Psalms Week 5

Intro

Review Last Week’s at Home stuff:

Psalm 85.

Psalm 42/43

Nothing can quench the thirst that only God can satisfy.

No nap, vacation, change in jobs, or restructuring of your life can satisfy the deepest desires that only God can satisfy.

Personal Story about the deer.

Psalm 139.

The Intimate Knowledge of God verses 1-17 — “Even before a word is on my tongue behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.”

God knows everything about you.

He knows you better than you know yourself.

God created you.

He has perceived and known you from the beginning of time.

God is sovereign over all of our life.

We do not surprise the Lord.

We cannot flee the Lord.

He is ever present.

Pivot in verse 18 — “I awake and I am still with you”

When he writes he is on the run.

David knew that the only thing he could truly count on was God when his back was against the wall.

The previous aspects of this passage serve almost as a reminder for David how great God is, as he is facing one of the most difficult situations he can imagine.

After reflection in a time of reflection he realizes the truth of who God is is real and tangible.

God will not leave or abandon us.

“The enemies of Christ occupy a space of sub-reality. Christ is reality.”

I can face life because of who God is.

From there it shifts. —

Hatred in verses 19-22 — “I hate them with complete hatred.”

Blistering declarations.

Curses.

Who do you rightly hate?

Some evils are so extreme we have to take a stance.

Not personal petty or vindictive.

These men are opposed to God.

David is also seeking the correction of God in this.

Search me, know me.

“Human history is a drama of good verses evil.”

Willingness to be Corrected verses 23-24 — “see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

David is truly seeking God.

He asks God to see if there is anything that he is doing wrong. If so, he wants to be corrected.

This is not self-righteousness, but seeking a God focused and given righteousness.

His enemies that he previously argued against, were God’s enemies. He is asking that if he is wrong, to be corrected.

Courage throughout verses 1-24 — “You have searched me and known me… Where shall I flee from your presence?… You knitted me together in my mother’s womb… Lead me in the way everlasting!”

Psalm 139 is in the Bible to give us courage.

“If we have the courage to face Jesus, we can face everything else.”

“The one we fear most is the one who makes us fearless.”

APPLY

God Made You

God Knows You

God is With You

Because of this we take heart and live courageously.

You have likely heard the statement that the bible says “Do not fear” 365 times. One for each day!

This isn’t quite true. Maybe in some variation it reaches that number.

The point remains, God makes it clear, that when we follow God. We should not worry at all!

We have courage, because God is on our side.

BIBLE PASSAGES TO CONSIDER

Isaiah 43 ESV

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true. “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God. Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?” Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. “Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense. You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities. “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right. Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me. Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and deliver Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling.

WE SHOULD BOLDLY TRUST AND FOLLOW GOD WITH ABANDON AND SINCERITY.

WE TRUST AND KNOW THAT HE CAN AND WILL DO A NEW THING.

MAKES A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS

STREAMS RUN IN THE DESSERT

WE SEEK HIM BOLDLY AND WE GO FORTH CONFIDENTLY. WHOM SHALL I FEAR?

Psalm 27:1 ESV

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?