HOW TO HANDLE OPPRESSION
Psalm 57
INTRODUCTION
911 introduced to America a magnitude of suffering this country has rarely experienced in its history. Some remember the shock of Pearl Harbor. Some remember the shock of the Kennedy assassination. But this is more vivid. In the former two there was not actual scenes transmitted live to the American public. Here everyone saw the events as they happened.
All of the spectrum of emotions have passed before us: shock, horror, pain, fear, anger, frustration, etc. History will probably say that this event will define us as a people in many respects for this century.
Neither the scenes nor the actions of terrible people are new to the earth. Every twenty minutes someone somewhere on this earth dies for their Christian belief. Most of them die at the hands of Muslims. And the news media does not really care. But God cares. And now the news media cares because it has now come home to America and to America’s pocket book.
How do we as Christians deal with the likes of this kind suffering in our own lives? It is no longer an academic question. The World Trade Building attack was more than an attack on materialistic America, it was an attack in the name of, and for the glory of, Allah. It is time that we as American Christians are prepared to pay the price for our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our government may try to ignore the ramifications but we do not have war declared on us; we have had a religious holy war declared on us.
This Psalm parallels our trials before us. David killed Goliath in the name of God. It was a battle of David and his God versus Goliath and his god. When the women gave more credit to David than to Saul, the king began nursing a grudge and jealously and eventually tried to kill David.
What was David’s sin? David was living for God.
David was not on an ego trip. He was not trying to make a name for himself. He was doing things in his fellowship with God for God’s glory. And because of this Saul tried to kill him. What happened to David is what is beginning to happen to us.
From Psalm 52 through Psalm 57 David is fleeing from King Saul. In Psalm 52 through Psalm 56 David is fleeing from his enemies. In Psalm 57 David is hiding in God. In this Psalm God is referred to twenty-one times either by name or pronoun There are also other words or phrases life “refuge” and “shadow of thy wings” that refer to God
THEME: WHEN WE PAY THE PRICE FOR LIVING FOR GOD:
I. THERE IS ONLY ONE REFUGE FOR US vs. 1-3
A. When Troubles Come We Can Only Go To God vs. 1
NOTE: Be merciful … be merciful. Shows the intensity of his desire.
1. God
a. Elohim
b. God’s power
NOTE: God, I need your power
2. My soul
a. Not, my body
b. Not my wealth
c. Not my possessions
d. The most personal part of us
e. Ultimately the battle is for our soul
3. Trust
a. To seek refuge
b. Flee for protection
c. To confide in
4. In the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge
a. The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. Ruth 2:12
b. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Matthew 23:37
c. He does not call the cave his refuge
1) Solid rock by itself can become a trap
2) So can anything but God
3) God is his refuge
5. Calamities
a. Engulfing ruin
b. Destruction
c. Wickedness
d. Occasioned by the crimes of others
6. Until these calamities be over past
a. This too shall be past
b. But it hurts until it pasts
c. In the meantime we must not let this deter our stand for God
B. Cry Unto God vs. 2
1. Invite God
2. Two reasons for crying unto God
a. Because of Who He is
b. Because of what He has done in the past
3. God is exalted above all
a. All events are under Him
b. He controls all events
4. He performs all things for us
a. Completes
b. Perfecting what He has begun
c. To bring to an end
d. Completing what He starts
NOTE: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Philippians 1:6
C. He Shall Send Help From Heaven vs. 3
1. From Himself – the only help David wanted was from God
2. Save from the reproach of others
a. Preserve
1) Defend
2) Deliver unto the victory
b. Reproach
1) Taunt
2) Defy
3. Swallow me up
a. To thirst for one’s blood (from actions of animals)
b. To crush
c. To trample upon
NOTE: We face spiritual and ethical and moral cannibals who devour our names, our reputations, our testimonies. And as they devour us they salt us with the salt of lies and blasphemies. And they rejoice in their feast.
4. God will send forth mercy and truth
a. Mercy to ease the pain
b. Truth to set us free
T. S. WHEN WE PAY THE PRICE FOR LIVING FOR GOD:
I. THERE IS ONLY ONE REFUGE FOR US
II. THERE WILL BE A RING OF ENEMIES vs.4-6
A. We Are Among Lions vs.4
1. Represent ferocious enemies
a. Fierce
b. Savage
c. Ferocious
2. I lie even among them
a. Though surrounded by lions I will fearlessly lie down
b. Among them
c. Or, on them
3. They are set on fire
a. Raging
b. Inflamed with passion
c. Infuriated
d. Enraged
e. Burning with rage or wrath
NOTE: We are not consumed by their burning
a. Like the bush on Mt. Sinai before Moses
b. Like the three Hebrews young men in the fiery furnace
c. Because, like in the above cases, God is there with us
4. Sons of men
a. Shows who the lions are
b. As opposed to the sons of God
c. Men who have the ferocious nature of wild beasts
5. Teeth
a. Like spears and arrows
b. A double image of a wild beast and a warrior
6. Their tongue
a. Singular – one tongue
b. The slander and abuse they pour on us
c. Their blasphemy against God hurts more than their slander against us
B. Be Thou Exalted, O God vs. 5
1. Not exalt us
a. All that is important is God
b. Through this may God be exalted no matter what may become of us
2. David’s prime wish
a. Not for himself
b. Not for his own safety
c. Not for his own deliverance from danger
d. It is that God be honored
e. That the name of God may be glorified
f. That God may be regarded as supreme over all things
g. That God may be exalted in the highest possible degree through these circumstances
NOTE: A wish that God will be exalted both in heaven and earth. The battle is between their god and our God
NOTE: The statement of Mike Tyson (Muslim) to Evander Holyfield (Christian) before their championship fight: “We will now see whose god is God”
3. The only true source of consolation
a. That God should reign
b. That His laws should be obeyed
c. That His plans should be accomplished
d. More important that anything that merely pertains to us
1) Our health
2) Our plans
3) Our prosperity
4) Our life
C. Our Soul Is Bowed Down vs. 6
1. They pressed down my soul
2. The image of a beast that is held down by a trap
T.S. WHEN WE PAY THE PRICE FOR LIVING FOR GOD:
I. THERE IS ONLY ONE REFUGE FOR US
II. THERE WILL BE A RING OF ENEMIES
III. THERE WILL BE OUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD vs. 7-11
A. Our Heart Is To Be Fixed vs. 7
1. Heart
a. Mind
b. Memory
c. Conscience
d. Heart of moral character
e. Seat of emotions and passions
f. Seat of courage
2. Our heart is to be fixed
a. Firmly resolved against all fear
b. Standing erect
NOTE: cf. vs. 6 – My soul is pressed down
c. David was not swayed or moved by events that occurred
d. His heart was firm and decided
NOTE: For a fixed heart I must have a fixed determination and not a mere fluctuating and soon broken intention. I must have a steadfast affection, and not merely a fluttering love that, like some butterfly, lights now on this, now on that sweet flower, but which has a flight straight as a carrier pigeon … which shall bear me direct to God. And I must have a continuous realization of my dependence upon God and of God’s sweet sufficiency going with me all through the dusty day … Alexander Maclaren
3. He did not waver in the slightest degree
a. In his purpose of life
b. In his confidence of God
4. I will sing and give praise
a. The language of praise
b. In all troubles God is our refuge
c. In all troubles there is occasion of praise
B. We Are To Awaken Spiritually vs.8
1. My glory
a. Honour
b. Riches
c. Splendor
d. Honour
e. Dignity
f. Reputation
2. My glory
a. May refer to the soul which is the glory of the whole person
b. May refer to the tongue which is the glory of the body
c. Our glory must be used to show God’s glory
3. I myself will awake early
a. I will awaken the dawn
b. Not, the dawn will wake us
c. Not fearful of the new day
d. Not hiding under the covers
e. Rested and ready for the new day
f. When the sun arises it finds us singing praises to God
NOTE: How long does it take from the time we awake until we think of God?
C. We Must Magnify Our Testimony vs. 9
1. People
a. Nation of God’s people
b. Our kindred, family
2. The people – the people of God
3. The nations – those outside of God
D. We Must Remember God’s Mercy And Truth vs. 10
1. There is no end to the supply of God’s mercy
2. God’s truth is just as endless
a. Firmness
b. Faithfulness
c. Reliability
d. Stability
E. We Must Exalt God’s Glory
1. God’s riches
2. God’s splendor
3. God’s honour
4. God’s dignity
5. God’s reputation vs. 11
NOTE: The goal of history is that God might be known as God and be honored for it
NOTE: A prayer that God might be exalted
a. How so?
b. In what manner?
c. By whom?
d. The answer is that David wants God to be exalted in his own personal circumstances and by the way he trust and praises Him even in difficulties
NOTE: The world thrills when human beings are exalted
a. The world fawns on kings, rulers, the rich and the famous
b. We who know God rejoice when God is exalted, especially in circumstances that are disappointing or difficult
c. The mature Christian’s mind must be fixed on God
1) That which we most earnestly desire
2) The crowning aim and desire of our life
CONCLUSION
WHEN WE PAY THE PRICE FOR LIVING FOR GOD:
I. THERE IS ONLY ONE REFUGE FOR US
II. THERE WILL BE A RING OF ENEMIES
III. THERE WILL BE OUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD
Sermons And Lessons From The Old Testament 