God's Unconditional Grace: Part IV

Introduction

In the last few weeks we have noticed the non-communicable attributes of God. We have seen God’s omniscience, how He knows what we’ve done, He knows where we’ve been, and He knows what we need.

We looked at the omnipresence of God. There is no place we have been where God hasn’t been. We cannot escape the presence of God.

Then last week we saw the omnipotence of God. God is all-powerful. The psalmist explains this as he refers to the design of a human being. God’s power is shown through the intricate details of the human body.

After recognizing God and His greatness, David seems to take an unusual twist in the chapter. This psalm is filled with the majesty of God, and now David inserts a few verses describing his enemies.

If you know anything about the life of David, you’ll know that he experienced a lot of opposition from others. Before he took the throne he was on the run from Saul, in fear of his life.

Even during his reign as king he had those who sought his position. He dealt with enemies his whole life. Yet, David learns to trust God even in the uncertainty of his life and those who wanted to take it.

Here we will find that David puts his problems in the context of the God he just described. He will respond in humility and surrender to the Lord. David’s response to who God is should be the response we have as we consider the greatness of our God that we’ve examined in this psalm.

Transition

Tonight I want us to look at Two Actions we should take knowing who God is from this psalm as we consider who He is.

We Should Trust that God Is in Control of What We Are Facing (v. 19-22)

In these verses David is facing trouble that was being inflicted by other people. He speaks of their murderous behavior. He also mentions how they speak evil against him and even God himself.

If you’ve ever been in a similar position as David where you had people who hated you and spoke bad of you, you know the feeling of helplessness in that situation.

But, instead of focusing on the enemies of David, I want us tonight to focus on what I believe the point that David is trying to get across here.

First, I want you to notice that David praises God before he lists his problems. As I looked at these verses in preparation for this sermon, I thought, “How in the world does this fit?”

These verses seem so out of place here. David seems to be so enthralled with God, then out of nowhere he starts talking about his enemies. What’s up with that?

But I think these few verses that seem almost out of place, may have been the exact reason David wrote this psalm. Because instead of complaining about his situation and listing his problems, David begins the psalm with praise and adoration.

What an incredible thought to ponder tonight. Before we complain about the situation we find ourselves in, or dwell on our problems, it would do us well to consider God and who He is and what He can do with our situation.

I don’t know about you, but when I read the first part of this psalm, and see the grandeur of God on display, it makes the problem David had look pretty small, not because what he was experiencing was easy to deal with, but because His God was way bigger than what he was facing.

When you response to situations in life begins with complaint, fear, and worry, it makes your God look small and your problems look big. But when you turn to God in praise and adoration and remind yourself of who He is, it makes your problems look small and your God look big.

Praise puts our problems into perspective!

Although praise did not change David’s circumstances, it did change how he viewed them. Although at the end of this psalm he still had enemies, he also had a God who was bigger than all his enemies.

These verses don’t show a lack of faith, it shows the action of faith. David believed that God was still in control of his situation although it had not changed.

Maybe tonight you have found yourself in something similar to verses 19-22. Your circumstances are difficult and seem to not be going away any time soon.

Could I challenge you, encourage yourself in the Lord! David in essence is saying here, “God you know all about me. You know about my enemies even more than I do. You’ve been with me and have never left me once. God if you have the power to design me, and know me in and out, you know my situation and have power over it just the same. God I trust you even in the difficulty I’m facing.”

May we come to the same conclusions tonight. God knows all, He’s everywhere, He’s all powerful, and we can fully trust Him in whatever we are facing.

We Should Yield to God in Our Lives (v. 23-24)

David asks God to search, now, try, and lead him. I want to ask you a simple question, and it’s not a trick question. Do you think that God could do these things without David’s permission?

Absolutely! Verse 1 David admits the fact that God has already searched him! God already knows Him.

What verses 23-24 show us though is that God desires for us to be yielded to Him. God delights in our surrender. God did not create us to be like robots that mindlessly do what we’re told and how we should think.

God created us with choice. He created us in the way He did so that we would give praise and service from a heart that loves and adores Him.

David was not forced to pray what he did in these last two verses. He did it in response to what he meditated on about God. When we dwell on who God is and what He’s done for us it should cause us to surrender to Him.

To consider that He is God over all, and realize his omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, it would be arrogant to do anything but bow the knee to Him.

Conclusion

Andrew Murray once said, “God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.”

May we respond in the way David did to this psalm. Recognizing God’s control over our lives and the situations we face and as a result of that faith yielding ourselves to the Lord, asking for Him to take control of our lives.