Psalm 79: How Long will Your Chastisement Continue, Oh Lord?

This psalm is a national lament after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 A.D. It does not appear to have been written personally by Asaph, but for his choir that continued in the temple long after his death. New generations of Levites were recruited and trained to provide music in the temple. It appears that this author was one that was allowed to stay in the land and was not deported with the leaders and merchants.

  I. Lamentation over Jerusalem’s destruction (vs. 1–4)

     A. Pagans have destroyed the city and the temple

     B. Pagans have annihilated the covenant people of God

     C. Even though the people’s idolatry caused God to send the Babylonians in His sovereignty,             they are still fully responsible for their cruelty, desecration, and theft

     D. When the people are faithful to Yahveh and their covenant commitment to Him, He blesses           them beyond measure (Lev 26:1–13)

     E. When the people rebel, are disloyal and unbelieving and give their hearts to false gods,                 Yahveh sends chastisements so they will repent (Lev 26:14–39)

     F. One of the covenantal curses is to not be buried after death, a final humiliation to be                        unloved and insignificant (like a deer carcass along a highway)

NKJV Deuteronomy 28:26 Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and no one shall frighten them away.

ESV Jeremiah 16:4 They shall die of deadly diseases. They shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. They shall perish by the sword and by famine, and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth.

(See also Jer 34:20; Lam 4:14–20)

    G. The siege and the exile kept their relatives from being able to treat them as image bearer’s               of God with dignity and value

    H. Some of the righteous died, but blood flowed like water at the cruelty of the pagans

    I. Those remaining are starving and being ridiculed by foreign peoples

    J. The curses of the covenant are not pleasant (Deut. 28:15–68; 1 Kings 9:6–9)

 II. Question: How long will the discipline last? (vs. 5)

      A. The author acknowledges that God kept His promise to send chastisement

      B. They know why God’s judgment fell on the wicked, He is holy and hates sin

      C. They know they got exactly what they asked for by their national rebellion

      D. The question is, how much longer will we be in exile and Jerusalem in ruins?

NAU Zechariah 8:2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.'"

ESV Jeremiah 25:11–12 This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste.

III. Prayer for vindication and forgiveness (vs. 6–9)

      A. Bring justice to the pagans that have denied Yahveh’s existence and power

      B. They have used the exile to dishonor God

      C. Why would God judge His own people and delay the judgment of Babylon?

NIV Amos 3:2 You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your sins.

     D. The pagans have destroyed God’s land, temple, and people and appear to be getting away                with it to others. God’s glory is at stake

     E. The remnant in exile prays for themselves for forgiveness

     F. Yahveh has spared them for a reason, so they call on Him for deliverance, salvation                     (See Dan. 9:1–19)

     G. Even in chastisement, hope remains for God will never abandon His plan of redemption

IV. Question: How long will the pagans be able to deny God exists? (vs. 10a)

    A. The pagans have asked, “Where is the God of the Jews? Why is He not powerful enough to             protect them?

    B. The remnant calls on God to glorify His name by judging the pagans for their war crimes

    C. They want God to step in soon rather than later

ESV Joel 2:17 Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, "Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

 V. Prayer for vindication and restoration (vs. 10b–13)

      A. A needy a suffering slave in a foreign land full of idols calls on God to judge justly

      B. Their hope is that those who saw the blood shed will also see justice rendered

      C. Like the Jews in Egypt their prayers are coming before God for salvation

      D. The sevenfold fold restitution is requesting God’s full justice

      E. Leviticus 26 show the Jews had reached the fifth level of God’s seven-fold punishment

      F. The judgment needs to be equal to the blasphemy of God’s name

     G. The prayer looks in hope to restoration and worship 

      H. Yahveh is still the remnant, the real believer’s shepherd, they are his sheep

       I. The national lament ends in hope because it is a prayer to the Creator God who sustains                  the universe, is sovereign, powerful, loving, and answers His people's prayer

Lessons to live by:

• It always pays to obey God, once we have a relationship with Him. We don’t have the power to obey in ourselves, so we must be born from above first.

• Sin is not worth it for the believer. It costs too much.

• God’s spanking when we sin is not proof that we have lost our salvation, it is proof we were saved to start with, and God is bringing us to repentance (Heb 12:3–14)

• What is it about human nature to never be satisfied with God’s timing? Confess this as sin and wait on the LORD

• God hears our prays when we are suffering. He is still our Shepherd when He allows us to suffer

• Hope in God! Have faith in God. Believe Him, trust Him, love Him, repent and obey Him

Psalm 77: A Remembrance of God’s Greatness after Struggling with Faith

This psalm is technically an individual lament, but it moves from lament (1–9) to emotional reflection (10–12) to joyfully celebrating the greatness of the God of Israel (13–20). At the heart of this psalm is a man in a great trial questioning what God’s chastisement feels like—abandonment. Jesus understands this sensation during His last three hours on the cross more than any other human. This psalmist it brutally honest, we don’t sense God’s gracious closeness during our chastisements until we repent. Sin keeps us from God and God from us. This is how the Jews felt during the locust plaque, the Assyrian deportation of Samaria, and during the Babylonian siege and exile. Not everyone has experienced this depth of pain, so some may be shocked by faith’s struggle in prayer. VanGemeren outlines it as follows:

A. Cry for Help (vs. 1–2)

                 B. Remembrance of God in Hymns of the Night (vs. 3–6)

                      C. Questions (vs. 7–9)

                 B`. Remembrance of God’s Mighty Deeds (vs. 10–12)

A`. Confidence in God’s Help (vs. 13–20)

  I. A cry for help during a time of distress (vs. 1–3)

     A. He is calling to God in prayer, but does not see the answer

     B. This prayer is persistent and fervent, day and night

     C. When the suffering one's thoughts turn to the sovereign God who could stop his pain, he    becomes even more upset

II. Memories and fears makes the nighttime painful (vs. 4–6)

    A. He cannot sleep, talk, or even pray clearly in his current distress

    B. His mind is going wide-open as he remembers how good things once were

III. Questions for God during a time of chastisement (vs. 7–9)

      A. How long will God’s rejection continue? (national idolatry, unrepentance)

      B. Has Israel blown it, so that she can never receive God’s favor again? (No)

      C. Has God’s covenant love for Israel ended now? (No)

      D. Has God ended His promises to Israel or withdrawn them because of their                         rebellion and sin? (No)

      E. Has the omniscient and gracious One forgotten how to be himself? (No)

      F. Has God’s wrath against sin forever ended His love and mercy for His people? (No)

IV. Memories and faith based on the Word of God and His faithfulness (vs. 10–12)

     A. The psalmist may be appealing to the years of blessing at the right hand of God Most High         to prop up his shaky faith

     B. Or he could be saying, this my affliction, has been sent to me by God, thus, I must bear it,         even though I desire instant relief

     C. Or he could be saying, God at one time was blessing us, but now He is bringing on us the     curse

     D. When we are distant from God, who moved? Who sinned? Who delayed repentance?

     E. He redirects his thoughts from the current trial to the past mighty acts of God

     F. Creation, Flood, Tower of Babel, selection of Abraham, preservation of the Jews, the         redemption of the Jews

     G. There is no God like Yahveh, none of the false gods measure up, even the legends of the         false gods show that they are evil rather than holy, like the God of the Bible

 V. The Holy God of Israel who redeemed her from Egypt is worthy of our trust (vs. 13–15)

      A. God has given the Jews signs, and shown His power throughout the earth

      B. The song in Exodus 15 is coming out in the last two sections

      C. The Jews redemption from Egypt is grounds for future faith during trials

      D. Jacob and Joseph are special references to the people in slavery

      E. God’s power makes the difference

VI. The Holy God of Israel shows up in power over man and nature (vs. 16–20)

     A. The red sea was split open by God’s power

     B. The path that delivered the Jews drowned the Egyptians

     C. The whirlwind may have a double meaning, the chariot wheels, and/or nature are all under     God’s sovereignty

      D. The language of a special appearance of God, a theophany 

      E. The Israelites were led to safety by Moses and Aaron

      F. God triumphed over all the false gods of Egypt

      H. The Word of God brings hope, truth, light, and strengthens faith

Lessons to live by:

• Why does God allow the pre-written consequence of sin to happen to those who belong to Him? He must do so to be true to His nature. The better question is, “Why do we go ahead and sin when God has warned us of the severe consequences of rebellion and sin?”

• God does not lack the power to deliver. His goals and His timing are not ours, so we struggle watching His plan unfold

• Nature and History are under God’s control

• Anger at God when we sin is not the right response—repentance, returning, restoration is God’s call to us. A holy God will not ignore our sin

• Can God set aside His promises? No, He will always be faithful. He has a future place for ethnic Israel. The Jews are still in the plan of God

• We as the new covenant people of God will not be cast off either, even though we too must go through many trials and afflictions

Psalm 76: The Victorious Strength of the God of Jacob

 The Divine Warrior, The Lion of Judah

This psalm is a hymn that is celebrating Zion, the city of David (Psalm 46, 48, 76, 84, 87, 121, 122). It pictures God as both a lion ready to defend its young and as a Divine Warrior ready to protect Jerusalem. This is the capital of the people God has chosen to bless and protect and the only place, in this day, on all the earth where His special presence dwelt. The psalm may be utilizing the “prophetic perfect” which refers to future events that must surely come to pass (Derek Kidner). Actually, 2 Chr 29:30 calls Asaph a seer, one who receives divine revelation of the future. Asaph, the writer of this song, was a contemporary with David (1 Chr 16:5).

   I. God’s chosen place (vs. 1–3)

      A. God’s relationship with Israel is by His selection of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob

      B. God is known in Judah

John 4:22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

      C. His name, Yahveh, is great in Israel

      D. His lair (natural thicket, hedge row) is Salem (Jerusalem)

      E. His den is Zion (The city of David, the lower part of Jerusalem, southwest side)

      F. God gave the Bible to the Jews and allowed His ark to be carried to Mt. Moriah, where                  Solomon built the temple, where God’s glory filled the Holy of Hollies 

      G. The devil will constantly try to destroy the Jews (Revelation 12), but Asaph predicts God               will protect them 

       I. Whatever weapons are used, when God shows up, they fail

       J. Fiery arrows can’t out do God. Man is no match for God

 II. God as the Divine Warrior (vs. 4–6)

      A. God is enveloped in light

      B. He is greater than the everlasting mountains

      C. Great warriors will fail

      D. At God’s word, those attacking Jerusalem will be destroyed

           1. Sennacherib Army, Isa 37:36

           2. The future attack on Jerusalem

 

III. God as the Divine Judge (vs. 7–9)

      A. Who wants to stand before an angry lion?

      B. God is making pronouncements from heaven

      C. The last judgment of all men, our God is a consuming fire

      D. God will save the humble remnant in the land of Israel

      E. When he comes to judge, He comes to save (visitation)

      F. God is the sovereign king over all nations. All men answer to Him

      G. God brings judgment on His time plan, not ours

IV. God as the awesome Sovereign over the entire earth (vs. 10–12)

      A. God is so sovereign, even the wrath of men is turned around to bring Him glory

      B. God’s providence is actually in control of angry men behind the scenes (Rom 8:28)

           1. Caiphas

           2. Pilot

           3. Jewish leaders

           4. Roman soldiers

      C. Respond to God wisely

      D. The covenant people are to keep their solemn promises to God

           1. Marriage

           2. Church membership

      E. Have reverential fear for this awesome, holy, glorious God

      F. Those outside of the covenant community have to submit to and fear the awesome God of           the Jews and the Bible

      G. God will break down proud men that have positions of authority

      H. Even the highest rulers will fear God

Lessons to live by:

• We should not declare God’s choices as unfair. He gets to choose Jerusalem over Shechem, Hebron, Mecca, or Varanasi, India. Rank has its privileges. He is God, He gets to select where His Shechinah glory will dwell

• It is very important to know God covenantally. Know God (Phil 3:10), make His name great          (John 12:27)

• Deal with your sin problem, because God is a consuming fire

• Reverence the God of the Bible

• God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Pride is a root sin, do not play with it

Psalm 71: Longing for Yahweh’s Righteous Acts

This psalm is an individual lament written by an unnamed man who has lived a good number of years already. His memory confirms that Yahweh is holy, faithful, and righteous. His Bible and his faith also confirms that God is faithful and righteous. Instead of looking to men (including the government) he looks to God for the help he needs (God-care). His strong conviction that the Sovereign God both rules and acts righteously supports his faith in God and his belief that God will again deliver him.

   I. Prayer of confidence: O Yahweh, please deliver me (vs.1–4)

      A. Shame is a powerful thing

      B. This man needs to be delivered from forces too strong for himself to overcome

      C. Why would he want a rock, refuge, deliverer, savior, fortress?

      D. Notice the close covenantal relationship between this man and God (“my”)

      E. He trust God in prayer to deliver him from wicked and cruel men

          1. He is not taking the law into his own hands

          2. Use prayer not your fists to fight your battles as an individual

      F. Notice the authors use of the word “continually” (3, 6, 14)

 II. Statement of confidence: Back-to-the future (vs. 5–8)

      A. The author tells us of his long-term devotion to the Lord

      B. Commitment, loyalty, faithfulness is important

      C. God has been the object of his hope, confidence, praise, strong refuge, and glory

      D. God is active, sovereign, and involved: delivering and protecting

      E. The author was an example of God’s chastisement to the nation

           1. Whom the Lord loves, He chastises

           2. Instead of bitter resentment, he has a deep trust (Faith) in God his refuge

      F. He affirms his trust and declares his love for God and his gratitude

      G. His conversion made him a worshiper, praising God, living for God’s glory

III. Prayer in old age: Stand with me and protect me from this new attack (vs. 9–13)

      A. Please do not cast me away when I am old (the heart of his lament)

      B. Please do not forsake me when my strength is gone

      C. Do not leave me in a state of condemnation and curse

      D. I have sinned big-time, please don’t give up on me

           What heart attitude does this petition reveal? Honesty, contrition, humility

      E. Those who love power and control are attacking me without justification

      F. God alone can deliver me from these attackers

      G. God chastisement proves His presence not His absence

      H. He needs God to step in quickly to deliver him, but the attack is on

       I. God can vindicate His servant by dealing justly with those who hate God and His people

       J. Antagonists joy comes from the disgrace and pain of others

      K. The Psalmist is not returning evil for evil, but calling on God to intervene in justice

       L. He is waiting for the Lord’s judgment and deliverance

IV. Hope and testimony in old age: Faith taking action (vs. 14–18)

      A. This man is committed to God regardless of what happens—faithfulness

      B. This man is declaring the mighty acts of God to all who will listen

      C. This man has faith, deep trust in God, a know-so hope

      D. He anticipates God’s deliverance and vindication

      E. He is committed to God regardless of the circumstances and unfolding events

      F. Why would he declare God’s righteousness alone? What has his Bible and life taught him?

      G. This man is consumed with glorifying God, the next generation needs to know His mighty 

acts, his work is not done while there are still ignorant of God’s glory

 V. Statement of confidence: God’s character proves His trustworthiness (vs. 19–21)

      A. God is to be praised for His righteousness—holy, holy, holy

      B. God is to be praised for His wonderful saving acts

           Flood, Exodus, Red Sea, desert snakes, Jordan river

      C. God is righteous, He will keep all the promises in the Bible

      D. No one is like God, He is the ruler, Master, King, Lawgiver

      E. Even in the worse situation, God can reverse it (Lazarus, Yeshua, Israel)

      F. God will reverse the shame of the enemy and replace it with honor and comfort

VI. Thanksgiving with confidence: Praise, worship, and testimony (22–24) 

       A. A heart surrendered to God will join in corporate worship

       B. Instruments can be used in public worship (Eph 5:19, Col 3:16)

       C. Content is more important than style

       D. The Holy One of Israel (Unapproachable light, Covenant Love together)

            [Isa 1:4, 5:19; Jer 50:29, 51:5]

       E. Redemption and conversion lead to worshiping and glorifying God

       F. Conversion leads to testifying to what God has done for and in us

Lessons to live by:

• What do we need God to deliver us from? The love, power, control and future presence of sin

• How long has God been working in our lives? From the womb to the tomb

• God is glorified when men and women, boys and girls bow the knee to worship the Lord Jesus Christ. Does it trouble you that there are people in this town that do not worship the true God of the Bible? The main purpose of every human is to glorify God

• Because the Messiah bore our shame, it does not have to control us any more

• Corporate worship is very important, and it is very important that it is always biblical

• God always keeps His promises. Trust God, trust His Word, the Bible

• Read God’s mighty acts in Bible and increase your faith

• Pray to God when you are in a crisis, praise Him regularly

Psalm 69: A King’s Cry for Help in a Time of Distress

This psalm is an individual lament written by King David. It is quoted a number of times in the New Testament, mostly with an application to David’s descendant, Yeshua (Jesus). But the story and situation first applied to David in a more figurative sense. Parts of the psalm happened to Jesus in a more direct sense than their first fulfillment with David.  Lament psalms often have the following elements: 1. Invocation, 2. A plea to God for help, 3. Complaints, 4. Confession of sin or an assertion of innocence, 5. Curse of enemies (imprecation), 6. Confidence in God’s response, 7. Hymn or blessing. This psalm can be easily divided into two equal parts, 1–18 and 19–36.

  I. A Prayer out of personal need (vs. 1–6)

     A. Invocation and a plea to God for help (vs. 1–2)

     B. David uses a vivid word picture, of a man sinking in the mud in the middle of a river 

     C. David is feeling overwhelmed by his problems [inner turmoil, depression] (vs. 2)

     D. A tearful complaints to God (vs. 3–4)

         1. David switches to another picture, a man in deep grief, sorrow, and pain (vs. 3)

         2. David is waiting on God but does not yet have an answer. Where are you, God? (vs. 3)

         3. David is being punished for things he did not do (vs. 4)

ESV John 15:24-25 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.  But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: 'They hated me without a cause.' 

     E. Confession of sin, David is not completely innocent. His folly is being careless with the 

          truth (vs. 5)

     F. Affirmation of God’s knowledge (vs. 5)

     G. Request: Don’t let me cause disgrace to God or His people (vs. 6)

 II.  Persecution for righteousness's sake (vs. 7–12)

     A. A tearful complaint to God (vs. 7–12)

     A. Persecution: A badge of honor, because of his devotion to God (vs. 7–8) [Acts 5:41]

     C. David’s zeal to prepare to build God’s temple caused him to be slandered (vs. 9)

     D. Antagonists attack the one leading a work of God (vs. 9)

     E. David’s descendant, Jesus, cleansed the temple twice and this verse is applied to Him

     ESV John 2:17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

      F. Those who hate God also hate His king [David & Yeshua] (vs. 9)

ESV Rom 15:3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."

     G. The pain that David bore brought joy to his enemies (vs. 10–11)

     H. Those who drink the forbidden strong drink, unmixed wine, the drunkards, make up songs 

         mocking the king [David & Jesus] (vs. 12)

III. A prayer for the deliverance of God’s servant (vs. 13–18)

      A. A plea for God to help (vs. 13–18)

      B. Confidence in God’s response (vs. 13–18)

          1. He asks for God’s sure salvation (vs. 13)

          2. Based on Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness, love, and mercy (vs. 13, 16)

    C. David returns to the dangerous water picture (vs. 14–15)

    D. An earnest plea for God to intervene (vs. 16–18)

 IV. The exhaustion of being constantly under attack (vs. 19–21)

        A. A tearful complaint to God about his enemies (vs. 19–21)

        B. Affirmation of God’s knowledge (vs. 19–21)

        C. The betrayal of ‘friends’ is always very painful

        D. David gives a word picture of man hungry and thirsty, given things that will make his  

             pain worse, his appetites intensified (vs. 21) [This happened to Jesus]

V. A prayer for God’s justice (vs. 22–28)

    A. King David’s curse was against the enemies of God, His people, and His king

    B. Israel was and is a physical nation that God has chosen

    C. Individual Christians are not in a battle with humans, but spiritual forces (2 Cor 10:4)

    D. Christians can pray against their indwelling sin and fight spiritual battles (Eph 6:10–18)

    E. David’s son Jesus tells us as individuals to love our enemies

    F. Believers in heaven pray for God’s justice to come to the wicked (Rev 6:9–11)

 VI. Personal Praise to God in faith (vs. 29–33)

      A. Confidence in God’s response (vs. 29–33)

      B. The redeemed and ransom worship God with song (vs. 30)

      B. The heart trumps the hoofs, the moral [love God with all your heart and your neighbor as 

           yourself] trumps the ceremonial law [sacrifices, diets, rituals, feasts] (vs. 31)

VII. Corporate Praise to God (vs. 34–36)

       A. A hymn of cosmic praise (vs. 34)

       B. Remembering God’s future promise to ethnic Israel (vs. 35–36)

Lessons to live by:

• We can tell God what we are thinking and feeling in prayer. There is no need to pray as if we can hide our real feelings and thoughts from God.

• Do you live in such a way that you cause people to attack God because of your personality or lifestyle? Do you bring shame on other Christians who know you? Do you bring shame on your church home? You should not be a disgrace to God or His people

• The godly will be persecuted for their devotion to God. The prosperity gospel does sell as well during a struggling economy

• Has anyone made fun of you because you were a disciple of Jesus, believe in creation, stood up and opened your mouth for the defenseless babies being murdered? You are in good company with King David and King Jesus

• We need to include confession of sin in our prayers like David. We enter the Christian life with repentance, and we stay close to God and clean with repentance

• Our sin damages the reputation and ministry of other Christians

Psalm 63: Devotion and Trust (Faith on Fire)

This psalm is either an individual lament or a song of trust (confidence) or both. David wrote this psalm during a dangerous time in his life, while he was in the Judean wilderness running from Absalom. He is away from Jerusalem, both his throne and the worship center. This song of faith is a window on David’s soul, a man after God’s own heart.

  I. The believer’s desire for God (vs. 1–4)                

     A. David longs for the special presence of God in corporate worship

     B. The God of the Bible is David’s God

     C. The believer earnestly seeks for God based on an established relationship

          1. When the Holy Spirit starts to draw someone to Christ, they become an awakened sinner

          2. God and committed believers are the only “seekers” in the Bible

          3. Those who are entertainment, music, food, or fellowship seekers are idolater’s

          4. The business model has the “seeker” as the “consumer” or “customer” to be pleased

          5. The Bible gives this place to God alone

     D. “Soul” here is a figure of speech, using the part for the whole. David was longing for God

          with body and soul, with his entire personhood and all it aspects: mind, will, emotion

     E. The believer longs for fellowship with the LORD just like a man in the dessert longs for 

          water (simile). This is an all-consuming desire. David is far from the tabernacle in the

           wilderness of Judea. He is away from the worshiping assembly, and it bother him

     F. God’s glory and presence is as necessary to David as water is in intense heat

     G. God’s holiness, glory, and power were revealed to David in the holy place

     H. God’s covenant love (hesed) is better than even being alive

          1. God is faithful to his covenant promises

          2. God promised to preserve David and his dynasty through the coming Messiah

          3. God’s love will sustain the believer who is providentially hinder from worship

     I. David’s devotion to God puts most of us to shame

     J. Body and soul joined together is the time when a whole person can worship God

    K. The Jewish way to hold the hands during prayer

         1. Don’t back read American religious movements into the text

         2. Don’t ignore the major world religions influence on current American practices

    L. David’s lips are full of praise to God, his hands and mind are offering prayers to God

    M. The name of the Lord, Yahweh, is David’s basis for hope and trust in God’s rescue

 

 II. The believer’s delight in God (vs. 5–8)

      A. David praise for God is a response of his faith in God, as well as his devotion and loyalty

      B. Because God is sovereign and involved, David is full of joy and thankfulness as if he was

           being served a wonderful banquet

     C. Prayer that acknowledges God’s faithfulness to His promises will drift into praise for who

          God is, His attributes and wonderful grace to sinners (Confidence and faith)

      D. David longs for the special presence of God

           1. He recalls God’s past interventions in his life

           2. He receives comfort for the present by focusing on God’s past actions

     E. The night had three four hour watches and is a fearful time when you are hunted

     F. God is close to His own children and protects them under His wings

         (metaphor for the close fellowship and protection of God)

         God also expects His children to draw close to Him

   G. The believer holds fast to God, clings, cleaves to Him (Deut 10:20)

   H. God is powerful and deliberate (right hand) and faithfully keeps His promise of protection,

        preservation, and salvation

    I. The ones who have repented of their sins and put their trust in the Messiah are the ones that

       have this intimate relationship with God

 

III. The believer’s defense by God (vs. 9–11)

      A. God will protect His people through the persecution

      B. God will judge those who mistreat His people

      C. The divine Warrior will be victorious over His enemies (Isa 10:3)

           1. It is not wise to attack someone who belongs to God

           2. For God to keep His promises He must punish those who fight against His own

               1 Cor 3:16–17

      D. Three metaphors for total destruction

            1. Going down into the earth (being buried in a mass grave after losing a battle)

            2. Given over to the sword (to die and loose the battle)

            3. Food for jackals (packs of dessert wolves will eat the corpses of the slain soldiers)

            4. These are all curses of the covenant (see Leviticus 26)

    E. The believer will rejoice in God when He judges the wicked

2 Thessalonians 1:4-10 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.  ⁵ This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.  ⁶ For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,  ⁷ and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,  ⁸ dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  ⁹ These will pay the penalty of everlasting destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ¹⁰ when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.

     F. Divine vengeance and justice will remove all sin from the believers presence

         1. This is reason for great rejoicing

         2. The king has been called by God to serve and obey Him

     G. The loyal subjects of Yahweh only swear by His name (Deut 6:3, 10:20)

     H. God’s justice will silence all slander against His name and His people

 

Lessons to live by:

$          We should desire God like a man at noon in the arid desert heat desires water—with all our heart, strength, mind, body, soul

$          We should love assembling for worship, Bible study, prayer, and edificational fellowship

$          Faith on fire, devotion, loyalty, obedience, and trust will sustain us in difficulties as we pray the promises of God and praise Him for His sovereignty and faithfulness

$          God will protect His own and will punish sin on His timing. We should rejoice in His justice rendered to the enemies of the cross

$          A close relationship with the God of the Bible is very, very important

Psalm 61: A Prayer from an Exhausted Heart

This psalm is either an individual lament, a royal psalm, or a royal lament psalm (individual). This psalm was written by David during a dangerous time in his life. He is away from Jerusalem and is battle weary. This psalm does not mention the covenant name of Yahweh in it, as is usual for psalms in this second book of psalms.

  I. A prayer for protection (vs. 1–2)

     A. Parallelism: Hear my cry, listen to my prayer

     B. Location is far from Jerusalem. Pagans viewed the gods as territorial

     C. David’s heart is faint, depressed, discouraged, weary, exhausted (Jonah)

     D. David is asking God to lead him to safety, he is calling 911 spiritually

     E. David needs divine protection from adversity

     F. The rock is metaphor for a fortified, safe, refuge

         1. On a high cliff you can see the enemy for miles

         2. Gravity and a few boulders will remove the enemy

     G. God alone can deliver, and David has faith that God will protect him

II. Confident praise for God’s protection (vs. 3–5)

     A. David recounts the past, God has been his refuge before

     B. God is a strong tower (figure of comparison)

          Military defensive structure for protection

    C.  David longs to be at the public worship (tabernacle) special presence of God

    D. David desires protection and care under the wings (figure of comparison)

    E. He is confident that God has heard his prayer

    F. Vows were part of prayers for deliverance on the part of man, as he reminded 

         God of his covenant promises in prayer, this was reciprocal

    G. All the chosen remnant enjoyed “the heritage” (land and blessings of the covenant)

III. A prayer for protection (vs. 6–7)

      A. God preserve the one on the throne of Israel

      B. God preserve the descendants of the king

      C. Remember your covenant promise to me (Ps 89:36)

      D. One of David’s descendants, the Messiah, will rule forever (Eph 4:7–13)

IV. Confident praise for God’s protection (vs. 8)

      A. David is sure God will keep him safe

      B. David intends to praise God for this every day

      C. David is going to express his love for God every day

           1. Normally the vows are paid immediately after the prayer is answered

           2. This is not a bribe. It is a promised extra expression of devotion that

                the person would have to remember and chose to perform

Lessons to live by:

• When depress or exhausted we are specially tempted to sin. Pray instead

• When in trouble, go to God in prayer if you have a relationship with Him

• God is our shelter, protector, refuge, defense, parent

• Trust in God as you pray and after you pray

• Praise God in faith when you trust Him to keep the promises of the Bible

• Praise God with joy when He answers your prayers

• Remember God covenant love for those who belong to Him

• In great gratitude, serve the God who loves you so 

• Look in faith to the return of the Messiah, Jesus Christ

• His righteous rule will have no end

• Love God with all you are and have