Sermon Tone Analysis

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

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

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

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 . . .