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God's Directions for Distressing Times
Psalm 56:1-13
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Grayson Baptist Church - March 1, 2015
(Revised September 21, 2019)
BACKGROUND:
*In the KJV, the introduction to Psalm 56 says: "To the chief Musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath."
*The first part of that Hebrew phrase is "Jonah," like the Prophet Jonah's name.
I never knew this before, but Jonah's name means "dove".
And the whole phrase "Jonath-elem-rechokim" means "The Silent Dove in Distant Lands."
*Church: That may be how David felt when he wrote this Psalm, because he was trapped in enemy territory.
It was one of the most distressing times in David's life, so the introduction in the NKJ says: "To the Chief Musician.
Set to "The Silent Dove in Distant Lands." a Michtam of David When the Philistines Captured Him in Gath."
*David was trapped by the Philistines when he wrote this Michtam Psalm.
And this word "michtam" means something "engraved" or "permanent".
You see, God wants us to know that the words David wrote 3,000 years ago can still help us today.
And we need this help, because all of us have to go through times of maximum stress in life.
(1)
*With this background in mind, let's all stand as we read Psalm 56.
MESSAGE:
*You may have seen the news about PFC Jerome Swaggart getting killed while serving in our Army over in Kenya.
His funeral is in West Monroe this afternoon at 3. The young man's mother used to work in one of Mary's schools, and Thursday night Mary got this text from one of the teachers up there:
*"Hey Mary.
Didn't know if you had heard about Shalia Swaggart's son.
He was in the service and died in Kenya.
His body is being returned tomorrow. .
."
*Mary asked if it was combat related, and her friend replied: "He was on his post at night, and went to investigate some smoke (at the end of an airstrip).
They later found out cause of death was a snake bite.
The 5 most dangerous snakes are located there.
They said one snake was very aggressive and death would be almost immediate.
His mother, Shalia got word on her birthday, February 19, at 9 p.m. Just now getting body back."
*Mary said, "This is so sad.
Did he have a family?"
And her friend said, "Just parents and 3 older sisters and their families.
He wasn't married and didn't have kids.
I think he was 26." (2)
*We have the Swaggart family on our prayer list.
May the Lord help them through their terrible loss.
There are also people in our church family going through difficult days, but God is faithful, and He will surely help us.
Today's Scripture can help, because it gives us some good directions for distressing times.
1. FIRST: WE SHOULD ASK FOR GOD’S ASSISTANCE.
*That’s what David did in 1, when he cried out to the Lord and said: "Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me."
Just like David, we should ask for God’s assistance.
[1] ONE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE WE NEED GOD'S HELP.
*David surely did.
Again, this was one of the most distressing times in his life.
David was so desperate that he pretended to be insane before the Philistine King Abimelech.
*Ironically, the trouble started after one of David's greatest victories: The day that he killed the giant Goliath.
That incredible warrior was over ten feet tall, and he had been terrorizing the whole Jewish army.
*David's victory over Goliath made him a hero to his nation, but it also made David's king insanely jealous.
King Saul was so jealous that he tried to kill David at least twice with a spear.
Then Saul began to hunt for David all over the country.
Finally, in desperation, David made a terrible decision: He would go where Saul would never reach him.
He would go to Goliath's hometown and seek asylum from the Philistine king.
*Of course, as soon as that king's servants realized who David was, they grabbed him and took him to their king.
David was out of the frying pan and into the fire, so 1 Samuel tells us that David:
13. . .
changed his behavior before them, feigned madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard.
14.
Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is insane.
Why have you brought him to me?
15.
Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence?
Shall this fellow come into my house?''
1.
David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. . .
(1 Samuel 21:13-22:1).
*David was trapped with the Philistines.
What could he do?
Well, one thing David did was pretend to be crazy before the people of Gath.
But the most important things he did are in this Psalm, like in vs. 1, where David cried out to God for help: "Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me."
[2] JUST LIKE DAVID, WE SHOULD ASK FOR GOD’S ASSISTANCE, BECAUSE WE NEED HIS HELP, AND BECAUSE HE WILL SURELY HELP US!
*God will surely help His people!
David knew this great truth, and we can see his faith as he spoke to the Lord in vs. 9.
There David said: "When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me."
*Don't miss what vs. 9 says to everyone who trusts in the Lord: God is not against us.
HE IS FOR US.
God surely helped David, and He will surely help us in every situation.
*Greg Anderson told the story of a man who was deserted by his wife.
He was totally depressed.
He had lost faith in himself, in other people, and in God.
Then one rainy morning the man went to a neighborhood restaurant for breakfast.
Several people were in the diner, but no one was speaking to anyone else.
*The miserable man leaned over the counter, stirring his coffee.
A young mother with her little girl was in one of the booths.
They had just been served, when the girl broke the silence by almost shouting, "Momma, why don't we say our prayers here?"
*The waitress turned and said, "Honey, we can pray here.
Will you say the prayer for us?" Then that tough waitress looked at the rest of the people in the restaurant and said, "Bow your heads."
-- And one by one, they did.
Then the little girl then bowed her head and prayed, "God is great, God is good, and we thank him for our food.
Amen."
*It was just a little prayer, but the whole atmosphere in that diner changed.
The sad man with the coffee later said, "All of a sudden, my whole frame of mind started to improve.
From that little girl's example, I started to thank God for all that I did have and stopped majoring on all that I didn't have.
I started to be grateful."
(3)
*God surely helped that man in a big way when a little girl prayed what seemed to be a little prayer.
God found a way to help that hurting man, and He will surely help YOU.
2. WHAT CAN WE DO WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH?
ASK FOR GOD’S ASSISTANCE.
AND TALK ABOUT OUR TRUST.
*One of the most helpful things we can do when we are going through hard times is talk about our trust in God.
That's what David did starting in vs. 3.
He was still praying to the Lord, and David said, "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You."
*Yes, there will be times when we are afraid, but we must have David's determination to never stop trusting in the Lord!
*Also notice that talking about our trust helps to build up our faith and our courage.
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