Text: Psalm 108, Title: A Prayer Pattern Obstacles, Date/Place: WHBC, 6.10.18, AM
A. Opening illustration: Our Father…softball style.
B. Background to passage: This psalm is a combination of two previous psalms, 57 and 60. Those two psalms were psalms of David, as this one. This demonstrates that David likes choruses, medleys, and new versions of older songs ??. The two previous psalms also had some commonalities that may lend some background information as we are given little in the title. Psalm 60 deals with a time when Edom took advantage of David’s great victories over toward the Euphrates River and made raids on Israel. David sent Joab and killed about 12K, then he came himself on the way back from the east and killed another 18K. Psalm 57 deals with the safety that God had provided David in the cave at Adullum while he was fleeing from Saul. Our psalm is a prayer for help regarding a specific situation, in this case an upcoming battle with Edom. It differs from last week’s psalm in that it is a personal experiential request rather than a broad brush of many situations. So maybe you face an upcoming or possibly a continuing challenge, this is your model prayer. This is how/why we pray scripture; and as Jesus says, we ought to always pray and not lose hear.
C. Main thought: Let’s look at the progression of prayer for a particular need.
A. Opening Declaration (v. 1-4)
1. David remembers the time when God protected in the cave and when God gave victory over the Edomites in the early years of his kingship, and declared how his heart was steadfast in God, which is very similar to Psalm 57 where he is coming out of a very tumultuous time, and not “out of the woods” completely. He rises early, calls on the instruments to help him tell of His hesed among the peoples and nations (Jews and gentiles).
2. Argumentation
3. Illustration: “You’ll regret worrying. You won’t regret putting your trust in the Lord.”
4. We can (1) begin our petitions before the Lord by declaring our trust in his unfailing love and mercy. We can (2) recommit to sharing his inestimable worth with all those around us. This communicates and (3) establishes that come what may, God’s worth, providence, and goodness are not in question in your mind. (4) They are clearly laid down as a foundation for your life and for your prayer. This is the reason that we come to him. This is the reason that we trust. This is the reason that we sing! Therefore, start your prayer with declaration of your trust and commitment in God first!
B. Pleading (v. 5-6)
1. David makes four/two requests, two that related to God and to that relate to himself. First for God, he asks that He be exalted, and his glory be spread all over of earth. Second, he asks that deliverance and salvation be given to David by God’s beloved. He didn’t just ask for salvation to go to himself, but to all of God’s people. Notice that they are linked with the word “that,” which indicates purpose. To the end of the glorification of God, save your people.
2. Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures -James 4:1-3
3. Illustration: Lisa Brown’s tumor prayer was that God would be glorified regardless of outcome.
4. Is His glory truly our concern? The purpose for which you were created should be our first and foremost desire. When you begin to ask for things (which is biblical) ask for the first things first – the glory of God being furthered throughout the earth in every life, thought, action, word, ministry, occupation, education, vacations, celebrations, conversations, and our worship should be the base upon which the statue is made. Make sure that the basis for your prayer is the proliferation of the glory of God. If we are about the business in achieving the purpose for which we were made, God will most magnified. It’s natural for us to ask for deliverance from our problematic situations. By nature, we want to avoid pain, seek happiness. It is OK for us to ask for it. It may be granted. It may not be, but either way, there is nothing intrinsically sinful about asking for things. As with many things in the Christian life, the more important thing about our behavior is our motivation. Why do we ask for them? Make your requests known to him who can answer, from who all things are supplied.
C. Listening (v. 7-9)
1. God speaks an answer to David’s plea. With great rejoicing He will demonstrate his authority and power over the nations using the tribes of Israel as His instruments. He will trample out his wrath upon those who oppress or attack his people. What happens to David’s prayer between verses 6-10. Silence.
2. Matt 4:1, 14:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 4:42
3. Illustration: Spiritual disciplines for the Christian Life – Donald Whitney, Sarah Edwards, Suzanna Wesley, George Whitefield, Billy Graham, Charles Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, A. W. Tozer, and Jesus.
4. A lost discipline in our world, in our Christianity is that of silence. Do you intentionally set aside time to listen to God? As you pray, as you think, be keenly alert for the leading of the Spirit of God. We don’t have to be talking at all times when we pray. (3) Maybe we don’t really expect God to answer? I don’t think this means that we will hear and audible voice or get an email, but that he will bring things to your mind, and you are to discern as best you can the voice of the Lord. It will wean you from this world, refresh your soul, and allow you to hear from God with greater clarity as you focus intensely on Christ.
D. Confidence Before Battle (v. 10-13)
1. David now prepares to go out to battle. The only nation that is mentioned twice is Edom, so it’s safe to say that the battle spoke of here is with Edom. He asks a question is verse 10, has the negative in verse 11, then answers his own question in 12-13. When he speaks of “the” fortified city, he probably is talking about the city of Petra of Edom. It was the solid rock city cut off by narrow passageways and rocky cliffs, nearly impregnable. However, if the Lord goes with them, they shall do valiantly, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.
2. “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.” -1 Sam 17:46-47, 12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seems to him good. -2 Sam 10:12
3. Illustration: "Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times" -Luther, Mississippi St homer in the bottom of the 9th to win it,
4. We can be confident when we face various trials if the Lord goes with us. Only Tyre or Masada were as completely protected as Petra; they were the toughest of the tough, but the Lord destroys them all. Christ came and took the toughest of you sins and crushed them underneath his feet. The great chasm between God and man, he bridged. The barrier between God and man destroyed. Because of that you can also face whatever you are facing with confidence. This is how we stop worrying, not just a command to—that the Lord can face our most intense battles without batting and eye, without wrestling, without breaking a sweat, but simply by lifting his right hand. Lift up your head, oh you discouraged! Hoist your shield and grab your sword and charge! Whatever it is that you are facing, run toward the battle for it is the Lord’s. If you are born again he will fight for you!
A. Closing illustration:
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
