The Poor Persons Rich Legacy

The Poor Person’s Rich Legacy

Psalms 34:1-9

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

There is not a single person that at many points in their life will have to crawl through the valleys of trials and tribulations so intense that they will leave them with “emotional baggage” to carry that it will stretch their bodies, minds, and souls to their breaking points! Who has not experienced the “winter” or “dark night of the soul” of insecurity, fear, and trembling that consumes one’s every thought with a gut-wrenching dread that peace and tranquility is but a fleeting thought or maybe even a figment of one’s imagination! How often during times of trials and tribulations do we insanely stare and rehearse our bleak circumstances repeatedly until nothing is left in our soul by worry, fear, and dread? And when the soul feels like it is about to be crushed in sorrow do we not panic and either try to find our own way out of our valley of death of happiness, peace, and joy,” or seek worldly wisdom that tightens the nose of misery because one has merely applied a bandage, “camouflaging” but not resolving one’s terror? When we inevitably face “real life dilemmas” we must not forget that we are always “under the eyes of a real living God” who as our Great Shepherd is more than willing to walk through our dark valleys of turmoil, protect, lead, and guide us to green pastures. The following sermon is going to review the hymn of King David as found in the first nine verses of Psalms 34. The first part of the sermon is going to review how despite David sinning against God when he cried out for divine help he was saved. The second part of the sermon is going to review David’s invitation for us to praise God both in the good and bad times. The third part of the sermon is going to reflect on how the “poor man’s refuge” is to be found in God who eliminates fears, shame, and strengthens one in troubles. And the last part of the sermon is going to reflect how receiving divine peace and aid is found in the fear of the Lord!

The Poor Man David’s Plight

To truly understand Psalms 34, one needs to know the circumstances in which King David penned these words of great wisdom! When we think about David’s early life, we often think of his incredible strength to kill lions, bears, and the ten-foot giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17). He became so astute at leading in Saul’s army that the people began to sing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (18:7). Filled with jealousy and anger King Saul sought to kill David, so he fled to Nob, “which had taken the place of Shiloh as the city of the priests (1 Sam. 22:19), and was close at hand, about two miles (3 km) in the direction of Jerusalem (cf. Isa. 10:32).” When Saul’s spiritual advisor Ahimelech asked him why he was alone David lied to him and said Saul had sent him on a secret mission (2). This was one of the lowest points in David’s life for in the prior chapter he had just said goodbye to his dear friend Jonathan, is now running for his life, and has no bodyguard, no land to call his own and not even bread to eat. After David tells the priest he and his men who are hiding are spiritually clean to beg for holy bread to eat, he then convinces the priest to give him a weapon which ironically ends up being the sword of Goliath which he had slain as a boy (9)! To go where Saul would never expect him to be, David seeks asylum in Goliath’s hometown Gath. It is here that he hoped to become a servant or mercenary soldier for king Achish but is quickly recognized by the people! The servants of Achish ask him “isn’t this the king of the land? Isn’t he the one who they sing, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (10-11)? In great fear the king would execute him David pretended to be a madman, “making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard” (12-13). David successfully convinced Achish he was no threat and was then able to flee to Adullam in Judah (22:1).

An Invitation to Praise

Even though King David failed to initially trust God to protect him from King Saul and even though he lied to the priest, the moment David cried out to the Lord for deliverance his request was granted! When we look to the world for an escape from our tribulations we become “darkened, perplexed, and at a loss” to find either solutions or peace but when we look to God for guidance, protection and comfort we receive “light of both direction and joy, and our way is made both plain and pleasant.” David invites the afflicted to see how in the moment of his greatest fears of death itself he only needed to “be sit still, and look towards the hills whence God’s own receive deliverance!” As David praises he invites us to join him in magnifying, glory in and exalt the name of our Lord. “While we certainly cannot make God greater or higher than He is,” in our adoration of Him being infinitely great and higher than the highest we and others can get a glimpse of His glory. We praise His person, attributes, covenant, promises, works, grace, forgiveness, protection, comfort and for every spiritual blessing we have received; for all “are incomparable, unparalleled, matchless; we cry them up as we please, but we shall never be convicted of vain and empty speech in so doing!” And yet though our righteousness are like rags (Isaiah 64:6) are they not filtered by the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us through wordless groans (Romans 6:26) that are a sweet fragrance unto our Lord? As we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17), whether on the mountaintops of blessings of the deep valleys of pain, we are to never stop crying out “Abba Father” who releases us from our slavery to fear of our circumstances and death itself (Romans 8:15; 1 Corinthians 15:55). Surely those who have been purchased at the price of the Son’s life can start practicing what they will do for an eternity, basking in God’s glory, and praising His name!