Lord, I Need You!
Psalm 28
Introduction:
David is experiencing a time of great extremity – nighttime hours of the soul – one of David’s songs in the night.
Interesting: many of the hymns we sing were born out great struggle. Such is the Psalm before us.
Story Behind the Psalm:
Not told the exact occasion this particular Psalm was written… tone of David’s song fits the season of his life found in (2Sam. 16,17) – time of national crisis… Israel torn apart by civil war… Absalom had stolen the hearts of the people… taken his father’s throne… David and those loyal to him are on the run… fled into the wilderness of Judea.
David’s world falling apart… turned to the only One who could truly help him… turned to the LORD! What we need to do!!!
Flow of the Psalm:
v.1 = 1 of 2 places that we can live… on the rock or in a pit!
Rock = place of safety, security, victory, praise!
Pit = discouragement, defeat, despair, depression.
Choose = to live in one of those 2 places – David chose to live on the Rock.
David goes from…
Groan to Glory (6)
Sigh to a Song! (7e)
Prayer to Praise (7e)
God = can take a great struggle and make a song out of it!
vv.1-2 = Looked within – Depressed
vv. 3-5 = Looked out – Distressed
vv.6-9 = Looked up - Blessed
• When we look within become self-absorbed leads to discouragement and depression.
• When we look out and see the wickedness of the world around us it leads to distress.
• But when we look and see the LORD, friend we become blessed!!!
David’s = circumstances may not have changed but his perspective sure had changed!
Preach: “Lord, I Need You!”
I. DAVID’S PRAYER!
Look: vv.1,2
A. His Crisis
v.1 – David in a time of desperation cries out and petitions His God for help.
Notice: “Unto thee will I cry”
“Cry” = to cry aloud
“Be not silent”
“Hear the voice of my supplications.”
Pleads for God to hear and answer him lest he becomes like those who go down into the pit.
“Pit” = sepulcher – a tomb cut out of limestone.
Lord, if you don’t hear and answer me, I am not going to make it.
In time of crisis David did what you and I need to do, looked away from himself to the only One who could truly help Him!
v.2 – “thy holy oracle” = sanctuary in Jerusalem… Psalms 26,27,28 – Psalms of the Sanctuary… all three make reference to the place of worship… symbolized God’s presence among his people.
David = in wilderness… hands stretched out to God’s sanctuary… longed for the presence of God.
B. His Confidence
v.1 – “O LORD my Rock”
OT = the figure of a Rock is never used of a man, only of God.
Rock = massive, strong, stable, permanent, and unchanging.
David’s world had been turned upside down… everything in David’s life that he knew to be stable and secure had been taken away… throne was gone, kingdom gone, wealth gone!
David = fugitive living in the wilderness of uncertainty... nothing left for him to cling to.
But there was One thing in his life that was massive, strong, stable, permanent, and unchanging… the LORD!
David = called God His Rock! Anchor of the soul!
David wasn’t going to live in a pit but on the Rock!!!
Christian = when everything that we know in life to be stable and solid is taken away… we have something… no Someone in or lives that is massive, strong, stable, permanent, and unchanging… we have the LORD!
He is our Rock!
In times of crisis, He is our Confidence!!!
II. DAVID’S PLEA!
Look: v.3
“Draw me” = drag me not away
The word translated “drawn away” is a strong word used of condemned criminals being dragged away for execution. “Drag me not off with the ungodly” is the way one person has put it.
David = God don’t let my end be that of those who set themselves against you. Don’t let my end be like Absalom’s!
David = knew that Absalom’s days were numbered… at some point God would act… Absalom would be taken away in judgment… his end would come.
vv.4-5 = Imprecatory in nature… David praying God’s righteous judgment upon his enemies.
Prayer = Divine Justice not Person Vengeance! David was not concerned about revenge but righteousness… not concerned about his throne but God’s throne.
Praying for God to execute His righteous judgment upon those who are opposing the Lord.
Absalom = brazenly doing what David never did… touch God’s anointed!
How many times did David have opportunity to kill King Saul… refrained himself!
To touch God’s anointed was to touch God Himself!
Q: Is it right for a Christian to pray imprecatory prayers today???
III. DAVID’S PRAISE!
Look: v.6
It’s here that David moves from prayer to praise, from a sigh to a song!
v.6 David blesses the Lord…
A. He Heard Me (6)
vv.1,2 = David was praying but he felt that God wasn’t answering… calling but God wasn’t hearing!
Ever felt that way???
Praying = heavens are like brass… prayer’s not getting past the ceiling… calling but not getting through.
Christian = we don’t live by feelings but by faith!
Fact = when we pray God hears… when we call God answers!
Jer. 33:3 – “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
B. He Helped Me (7)
Glad = the Lord is our Helper!
No wonder the writer of Hebrews said, I will not fear what man can do unto me.”
David and people with him… fled into the wilderness… weak and defenseless… fear was that any moment Absalom and his armies would sweep down upon them and bring them swiftly to an end.
When I am weak, He is my Strength… defenseless He is my Protector!
David = I trusted… I leaned on the Lord and He helped me!!!
IV. HIS PASSION!
Look: vv.8,9
David look within… then he looked up and now he looks out… he looked away from himself to others.
Note: “My, Me” (vv.6,7) – “Their, Them (vv.8,9)
v.8 “Anointed” = doesn’t refer to an individual person but to the Lord’s people, the nation of Israel.
v.9 “Thy people” & “Thine inheritance” = possession
A. Strengthen Them (8)
B. Save Them (9a)
C. Shepherd Them (9b)
D. Secure Them (9c)
Conclusion:
