God’s Global Glory
Pastors get asked questions all the time. Here are a few actual letters that kids have sent to ministers:
Dear Pastor, does God like everybody? If so, He never met my sister. (Arnold, age 9)
Dear Pastor, do you think my father should be a minister? Every day he gives us a sermon about something. (Robert, age 11)
Dear Pastor, I’m sorry I can’t leave more money in the plate, but my dad didn’t give me a raise in my allowance. Could you have a sermon about a raise in my allowance? (Patty, age 10)
Dear Pastor, could you say a prayer for our little league team? We need God’s help…or a new pitcher. (Alexander, age 10)
Dear Pastor, do I really have to learn the 10 Commandments? I don’t think I want to because we already have enough rules in my house. (Joshua, age 10)
Dear Pastor, do people tell you how much they like your sermons? I really liked your message on Sunday. Especially when it was finished. (Ralph, age 11)
I suspect you have some questions as well this morning. As we’ve been “Praying Through the Psalms” this summer, I’ve been struck by the despair and disappointment that comes through these prayers. I don’t know about you, but it helps me to know that people like David struggled just like I do. He had questions. He wondered what was going on when his own son took his job as king and he was forced to flee for his life. Last week we looked at Psalm 63 and learned that if we want to experience the love that is better than life then we need to look inward, look upward, and look forward.
As we come to Psalm 57, we’re given some helpful background information at the very beginning. David is on the run again, though the setting is before he became ruler, when King Saul is chasing him: “For the director of music. [To the tune of] “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam. When he fled from Saul into the cave.” David penned this poem while he was hiding out in a cave. The word, “miktam” means that these words are like a “golden ornament” to those of us who are overwhelmed with questions.
Please turn in your Bibles to the book of 1 Samuel. David is filled with questions. He’s slain the giant Goliath. He’s been anointed to be the next king. He’s been promoted to a high rank in King Saul’s army. But there’s a problem. Saul has become extremely jealous as a result of hearing people sing this song, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul couldn’t take the fact that God’s hand of blessing was on David and so he was determined to wipe him out. Listen to 1 Samuel 18:8-9: “Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. ‘They have credited David with tens of thousands,’ he thought, ‘but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?’ And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.”
In 1 Samuel 24, Saul comes after David with 3,000 troops. As they searched among the ravines and rocks, they also explored the many caves that dotted the landscape. David is hiding deep inside a cavern with a few faithful followers, when he hears some noise at the mouth of the cave. As David makes his way through the shadows of the stalagmites, he spots Saul, who had come into the cave to relieve himself (yes, that’s actually in the Bible!). The Living Bible says that Saul came in to use the “bathroom.”
While David’s men urged David to assassinate Saul, he instead “crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.” His robe would have had a distinctive fringe or design marking him as the king. This was David’s way of symbolically saying that Saul’s reign would be severed. David was unwilling to lay a hand on God’s anointed servant, and even felt bad for slicing off the royal seal.
Now, with that as background, we come back to the forward of Psalm 57. This psalm was written while David was hiding out in the cave, afraid for his life. The phrase, “Do Not Destroy” refers back to the scene of David refusing to murder Saul when he had the chance. Just as David decided to not destroy Saul, David is confident that God would not wipe him out.
As you look at this psalm, you’ll notice that verse 5 and verse 11 are identical. These verses serve as the refrain or chorus: “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” God’s glory is global, or better yet, it’s universal because He is exalted above the heavens. As we walk through this “golden ornament,” I get the sense that the first section reflects what David was feeling when he was in the deep recesses of the cave. I picture him moving toward the mouth of the cave in the latter verses and eventually out into the world in the final section.
David could have questioned God, but instead he went on a quest to find God. Instead of wondering, He chose to worship. We can do the same thing as we follow the progression of his faith, from deep inside the cave, to the entrance, and then to the world. We can outline it this way:
· Pray For His Mercy (1-5)
· Praise His Majesty (6-8)
· Proclaim His Message (9-11)
· Pray For His Mercy (1-5)
Take a look at the first part of verse 1: “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge…” The word “mercy” literally means, “to bend in favor.” It’s the idea of asking God to attend to our situation. David’s request for mercy was urgent because he repeated it twice. He knows that he deserves to be struck dead but instead appeals to God’s lovingkindness. When we ask God for mercy, we’re in a position of desperate need and authentic humility. God loves to hear us pray like this.
Instead of demanding that He do something for us, when we cry out for God’s mercy, we’re throwing ourselves completely on Him, much like the tax collector did in Luke 18:13: “He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’” These kinds of prayers are answered because according to Psalm 51:17, God will not despise “a broken and contrite heart.” Jesus put it this way in Luke 18:14 after observing the brokenness of the tax collector: “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
David is definitely humbled as he declares that he has taken refuge in God. While he’s in the supposed safety of the cave, he knows that he will only be secure in the hands of God. We see this in the second half of verse 1: “I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” As we mentioned last week, just as a baby chick finds safety under the wings of a hen, so too, God Himself protects us when we run to Him. Psalm 9:10: “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
This could also have reference to the wings of the two cherubim, who were positioned over the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant. They stood at opposite ends, facing each other, with wings stretched above and their faces bowed toward the seat of mercy, which was where God dwelled (see Exodus 25:17-22). We can find refuge at the mercy seat because God is a God of mercy.
The last phrase of verse 1 is very comforting: “…until the disaster has passed.” David has confidence that this calamity will eventually blow over. He has to wait out the storm, and he can do so because he has sought refuge under the wings of God. Whatever you’re going through right now, run to God and take cover under His wings of protection. Hang on to Him and have confidence that the calamity will pass. David said a similar thing in Psalm 27:13: “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
In verse 2, David’s intensity deepens, “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills [his purpose] for me.” When we’re in a tough spot, we must cry out to Him. Notice that David refers to God as the “Most High,” indicating that He is way above any problem and He controls all things. God is supreme, not Saul. Because God is sovereign, He fulfills, which means that he “brings to an end, completes, and perfects” his purposes for us. If you’re in a cave right now, God is not thwarted. He is working everything together for His glory and your ultimate good.
Notice that the phrase “His purpose” is in brackets in your Bible. This is really blank in Hebrew. It’s the idea that God will do all things for us. Whatever we put in the blank, God can do. Isaiah 26:12: “LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.” That’s very similar to Philippians 1:6: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God finishes what he starts.
David knows that his help comes from heaven in verse 3: “He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me; God sends his love and his faithfulness.” God will show Himself true to all the promises He has made. To tie this in to last week, David looked up and when he did, he found the love that is better than life.
That reminds me of the substitute Sunday School teacher who was struggling to open a combination lock on the supply cabinet. She had been told the combination, but couldn’t quite remember it. She tracked down the pastor and asked for help. The pastor began to turn the dial but after the first two numbers, he paused and stared blankly for a moment. He then looked heavenward and his lips moved silently. He went back to the lock, and quickly turned to the final number and opened the cabinet. The teacher was amazed and said, “I’m in awe at your faith, pastor.” To which the pastor replied, “Don’t be. The combination is on a piece of tape on the ceiling!”
God sends his love to His children even when we’re rocked by the realities of life. Will you trust Him even when you don’t feel like it? When you’re down, will you look up? Will you cry out to God Most High so that He can send His answer from Heaven? When we pray, God performs. When we wait, He does His work. If you think your situation is pretty bad, put yourself in David’s sandals in verse 4: “I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts--men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.”
David then breaks out into the chorus of verse 5. No matter what he’s going through, and what will happen to him, he puts his attention on the exaltation of God. His primary concern is God’s global glory, not himself. It’s all about God, it’s not about us: “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” To “be exalted” means to be raised up. The word “glory” refers to His splendor and weightiness. God is exalted because He is mighty. There is no one else worthy of exaltation. Isaiah 2:11: “…The Lord alone will be exalted in that day.”
Praise His Majesty (6-8)
Verse 5 sums up his prayer and helps David shift to praise. He’s now moving from the darkness of the cave to the light of the exit in verses 6-8. In verse 6 he describes what it felt like to be hunted: “They spread a net for my feet--I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path…” Nets were used to trap birds and pits were dug along paths in order to trap large animals. David was threatened on every side and had no rest. He was “bowed down,” which meant that he was drooping and dragging. He didn’t know how much longer he could take it. Do you ever feel like that? You’re not sure you can handle one more problem and then two or three things happen and you feel piled.
The last part of verse 6 reveals how God made things right for David. Those who were chasing him down fell into the traps they had set for David. Saul had hunted David but David was able to sneak up on Saul. God often spoils the sinister plans of evil people.
Because God came through for him, David is able to trust God and sing His praises. In verse 6 he is downcast and in verse 7 he is steadfast, which means to “stand erect.” Instead of being bowed down, David is now standing tall. He repeats it twice for emphasis: “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast…” He’s experiencing the truth of Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”
Because His heart and mind is steadfast, David experiences perfect peace and is now able to break out into praise. Look at the last part of verse 7: “…I will sing and make music.” David praises God even when his problems are pervasive. God wants our mouths, more than our might. He wants us to praise Him. When we do, He’ll take care of the rest. Jehoshaphat modeled this in 2 Chronicles 20:21-22: “…Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.’ As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.”
In verse 8, we see how important it is to be awake when we worship. To worship God without a prepared heart is to worship Him with a drowsy body. When we’re praising the Most High, there’s no place for sleepy songs or wimpy worship. But this isn’t easy because we’re prone to head south spiritually. Instead of yelling His praises, we yawn. I find it comforting to know that David had to battle lethargic worship himself. It’s almost like his alarm is going off and he’s just about to reach for the “snooze” button when he cries out, “Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.”
David forced himself to praise God for His glory and majesty, even when he didn’t feel like it. As we approach the anniversary that no one wanted, and remember what happened on 9/11, I’ve been struck again by the decision Lisa Beamer has made to praise God for His majesty in the midst of her pain and loss. Lisa is the wife of Todd Beamer, who was one of the heroes on Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania. Todd’s the one who rallied his fellow passengers to overthrow the hijackers with the phrase, “Let’s Roll.”
Before the events of 9/11, the Beamer’s were vacationing in Italy and Lisa was memorizing Romans 11:33-36 for her Bible Study. Several days after her husband was killed, she went through his belongings that were left in his car at the airport. One of the things she found was the Scripture memorization cards in the armrest tray between the front bucket seats. The top card on the stack, the one he would have read on September 11th, was Romans 11:33-36: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Lisa Beamer is able to praise because she’s focused on God’s glory.
Proclaim His Message (9-11)
David has moved from prayer to praise as he comes closer to the exit of the cave. As he praises God, he can’t help but leave the cave behind as he proclaims the mission of God to the world around him. Notice that God’s praise has always been intended to be shared with others in verse 9: “I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.” The word translated “nations” refers to “people groups.” Worship of necessity leads to witness. When we exalt God we will want to bring all peoples to the “praise party.” Worship has an expansive impulse to it. As we praise Him, Psalm 67:7 in the Living Bible says this: “People from the remotest lands will worship Him!”
I’ve learned a lot about how worship and missions are linked from John Piper in his book called, “Let the Nations Be Glad.” Here’s how he says it: “…In missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God…when the flame of worship burns with the heat of God’s true worth, the light of missions will shine to the most remote peoples on earth…Where passion for God I weak, zeal for missions will be weak” (Pages 11-12).
Friends, the Bible is filled with evidence of God’s relentless pursuit of praise among the nations. He never intended for just one group of people to know Him. He is a global God and it’s our responsibility to spread his message to the world. Most of us are pretty convinced of the New Testament missionary mandate. We know our marching orders as given by Jesus in Matthew 28:19: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”
The Old Testament also expands our vision and pushes out our ethnocentric boundaries. Here are just a few references from the Book of Psalms:
· Psalm 9:11: “Tell among the peoples His deeds!”
· Psalm 47:1: “Clap your hands, all peoples!
· Psalm 66:8: “Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard.”
· Psalm 96:3: “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!”
· Psalm 105:1: “O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name, make known His deeds among the peoples!”
From Genesis to Revelation, God’s focus is on all nations and all peoples and all tribes and all tongues. One of my favorite passages in the entire Bible is found in Revelation 7:9-10 when John tries to put into words the scene he sees around the throne of the Lamb: “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”
How do people from every nation, tribe and language come into the kingdom? It can only happen when you and I get out of our caves and take the message of mercy to people who are lost and dying in their sins. Some of us are deep inside a cave right now. We might be praying but we’re not praising. Can I encourage you to begin praising so that you can move toward getting out of your cave? When you pray for mercy and praise His majesty, you can’t help but proclaim His message.
How and where are we to do that? Acts 1:8 gives us the strategy: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We’re to begin around the corner and end up around the world. Here’s how we flesh that out here at PBC:
· Community (Jerusalem). We’re hosting a 9/11 Remembrance Service on Tuesday, September 10th for our community. That’s why we have a Christian School and why we built the Family Life Center. Ministries like AWANA and the Student Ministry provide opportunities for us to reach kids for Christ. When our students are rolling around in the mud next Saturday at the Mud Bowl, they’ll hear about how to have a clean heart. When the Women’s Ministry team has their Christmas outreach it will give women a safe place to come and hear about the dangerous message of the Cross. When our worship band plays in the Thresherman’s Parade next Sunday, they will be praising and proclaiming the message of God’s mercy for all people in our community.
· County (Judea). We ministered to children in our county this summer through our 5-Day Club missionaries who we’ll hear from this morning. We support Larry and Mary Thompson as they minister with Child Evangelism Fellowship. We took the lead on distributing the Jesus Video a couple years ago to Pontiac, Graymont and Saunemin because it was a way to communicate Christ to Livingston County. We support the Caring Pregnancy Center as they reach out to women in need.
· Country (Samaria). Several of our missionaries work with ministries specifically targeting people in our country. The Don and Nancy Estep work with AWANA and the Gary and Carol Varner are targeting high school students in St. Louis.
· Continents (Ends of the earth). Many of our missionaries are involved in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. Roger and Maggie Bruehl are providing global leadership for Campus Crusade for Christ. Janelle Becker is using her gifts and training at a school in Puebla, Mexico. Paul and Grace Becker just arrived in Mexico to begin their language training. Rebecca Cox is evangelizing and discipling women in Spain. Beth Hanna is reaching neighborhoods for Christ in Mexico. Ken and Dawn Hohulin are church planting in the Philippines. Oscar and Peggy Lopez and Art and Marita Mikesell have a passion to reach Mexicans for Christ. Jenny McCain is serving Christ in Colorado and preparing to minister cross-culturally again. Doug and Julie Miller are mobilizing people to minister in Indonesia. Keith and Jeannette Shubert are teaching at an international seminary in the Philippines. Dave and Sharon Spangler are preparing to serve in the Bahamas. Dan and Lorraine Wilson are key players with Global Missions Fellowship as they lead church planting teams around the world.
If we’re serious about following Christ, then proclaiming his message is not optional, it’s mandatory. And, we can’t just focus on the familiar. We must be actively engaged in strategic mission outside the comfort of our caves. Every heart without Christ is a mission field and every heart with Christ is a missionary. That’s why Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer, who were held hostage in Afghanistan, are planning to go back to the people they love. They understand that God is a global God and His people are called to pray for His mercy, praise His majesty, and proclaim His message.
Psalm 57 ends with both a refrain and a statement of fact: “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” I get asked a lot of questions but my favorite one is this: “What is Pontiac Bible Church all about?” Here’s my answer: “We are a community of Christ-followers who are committed to God’s global glory as we seek to make a kingdom impact in our community, our county, our country, and on the continents.”
