Blessed, thou Broken

Where’s God?

There are times when we wonder, “Where’s God?” Doesn’t He care about the pain or struggle that I am going through? Does He enjoy watching me flounder? Why doesn’t He come running to my aide when I’m in trouble?

BACKGROUND

We first read about David in , where he is summoned while tending sheep; he is identified as the one God desires; then anointed by the prophet Samuel to one day succeed Saul as king, though he does not yet know this. Shortly afterwards, he was called into King Saul’s service as his armor-bearer.

During his service to the king, David had fought Goliath; escaped Saul’s attempt on his life when he tried to pin him to a wall with his spear; was forced to run for his life, while Saul spent many months hunting him down like a dog; by the end of , King Saul is dead.

In the course of David’s life, he had been both alone while tending sheep, as well as in the company of many.

Sometime during the course of his life, David wrote , a Psalm that is referred to as a Messianic Psalm.

(ESV)

PASSAGE

1 uMy God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so vfar from saving me, from the words of my wgroaning?

Why are you so vfar from saving me, from the words of my wgroaning?

2 O my God, I cry by xday, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

and by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are yholy, zenthroned on athe praises1 of Israel.

zenthroned on athe praises1 of Israel.

4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.

they trusted, and you delivered them.

5 To you they bcried and were rescued; in you they ctrusted and were not put to shame.

in you they ctrusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am da worm and not a man, escorned by mankind and fdespised by the people.

escorned by mankind and fdespised by the people.

7 All who see me gmock me; they make mouths at me; they hwag their heads;

they make mouths at me; they hwag their heads;

8 i“He trusts in the Lord; let him jdeliver him; let him rescue him, for he kdelights in him!”

let him rescue him, for he kdelights in him!”

9 Yet you are he who ltook me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.

you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.

10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from mmy mother’s womb you have been my God.

and from mmy mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Be not nfar from me, for trouble is near, and there is onone to help.

for trouble is near,

and there is onone to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me; pstrong bulls of qBashan surround me;

pstrong bulls of qBashan surround me;

13 they ropen wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.

like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am spoured out like water, and all my bones are tout of joint;

and all my bones are tout of joint;

my uheart is like vwax; it is melted within my breast;

it is melted within my breast;

15 my strength is wdried up like a potsherd, and my xtongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

and my xtongue sticks to my jaws;

you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For ydogs encompass me; a company of evildoers zencircles me;

a company of evildoers zencircles me;

they have apierced my hands and feet2—

17 I can count all my bones— they bstare and gloat over me;

they bstare and gloat over me;

18 cthey divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

and for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But you, O Lord, ndo not be far off! O you my help, dcome quickly to my aid!

O you my help, dcome quickly to my aid!

20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of ethe dog!

my precious life from the power of ethe dog!

21 Save me from fthe mouth of the lion! You have rescued3 me from the horns of gthe wild oxen!

You have rescued3 me from the horns of gthe wild oxen!

22 hI will tell of your name to my ibrothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

23 You who jfear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, kglorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

All you offspring of Jacob, kglorify him,

and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of lthe afflicted,

the affliction of lthe afflicted,

and he has not mhidden his face from him, but has heard, when he ncried to him.

but has heard, when he ncried to him.

25 From you comes my praise in the great ocongregation; my pvows I will qperform before those who fear him.

my pvows I will qperform before those who fear him.

26 rThe afflicted4 shall seat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts tlive forever!

those who seek him shall praise the Lord!

May your hearts tlive forever!

27 All uthe ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,

and turn to the Lord,

and all vthe families of the nations shall worship before you.

shall worship before you.

28 For wkingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

and he rules over the nations.

29 All xthe prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall ybow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not zkeep himself alive.

before him shall ybow all who go down to the dust,

even the one who could not zkeep himself alive.

30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming ageneration;

it shall be told of the Lord to the coming ageneration;

31 they shall bcome and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet cunborn, that he has done it.

that he has done it.

u Cited ; ver. 11 w ; ; ; ; [] x y z [; ] a [, ; ; ; ] 1 Or dwelling in the praises b See ; ; ; ; ; ; ; g See ; ; , h ; [; ; ; ] i [; ] j k ; ; ; ; ; n See ver. 1; o ; ; p [ (Heb.)] q r ; ; ; s [] t [] u [; ]; See See w [; See ] y [; ] z ; ; ; ; , ; ; [] 2 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts like a lion [they are at] my hands and feet b Cited ; [; ] n [See ver. 11 above] d [; ] f 3 Hebrew answered g See h Cited ; [; ] i ; ; j k , [, ] m ; ; See n o ; , ; p q ; ; See r 4 Or The meek s ; t u ; w ; [; ] x [] y ; [] z ; ; [] c ; The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S.

PRAYER

Can brokenness be a blessing?

(vs 1-2) David is crying out, "Where are you God?;"

We first read about David in , where he is summoned from tending sheep; identified as the one God desires; anointed by the prophet Samuel to one day succeed Saul as king. Shortly afterwards, he was called into King Saul’s service as his armor-bearer.

During his service to the king, David had fought Goliath; escaped Saul’s attempt on his life when he tried to pin him to a wall with his spear; was forced to run for his life, while Saul spent many months hunting him down like a dog; by the end of , King Saul is dead.

In the course of David’s life, he had been both alone while tending sheep, as well as in the company of many.

In the course of David’s life, he had been both alone while tending sheep, as well as in the company of many. Still, there are times when one feels alone regardless of the many people surrounding them.

(vs 3-5) In spite of David's unanswered requests, he is convinced that God can be trusted based on what he had heard from his ancestors;

(vs 6-8) David sees himself as unworthy, scorned by others, and mocked;

Shortly afterwards, he was called into King Saul’s service as his armor-bearer

(vs 9-11) David recognizes where he came from and affirms his allegance to God and pleads with God to be near him;

Sometime during the course of his life, David wrote .

Can blessing come from a broken life?

(vs 12-15) David senses that he is being surrounded by people saying things about him that's crushing his heart causing him to feel so low that death seems to be closing in;

Let’s take a look at David’s Psalm

(ESV) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?”

David felt the absence of the Lord’s presence in his life.

(vs 16-18) David feels the disregard for his life to the evil-doing congregation that surrounds him;

David felt the special connection with God that can only be had when one spends time with God on a regular basis.

David felt crushed. He felt alone. He probably questioned what’s the use of going on with life apart from God’s presence?

thnk about this: David could only know of God’s absence because he had spent time in God’s presence. (REPEAT THIS)

Consider Jesus: Did He not use these same words while hanging on the cross, dying for your sins and mine ()?

Incidentally, this Psalm is one of the few Messianic Prophecies—meaning that it closely parallels the life of Jesus by foretelling events yet to come.

Think about this: David could only know of God’s absence because he had spent time in God’s presence. (REPEAT THIS)

Safe to say, that David could only know of God’s absence because he had spent time in God’s presence. (REPEAT THIS)

(vs 19-21) David calls out to God to rescue him from the people bent on hurting/killing him; confident that God can rescue him at any time and from anything;

A number of years back, a statistic came out that stated that if the Holy Spirit left the church, 80% of churches would never know.

Where are you today?

Are you so in tune with Jesus that if He were to leave you, you would feel the difference in your life? (Be careful. Don’t answer too quickly!)

Still, though broken and feeling abandoned, he was blessed.

(ESV) “. . . scorned by [men] and despised by the [nation]”

(vs 22-24) David shares with God that he has a message that he wants to encourage God's people with--a message that offers hope to those who are suffering;

Again, can you hear the ringing sound of this echoing Jesus’ life?

Most people feel the hurtful words said to them; sensing attitudes of disrespect; being shunned by others.

(vs 25-26) David promises God that he will encourage His people and honor God;

We all need to feel like we belong—to have people who care about us, even love us, but what happens when this is not the case?

What happens when our need for friendship or fellowship is denied us?

(vs 27-28) David knows that the entire world will bow before God, whether now or later;

What happens when our own nation rejects us? Ask a Vietnam Vet. I can’t imagine coming home to a nation that you fought for freedom for, and even lost friends and family members, to return to such a display of disdain and disrespect for your efforts as did our brothers in arms who returned from Vietnam.

(vs 29-31) death will come to all, but the next generation of servants will carry on the mission of sharing the righteousness of God to all the earth.

Worse, what happens when even God seems to be distant from us?

Being scorned has a way of refocusing our attention on who/what matters most, doesn’t it?

In fact, we are more open to reconsidering our ways when we feel the sting of being despised by men and our community.

Blessings come when one who has sensed God’s presence in their life suddenly realizes God’s absense

We ask such questions as: Did I do something wrong? If so, where? Did I miss something?

David had enjoyed his relationship with God

David had sought the Lord many times when Saul hunted him down. David deeply sought to honor God with his life and actions, even when opposed by Saul, his men, and others ()

Still, though broken, scorned, and despised, he was blessed.

(ESV) “All who see me mock me; they [say things]; they [shake] their heads [at me]; [they say,] He trusts in the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, for He delights in him!”

David deeply sought to honor God with his life and actions, even when opposed by Saul, his men, and others

David prayed for forgiveness for an inappropriate relationship with one of his men’s wife;

David prayed “I am worn out calling for help. . . looking for my God”

(ESV) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.”

Q: Anyone care to offer a testimony to this truth?

Blessings come when one’s trust is in God alone

(ESV) “In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.”

David, when he saw Goliath, offered to fight the Philistine, but Saul mocked David and said in (ESV) “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth. . .”

(ESV) People saw that David trusted in the Lord, and though his enemies mocked him, they recognized that “He trusts in the Lord”

Ever feel mocked because of your age?

When David confronted the Philistine, even the Philistine mocked David by saying in (ESV) “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?”

David had been mocked many times in his life.

Even Jesus while He was before the governor in , is mocked by Soldiers.

Later, while Jesus was hanging on the cross, we read in (ESV) “But the others said, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.’”

(ESV) “. . . you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts”

Blessings do not come often to those who only say that they trust God, but to those who put their faith into practice and truly trust Jesus with their life, . . . their circumstances, . . . their finances, . . . even their family

It’s hard not to hear the mockery and utter contempt in these words.

Still, though broken and mocked, he was blessed.

All of what we have whether possessions, . . . wisdom, . . . knowledge, . . . understanding, . . . a family, is all a gift from God—none of it is earned or deserved!

(ESV) “Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.”

David had known trouble many times in his life. King Saul, in a jealous rage, hurled his spear at David twice hoping to pin him to the wall ().

(ESV) “Saul thought, ‘Let me give her [his daughter Michal] to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.’”

Saul tried many times to kill David, but David always evaded him, which enraged him all the more against David.

David knew that man cannot save anyone, regardless of the size of his army, but that salvation comes from God and God alone.

Do you? Do you rely on your own efforts? Do you rely on your own resources to accomplish your own desires?

Most would say that they trust in the Lord, but the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes.

It isn’t until trouble comes that we find out where our trust is truly placed.

Still, though broken and feeling that he had no one to help him, he was blessed.

How does being broken bless your life?

It helps you know of God’s presence in your life.

It helps you seek God’s acceptance, and not man’s.

It helps you trust in the Lord for deliverance.

It helps you rely on God and not yourself.

Closing Prayer