A Song for Desperate Times
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Intro
Intro
We will look at a Psalm of David, a song he wrote in a desperate time
His own son Absalom, has rebelled against him, and forced David to flee the capital city
And Absalom, helped by David’s enemies, helped by David’s former friends, is gathering a large army to defeat David once and for all
This is the psalm of a real desperation - betrayal by your own flesh and blood, betrayal by so called friends, on the verge of losing everything, a time of life and death, high stakes
1 O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me.
David has enemies and they are increasing. People are seeing that he is in trouble, and are picking Absalom’s side. They are rising up, to pull him down.
we can somewhat identify with David’s desperation
troubles do come and trouble do increase . . .
what started out as “this” turns into “this and that”
what started out as one thing, has turned into another thing
enemies do come and enemies do increase . . .
someone will get mad at you and go behind your back and turn others against you
some will be tricked into turning against you
people will be mad at you and not even heard your side of the story
or someone will see you struggling and figure its a good time to get in some licks too
and just like David, you will find yourself saying, “O Lord, There are a lot of people against me
O Lord, when did I get so unpopular?
O Lord, there is trouble on every side
This is a song for desperate times
when The trouble is real, the problems are serious . . . when what you are facing ain’t no joke
things that could take you out, take your family out, when you could lose everything, you are in a high stakes battle
then on top of that . . . . verse two says
2 Many are saying of my soul, “There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah.
Many . . . . those relatives, former friends, people in the community, even by standers are saying “There is no deliverance for him in God”
There are three main reasons why someone would say, “There is no help for him in God”
First, some are saying that there is no help because they think that, “God can’t help him”
you’ve been in some tight spots before David, but never like this
you’ve been on the run before David, but not like this
David, God can’t help because it’s too late in the process, the rebellion has gone too far, gained too much momentum
David the odds are too overwhelming
the mountain is too high, the valley is too deep, the ocean is too wide
there is no help for him in God
this is a song for desperate times
Secondly, some say there is no help because they don’t think that “God won’t help him
they don’t think very highly of your connection with God
David you don’t have any inside track with God
David you’re just a person who likes to talk all religious, but in reality, you’re just another king who will fall, just like Saul fell, just like they all do
instead of wasting your time with all that s“serving the Lord stuff”, you should have been more practical, and you wouldn’t be in this mess
David, “God is not going to step in just in the nick of time”
there is no help for him in God
Thirdly, when some say there is no help, they are really saying “God is punishing them”
David, these are your just rewards
God will not help you because you don’t deserve it
Absalom would say you were not a good dad
Ahithophel would say, “even though your married her” you destroyed the reputation of my granddaughter, Bathsheba
top officers in the army would say you had one of your own soldiers killed
people who don’t know you will say, “yeah, he must have done something wrong”’ or this would not have happened
you don’t deserve God’s help
there is no help for him in God
Then we see the word Selah . . . no on really knows what it means, we only understand that it is some type of break, pause, change . . . maybe in the music of the song
whatever it is, this is a good place to reflect - the trouble is real, the times are desperate . . . and I need a song for desperate times
3 But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.
so it doesn’t matter what many are saying: former friends, foes, family who have turned against me, the bystanders
they can say God can’t help you . . . . but nothing is impossible with God
they can say God won’t help you . . .but my condition doesn’t mean that I am not in a good position with God
they even doubted Jesus, “isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” (think again)
If I have to go to my wife’s job (especially at Immanuels), I admit that I get a kick out of asking to see her
no suit and tie, errand running clothes, “can I speak to Sherry Caver, please?”
they size me up, and determine that I don’t need to see her
“What can I help you with?”
“if you could just tell her that her husband is here” . . . . Sherry’s husband?, Pastor Caver’s son? Let me call her . . . no , let me go down and get here
just because I’m in a tough situation, doesn’t mean that I am not in good with God
I still belong to God
if anybody ask your who I am, tell them I’m a child of God
they can say, you don’t deserve God’s help . . . but what they don’t know, is that I never deserved God’s help . . . it’s called grace, it’s called mercy! favor!
they can say whatever they want
because despite what the many are saying, the reality is that in this desperate time “You, O Lord, are a shield about me”
They say you can’t help, they say you won’t help, but I say that you are my shield
my protection, my shelter in a time of storm
my rock in a weary land
then David says, you are my glory
your glory is what shows that you are all that
and people find glory in fame, power, prestige, possessions, wealth, beauty, achievements
if we see a famous person walk by in their fashionable clothes, with their expensive jewelry, walking with their large enterouge, chased by the photographers, and entering an vehicle that cost more than most people’s homes . . . we say that we saw them “in all their glory” . . .we saw them with all the stuff that makes them somebody, and awesome in the eyes of the world
the hebrew word used here for glory, actually means heaviness, something that is substantial
David is saying that the Lord is the one that makes him substantial, important, worthy, somebody, awesome
David would say that i don’t find glory in fame, power, wealth, or prestige . . . those things can be taken away (hence my current situation)
but I find my glory in the Lord
so no matter my current financial situation, I’m awesome, because I find my glory in the Lord
no matter my current medical condition, I’m incredible, because I find my glory in the Lord
no matter my social standing, I’m important, because I find my glory in the Lord
no matter my relationship status, I’m all that, because I find my glory in the Lord
no matter how many friends I have or don’t have, I am somebody, because . . .
This teaches me that in desperate times . . . that even if i have troubles on every side, and I don’t know how I’m going to make it through the day, I can still facing the day like a boss because the Lord is my glory
if you don’t have a car, sit on that bus stop like a boss, because the Lord is your glory
if you don’t have many clothes, wear the same old clothes like a boss
don’t worry about what you don’t have, because your worth does not come from temporary things
The Lord is your glory
The fact that he knows your name
the fact that he calls you his own
the fact that you have a direct line into heaven . . . that’s your glory, that’s the wow!
and he is also the one who lifts my head - this doesn’t mean that I am depressed and God will tilt my head up and tell me it is alright.
It means that God won’t let me stay in this dejected position, where people are taking advantage of me (Ziba), people rejoicing at my troubles (Shimei), or scandalizing my name
it means that God will elevate me from my current state
I will be promoted
psalms 23 says the same thing this way, he will prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies!
God will lift up my head
I don’t have to raise up my own head in conceit
I can keep my head humbly bowed and still be lifted above my enemies
verse 4 . . .
4 I was crying to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.
the main point of this statement is that God heard him out of his holy mountain
the children of Israel considered Jerusalem to be God’s holy mountian/hill because in Jerusalem was the ark, and the ark of the covenant symbolized God’s presence among them
when David fled the city, the priest who were loyal to David wanted to take the ark too
but David instructed them to leave the ark in Jerusalem
David is saying though I am far from Jerusalem, far from the Holy mountain, though I am a long way off from the ark, though I am in this barren wilderness . . . the Lord still heard me when I cried out for help!
This is a statement of faith
Though I cannot see the ark, the Lord sees me
Though I cannot reach the ark, the Lord can reach me
in other words, the Lord is with me wherever I go
in desperate times, you will sometimes find yourself in a wilderness
a place where you can’t see God or any semblance of him
you’ll be in a hospital room and nobody is there to visit you
you’ll be in a courtroom, and no one is there to support you
you’ll text your friend, but they haven’t replied
you’ll call your pastor, but had to leave a message
but you can still be sure that God is with you
sees you
hears your voice
Selah . . . somebody ought to pause on that
in desperate times, God is my shield, my glory, he lifts my head, he hears my voice
5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
with all of the troubles going on, guess what? . . . .I laid down and slept and I awoke
with all of the difficulties, guess what?. . . I laid down and slept and I awoke
trials, problems, obstacles . . . I was still able to lay down, sleep, and awake
because the Lord sustained me, kept me, watches over me
despite the fact that I lost my throne, my son is trying to kill me, and my enemies abound . . . I am still here! (and getting good sleep)
if you know the story, you now that the God caused the enemy to delay in attacking David, giving David time to escape.
David is testifying, “I wouldn’t be here today, if the Lord had not kept me!”
some of us need to testify, “after all that I’ve been through, I’m still here!”
all the difficulties, all the troubles, all the close calls . . . I’m still here
some of us need to sing, “The Lord is blessing me, right now, O right now . . .He woke me up this morning, and he started me on my way”
Yes, i’m waiting on a miracle, but it took a miracle just to get to this point!
the Lord sustained me, and I am still here!
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about.
we need to learn how to trust God, and not be afraid
it doesn’t matter how many are against me, tens of thousands, I will not be afraid
though they surround me, I will not be afraid
7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.
Here David is asking the Lord to go before him and fight for him,
“Arise, O Lord” is what Moses would say, every time they would prepare to leave camp
Moses would say, “Arise, O Lord and let your enemies be scattered”
Arise, O Lord, I recognize that this is your fight
I am depending on you to save me . . . not some great plan, or schemes, I need God to fight for me
and I like the word, “all”
the verse says, “For You have smitten ALL mine enemies”
that’s why in verse 6, ten thousands of people don’t matter, because all means all
so if you have three problems, all includes . . . all three
if you have 5 people against you, all includes, all 5
if you have ten issues, God can take care of all ten
no matter how many things in your way, all covers all
because we have an all powerful God
all covers all, because we have an all knowing God
an all wise God
an all loving God
an all and ever present God
and when this verse talks about being smitten on the cheek, David is asking that the enemy be not only defeated but dominated
smitten upon the cheek bone, broken the teeth
your enemies will have no more bite, that mouth that was talking will have nothing else to say
He is asking for more than protection, more than “just let me make it”, he is asking for total victory
even in desperate times, you can have faith for total victory, so ask for total victory
now the final verse, verse 8 is a summary of the whole
8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: Thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Salvation belongs to God
Salvation/victory/triumph those things are the property of God
he decides who gets it - many enemies don’t matter, people talking about you doesn’t matter, the odds don’t matter, most likely doesn’t matter, what has happened historically doesn’t matter . . . salvation belongs to God
then you see a colon and, “Thy blessing is upon thy people”
so this verse is saying, Salvation belongs to God and he gives that blessing to the people who belong to him
victory to those who belong to him
triumph to those who belong to them
David is saying, my situation looks real bad, “but since I belong to God, the victory belongs to me” . . . yes, victory is mine
so whatever you are facing, don’t focus on the problems, focus on being God’s servant, God’s man/woman
because God’s man/woman gets the victory
let me say it this way, and you’ve heard me say it before, don’t worry about the problem, worry about living right
be aware of the problem, but concentrate on pleasing the Lord
don’t ignore the bad situation, but concentrate on making godly decisions
Since God’s blessing is upon his people, you ought to make your worries, worry
when you focus on problems, your worries rejoice
but when you focus on God, your worries start to get worried
what are we going to do?
cause when they focus on God they have peace, joy, patience, faith
victory and salvation are coming
make your worries worry, make your doubts doubt
I thought he had her/him . . . but this desperate time we put them is not working
God did not put us on this earth because he needed some worriers
God put us on this earth because we have a job to do, don’t let the desperate time distract you
I made a mistake in coaching flag football at Ekklesia
“no matter what, you guard your man”
they would stay with their man like a hawk
didn’t matter if a fumbled ball rolled by their feet
didn’t matter if another runner with the ball passed right by them
didn’t matter if they were on offense, lol
they focused on the “problem”
I should have told them, the ball is the most important thing
keep an eye on your man, but focus on the ball
keep an eye on your problems, but focus on the Lord
because Salvation belongs to the Lord, and his blessing is upon his people
Selah . . . pause and think about that
Invitation
Invitation
to be saved, to be rescued you have to go to God
you are in a most desperate situation . . . facing death, judgment, and hell
call on the LOrd, and he will hear you