SF848 - HOW TO FACE A DIFFICULT DAY - 5 of 21 THE LYRICS OF LIFE (Psalm 5)

Psalm 5

Introduction

I just can not face another day!

Have you ever felt that you could not go on?  The alarm goes off and you know that you have to face difficult circumstances and situations today.  You want to roll over, go back to sleep and pray that your problems will go away.  But they will not.

What can we do?  How are we to face a day of difficulties?  Does God give us any instructions.

David’s difficult day

David knew what it meant to face difficulty.  He had faced Goliath.  He had faced the fury and wrath of King Saul.  He had faced to power of the Philistine army.  He had faced the judgement of God on his sin with Bathsheba.  He had faced tragedy within his own family.

Now he faced his most difficult day.  He faced the open rebellion of his own son.  More than that he faced an all out war with Absalom.  He knew that by the time, the sun would set on this day many of Absalom’s men and perhaps Absalom himself would lie dead on the battlefield.  He knew that today would bring a great amount of pain and grief to his heart.

So David got up and faced the day.  First, he called on God.  Let us learn from David, how we can face a difficult day.

1A.      Begin the Day in Humble Adoration for God.

1B.       How we are to address God.  (5:1-2)

We are to address God boldly.  (5:1-2)

 “Give ear” = to broaden the ear with the hand, “Lord put Your hand behind Your ear so You can hear better what I have to say.”

“Consider” = to prick up the ear, to pay close attention

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) 16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We are to address God humbly.  (5:2)

 “cry” = a cry for help,

“My King and my God.” = The basis of our prayer is our relationship to God

1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV) 6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

2B.       How we are to approach God  (5:3)

There must be the reservation of time - “in the morning”

I met God in the morning
When my day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise
Like a glory in my breast.
All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O’er a very troubled sea.
So I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way,
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!
(Ralph S. Cushman)

There must be the preparation of the heart – “I will direct it to You.”

“direct” = to arrange, to set in order

Just as the priest prepares and lays in order the morning sacrifice, so your heart and mine should be prepared as we engage in communion with God.  Our attitude should be:

Come, my soul, thy suit prepare,
Jesus loves to answer prayer.

There must be the expectation of faith – “I will look up”

The Hebrew might better be translated “I will look out—as a watchman.”

How can we expect the Lord to open the windows of his grace, and pour us out a blessing, if we will not open the Windows of expectation and look up for the promised favor?  (Spurgeon, Charles H. The Treasury of David, Psalms 1-57)

Matthew 21:22 (NKJV) 22And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

“Faith is deaf to doubts, dumb to discouragements, blind to impossibilities, knows nothing but success.  Faith lifts its hand up through the threatening clouds, lays hold on Him, who has power in Heaven and on earth.  Faith makes the uplook good, the outlook bright, the inlook favorable and the future glorious.”

Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees
And looks to God alone,
Laughs at impossibilities
And cries, ‘It shall be done.’

2A.      Begin the Day with an Honest Confession before God.  (5:4-7)

1B.       We are to confess the holiness of God.

God’s holiness in demonstrated by His reaction to sin.

In these verses David spoke of…

Ø       God’s displeasure at man’s wickedness and, evil (5:4)

Rest assured, Christ will not live in the parlor of our hearts if we entertain the devil in the cellar of our thoughts.  (Spurgeon, Charles H. The Treasury of David, Psalms 1-57)

Ø       God’s hatred of all workers of iniquity (5:5)

Ø       God’s destruction of those who indulge in lying (5:6),

Ø       God’s abhorrence of man’s blood-thirstiness and deceitfulness (5:6).

We need to meditate God’s holiness until we react to sin as He reacts.

This is what Charles Wesley meant when he wrote:

I want a principle within of watchful, godly fear, A sensibility of sin, a pain to feel it near.  Help me the first approach to feel of pride or wrong desire; To catch the wandering of my will, and quench the kindling fire.

2B.       We are to confess the sinfulness of man.

David speaks of the extent of our corruption.

No less than seven words are used in these four verses to describe our corrupt heart.  The Holy Spirit speaks of sin here in terms of wickedness (5:4), evil (5:4), boastfulness (5:5), iniquity (5:5), falsehood (lying) (5:6) bloodthirstiness and deceit (5:6).

David speaks of the hope for our cleansing.  (5:7)

Ø       Our hope is found in God’s mercy.

Ø       Our response to His mercy is “fear” and “worship”

3A.      Begin the Day with a Heartfelt Supplication to God.  (5:8-12)

1B.       We are to ask for Divine direction.  (5:8)

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) 5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Psalm 119:133 (NKJV) 133Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.

2B.       We are to ask for Divine protection  (5:11)

We must trust God to deal with the ungodly  (5:9-10)

“Against Thee” not against me.  If they were my enemies I would forgive them, but I cannot forgive thine.  We are to forgive our enemies, but God’s enemies it is not in our power to forgive.  (Spurgeon, Charles H. The Treasury of David, Psalms 1-57)

Romans 12:19 (NKJV) 19Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

We must trust God to take care of us  (5:11-12)

“The [English] poet, William Cowper was subject to fits of depression and temporary insanity.  On one occasion he was on the way to throw himself into the River Ouse and thus commit suicide.  He hired a [coach], but the coachman, purposely losing his way, brought him back home.  The cloud over his spirit had by this time lifted and Cowper wrote the hymn the comforting hymn, ‘God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform,’ that ends with the verse:

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take:
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercies, and will break
In blessings on your head.”

(1200 Notes, Quotes, and Anecdotes, Pickering & Inglis, Used by permission).

Application

Each of us faces difficulties in our lives.

The question is how can I prepare to honor God in my difficult situations?

Begin each day with…

Adoration for God

Confession before God

Supplication to God.

HOW TO FACE A DIFFICULT DAY
The Lyrics of Life – Part 5 of 21
Sunday, August 22, 1999 - Psalm 5

1A.      Begin the Day in ______________________ Adoration for God.

1B.       How we are to ___________________ God.  (5:1-2)

We are to address God __________________.  (5:1-2)

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) 16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We are to address God ____________________.  (5:2)

1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV) 6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

2B.       How we are to _____________________ God  (5:3)

There must be the ______________________ of time - “in the morning”

There must be the preparation of the ____________ – “I will direct it to You.”

There must be the expectation of _______________ – “I will look up”

Matthew 21:22 (NKJV) 22And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

2A.      Begin the Day with an _______________________ Confession before God.  (5:4-7)

1B.       We are to confess the _________________ of God.

God’s holiness in demonstrated by His reaction to __________________.

In these verses David spoke of…

Ø       God’s ____________________________ at man’s wickedness and, evil (5:4)

Ø       God’s ________________________ of all workers of iniquity (5:5)

Ø       God’s destruction of those who indulge in ________________ (5:6),

Ø       God’s abhorrence of man’s blood-thirstiness and deceitfulness (5:6).

We need to meditate God’s holiness until we _______________ to sin as He reacts.

2B.       We are to confess the sinfulness of ____________.

David speaks of the ____________ of our corruption.

David speaks of the ________ for our cleansing.  (5:7)

3A.      Begin the Day with a Heartfelt Supplication to God.  (5:8-12)

1B.       We are to ask for Divine ________________.  (5:8)

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) 5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Psalm 119:133 (NKJV) 133Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.

2B.       We are to ask for Divine _______________  (5:11)

We must trust God to ______________________ with the ungodly  (5:9-10)

Romans 12:19 (NKJV) 19Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

We must trust God to take ______________________ of us  (5:11-12)