SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). Confidence (vs 1-3)
(2). Admission (vs 4)
(3). Schemers (vs 5-8)
(4). Betrayal (vs 9)
(5). Requests (vs 10-12)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• A little boy was standing at the end of an escalator looking up.
• The shop assistant asked, “Son are you lost?”
• He replied, “No, I’m waiting for my chewing gum to come back.”
• TRANSITION: I would probably be correct in saying.
• That most people do not like waiting.
• Even in our modern age of conveniences, waiting is still a big part of life.
• When we think of waiting, what comes to mind?
• e.g., We wait at least two hours when checking in at an airport terminal,
• e.g., We wait in a doctor’s & dentists waiting room,
• e.g., We wait in line at the supermarket,
• e.g., We wait stuck in rush hour traffic.
• The facts are most of us are waiting for something most of the time:
• And if we are honest, we do not like waiting!
Quote: Louis L'Amour
“Victory is won not in miles but in inches.
Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more.”
• We may not like waiting!
• But it is a process we often go through before we can know victory!
• And that is the experience of the psalmist who penned this psalm.
Note:
• The brief given me for this passage had an additional statement that read,
• ‘Are we confident in God’s provision for our lives?’
Ill:
• Birthday card I saw.
• It had on the front cover, ‘Darling you are the answer to my prayers!’
• And on the inside, it read,
• ‘You are not exactly what I prayed for, but apparently you are the answer! I
• TRANSITION: Are we confident in God’s provision for our lives?
• Simple answer, Yes!
• But the way God provides may not be the way we want!
BACKGROUND:
• David was the first king in Jerusalem,
• His reign was later looked back on as a golden era.
• He is known both as a great fighter and as the "sweet singer of Israel",
• King David experienced times of popularity,
• But he also tough times,
• Times when some of his close friend’s revolted against him,
• And one time even his own son Absalom rebelled against him.
That is thought to be the background to this Psalm - the rebellion of Absalom:
• Absalom was the third and favourite son of David,
• 2 Samuel chapter 14 verse 25 describes Absalom,
• ‘As the most handsome man in the kingdom’.
• Joke: Now you will have to trust me on this one,
• Buit it is not easy living with good looks and being known for them!
• Only a few of us can handle the pressure!
Now, one day Absalom decided to rebel against his father.
• And he would make a bid for the throne – he wanted to be crowned king.
• He built support for himself among the common people.
• By promising justice for all.
• His plan of betrayal seemed to work well,
• (You can read the sad story of events in 2 Samuel chapters 11-16.)
• We are told, all Israel and Judah flocked to his side,
• And David, with only a handful of allies was forced to flee and hide.
Note:
• Despite the sad and sordid circumstances to the background of this Psalm,
• It starts off positively with a note of praise.
(1). Confidence (vs 1-3)
Blessed is those who have regard for the weak.
the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.
2 The LORD protects and preserves them—
they are counted among the blessed in the land—
he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.
3 The LORD sustains them on their sickbed.
and restores them from their bed of illness.
Ill:
• Native American Indian went into a Bank in Texas.
• He looked at the bank manager and said:
• “Grass all gone, sheep all sick, waterholes all dry!”
• The bank manager took him through to the back of the bank,
• And opened a safety deposit box,
• In that box was gold nuggets that the Native American had mined.
• The Native American then said:
• “Plenty of grass, sheep well, waterhole full”.
• His circumstances were the same,
• But he had resources in abundance to survive those circumstances.
• To modernise the illustration,
• If you have money in the bank, you do not fear when a bill comes in!
• Because you have the financial resources to meet that debt!
• TRANSITION:
• No matter how dark and stormy our situation may be,
• David, the Psalmist has an undergirding source of confidence:
• God has the resources to help.
• He is confident in God and in God’s provision for his life!
Note:
• Verse 1 is a foundation verse that the rest of this psalm builds on.
• The theme is stated and then unpacked.
• The theme for this Psalm is very simple,
• God is always on the side of those who cannot defend themselves.
• That truth is illustrated in verse 1,
“Blessed is those who have regard for the weak.
the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.”
• The psalmists’ reasons, that if we imitate God in regard to his treatment of the weak,
• We will be in his will and our actions will be pleasing to him.
• And surely God blesses those who are obedient and walking in his ways!
• It is clear from verse 1,
• The psalmist believes God not only protects those who live according to his will,
• But he will also preserve and keep them.
• Even restoring them from times of sickness (vs 3).
“The Lord sustains them on their sickbed.
and restores them from their bed of illness.”
Question: Are we confident in God’s provision for our lives?
Answer:
• The psalmist says that confidence comes as we,
• Walk in God’s ways and show that through our actions,
• And surely God blesses those who are obedient and walking in his ways!
Quote: The old hymn says,
“When We Walk With The Lord
In The Light Of His Word,
What A Glory He Sheds On Our Way!
While We Do His Good Will,
He Abides With Us Still,
And With All Who Will Trust And Obey!”
(2). Admission (vs 4)
“I said, “Have mercy on me, LORD.
heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
Ill:
• A preacher pointed at his congregation and said,
• “OK, time to confess, who here likes sin?”
• A silence filled the room, and everyone felt uncomfortable,
• Nobody moved and nobody looked the preacher in the eye!
• Then to everyone’s amazement a little old lady at the back of the Church,
• Nervously raised a hand.
• Everyone was shocked because she was such a stalwart of the Church.
• The preacher looked at her and said, “Ethel, do you love sin?”
• To which Ethel replied, “Sin! I thought you said gin!”
• TRANSITION: Don’t panic I am not going to ask you that question today!
• But admission of sin in our lives and confession before God,
• Is as the proverb says, “Good for the soul!”
Often in the Old (and at times the New) Testament sickness and sin are linked together.
• e.g., The book of Job – Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar the friends of Job held that idea.
• e.g., The disciples in John chapter 9 held that view regarding the blind man the encountered.
• “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
• Sometimes that is true but often it is not, as in the case of Job.
• Because Job was in the will of God, he experienced suffering and difficulties.
• So, we need to be carful before we accuse someone.
We are not told if the psalmist’s sickness was the result of his sin:
• We are told he confessed his sin to God.
• And ill or not it is always good practice to ‘keep short accounts’ with God.
• And in the right context - Quote: ‘Confession is good for the soul’.
Question: Are we confident in God’s provision for our lives?
Answer:
• God has provided forgiveness for each & every person.
• Communion is a reminder of that provision.
We are saved:
• Every Christian has a saviour who has rescued us from the penalty of sin.
• That took place at our conversion.
• I believe we are secure in Christ forever!
We are being saved:
• No Christian is perfect, we all still fail,
• We have to deal with temptation and the power of sin,
• Communion is a time of reflection, a spiritual check-up,
• “Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.”
• I Corinthians chapter 11 verses 28-30.
• And God has provided what we truly need for our lives,
• Forgiveness from sins punishment and a daily cleansing from sin in our walk.
(3). Schemers (vs 5-8)
“My enemies say of me in malice,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 When one of them comes to see me,
he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander.
then he goes out and spreads it around.
7 All my enemies whisper together against me.
they imagine the worst for me, saying,
8 “A vile disease has afflicted him.
he will never get up from the place where he lies.”.”
Ill:
• Retired Glasgow-born actor Arthur Ferguson lived in the 1920’s.
• He has to be one of life’s great salesmen.
• One summer morning in the 1920s he stood idly in London’s Trafalgar Square.
• He watched, an obviously well-to-do American.
• Began admiring the statue of Admiral Lord Nelson and the column it rested on.
• Struck with a sudden inspiration,
• Ferguson put his remarkable selling ability to work.
• And he “sold” Nelson’s column to the American for about $30,000 - lions included!
• Not one to rest on his laurels, Ferguson went on from there.
• He sold the famous clock Big Ben to another American for $5,000.
• And took $10,000 from yet another as down payment on Buckingham Palace.
• By the time justice caught up with him,
• Ferguson had added the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.
• To the list of his amazing “sales”!
• Furguson was jailed for five years,
• A rather small price to pay for the fortune he had made.
• He was released in 1930 and moved to Los Angeles.
• Where he lived in a lap of luxury until he died in 1938.
• TRANSITION:
• Well Arthur’s antics might make us smile,
• In real life nobody likes a schemer – especially if you are the one who got ripped off!
The psalmist says he had visitors who came calling when he was ill,
• They may have brought grapes and flowers with them,
• But as soon as they left his presence,
• Verse 5: they smile to his face but behind his back they ‘can’t wait for him to die!’
• All they do is slander and gossip and ‘kick him while he is down’.
• There reason for visiting was not to enquire about his health.
• But verses 6-8 say to get gossip and information about him.
• If the situation sounds bad.
• It is about to get even worse!
Question: Are we confident in God’s provision for our lives?
Answer:
• Yes, God has not promised a life without problems.
• Often in the midst of problems and trials we experience God’s provision,
• His peace, his joy, his presence!
(4). Betrayal (vs 9)
“Even my close friend,
someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
has turned against me”.
Ill:
• No treachery is worse than betrayal by a family member or friend.
• Julius Caesar knew such treachery.
• Among the conspirators who assassinated the Roman leader on March 15, 44 B. C.
• Was Marcus Junius Brutus.
• Caesar not only trusted Brutus,
• He had favoured him as a son.
• According to Roman historians, Caesar first resisted the onslaught of the assassins.
• But when he saw Brutus among them with his dagger drawn,
• Caesar ceased to struggle and pulled the top part of his robe over his face,
• And he asked the famous question, “You too, Brutus?”
Absalom was David’s third and favourite son:
• Alongside Absalom the rebel and usurper were Ahithophel.
• Ahithophel was grandfather of Bathsheba,
• He was formerly one of David’s best friends and a trustworthy counsellor.
• In 2 Samuel chapter 15 verse 31.
• When David heard the Ahithophel had joined the conspirators, he groaned:
• “O Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness”.
• We do not know how God answered the prayer of David.
• But this verse shows us the hurt that David was experiencing.
Question: Are we confident in God’s provision for our lives?
Answer:
• Yes,
• God has provided us with the Holy Spirit,
• He comes to strengthen us and to help us cope in times of heartbreak.
Ill.
• Remember Jesu was betrayed by a friend!
• And Jesus himself quotes this verse as referring to himself - and to Judas.
• As we trust God day by day, as we trust him in the small things,
• It will prepare us to trust him when the big tests come along.
• God’s provision my well be healing for a broken heart,
• It may well be daily strength for daily battles.
(5). Requests (vs 10-12)
“But may you have mercy on me, LORD.
raise me up, that I may repay them.
I know that you are pleased with me,
for my enemy does not triumph over me.
Because of my integrity you uphold me
and set me in your presence forever”.
Question: When you feel that the world is against you – how do you respond?
Answer:
• For the believer the key is to pray!
• To go into the presence of one who is always for you and has your best interests at heart!
• David prays for:
• His health to be restored.
• For the opportunity to ‘pay back’ his enemies ‘like for like’.
• This can be seen as David being vindictive,
• Or David the king wanting justice to take place!
• Having confessed his sin in verse 6 he is now able to say in verse 12:
• ‘Examine me’ let me know your presence day after day after day.
Question: Are we confident in God’s provision for our lives?
Answer:
• The psalmist says God has provided all you need to have integrity (vs 12),
• To live a life that is honest and truthful and genuine!
• According to the Collins Dictionary online,
• “if you have integrity, you are honest and firm in your moral principles.”
• Upright character is an important ingredient in any person’s life.
• Like the foundations of a house, it is unseen but essential!
As followers of Christ, having integrity means:
• That your actions are consistent with your words.
• That you are trustworthy, reliable and honest.
• That you communicate honestly and openly.
• That you have appropriate values, and behaviours that reflect these values.
Note: Verse 13:
13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.
• The one hundred and fifty Psalms were organised.
• By those who compiled them into five sections or books.
• Each of the five sections or books ends with a doxology.
• So, verse 13 is not part of the original Psalm.
• It is a doxology added to mark the end of the first group, the first book of Psalms.
• From (Section 1) Psalm 1 to Psalm 41.
• These same words are used to close all five sections of the Psalms.
• (Section 2: Psalm 72:18-19 – Section 3: 89:52 – Section 4: 106:48, - Section 5: 150:6)
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=B0HNfIXAdPE0Bvw9nuunwZmIbRoeWsfo
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/QIzpmHm6d8Y
