Psalm 86

Psalm 86

- The psalms are always portions of scripture which we can use to cry out

-- Sometimes, even when we don’t know what to pray – we can pray scripture

- If you will remember, David had some real life challenges

Affair with Bathsheba

Had his best friend (soldier in his army) murdered

Bathsheba and his child became sick and died

Eventually repented and turned to the Lord for restoration

- This particular psalm shows a man’s heart as he cries out to God

- It is something that we can even use a model to lean on and depend on Him

- Read Psalm 86:1-17

- Pray

∆ Point 1 – David’s Prayer (v1-4)

- David’s cries to the Lord are determined, but more than that – humbling

-- Notice how he never places himself above God; but as a servant to Him

- v2 … Protect me from the things that harm me; never let me go

- v3 … I will never stop crying out to you; please be merciful to me

- v4 … I need your joy; it is what sustains me; please allow me to have it

- When we get honest, what we need most is more of the Lord’s grace

-- Even so much as asking for God’s joy to come is APPROVED for us to do

- APP: When we are humble before Him, we even lift up our soul to God

-- We are not afraid to worship; not afraid to praise; unashamed to honor Him

- This is a perfect model for prayer in our day, just as it was then

-- Humbleness before God means we recognize our place before him

∆ Point 2 – David’s Confession (5-10)

- Much like other’s we’ve seen, David reminds God of His promises

-- This is more than just a reference to God’s power – but as an assurance also

- v5 … I am crying out to you and you are forgiving even to me

- v6-7 … You listen to those who cry out to you, and hear those prayers

- APP: Even when we struggle, God still listens to our cries for grace

-- When the time of trouble happens, my FIRST reaction will be to call on Him

-- This is where the rubber meets the road of the faith … do we want Him?

- v8 … His confession is there is NO other God like Jehovah

-- CHAL: What are you lacking that you are exhausted trying to get?

-- Have you tried just letting Him have full control; trusting in His provision?

- v9 … Every nation will submit to you; you are so worthy to be praised

-- This kind of adoration of God is desperately needed more and more today

-- It’s when we get our eyes off ourselves that lives begin to change around us

- My favorite is this promise reminder in v10

-- You alone are my God, there is no other God that I need to bow down too

-- APP: When we get right with God like this, our hearts/attitudes change

- IMP: what we are seeing here is a private worship service for one person

-- His heart is worshipping the Lord; and he is right with Him

- TRANS: Let’s see what happens to a righteous man after he’s worshipped

∆ Point 3 – David’s Request (11-17)

- Notice that David has had a time of worship and praise BEFORE asking

- IMP: v11 is a request for more instruction of who God is

-- Teach me your way – David has a desire to know more about God’s heart

-- James 1:22-25 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

- APP: His cry is that God would show Him more of Himself

-- But his desire is that his responses to God would be righteous before Him

- v13 … David’s profession of wanting more of God even covers death

-- The Hebrew word is “Sheol”, literally, the Hades or “the place of the dead”

-- Eternal separation is something David fears; and he confesses it here

-- APP: God has delivered him from the place he deserves to go

- He deals with something that we all have to face (v14)

-- He is being hunted by a band of evil men wishing to end his life