Looking For Real Hope In The Right Places! (Psalm 39:1-7) Series

MAKING MUSIC FROM SHARPS AND FLATS IN LIFE

Sermons Based on Selected Psalms

Psalms Sermon VIII – Psalm 39:1-7

David the shepherd lad who became King of Israel was a music maker. He played a harp – the most popular instrument in Old Testament times. The Book of Psalms is a collection of his compositions inspired by both his life experiences and his majestic moments with the Lord God.

As a sheep herder, the boy David became fascinated with the wonders of the out of doors even as he became familiar with the uniqueness of sheep.

As the one chosen by Samuel to be crowned the next king of Israel, David had no choice but to sharpen his defensive battle skills when Saul threatened his life; he had demonstrated his skills as a shepherd lad when he defended his sheep from the attack of wolves, and when he defended his family by killing their enemy Goliath with one stone fired by his slingshot.

David’s favor with God and the people worsened King Saul’s insanity, making him so blindly jealous that he made David the target of a relentless campaign to destroy the king-to-be.

David won the battle; but, more importantly, he won the hearts of the people because he had won the heart of the Lord God who had chosen him.

As king, David ruled righteously in accordance with God’s will; Israel enjoyed the golden years of their history during David’s reign.

Yet, as a man, David sinned; however, as a sinner, he was aware of his need for God’s forgiveness; as a forgiven child of God, he courageously accepted God’s punishment; as one who suffered the consequence of sinning against God, he also accepted the challenge of rebuilding his life for God.

As a Psalmist, David’s innermost thoughts - expressed in the verses of his poetry - have become the greatest collection of spiritual nuggets the world has ever known.

From a lifetime of positive and negative experiences, David has become our hero for making music out of the sharps and flats in life.

Any musician knows that it takes both to make good music. It takes the positives (the sharps) and the negatives (the flats). Arrange them in such a way that they blend into chords, orchestrate the chords into a harmonious melody, and what you get is a work of art that is pleasing to the ear.

Life is like that. The isolated sound of a sharp or the lonesome sound of a flat does nothing for the spirit. Get it all together in conformity with THE Great Composer’s divine plan for our lives, and what you have is harmonious living that is pleasing not only to God but to others as well.

These devotional messages, based on the Book of Psalms, are intended to draw from David’s orchestration of the sharps and flats in his life to help us make music from the sharps and flats in our own lives. Selah.

Psalm 39:1-7 . . .

The sea was beating against the rocks in huge, dashing waves. The lightning was flashing, the thunder was roaring, the wind was blowing; but the little bird was asleep in the crevice of the rock, its head serenely under its wing, sound asleep.

That is a picture of peace – to be able to sleep during the storms of life. In Christ, we are at peace during the confusion, bewilderments, and perplexities of life. The storm rages, but our hearts are at rest. Yes, in Christ, we have found peace – at last!

“But now, Lord, what do I look for?” Focus briefly on those two little words, “but now.” Sort of like saying, as you and I might be prone to say, “Now what?” Now that we have surveyed our situation, we given thought to the uncertainties of everyday life, what is left for me to consider?

The Psalmist – as he so often did - painted a word picture of the negativity in his life; but he never put a period at the end of the negativity; for, the negative aspect of life was not the end of his story; without hesitation, the psalmist invariably went on to make a positive declaration concerning the LORD.

Now, there are folks who, like the psalmist, constantly paint a negative word picture of their trials and tribulations; but, unlike the psalmist, too many of them put a period (if not an exclamation point) at the end of the negative - as if to say:

“That’s all there is about me; my life is like one great big wad of chewing tobacco - or, some might say, one huge jaw full of snuff; all it’s good for is to juice it up and spit it out.” And, you know what? Some of those negative folks don’t have a very good aim when they spit it out!