative. Part of using the that ability for Good benefits is looking our for each other.

Explain Good benefits. (Helping each other, supporting one another).

This idea is followed by the thought of if we are loving God than we are loving his people. If we are loving his people than we are loving God. It is a triangle that i think is helpful to understand. I think it makes sense and this is how the kingdom of God is supposed to be. Your community, your family. Go to your community when you are struggling.

We are if we know someone is in the dirt just sitting and being stubborn and not wanting to move. I think the most loving thing is to look at that and help them. Isn't that what the kingdom of God is about. I think part of wisdom, if I can add to our definitions, is the ability to share selfless love.

If we are growing in fear of the Lord which is The recognition of God’s existence in a way that causes you

to behave better. I think that part of that if not all of that means growing in how to love.

Application

Pursuing the Psalms gives us the words and the way to express how we are feeling. This is what helps us pursue wisdom.

Pursuing the Psalms teaches us how to grow more intimate with God.

Pursuing the Psalms teaches us how to grow intimate with each other.

Pursuing the Psalms allows us to share selfless love.

Pursuing the Psalms can look like reading, praying, singing, talking. If you want to do something more and something that has been helpful for me is to write your own poems, songs, whatever you need to do.