Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Now

“I do not suppose there is any person in this assembly who ever has stronger fits of depression of spirits than I have myself personally” (MTP 15:640).

After witnessing seven people trampled to death he said, “The very sight of the Bible made me cry” Charles Spurgeon

-In this list you see a list of some of the most mature believers crying out to God, and wrestling with unchanged suffering, and feeling abandon by God.

-Today I want to look at a biblical character that many might not know much about, but he wrote a song the might help you today.

Then

-As far as timing the only thing that we know is that this was most likely written during the time of David’s reign over Israel.

-The most important factor about this Psalm is to identify the writer.

And try to do a little background work on that to help us better interpret this Psalm.

-You will notice the phrase “For the choir director” not all of the Psalm say this.

This tells us that this Psalm after it was penned became a song that was sung by the Jewish people.

In other wards they put this song into the hymn book.

“according to Jeduthun” lets take a look at who this individual is.

-(v.1-15)

David is giving instruction on how he wants the Ark transported to Jerusalem.

He is talking to the Tribe of the Levites who were responsible for this task

-(v.16-17)

David told the Levites to get some of your people(family) who are skilled singers and musicians to join the First Baptist Choir of Jerusalem.

-(v.17)

I want you to see that Asaph was one of the appointed musicians and singers.

-(v.18)

Also there was a person named “Obed-Edom” that was appointed.

He was a gatekeeper for the Ark

Who was Obed-Edom?

During the Jewish wars with the Philistines the Israelites lost control of the Ark and it feel into the hands of the Philistines.

When the Philistines stole it, the Lord trouble their whole camp with diseases, and rats.

It got so bad at they told the Israelites come and get this Ark back.

David went to get it and on the way back he was carrying the Ark incorrectly and the Lord killed his servant Uzzah.

So David get scared and took the Ark to Obed-Edom home.

-Obed-Edom was a Gittite, which is of the clan of the Philistine.

Meaning that Obed-Edom was a son of Ham.

This tells us that Obed-Edom was a black man.

It also tells us that he was a Jewish Proselyte meaning that he left the idolatry of the Philistines and became a worshipper of the God of the Israelites.

What we can also glean is that his whole family was godly, in that David trusted him with the Ark.

-(v.18)

David eventually came to his senses and realize that it was his fault that Uzzah died while carrying the Ark so this is the point at which he is giving instruction on getting the Ark from Obed house.

-(v.18)

You will notice that Obed is a gatekeeper of the Ark, and he is Part of the First Baptist Choir of Israel.

-Why is that important?

Let’s take a look at who his Father is:

-Obed-Edom brought his whole household to work at Jerusalem in the service of the protection of the Ark.

Now look who his father is----Jeduthun

-Psalm 77 title “For the Choir Director; according to Jeduthun” Now we know that this piece was made for the Choir Director, according to Jeduthun.

Meaning that this song was sung by the First Baptist Choir of Israel and Directed by Jeduthun the Father of Obed-Edom a black proselyte to Israel.

-Psalm 77 title- “A Psalm of Asaph” Now this phrase tells us the writer of the song.

The Writer is Asaph.

-(v.4-5)

After the Ark was set up David called for an A & B selection from the First Baptist Choir of Israel.

Now look at who the leader is in (v.5) “Asaph the chief” and also “Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals” notice in (v.6) what’s going on.

Benaiah and Jahaziel blew trumpets continually before the Ark.

This was a praise session that never stopped this became part of their regular duties everyday (v.37).

-Let me add another nugget about Asaph:

-(v.30)

In this text King Hezekiah ordered the officials to get out the First Baptist Church of Israel hymnbooks and sing a song of praise written by David and Asaph the Seer.

The word Seer in noun form is “Prophet” meaning Asaph was one the chief choir director, and Prophet of God.

Always-Kingdom Principle- God in his infinite wisdom sometimes allows for times of silence in his relationship with us so that we may learn to live by his words rather than our emotions.

Verse 1: Discouragment

-Discouragement-to deprive of confidence, hope, or spirit; dishearten.

Listen to the words of Asaph

-One of the reason that I did that background work on Asaph was to show you that even the spiritually mature go through times of depression, anxiety, fear and feeling abandon by God.

-Asaph was chosen by David as one of the Chief Choir Director of the First Baptist Church of Israel, and yet in this passage he is wallowing in deep emotional pain, and suffering related to something that either he is going through or the country is experiencing.

His trial is not spelled out in the Psalm so it would be unwise to speculate, but whatever it is it has him feeling “some kind of way”

-(v.1) “My voice rises to God” This tells us right out front that this a prayer lament.

Asaph is in private worship of God via prayer and his heart is heavy

-(v.1)

“and I will cry aloud” He is no longer sending up quiet prayers for provision and guidance.

His tone has changed and he has increased his tone, believing that if he maybe he yells his pain that God would hear him.....Have you been there???

-(v.1) “My voice rises to God, and He will hear me” Two things to take notice of in this phrase.

a. 1st- “and He will hear me” this phrase is render more accurately in the Niv, and Rsv. it is base on the verb form of hear.

The Niv renders this phrase “I cried out to God, to hear me” contextually after you read verses (2-3) this rendering makes more sense.

b. 2nd-The Psalm are Hebrew poetry, which means they usually follow some type of literary pattern so that you recognize the genre.

This song uses Parallelism.

Parallelism comes in three primary forms: Synonymous, Anti-thetical and Synthetic.

This is an example of Synonymous Parallelism.

Examples of modern parallelism

1. “You better stop crying, or I am going to give you something to cry about”(Synonymous Parallelism)

2. “I brought you in this world, and I can take you out” (Antithetical Parallelism)

3. “Keeping playing and see what happens” (Synthetical Parallelism)

What reason would the Hebrews use parallelism?

a. Recognition-So that you can recognize the Genre(History, Poetry, or Prophecy) that is important because they are interpreted differently.

b.

Memory-These are songs/poems so redundancy can help with memory.

c.

Emphasis-important ideas were stated the same with little differences so that you pay close attention to them.

-(v.1)

Asaph in this verse is writing in his personal journal and he bears his soul out.

He past looking like everything is alright.

He is pouring out his soul to God hoping that the Lord’s hears him, but he is losing confidence.

-(v.2) “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord” Earlier in the sermon I said that his trial was either personal or corporate(for his people) this verse helps us a little bit.

I think that Asaph is dealing with a personal trial.

Notice the pronoun “my” trouble.

-(v.2) During Asaph late night prayer services the peace that passes all understanding never seemed to come to him.

Notice that he says “in the night my hand was stretched out without weariness” this things was on his heart so heavy that he lifted up holy hands all night.

He started prayer and left prayer with the same feelings of discouragement & pain (My soul refused to be comforted).

Have you been there?? usually when I pray to the Lord it’s like aspirin to a headache, Motrin to swelling, Claritin to allergies.

When I take my burdens to the Lord I start to feel better over time, but for this prayer request, the medicine is not working....Have you been there??

-(v.3) “When I remember God, then I am disturbed” This is very strange usually when we reflect on God comfort comes, but in this case his memory of God was bring him more pain.

How do we make sense of this?

a. Disturb-To groan or make noise