BIG IDEA:
THE LORD IS NOT DEAF TO THE CRIES OF HIS PEOPLE
I. (:1-2) THE CRY FOR A HEARING
A. (:1) The Rock Has Ears
“To Thee, O Lord, I call;
My rock, do not be deaf to me,
Lest, if Thou be silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit.”
B. (:2) The Holy Sanctuary Receives Cries for Help
“Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to Thee for help,
When I lift up my hands toward Thy holy sanctuary.”
II. (:3) THE CRY FOR FAIRNESS
DON’T TREAT ME THE SAME AS THE WICKED
A. Workers of Iniquity
“Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who work iniquity”
B. Deceitful, Malicious Neighbors
“Who speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.”
III. (:4-5) THE CRY FOR JUSTICE
REPAY THE WICKED WHAT THEY DESERVE
A. The Standard for Payment:
“according to their work”
“according to the evil of their practices”
“according to the deeds of their hands”
B. The Reason for no Mercy or Grace:
“they do not regard the works of the Lord”
they do not regard “the deeds of His hands”
C. Summary: “He will tear them down and not build them up”
IV. (:6-7) THE LORD HAS HEARD MY CRIES
MY STRENGTH AND MY SHIELD
A. Blessings of Answered Prayers
connection between faith and deliverance.“Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped”
B. Songs of Thanksgiving from the heart
“Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.”
V. (:8-9) THE LORD WILL HEAR THE CRIES OF HIS PEOPLE
THEIR STRENGTH AND THEIR SHIELD
“The Lord is their strength,
And He is a saving defense to His anointed.
Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance;
Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.”
Ryrie: "The Lord provides the strength of a fortress and the care of a shepherd"
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DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS:
1) Do we direct our cries for help to the Lord or do we seek help first from other sources? Do we complain to others instead of casting our cares on Him who cares for us? Are we so inhibited emotionally that we can’t even express the cries of our heart to
our spouse and our Lord?
2) Is our heart filled with hope because we appeal to a God who hears our prayers? Or is our heart filled with cynicism and hopelessness because we feel that God has turned a deaf ear towards our prayers? Have we maintained a spirit of thanksgiving to help fuel
our hope for the future?
3) “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” we learn from Proverbs. How especially hurtful must be the false pleasantries of supposed friends who “speak peace with their neighbors, While evil is in their hearts.” Have you experienced such disappointments? Have you been able to move beyond those experiences or have you become bitter over them?
4) Do we encourage others with our testimony regarding how the Lord is our “strength and shield” and can be for them as well? Does our heart truly exult in remembrance of how the Lord has helped us?
Download the entire Psalms commentary in pdf format
(including notes on each psalm from other commentators)
from:
http://www.bibleoutlines.com
