The Lord Come Quickly!
Psalms 40:11-17
October 13, 2004 PM
Introduction:
When you were a child, did you ever get lost and was hoping your mom or dad would come and rescue you?
Have you ever felt God’s protection?
Read Psalms 40:11-17
I. The Lord’s Protection vs 11-12
Illustration of God’s protection:
It was Christmas Eve 1875 and Ira Sankey was traveling on a Delaware River steamboat when he was recognized by some of the passengers. His picture had been in the newspaper because he was the song leader for the famous evangelist D.L. Moody. They asked him to sing one of his own hymns, but Sankey demurred, saying that he preferred to sing William B. Bradbury’s humn, "Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us." As he sang, one of the stanzas began, "We are Thine; do Thou befriend us. Be the Guardian of our way." When he finished, a man stepped from the shadows and asked, "Did you ever serve in the Union Army?"
"Yes," Mr. Sankey answered, "in the spring of 1860."
"Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlit night in 1862?" "Yes," Mr. Sankey answered, very much surprised.
"So did I, but I was serving in the Confederate army. When I saw you standing at your post, I thought to myself, ’That fellow will never get away alive.’ I raised my musket and took aim. I was standing in the shadow, completely concealed, while the full light of the moon was falling upon you. At that instant, just as a moment ago, you raised your eyes to heaven and began to sing...’Let him sing his song to the end,’ I said to myself, ’I can shot him afterwards. He’s my victim at all events, and my bullet cannot miss him.’ But the song you sang then was the song you sang just now. I heard the words perfectly: ’We are Thine; do Thou befriend us. Be the Guardian of our way.’ Those words stirred up many memories. I began to think of my childhood and my God-fearing mother. She had many times sung that song to me. When you had finished your song, it was impossible for me to take aim again. I thought, ’The Lord who is able to save that man from certain death must surely be great and mighty.’ And my arm of its own accord dropped limp at my side." K. Hughes, Liberating Ministry From The Success Syndrome, Tyndale, 1988, p. 69.
11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
may your love and your truth always protect me.
12 For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
A. His Mercy
Heb 4:16
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. KJV
B. His Love
John 13:1
:1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. (NIV)
C. His Truth
John 8:31-32
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (NIV)
D. His Protection
12 For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
II. The Lord’s Salvation vs 13-15
13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
O LORD, come quickly to help me.
14 May all who seek to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
be appalled at their own shame.
A. His Pleasure
13a Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
B. His Promptness
13b O LORD, come quickly to help me.
C. His Punishment
14 May all who seek to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
be appalled at their own shame.
Aha!" from ’ahahh (a-haw’);
apparently a primitive word expressing pain exclamatorily; Oh!: KJV-- ah, alas.
III. The Lord’s Exaltation vs 16
16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say,
"The LORD be exalted!"
All who seek:
A. Their rejoicing
"all who seek you rejoice"
B. Their gladness
"be glad in you"
C. Their love
"those who love your salvation"
D. Your Praise
"The LORD be exalted!"
Praise To God, Recognize Your Blessings:
Read That Again
"Count your blessings!" That is excellent counsel, but sometimes we have to recognize them first! A man who owned a small estate wished to sell it. Sending for a real estate agent, he asked him to write an advertisement describing the house and land. When the ad was ready, the agent took it to the owner and read it to him. "Read that again," said the owner. The agent read the description of the estate once more. "I don’t think I will sell after all," said the owner. "I have been looking for an estate like that all my life, and I did not know that I owned it!" Count your blessings -- yes, but start by asking God to open your eyes to see your possessions in Christ. Begin by recognizing all that you have in Christ. That will change your entire perspective and enable you to praise God for what you have.
Conclusion: vs 17
17 Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay. (NIV)
A. The Lord’s Thoughts
"may the Lord think of me."
B. The Lord’s Helps
"You are my help and my deliverer;"
C. The Lord’s Longsuffering
"O my God, do not delay." (NIV)
John 11:4-7
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it." 5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. 7 Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." (NIV)
2 Pet 3:9
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (NIV)
The purposes of God often develop slowly because His grand designs are never hurried. The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. At times, however, even he suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion. "What’s the trouble, Mr. brooks?" he asked. "The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!" Haven’t we felt the same way many times?
Some of the greatest missionaries of history devotedly spread the seed of God’s Word and yet had to wait long periods before seeing the fruit of their efforts. William Carey, for example, labored 7 years before the first Hindu convert was brought to Christ in Burma, and Adoniram Judson toiled 7 years before his faithful preaching was rewarded. In western Africa, it was 14 years before one convert was received into the Christian church. In New Zealand, it took 9 years; and in Tahiti, it was 16 years before the first harvest of souls began.
True patience is waiting without worrying.
Swindoll, Growing Strong, p. 124.
I. The Lord’s Protection vs 11-12
II. The Lord’s Salvation vs 13-15
III. The Lord’s Exaltation vs 16
