TREASURES FROM THE PSALMS WED PM OCTOBER 4, 2023 CBBCKING
What to Do When Facing the Enemy!
Psalm 35:1-9
Introduction:
Psalm 35 – lengthier Psalm… 28 verses long… not going to deal with every verse… main portions of the Psalm.
Structure = Psalm 35 easily divides into 3 stanzas all marked by a chorus of praise to God…
• 1st Stanza – (35:1-9)
• 2nd Stanza – (35:10-18)
• 3rd Stanza – (35:19-28)
Psalm 35 = involves conflict… learn in the spiritual realm that worship and war go together… see this theme throughout the history of God’s people in the OT.
• Exodus 14 = Red Sea = followed by a time of praise and worship
• Joshua 5 = Conquest of Jericho… Joshua meets the Capt. Of the Lord’s host… falls before him in worship.
• 1&2 Sam; Book of Kings = Israel when facing the enemy worshiped before and after the battle… before the battle seeking the Lord’s help in the battle… praise the Lord for victory after the battle.
Psalm 35 = David facing the enemy… in a fight… battle going on in his life… time of peril… uncertain of the outcome.
Interesting = number of times throughout the Psalms that you find the Psalmist in a battle.
**Find ourselves like the Psalmist battling our way through life… personal battles, health battles, financial battles, work battles, family battles, friend battles, emotional battles, spiritual battles.
Jacob = all these things are against me.
Story Behind the Psalm:
Not told the exact occasion when David penned this Psalm… most Bible scholars agree that it was during the early young adult years of his life… warrior in Saul’s court.
Scriptural Backdrop: 1 Sam. 18-20
David = won a great victory – slew the Philistine giant… Goliath of Gath… Israel routed the Philistines. As he returned to Jerusalem riding in a victory parade beside Saul at the head of army… women began to sing… “Saul hath slain his thousands but David his tens of thousands.”
David = in defeating the enemy… had made enemies – King Saul! Others sided with Saul… not so much because they were loyal to Saul, but because they loathed David.
David = risen in the ranks… behaved himself wisely… had the heart of the people. David was in their way!
Those he thought were his friends… rose up against him as his enemies…
v.1 – fought against him.
v.4 – plotted against him.
v.7 – sought to entrap him.
v.11 – falsely accused him.
v.20 – stirring up the people against him.
v.25 – devour him.
v.21 – mocked him.
vv.24,26 – gloated over him.
v.17 – heart of the Psalm, key verse – compares his enemies to lions.
Interesting = number of times Psalmists compare the enemy to lions…
Psalm 91:13 – Moses
Psalm 22:13 – Lord Jesus
Psalm 7:2; 10:9; 17:12; 57:4 – David… v.15 - Lion = tearing him in pieces
1Pet.5:8 – Christian … enemy seeks to devour, tear in pieces!
Preach: “What to Do When Facing the Enemy!”
1. LET GOD FIGHT FOR YOU!
Cf. David didn’t take matters into his own hands… understood that the battle was the Lord’s:
Look: v.1
How often are we guilty of trying to fight the battle on our own wisdom, our own strength, our own ability… only to end in failure and defeat.
David’s plea – vv.3-4 – Lord you fight for me!
Nehemiah 4:20 – “our God shall fight for us.”
Psalm 35 = companion Psalm 34 = only 2 Psalms that mention, “the angel of the LORD”
Ps. 34:7 – the angel of the LORD protecting the believer.
Ps. 35:5,6 – the angel of the LORD pursuing the enemy! Putting the enemy to flight.
Ps. 35 = Imprecatory nature – David praying for God to judge his enemies.
Imprecatory Psalm = not a prayer for personal vengeance.
Heart of David (vv.12-15)
Prayer = for Divine justice!
Look: v.7 – David on more than one occasion states his innocence… [vv.11,19,28] – he was Israel’s king in waiting… had the Lord’s anointing oil upon him… to fight against David was to fight against God.
2Sam. 13 – find God fighting against David! God can’t fight for you if He has to fight against you!
If you want God to fight for you then must take God’s side against yourself! Heart right with God!!!
1. Let God Fight for You
2. LET GOD DELIVER YOU!
Look: v.10 – “too strong for him” = David realized his own weakness… couldn’t deliver Himself… cried out for the Lord to deliver him.
Note: v.17
Phrase: v.10 – “all my bones” = bones have a message – not just bones of David but the bones of Christ - Psalm 34:20.
Message in the Bones:
Psalm 34:20 = Messianic, prophetic in nature – spoke of David’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus… finds its fulfillment at Calvary.
John 19 – soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves crucified with Jesus to hasten their deaths… when they came to the middle cross… they broke not his legs because he was already dead… one of the soldiers took a spear and thrust it into the side of the Lord Jesus out came blood and water.
John 19:36 – “For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.”
Jesus = had every type of wound imaginable… yet not one of his bones was broken.
Psalm 34:20 - God = “kept all his bones”
Psalm 35:10 – David = “all my bones”
David = “Who is like unto thee” - God you are true! You keep your Word! Forever faithful! I can trust you to deliver me.
Christian = your God is forever faithful!!! You can trust Him!!!!
Prove His faithfulness God points to His own Son! As assuredly as I took care of my own Son, I will take care of you!! The same God that brought His own Son safely through the battle will bring you and me safely through the battle!!!
Quote: “The unbroken bones remind us of the unbroken promises to us.”
GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD!!!
1. Let God Fight for You
2. Let God Deliver you
3. LET GOD DEFEND YOU!
Look: v.24
“Judge” = to vindicate, to defend.
Cf. whenever we are attacked, slandered, criticized… someone either blatantly or subtilty writes something about us or our family on social media… the natural reaction in all of us is to defend ourselves.
We are going to expose them and set the record straight.
Temptation = is that in the process we get our pound of flesh!
Danger = avenging ourselves. When we do that, we are taking a place that God has not given to us.
Rom. 12:19,20 – “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
David = That’s not my department. God, You do the repaying!
Christian = give it to the Lord. Let Him handle it. In His time God will defend you!!!
1. Let God Fight for You
2. Let God Deliver You
3. Let God Defend You
4. LET US NOT FORGET TO PRAISE HIM!
3 different occasions in this Psalm David sang with a heart filled with praise to God: [vv.9,18,28]
Worship and War go together… battling and praising at the same time.
**Praise is a Choice!
v.9 – “my soul shall be joyful in the LORD”
v.18 – “I will give thee thanks in the great congregation”
v.28 – “my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness.”
How do you sing in the battle??? Do what David did…
A. Be Joyful (9)
May not be able to rejoice over your circumstances but you can rejoice in your God! His promises, His care in our lives!!
Neh. 4:8 – “the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
B. Be Thankful (18)
1 Thess. 5:18 – “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
No matter the situation, there is always something that we can be thankful for. We just have to take the time to find it and determine to give God thanks!
C. Be Thoughtful (28)
We must be thoughtful of God… who He is… what He is doing in our lives.
David = didn’t just talk to the Lord; He talked about the Lord.
“Righteousness” = God you are always good. You always do right. In your time you will fight for me, deliver and defend me!
Conclusion:
