Psalm 20

Intro:

Review from last week:

Pray for your Pastors this week- Summit on Tuesday and Wednesday

This is a Royal Psalm- the king is about to go to war and stops to pray in the sanctuary

Dress rehearsal, the final night before vacation, the evening before graduation, the night before your wedding, etc

Do you have a “fight song”, when I was in Israel studying for my final exams and I needed a punch of energy, I would play “The final Countdown”.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Outline:

Intercession: “In the Day of Trouble!” (vs. 1-5)

Introspection: “Trust in the Name of the LORD Our God” (vs. 6-9)

Summary: When the going gets tough, God wants us to trust.

Illustration:

Prayer:

Intercession: “In the Day of Trouble” (vs. 1-3)

Pre-script

To the Choirmaster

A Psalm of David- “mizmor” a song sung to the accompaniment of stringed instruments

Requests: 8 in total (v. 1-4)

May the LORD

answer you- The “You” is King David, the congregation is singing/praying this to God for David.

in the day of trouble!

May the name of the God of Jacob- encompasses history here

protect you

May He- referring to God

send you help-

from the sanctuary- his dwelling place, more specific, the ark of the covenant that was brought to Jerusalem by David which signifies His presence.

and give support-

from Zion- his holy city, the city that David rules from for most of his reign.

remember-

all your offerings- communion with God, gifts to God out of grateful relationship

and regard with favour-

your burnt sacrifices- covering for sins, diligently given to cover sin.

“We may think that it takes restrictions on ourselves- fasting, lining in poverty, risking our lives, giving our lives to full-time ministry, performing heroic acts- to earn us special merit, that gets us remembered. THis psalm suggest it is rather the consistent attention to the small, common acts of fellowship, obedience, and relationship that keeps us in the mind of God” NIVAC, 394)

Selah- tune your heartstring to what you just heard

May he answer, protect, send help, give support, remember, and regard with favour His chosen son, the leader of his covenant people.

Asking God to be faithful to His convenant with His People as they live in right relationship with Him

This is important to frame the following statements.

grant you- “you” referring to David

your heart’s desires- remember, there is a context here. David has inquired of the LORD and is going to battle because God told him to do this. This is not a request for a blank cheque

and fulfill-

all your plans!- David’s plans are intertwined with God’s

Responses: 2 (vs. 5)

May we- a change from God to the people, a response if you will…

shout for joy

over your salvation- they are anticipating the victory

and in the name of our God

set up our banners- banners where a sign of vitory or conquest

Catch all (vs. 5)

May the LORD

fulfill

all your petitions!

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

How about you, lets take a moment to Selah, tune our heart strings to what we just heard? Are you in “The Day of Troube”? What are you praying for, or on behalf of someone else for? An answer…protection…help…support…to be remembered or regarded with favour…what has you making intercession today?

How do you reconcile the statements, “remember all your offerings and regard wit favour your burnt sacrifices” and “grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans”? Do you believe that if you sacrifice more, than God is required to grant and fulfill more of your plans? This is tough for me…This is the part that impacted me the most this week. I am so thankful for “selah” in the middle, stop jer and tune your heart strings.

What has you shouting for joy over in the last 2 weeks? Where have you seen victory in the Name of Jesus?

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

I am going to give you a chance to voice your prayer this morning, I am going to say, “ May the LORD…” and then I want you to say out loud one of the 8 requests that is closest to your heart or the one you are praying for. Ready…”May the Lord”…motion them to fill in the statement.

Transitional phrase: The first half of this Song focuses on intercession for someone else, but what about the individual? The second half of the song focused on the introspection of a person and the nation

Introspection: “Trust in the Name of the LORD our God” (vs. 6-9)

Personal (v. 6)

Now- often denotes the changing poin in a poem. This happens in Psalm 2, 12, and 39. The voice changes from the congregation to an individual.

I know- David talking here…

that the LORD saves

His anointed- which would be David

He wil answer him

from his holy heaven

with the saving might

of his right hand

Collective (vs. 7-8)

Some trust in- “keep in memory or ponder”

chariots- the cutting edge military advantage of the times.

some in horses: Deuteronomy 20:1 ““When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

God knew it would be hard for His people to trust Him when they saw armies that were superior to theirs.

but we trust- “keep in memory or ponder”

in the name of the LORD

our God- the one that delivered them from chariots and horses at the Red Sea

They

collapse

and fall

but we rise

and stand upright

Catch all (v. 9)

Oh LORD

save the king

May he answer us

when we call

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

When was the last time you stepped away from the collective group to review what you know about God in the day of trouble?

What insurrmountable circumstances have you tempted not to trust God this week?

“Annointed” this is a religious buzzword that often catches our attention through the scriptures because there is an immediate context and a greater context. In the immediate it is David, but in the greater context, who is the LORD’s Anointed- Jesus!

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Now, we are not called to a military campagne in Isreal today but what kind of a war are we in? Spiritual. This last week a deacon sent me a text with scripture in it 2 Chronicles 20:17 “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.””

Challenge Central- “Busy for Jesus vs. Being with Jesus”,

Ephesians 6- the armour of God, “stand”

Here is my greatest temptation, to bring my concerns to God in the day of trouble because I am supposed to, but then trying to make it through the trouble without God.

“Jeremy, put down your sword”

Transitional phrase:

Summary:

Discussion Starters:

What does my “Day of Trouble” look/sound like these days?

Out of the 8, which request caught my attention the most?

What am I tempted to trust in more in the day of trouble?

Song: Your Name

Next Week’s Sermon: We will sing and praise your power- Psalm 21

Benediction/Looking ahead: INVITE PEOPLE TO THE CAFE