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".
c. The Publican said, "Lord be merciful to me a sinner".
B. Here in this passage Brevity is born of Urgency.
1. When problems come, the Christian better be able to touch God in an instant.
2. Many times problems come so fast that there is not time to pray long prayers of confession of sin. And the
Bible plainly teaches that God will not here a child of God with sin in their life.
3. We had better keep the line to God cleaned out and not let sin in.
C. David had a problem and he got down to business with God.
D. When you get into a problem you don’t have to tell everybody about it, Just Give It To God!!!
III. THE PRAISE OF ANTICIPATED DELIVERANCE-vs. 5-6 By the time we get to vs. 5 the storm has given place to calm and the sighs have turned to songs. David was not out of the valley but he was anticipating that help was on the way. David was looking through the eyes of faith to a God that he believed would come through once again.
A. It’s amazing what faith and trusting can do
Faith Can Turn Adversity into Assurance
Faith Can Turn Battles in into Blessings
Faith Can Turn Chaos into Courage
Faith Can Turn Despair into Deliverance
Faith Can Turn Emptiness into Encouragement
Faith Can Turn Fear into Fearlessness
Faith Can Turn Grief into Gladness
Faith Can Turn Hopelessness into a Happiness
Faith Can Turn Lamentation into Laughter
Faith Can Turn Pain into Peace
Faith Can Turn Remorse into Rejoicing
Faith Can Turn Sorrow into Serenity
Faith Can Turn Sadness into Singing
Faith Can Turn Tears into Triumph
Faith Can Turn Vexation into Victory
Faith Can Turn Weights into Wings
B. In the midst of hard times look through the eyes of faith and start anticipating God to come on the scene.
C. Weeping may endure for a Night But Joy Comes in the Morning!!!
CONCLUSION: This Chapter is proof that we can praise God in the midst of a storm. David wasn’t out of the valley when he started praising God. But he anticipated that the God that brought him out the last time would bring him out again. I can’t help but agree with David where he says “I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” This Psalm begins with David as the Victim but ends with David as the Victor! Child of God, don’t remain in the valley of despair and doubts, climb the mountain of delight and rejoice in the good things of God. Like Paul told the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say rejoice.”
