Calm faith when under attack - A Psalm of Trust
Notes
Transcript
I often feel rather sorry for King David.
A simple shepherd boy who became king.
As a young man and throughout his life there were times when he reached the highest heights and the lowest lows.
Times of great joy and times of great despair.
Sometimes the times of despair were the result of his own stupidity.
Other times they were the result of jealousy.
David was a man who often wore his heart on his sleave.
He laid it all out before God, often through the Psalms and even at times in his actions before the whole nation.
Psalm 62 is one of those occassions.
Possibly written in the lead up to the time of Absalom’s rebellion
Absalom was one of David’s sons who conspired to overthrow his father and take the throne for himself.
He had murdered his half brother Amnon after Amnon raped Absalom’s sister Tamar.
All of this came about because of two mistakes on David’s part.
To many wives and concubines is always going to result in to many children and to much competition between them.
Secondly when David committed adultry by forcing himself on Bathsheba and then murdered her husband Uriah in an attempt to cover up his sin he found himself facing God’s judgement as we discover in 2 Samuael 12:10-12.
In this passage it is made clear that David’s family will now be in conflict against each other.
So as I have said before, let this be a warning to all men.
One woman is more than enough trouble for any man.
So we find in Psalm 62 King David wrestling with the troubles he faces.
Troubles he may well have brought upon himself.
And even though David was at times very foolish we can still learn a great deal about God and how we can face times of attack.
The beauty of this Psalm is that it provides a pattern for us.
A pattern of how to have a Calm Faith when under attack.
Psalm 62 is like many of the Psalms and even some other parts of the Scriptures in that it has a very discernable pattern as to how it is arranged.
It has what is called a Chiastic structure and shows us how the Psalmists arranged their thoughts.
It is quite brillient and occures in at least fourty five of the Psalms and other Hebrew poetry.
Whether David and the other authors of the Psalms actually thought in this sort of stucture.
Or once they had written their thoughts down then rearranged them and ordered them into this sort of structure we don’t know.
But it is a notable feature of Hebrew Poetry and can be very helpful to how we understand their thought process.
The Psalms are poetry and poetry expresses emotions.
And the very first thing we can learn from this is that to have a calm faith when under attack requires an attitude of being open to God about how you are feeling.
It is no use pretending with God.
He sees right through that.
So in this Psalm as in all Psalms and especially with King David we see an openness, a transperacy, a willingness to put it all out there before God.
Then as you put it out there before God there is this growing realisation.
This learning, which we see develop and come to a place of wrestling and then acceptance and then hope.
We also see a willingness to share the struggle
In the preamble we see some information about who David initially shared this Psalm with.
His choir director, Jeduthun.
Now we know from the other Psalms and from passages such as 1 Chronicles 25:1-3 that Jeduthun was one of three head choirmasters.
Each with their sons and relatives were rostered for service in the temple.
It would appear that Jeduthun’s speciality was the lyre.
So what did David share that Jeduthun would then put to music?
Stillness Under Stress, waiting quietly before God, for he is the ONLY source of victory Psalm 62:1-2
Up front King David afirns that which he knows to be true.
In the midst of incredible pressure, there is only one source of security.
David uses three terms for God in these verses.
Rock, Salvation, Fortress or High Tower.
Here we see an understanding of God’s strength and permanance in David’s thoughts.
Yahweh is unchangable.
David knows this so this is where David will remain.
But there is also a realism, perhaps a pessimism about how things might turn out physically for David and we see that in verses 3 and 4.
3 So many enemies against one man— all of them trying to kill me. To them I’m just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. 4 They plan to topple me from my high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts. Interlude
David’s enemies are false friends, even his own son.
They have no respect for David’s high position as king.
They are hypocritical, praising David to his face but telling lies about him behind his back.
They see a man who is weakened by the actions of Absalom.
Who after being exiled has used every manipulation he can to weasel his way back into the kingdom and then go about drumming up support to over throw his father.
They see that David is now isolated from many of his supporters.
His position is no longer as secure as it once was.
They think he is a wall or a fence that will easily be pushed over.
Like the walls of a city ready to collapse under the assult of a battering ram.
So they are going to take the opportunity before them and push harder until David falls.
But they are mistaken if they think that David has lost trust in God and is done - Psalm 62:5-8
Here in verses 5 to 7 we see an incredible moment when David reminds himself of what he believes.
He repeats and expands upon his starting point in verses 1 and 2.
Psalm 62:5–7 “5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. 7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.”
But this is more than just simple repitition.
In verses 1 and 2 David declares that he will rest in God.
In verses 5 to 7 he is exhorting himself to rest in God.
This is more than a statement of fact that God is salvation.
Now it is an expression of hope.
A statement of ongoing trust.
This isn’t just a truth that David is saying he believes, it is now a truth that he is actually living.
David has moved from statement of belief to action based on this belief.
In verses 1 and 2 David stated that he believes God is his rock and salvation, his fortress who is the source of victory.
Now he states the same truth in a way which tells us he not only believes this is a truth, he is absolutely assured that it is true.
He has staked his life on trust in God.
He will not be moved.
So much so that we read in verse 8
8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Interlude
David not only exhorts himself to action, he now calls for those with him to also act.
In the context of the when David wrote this Psalm this would have been addressed to worshippers in the temple.
In the context of the moment when David reflected on the actual time of struggle.
He would have been appealing to his supporters to trust God as he was.
King David was appealing to his people to understand the truth expressed in our time by Oswald Chambers
It is not our trust that keeps us, but the God in whom we trust who keeps us. (Oswald Chambers)
From verse 9 we find David reflecting and providing instruction to those who would hear this Psalm sung in the temple.
Do not put your trust in people, either the common man or those in positions of power.
In the scheme of things this is stupidity, for people will fail you.
Do not put your trust in taking from others what you have not earned.
Nor should you put your trust in wealth honestly gained.
In the scheme of things wealth wether gained honestly or dishonestly can all be taken away and one day will be.
There is only one thing which is certain.
One thing alone.
David has heard it from God on many occassions.
11 God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you; 12 unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done.
Marvin E T author of the Word Biblical Commentary on Psalms 50 to 100 makes these important points.
The speaker (David) has found the strength of a calm stillness of soul before God, a position which gives power for both self-encouragement and encouragement for others.
Stillness before God has exorcised the frequent dominant elements of life - fearful anxiety, disappointment, pain of abuse-and has become the assurance of the adequacyof divine power and divine willingness to help those who are faithful.
When we remain calm in trust before God, we grow in strength and discipline.
The New Bible Commentary Psalm 62. Power Working by Love
We have much to fear and nothing to rely on or trust in humankind. Consequently, under human pressure in all its reality, where is our resource? Only and perfectly in God!