BIG IDEA:
PERSEVERANCE IN WAITING FOR GOD’S WORD
IS THE PATHWAY TO ESCAPING LIFE IN THE PITS
I. (:81-84) THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE TIMING OF GOD’S DELIVERANCE
MAKES PERSEVERANCE PAINFUL
A. 2 Haunting Questions:
1) How Long?
"How many are the days of Thy servant?"
2) When?
"When wilt Thou comfort me?"
B. 2 Expressions of Pain and Struggle:
1) Inner Pain
"My soul languishes for Thy salvation"
2) Outer Pain
"My eyes fail with longing for Thy word"
C. 1 Image of Futility:
"Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke"
The leather wineskins needed to be supple and pliable in order to accommodate the expanding effects of the fermentation. If hung empty (without being used for its
primary purpose) for too long in the smoke-filled tent, the wineskin would start to shrivel up and become wrinkled and worn. The psalmist feared that his life was becoming shriveled and useless as the trial continued to wear him down.
D. 1 Resource to Cling To = The Word of God
E. 1 Desire for Justice
"When wilt Thou execute judgment on those who persecute me?”
II. (:85-87) THE DECEITFUL PERSECUTION BY THE UNGODLY
MAKES PERSEVERANCE NECESSARY
A. The Ungodly Character of the Persecutors
1. Arrogant
2. Rebellious = "men who are not in accord with Thy law"
3. Deceitful = "They have persecuted me with a lie"
B. The Malicious Nature of the Persecution
1. "The arrogant have dug pits for me"
2. "They almost destroyed me on earth"
C. The Faithfulness of God’s Word encourages the Psalmist to Faithfully Keep Clinging to Hope
1. Faithfulness of God’s Word
"All Thy commandments are faithful"
2.. Faithfulness of the psalmist
"But as for me, I did not forsake Thy precepts"
III. (:88) THE DELIVERANCE BY A LOVING GOD TO A LIFE OF SPIRITUAL VICTORY MAKES PERSEVERANCE WORTH IT
"Revive me according to Thy lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Thy mouth"
* * * * * * * * * *
DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS:
1) Think of some tough times where you have asked the Lord the same questions:
“When?”
“How long?”
How has the Lord used Delay in your life to teach you valuable lessons?
2) Have you ever wanted something so bad that you could taste it? Has that ever been your experience in waiting for the Lord to fulfill His promises to you and deliver you? The eyes can grow very “heavy” and still not expire.
3) Think how the proud and the arrogant build themselves up by digging pits and trying to cast the righteous down. What types of pits have they been digging in our times? Do we ever try to build ourselves up by dragging down others?
4) Because the Lord’s lovingkindness is eternal, it never runs out despite being called upon to revive so many saints in so many precarious situations. Meditate on the depths of the Lord’s lovingkindness.
Download the entire Psalms commentary in pdf format
(including notes on each psalm from other commentators)
from:
http://www.bibleoutlines.com
