Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Tone of specific sentences
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Anger
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I. What Psalm 139 is not.
A. It is not simply a pro-life talking point.
1.
This is how we most often hear Psalm 139 used in evangelical circles.
a. God forms us in the womb and has a plan for us therefore, life begins at conception.
b.
Please understand this is not false doctrine.
c.
God does do both of these things, and you could infer that unborn child is a person.
d.
The problem is not that the doctrine is bad.
2. The problem is that we stop with only this lesson being taught.
a. It’s a limited view of Psalm 139.
b.
We’re like a horse wearing blinders.
3.
And like the horse, we miss the big picture.
4. You’re only looking at verses 15-17, and there
are 24 verses in the Psalm.
5. You’re miss 21 verses of rich theology, and condemning yourself to shallowness.
B. It is not a chapter of affirmations for fixing our Self-esteem.
1.
This is the second most common use of Psalm
139.
a.
Does it talk about the fact that God cares
about me?
Yes!
b.
Does it talk about the fact that God created
me in His image?
Yes!
c.
But it doesn’t say He did this because of how
awesome I am!
d.
Nor does it imply that I am awesome!
2. In fact, quite the opposite is true.
a.
In verse 6, the Psalmist basically says he’s
clueless, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”
b.
In verse 10, the Psalmist admits that he cannot face life on his own, “even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand
shall hold me.”
c.
In verse 14, the Psalmist basically denies his claim to self-worth, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
d.
In verse 16, the Psalmist says he has no control over his life, “the days that
were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
e.
In verses 19-24, the Psalmist implies that his purpose for living is not himself.
f.
In short, the Psalmist view of Himself is that He is clueless, incapable, powerless, and has no control over his life.
3.
This Psalm doesn’t sound like a bastion of self-affirmation.
4. That’s because it’s not about me or even the Psalmist.
a.
What is in this Psalm is very assuring and comforting.
b.
But if I make it about me, I miss the point.
C. If Psalm 139 is not about the common tropes
that are placed on it, then what is it about?
II.
Let’s start by looking at what it actually says.
Psalm 139:1-24
I.
A fresh look at Psalm 139.
A. It’s all about God.
(v1-24)
1.
The focus of this Psalm is God.
a. Out of the 24 verses in Psalm 139, there is only
one verse where God is not subject of the sentence or the object of praise, and that’s
verse 6.
b.
And even here, the Psalmist is talking about how small he is in compassion to God. – “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”
c.
Through the whole of the Psalm, David’s focus never wavers.
2. It’s a Psalm about who God is.
a. God is all-knowing.
(v1-6)
b.
God is ever-present.
(v7-12)
c.
God is all-powerful.
(v13-18)
d.
God is all-consuming.
(v19-24)
3. It’s because of this focus that he can write the other lesson we learn in the Psalm.
a.
Our problem is not a self-image problem.
b.
It’s an awe problem.
B. It’s all about how much God cares about us.
(v1-24)
1. God knows all and protects us from everything .
(Psalm 139:1-6)
2. God is everywhere and is looking out for us even when we are ungrateful.
– (Psalm 139:7-12)
3. God has created us in His image so we could fulfill His purpose.
– (Psalm 139:13-24)
a.
The Psalmist isn’t just crafted in God’s image.
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