24.July.22

Every time our hearts are troubled, there is always loss. We live in difficult times and deal with a lot of troubling things that trouble our lives together. We are going to look at the life of David.

The Psalm of David is set in song and expresses what could not be expressed in words. David used the Psalm as a mirror of our soul, reflecting our hearts rather than our minds. God reaches into the deepest places of our hearts and gives us comfort, strength and peace.

In Psalm 13:1 – 2, there is a poetical arrangement. We see “how long” 4 times but in this poem, we see parallelism, and it increases in intensity, there is a process intensifying, internal pain, great anguish of heart, intense desire for deliverance.

1. How long will You forget me, Of Lord? Forever?
Forgotten by God – David was tested and tried. If only he knew when it would stop. It would be 10 years of running as a fugitive in the Palestinian area chased by Saul. But David didn’t know it was for 10 years. Moses didn’t know it was for 40 years in the desert of Midian. When we too are tested and tried, we only wished we knew when it would stop. It seems like forever, and no end to it.

2. How long would You hide Your face from me?
Forsaken by God – When God hides His face, we will be lonely. Loneliness is the first problem. Like being in an isolation chamber, intolerable. The absence of God’s favour is not disfavouring. Feelings are given by God but we cannot be ruled by feelings. Bad feelings will give us false reality.

We may think we are forsaken by God, but God does not forget. God reminds us in Isaiah 49:15 – 16.

God has set a hedge around you, God restrains the forces of evil in our lives (Job 1:10, Psalm 76:10) Jesus has been there. (Hebrews 4:15 – 16)

3. How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?
Inner frustration – David was frustrated. The self-talk comes in. Looking inside myself, frustrated. Looking outside, distressed. Thank God we can look at Him and be blessed. The Bible reminds us that God will keep us in perfect peace when our minds are stayed upon the Lord.

4. How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Failure – You and I have to fight battles with Satan. Resist the devil. The world wants to subdue us. we need to die daily – white funeral, yield to God and yield to the Holy Spirit.
God is ever present, all present, God is our refuge and strength, ever-present help in time of trouble. This is our wonderful Lord with His covenant and promises. God takes care of the birds in the sky, and flowers in the field and knows the number of hairs on our heads, He will take care of us.

I am God’s interest. Whose am I? I belong to God. God belongs to me. We look at that and have new self-awareness, we are a new creation of infinite worth, deeply loved by Him, complete in Him, one of a kind, nobody is just like me and you.

Let’s see the journey of David. He protested, petitioned and is now praised. It is a transition.

Psalm 13:5-6 (ESV) But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

1. “But” – emphatic transition, clear contrast, internal exchange
All things energise together for our good. It may seem not to fit, not to work, but God says, it will fit, and I will bring things to pass.
2. I have trusted in Your mercy – perfect tense. “Having trusted and am still trusting”
Faith must overshadow my feelings, my security. Faith is not the absence of fear or grief but the presence of God in our lives, trusting without reservation. We focus on God, waiting for God to prove Himself.
3. My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation – is and still shall rejoice with confidence. Right trust directs right feelings.
We will be filled with the fullness of God. The objective is greater intimacy with the Lord.
4. I will sing unto the Lord – exhorting “Let me sing” expressing and increasing joy.
5. Because He had dealt bountifully with me – perfect certainty.

Conclusion

Greater and better (ahead of us)
• new possibility
• new journey
• new relationship
• new life of sacrifice and service
See the example of Jesus Christ how up on Calvary He cried out: Eli Eli Lama Sabacthani! It is finished!

Sin has been paid for. You and I can be free. Our Saviour is not at the right hand of God’s throne. Revelation 7 tells us this.
Jesus Christ sure can!

AMEN.