A Study Of Psalm 39 Series

A Study of Psalm 39

Psalm 39

Introduction

- Wed night format; opportunity to study together from our homes

-- Re: Invite someone else to join in - not an exclusive study for "just LFC"

- Psalms are songs of praise and words of encouragement/warning

- We are studying book 1, Psalm 1-41 … primary focus on David's experience

- Today is definitely a self-examination piece of scripture; chance to heart-check

- Many would be surprised at the amount of "tough love" found in the Bible

- We prefer to think of God as all loving; but we ignore that He will also correct us

- Jesus in Matthew 7:13 told us, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."

-- APP: Even this simple passage is one of correction - guidance for living right

- God wants us to live rightly, and how we react to correction says a lot about us

- FB post about this Psalm "knocking our socks off" is absolutely factual

- Will we live under His authority or won't we - that's the question!

- Read Psalm 39:1-13/ Pray

Point 1 - David's realization

- David learned to guard his mouth against sinful things (v1)

-- The tongue is a powerful weapon, able to destroy worlds if desired

-- EX: A commander giving an order to invade can wipe out a civilization

- Personal EX: A rumor or word spoken in anger can destroy

-- David declares that he will muzzle his mouth

-- Esp. in the presence of the "wicked" (unrighteous) - no fuel for them

- He chooses to remain quiet and doesn't even speak good things (v2)

-- Why? So that he would not be tempted to speak bad things

- EX: Ever tell a story and decide to gossip a bit?

-- David is muzzling his mouth completely - to not say a word

-- APP: Saying nothing is often better than speaking

- However, (v3) within Him his heart is burning

-- He feels driven to speak - but still remains silent

-- But when he does speak, it is only in God's presence (key word: meditate)

- APP: This allows him to be transparent with God

-- IMP: Having a prayer life is important!

-- Communication with God is critical!

- TRANS: David realizes that he can control what he says

Point 2 - David prays

- David asks God for insight to himself (v4)

" Show me my life's end

" Show me the number of days

" Show me how fleeting life is

- There's no word whether God gave him his death date

-- However, I believe he got something else from this

-- APP: He now understood how short life is - how quickly it can end

- He confesses God has total control of his life (v5)

" Even his next breath is provided by God (this is total supplication)

" And, that breath, is nothing compared to the infinity of God

- David asks God: Remind me how frail life is (v6)

-- Prayer: "Teach me Lord, how vain my purposes are compared to yours"

- CHALL: Think we'd live differently if we did this …

- TRANS: Why does David asks for such a difficult examination?

Point 3 - David understands his sin

- David looks to God for everything he might need (v7-8)

" God is his provider

" God is his hope

" God is his redeemer

" God is his savior

- Expound on verse 7 …

" David turns to his God, in disgust of all things

" He has thought on the world and all things in it (less than we have now)

" He is relieved by knowing that such vain things are all passing away

" Declaration: My hope is in you.

- God is self-existent and true, and therefore worthy of the confidence of men

" God will live when all the creatures die

" His fullness will abide when all Earthy pleasures are exhausted

" For David, all his cares are cast upon God for what he needs

- APP: His (our) only hope for deliverance is in God

- David understands the salvation & discipline he feels is from God (v8-9)

-- It is because of his choices that have landed him in this place

-- APP: Sometimes we just need to admit what we've done / deserve correcting

- This is what David does perfectly … pleads with God for relief (v10)

" Remove the scourge from me (God's discipline)

" It is too much Lord, my heart is suffering

- APP: For David, being transparent with God is very important

- From David's view, he really understands how short life is: (v11)