(Psalm 17) What Satisfies you?

INTRODUCTION:

We are nearing a New Year and and the natural flow of the Psalms brings us to .

- Like most of the Psalms this far, it is focused on an immediate call for help by David.

- Again he uses the description, that his enemies are surrounding him and they are about to pounce on him like Lions.

- What is different - is his focus on >>>

What satisfies your soul?

What a great question to ask at a New Year!

Psalm 17 ESV

A Prayer of David. 1 Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit! 2 From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right! 3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. 4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. 5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. 7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, 9 from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me. 10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly. 11 They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground. 12 He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush. 13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, 14 from men by your hand, O Lord, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants. 15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

ILLUSTRATION:

As many of you know,

my wife and I were very sick this last weekend.

After you have been sick, feeling nasty, - your body looks to recover the nutrients and fluids you lost.

When you get to have the first real meal.

Not the crackers

and Chicken soup.

But the first real meal.

But the first real meal.

Because of our sickness, our first whole real meal was Christmas dinner.

So can imagine,

How Good did that turkey taste?

How delicious were the mashed potatoes?

How great did the roles taste?

As many of you have experienced,

when your body is craving nutrients that much.

Every bite rushes your mouth with the full force of the flavors.

When you are done, you can just sit down and feel your needs being meet.

That is the kind of sanctification David describes God making in his life.

You have been hurting, struggling, running with fear, … and then taste the goodness of God’s steadfast love.

And it meets your needs in a way nothing else can.

From this text,

I want us to consider-

Prop: What satisfies your soul?

TRANS: gives us two possible satisfactions we can have in this life and the challenge >>> Which one satisfies your soul?

David begins his Psalm with a

1. Comparison between the Goodness of People.

Just as a big picture,

Notice David’s innocence in .

Psalm 17:2–5 ESV

2 From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right! 3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. 4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. 5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

David

CAVEAT:

Now we know that David wasn’t perfect.

- David sinned with Bathsheba.

- David failed to properly respond to the rape of Tamar.

Yet as a whole,

David was a man who followed the way of Yahweh.

>>>In contrast to that,

compare the goodness of the wicked .

Psalm 17:10–12 ESV

10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly. 11 They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground. 12 He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush.

As a whole,

David’s enemies

have no compassion

are arrogant

looking to hurt David.

EXHORTATION:

Many times when we are hurt and attacked,

and we wonder why someone would hurt us.

hurt us

Sometimes it is because of our sin,

- but other times there are bigger Spiritual problems at work.

- Problems that having nothing to do with us.

ILLUSTRATION:

Why did the cashier fly off the pan handle when I asked him if he had coupon for those eggs?

David shows one reason people hurt innocent people.

- It is where there satisfaction lies.

2. Compare the Satisfactions of People.

Notice the Satisfaction of the Wicked.

Psalm 17:13–14 ESV

13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, 14 from men by your hand, O Lord, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.

Where is there satisfaction?

The things of this World.

Their children.

Doesn’t that summarize our world?

What is the great cliche of American culture?

The American Dream is bound up in

what you can get,

and your children,

which by extension, and what you can give your children.

Isn’t that what these verses say.

And that is exactly what David’s enemies are satisfied with.

Why are the wicked trying to hurt David?

Because they love the things of this World - and it drives them.

Why are you willing to overrun an innocent King? - because all that matters in life is how many things you can collect and then enjoy with your family.

But another question,

Why is David unwilling to do the same?

Again,

it lies in what Satisfies David.

Psalm 17:15 ESV

15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

David’s supreme satisfaction is in God.

Another way to translate “Likeness” is “form”.

That is - what someone looks like.

The ESV translates the word “Likeness”

- David is satisfied with the God that he see’s.

- For David,

For David,

riches and children are not satisfying.

God is what ultimately satisfies him.

Notice the comparison of what satisfies -

The wicked practice evil because they love this world.

David practices righteousness because he loves God.

CONCLUSION:

So back to the challenge,

as you consider this year

PROP: What satisfies your soul?

In 2017,

do you spend your days more satisfied by this world?

OR

do you spend your days more satisfied with God?

Another way to describe satisfaction is to ask what you love?

You are satisfied with what you love.

What did you love most in 2017?

As shown in this Psalm -

a great gauge of your love - is how you sinned.

When I loved this World more than God in 2017,

I sinned and hurt others - what did I love?

When I held on to bitterness - what did I love?

When I was scared - what did I love?

When I sin it is always because I loved something in this world, more than God.

When I loved God more than this world in 2017,

I practiced Christ like love.

When I encourage someone - why do I do that?

When I listen to wisdom and instruction - why do I do that?

Because I value God - I love God - I am satisfied with God himself.

To often,

we are looking to be satisfied by something other than God.

But if we follow the example of David,

we should be satisfied when we get to see the greatness of God.

God himself - is our greatest need and our greatest satisfaction.

Him and him alone can truly give us contentment in this World.

As we conclude 2017,

may we mediate on the question - what Satisfies my soul?