He has Dealt Bountifully with Me

He Has Dealt Bountifully With Me

Please Open your Bibles to Psalm 13

(Difficulties will come!)

This is a Psalm of David.  Remember that Psalms are songs and this one was written for the Choirmaster . . .

We often read Psalms as personal Songs . . . as if this is a Psalm for my quiet time if I am going through difficulty . . . let’s read this Psalm as if we are going to sing it together this morning!

Read Text

Pray

Immediate Context is unknown . . . When Saul was pursuing him?  When Absalom was seeking his life . . . the truth is that David had many times in his life where he could’ve penned these words.  The reality is . . . he is in deep over his head! 

The Psalm is divided into three distinct stanzas . . .

1.  Authentic Appeal

2.  Petitioning Prayer

3.  Proclamation of Praise

John Macarthur sees the same divisions, but he calls them below sea level, at sea level and above sea level.

Clearly it is a Psalm of dramatic movement . . . from the depths of confusion and fear to the heights of trust and salvation . . .

Let’s walk through this passage together and Whoa!  How can David say these things to God?! 

1.  Authentic Appeal (Ps 13:1-2)

How Long . . . How Long . . . How Long . . . How Long?  (4 times David appeals with concern for TIME!)

One thing is sure . . . David is wanting things to change soon.

-David turns to the right place . . . not the cry of the atheist (to whom does an atheist cry out?)  “How long Oh Lord!”

-He feels abandoned . . . “will you forget me forever”

-He feels like God’s blessing has departed “will you hide your face from me?”

-He is mentally tormented (trying to figure out his course of action) “taking counsel in his soul”  and “his sorrow is all day long” . . .

 if you’ve been where David is you know how these two go hand in hand . . .difficult circumstances have a way of consuming our mental energy and they press on us all day long . . . there is no escape from them night and day!

-Lastly, David is concerned about the being subjected to his enemy (because this is singular . . . some see this as either Saul or Absalom.)

I want you to notice the authenticity of this appeal . . . David is thoroughly transparent with God!

He doesn’t sugar coat his appeal but he is open and honest even in his impatience.  When in a place where we are where does our cry go?  Do we cry out to God . . . one of the main purposes of this Psalm is to provide an example of how to respond in adversity . . . and that is why it is so essential that we do not remain in verse 1 and 2 . . .

2.  Prayer of Petition (Ps 13:3-4)

Where 1-2 is the fear and perplexity . . . verses 3-4 are becoming more measured . . . and like the steady decreasing of the waves after a storm . . . the stanzas of this Psalm become more calm.

David requests three things of God . . .

He asks to be considered . . . God did not ever leave David, but remember that the Psalms deal with the scope of human emotions.  Even though we know that God will never leave us nor forsake us . . . it doesn’t always feel that way . . .

He who feels forgotten is asking to be remembered . . .

He asks God to answer Him. 

David has been taking counsel with Himself . . . but he knows that this isn’t helping . . . he needs wisdom from on high and he needs God to answer him!

He who has been trying to answer his own questions is asking for God’s answers!

He asks God to “light up his eyes”

David is asking to be revived (1 Sam. 14:27 -  Jonathan and the honey after Saul told them not to eat honey). . . he is actually asking for physical vigor to be restored to him . . . David is likely going through a physically demanding circumstance . . . fleeing from an enemy . . . and yet the emotional turmoil that we face can be equally draining.  David sees death as imminent if God doesn’t intervene “lest I sleep the sleep of death.”

On this last point, he gives a reason for his desire to be restored/revived . . . he does not want his enemy to get credit for his demise or his enemies to be in a place of rejoicing over him.

So David has turned to a prayer of petition to God for attention, answers and protection.  As the storms head off into the distance and the peals of thunder fad into the distance . . . David gets his answer.

3.  Proclamation of Praise (Psalm 13:5-6)

Read verses.

What has changed . . . I propose that the only thing that changed between “How Long, Lord?”  and “I will Sing to the Lord . . .”  is the petition of verses 3-4. 

The Main point of this Psalm is that Prayer changes us!  Authentically coming to God with our troubles and concerns will have a major impact on us! 

Notice that there is nothing in this passage about David’s circumstances changing!

David’s praise is comprised of 3 comments

a. He remembers that he has (past tense) placed his trust in God’s “covenant love!”  . . . b. David pledges to rejoice in God’s salvation

c. He will sing to the Lord

            He will sing because the Lord has dealt bountifully with Him! (David has counted           his blessings)

I am convinced that there is hope in the darkest circumstances if we will acknowledge God in the midst of our darkness and turn to Him in prayer . . .authentic/heartfelt prayers to God.  Prayer is gift for the transformation of our souls . . .

As we come to the Lord’s Table this morning . . . there is another way to look at This Psalm . . . more than the journey of an individual . . . it is the journey of all who have professed faith in Jesus Christ . . .

We all at one point had to Cry out in authentic appeal and acknowledge our need . . . (Teen on a hill at Barakel crying “Jesus Save Me!”)

We all had to prayerfully petition God to “to light up our eyes.”  For we were surely headed for the sleep of eternal death!  He revived us and while were were dead in sins . . . through his son he made us alive in Him!

And therefore, we all should rejoice . . . for we have trusted in his covenant love . . . our souls rejoice in his salvation . . . We MUST SING TO THE LORD . . . for He has dealt so bountifully for us.

OUR GOD HAS TURNED OUR LAMENT INTO REJOICING!  He whose face was hidden from us has now become our salvation!   When we were left to our own counsel Jesus came as the answer!  Just when the enemy of our souls was set to triumph over us . . . Jesus defeated him at the cross!

Let’s come to this table with rejoicing.  For Jesus has paid the price.  Surely we must take some time to be introspective . . . but do not miss the great joy that is ours through communion.  We do not only remember the cruel cross today . . . but we remember the resurrection and glorious victory of our savior . . . Let us rejoice in our salvation . . .

If you are with us this morning . . . and you have a growing relationship with Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, then please join us.  If that relationship doesn’t describe your life . . . then please just pass the plates by.

____________ will pray and thank the Lord for the body of our Lord.

Hebrews 10:10 (ESV)
10And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Rejoice!  The Body of Christ was broken for US!

____________ will pray and thank the Lord for the blood of our Lord.

Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV)
19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Rejoice!  The Blood of Christ was shed for US!

BENEVOLENT OFFERING!