Mercy Meets Life
Notes
Transcript
It’s one of my favorite times of the year. During most summers we turn to the book of Psalms and preach through at least a handful of individual psalms.
As I’m preaching throughout the year, I try to bounce back and forth between the NT and the OT so we have a balanced diet of Bible.
I’m told a balanced diet is a good idea. As much as we might want to eat a steady diet of pizza and cheeseburgers, it’s a really good idea to add some fruits and vegetables in the mix.
Now, there’s no part of the Bible that’s equivalent to junk food. Nor is there any part of the Bible that’s like eating your least favorite vegetables (though you might feel like listening to some sermons isn’t that different than your parents making you sit at the table until you finish your lima beans).
We want to feed our church family a balanced diet of Bible. Our desire is to read and study and work through the whole of the Bible, each of its 66 books. Why? Because every part of the Bible is profitable, useful, and necessary.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Most Christians love the psalms. The psalms give language to the whole of the human predicament. Whatever you’re feeling, there’s a psalm that addressing that emotion. Whatever you’re facing, the psalmist has been there long before.
There are psalms of praise and psalms of lament. There are joyous psalms, and there are psalms that are weighty and emotional. For instance, Psalm 88 ends with this phrase:
Psalm 88:18 “You have taken from me friend and neighbor— darkness is my closest friend.”
It’s a little Simon and Garfunkel-y, “The Sound of Silence”-y. There’s a little emo band vibe to it (it could almost be a track on a Dashboard Confessional album).
Darkness is my closest friend.
For every lament, there’s a psalm of praise. There are psalms of unbridled joy. Psalms of worship alongside psalms of heartache.
That is what’s great about the book of Psalms. It’s exactly what we need for whatever we’re up against. Songs and prayers and poems, God-breathed, preserved by God, for the people of God.
It’s so an important book for the life of the church. I believe it’s formative in the life of the individual Christian, the individual follower of Jesus.
So, here we are. We stopped last summer at Psalm 40. Today, we pick up where we left off: Psalm 41.
It’s a fairly straightforward psalm from David. We find that odd combination of assurance and desperation. This is pretty common in the psalms. Heck, we find this pretty often in our daily lives, don’t we.
In this psalm, David is going through a difficult time. David, the king of Israel, is dealing with some illness (unknown to us). On top of that, he has his share of enemies. And sadly, David even references a close friend who has betrayed him.
Yet, in the midst of this, David’s faith and assurance stand out. That is, the LORD Yahweh, the One True and Only God is, in the midst of this, taking care of him.
If you have your Bible (and I hope you do), please turn with me to the book of Psalms. Keep your seats and turn with me to Psalm 41. Keep your Bible open as we walk through this psalm a little at a time.
1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. 2 The Lord protects and preserves them— they are counted among the blessed in the land— he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. 3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.
David begins with a beatitude—a statement of blessing. It sounds like something Jesus would say: (Matthew 5:7) “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
David is starting with this beatitude. David starts with what he knows to be true.
What’s True
What’s True
The psalmist observes that there’s blessing for those who keep the LORD’s commands. That is, God honors the person who, in true covenant faith, shows kindness to those who are less fortunate than they are.
God’s Word repeatedly calls God’s people to look after the “dal”, meaning the weak, the poor, the lowly.
One who is in a covenant relationship with God, as David is, knows they are to look after the poor. David knows this is true.
Help is to be given to the person who can’t help himself. God’s people are instructed to care for the poor, the weak, the lowly, the stranger and foreigner among them.
God’s people are instructed in this way again and again.
A quick search of the word “poor” in the Bible yields 176 results in 170 verses. God cares deeply, Jesus cares deeply about those who are poor, lowly, weak.
This particular word “dal” in the OT shows up 48 times. Blessed are those who have regard for the weak.
David knows there’s blessing there for those who pay attention to the weak and helpless. To have regard for them, to consider the weak person’s situation is not some flippant, fleeting notice. It means giving careful thought.
Knowing what’s true about the LORD and about what the LORD wants from His people, David can state with assurance what blessings will be received.
The one who walks with God will be blessed by God. The person who walks with God in caring for others will be cared for; the one who shows mercy will be shown mercy.
David knows this to be true. This is true, not only for David, but for those who walk with God.
The LORD delivers them in times of trouble, protects them, preserves them, sustains them, restores them.
David is writing part of his autobiography. He is one who pays attention to the helpless. As the covenant king, the man God chose to lead His people, David has responsibilities to the needy.
David expects—rightly expects—the LORD to deliver him in times of trouble, to protect him and preserve him, to sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.
David knows this is what the LORD does for those who follow Him. “The blessing of the Psalms can best be understood as the joy, satisfaction, and benefits that come from walking with God.” - Futato
This is true, not only for David, but for us.
Hear me, friends. Before we go any further, we need to be reminded: You are not David. You are not the covenant king of OT Israel. Not everything written by or about David applies to you directly. The Bible isn’t about you; it’s not ultimately about David. The Bible is about the LORD dealing with His people.
The LORD cares for us in a general way, but it’s more than that. The wonderful truth about the Christian life is that God cares for us in specific ways.
All the words used here, in just three short verses, show us the many, varied, and significant ways the LORD cares for His people: the LORD grants escape and protection and healing.
The LORD cares for you, this is true. Wondrously, gloriously, ridiculously true.
He cares for you. He cares for me. (1 Peter 5:7)
What’s true here isn’t just true in theory. It’s not just true on paper. It’s true in real life.
David continues:
4 I said, “Have mercy on me, Lord; heal me, for I have sinned against you.” 5 My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die and his name perish?” 6 When one of them comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it around. 7 All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, 8 “A vile disease has afflicted him; he will never get up from the place where he lies.” 9 Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.
What's True is Tested by Real Life
What's True is Tested by Real Life
Truth doesn’t exist in a vacuum. If something is true, it will play itself out in real-time. What’s true, what David believes to be true, comes up against everything real life throws at one of the LORD’s people.
Here, David, is dealing with his own sinfulness and the sins of those around him who are interacting with him in some way.
The truth about the LORD’s blessing meets sin, enemies, and betrayers. We’ll see how the truth stands up under troubling circumstances.
Our circumstances change; truth doesn’t. Truth walks into conflict and reveals to us how true it is.
David’s life is quite something. If you are familiar with David’s story, you know he faced a ton.
A lot of David’s situation is caused by his own sinfulness. And that’s where David starts: “I have sinned against you.”
This is a proper understanding of sin. Ultimately, sin, in whatever form, is an offense to the LORD, the Holy God. David writes in another psalm: Psalm 51:4 “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…”
David here doesn’t divulge what his sins were in this case. We don’t need to know. But David knows better than to say all his problems are someone else’s fault. David owns his guilt; he doesn’t ignore it. He confesses it, and then leans on the mercy of the LORD; he pleads for the LORD to have mercy upon him and to heal him.
This is real life. Much of the trouble we face is of our own doing. Our own sinfulness often plays a part in most situations.
Confess your sin to the LORD; plead with Him for mercy and grace.
David doesn’t gloss over his sin, nor the wrongdoing of those around him. David has his fair share of enemies (the king likely would have several people who were out to get him).
David’s dealing with some illness, unknown to us, and his enemies would like for him to die. That’s the definition of malice. They say, like Ike Clanton, “Yeah, well, I hope you die.”
One of David’s enemies makes a sick call. There’s a show of concern, they’re just pretending to care for David. And then they go around slandering David.
They’re whispering with one another about their enemy, David. They sit around and imagine the worst for him. His enemies are excited, enjoying the possibility that David won’t get any better.
As if that’s not enough, David is dealing with betrayal. A close friend, someone he trusted, someone who had eaten dinner at David’s house on more than one occasion has turned against him.
We don’t know who David’s speaking about, and we don’t need to know specifically. It happened more than once in David’s life. David could be referring to his trusted counselor, Ahithophel, or David’s own son, Absalom. Or it could be someone else entirely.
In David’s life, there’s sin and sickness and betrayal. That’s a lot to deal with. Real life is a lot. I think everyone knows this, unless you’re living in some fantasy land.
Life doesn’t always go the way you’d expect. There’s hardship and trouble along the way. There are some very real depressing moments in this life.
Your college basketball team doesn’t win a single conference game all season, for instance.
Your favorite restaurant goes out of business.
You lose your job or your house.
Your spouse, parent, child, or friend receives a diagnosis.
A situation comes up at work, and you make the wrong call.
Something you do or say upsets your friends and they don’t want anything to do with you any longer.
You say the wrong thing, and break a relationship.
Out of nowhere, you find out the most horrible news you could imagine.
Someone close to you turns against you, betrays you.
Jesus knows what this is like. Jesus even quotes David’s psalm on the night he was betrayed.
John 13:18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’”
Real life, man. David shares this part of his life story because he knows what life is like. David also knows what’s true about the LORD. What’s true meets up with real life, every time.
When David was sick, God had mercy on him. When David’s enemies rose against him, God showed mercy to him. When false rumors and hateful threats were coming at David, God had mercy. When his enemies devised evil plans and even those he trusted came against him, God showed mercy.
In all these moments, the LORD showed mercy. Again and again and again, God saw him, felt for him, and acted on David’s behalf.
David remembers God’s mercy. I’m certain you can think of more than one time when God has been merciful to you, can’t you?
What’s true is tested by real life—even the deepest, darkest moments. Whatever situation you’re dealing with, the LORD is present and merciful.
David now concludes his psalm:
10 But may you have mercy on me, Lord; raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.
What’s True is Tested by Real Life and Proves the LORD’s Mercy
What’s True is Tested by Real Life and Proves the LORD’s Mercy
“In the face of such a barrage of trouble, what is one to do? What can one do but pray, “Have mercy on me, LORD.” - Dale Ralph Davis
The proof of the LORD’s mercy is in the pudding. David sees the proof of what the LORD has done for him because David’s enemies haven’t been successful.
Those opposing David are opposing the LORD’s designated covenant king. David’s enemies, then, are the LORD’s enemies. It’s David’s job to deal with rebels; he’s not looking to inflict a personal vendetta.
So, you, Christian, be careful of praying the second part of verse 10—raise me up, that I may repay them. In this specific instance, the covenant king can pray this. But for us, vengeance belongs to the LORD; it’s not ours to exact.
The LORD is merciful to David, and to us. Even though none of us is David, we know what’s true about the LORD and can trust what HE will do for us.
The LORD will raise us up. He promises to uphold us. He will set us in His presence forever.
These concluding verses are a great reminder that God does not save us out of duty, but out of delight. He is not obligated to save us. He loves saving us. He delights in our salvation.
God sent Jesus so that our sins might be laid on Him, that our sinfulness would be exchanged for His righteousness.
From the moment the LORD saved us, He continues to show His mercy to us in a thousand different ways. His mercies are new every morning. And how we need them, each and every day!
Everything David says about the LORD’s mercy and being raised up, being upheld by the LORD, and set in the LORD’s presence is true for us. Because of Jesus.
Because of Jesus, we have been shown mercy and approach the throne of grace to find grace and mercy in time of need (Hebrews 4)
Because of Jesus, we will be raised up. His resurrection guarantees our resurrection. Because He is alive, we are assured of our eternal life (1 Corinthians 15).
Because of Jesus, who is our Good Shepherd, we are safe and secure, upheld by His mighty hand. Jesus says:
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Because of Jesus, we will be in the presence of the LORD forever. The resurrection of Jesus, His ascension into heaven, guarantees our eternal enjoyment of God. We will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
We have to say this—Psalm 41—is not true in just one episode of David’s life. This is not an instance of this present case only.
This psalm is teaching us what’s true—what’s true about the LORD and how He deals with His people.
This psalm is honest about what life is like in this broken, fallen world.
What’s true about God slams up against real life (in this psalm and in our own experience). What comes out of that is evidence, proof, and personal testimony about how good and merciful the LORD is.
After reflecting on the mercy and blessing of the LORD, David can’t help but praise the LORD.
He ends this psalm with praise to God for who He is.
13 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
We, too, should praise the LORD, from everlasting to everlasting. He is a God who continues to show mercy to sinners like me, sinners like you.
How amazing to have a God who really sees us, who has compassion and mercy upon us, and who gives of Himself to save us!
13 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.