Sermon Tone Analysis

· Intro Self:

You may be seated……Children you may go to your classes…..I want to welcome everyone to Exodus, my name is Kyle Waters, I’m one of the deacons here ….

We are continuing in our study of the Psalms today and as a Father of four, I am glad that our church teaches the Psalms.

My kids, whether its my youngest in, children church or the older 3 in the service, they learn the songs of God’s people, the songs of Their people.

I’ve always enjoyed music even though I don’t sing it very well, I went through phases growing up, I’d listen to some country, then some southern rock or CCM (Contemporary Christian Music), maybe a little bit of Hip Hop, R&B, or Pop.

This developed my taste for a fairly wide range of musical styles.

There are songs and styles for every occasion.

My High School team always listened to “Eye of the Tiger” or “Welcome to the Jungle” before football games.At Amber and my wedding we played “The Maker said take her” by none other than the greatest band ever….. Alabama!When my cousin died in a car wreck we sang “I can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me and “When I Get where I’m Going” by Brad Paisley.

How about you?

What music and songs come to your mind when your recall or think of these kinds of occasions?Psalms is the song book of God’s people, and there are Psalms for every occasion.

Intro Topic: The Psalms are full of rejoicing, sing, worship but are also full of pain, sorrow, lament, suffering and even questioning.

[SLIDE: QUOTE]John Piper is absolutely correct when he says, the Psalms, “feature the emotional experience of the psalmist intentionally against the backdrop of divine truth”.

Transition: Now many people think that truth has nothing to do with our emotions and raise their kids to think the same.

However, our Psalm today makes it clear that God’s truth is not separated from our emotions.

I don’t know about you, but I experience God’s work, providence and sovereignty in my day to day life.

At times I am up-lifted by the happiness that comes from the His grace and mercy.

However, there are times in this sinful world we are left questioning the actions of the almighty God.

[pause][LOOK RIGHT]

We feel as though we are in a pit, perhaps even being brought down close to the grave.

We are emotionally low, wondering how on earth could the pain and sorrow that we are experiencing could ever be good for us.

We ask, “how could a sovereign and loving God allow us to fall into such sorrow and despair?” (pause)[LOOK LEFT]

The Psalms, the inspired song book of God’s people, meets us in and with our emotions.

These Psalms are experiences of the intersection of divine truth and our emotions and they shape us.

By grace and faith, they form us slowly….. but continually into the image of Christ.

Transition: So, with emotions intact, let us turn now to … As you are turning there, let me share some of the historical context of the psalm.

Historical/Psalmist: There are many theories on the historical context of .

Some, place it in the life of David, some in the time of the exile in Babylon, and still others during the intertestamental period or in the 400-years between the Old and New Testament scriptures. is a Maskil or a type of song by the Sons of Korah.

The Sons of Korah or Korahites were probably the descendants of Korah that led the rebellion against Moses, for we know that Korah’s children did not die, according to Number 26:11.

The Korahites became gate keepers in the temple, a gild of singers and were mentioned as supporters of David in his conflict against Saul.

(1 Chro.

12:6) [So, since this Psalm comes from the Sons of Korah, I’m placing it in during the reign of David.]

Transition: Read with me

[Slide]Text: Psalm 44:1-3

1 O God, we have heard with our ears,

our fathers have told us,

what deeds you performed in their days,

in the days of old:

2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,

but them you planted;

you afflicted the peoples,

but them you set free;

3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,

nor did their own arm save them,

but your right hand and your arm,

and the light of your face,

for you delighted in them.

Historical/Psalmist:

[SLIDE: 44:1]

1 O God, we have heard with our ears,

our fathers have told us,

Let’s look at verse, 1.

The Psalmist recalls what his generation was taught as a child.

Fathers had taken the time to teach them the history of God’s works and the covenant people.

Their fathers had read the scripture to them, their fathers taught them the power and nature of God.

[SLIDE]Their fathers had obeyed, , “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise”[SLIDE] Parents obeying the commandment of God, , “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt.

And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

22 And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes.

23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers.[SLIDE

] As verse 2 tells us, God himself, had driven out the nations from Canaan, “with his own hand”, and planted Israel on His mountain as a tree planted by streams of water.

God had done it all.

Yes, Israel went into battle with swords and military hardware.

Yes, they used their own arms and legs to fight and gained ground, but they would have never been successful if God had not fought for them.

what deeds you performed in their days,

in the days of old:

Let’s look at verse, 1.

The Psalmist recalls what his generation was taught as a child.

Fathers had taken the time to teach them the history of God’s works and the covenant people.

Their fathers had read the scripture to them, their fathers taught them the power and nature of God.

[SLIDE] Deut.

11:19

Their fathers had obeyed, , “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise”

[SLIDE] Parents obeying the commandment of God, , “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt.

And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

22 And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes.

23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers.

[SLIDE ] 2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,

but them you planted;

As verse 2 tells us, God himself, had driven out the nations from Canaan, “with his own hand”, and planted Israel on His mountain as a tree planted by streams of water.

God had done it all.

Yes, Israel went into battle with swords and military hardware.

Yes, they used their own arms and legs to fight and gained ground, but they would have never been successful if God had not fought for them.

you afflicted the peoples,

but them you set free; As verse 2 tells us, God himself, had driven out the nations from Canaan, “with his own hand”, and planted Israel on His mountain as a tree planted by streams of water.

God had done it all.

Yes, Israel went into battle with swords and military hardware.

Yes, they used their own arms and legs to fight and gained ground, but they would have never been successful if God had not fought for them.

Why would God fight for them?

(I thought God only helped those who help themselves?)

God delighted in them.

It was His delight that led him to redeem them.

To drive out the nations.

To plant Israel in the nations place.

It’s not because Israel was great or mighty...

[SLIDE: ], “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

From his youth, the Psalmist heard all these things from his father.

[pause]

Transition: The Psalmist also saw the works of God with his own eyes..

Let’s look at verses 4 through 8,

[SLIDE]

4 You are my King, O God;

ordain salvation for Jacob!