Help Lord! - Psalm 12:1-8

1 Help Lord! Psalm 12:1-8 20210328 Call to Him, for God listens and acts in response to our greatest need! Introduc)on This year marks 25 years since I finished high school. In June of 1996 I graduated from HRV – which means it has been greater than 25 years ago that I read George Orwell’s 1984. It was either in 10th or 11th grade it was part of the assigned reading for my high school English. I bring up 1984 because I just recently started it again. Have you ever read George Orwell’s 1984? I’m sharing this with you because something about this past year has made me pick up a number of dystopian novels. And as I was devoXng Xme to Psalm 12, our text before us today, it hit me as to why this style of wriXng seems so perXnent to the present moment. You see at the heart of most of the dysfuncXonal, authoritarian, just plain tyrannical governments in these books is a theme of taking language and corrupXng it. Taking language and manipulaXng it. Taking history and changing it. UlXmately causing distrust of everyone and everything and losing touch with reality itself. Let me give you an example from 1984 of what I mean. Winston, the main character, works in the Ministry of Truth. His job, in the Ministry of Truth, is to alter records, speeches, really anything that contradicts the party’s posiXon of absolute authority. Early in the book Winston says, “who controls the past, controls the future, who controls the present, controls the past.” In saying this I want you to realize that Winston is a man who actually delights in his work and he says this almost just as a maaer of course while he is working away at altering a substanXal periodical piece that had previously been published. But…but ader the fact didn’t reflect what actually happened. So, he was tasked with re-wriXng it so that the original publicaXon could be recXfied and the party leader could be seen as infallible. “Who controls the past controls the future, who controls the present controls the past.” This is an absolutely horrific thought – the deliberate decepXve alteraXon of words. It is horrific because one of the greatest aspects of mankind that sets us apart from the animals is our ability to communicate with words. Words are one of the most elegant and beauXful aspects of who we are. Words allow us to communicate care, deeply held feelings, and love. AlternaXvely, words also can be used to manipulate, challenge, and corrupt that which is true. When we are not careful our words more easily slip into this laaer use and when we are not well versed in God’s word we struggle to discern when our language turns corrupt and we struggle to discern when words entering our ears are no longer carrying a message of truth. Praise God that all is not lost – in fact the very realizaXon that this is happening, that you suspect words are being used decepXvely – either by you or to you, is a grace given from God. And how you react to this knowledge determines your eternity! If we act like David did from our Psalm today, we will: Call to Him, for God listens and acts in response to our greatest need! What is our greatest need? It is salvaXon. For we have all sinned when we bought into the lie that we knew beaer than God. We have sinned against him in our heart first and then secondly, we have sinned outwardly by using words to convince others to join us in our folly. However, when we repent, when we call out and say God save me – I no longer believe I have a beaer answer! Lord save me, I’m surrounded by those who wish to destroy me! He responds. Call to Him, for God listens and acts in response to our greatest need! Words of the Wicked vv1-4 1. v1a “Save, O LORD…” or simply “Help, LORD…” in some of our translaXons. 2 a. I’ll repeat what I said earlier. When we get to a place where we recognize help is what we need and we cry out to God – this in and of itself is God’s grace. This is his love for us that we would even acknowledge our situaXon will only be changed by his working – and therefore we appeal to him. i. Spurgeon - “Help, Lord!” A short, but sweet, suggesXve, seasonable, and serviceable prayer; a kind of angel’s sword, to be turned every way, and to be used on all occasions.” Transi)on: But what brings us to such a place where we use such a serviceable prayer? What caused David to cry out to the Lord? “Save, O LORD…” we are not led long to wonder why for the verse conXnues. 2. vv1-2 “…for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man....” a. The despair, the lament of the situaXon comes forth here immediately. One of the most helpful aspects of the Psalms for us is a recogniXon of the various emoXons that can be expressed to God. i. This is a complaint, and cry of the heart, even a possible exaggeraXon of what is actually happening but it is being directed to God. I have deeply appreciated this aspect of the Psalms. So much of my schooling and my chosen career field has been focused on data and results. ii. This Psalm, and this type of wriXng in the Bible, known as a lament, is an invitaXon to say it is okay to share your hurts with God. He will listen and as you stay focused upon him, he will give you what is needed to sustain you in the place you may find yourself. b. So, what is bothering David exactly? He looks around and finds he is on his own – no other faithful followers are present! What is his evidence of this? It is a judgement of the words that are being spoken. The words are empty. The word translated as lies or vanity isn’t just misinformaXon but the idea here is absolute worthlessness. i. Friends, are you finding yourself in a similar situaXon? As we move along in the passage the Psalmist is comforted by God’s response and by the truth of God’s word – but I just want to offer a word of encouragement on ChrisXan fellowship as well. We benefit greatly from living side by side in our church community. We provide each other with comfort, friendship, and support. We remind one another that we are not facing this world alone. That is why the shukng down of church gatherings in fact the shukng down of all gatherings can be so devastaXng – because it drives us to a place of isolaXon. ii. When we are isolated and don’t have trusted friends, advisors, mentors, pastors, elders but instead only receive informaXon through the news or social media, even just quick memes. It isn’t very hard to join with the Psalmist and say everything being uaered is empty, lies, and the words are not making any sense. Transi)on: It is okay to call out and denounce such behavior. Lekng the Lord know that it is an affront to him. Lekng each other know that we are being adversely impacted or even that we are noXcing a corrupXng influence taking ahold of someone we care about. Look at the next two verses as the man ader God’s own heart has imprecaXons, that is severe words of judgement for his enemies. 3. vv3-4 “May the LORD cut off all flaDering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say…” 3 a. Church, this is right here before us in God’s word and I would encourage us as a church to see how this fits into the Psalm. Words of severest punishment for those who uaer worthless words. For those who boast and take control with their words. b. One thing we should quickly see is that this is part of a larger context in the Psalm itself. Psalms are best understood when all the lines are taken into consideraXon. A flow of emoXon is present in the Psalm but the end result is not a mindless repeXXon of this curse but rather it is part of the journey being taken by the Psalmist. c. The Psalms are helpful in this way because they give us a reminder from God’s word that our emoXons are not to be removed from us as we live life for God’s glory. i. PracXcally speaking how do you use an imprecatory Psalm to inform your own prayers? To capture and direct your feelings? Here David starts by acknowledging his need to be saved (v1) and moves into what he needs to be saved from or what he is being consumed by (vv1-4). The middle of the Psalm then brings David to the place where God acts to protect the weak – bringing about the desired outcome (vv5-6). The Psalm then ends clearly showing the problems haven’t disappeared but rather the focus has shided to God and to his word knowing that he will never allow his kingdom to be made subject to the evil one – he will prevail forever guarding his own (vv7-8). Transi)on: We can pray like this. And I believe we should lament when evil is present. When it seems all is being destroyed. But allow Psalms such as Psalm 12 to help guide such lamenXng because look at where David goes next ader these imprecaXons. Words of the Lord vv5-6 1. v5 “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD” a. The outrage being experienced by David is real. Because the mistreatment brought about of the poor by those in posiXons of power and influence is real. Just like when your blood pressure rises or your heart races in a very real way when you become aware of a child being subjected to abuse. It is wrong – it is a flagrant disregard for God’s plan for those made in his image to be treated in such a way and our body and our mind reacts. b. Here now in this passage we see what is stated, what is propheXcally uaered by David. An acknowledgment by God that those whom he sees, those whom he cares about, those who have no way of caring for themselves are being mistreated. They cry out. Their groan and their suffering do not go on without noXce. In like manner as you suffer in this life your suffering does not go without being noXced by God. You could be as prominently posiXoned as King David or as lowly as a child abandoned by his mother. God sees the mistreatment and God hears the painful groans. And like a prize fighter purposefully stands ader taking a rest in the corner of the ring between rounds, God will now arise and use his power and might to bring about jusXce. Transi)on: How exactly does God do this? Not in the way we may always think. The salvaXon that comes through the working of the Lord doesn’t always mean a rescue from the most devastaXng of circumstances in this life. 4 2. v5 “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.” The promise made by God here is that he will place the one who is mistreated into his care. The one who calls out to him – even with groans. a. Ro 8:26 “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we don not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” b. God will do his work – he will arise! He will place the one who calls to him in safety! But what exactly does it mean to be placed in the safety for which one longs? i. We all have to acknowledge that the word “safety” probably gets overused in our Xme. So is our passage using the word as in the “be safe” senXment so frequently menXoned now as you depart or “be safe” as it is placarded on the marquee sign? ii. No! What is being conveyed is salvaXon! SalvaXon from the consequences of our sin in relaXonship to our eternity. When we acknowledge, like David did at the start “Save, O LORD” we declare we need to be saved and we need that salvaXon to be brought about by God. 1. This is the good news of the whole story of the Bible. The story of sinful humankind in relaXonship to Holy God. In the beginning the relaXonship was good and was without a chasm in the relaXonship. 2. But that did not last because, like us now, our first parents Adam and Eve believed they were in someway being cheated by God, that his rules were being used to prevent them from living life to its full. And we fall right into that same trap. Sinning against God and sinning against fellow image bearers in our feeble aaempt to be liberated from God’s law. But instead of being liberated we become enslaved by our sin. 3. Our loving heavenly Father knows us, he loves us, and he provides everything we need to be saved from the eternal condemnaXon that comes from our sinfulness. He brings about our deliverance in a way that is unfathomable when you stop and think about it. 4. You see the consequence of sin is death, destrucXon, and eternal separaXon from the goodness of God. The penalty for sin must be paid and since we can not provide an adequate payment for our sin God in his perfect plan has chosen to pay the penalty for us, for those who belong to him. 5. He sent his perfect son to earth to take on the flesh of mankind to empty himself (Phil 2:7) of his divine aaributes and to then offer his life as an atoning sacrifice. The only sacrifice that would pay for the sins of mankind. a. Rom 8:3-4 “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh...” 6. This can all be stated from a posiXon of assurance because it comes from God’s word dear friend. 5 Transi)on: That is why it is so important for us to Call to Him, for God listens and acts in response to our greatest need – he gives us his word which is trustworthy to the end. Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” 3. v6 “The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven Pmes.” a. Just think about how these few verses have traversed the territory of the human landscape of emoXon so magnificently. i. David starts with a confession of need and that need can only be met by the LORD – a request for salvaXon. ii. Followed immediately by a series of curses, heart break, and devastaXon brought about through the sinfulness of mankind. iii. The appeal then returns to the LORD for if nothing is done it won’t maaer anyway for all will be destroyed. iv. The Lord hears the cry, he is aware of the needs of his people – those who acknowledge their need - can trust God to respond. To arise and to act decisively to bring about their salvaXon to deliver them through his working. b. This is all available to David because the word of God was preserved, read, and lived out by him. He took to heart the instrucXon God gave to Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is wriDen in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” c. David recognizes the preciousness of God’s words – and likens it to silver being refined in a furnace. I had to do a liale research on silver because I was not familiar with the refining process. What I learned was that silver, in large part, is not found in nuggets like you might find gold. It is embedded in ores, mixed with other elements, and since the 16th century it has been extracted more efficiently with a chemical process. In Biblical Xmes it would have been smelted and the melXng point of silver is just shy of 2000 deg F. You will have to talk with Zack to get more details on working metal – but it looks difficult even with a modern gas fired smelter to aaain this kind of heat. d. David is saying with all the difficulty required to get the silver refined once, do that seven Xmes, and the Biblical significance of seven plays a factor here too, but what is clearly being stated is that God’s word is pure! It is precious and contains no contaminaXon and can be trusted without fail. e. We have this same treasure – it is so difficult to give ourselves over to its working with all the compeXXon for our Xme. Without hardly a thought something else is before our eyes taking up our Xme and diverXng our aaenXon. Empty things like the lies menXoned in v2. Let me ask you what else do you put before you of this level of purity as has been demonstrated by David’s words to be like silver refined 7 Xmes by fire? 6 f. The Word of God has nothing of equal value! I’m embarrassed when I consider all the other things I’m willing to put before me when this clear of a statement can be found about the very word of God. It becomes so clear that with the intake of God’s word comes the very real benefit, it is the help that I need - I soon realize I’m able and in fact constantly trying to sort through other material, wriaen and spoken, to see what is there that is of any worth. And I can only do this because I’ve been given the word of truth and the Spirit of truth. Without these gids from God I would be literally in a sea of informaXon with no way of sorXng out what to believe and what to throw out. Transi)on: Praise be to God he doesn’t leave us in such a state of confusion. He is a giver of good gids and he listens to our call. The quesXon really then becomes what will we listen to? With these last two verses of our passage today we are given two disXnct opXons of what is available to us. Words we Listen to vv7-8 1. v7 “You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generaPon forever.” a. Now we see what God will do with his own words. He will keep them. Just as we saw in v5 how he would place those who are plundered and needy those who groan in need of the Lord’s rescue. He takes them and places them in his own safe keeping. b. The LORD is trustworthy, of course his words are trustworthy. The type of salvaXon that is brought about by the LORD’s working will last forever. This is our state as believers – this was David’s state – the already but not yet. God’s kingdom has been inaugurated (already) but the consummaXon of his kingdom is not yet. 2. v8 “On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.” a. This is very much a declaraXon of what is sXll going on around David. Do you see church how the wicked and the vile are sXll present? i. That part of David’s circumstances hasn’t changed but what has changed is that through the process of confessing his need for God’s salvaXon, by calling out to God, lamenXng the circumstances of the ungodly encircling him, recognizing that God will act on his behalf, to protect him, this brings David to a place of peace. ii. This is the gospel message! God is at work and even while we may sXll suffer from the wickedness of the days we live in our King Jesus sits upon his throne and has a place reserved for us at his side. iii. The perpetrators of evil will be judged – church all will be judged! But for those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ our judge will see perfect righteousness instead of our failures because that is the divine transacXon he carried out. Taking our unrighteousness and making atonement for it, exchanging our unrighteousness with his righteousness. b. Like the silver refined seven Xmes, God’s word which declares how he brings about salvaXon will not be tarnished, it will not be altered, once the declaraXon has been made about who is made righteous by the blood of Christ. 7 Transi)on: Therefore, our ears must be tuned in to hear his voice – to hear his word speak over the vileness exalted among the children of man. Conclusion God has declared his glory and his goodness. It is clearly stated in his word which we have the disXnct privilege of singing, reading, memorizing, meditaXng upon, and sikng under the preaching of. Not a single word of God’s will fail. Mt 5:17-18 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, unPl heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law unPl all is accomplished.” This is a wonderful reminder that we can - Call to Him, for God listens and acts in response to our greatest need! David called out to the Lord, he didn’t deny his circumstances were horrid and that the enemy was surrounding him, that lies, empXness, and decepXon were rampant. He didn’t deny this all – in fact it is very clear that these things tore him up. What he did was acknowledge his need for God to save him. He made known his heart cry, he freely denounced the wickedness that was being demonstrated around him, and he came to a place where he emphaXcally knew that God would act to save him. Like a force that could not be stopped! God would act and though the circumstances did not change, evil remained, the victory was declared and that is what we say as well. Our victor is Christ and our posiXon in him is secure. Praise be to God for the work that only he can do – and which he did!