BIG IDEA:
THE FAINT-HEARTED APPRECIATE GOD AS THEIR SOLID ROCK OF
REFUGE
I. (:1-4) PRAYER FOR REFUGE CONNECTS THE FAINT-HEARTED
WITH THEIR TOWER OF STRENGTH
A. (:1) Prayer Seeks an Audience with God
"Hear my cry, O God"
"Give heed to my prayer"
B. (:2a) God is Never Out of Range of Our Prayers
cf. Cell phones today where you hit a bad cell
1. God can seem far away from us
"From the end of the earth I call to Thee"
2. Our faith can seem to be very weak
"when my heart is faint "
C. (:2b-4) God Can be a Tower of Strength to Provide Refuge
1. the Rock that is higher than I
2. a Refuge for me
3. a Tower of Strength against the enemy
4. a Tent of Fellowship and Worship where I can safely dwell
5. a Refuge in the Shelter of Thy Wings
II. (:5-8) PRAISE FOR REFUGE MUST BE REINFORCED WITH DAILY FAITHFULNESS
A. (:5a) Praise is the Proper Response to Answered Prayer
"For Thou hast heard my vows, O God"
God responds to faithfulness
B. (:5b-7) Praise is the Proper Response to God’s Gift of Preservation
1. Preservation to enjoy godly posterity
2. Preservation to enjoy a long and successful life.
3. Preservation to enjoy fellowship with God by faith
4. Preservation thru the twin shepherds of lovingkindness and truth
C. (:8) Praise is the Proper Response to the Opportunity for Continued Faithfulness
* * * * * * * * * *
DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS:
1) Do we perceive God as being always as close as just a prayer away? When have we been so far off the beaten trail that we felt we were at “the end of the earth”? (vv.1-2)
2) How hard is it to climb to the highest mountain peak we can imagine vs. how easy is it for God “to lead us to the rock that is higher”?
3) What type of “vows” had David made to the Lord (vv.5,8)? What types of commitments have we made?
4) What specific blessing was David expecting from God? Is our hope in God too general, or are we looking to God for specific blessings?
Download the entire Psalms commentary in pdf format
(including notes on each psalm from other commentators)
from:
http://www.bibleoutlines.com
