A Calm in Calamity
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A Calm in Calamity
A Calm in Calamity
1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: For my soul trusteth in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.
2 I will cry unto God most high; Unto God that performeth all things for me.
David knew what burdens were… He understood opposition and turmoil and battles.
These terms were not just allegorical, these were life and death… It didn’t get any more real than to have someone with a sword and a spear seek your life… It didn’t get any more real than to have an army and a battlefield filled with death and destruction...
In these days -
days of fleeing from Saul - The cave of Adullam, the cave at Engedi… 3,000 soldiers seeking your life and you only had 300 men. This was a pretty overwhelming time.
These days of Covid have been pretty overwhelming for so many...
real
fake
Political
Medical
Freedom / Authoritarian over-reach
Stand / Submit
Fight / flight
and for those who are making decisions for just themselves, it is a lot easier decision than it is for those who are making decisions for many...
The armchair quarterback has no skin in the game… they can throw out their opinions and idea’s, but they only have very little of the inside information, situations and liabilities that those who are at the leadership table making the hard calls.
Businesses that are faced with following mandates, or being shut down by their local government...
The threats of lawsuits and liabilities by employee’s or patron’s if every I is not dotted and every t is crossed...
The health of people that you truly love and care about… I just recieved another text from a friend whose pastor’s wife has COVID and is hospitalized and is not doing well - yesterday - Tiffany’s grandparents both have covid… across the country and across town, there are people who are facing some very real consequences of the pandemic and the outcome of the virus...
And though the battle may not be a battle of armies, there is a battle that is being fought in the minds and hearts of each of us - to some degree or another.
1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: For my soul trusteth in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.
A Calm in Calamity
A Calm in Calamity
The title of this Psalm -
Al-taschith = All-tosk-ith “Destroy Not”
As David comes before the Lord, we see that there was:
Calamity
Hope… Hope that the calamity would come to an end - “until these calamities be overpast”
What great insight -
Problems are here, but there is an end…
the end may be in sight,
the end may not be in sight,
but there is an end...
His Promise - My Refuge
1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: For my soul trusteth in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.
Be merciful unto me O God - 2 x’s
My Soul
Trusteth in thee… vs. 1
Is among the lions… vs 4
Is bowed down…vs 6
His need was recognized
His need was embraced and proclaimed...
1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: For my soul trusteth in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.
“…for my soul trusteth in thee:...”
His Promise - My Refuge
His Protection - My Retreat
1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: For my soul trusteth in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.
“yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge...”
Notice: His decision...
vs 1 - “…in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge”
He would place himself at the mercy of God Almighty
He would put himself under the Lord’s love and care...
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
David’s trust was in the Lord - God was his refuge
Not:
his armies
his talents
his experience
his support
his position… Davids refuge was in God - the one who promised to care for us...
and these steps were taken with future decisions in mind - it was declaring a future action and attitude...
“...Until these calamities be overpast”
His Promise - My Refuge
His Protection - My Retreat
His Provision - My Relief
10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, And thy truth unto the clouds.
11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: Let thy glory be above all the earth.
The expansiveness of God’s Mercy
The expansiveness of God’s Truth
Mercy is great Unto the heavens vs10
Truth unto the clouds
Glory above the heavens
Glory above all the earth
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
His Promise - My Refuge
His Protection - My Retreat
His Provision - My Relief
