God Is Near

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Prayer devotional time - this tuesday, 7pm

Christmas Dinner to Go

I want to start by reading the first bit of this psalm.

Psalm 34:1–3 NIV

I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

David wrote this psalm

This is king david! He’s been granted a kingdom by God. He’s routed his enemies. He’s seen victory after victory. He leads the nation, and is called the greatest king of Israel. Even part of the promise for why Jesus would be so great was because ‘he was a son of David’.

Of course he’s got reason to rejoice and glorify God.

BUT. There’s a little note at the beginning of the psalm.

Psalm 34:1 (NIV)

Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drive him away, and he left.

This is a place, where we can really gain some extra context from the notes

See, this was written by David. But not, victorious, kingdom conquering, high king david.

The note placed at the beginning of the psalm explains:

This psalm related to a specific time in his life

He’s been promised the kingship. BUT . Being pursued by Saul. In fact, he’s just gotten word from his best friend Jonathan that his father for sure wants him dead.

So he goes to hide with with this king, psalm 34 calls him abimilech, 1 samuel 21 calls him Acish, they’re both references to the same person

But while he’s hiding with this king, the king gets word that David is a wanted man. So david fears for his life, acts insane, then flees to a cave.

While he’s in a cave, about 400 people who are in distress, or in debt, or just generally unhappy about the state of things start gathering around him.

So he’s a man who’s been promised a kingship by God, and a kingdom, and he’s sitting, hunted for his life, cowering in a cave, surrounded by a bunch of upset people.

This psalm was written by the exiled, hunted, and hated David

‘I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips’.

Why would David praise?

He heard God’s promise. He saw victory in battle, he slew goliath. Now it seemed like, he was abandoned.

Now, we can give the stock answer of ‘of course you’d praise God - he’s God!’. And that’s great. But that’s not David’s answer here. He’s got a reason.

Psalm 34:4–22 NIV

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

And David has a few convictions about God that we need to adopt ourselves.

God will save

Psalm 34:19 NIV

The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;

David knows that, across God’s entire plan, he’s going to deliver the righteous from everything. Every. single. thing.

Now, this doesn’t mean here, and it doesn’t mean now. But it does mean that it’s certain.

Remember - in eternity, in perfection, there’s no more tears, no more pain, no more suffering, no more evil.

And that means, that all of God’s work, all of his plans, bend towards that conclusion. That it’s not just God’s goal to get you out of a tight spot - it’s God’s goal to scrub every molecule of evil and destruction from the universe. And he WILL accomplish that.

Every wrong will be righted, every trouble will be overcome, every evil will be conquered.

Evil will lose

Psalm 34:16 NIV

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.

As much as David had faith in the total deliverance by God - that door swung both ways.

David had total faith that the righteous looked forward to God delivering them from every trouble. Likewise - he had total faith that the evil looked forward to total condemnation. That there was going to be no crime left unpunished.

Now, I want to caveat this one.

First, we’re all evil, in some fashion.

Second, through the cross, we find total forgiveness - as does anyone who accepts Jesus and desires to follow Him.

But, it’s the same now as back then - the righteous were considered those who turned to the Lord, those who sought him and followed him. Not the ones who were perfect.

This doesn’t prompt us to say ‘nya nya, i win you lose’. A proper understanding causes us to say, ‘we’re ALL lost, but God rescued us. We’re all sinners, but God forgave us.’

That’s the love of our God. That he would rescue even his enemies, that he would love and save even those who are against him.

Romans 5:7–8 NIV

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Always seek the Lord

Psalm 34:12–14 NIV

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

David was careful to detach his feelings about his situation from his feelings about God.

God was and will always be good, no matter how the world was.

When we start saying, ‘Life isn’t good, so therefor God may not be’ - that’s the wrong path.

Anything that causes us to say God isn’t good - it’s incorrect. It’s a lie.

But there’s a warning on this one - make sure to turn from evil.

It’s not just, God is great, so dont’ worry! It’s God is supreme, he will win every battle, he will right every wrong - so MAKE SURE to turn your own path away from evil.

David had total faith that God would rescue. And he also fully believed that God would ultimately destroy evil. And so that led David to conclude - I have to make sure i’m on the right side.

God will be there for you, every step of the way

God can help you through every trouble

God can see you through every storm

and God WILL bring you through to a victorious eternity