You Can't Outrun The Long Arm Of The Lord

Sunday Evening, June 1, 2003

Title: Psalm 7: You Can’t Outrun the Long Arm of the Lord

Text: Psalm 7:1-17

Introduction

1. Kenny Rogers sang a song called, "You can’t outrun the long arm of the law".

In the song, he talked about how Billy, the son of a miner,

got his girlfriend, Mary Ann, pregnant.

But, there was a problem...even more than the sin of fornication...

Because, you see, Mary Ann’s dad was a Judge.

And Mary Ann’s dad was going to cause lots of trouble for Billy.

When the law finally catches up to Billy,

The chorus of the song says,

"You can’t outrun the long arm of the law,

no you can’t outrun the long arm of the law

You can hide out for a while, he says with a smile,

But you can’t outrun the long arm of the law"

But don’t worry, everything turns out okay for Billy, Mary Ann; and the baby.

Read Text: Psalm 7:1-17

2. As we continue our study in the Psalms, we come to Psalms 7.

And after studying this Psalm and meditating upon it this week, I’ve entitled my sermon,

"You Can’t Outrun the Long Arm of the Lord".

And there are some differences between Psalm 7 and the Kenny Rogers song.

Body

1. First of all, man-made justice is an obscure thing.

We’ve all heard stories about how someone convicted of a crime and in prison...

but DNA evidence later shows that the person was innocent.

In fact, just this last week, I read an article in the paper where the

convict had spent 10 years in prison; but was set free based on

DNA evidence.

We’ve even seen former Death Row inmates being freed.

And, in the Kenny Roger’s song, we get the idea that;

even though Billy and Mary Ann did commit sin...

they didn’t break the law...

but that didn’t matter;

because the Judge had the capacity to use law enforcement for

his own selfish reasons.

But, although man-made justice is a hit or miss venture...

The justice of God is always right...

it is always correct...

it is always true...

it is always impartial...

it is always fair.

We learn from Psalm 7 that:

David asks God to, "decree justice." Psalms 7:6 (NIV)

"O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts," Psalms 7:9 (NIV)

"God is a righteous judge" Psalms 7:11 (NIV)

"I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness" Psalms 7:17 (NIV)

2. Another way that the Kenny Roger’s song and the Bible are different...

With the song, you can hide out for a while....

And even in real life, there are people who literally get away with murder...

or they escape justice...

never to be held accountable in a court of law for what they have done.

But, in Scripture, we realize that nothing is hidden from God’s eyes.

Matthew 10:26 says,

"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed,

or hidden that will not be made known"

Hebrews 4:13 says,

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.

Everything is uncovered and laid bare

before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

There will come a time for all people when we will have to stand before God...

and we will be held accountable for what we have done...

and for what we have NOT done!

3. In the song, Billy & Mary Ann get caught in their sin...

A. That’s one way that the song and this Psalm is similar

Psalm 7 tells us that the person who commits sin:

"digs a hole and scoops it out and falls into the pit he has made.

"The trouble he causes recoils on himself;

his violence comes down on his own head." Psalms 7:15-16 (NIV)

B. And many times, we do reap what we sow.

The sin we commit comes back to haunt us in this life...

C. But, sometimes the punishment seems long in coming...

In fact, many times punishment is completely lacking....

or very light....

We’ve all had our complaints about the punishment doesn’t fit the crime...

And more often than not, our compaint is that the punishment is too light...

A drunk driver takes someone’s life and for punishment...,

they get what we call a slap on the wrist.

But, here in Psalm 7, we see an entirely different picture.

There WILL be punishment....

and I don’t think there will be any complaints about the punishment being too light!

he will sharpen his sword;

he will bend and string his bow.

He has prepared his deadly weapons;

he makes ready his flaming arrows.

Psalms 7:12-13 (NIV)

4. In the song, Billy is legally (if not spiritually) in the right...and ultimately he is freed.

In Psalm 7, David has the attitude that he wants to see justice served...