PSALM

THE QUESTION–PSALM 15:1-5

Art Davison PSALM 0 Comment
PSALM 15:1-5
Introduction:

The word “LORD” is the name of God, JEHOVAH. The question to consider here is: “Thou high and holy One, who shall be permitted to have fellowship with thee?”
“A sense of the glory of the Lord and of the holiness which becomes his house, his service, and his attendants, excites the humble mind to ask the solemn question before us. Where angels bow with veiled faces, how shall man be able to worship at all?” —Charles Haddon Spurgeon
I. WHO SHALL DWELL IN THY HOLY HILL?

A. The Question: “Who will abide in God’s presence,” v. 1; Psalm 24:3, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?”
1. David had asked the question; he was a man who thought on the SPIRITUAL THINGS of God, Psalm 119:59, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.”
a. His delight was in the LAW of God, Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
b. His thoughts were on the HOUSE of God, Psalms 23:6, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
c. He wanted to see the BEAUTY of the Lord, Psalm 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.”
d. He want to flourish in the courts of God, Psalm 92:13, “Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.”
B. The Answer: “The Righteous may abide,” vv. 2-5; Psalm 1:1, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
1. Those whose walk is blameless, that is, a born again believer, John 3:3-5, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4- Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5- Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
2. Those who actions are RIGHTEOUS…
a. He that speaks the truth and is not double minded in his business, Psalm 12:2, “They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.”
b. A righteous person does not slander maliciously, Numbers 14:36, “And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,” [an evil report]
c. One who does no harm or discredit his neighbor, Leviticus 19:16, “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.”
1) A neighbor (or friend) is anyone with whom he comes in contact, Luke 10:25-37.
d. One who can’t stand a vile person, Psalm 14:1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”
e. One who loves those who fear the Lord, who are living a life of faith and obedience, 2 Corinthians 7:14-15, “For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth. 15- And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him .”
f. One who keeps his word even when it hurts, Even if he took an oath rashly, Leviticus 5:4, “Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it , then he shall be guilty in one of these.”
3. David concluded that one who follows this pattern of life will never be shaken, Psalm 16:8, “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”
CONCLUSION:

David concluded that if he cast his burdens on the Lord God would take care of him, Psalm 55:22, “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

WHEN JACOB SHALL REJOICE–PSALM 14:1-7

Art Davison PSALM 0 Comment
PSALM 14:1-7

Key verse: v. 7, “Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.”

Introduction:

David describes his day as if it was the century in which we live today. This was almost 3,000 years ago and man has not changed one little bit. All of the difficulties that we face today David faced in his day.

Men reproached and ridiculed believers in his day as they do today here in America. David calls them “FOOLS” or SENSELESS for not accepting the truth about the God of heaven.

Jacob and Israel shall rejoice along with all of God’s people when the Messiah returns to bring peace and joy in that day.

I. DAVID DESCRIBES THE NATURAL MAN

A. The world’s foolish creed, v. 1; Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

1. Atheism in David’s day, Psalms 92:6, “A brutish man [hot headed; human wrath] knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.”

2. Like today it was a heart problem in David’s day also, Genesis 6:5, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his HEART was only evil continually.”

3. They have a reprobate mind also, Romans 1:28, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;” (unfit, refuse, dross, disqualified)

a. There is NO ELOHIM, NO CREATOR, Job 21:14-15, “Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 15- What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?”

b. There is NO JUDGE or GOVERNOR of the world.

c. There is NO GOD PRESIDING over the affairs of men, Ephesians 2:12, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”

4. God is NOT IN his thoughts, Psalms 10:4, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.”

B. The world’s practical influence in corrupting morals, vv. 1-3; Psalms 52:3, “Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness.”

1. Without exception men have apostatized from the Lord, Jeremiah 17:5, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”

2. Men have walk away from God’s laws, and from all the eternal principles of right, Daniel 9:5, “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:”

3. Their conduct shows clearly man’s indifference rather than ignorance of God, Judges 2:17, “And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.”

C. The world’s ridicule of the godly, v. 6; Psalms 74:18, “Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.”

1. These are the enemies of the Cross of Christ who reproach His people, Philippians 3:18, “(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:”

2. The Son of God feels those reproaches, Psalms 69:9, “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.”

3. We bear those reproaches as badges of honor, 1 Timothy 4:10, “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”

II. DAVID GLORIES IN THE SALVATION OF GOD

A. The COMING OF MESSIAH IS THE DESIRE of the godly in all ages, James 5:7-8, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8-Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”

B. Who will give us the joy of salvation but the Lord? Jude 1:24, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,”

1. David yearned for the establishment of God’s kingdom, Matthew 6:10, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

2. God’s people yearn for the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?”

CONCLUSION:

God’s promise to bring His people forth WITH JOY just as He did with Israel coming out of Egypt, Psalms 105:43, “And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:”

HOW LONG, O LORD?–PSALM 13:1-6

Art Davison PSALM 0 Comment
PSALM 13:1-6

Introduction:

“The occasion of this Psalm was David’s deep and long-continued distresses, from which he prays for deliverance.” —Matthew Poole.

“It was, doubtless, more than once the language of that much tried man of God, and is intended to express the feelings of the people of God in those ever returning trials which beset them. If the reader has never yet found occasion to use the language of this brief ode, he will do so ere long, if he be a man after the Lord’s own heart.” —Charles H. Spurgeon.

I. THE QUESTION OF ANXIETY vv. 1-2

A. How long shall the wicked triumph? v. 1; Psalms 94:3, “LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?”

B. How long will the wicked continue to boast? Psalms 94:4, “How long shall they utter and speak hard things? And all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?”

C. How long will the enemy blaspheme thy name? Psalm 74:10, “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?”

1. They have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed, Psalm 89:51, “Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.”

2. Every day they distort our words, Psalm 56:5-6, “Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6- They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.”

D. The afflicted have liberty to pour out their complaint before the Lord, v. 2; Psalm 102:1-2, “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. 2- Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.”

1. The prayers of God’s people prompt Him to avenge them of their adversaries, Luke 18:1-3, 7, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2- Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3- And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 7- And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?”

2. The Lord will not cast off His people, Psalm 94:14, “For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.”

II. THE CRY OF DAVID’S PRAYER vv. 3-4

A. Consider my trouble, v. 3; Psalms 9:13, “Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:”

1. I do not forget thy law, Psalms 25:19, “Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.”

2. Behold our reproach, Lamentations 5:1, “Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach.”

3. The Lord will light my lamp, Psalms 18:28, “For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.”

a. The Lord will revive and comfort my sorrowful spirit, Psalm 138:7, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.”

b. The Lord will recover me out of my troubles and restore me to peace, Psalm 37:37, “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”

B. Consider my enemies, Psalms 25:19, “Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.”

1. The sinner deludes himself, Psalms 10:11, “He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.”

2. Hear me, Lord, lest they should rejoice over me, Psalms 38:16, “For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.”

III. THE SONG OF FAITH vv. 5-6

A. I have trusted in thy mercy, v. 5; Psalm 89:1-2, “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. 2- For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.”

B. We are surrounded by His mercy, Psalms 32:10, “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

1. His eye is upon us, Psalms 33:18, “Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;”

2. Our hearts rejoice in Him, Psalms 33:21, “For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.”

C. David joyful retracts his earlier statement the God has forgotten him, v. 6; Psalms 116:7, “Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.”

1. He trusted in God’s unfailing love, 1 John 4:9, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

2. David sings to the LORD for giving him salvation and for dealing bountifully with him, Psalm 47:6-7, “Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.”

CONCLUSION

AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN–PSALM 17:1-15

Art Davison PSALM 0 Comment
PSALM 17:1-15

Introduction:

“David would not have been a man after God’s own heart, if he had not been a man of prayer. He was a master in the sacred art of supplication. He flies to prayer in all times of need, as a pilot speeds to the harbour in the stress of tempest. So frequent were David’s prayers that they could not be all dated and entitled.
“The smell of the furnace is upon the present psalm, but there is evidence in the last verse that he who wrote it came unharmed out of the flame. This is AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN from the persecutions of earth. A spiritual eye may see Jesus here.” —Spurgeon
I. HEAR THE RIGHT, LORD vv. 1-4
A. David had CONFIDENCE that God would defend him, v. 1; Psalms 18:20, “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.”
1. David’s HEART DID NOT CONDEMN HIM, vv. 2-4; 1 John 3:21, “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”
2. So David prayed with COMPLETE FAITH, Psalms 140:12, “I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.”
B. David prays that God WOULD GIVE EAR to his prayer, v. 1; Psalms 43:1, “Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.”
1. David was PERSECUTED grievously by SAUL,1 Samuel 23:15, “And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.”
2. David pleads his cause before THE LORD, Psalms 5:2, “Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.”
II. GIVE GRACE, LORD, TO ACT RIGHTLY UNDER TRIAL vv. 5-6
A. Under difficult persecution David needed God’s Word and Grace to stand, v. 5; Psalms 119:116-117, “Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. 117- Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.”
1. In EVIL TIMES prayer is PARTICULARLY NEEDFUL, Psalms 119:133, “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”
2. He PLEADS with God saying, “hold up my goings,” Psalms 121:3 “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.”
B. David had MUCH EXPERIENCE in prayer with the Lord, v. 6; Psalms 66:20, “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.”
1. Experience is a BLESSED TEACHER, Psalms 55:16, “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.”
2. David had FULL ASSURANCE of God hearing his prayer, Psalms 66:19, “But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.”
III. KEEP ME AS THE APPLE OF THE EYE vv. 7-12
A. Show thy MARVELOUS LOVINGKINDNESS, Romans 5:20, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21- That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1. Where sin abounded GRACE ABOUNDED MORE in our lives, Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
2. Sin reigned unto death, but GRACE THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS reigns unto ETERNAL LIFE, Romans 5:17, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”
B. The Apple of the eye, that is, GOD’S PRIZED POSSESSION, v. 8; Deuteronomy 32:10, “He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.”
“No part of the body more precious, more tender, and more carefully guarded than the eye; and of the eye, no portion more peculiarly to be protected than the central apple, the pupil, or as the Hebrew calls it, “the daughter of the eye.” –-Spurgeon.
1. God’s Word should be the APPLE OF OUR EYE, Proverbs 7:2, “Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.”
2. Those that TOUCH BELIEVERS ARE IN DANGER of God’s wrath, Zechariah 2:8, “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.”
C. Protection under the Shadow of His wings, v. 8; Psalms 36:7, “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.”
IV. DISAPPOINT THE WICKED, LORD vv. 13-14
A. The more furious the attack the MORE FERVENT was David’s prayer, v. 13; Psalms 44:26, “Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.”
1. These were MEN OF THE WORLD that persecuted David, v. 14; John 17:14, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
2. Their SENSUAL APPETITE gets the gain which it craved, Job 12:6, 9, The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. 9-Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?”
CONCLUSION:
Here we see David’s “CONFORTABLE CONFIDENCE that all would certainly be well with himself at the last,” v. 15, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”
John said in 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

HELP, LORD!–PSALM 12:1-8

Art Davison PSALM 0 Comment
HELP, LORD!
PSALM 12:1-8
Introduction:
This psalm furnishes us with good thoughts for bad times. We are in bad times now and the only source of help is the Lord.
Did you notice how quickly people have run to the Lord when they thought they were in trouble on September 11? Now things are getting back to normal (sinful). Las Vegas is at 92% capacity, the airlines are doing better, and Disney World had to close the doors several times because of too many people.
The World is back to playing at their own interest and God is left out of their lives except for emergencies.
I. WHAT IT IS THAT MAKES THE TIMES BAD
A. Man’s opinion of what bad times are:
1. Lack of money
2. Lack of trade
3. The desolation of war
B. The Scripture’s definition of bad times, 2 Timothy 3:1, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
1. When there is a general decay of godliness among men, v. 1, “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
a. For the godly man ceaseth, Isaiah 1:9, “Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.”
b. For the faithful fail from among the children of men, Isaiah 59:4, “None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.”
2. When corruption and debauchery are common, v. 2, “They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
a. Corruption, Psalm 36:3-4, “The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good. 4-He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.”
1) There is no faithfulness in their mouth, Psalm 5:9, “For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.”
2) Mischief is in their hearts, Psalm 28:3, “Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.”
3) They deceive the hearts of the simple, Romans 16:18, “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
b. Debauchery (extreme indulgence of one’s appetites, esp. for sensual pleasure).
1) In the unnatural, Romans 1:27, “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”
2) Man does not like to retain God in their knowledge, Romans 1:28-32.
II. THE GOOD THINGS IN BAD TIMES
A. We have a God to go to in bad times, v. 1, “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
1. The Disciples cried our to Jesus in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Matthew 8:25, “And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.”
2. The Lord lifts up our heads in difficulty, Psalm 3:2-3, “Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”
B. The Lord is our salvation, Psalm 62:1-2, “Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.”
C. The Lord sustains us, Psalm 62:5-6, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 6He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.”
D. He is our Refuge, Psalm 62:7, “In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.”
1. Power belongs to Him, Psalm 62:11, “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.”
2. Mercy belongs to Him, Psalm 62:12, “Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.”
CONCLUSION:
“Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. 21-For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. 22-Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.” Psalm 33:20-22.
We can cry unto the Lord in bad times as well as good times. He is ever present to help us and to comfort us through His Holy Spirit.