Psalm 34 Enjoying God in every season.
Notes
Transcript
A: Ever had this experience? -
A: Ever had this experience? -
getting to church after terrible week - “Good to see ya how r ya?”
Good Christians “Im grand”
(Connor, Anna Nile, no idea what a dangerous job they have on Sunday morning)
Maybe just me - but reality - don’t always feel like praising God. Sometimes last thing we want to do, yet thing we need most is to reconnnect with him.
Every time we face trial - there is a choice to be made. A resposne in our minds and in our hearts.
What gets in way us praising God? Stuff. When trials and struggles become frotn and centre, and we fail to look beyond them. Consume.
List: illness (ball)
loss (ball)
sin (ball)
heartache (ball)
worry (ball)
dissappointment (ball)
suffering (ball)
Weigh us down. Left depressed, bitter, anxious.
PING PONG BALLS INTO JUG
Heart of this some is David urging us to praise God. Centre perhaps most quotes
Taste and see that the Lord is good!
David says: Taste and See that the Lord is good!
David says: Taste and See that the Lord is good!
My prayer for us this moring. (pray)
Big Idea: Experience God’s goodness in every season
I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.
Before those who feel like I describe walk out, or throw a chair. What I love about this Psalm - realism. Perhaps - David okay for you King David, walk a mile in my shoes.
But look at context.
Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.
1 Samuel 21 - David is on the run. >> anointed to be King, >> yet hopes dashed, >> Saul tried to kill him >> Target on his back. >> goes to Gath seeking safety >> find none, >> such is the danger he is in that this is what we read v13
Crazy person
So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.
Insanity is able to escape to a cave.
Not David on a good day,
Smile Jesus loves you picture
Not David holding one of those smile Jesus loves you stickers while buyring is head in the sand,
Not empty praise.
David is not having a good time.
Not the Marble Arch caves!
Here is annointned King, humiliated, fearful, under threat, breaking point.
Yet he is able to say “I will bless the Lord at all times”
What David share is his experience of God’s goodness. Where does his praise come from - his enjoyment of God and His goodness.
Thats why Davids commannd is nnot simply go to church. Sing the blues away.
C.S.Lewis writing about worship, talks about how
“Praise does more than express enjoyment, it actually “completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.”
It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with . . .”
What David is doing here is more than a noble rising above circumstance, but rather expressing a deep and genuine enjoyment of His God - and urging reader to do the same.
That is why he writes not just praise God, but taste and see the Lord is good.
What is secret to praise filled life?
As David shares experience and then teaches reader, 3 foundations weaved through.
3 R’s
Reverance
Reverance
Middle letter of Acrostic - Lamed - v11. Heart of it. Fear.
v7, v9, 11v 12
Proverbs starts by telling us
Fear of the Lord is beginning of knowledge, later beginning of wisdom.
Start and heart of a life of praise and enjoyment of God is a right understanding of who he is, and a right response to him.
Two types of fear - good and bad.
Bad - (David was subject to) v4 Go me rah
Sort of fear has no good solution. Fear of enemy, of danger, of uncertainty. Fear that weighs you down and leaves you depressed. Causes you to run and hide.
Good fear “ya reh”
Reverence, Awe, astonishment, honour.
This kind of fear is a willing continual submission to God as we recgonise who he is and who we are.
2 are connected. Someone said, think it was Calvin, that we can’t seek to get a right understanding of who we are until we rightly understand who God is. Since we are made by him.
Davids experience v2.
Boast not in himself in his ability to endure our find happiness, but in the Lord.
Let the humble hear and be glad.
v8 This poor man cried out.
David knows the God he praises.
Prelude psalm 56. Uncertain of outcome, he still entrusts himself to God.
Whatever problem he faces, however big or dangerous. God is bigger and more dangerous.
The God David worships and urges us to worship is the God who made the universe and everythign in it. Everlasting to everlasting. All powerful, all knowing, ever present. Eternal ruler and just judge who is perfectly Holy and will deal with wickedness.
Its right to fear him. But what makes it a reverence rather than a terror? He is also perfectly loving and good, and merciful and gracious, pouring out his love to those he has made, to those who fear him.
The fear that David experiences is not a fear that makes him run away but draws him close. Has he cries out to His God and Father.
Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
C.S. Lewis famous book, lion withc and wardrobe.
“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”
Right fear recognises the power and magesty and supremacy of God, but also knows his love and mercy to the humble. To fear him is to know that you lack nothing - but he is all you need. To know that the one who made you, who made everything is working for your good. Even the lions - mightest animal, ferocious predators go hungry but one who fears God lacks no good thing.
Reverence - a right fear is the start of praise.
A right fear that is seen in right living
v12. Our praise - our enjoyment of God is expressed in our words and actions.
As we submit ourselves to him, by Spirit we will also emulate him. Speaking only truth, turning from evil and pursuing peace.
It’s how we enjoy God and thereofore also how we enjoy a long and good life.
We don’t always see it, amist the tragedy and illness, but the fact that they always surprise us, affirms - if we live life in fear of God, ordinary pattern will be a long and good life, lived for the praise of God.
How is David able to keep praising God in the cave. because he knows he circumstances don’t change who God is, and submits to him knowing all good things come from him.
Second
Rescue.
Rescue.
David shares experience of rescue.
David is still in a cave, life is still under threat. But experience of threat has changed.
Before he talks about rescue from circumstance he talks of recue from fear.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
Greatest danger to David is not what can be done to his body but what can be done to his soul. The internal danger of lost hope and lost faith. Of being left in fear.
Nothing to fear but fear itself. Not quite true. But often its the fear of something that is the greatest tourment. Eats away at us. Fear of the future, fear of danger, fear of unknown. Here is David not knowing whether he will be alive to see the morning. But his fear is gone?
How because he cried out to God and God answered him, and delivered him from fear. David is describing is the sense of peace that comes from knowing God.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
David talking about having relationship with a God who hears and draws near.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
Whether or not he describes his own experience we aren’t told. But he is describing a tangible, felt presence of God and his protection and safety.
So closely linked with fear of God. Why use language of fear, because as he submits himself to God, he knows his life is safe in his hands.
Like a man who was drowning in a storm picked up by a boat which now battles against the elments to the safety of land. Is there still danger? Yes - is he thankful to his rescuer Yes. Is he more confident in his deliverance than he was before - absolutely.
And David though in a cave has exprienced the tangible reality of that rescue - still living and breathing despite being pursued by Saul and his army, and despite danger faced in Gath, when his enemy closed in on him.
Refuge
Refuge
Word used twice but concept all over this Psalm. Refuge
Think of a castle or a mount. Place safe and away from danger.
is shelter from danger of distress. Its the thing we put our hope in to keep us safe.
Where we get term refugee.
Those who are on the run from danger looking to safety of another country.
Refuge is where we look to know that everything will be okay. Some refuges are better than others.
David knows the perfect refuge. Not a place but a person. v8.
Here in a grotty cave, life under threat, David experiences true security. Assurance. Peace.
Look at v5 (now my favourite verse!)
Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
Radiant - glowing. Literally - Joyfully satisfied. Like a parent enjoying seeing their child flourish. Like fininally completing that DIY project. Like sitting down in new home, or having enjoyed delicious meal.
What David describes as refuge is not just survival but satisfaction. Not just firm but flourishing. Not just getting by but living it up.
Joyfully satisfied. Radiant. That is his experience, because that is what God is like. Gloriously generous and good and faithful. He knows he wont let him down.
David isn’t waiting until he’s in the palace to find his refuge, he already found it - in a relationship with the God who made him, and who has delivered him from his fears, his troubles, and who he trusts will continue to keep him safe eternally, whatever afflictions life may bring - looks to one who not only will see him through, but who satisfies his souls longing.
Reverence
Rescue
Refuge.
Heart of a life of praise.
Lets bring this home.
What do we do if we are struggling to praise. If we are struggling to enjoy the goodness of God. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves some diagnostic questions to expose the barriers to praise.
Reverence:
What is it you fear the most?
What are the worries/anxieties that seem so big that they are blocking out a rgith view of God?
Maybe our own sense of entitlement is causing us to blame God because life isnt what we hoped?
Rescue
Are circumstances in our life stopping us seeing our need for Spiritual deliverance.
Are we caught up in self sufficiency or depair? Letting circumstances define us?
Refuge
Where are you looking for refuge?
Where are you looking for your ultimate security? The thing that gives you biggest joy, or causes greatest stress. Where do you look for safety and satisfaction when things are good and when things are bad? What are the things that get in the way of your relationship with God?
How do we get from where we are to where David is in this Psalm? David tells us - Taste and see the Lord is good.
Just to say some of us might be carrying deep sorrow today. Might be struggling to taste God’s Goodness, and we won’t feel ready for a feast, but need a morcel. If thats you don’t leave here without tasting his goodness. If you are in the place of barreneness.
And thankfully we don’t have to go far to taste his goodness. He has poured it out in the gospel of grace. As we are filled afresh with truth of the gospel we can again get a clear vision of who God is.
That is where this Psalms points.
The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
Reverence
Pour water into vase
Where do we get a clearer picture of who God is than In the gospel as we meet the perfectly righteous one who submitted himself to His Fathers will to fulfil for us the promise of this Psalm.
As we meet him who left the glory of heaven to enter into this world in humilty, to draw near to the broken hearted and pour in Spirit, so that we can know who God is and what he is like.
That we might see his Glory and majesty and power and goodness and grace, and submit ourselves to him in reverent fear as he calls us out of our sin into relationship with himself
Rescue
Pour more water into vase
Look to the one Who healed the sick, calmed storms, cast out demons, raised the dead
He who went willingly to the cross to deal with our greatest threat and remove our greatest fear. As there on the cross, he took our sin on our shoulders and faced God’s rigthoues wrath on our behalf, so that we might be free from condemnation. So that sin has no victory, and death has lost its sting.
Whatver we are facing today, we have already experienced the greatest rescue - won for us by the righteous Son of God, recieved simply as we place our trust in him.
Refuge
Pour more water into vase
Who said come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest
Who said I have come to give you life to the full
Who said "Let anyone who is thirsty come and drink
As we place our trust in Jesus he frees us from oppression and slavery to sin, and makes us citizens of eternal Kingdom and children of the living God. Our names are written in heaven.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In the gospel we find perfect security and our souls satisfactions.
More we taste his goodness, the clearer the picutre of his beauty - Glory. So that that becomes our boast. So those other things though stil present, no longer define us, or get in the way of this glorious picture, and instead, even in the midst of them we can knw joyful satisfaction.
And of course one day we will enjoy him perfectly.
Reverence.
The risen King Jesus will return in Glory and every knee will bow before the throne, and we will see Him face to face. King of Kings Lord of Lords. Our Redeemer Saviour Brother and Friend.
Rescue
One day he wil deliver us from all our troubles. He will wipe every tear from our eyes ,there will be no more pain, or suffering, or sickness, or death.
THROW PING PONG BALLS AWAY
When he returns and takes us home
Refuge
And we will need nothing else. We will not be left wanting, but spend our days expressing perfect enjoyment of God at the great banquetting table.
Taste and See that the Lord is good.
With David let us magnify his name. Let us exalt him together.