From Pouting To Shouting

FROM POUTING TO SHOUTING--PSALM 13:1-6

Introduction: In this Psalm we see David’s emotions during the time when he was being hunted as a fugitive by Saul. His powers of endurance are almost gone. He feels that unless God acts quickly, his enemies will get the upper hand and he will go down in defeat. This Psalm expresses the common experiences of all Christians. There are many changes in the Christian’s life. David is seen as a fugitive and a conqueror. He is seen as despairing and triumphing. He is seen as weeping and singing. It shows the many changes that happen in our lives. The changes in life are constant. Sometimes the changes are extreme and sometimes come all at one time. Like the weather, our moods change, our thoughts change, and our behaviors change. But we can rest assured in the fact that we have a God that never changes.

God uses changes in our lives to purify and perfect us. Through changes, the chaff can be caught in the storm and be blown away. A fruit tree needs the changes in the weather to bear fruit. It needs the rain and it needs the sunshine to bring forth the fruit. God knows what he’s doing. He may be taking you through changes to perfect you so you can grow and produce fruit. David here is having a pity party at the beginning of this chapter but by the end of this passage he is shouting the victory.

This Psalm is divided in three parts:

In vs. 1-2 we see the Sorrowful Heart

In vs. 3-4 we see the Sleeping Heart

In vs. 5-6 we see the Singing Heart

I. THE PAIN OF APPARENT DELAY

A. Vs. 1 - “How Long?”

1. David seems to be asking God, Why?

2. This shows a lack of faith

3. David is concerned about God’s seeming forgetfulness.

a. The fact is that God never forsakes or neglects his own, but often it seems like he has.

b. This problem is never God’s fault, it’s ours

4. Whenever there is a Lapse of Faith there is always doubting.

a. When doubts come, questions arise such as “Where is God?” “Does God Love Me?”

b. The child of God is never to walk by the way things appear.

B. Faith looks beyond circumstances and says God is on the throne and there is a reason for this trial.

1. The problem in is our independent society is that we have come to the point where we don’t need God

anymore.

2. God Wants us to be totally dependent on him and when we become self-sufficient he has to step in.

C. Not only does David think God has forgotten him but he also no longer feels the presence of God in his life

1. It is a sad experience when a person loses the power and presence of God.

2. But what’s even sadder than that is that we have people in our churches today that don’t even miss God when

he’s not there

a. If God took the Holy Spirit out of Churches, 99% percent of the things that take place would continue on.

1. The Choir would still sing

2. The People would still say Amen

3. There would be testimonies

b. There would probably even be a few professions of Faith--Based on the emotionalism that going through

our Churches today.

3. The Problem is that there are no supernatural changes without the supernatural power of God.

D. Because of God’s power and presence being absent, in vs. 2 we see that David is left to his own resources.

1. Even the greatest and wisest of men, when left to themselves, have trouble coping with life’s problems.

2. David realizes that both wisdom and strength come from God.

3. At the end of vs. 2 he recognizes that the power of God is absent and that the power of the enemy is present.

E. Verses 1-2 are filled with Doubt and Despair and most people like to stop right there. But notice how David

gets out of his desperate situation.

II. THE PRAYER IN ALARMING DISTRESS - vs. 3-4 -- David realizes that moaning and groaning about the problem will not help his situation. The only solution to this problem is to take it to God. The biggest problem with most people is they would rather complain about their problems than let God get them out of the problem.

A. David’s Prayer was both Precise and Concise

1. Keep in mind that a prayer does not have to long to be powerful.

2. Some of the shortest prayers in the Bible got much accomplished.

a. Peter said, "Lord Save Me".

b. The Leper cried, "Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean".