Sermon Title Bible Reading : Various Ps 7, 34, 57, 142 Motherwell 12th July 2015

Service Introduction: Psalm 52: 1-4 and 8 (Video Ps 1 Ian White)

We live in a world where there is great Darkness where the name of God is little regarded but the Psalmist knows God He puts his trust in God and he declares that the righteous will find there food and water in God most High. Those who are righteous find there comfort in the God who really reigns over the heart - sing 656 The Lord is King.

David Standing on a Hillside: David is standing on a hillside calling down to the Kings camp he is holding in His hand a water pitcher and the Kings spear. He has come a long way since the days when he watched sheep in a field, indeed long days since he played the lute for the King and sang psalms to sooth his madness. A number of years since he had killed Goliath and became a favourite at the court.

He was a successful warrior and that success had brought jealousy from the King the crowds called out “David has killed tens of thousand and Saul has killed thousands. “ That popularity turned the King against him and several times he tried to kill him. Now Davis was pursued by Saul from pillar to post. So standing on a Hill he calls out :

‘Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19 Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering.

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If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said, “Go, serve other gods.” 20 Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord…………The Lord gave you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.’(1 Samuel 26: 18-20 & 23,24)

Some time earlier in a similar situation he also stood on a hill calling down to Saul:

‘Why do you listen when men say, “David is bent on harming you”? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord gave you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, “I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.” 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, “From evildoers come evil deeds,” so my hand will not touch you.14 ‘Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.’

Just before that speech David is in a Cave with his men hiding from Saul. Saul comes in to relieve himself and is at the mercy of David. Urged by His men to Kill the King and have the victory. David refuses but does sneak forward and quietly cuts off a corner of the Kings Robe. Even that act troubles David’s conscience but now he stands at the mercy of the King and asks why are you doing this thing to me. Why are you pursuing you loyal servant who will not act against you.

The other speech comes from a time later in the pursuit by Saul when David and two of his men sneak into the Kings camp and again with the King at His mercy

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the soldiers offer to kill the King then and there. But David once more will not “harm the Lord’s anointed and takes only His spear and His water jug which after the speech we read is returned to the King.

How can a man act in this way what drives David to such an ethical stance when all the logic of war tells him to kill the King and have the victory. What enables him to say to God in Psalm 7

“Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands – 4 if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe –5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake me let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.”

What enables him to approach God with such a clear conscience and a confidence in God rather than in His own strength?

Jesus did something similar when he was tempted by Satan to do things in his way rather than God’s. You shall not put the Lord Your God to the test”.

What gives such strength and confidence? Lets look together more closely at Psalm 34:

Conviction as a basis for Action

Purpose Worship God “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.”

God Love Can be experienced

I remember as a child learning the shorter Catechism I remember the first question and Answer : Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

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The Psalmist found this joy in worship. He basis his life on the worship of God. The bringing of Glory to God of testifying that the Lord our God is good. David knew that such worship was the firm foundation for our human life so he calls to us :

“Glorify the Lord with me: let us exalt his name together. Come on he says join me in glorifying God and we will find strength of that task.”

God Love Can be experienced “4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”

David knew the power of God’s deliverance. he tells us again and again how God rescued him when he was a Shepherd. His recent experience was that God protected Him for either Saul was a lousy shot with spear of God hands deflected the spear when three times he tried to kill David and once when He tried to kill His own Son Jonathan because he was David’s friend.

Time and again God showed faithfulness to David among the Philistines, among various enemies. God always protected him.So filled with that confidence he says to us :

“8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”

So David encourages us to try God out to taste and see. True God in this thing, be open to His leading in that thing, here is a God who is faithful he will provide for You. With God you will lack nothing that is good.

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Walk in Awe of God “11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”

To be in the hands of God is an awesome thing. The psalmist is very aware of the Power, majesty, glory of God he stands in fear, in awe of Him. I remember that incident at the end of Wind in the willows where ratty and mole walk through the garden towards Pan - God - and one asks of the other “are you afraid” - “no” comes the reply “I am not afraid yet I am very much afraid”. We approach a benevolent yet scary God. This is not a matter to be taken lightly.

“Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. 14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

The prophet Micah ask the question : “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

David is saying something similar: This Mighty Awesome Benevolent God desire that we : keep away from evil, that we do Good, seeking justice and peace and being peaceable. that we walk with God in humility.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Confidence that God will deliver

Davids confidence is not though on His own ability to do right for he readily confesses I may have got it wrong. But his confidence is in the God He serves.: for as he says the lord hears, the lord delivers the Lord saves, the Lord protects:

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“22 The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.”

When we are troubled, when we are anxious, when everything around us seems to be going wrong David says. Taste and see that the Lord is good. In God alone can we find rescue.

the source of our salvation, our rescue, our delivery out of trouble comes not fro what we do, but from what we are. We are righteous, we stand before God as people of integrity, people of truth. In the midst of the storms of this life we stand against the wind, we walk a different road from the crowd we challenge the norms of society and culture. We say there is a better way, there is the way of Love, peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness and self control.

earlier we symbolically stood at the Cross of Christ, we remembered His death and His resurrection. We know do we not that our Righteousness comes not from ourselves for as Paul tells us in his letter to Phillipi; talking about his own worthiness he says:

“I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection” Phil 3

As David found life following God is not easy but when we are tempted to despair, tempted to take the easy way out remember there is a better way

Read about David 1 Samuel 16 (8) all of 2 Samuel and 1Kings 1-2 1 Chronicles 10-29 also next week possibly Psalms 55 and 2 samel 1: 17-27 Also we will try and put the txt of the sermons and links to videos on the Website

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3 Slides