Confidence In A Competent Creator
Text: Ps.40: 4; Prov.3: 26
Intro: Webster’s Dictionary defines confidence as “firm belief; trust; reliance; the fact of being or feeling certain; assurance…object of trust” (Victoria Neufeldt, Editor in Chief and David B. Guralnik, Editor in Chief Emeritus, Webster’s New World Dictionary Of American English, Third Edition, published by Webster’s New World, Cleveland & New York; pg. 292).
People place their confidence in many things these days. Some place their confidence in astrology charts, while others trust in the words of the latest guru. Some people put their confidence in their intelligence or their skills, while others rely upon their influence and connections. But our texts would indicate that our confidence should be solely in the Lord. As a matter of fact, King David said that those who put their confidence in the Lord are blessed. One translation puts it this way, “Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord…” (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, published by Tyndale House Publishing, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois; pg. 589).
Psalm 40: 1-10 is basically a psalm of thanksgiving for answered prayer. That answer to prayer came as a result of David’s confident faith in God.
Like David, we have much to thank God for today. Tomorrow we celebrate Veterans Day; a day to remember and be thankful for those who have served in America’s armed forces in the past, as well as those who presently serve their country. We owe our service men and women a great debt of gratitude for the dangers and loneliness they have endured for our benefit.
This church also has reason to be thankful to God today. It has been by His gracious supply that we have had the wherewithal to remodel our sanctuary, and improve the appearance of God’s house. Thank the Lord for what He has done for us.
Regardless of what the world says about God these days, He is a competent Creator in whom we can have confidence. It is that idea we wish to explore today.
Theme: Confidence in God produces:
I. PROVISION FROM GOD
A. David’s Confidence In God Led Him To Wait.
Ps.40: 1a “I waited patiently for the Lord…”
NOTE: [1] The idea behind the words “I waited patiently” is not only that of waiting, but also that of “an eager hopefulness” in waiting (Robert Davidson, The Vitality Of Worship, published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan; pg. 133).
[2] One of the things we Americans have a hard time doing is waiting. We are an impatient people. We have grown used to convenience and timesaving devices. And there is nothing wrong with that in itself. But folks, answers to prayer are rarely instant. God often requires us to learn to wait. He wants us to learn to maintain “an eager hopefulness” in Him, even when the answers to our legitimate prayers don’t come immediately.
[3] G. Campbell Morgan had the following to say about waiting on God:
Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given.
G. Campbell Morgan
B. David’s Confidence In God Moved God To Work.
Ps.40: 1b “…and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”
NOTE: [1] When David waited with eager expectation, God heard his prayer and answered his request. Jeremiah 33: 3 makes this same promise to us when it says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
[2] We aren’t told of the particular problem or problems to which David alludes here. But the implication seems to be that he felt trapped and uncertain of life. One version translates the words “horrible pit” (v. 2a) with the words “a pit of tumult and of destruction” (The Lockman Foundation, The Amplified Bible, published by Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; The Amplified Old Testament, pg. 638). The idea of uncertainty is also brought out by the words “miry clay” (v. 2b). This makes reference to the froth and slime of an extremely muddy area where ones footing is precarious.
[3] David then indicates that since God rescued him, he was on a firm foundation, and his steps were steady (v. 2c). The point of what David has said here seems to be like that found in an earlier psalm.
Ps.37: 4 “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
[4] Often we get so upset over the problems and dangers of life when we should be waiting on and trusting in our faithful and competent Creator.
John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them.
When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men with you there?” Paton knew no men were present—but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station.
Today in the Word, MBI, October, 1991, p. 18.
II. PRAISE TOWARD GOD
A. David’s Outlook Was Changed.
Ps.40: 3 “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”
NOTE: [1] Notice that David says that God had taken him out of the pit of uncertainty and insecurity, and put him on a firm footing. Though tempted to despair while in that horrible pit of circumstances, he confidently and expectantly waited on God for deliverance. An old country music song says, “I never felt more like singin’ the blues.” But David’s confidence in God resulted in a new song in his heart.
[At] a conference at a Presbyterian church in Omaha, people were given helium filled balloons and told to release them at some point in the service when they felt like expressing the joy in their hearts. Since they were Presbyterians, they weren’t free to say, “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord.”
All through the service balloons ascended, but when it was over 1/3 of the balloons were unreleased. Let your balloon go.
Bruce Larson, Luke, p. 43.
[2] In the second half of verse three, David mentions a fact that we should remember with reference to our confidence in God. He basically said that others would see what God had done for him and would not only be astounded, but would also be encouraged to put their trust in the Lord as well.
B. David’s Opinion Of Godly Confidence.
Ps.40: 4 “Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”
NOTE: David’s statement here is that happy is the man who exercises “a faith which is exclusively focused on the Lord. It never compromises with ‘the proud’ or with those ‘who go astray after false gods’ (REB: ‘the treacherous’), literally ‘those who turn aside to falsehood’” (Robert Davidson, The Vitality Of Worship, published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan; pg. 134).
C. David’s Outpouring Of Praise To His Creator.
Ps.40: 5 “Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”
III. PERCEPTION OF GOD’S WILL
Ps.40: 6 “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
NOTE: [1] As David waited on God in expectant prayer, not only did his circumstances begin to change, but he began to change as well. You see, prayer is not about changing God’s mind to our way of thinking, but rather it is about changing us so that we get into a right relationship to God, so He can answer our prayer.
[2] In waiting on God, the ears of David’s heart were opened, helping him to finally understand a spiritual truth: God is not concerned with mere religious ritual, but with willing obedience to His will. David’s confidence in God helped him wait on God. And waiting on God resulted in a heart that was sensitive and obedient to God. “I delight to do thy will, O my God,” David said (v. 8a).
Peter T. Forsythe was right when he said, “The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master.”
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Integrity Crisis, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991, p. 22.
IV. PROCLAMATION OF GOD’S GOODNESS
Ps.40: 9 “I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.”
NOTE: [1] When God blessed David, he didn’t stay mum about it. He gave testimony to God’s goodness and faithfulness. The Bible exhorts us to do the same.
Ps.13: 6 “I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”
Ps.107: 2 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.”
[2] When it comes to testifying to God’s goodness in our lives, we’re a lot like the people in the following story:
Thankfulness seems to be a lost art today. Warren Wiersby illustrated this problem in his commentary on Colossians.
He told about a ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, who was part of a life-saving squad. In 1860, a ship went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. In the process, his health was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.
Our Daily Bread, February 20, 1994.
Theme: Confidence in God produces:
I. PROVISION FROM GOD
II. PRAISE TOWARD GOD
III. PERCEPTION OF GOD’S WILL
IV. PROCLAMATION OF GOD’S GOODNESS
