I Will Bless The Lord

Dr. Wayne A. Lawson

Antioch Institutional Baptist Church

Oklahoma City, OK

RevWLawson@aol.com

Preached, Sunday, September 13, 2009

(I take no credit for the originality of this Sermon – originally delivered by Pastor Marvin Wiley)

TITLE: I WILL BLESS THE LORD

SCRIPTURE: PSALM 34:1-3

1I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

This psalm, like so many others, has its roots grounded in a historical occasion. The historical context of this chapter can be found in I Samuel Chapter 21-22. It is there that we find David who has just changed his behavior before Ahimelech as he is on the run from King Saul. King Saul was not happy with David and how he was being elevated by God. The local woman had been singing songs -Saul killed his thousands and David his ten thousands. The saying displeased King Saul to the point that he now sought to take the Life of David. Saul set in his heart to Kill David. David is now on the run from Saul.

During the time that David Penned this particular Psalm – he is found in Gath. It is interesting to note that Goliath was from Gath. Automatically, I find Problems with this Passage. David runs for his life and temporarily settles in Gath. Can you help me church? I’m having a difficult time understanding –How do you find safety among your enemies?

• How do you go to the enemies Camp and find safety?

• How do you find rest among your enemies?

• I know young people like to sing the song – I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole form me

• Most of us recognize it is just a song - we take no comfort in the camp of our enemy

• Bible declares in PSALM 110:1 - ST. LUKE 20:43 - ACTS 2:35 - HEBREWS 1:13 - God will make our enemies our footstool.

• Not our place of Refuge

• Not seated by our side

• But Beneath our Feet!

King Achish who is the King of Gath is somewhat shocked when he discovers David who is now on the run. The king looks at David and asks why have you bought this mad man to me. Bible readers will remember that David had to fane himself mad – Literally act like he was crazy – Like he has lost his mind

• Let me pause here and state for the record that everybody that acts like they are crazy isn’t really crazy

• People around you may Play like they are Crazy – but they know what they are doing

• David played like he was crazy

• Spittle ran down his beard – Scratching on the gates of the city

• Custom of the day – would not kill or imprison those that were crazy or you believed them to be crazy

• David initiated the plan to act as though he were crazy so the King of Gath would not take his life

Fear will make you act foolish and ultimately lead to your failure. When we operate in fear it will literally make you feel like you have lost your mind. This is why Paul spoke with the young preacher by the name of Timothy and encouraged him to be courageous in his ministry. Paul recorded - II TIMOTHY 1:7 “GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US THE SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER, AND OF LOVE AND A SOUND MIND.” David fearing King Saul and now fearing King Achish is on the run again. This is a strong contrast to what David wrote in an earlier Psalm. Just go Seven (7) Chapters forward. Look at David’s Proclamation in this Chapter.

• PSALM 27 - THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION, WHOM SHALL I FEAR? THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE, OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID?

• VS. 2 WHEN THE WICKED, EVEN MINE ENEMIES AND MY FOES, CAME UPON ME TO EAT UP MY FLESH, THEY STUMBLED AND FELL

• VS. 3 THOUGH AN HOST SHOULD ENCAMP AGAINST ME, MY HEART SHALL NOT FEAR: THOUGH WAR SHOULD RISE AGAINST ME, IN THIS WILL I BE CONFIDENT

• VS. 5 FOR IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE HE SHALL HIDE ME IN HIS PAVILION, IN THE SECRET OF HIS TABERNACLE SHALL HE HIDE ME, HE SHALL SET ME UP UPON A ROCK

• When you get into a Tight Place

• When things don’t look good

• When you find yourself in trouble

• We have assurance that we have a God we can lean on