Introduction
The reason we are considering this Psalm today as part of our series on 1 Samuel is that its title tells us that an event in the narrative of 1 Samuel gave occasion to the writing of the Psalm. David says that he got the inspiration for this song when his house was surrounded by Saul's men who were there to kill him.
1 Sam. 19:11-17 – Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed." So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats' hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick." Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him." And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats' hair for his head. Then Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I kill you?'"
For the purpose of this sermon, we will simply divide this Psalm into two parts: David's enemies and David's God. We will spend most of our time talking about David's God because he is also our God!
I. David's Enemies
A. Even though the occasion that gave rise to this Psalm was the immediate threat brought by Saul's men, David broadens his petition for deliverance to include all his enemies, 1-2.
1. In making his prayer broader than his immediate situation, David makes it possible for us to stand with him.
2. This is not just David's prayer.
3. This is the prayer of every child of God who has been afflicted by enemies.
a. Enemies can be men outside of your door trying to kill you.
b. Enemies can be a worldview that is contrary to the Word of God (the Bible simply calls it the world).
c. The Devil is always the enemy.
B. David's enemies are real.
1. He is not paranoid.
2. He is not imagining things.
3. We too have real enemies.
C. David's enemies are vicious and so are ours
1. Bloodthirsty
2. Workers of iniquity
3. Wicked transgressors
4. Liars
5. They growl like a dog
6. Their words are as sharp as the warrior's sword.
7. So are ours.
a. Satan is never at rest.
b. The world is never friendly.
c. We deceive ourselves when we think that's the case.
1 Jn. 2:15-17 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Jam. 4:4 – Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
D. David's enemies attack him even when he is blameless, 3-4.
1. In fact, the enemy will attack more mercilessly when one is blameless.
2. The enemy is going to invest in destroying those who are honoring the name of Christ.
E. David's enemies are proud and cocky, 6-7.
1. They think there is nobody to hear, that is, there is no God besides them right there, end of v. 7.
2. This is the thought of the unbeliever who proudly says, "There is no God."
F. The enemy is persistent and scary, 14-15.
G. Why is David upset with the enemies?
1. He seems to be upset with the enemies and wants them destroyed, not so much for what they are doing to him, but for the dishonor they are bringing to God's name, 11-13 – sin of their mouth, pride, cursing, lying, let them know that God rules.
2. He asks God, that in dealing with them, he would make clear who God is in the process, 11-12.
3. We like to justify our anger, our bitterness, with people around us as being righteous anger.
a. We try to make the case that we have the right to be angry with them.
b. I wonder, though, how much of our anger is because of dishonor to God's name and how much of it is there because the laws of our own selfish little kingdom of one were broken.
4. David understood that deliverance, even vengeance, comes from the Lord, 4b-5.
Rom. 12:19-21 – Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeanceis Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
H. David is confident God will deliver him because of the character of God and that leads us to David's God, 9-10.
1. Deliverance is ultimately only from the Lord.
2. David acted on his prayer and escaped his own house through a window with Michal's help, but he acknowledges that deliverance belongs to the Lord, 1-2.
II. David's God
A. The first thing about David's God is that he is a God who delivers his people from his enemies, 1-2.
Gal. 1:3-5 – Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom beglory forever and ever. Amen.
B. It is important to notice that God was David's God – my God, 1a.
1. There is a relationship between him and God.
2. He is not Jesse's God or just Israel's God – he was David's God.
3. How does that happen? How does God become myGod? Through faith!
Eph. 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Col. 1:13-14 – He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed usinto the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
C. David's God is the Lord God of Hosts, 5a.
1. He is Yahweh God of heaven's armies.
2. He has the armies of heaven at his disposal.
Mt. 26:53 – Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
2 Kg. 6:15-17– And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain wasfull of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Heb. 1:14 – Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
D. David's God is the God of Israel, 5a.
1. He is the God who established a covenant with his people.
2. He is the God who has said, "You will be my people and I will be your God."
3. He is the God who has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
E. David's God rules in Jacob, 13b.
1. God is king; he is sovereign.
2. Notice that David adds to the ends of the earthas to say that God will expand Jacob to the ends of the earth, or that he will go with Jacob to the ends of the earth.
F. David's God is his defense and shield, 9b, 11b, 16c, 17c.
1. God is our protection, our high tower, our fortress and our refuge.
Ps. 62:2 – He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.
Ps. 144:2 – My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.
2. He is our rock, a very present help in trouble, a strong tower
Col. 3:1-3 – If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
G. David's God is powerful, 11b, 9a, 16a, 17a.
1. He has the power to create by speaking and the power to destroy.
2. He holds the whole of the universe by the power of his word.
3. And he has the power to save sinners even like you and me and to keep us saved!
Rom. 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
1 Pt. 1:3-5 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
H. David's God is merciful, 10a, 16b, 17.
1. Chesed – mercy, goodness, kindness, steadfast love, loyalty.
2. I wonder if this wasn't the chief characteristic that led David to seek God.
Jam 5:11 – Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
Lam 3:22-23 – Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
Application & Conclusion
When you go back home today, read this psalm again. Underline all that it says concerning God, your God! Think about each truth, each description of God. Think of your enemies, those who are truly against you because of the Gospel. But then run back to David's God, your God, who you know through faith in Jesus Christ. This God truly is our armor.
http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2016/01/god-our-armor-ps-59.html
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