Great Prayers of the Old Testament
Part 18: How to Overcome Sin, Storms, Stubbornness, and Sadness
Psalm 32:1-11
Sermon by Rick Crandall
(Prepared January 22, 2025)
BACKGROUND:
*Today we will study the 32nd Psalm. Here the Holy Spirit allows us to listen in on a conversation between King David and the LORD God Almighty. But there is a Hebrew word in the title of this Psalm that will help us understand it better. That word is "Maschil." It shows up in the titles of 13 different Psalms, and this is the first. Many Bible scholars believe that "Maschil" indicates a song written to be carefully studied with the promise of receiving godly wisdom. Charles Spurgeon called a "Maschil" a teaching Psalm where the experience of one believer can provide rich instruction to others such as new believers or seekers wanting to learn more about salvation. (1)
*With this bit of background in mind, let's get started by reading Psalm 32:1-11, thinking about how God wants us to be overcomers.
MESSAGE
*Church: We know that some people have a whole lot more trouble than others. But everybody goes through troubles. Everybody struggles with temptation on some level. Everybody has storms and setbacks in life. And everybody goes through times of sorrow.
*Rick Warren explained it this way: "Christians: God is far more interested in your character, than He is in your career. Why? -- Because you're not taking your career to heaven with you. -- But you are taking your character. That's what's going to last. So God's biggest goal for your life is not your career, and it's not your own personal comfort. God's biggest goal for your life is your character. Until we understand this, life is not going to make sense.
*All kinds of problems are going to come into your life: troubles, trials, difficulties. And you are going to think: 'Why me, Lord? Why is this happening to me?' as if your life is supposed to be a life of comfort. Well it's not, because this is not heaven." (2)
*Christians: One day we're going to be in a place with no sin, no sorrow, no problems, no pain. But we're not there yet, so all of us are going to have to be overcomers in life. And Jesus wants His followers to be overcomers. God's Word makes this clear in many places. For example Romans 12:21 tells Christians, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. The original word there is "nik-ah'- o." It's where Nike got the name for their shoes. And this word that we translate "overcome" is found 28 times in the New Testament. You see, God wants His people to be overcomers.
*1 John 5:1-5 is a good example. There John said:
1. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
2. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
3. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
4. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith.
5. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
*Through Jesus Christ we can overcome everything the world throws at us. And the reason why is because Jesus has overcome the world! As the Lord said in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." And a thousand years before Jesus said those words, the LORD gave us Psalm 32 to help us win His victory in life.
1. FIRST: GOD SHOWS US HOW TO OVERCOME OUR SINS: DON’T COVER THEM UP. CONFESS THEM TO THE LORD.
*How many times have you sinned since you became a Christian? I would really hate to know. Wouldn't it be nice if after we received Jesus, we never sinned again? It would be fantastic! But that's just not the case. David was certainly saved. And he talked about it in vs. 1-2. Here we see a man who was at peace both with God and himself, and David said, "Blessed (or happy) is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile."
*David was certainly saved by God's grace through faith in the salvation that God would provide through the future Messiah. And now, on the resurrection side of the cross, -- we know that the Messiah has already come! His name is Jesus Christ. And the only thing that can truly cover our sins is the blood that Jesus poured out when He died on the cross for us. Jesus died to take the punishment for all of our sins, and three days later, Jesus rose again forever from the dead. So when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior: Our sins are forgiven. Our record is cleared. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is put in our account. And we are saved!
*King David was a saved man, but he was also a sinful man. That's why King David lost his peace by sinning, and trying to hide it from the LORD. David talked about this time in vs. 3-4 where he said, "When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer."
*Most of us are familiar with the dark story of David's adultery with Bathsheba, and his cover-up conspiracy to murder her husband. And we could try to take false comfort by saying, "Oh, I'd never do that." But that smug attitude doesn't get us off the hook. We are all sinners. 1 John 1:8 tells believers, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
*We are all sinners. And the truth is that we are a lot worse than we usually think we are. Every moment that we spend doing something wrong is a wasted moment when we could have been doing something right. Every moment we spend not loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength is a moment in sin. Every moment we spend not loving our neighbor as we love our self is a moment in sin.
*We are all sinners, and there are many ways to sin. In fact, human beings can be experts when it comes to sin. Maybe that's why God used 15 different words in the Old Testament to describe our sins. And David used four of them here in vs. 1-2. Please listen again, where David said:
1. Blessed (or happy) is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
[1] The first word for sin is "transgression:" That’s harsh defiance, revolt, open rebellion against God. It's the "Get out of my face!" attitude. "I’m gonna do what I want to do!" That’s transgression.
[2] Then "sin:" That's a falling short, missing the mark. This is the person who is really trying their best, but they just can’t seem to make it. Think of the man who walks all the way across the desert, but can’t crawl that last ten feet to the waterhole. That’s the idea behind the word "sin."
[3] Then there is "iniquity." That’s something warped, bent, crooked, twisted, or perverse. It might just be a warped outlook on life, or something much worse.
[4] And there’s "guile." That’s dishonesty, lying to others and lying to yourself.
*Those 4 words cover a lot of ground! Unfortunately, there are many ways for us to sin, and sometimes we will. Jon Allen told about a grandmother who was teaching her little grandson about Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden. That little boy said, "If I had been in the Garden of Eden, and the devil offered me an apple, I wouldn't have eaten it. I don't even like apples!" "Yes," said his granny, "but suppose he had offered you some candy?" Her grandson thought about it for a moment and wisely replied, "Oh well." (3)
*The devil knows just where to hit us. He knows where we live. He knows where our weak spots are, -- so sometimes we will stumble into sin. King David did too. He was a saved man, but he was also a sinful man. That’s why the king lost his peace, and David shows us that trying to cover up our sin brings more pain.
*He pointed back to this painful time in vs. 3-4 where again, David said, "When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer."
*God’s Hand was heavy on David, because the Lord was leading David to repent and confess his sins. God will convict His people of their sins. That's why Proverbs 3:11-12 says, "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights."
*If you can sin freely without a sense of guilt and shame, then you need to carefully consider if your faith is real. I say that because our loving Heavenly Father disciplines all of His children. That’s why covering our sin brings pain. But confessing our sin brings peace. As David said in vs. 5, "I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and You forgave the iniquity of my sin."
*We also see the wonderful peace and power of confession in 1 John 1:8-9. There God's Word tells Christians:
8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
*So, Don't cover up your sins. Confess them to the Lord! But that's not the natural thing for us to do is it? -- No. Adam and Eve tried to cover up their sin in the Garden of Eden. And King David tried to cover-up too.
*I have seen some believers grow cold, harden their hearts, and try to distance themselves from God. It's the natural thing to do. But thank God, the Lord knows how to discipline His children! God stays on our case to bring us to repentance and confession. That's why covering our sin brings pain. God stays on our case to bring us to confession, and confessing our sin brings peace. Christian: Is that what you need to do today? God shows us how to overcome our sins: don’t cover them up. Confess them to the Lord.
2. GOD ALSO SHOWS US HOW TO OVERCOME OUR STORMS IN LIFE.
[1] THE FIRST KEY IS: DON'T PANIC. PRAY!
*David tells us in vs. 6, "For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him."
*What do you do when the flood of great waters is headed straight toward you? God's Word basically says, "Don't panic. Pray!" -- And when we do, God is going to take care of us. Now, this does not mean that all of our storms will instantly disappear. King David had already gone through some tough storms: In his younger years, on the run from King Saul, losing a baby because of his sin with Bathsheba, and many problems in his family and in his kingdom.
*But David tells us that God always made a way to take care of him. Troubles will come, but prayer always makes a difference. So, don't panic.-- Pray!
[2] THAT'S HOW TO OVERCOME THE STORMS IN OUR LIVES. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO TRUST GOD THROUGH OUR TROUBLES.
*This is God's message for us in vs. 7, where David told God, "You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance." Also down in vs. 10, where David said, "Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him."
*Notice that David was looking into the future here. He was trusting in the LORD to take care of him, and Church: So can we!
*Trust God through your troubles, because The LORD wants to be your hiding place too! Many times He will preserve you from trouble. He will surround you with songs of deliverance. And He will surround you with His mercy.
*God can bless us in more ways than we can imagine! Diane Rayner found that out when her little boy, Marty, was 8. That Christmas, he had been doing extra chores, and saving up his allowance money to buy a present for his best friend, Kenny. Diane was touched by Marty's caring and giving spirit. She thought that maybe the total deafness he had in one ear had softened his heart towards other people.
*On Christmas Eve, Marty snuck under the electric fence that separated their two farms. He put the present on Kenny's porch. Then he rang the doorbell and ran home. But Marty was in such a big hurry, he ran right into that electric fence!
*Pow! -- The powerful shock knocked him backwards. Let me tell you, I did that one time at a friend's house, and it was no fun! That hot wire hit me right on my forehead! -- Zzzzzzzzzt! My feet came all the way up off the ground, and I was suspended in midair like the poor cayote in a Roadrunner cartoon. And it was cloudy that night, but I definitely saw some stars!
*When Marty hit that hot wire, his mom got mad at God. And she complained to God for allowing Marty to get hurt, when he was doing a good deed. The next morning he had an ugly burn on his cheek. But as Mom watched him play, she was amazed to notice that Marty wasn't turning his head to hear anymore. Somehow that run in with the electric fence had completely restored his hearing! (4)
*God can bless us in more ways than we can imagine! But God is taking care of us even when the healing doesn't come, -- even when the storm rages on. Tony Wood and Kevin Stokes wrote a tremendous song that explains:
"All who sail the sea of faith find out before too long.
How quickly blue skies can grow dark, and gentle winds grow strong.
Suddenly fear is like white water pounding on the soul.
Still we sail on knowing that our Lord is in control.
Sometimes He calms the storm.
With a whispered 'Peace be still' He can settle any sea,
But it doesn't mean He will.
Sometimes He holds us close, and lets the wind and waves go wild.
Sometimes He calms the storm, -- and other times He calms His child." (5)
*God shows us how to overcome the storms in life: Don't panic. -- Be prayerful. And trust God to take you through your troubles.
3. CHURCH: GOD ALSO SHOWS US HOW TO OVERCOME OUR STUBBORNNESS.
[1] AND THE FIRST KEY IS TO LISTEN TO THE LORD.
*There is a remarkable change here in vs. 8. Up to this point David has been talking to the LORD. But in vs. 8, the LORD begins to speak to David. And as He speaks to David, God also speaks to us: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye."
*That word "instruct" has the idea of giving us wisdom and insight, making us prosper and be successful. "Teach" has the word picture of something being thrown or shot, like an arrow being shot in the right direction. You see, the LORD God wants to point us in the right direction. He wants to make us wise and truly successful, but we have to be willing to listen to Him.
[2] LISTEN TO THE LORD. -- AND THEN LET THE LORD LEAD YOU.
*That's what the Lord is trying to get us to do in vs. 8-9. Again, He says: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.
*"You're as stubborn as a mule!" -- Has anybody ever said that to you? -- Were they right? -- Probably. We tend to be stubborn. Except for our perfect Savior, Jesus Christ, we have all been born with a streak of stubborn selfishness. I've certainly been there. My dad used to tell me, "You would argue with a telephone pole!" He told me that a lot, because I was stubborn as a mule.
*That's why Alexander Solzhenitsyn once wrote that it would be different, if there were "evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." (6)
*And God says, "Don't be like that!" We can do terrible harm to ourselves and to others. In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Ukraine. Hundreds of passengers died as they were thrown into the deep water. But news of the disaster took a much darker turn when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn't a mechanical problem or a weather problem like thick fog. The whole cause was stubbornness.
*Each captain knew the other ship was nearby. Both could have steered clear. But neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. And by the time they came to their senses, it was too late. (7)
*How many people have we hurt by our stubbornness? God says, "Don't be stubborn!" We need to listen to the Lord, and then let Him lead us.
*Jesus promises to lead us. In John 16:12-14, on the night before He died on the cross, Jesus told His disciples:
12. "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."
*God will guide us by His Holy Word and by His Holy Spirit. But we have to listen to the Lord, and let Him lead us. That's the best way to overcome our stubbornness.
4. BUT THE LORD ALSO SHOWS US HOW TO OVERCOME OUR SADNESS.
*We see this in vs. 11, where David urges us to, "Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!"
*On the night before He died on the cross for our sins, Jesus was looking forward to His resurrection. And again, in John 16:33, the Lord said this to His disciples (and to us): "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.''
*The Apostle Paul knew this great truth. When Paul wrote his letter to the Philippian Christians, he had been a prisoner of Rome, bound in chains, maybe as long as 4 years. Paul's only crime was telling the truth about Jesus. And Philippians 2:27 tells us that Paul almost had sorrow on top of sorrow when one of his friends came close to death. Paul could have been filled with bitterness, but he overflowed with the joy of the Lord. And we can too!
*That's why in Philippians 4:4 Paul said, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" Christians: When we think about who Jesus Christ is, and all that He has done for us, it's astounding that we have to be reminded to rejoice in the Lord. But Paul stressed rejoicing seven times in this short letter to the Philippians.
CONCLUSION:
*Christians: Our hands are not in chains today, and we are blessed far more than most people in the world. But if all of that was taken away, we would still have grace, we would still have Heaven, and we would still have Jesus! So remember to rejoice in the Lord. We can't always rejoice in our health or our looks. We can't always rejoice in our finances, our family, our jobs, or our grades. We can't always rejoice in our houses, our cars, our toys, or our accomplishments, but we can always rejoice in the Lord!
*We will be sad at times. We will have grief and sorrow. But we can always be glad in the Lord. So let the Lord help you overcome your sin, your storms, your stubbornness, and the sadness in your life. We can overcome all of these things because Jesus has overcome the world for us!
*And if you have never put your trust in the Lord, I urge you to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today! You can call on the Lord to save you right now, as we go back to God in prayer.
(1) Sources:
-Charles H. Spurgeon, THE TREASURY OF DAVID Vol. 1, Psalms 1-57, Published in 1869-1885; public domain - Downloaded to e-Sword by Rick Meyers - Copyright 2021
-BROWN-DRIVER-BRIGGS' HEBREW DEFINITIONS - Published in 1906; public domain- Downloaded to e-Sword by Rick Meyers - Copyright 2021
-STRONG'S HEBREW AND GREEK DICTIONARIES - from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D. - Published in 1890; public domain. - Downloaded to e-Sword by Rick Meyers - Copyright 2021
(2) Adapted from “CREATED TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST - The Purpose Driven Life - Part 4” by Rick Warren - Saddleback Church - Lake Forest, CA - October 19-20, 2002
(3) "Illustration Digest" edited by Jon Allen - Nov. Dec. Jan. 1994-1995 - p. 16
(4) Diane Rayner in CHRISTMAS MEMORIES compiled by Terry Meeuwsen - Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996 -pp. 95-100. Source: 12/29/2002 - Sermons.com email - "More Christmas."
(5) Recorded by Scott Krippayne, written by Tony Wood and Kevin Stokes, 1995 BMG Songs Inc.
(6) Alexander Solzhenitsyn quote from NELSON'S COMPLETE BOOK OF STORIES, ILLUSTRATIONS & QUOTES by Robert J. Morgan - Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers - Copyright 2000.
(7) Adapted from SermonCentral sermon WHAT MEAN THESE STONES by Evie Megginson - Josh 4:6-7
