MAKING MUSIC FROM SHARPS AND FLATS IN LIFE
Sermons Based on Selected Psalms
Psalms Sermon XI – Psalm 84
David the shepherd lad who became King of Israel was a music maker. He played a harp – the most popular instrument in Old Testament times. The Book of Psalms is a collection of his compositions inspired by both his life experiences and his majestic moments with the Lord God.
As a sheep herder, the boy David became fascinated with the wonders of the out of doors even as he became familiar with the uniqueness of sheep.
As the one chosen by Samuel to be crowned the next king of Israel, David had no choice but to sharpen his defensive battle skills when Saul threatened his life; he had demonstrated his skills as a shepherd lad when he defended his sheep from the attack of wolves, and when he defended his family by killing their enemy Goliath with one stone fired by his slingshot.
David’s favor with God and the people worsened King Saul’s insanity, making him so blindly jealous that he made David the target of a relentless campaign to destroy the king-to-be.
David won the battle; but, more importantly, he won the hearts of the people because he had won the heart of the Lord God who had chosen him.
As king, David ruled righteously in accordance with God’s will; Israel enjoyed the golden years of their history during David’s reign.
Yet, as a man, David sinned; however, as a sinner, he was aware of his need for God’s forgiveness; as a forgiven child of God, he courageously accepted God’s punishment; as one who suffered the consequence of sinning against God, he also accepted the challenge of rebuilding his life for God.
As a Psalmist, David’s innermost thoughts - expressed in the verses of his poetry - have become the greatest collection of spiritual nuggets the world has ever known.
From a lifetime of positive and negative experiences, David has become our hero for making music out of the sharps and flats in life.
Any musician knows that it takes both to make good music. It takes the positives (the sharps) and the negatives (the flats). Arrange them in such a way that they blend into chords, orchestrate the chords into a harmonious melody, and what you get is a work of art that is pleasing to the ear.
Life is like that. The isolated sound of a sharp or the lonesome sound of a flat does nothing for the spirit.
Get it all together in conformity with THE Great Composer’s divine plan for our lives, and what you have is harmonious living that is pleasing not only to God but to others as well.
These devotional messages, based on the Book of Psalms, are intended to draw from David’s orchestration of the sharps and flats in his life to help us make music from the sharps and flats in our own lives. Selah.
Psalm 84 . . .
To be in the presence of a very important person would be a special occasion for most of us. For example, if the president of the United States were to walk into this room, we would most likely consider ourselves fortunate to be in his presence. We would no doubt talk about it for a long time. We would be anxious to tell our family and friends about being in his presence.
In another use of the word presence, most of us enjoy the presence of family members or friends who come to see us. I have noticed from time to time that such is the case with residents of Senior Adult Living facilities.
A son or daughter or niece or nephew shows up, and the one they come to visit perks up with a smile, giving the rest of us the impression that they feel special.
The psalmist spoke more often of the presence of God than he did of any other attribute. Uppermost in the psalmist’s mind was the importance of being in the presence of God in the here and now; but even more importantly he spoke of dwelling in the presence of God forever in the hereafter.
In Psalm 84, the psalmist expresses his feelings of excitement due to the presence of the Lord in his life. He spoke of the Lord’s presence in terms of a dwelling place: “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul longs for the courts of the Lord; my heart cries out for joy to the living God.” (Psalm 84:1-2)
Do you hear the tone of excitement in his voice as the psalmist longs to be in the Lord’s dwelling place – in the Lord’s presence?
Of course, when the psalmist talked about the dwelling place of God, he had reference to the Temple - the building in Jerusalem where God’s presence was supposed to manifest itself in a special way. The Israelites believed that the place at the center of the Temple called the “holy of holies” was the place where God dwelled among His people.
When we as Christians talk about the dwelling place of God, we are talking about ourselves as the temples of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. So, we read the words of this psalm as an expression of the excitement that comes to children of God due to the presence of God.
Notice in this psalm three expressions of excitement that welled up within the psalmist as he experienced the presence of God. May you and I likewise experience the excitement of God’s presence in our own lives! *
The psalmist sees an inner beauty that God creates by His presence. “How lovely is your dwelling place, O God.” The place where God lives, the heart where God dwells, can and should be a lovely place!
* The psalmist senses an intense hunger for the things of God that the presence of God creates within us.
“My soul longs for the courts of the Lord.” Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever had a deep desire for a greater sense of God’s presence in your life? Have you fed upon his Word and went away satisfied, yet deep down within, you felt a hunger for more?
* The psalmist says that God’s presence gives us vitality. “My heart sings for joy to the living God!” The psalmist sang with “gusto” when he experienced God’s presence - not an artificial excitement. His excitement was real!
There come times during life’s journey when we get bored with the routine of daily living. Some folks feel that their jobs are boring. There are those who find that, as they grow older, and especially after they retire, life becomes monotonous and boring. Folks get tired of doing the same things over and repeatedly.
The woman Jesus met at the well lived a boring life. She had already put up with five husbands; she was desperately searching for someone or something that would satisfy her longings for excitement. Jesus said to her, “If you knew who it is that is asking you for a drink of water, you would ask of me, and I would put in you a well of living water, springing up unto eternal life.”
Referring to Himself as the “well of living water” Jesus told the woman at the well that if she would allow Him to come into her life, that if she would repent of her sins and receive Him as her personal Lord and Savior, then He would be to her a perpetual source of spiritual energy.
Whenever you and I get bored, and life becomes monotonous, may our communion with God and our fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ, restore unto each one of us the JOY of our salvation!
The next two verses describe the contentment that the presence of God brings: “Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.” (Psalm 84:3-4)
The psalmist mentions here two birds frequently mentioned in the Bible. Even Jesus referred to the sparrow when he told his disciples that they were of more value than many sparrows. Jesus asked his disciples this question, “Are not five sparrows sold in the market place for a farthing?” The farthing was the lowest value of money – sort of like our penny.
By Jesus making these statements, you can see that the sparrow was a symbol for something that was considered insignificant. So, the sparrow in this psalm represents those who feel they are not worth much. But we are told here that even the man or woman who feels insignificant finds in God a home – a place of peace and security. You may feel useless, but when you are close to God you are somebody of importance.
The other bird mentioned in this psalm is the swallow. Unlike the sparrow, the swallow is the swiftest of birds and are always on the go, searching for a new place. There are a lot of folks who find it difficult to settle down in one place and be happy where they are; they’re always looking for something better.
But you know what? The only place restless folks will ever find rest is in the presence of God. That’s why Jesus spoke these words: “Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
God wants to give you rest. You may spend a lifetime searching for something better. Some folks stay on the go seeking to find purpose in a life filled with adventure. Yet, what they find is that these adventures tend to lose their glow after awhile. So, the psalmist reminds us that as life on this earth nears its end, the only place where we will find peace and joy and rest for our souls is in the eternal presence of the Lord God Almighty.
The psalmist is telling us that the kind of life he wants is a life in the presence of God; and he says that he hopes to abide in God’s dwelling place where he will be happy – not only in the future but also in the present. The psalmist gives the reason why he wants this kind of life:
“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”
The reason he wants to live in the presence of God is because life with God is far better than anything else. There is no other place to go. Just one day lived in fellowship with God is better than a thousand days lived in the company of the wicked.
When I was growing up, I remember how much I looked forward to Sundays. It was so good to go to Sunday school and Training Union to be with my friends, to go to worship services and sit together as a group.
Sunday afternoon dinner was a happy time in our family because we were all together around the table enjoying mama’s wonderful cooking; and usually on Sunday afternoon we had fun when company came over just to visit; and we would sit around swapping stories and laughing all afternoon.
Then it was back to church; and, after the evening service, there would be a youth fellowship; but that was not all; after that we would go as a group and cram into an eating place where we continued to have fun as we gulped hamburgers and French fries.
Many times, after a full day on Sunday, I remember thinking how I wished every day could be like that.
You know, living in fellowship with God and God’s people is the kind of life I enjoy and hope you do too. One day of that kind of life is far better than a thousand days of living in the company of people who are seeking to find happiness in places and in ways that are contrary to the will of God!
Every Sunday I look forward to coming here to fellowship with you and to share a few thoughts from God’s Word with you. I feel the presence of God in this place. Yes, I had rather be in a place where I can experience God’s presence any day than be in a place that is known for His absence.
Even if all I had to do was open the door for folks to come in, I had rather occupy that insignificant although courteous position than be left on the outside with little or no access to the place of fellowship and worship.
I want you to know that you as an individual have access to the presence of God right where you sit. He is with us in spirit; He will abide with us in spirit; He will guide us by His spirit.
May the spirit of Christ make you aware of His presence in your life to fellowship with you, to comfort you, to strengthen you, to guide you and to bring you safely through your valley experiences to the mountaintop experience of enjoying His presence today, tomorrow and all the tomorrows of your life.
May God be with you and bless you! Selah.
