Psalm 9

We must Know the Story

In this short series, I’d like us to see HOW we guard the deposit, and I will propose that we can do that in two ways.

We guard the deposit by Knowing the Story - what we do with the Bible personally

We guard the deposit by Showing the Story - what we do with the Bible corporately

We Know the Story: Learn to Delight in the Word of God

Delighting in the Word

When we talk about delighting in the word we’re also talking about delighting in Jesus

Psalm 119:1–8 KJV 1900

1 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in (CHRIST) the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are they that (OBEY CHRIST) keep his testimonies, And that seek him with the whole heart. 3 They also do no iniquity: They walk (AFTER CHRIST) in his ways. 4 Thou hast commanded us To (OBEY CHRIST DILIGENTLY) keep thy precepts diligently. 5 O that my ways were directed To (OBEY CHRIST’S WORD) keep thy statutes! 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, When I have respect unto all (CHRIST’S WORDS) thy commandments. 7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, When I shall have learned (OF CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS) thy righteous judgments. 8 I will keep (CHRIST’S WORD) thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

The Word Gives us Life

Psalm 119:25–40 KJV 1900

25 DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: Quicken thou me according to thy word. 26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: Teach me thy statutes. 27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: So shall I talk of thy wondrous works. 28 My soul melteth for heaviness: Strengthen thou me according unto thy word. 29 Remove from me the way of lying: And grant me thy law graciously. 30 I have chosen the way of truth: Thy judgments have I laid before me. 31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O Lord, put me not to shame. 32 I will run the way of thy commandments, When thou shalt enlarge my heart.

Psalm 119:25–40 KJV 1900

33 HE. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; And I shall keep it unto the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; For therein do I delight. 36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, And not to covetousness. 37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; And quicken thou me in thy way. 38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, Who is devoted to thy fear. 39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: For thy judgments are good. 40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: Quicken me in thy righteousness.

Luke’s Description of Delighting in the Word

Luke 24:13–48 KJV 1900

13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

Luke 24:13–48 KJV 1900

25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Question?

When have you delighted in the Word?

What are some things you have found to be critical to delight in the Word?

Psalm 9

Learning to Praise when Oppressed (God Sits on the Throne)

Psalm 9 KJV 1900

To the chief Musician upon Muth-labben (Death of the son - Absolom or Goliath) A Psalm of David. 1 I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

A - God’s enemies do not stand in his presence

Psalm 9 KJV 1900

3 When mine enemies are turned back, They shall fall and perish at thy presence. 4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; Thou satest in the throne judging right.

B - God’s relationship with people (HEATHEN)

Psalm 9 KJV 1900

5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, Thou hast put out their name for ever and ever. 6 O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: And thou hast destroyed cities; Their memorial is perished with them.

C - God rules over all (“LORD”)

Psalm 9 KJV 1900

7 But the Lord shall endure for ever: He hath prepared his throne for judgment. 8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, He shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

D - (MAIN POINT)

Psalm 9 KJV 1900

9 The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. 10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: For thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Proverbs 18:10 KJV 1900

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: The righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

C - (SIMILAR) God sits on his throne (“LORD”)

Psalm 9 KJV 1900

11 Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth (“SIT” - ENTHRONED) in Zion: Declare among the people his doings. 12 When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: (God makes things right - he avenges his children and the unjust do not escape His justice) He forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

B - (CONTRAST) God’s relationship with people (HIS CHILDREN)

Psalm 9 KJV 1900

13 Have mercy upon me, O Lord; Consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: 14 That I may shew forth all thy praise In the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.

A - (SIMILAR) God’s enemies do not stand in His presence

Psalm 9 KJV 1900

15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: In the net which they hid is their own foot taken. 16 The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

Selah - Stop and consider this (in your heart)

Higgaion - “Murmur” Stop and consider this (with your mouth)

(SUMMARY) of Psalm - God reigns in justice and delivers the oppressed

Psalm 9 KJV 1900

17 The wicked shall be turned into hell (Sheol - place of the dead...in anticipation of judgment), And all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: The expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. 19 Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: Let the heathen be judged in thy sight. 20 Put them in fear, O Lord: That the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.

How are we to respond?

Psalm 9:1–2 KJV 1900

1 I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

Devotional Thoughts from Plummer

Verses 1-2, “A spirit of thankfulness is one of the marks by which the family of God is distinguished from the world. The foundation of despair is always ingratitude.”

Verse 2, “In true religion nothing will satisfy but God himself. Not any benefit or gift received of God, but God himself, and his free favor is matter (what prompts) of the believer’s joy.”

Section C - Verses 7-8, 11-12, “We need never fear that God will be dethroned, or overreached, or defeated. He is the Most High. His natural no less than his moral perfections put hi beyond the reach of all malice, earthly and infernal.”

Whole Psalm, “However far the wicked may go, they shall establish nothing. God will arise, and their plans will be dissipated like the morning mist.”