Topic: Sunday Sermon Series – Encouragement from the Psalms
Text: Psalm 27
Title: Psalm 27 – A Basis for Overcoming Fear
Intro: We are living in a season, at least in my lifetime and pastorate of an unprecedented fear! It has been an amazing thing for me to witness!
I can remember on the Sunday following the 9-11 attack on America in 2001, out of what I discerned was a GREAT FEAR, the churches by in large were filled for a about a month or so, and then predictably they emptied, because fear though it may be a necessary emotion to get you to move towards God, it is not a sufficient emotion to keep you devoted to God because the bible says…
1 John 4:18a There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
Now what has amazed and astounded me is that our current crisis has had a totally complete effect than the one on 9/11. The fear caused by 9/11 had filled the church, the one caused by COVID-19 has emptied them!
FEAR of sickness, fear of death, which my bible tells me that Jesus has delivered me from it! The book of Hebrews tells me one of the many reasons for the incarnation is this:
Hebrews 2: 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.-NIV
That bible verse tells us that FEAR IS A BONDAGE, FEAR HOLDS SOMEONE IN A SATANIC SLAVERY!
No wonder the bible refers to fear…as a spirit…
2Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.-NKJV
Romans 8: 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, - HCSB
So beloved, having said all that _ I guess FDR, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was right! Although a world war had ended 15 years prior to his inauguration, and it was 6 year prior to a second world war beginning, and although America was at the height of the Great Depression, on the day he was inaugurated the 32nd president of the United States on March 4, 1933, made in my estimation the most quoted statement that has ever been made or ever will be made by a newly inaugurated president in an inauguration speech. What was it?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt –“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!”
Isn’t that amazing? He was not the only notable person who felt this way! The philosopher Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal on September 7, 1851…
Henry David Thoreau -"Nothing is so much to be feared as fear."
And Francis Bacon The Lord High Chancellor of England in 1584 was credited with saying…
Francis Bacon - "Nothing is terrible except fear itself."
And I wholeheartedly agree with that! Why? Well the reason is theological! What is the first emotion that the bible records after the creation account and Adam’s fall…
Genesis 3:8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” -NIV
And mankind has been hiding behind fear ever since! Although the bible tells us to move from faith to faith, we more often move from one fear to another! And because we move from fear to fear, we develop phobias!
Phobia - an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.
And there a more than one can count! The American Psychiatric Association (APA) puts out a list of over 100, and here are just a few!!
Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders
Acrophobia – The fear of heights.
Agoraphobia – The fear of crowded spaces.
Cynophobia – The fear of dogs.
Astraphobia – The fear of thunder/lightning
Claustrophobia – The fear of small spaces
Mysophobia – The fear of germs.
Aerophobia – The fear of flying.
Glossophobia – The fear of public speaking.
Monophobia – The fear of being alone.
Atychiphobia – The fear of failure.
Ornithophobia – The fear of birds.
Alektorophobia – The fear of chickens.
Enochlophobia – The fear of crowds
Trypanophobia – The fear of needles.
Gamophobia – The fear of commitment
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – The fear of long words!
Xenophobia – The fear of the unknown.
Metathesiophobia – The fear of change.
Nyctophobia – The fear of darkness.
Androphobia – The fear of men.
Gephyrophobia – The fear of bridges
Entomophobia – The fear of bugs
Podophobia – The fear of feet.
Paraskevidekatriaphobia – The fear of Friday the 13th. About 8% of Americans have this phobia.
Apiphobia – The fear of bees.
Koumpounophobia – The fear of buttons.
Anatidaephobia – The fear of ducks
Ranidaphobia – The fear of frogs.
Iatrophobia – The fear of doctors. Do you delay doctor visits? You may have this.
Ichthyophobia – The fear of fish. Includes small, large, dead and living fish.
Mottephobia – The fear of moths. These insects are only beautiful to some.
Bananaphobia – The fear of bananas!!
Equinophobia – The fear of horses.
Musophobia – The fear of mice.
Catoptrophobia – The fear of mirrors.
Agliophobia – The fear of pain.
Gerascophobia – The fear of getting old.
Carcinophobia – The fear of cancer.
Thanatophobia – The fear of death.
Chronophobia – The fear of the future.
Well you say that some of those fears are natural aren’t they? YES they are but…
As Christians we are not called to live a natural life, we are called to live a supernatural life, one that is empowered by God’s Spirit and informed by God’s Word!
THE MOST FREQUENT COMMAND IN THE BIBLE: FEAR NOT! DO NOT BE AFRAID!
The term “fear not” is stated in the Bible 365 times, which, ironically, is how many days are in a year!
And so I believe that this Psalm provides us with a basis for..
Psalm 27 - A Basis For Overcoming Fear!
And what I would like to propose to you this morning is this…
That though science may give us a scientific reason to fear:
I would like to submit to you today that…
Psalm 27 offers us a sound, spiritual theological basis upon which we can overcome fear! One that is based on the perspectives, principles, person and promises found in this Psalm! If you will put them all together I believe that you will be able to establish a foundation upon which you can once and for all overcome, conquer, to defeat this enemy we battle with called – FEAR!
And it all begins with:
I. The Person of this Psalm!
A) Who is it?
Psalm 27:1a The Lord….
1. Yahweh ??????? ? (Yah·weh)
a) The Self – Existing; Sufficient One!
Remember all of the wonderful attributes of the Lord that we looked at last week that were intended to provide you with an anchor for your soul? There were 15 in all! But today I capsulize in three descriptive attributes that provide a framework for overcoming fear!
B) What are his attributes?
1. Omnipotent
2. Omnipresent
3. Omniscient
a) Omni is the Latin root, meaning 'all.'
i. Omnipotence means all-powerful.
a. This means God can do what He wants, when He wants and how He wants!
b. It means His power has no limitations like men’s!
c. It means that God has power over wind, waves, water, seas, the sun, moon, the stars, the solar systems, the spirit world, satan, demons, despots, monarchs, mad-men, all people, pandemics, diseases, everything and anything else you can think of!
ii. Omniscience means all-knowing.
a. He knows all! His knowledge is total, complete. He knows all that there is to know and all that can be known.
iii. Omnipresence means all-present.
a. This term means that God is everywhere at the same time. It means His Divine Presence encompasses the whole of the universe. There is no location that He does not inhabit.
C) Why is this important?
1. Many theologians regard these three attributes as essential to God's nature.
a) In other words, if God did not have these characteristics, he wouldn't be God!
And again as last Sunday, what makes this formula work, if I can put it that way, is not to see God as this Great All Powerful, All Knowing, Omnipresent Potentate, within this Pslam but the second ingredient in this Psalm is…
II. The Personalization of this Psalm!
Psalm 27:1b The Lord is my…
Songs 2:16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
A) Personal pronouns within the Psalm:
1. “I” is used 13 times.
2. “Me” is used 16 times.
3. “Mine” is used 17 times!
B) Point?
1. You have to make the Lord your Lord, God and Savior!
Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10: 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
2.. Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!
III. The Personality of the Person within this Psalm?
A) Personality?
1. The visible aspect of one’s character?
2. The sum total of the characteristics of an individual?
a) Represented in the Psalm?
Psalm 27:1c The Lord is my…light!
1. Light?
a) This statement does not occur in any other place in the Old Testament, though the idea is replete in the New!
b) Meaning?
B) Possibilities:
1. The bible begins and ends with – light!
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
Revelation 21: 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
Revelation 21: 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there
C) Perspective? (Theologically)
1John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
1. God is light:
E) Practically? Actually?
1. Yes & No!
a) By that I mean that He Radiates with an illuminative Light in Scripture when you get a glimpse of His Glory!
i. Jesus:
Matthew 17:2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.
Revelation 1:16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
ii. The Father and the Son
1 Timothy 6:14b God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
F) Theologically mean?
1. In the Bible, light is closely associated with the Deity
Isaiah 60: 19 The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.
a) It speaks of His Moral Perfection and Purity!
i. He is completely, unreservedly, absolutely holy, with no sin, no taint of iniquity, and no hint of injustice.
1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
ii. Light represents righteousness
iii. Darkness represents everything that is unrighteous, anti-God, sinful and wicked!
Proverbs 2:13 who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness
iv.. The Bible describes this world as being dark:
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms
v. Mankind’s heart as being dark:
Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
vi. In fact mankind is metaphorically referred to as darkness!
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth).
IV. The Provision within this Psalm?
Psalm 27:1a The Lord is my light
A) Light!
1. Light is the medium of illumination that makes sight possible or makes things visible.
2. God is light means that He creates spiritual light by which His children can walk by!
a) Word!
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
b) Spirit!
Proverbs 20:27 The human spirit is the lamp of the LORD that sheds light on one's inmost being.
c) JESUS!!
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
i. But that light provides something else marvelous!
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
B) Salvation!
1. Salvation—??????????? (w?·yiš·‘î)
a) Deliverance, rescue, safety, welfare, prosperity, victory!
b) How provided?
c) Light is a precursor to salvation
Charles Spurgeon -The Lord is "My light."- Into the soul at the new birth divine light is poured as the precursor of salvation; where there is not enough light to see our own darkness and to long for the Lord Jesus, there is no evidence of salvation. Salvation finds us in the dark, but it does not leave us there; for the Lord gives light to those who sit in the valley of the shadow of death.
d) Light is a provider of salvation!
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[fn] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ.
Matthew 4:16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
2. Pictured:
a) Paul
Acts 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul (Paul) was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5a “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, who you are persecuting. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”-NIV
Charles Spurgeon - After conversion our God is our joy, comfort, guide, teacher, and in every sense our light; he is light within, light around, light reflected from us, and light to be revealed to us. Note, it is not said merely that the Lord gives light, but that he "is" light; nor that he gives salvation, but that he is salvation; he, then, who by faith has laid hold upon God has all covenant blessings in his possession.
3. Point?
a) To live in fear is to live in darkness!
Job 15:22They dare not go out into the darkness for fear they will be murdered.
Psalm 91: 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
i. Paul’s testimony?
Acts 26: 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
Acts 26: 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
ii. Jesus also describes us as light and light-bearers
Matthew 5: 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. – NIV
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
Matthew 5: 14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.-The Message
a. The safest place I know to go during this pandemic is the house of God!
Marshall Segal – Desiring God Ministries
There is plenty of darkness in the world to make any of us tremble.
Cancer ravages our families, killing half a million more every year in the United States alone. Divorce continues to rip apart families, and leave young children frantically treading water emotionally. Pressures are mounting in our society to demonize and suppress Christianity. Racial tensions and conflict seem to be surging after years of perceived progress. One hundred thousand babies are aborted every day around the world.
Marshall Segal – Desiring God Ministries
And underneath all the darkness we can see lies an even darker, more terrifying darkness. The apostle Paul says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). An entire system of spiritual darkness — spearheaded by Satan himself, carried out by hordes of demons, and influencing every corner of the earth — rages right below the surface of our everyday lives. How do we live with any hope while we drown in all of this darkness?
Marshall Segal – Desiring God Ministries
If we have found Jesus, we don’t have to hide from the dark anymore — no matter how dark our days become. God sent his Son Jesus “to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Luke 1:79). His light doesn’t make the darkness any less dark; it just conquers every shadow with something stronger.
Marshall Segal – Desiring God Ministries
That means we don’t need to pretend the darkness isn’t dark after all —But we don’t need to face the darkness alone. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). And in Christ, he has shined his light into every hidden corner of our darkness. He was not afraid of the dark, but came into our darkness. He left the safety of heaven to walk in the shadows with us — to die in these shadows, so that we might leave them behind. And then he rose from the darkness to prove that the darkness had been stripped of its power — in the name of Jesus.
Marshall Segal – Desiring God Ministries
And because this Jesus, your Jesus…..
V. The Protection within this Psalm?
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom should I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom should I dread?
Psalm 27:1c The LORD is the stronghold of my life — whom should I dread?-CSB
A) Protection?
1. Stronghold -???????? (ma·‘o·wz-)
a) A place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold
b) A place of safety, fortress, harbor, stronghold.
B) Point?
Psalm 27: 2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. 3 If an army encamps against me, My heart will not fear; If war arises against me, In spite of this I am confident.
B) Provide?
1. What does the Lord being my stronghold provide?
a) Fearlessness
b) Confidence
Marshall Segal – Desiring God Ministries – God is not afraid of the Dark!
Because this Jesus, your Jesus conquered the darkness, you too can overcome the darkness in this world. The apostle John writes, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome [the worst in the world], for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Jesus says, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Do you believe him?
C) Point?
1. To live in fear is to live in unbelief, darkness, and defeat!
2. The live in the light is to live in faith, fearlessness, and confidence!
3. THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT THEMES OF THE PSALMS- FEARLESSNESS!
Psalm 3:5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.:
Psalm 91: 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
4. LIVING FEARLESSLY IS A GREAT THEME OF THE BIBLE!
Isaiah 43:1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
5. To live in fear is to live in disobedience, because living in fear can be the cause disobedience!
Matthew 25:14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. -NKJV
Matthew 25:24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26a “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant,-NKJV
D) Your plea?
1. Yes but there are times that fear immobilizes me you say?
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
VI. The Power within this Psalm!
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
A) Power?
1. In the context of this Psalm it means:
a) Strength- ?????? -ma`owz
i. The place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold
Psalm 62:7 In God is my salvation and my glory the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
b) Strength – ???-`oz
i. Might, strength, power, force, my boldness!
Albert Barnes – The Lord is the strength of my life - The support of my life. Or, in other words, He keeps me alive. In itself life is feeble, and is easily crushed out by trouble and sorrow; but as long as God is its strength, there is nothing to fear.
Psalm 27:2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
Albert Barnes - They stumbled and fell - They were overthrown. They failed in their purpose. Either they were thrown into a panic by a false fear, or they were overthrown in battle.
c. Example
2 Kings 7: 3 Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. “Why should we sit here waiting to die?” they asked each other. 4 “We will starve if we stay here, but with the famine in the city, we will starve if we go back there. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway.” 5 So at twilight they set out for the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the edge of the camp, no one was there! 6 For the Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. “The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!” they cried to one another. 7 So they panicked and ran into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything else, as they fled for their lives 8 When the men with leprosy arrived at the edge of the camp, they went into one tent after another, eating and drinking wine; and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and hid it. ”-NLT
Psalm 27:3 My heart will not fear; If war arises against me, In spite of this I am confident.
Q: WHY? Because I’ve adopted and applied the priority of this Psalm
VII. The Priority of the Psalm!
Psalm 27:4 One thing….
A) Priority?
1. It all boils down to – ONE THING! START HERE
a) The bottom line, at the end of the day it is all about this:
Psalm 27:4 One thing…. I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
2. One main object; one thing that I have especially desired; one thing which has been the object of my constant wish. This ruling desire of his heart
3. The leading object of my life; as the thing which I most earnestly desire.
Psalm 27:4 That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
a) Heaven? Can’t be it’s a place in his lifetime here on earth!
b) David worship in the tabernacle of Moses, which was primarily a tent, the temple was erected by his son Solomon.
By this David meant the sanctuary, the type of the Church, the true house of God on earth. For there God is present.
W. M. Macgregor, M. A - God’s house was, to David, the tabernacle, to Solomon, the temple, to any one, whatever spot is consecrated to God’s special presence.
B) Pointing to?
1. Habitual church-going and fellowship with God and his people!
Hebrews 10: 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
a) How do we do that?
Hebrews 10:25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
b) Why should we do that?
i. Reason #1
Hebrews 10:26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
ii. Reason #2
Psalm 27:4b To behold the beauty of the Lord
a. Can’t we behold the beauty of the Lord by looking at creation?
b. There is a better portrait to the beauty of the Lord within the congregation!
T. Chalmers, D. D.-God is beautiful. This seen in His house, for there we see His grace and love in Jesus Christ our Lord.
c. There you see the former sinner transformed into a saint, a new creation!
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Psalm 27:4c And to meditate in His temple.
D) Picture?
1. Meditate – ??????- bä·kar
a) To seek, enquire, to inspect, admire, care for, consider, to search, seek out.
E) Provide?
Albert Barnes – It is there that great truths are brought before the mind, fitted to elevate, to comfort, and to sanctify the soul; and it is in the contemplation of those truths that the psalmist sought to elevate and purify his own mind, and to sustain himself in the troubles and perplexities of life.
William Brock - The good man loves the house of God
1. Because it is a constant testimony for God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.
2. Because it is a refuge to him from the inhospitable and uncongenial influences of this world.
3. Because it is a school in which he becomes more fully instructed in the truth as it is in Jesus.
4. Because it is the home where he enjoys the communion of saints.
5. Because there he enjoys a special fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
Matthew 18:18 Truly I tell you, whatever you [bind] forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you [loose] permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven. 19 Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven.
E) Presupposition of this provision?
1. A thing tacitly assumed beforehand at the beginning of a line of argument or course of action.
Matthew 18:20 For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in My name, there I AM in the midst of them. -AMP
a) The ‘I AM’ is in the midst of us!
Jonathan Leeman - The weekly gathering of a church is an expression of Jesus’ greater heavenly gathering or the universal church. It is an embassy of Christ’s kingdom here on earth.
Jonathan Leeman - For a church to be a church, individual Christians must agree on these judgments: “I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” (18:19). Yet that agreement shows itself in the church gathering. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I among them” (v. 20).
Jonathan Leeman - In other words, it’s not just that a church provisionally represents Christ’s rule and judgment. It’s the gathered church. The gathered church is heaven’s embassy. The gathering represents Jesus’ heavenly authority, whether that pin on the map is in Belgium, Germany, Russia, Iran, China, Canada, or Brazil.
Jonathan Leeman - Christians sometimes say that the church is a people, not a place. It’s true that a church remains a church even when it’s not gathered, just like a basketball “team” is a team even when the members aren’t gathered to play basketball. Still, a church becomes a church by gathering in a place, and we can become members only by gathering with it. You can’t be a church member without gathering; you can’t be on the basketball team if you never show up for the games.
b) And also it provides perspective!!
i. Asaph
Psalm 73: 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psalm 73:17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
ii. Sons of Korah
Psalm 84:1 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! 2a My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
a) What is he talking about heaven? No!
Psalm 84: 10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
b) Why?
Psalm 27: 5 For on the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; He will hide me in the secret place of His tent; He will lift me up on a rock. 6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
A) Perspective?
1. A literal tabernacle, tent, rock?
John Calvin –Here the Psalmist promises himself that his prayer would not be in vain. Although he is deprived of the visible sanctuary for a time, he doubts not that, wherever he may be, he shall experience the protecting power of God. Here he alludes to the temple, because it was a symbol to the faithful of the divine presence;…
John Calvin – The figure of the temple, he therefore affirms, was not an unmeaning one, for there God, so to speak, spread forth his wings to gather true believers under his protection.
IX. The Practices and Praises that arises from the promised protection within this Psalm
Psalm 27:6b And I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy;
A) Practice?
1. Sacrifices?
a) Animals, grain, etc. – OT
b) NT?
Philippians 4: 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
B) Point?
1. This is the only time in the bible that God permits you to test Him!
Malachi 3: 8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
a) Can’t afford it?
Malachi 3: 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty.
Britnee Bradshaw- Tithing 101: What Tithing Means and Why Christians Are Called to Tithe
Trusting God with our money is important because God desires for us to trust Him with our entire lives—of which money is just one part. Tithing Is: One Way We Begin To Trust God with Our Finances! Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce, then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”
I love that this Scripture because it begins with honor. We honor God’s Lordship over our lives that we give Him our firstfruits. For many, parting ways with 10% (tithe means “one tenth”) of their money can be difficult… Some fear that if they give their full tithe, they won’t have enough to meet their own needs. This reason is understandable. However, honoring God with our money is the first step to seeing His will for our finances come to fruition…. When we bring our hearts to a place of seeking to honor God with our faith and finances, we put ourselves in the best position to steward our money for His glory, and to know Him as our Provider.
Luke 11:42 But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the
X. The Prayer that arises from this Psalm
Psalm 27:7 Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and answer me.
A) Saved by grace
B) Sustained by grace
John Piper - Sustaining grace is omnipotent grace. It is grace that overcomes all obstacles and preserves the faith and holiness that brings us home to heaven. This is our only sure confidence for the future.
XI. His Priority in this Psalm
A) Picture:
1. We call on God help us, save us, provide for us, etc.
Psalm 144:7 Stretch forth thy hand from above; rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, Out of the hand of aliens;
B) Point?
1. But He calls on us for something different.
a) Don’t seek my hand, but rather my face
Psalm 27: 8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “I shall seek Your face, Lord.”
b) The Hebrew word for “face” in the Old Testament is often translated “presence.
c) God essentially is saying David seek my “presence.” Not my PRESENTS!
d) It implies seeking his favor
Job 33:26a that person can pray to God and find favor with him, they will see God's face and shout for joy; he will restore them to full well-being.
Proverbs 16:15 When a king's face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
C) Principle?
Psalm 105:4 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually
1. Why?
a) Ii will keep you free from fear!
XII. Phobias in life are due to:
Psalm 27:9 Do not hide Your face from me,Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help; Do not abandon me nor forsake me, God of my salvation!
XIII. The Paternity of God in this Psalm
Psalm 27:10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,But the Lord will take me up.
IVX. The Path of God in this Psalm
Psalm 27:11 Teach me Your way, Lord, And lead me on a level path Because of my enemies.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my enemies, For false witnesses have risen against me, And the violent witness.
A) Level path
1. Lord’s path!
a) If you stay on the Lord’s path, you won’t fall into enemy hands!
Proverbs 1: 9 My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. 10a If they say, “Come along with us;
Proverbs 1:15 my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; 16 for their feet rush into evil
Pro 23:19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path:
XV. The Peace of God in this Psalm
Psalm 27:13 I certainly believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.
A) Faith
Luke 7:50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
XVI. The Proposition
Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.
One morning I noticed a tramp knocking at a house door. A kind-hearted woman lived there, and when she had opened the door and seen the beggar, she ran back into the kitchen to get him something to eat. After standing a moment, he turned and went on his way. Then she came to the door with the food in her hand and called after him. He almost missed that meal because he did not wait, Perhaps we have quite missed some great spiritual gift for which we have asked because we had not learned to "wait on the Lord." (R. Brewin.)
Psalm 84: 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 12 Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you
