Thanks For God's Answers To My Problems
Psalm 34:1-22
You can listen to a full recording of this message at http://www.nec.org.au/listen-to-a-sermon-series/responding-to-god-psalms/
Introduction to Reading
The family of Psalms which we are going to consider this morning are known as Thanksgiving Psalms.
In many ways a Thanksgiving Psalm is similar to a Hymn of Praise … indeed they often start out in the same way with an expression of praise to the Lord. However the difference between a Hymn and a Thanksgiving Psalm is that the Thanksgiving Psalms always talk about a difficult situation which has been fixed. We might want to think of Thanksgiving Psalms as our response when God helps us out of trouble.
So, when we read Thanksgiving Psalms the features we are looking for is an opening section which praises God – and then a section which talks about the way God helped and answered in the middle of a difficulty.
Some Psalms which are Thanksgiving Psalms include:-
Psalm 18
Psalm 30
Psalm 32
Psalm 34
Psalm 116
Psalm 124
Psalm 129
We are going to look at Psalm 34 as the example.
This Psalm also has a very special feature ... it is called an “acrostic Psalm”. This means that each line in the Psalm begins with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Series: Responding to God
Thanks for God’s Answers to my Problems
A sermon on Psalm 34
Read straight away.
I came across a good saying a few years ago.
"Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defence".
David could easily have written that saying couldn’t he. This Psalm describes a time when he found himself in a difficult situation. The title of the Psalm tells us that it was written When he feigned insanity before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.
So, if we are going to understand this Psalm – we need to understand the situation it refers to.
1 Samuel 21:10-15
Read
The observant among you may have already noticed a bit of a discrepancy.
In 1 Samuel 21 the king is called Achish.
In the title of Psalm 34 the man’s name is Abimelech.
It is not a mistake.
Abimelech means “my father is king” and it is official title of the Philistine king.
Just as Pharaoh was the name given to the king of Egypt, and Caesar was the name of the leader of Rome.
Abimelech and Achish are the same person.
And you have to feel sorry for him because it seems he is surrounded by madmen. One of whom is David. And David has some real problems.
At the moment he has been on the run from King Saul who has threatened to kill him. In desperation he enters the territory of the Philistines ... a town called Gath. Not really a smart move.
You see Goliath ... the big man who David killed with a stone from his slingshot ... well he was a Philistine.
In fact Goliath used to live in the town of Gath.
You don’t kill the hometown champion without becoming well-known.
So it is not long before David finds himself in the palace of the king of his enemies.
David is without any military support.
David is very afraid.
So, in desperation, he uses insanity as a defence.
Basically he pretends to be someone he isn’t – in the hope of getting away.
So here is my question:- Why doesn’t David put more faith and trust in God to save him?
Instead of scribing marks into the doors why doesn’t he pray and ask God for help – like Daniel did when he was in the lion’s den.
Instead of letting spit run down his cheeks why doesn’t he stand up and say, “I belong to God and He will protect me”?
Instead of pretending to be mad why doesn’t he be true to himself?
It seems like he is trying to save himself. It all seems so ungodly and not at all a sign that he trusted in the Lord.
But looks can be deceiving. We know this is the case because Psalm 34 is a record of David’s thoughts when he was going through this difficulty. In fact in verse 1-10 we have a personal testimony of David.
• I will extol the LORD at all times (vs.1).
• Glorify the LORD with me (vs.2).
• I sought the LORD and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears (vs.4).
• This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; He saved Him out of all His troubles (vs.6).
• Taste and see that the LORD is good (vs.8).
Whichever way you look at it these are not the words of someone relying on themselves or their own cunning to escape. This is the testimony of a man who is putting his total trust in God.
It’s a testimony we can relate to can’t we. Often we have found ourselves in trouble. Regularly we come to the Lord on our knees and cry out in desperation, "Lord I need help”.
Our marriage is having difficulties ... we seem to be drifting apart.
I’m struggling with a particular sin ... it always tempts me.
My career is not what I expected it to be ... now I don’t feel secure.
My health is causing me to worry ... where are the answers?
The plans I have for myself ... my family ... my future ... they all seem to be falling apart.
Financial struggles are getting on top of me.
I have doubts, and questions, and fears.
How many times have we sought the Lord for help? Many.
How many times have we seen God help us? Many as well.
Our experience is that God has helped us again and again. That is our experience. But there is a problem with experiences – because our experiences of seeing God help us can be inconsistent.
There are times when we have seen God provide in amazing ways for our personal and financial needs. At other times we find ourselves in debt and facing a huge wall to get over.
Our health ... or the health of people we love. Sometimes we pray and we see amazing answers and God’s provision. Other times we have to sit back helplessly and watch pain and suffering, or even death, take hold.
One time we pray for protection on the road:- and a near-miss makes us so thankful to the Lord. On other occasions we have found ourselves involved in a serious collision.
I could go on making the contrasts, but you get the point. If we were to base our relationship with God on the basis of the experiences we go through. Well ... at best ... we would come to the conclusion that God comes through many times; but not all the time. Or we might conclude that God is often in control ... but sometimes evil takes control.
Experience is a good teacher – but it doesn’t always teach us God’s truth.
Even David experiences this dilemma. On this occasion he was saved. And he cries out to God in thankfulness. But there were other times when he wasn’t feeling the love.
Psalm 22
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
Psalm 60
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam of David.
You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us; you have been angry—now restore us! You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking. You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
Some days we wake up and it doesn’t feel like God is for us. Some days it seems that He is not listening to our prayers. I’m not saying that God isn’t doing what He promises. All I am saying is that it doesn’t feel like it at times. And when our spiritual life doesn’t feel right we need to go back to the truth of the Scriptures and be reminded that in all of life God provides and we can be thankful for these provisions.
The first of these provisions seen in verses 11-14 where we discover that God will provide by giving us direction.
Read Psalm 34:11-14
That is the direction of God in action. It’s direction which goes against so much of the wisdom of our modern age.
Be your own person.
Do what you want to do.
Live the free and easy life.
No responsibilities.
No commitments.
Just put God on hold – or even ignore Him all together.
Let’s face it. Life can be fun. David knows how easy it is to get carried away with life … but he also knows the dangers that come with it.
If that’s the good life, David says, you can have it. What will it get you in the end? Rejections of God’s ways now may seem to lead to good days, but I know whose shoes I want to be in when the time comes to stand before the judgement seat of God.
Experience might say, “Give God a miss because sometimes He misses you”. But the truth of the matter is that God calls the shots. We need to be thankful for that direction. And we need to acknowledge that direction if we are going to have spiritual success.
Direction. It is a provision from God. A provision which we sometimes ignore which causes us to end up in a great big hole. So David tells us about another provision of God. It is in verses 17-18.
Read Psalm 34:17-18
God provides hope when we feel in despair
We have a Saviour who knows that no-one is perfect. The Lord knows that we find it difficult to walk in His footsteps. So He provides a Saviour.
If you know your moral life is not what it should be.
And if you think your life has no meaning.
And if you wonder what purpose you have on this life.
And if you know the time has come to seek true answers.
Then you can also know and be sure of the provision God gives to deal with these issues. The LORD is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
God provides true hope to those whose sin is so overwhelming their hearts are ready to break in two … and it comes by looking to Jesus.
Jesus Christ on whom we can rely.
Jesus Christ God’s Son who sees His straying sheep and has compassion.
Jesus Christ God’s Son and our Saviour who, thought He was guilty of no sin became sin for us.
Jesus.
You can cry out to the Father, in brokenness, in sinfulness, in repentance, in agony and know – know 100% – that God will hear and He will respond. That’s a reason to be thankful isn’t it?
What else does God provide? Let’s read verse 19.
Read Psalm 34:19
God provides peace even when it seems that the tables have been turned.
Sometimes we get confused about the ways of God.
Righteous people do have troubles.
They lose their jobs like other people.
They have monetary problems.
Families still have tensions.
Cars still break down.
People still suffer sickness.
Christians still endure much pain.
Christ’s children are the righteous, yet the righteous have many troubles. David gives his lesson on God’s provision. You may have trouble, but the Lord delivers you from them all.
How? It’s by focussing our eyes away from this life – and knowing that Jesus is preparing a place for each one of us.
A place of no anxiety. A place of no pain. No hassles. No difficulties.
A place where you can glory in the radiance of the Lord Himself as you stand before His throne.
A place where you will be able to stand in the presence of God, and He will not turn from you because you are holy.
It may seem in this life that the tables are turned, that the righteous have trouble. But a day is coming when all this will be changed. This ... this life ... is not the destination. This life is the journey. There is more to come – a whole lot more for those who trust in God as their Lord and King.
This is a Thanksgiving Psalm Thanksgiving Psalm always talks about a difficult situation which has been fixed. Our experience might make us feel that God is letting us down. But experience is not the ultimate teacher of truth.
God will provide by giving us direction.
God provides hope when we feel in despair
God provides peace even when it seems that the tables have been turned.
Come to the Lord for help.
Lord, help us not to trust in our own ability to provide.
Lord, help us not to rely on ourselves in anyway.
Lord, help us to give up our trust in creatures and put our trust in You alone.
For we confess that it is only your grace which enables us to get through every day.
Amen.
