The All-Sufficient God Series

The All-Sufficient God!

Psalm 34

Introduction:

Psalm 34 = written by David to commemorate his deliverance from a time of great peril… through a series of events and poor choices… David put himself in a place of great danger… experienced a great deliverance.

Look: v.6

Every Psalm has a story:

Clue = title of the Psalm.

1 Sam. 21:10 – 22:2 – provides historical backdrop for the Psalm.

• David slew Philistine giant Goliath of Gath… valley of Elah… Israel routed the armies of the Philistines… won a great victory.

• Experienced a newfound fame … courage and exploits became subject of songs… Saul slain his thousands… David his tens of thousands.

• Saul consumed with jealousy… out of his own insecurity and self-preservationist mentality… sought to kill David.

• David now in survival mode… fearing for his life… on the run… moving from place to place to evade Saul’s henchmen.

• In a moment of weakness and fear… David’s faith failed… forgot the Lord… leaned to his own understanding… panicked and made the fatal choice to leave the Promised land for a pagan land.

• 1 Sam. 21:10 - Flees to the city of Gath… Philistine stronghold… seeking refuge from Saul… looks to Achish one of the 5 lords of the Philistines for protection.

• Ps. 34 – called Abimelech… Achish = personal name… Abimelech = royal name… dynastic title for Philistine kings… Pharoah or Caesar.

• David = went from the frying pan into the fire!

• Philistines had longed to get their hands on the man responsible for killing their champion Goliath and routing the armies. Now here he was standing outside the gates of Gath… with Goliath’s sword hanging from his belt!

• Immediately clasped David in chains and hauled him before Achish… ever had one of those Aha moments? Believe David had on right then!

• Realizing his danger… David feigns himself a mad man… begins to drool out of the corner of his mouth… scribble with his finger on the prison gates.

• Achish = completely fooled by David’s charade… bought it hook, line and sinker.

• David = escapes back into the land of Israel… finds himself in Judean wilderness… cave of Adullam… where he repents of his failures… recognized the God’s deliverance!

**Don’t know exactly when David penned this Psalm:

1) May have been shortly after the event itself… fresh on his mind… lifted up a heart of praise to God… Psalm 34.

2) Years later in the palace… after crowned king over Israel… sitting in his palace reflecting on his life… remembered time of failure… how close he was to being a goner… sudden deliverance.

No matter when it was written…

David = recognized that it wasn’t his own good fortune that saved his neck… but the Providential hand of God that delivered out of the mess of his own making.

Applic: Has your faith ever failed? Have you ever made a mess of things. I know I have… Thankful for a God who forgives our failures and delivers us from our messes!

Psalm 34 = Alphabet Psalm

Each of its 22 verses begins with a diff letter of Heb alphabet.

Literary tool to aid the memory and probe the heart.

Psalm Divides into 2 Parts:

1. Song (vv.1-10) – David praising.

2. Sermon (vv.11-22) – David preaching.

Note: “All” = found 4x’s in Psalm [vv.4,6,17,19]

Psalm 34 = Learn of “Our All-Sufficient God”

God is the God of “all times (v.1) and is greater than “all troubles” (v.6).

TS: God can deliver us from…

I. ALL OUR FEARS!

Look: v.4

Fear = enemy of faith… it was fear that caused David to forget God… and his faith to fail… it is when we give in to our fears that our faith fails.

God = not the author of our fears.

2 Tim. 1:7 – “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Satan = King of Terrors – Satan wants to bring a spirit of fear into our lives.

Two Ways Overcome Fears:

A. Pray without Ceasing (4)

Look: v. 4 – “I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears.”

David = brought his fears into the presence of God.

Prayer Recognizes that God is greater than his fears.

B. Praise without Ceasing (1-3,5)

Look: v.1

“Bless” = to speak well of … we want God to bless us… God wants us to bless Him.

“At all times” = all means all and that’s all all means! in every situation and under every circumstance

Quote: “before, in and after every trial; in bright days of gladness and dark nights of fear.” – Spurgeon

How do you bless the Lord at all times??? By recognizing that in all places and in all circumstances God is there!