Psalms 34

Seek the Lord V 4-6

This Psalm is written during a time that David was fleeing from Saul. Specifically, right after Jonathan let him know that Saul was seeking to kill him. 1 Samuel 21:10-15

1 Samuel 21:10–15 NASB95

Then David arose and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish king of Gath. But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?” David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath. So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me? “Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this one to act the madman in my presence? Shall this one come into my house?”

David went to the priest Ahimelech at nod in a hurry. He did not have any food or weapons to defend himself. He sought provision from him and recieved consecrated bread and the sword from Goliath.

He then went to Achish the king of Gath to seek asylum from Saul. The king rejected him, so he acted like a madman and was released by Achish.

This was a low point in David’s life because he failed to seek the protection of the Lord and went to a human king.

David was desperate. He was in danger, he had no provision, he had no protection, and was very fearful. Then he turned to the Lord. Psalm 34:4

Psalm 34:4 NASB95

I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:6 NASB95

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him And saved him out of all his troubles.

David turned to the Lord during one of the most trying times in his life and found the Lord to be faithful.

The Lord Is Faithful To Us

We too will have circumstances that will cause great fear in our lives. Uncertainty and danger are always catalyst that lead to fear. An illness that the doctors cannot diagnose or one that is diagnosed that is potentially terminal is fearful. Losing a job and the bills piling up is fearful. Even not knowing the location of someone can be fearful. Tell story of leaving wallet on top of car in parking lot down by river.

Just as David did, we can seek the Lord and He will answer us. We can cry to the Lord and He will hear us and save us. Understanding that saving us does not mean He removes the danger. It means He sustains us in the danger. David remained in danger even after seeking and crying out to the Lord. He found assurance in His faith in God to sustain him in his circumstance. Tell story of Doug Mulder getting cancer.

The Lord Is Our Deliverer V 17-19

These verses show that the righteous will have troubles, broken hearts, crushed spirits, and afflictions. This demonstrates that followers of Christ are not exempt from difficulties in life. As a matter of fact, we should expect them. I will go one step further and say that if we are living for Christ our troubles will become more numerous. John 15:18-27

John 15:18–27 NASB95

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. “He who hates Me hates My Father also. “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. “But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

We must make a stand for Biblical Principles. This will not be popular and will be construed as offensive. We will be persecuted for taking a stand.

Also, we must point out sin in people’s life for the sake of salvation and redemption. This is always difficult because people become defensive when you point out their sin.

When we quit calling sin for what it is, then we become complacent towards it. It must be something that we despise in ourselves as well as those around us.

Good News Is the Lord

The good news is the Lord hears, is near, saves, and delivers from all afflictions. When we find our self in a time of trouble we can cry out and know that the Lord hears us. Our cries never fall on deaf ears. The Lord hears and delivers from all troubles.

The Lord is near to the broken hearted. Nothing breaks the heart more than relational problems. Disappointments and betrayal in a relationship will break your heart. Understand that the Lord is near and can help you through the broken heartedness.

The Lord saves those who are crushed in spirit. This is the person that has had their spirit broken. They don’t see value in themselves. It could be because of some failure in their life or sin that they have commited. The Lord is there to save you and forgive you of your sin and failure.

The Lord delivers us from all afflictions.