THERE IS R.E.S.T. FOR THE WEARY
Psalm 62:5-11
January 26, 2003
INTRODUCTION:
You know the old saying: “There is no rest for the weary.” We are going to learn from Psalm 62 that this statement is actually false. If anyone was ever weary, David was. He had grown weary from the constant assaults of his enemies. “How long will you assault a man? Would all of you throw him down -- this leaning wall, this tottering fence” (v. 3)? He is so weary that he describes himself as a leaning wall or a tottering fence. In other words, he is so worn out and tired that he is about to fall down and collapse. Yet in the midst of his weariness he is able to find rest -- “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone” (v. 5a).
The rest that David is speaking of finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. Lets start off by looking at what the prophet Jeremiah has to say. “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not listen’” (Jeremiah 6:16). When we are in the weary times of life it is as if we have reached a crossroads and we must now choose which way we will go. In this passage God is telling us that we must choose the good way because that is the only way to “find rest for your souls.” We also see here why the saying -- “There is no rest for the weary” -- has become so popular. It is because they will not listen to God and choose to go their own way rather than “the good way.” And when they go their own way they ensure that their will be no rest for them.
What is “the good way” that Jeremiah wrote about? It is none other than Jesus Christ himself. Jesus said, “I am the way” (John 14:6). He also said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Truly, Jesus is the good way -- the only way -- that provides rest for our souls. As we look closer at Psalm 62:5-12 we will learn how we can experience this rest for ourselves. I have put these four things in the form of an acrostic -- R.E.S.T.
RELY ON GOD IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
David says, “Trust in him at all times” (v.8). The skeptic would ask, “Why should I rely on God?” That is a good question and David gives us the answer. David trusts in God because “he is my might rock” (v.7). A rock is strong, firm, and immovable. A solid rock makes an excellent foundation. The bottom line is this -- We can rely on God because he is reliable. As we will see this truth is foundational to all the other steps. This rock is the foundation upon which we place our faith in God and his word.
Jesus told a story that illustrates this point. “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27). The point is that no matter who you are you are going to face times of testing in life. Jesus guaranteed us that we would have trouble in this life. There are times when the storms of life are beating and battering us and cause us to grow weary and weak and if we have not built our life on the rock our house will come crashing down. The rock is the foundation and the rock is reliable.
It is also interesting to go back to Genesis 49 where God is first called our Rock. The context is near the time of Jacobs death and he has called his sons to him so that he can bless each of them. As he blesses Joseph he says, “Joseph is a fruitful vine ... near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him ... But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of ... the Rock of Israel” (Genesis 49:22-24). That Joseph is a fruitful vine speaks of his successfulness. Because of his success some have grown bitter and attacked him, but he has been preserved through it because of the Rock that is his God. It is interesting that this is exactly what is happening to David -- “How long will you assault a man? ... They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place” (vv. 3-4). When you played the game king on the mountain as a child it was difficult to stay the king once you became the king because once you became the king everyone was trying to knock you off. That is exactly what Joseph and David were experiencing. But both of them survived because God was their rock. We too can prevail over the problems of life if we are founded on the rock -- if we rely on God.
Because God is his rock David says, “I will not be shaken” (v. 6). However, the American Standard Version says, “I will not be greatly moved” (v.6). There is significant truth in that. The ASV seems to teach that we can be moved, but not greatly moved. The troubles and tests of life do effect us and cause us problems, but they can’t destroy us if God is our rock. It is like the high tech design of our modern sky scrappers. They are built in such a way that when there is an earthquake they can sway back and forth some without collapsing. I think that is a good picture of the man or woman who has built there life on the rock by relying on God. We don’t pretend that the storms of life effect on us -- they do. But neither do those storms destroy us. So when you are feeling weak and weary rely on God because he is reliable.
EARNESTLY CALL ON GOD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
David continues in verse 8 by saying, “pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” The TEV says, “tell him all your troubles.” And the CEV says it this way, “always tell him each one of your concerns.” Once again we find that relying on God is foundational. In times of trouble we call on God because we can rely on God. Imagine that you were arrested for something that you did not do. It was a case of mistaken identity but you didn’t have any ID on you to prove to the police that you weren’t who they thought you were. So they take you to the jail and there you get your one phone call. Who are you going to call? Are you going to call someone who has repeatedly let you down in the past? Are you going to call someone who fails to follow through on things? No! You are going to use your one phone call to call the most reliable person you know. In times of trouble we call on those upon whom we can rely and there is no one more reliable than God.
Hannah is a great example of someone who poured her soul out to the Lord. Hannah desperately wanted to have children, but she was unable to. And to make matters worse her husband had a second wife who had children and so she took advantage of every opportunity to rub that fact in Hannah’s face. The Bible tells us that Hannah’s “rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year” (1 Samuel 1:6-7). One year when the family went to Shiloh to the Tabernacle to offer sacrifices to God Hannah went into the Tabernacle to pray. As she was crying out to the Lord she was praying in her heart and her lips were moving but there was no sound. For some reason the priest observed this behavior and thought that she was drunk and when he confronted her about this she replied, “Not so, my lord ... I am a woman who id deeply troubled ... I was pouring out my soul to the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:15). The Lord answered her prayer and she had a little boy who grew up to be none other than Samuel the prophet.
David says that we can pour out our souls to God because he is our refuge. Just as Hannah poured out her soul to the Lord in the security of the Tabernacle so we can pour out our souls in the security of our refuge. Nahum the prophet wrote, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7). In times of trouble we can confidently call on the Lord because he cares for those who rely on him. We continue to see that relying on God is foundational. When we rely on the Lord he becomes a refuge for us and as such he takes care of us. If we couldn’t rely on the Lord, then we couldn’t feel free to open up and bear our souls to him either. But as Nahum said the Lord is good -- so rely on him and earnestly call on him.
SET YOUR HEART ON GOD.
We know that we are to set our hearts on God because there is nothing else that we can reliably set our hearts on. David basically tells us that we can’t set our hearts on people or possessions. “Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath” (v.9). In this we learn why we cannot afford to set our hearts on other people. The truth is other people will sooner or later always let you down. Lowborn men refers to those who are born into the lower class. These are the poor people who don’t amount to much in the world’s eyes. The highborn then refers to those who are born into wealthy families with power and prestige. The poor are only a breath. In other words they don’t amount to much. Now if you consider yourself to be poor don’t get offended by that statement until you look at what is said of the rich. The rich are only a lie. In other words the high class people seem to be important and powerful, but that is only a lie -- it isn’t really true. The truth is they are no better than the poor. The CEV makes this clear -- “We humans are only a breath; none of us are truly great. All of us together weigh less than a puff of air” (v.9). To set your heart upon people makes as much sense and setting your heart on a puff air.
David also warn us that we shouldn’t set our hearts on possessions. “Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them” (v.10). The rich may get richer through extortion or the poor may turn to stealing to acquire possessions that they cannot afford. How you make your wealth -- whether through honest or dishonest means -- makes no difference. It is not worth setting your heart on.
Paul told Timothy to, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). This verse demonstrates why we shouldn’t set our hearts on money -- it is uncertain. We live in a day and age when it is not unusual for millionaires to go bankrupt. Large companies that were once very successful like Wards go out of business. Certain stocks plunge and people lose their life savings. It was even reported Thursday that McDonald’s showed a loss this quarter for the first time in its history. If McDonald’s can lose money, anybody can lose money. It is clear that if we set our hearts on money we are setting ourselves up for disappointment.
Even worse than setting ourselves up for disappointment we are setting ourselves up to sin by setting our hearts on money. Job said, “If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’ ... then ... I would have been unfaithful to God on high” (Job 31:24,28). Why would Job have been unfaithful to God for doing this? Because he would have been trusting in his gold for things for which he should have been trusting God. This is almost always a stumbling point for those who set their hearts on possessions or wealth. They trust in their wealth to be the solution to their problems and so they don’t think they need to depend on anyone else let alone God. They think they are self-sufficient, but that self-sufficiency is only an illusion. We had a new stove delivered to the church about a week and a half ago and I overheard a conversation Paul had with one of the delivery men. The man had said something about being discouraged or depressed (although he later said that he was just joking) and Paul had urged him to “try Jesus.” The man’s response was, “I hope I never have to try Jesus before I die.” Now what did he mean by that. I think he meant that he hoped life never got so bad that he had to look to Jesus for help. That is a perfect example of man desiring to be completely self-sufficient. That is also why Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:23)! It is difficult for those who are used to being self-sufficient to break down and admit that they can’t save themselves -- that they can’t earn or work their way into heaven. Jesus also said, “You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24). There is no rest for the weary when we set our hearts on our own self-sufficiency, but there is rest for the weary when we set our hearts on God.
TRUST IN GOD’S REWARD.
If we are going to find rest for our souls, we must stop worrying about the future, stop worrying about how things are going to end up and start trusting in God’s reward. David writes, “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done” (v.11-12). Why should we trust in God’s ability to reward us? David gives us two reasons -- God is strong and God is loving.
Because God is strong we can be sure that he has the power to protect the righteous as well as the power to punish the wicked. And because God is loving we have the assurance that God will use his power for what is right. The thought of serving an all powerful God who is not loving is frightening. If God were omnipotent (as we spoke about last Sunday) and there was nothing he could not do, but he was not guided by the moral principal of love then he could use his power totally arbitrarily. He could punish the righteous and protect the wicked. He could inflict pain and suffering upon you just because he felt like it. On the other hand, to serve a loving God who was not also all powerful would be sad. As a loving God he would have the desire to do what was good and just, but he would not have the power or ability to carry it out. To have an all powerful, but unloving God would be scary. To have a loving, but impotent God would simply be pathetic. We can trust in God’s ability to reward us because he is both all powerful and loving. Relying on God is again foundational for if God were not reliable we could not trust in his judgment.
God’s reward has its ultimate fulfillment in the return of Jesus Christ. “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:27). What will these rewards be like? For the answer to that question let us look at the apostle Paul’s comments on Psalm 62:12. Paul writes, “God ‘will give to each person according to what he has done.’ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil ... but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good ... For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:6-11). This verse takes us all the way back to where we began today in the book of Jeremiah. We are at the crossroads and must choose between going the good way and going our way. Those who choose the good way will experience eternal life in heaven. But those who choose their way will experience God’s wrath in hell.
CONCLUSION:
Today some of you stand at those crossroads and heaven and hell hang in the balance so choose wisely. Choose to rely on God in all circumstances. Choose to earnestly call on God in times of trouble. Choose to set your heart on God. Choose to trust in God’s reward. If you choose wisely, you will discover that there really is rest for the weary.
Steve Dow
Heritage Wesleyan Church
heritagewesleyan@hotmail.com
www.forministry.com/80909hwc
Please email me if you use this sermon or a revision of it. Thank you!
Study Guide:
THERE IS NO R.E.S.T. FOR THE WEARY
Psalm 62:5-12
January 26, 2003
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not listen.’” Jeremiah 6:16
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way.’” John 14:6
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
R_______________ ON GOD IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25
“Joseph is a fruitful vine ... near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him ... But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of ... the Rock of Israel.” Genesis 49:22-24
E_______________ CALL ON GOD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
“tell him all your troubles” (TEV)
“always tell him each one of your concerns” (CEV)
“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled ... I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:15
“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” Nahum 1:7
When you pour out your soul to God “you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29b
S_______________ YOUR HEART ON GOD.
“We humans are only a breath; none of us are truly great. All of us together weigh less than a puff of air.” v. 9 (CEV)
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 1 Timothy 6:17
“If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’ ... I would have been unfaithful to God on high.” Job 31:24, 28
T_______________ IN GOD’S REWARD.
“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” Matthew 16:27
“God will ‘give to each person according to what he has done.’ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil ... but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good ... For God does not show favoritism.” Romans 2:6-11
