Title: Psalms Series "The Lord is Our Refuge"
Text: Psalms 9 Specifically Psalm 9:9-10
1. The Lord is a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble v. 9
The Hebrew word translated as "refuge" means...
a high cliff...
a lofty place...
a place that is inaccessible
a high fort or fortress
David is comparing the Lord to places of safety that David has used throughout it life.
Over the course of his battles and adventures...
David has had need of finding places of refuge...
Places where he could be safe...
Places where he could be protected...
and if it wasn’t for these places of safety...
David would have lost his life!
In 1 Samuel 23:14, it says, "David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands."
For David, God was His refuge.
ILLUS
The early American Indians had a particular way of training young boys to become Indian braves.
On the night of a boy’s thirteenth birthday, after learning hunting, scouting, and fishing skills,
he was put to one final test.
He was placed in a thick forest to spend the entire night alone.
Up until then, he had never been away from his family and the tribe.
But on this night, he was blindfolded and taken several miles away.
When he took off the blindfold, he was in the middle of a thick woods and he was scared to death!
Every time a twig snapped, he would think that a wild animal was getting ready to pounce.
After what seemed like an eternity, and the sun began to rise the next morning;
The boy looked around and saw flowers, trees, and a path.
And then, to his complete amazement, he saw the figure of a man standing just a few feet away, armed with a bow and arrow.
It was his father.
And he had been there all night long.
God is the same way!
There may be times that you are scared to death...
and perhaps you think that you are all alone...
and that there is no one around who knows what you are going through...
But God is always there!
Maybe you are thinking that your life isn’t in jeopardy like David’s was...
Well, don’t worry, David faced many other troubles in his life...
He grieved from the death of family members...
He felt like everyone was against him...
He experienced times when people were saying cruel things about him...
He dealt with more than his share of family troubles...
We ALL deal with times of trouble...
we have times in our lives when a loved one passes away...
we have times in our lives when we feel like people are saying mean things about us.
We have times in our lives when it seems like our family is falling apart...
and when those times come,
hopefully we will be like David...
and we will find that God is our refuge and our strength.
God is our High Fortress...
We will find that God will protect us and help us when times of trouble come our way.
We will find that God will go to battle for us and help us when we need His help.
2. David goes on to say, "Those who know your name will trust in you" Psalms 9:10 (NIV)
I’ve got a friend named Joe...
Joe is a truck driver...
He’s a pretty big fellow
He keeps his hair cut all the way to his scalp (bald)
He is up on all the latest electrical gadgets...
If you were to ask him a question about computers, digital cameras, palm pilots, tv’s, stereos, etc...Joe would know the answer!
Even though Joe never went to college (beyond 1 semester at Olivet), he is a very intelligent man.
When we get together (which happens very infrequently) we like to play backgammon, go bowling or putt putt.
We are pretty competive when it comes to playing games.
Now, if I were to go on and tell you more about Joe 2-3 times per week...
If I were to tell you about his fun loving personality...
His sense of humor...
His strong sense of honesty and integrity...
and if I were to go on telling these stories about Joe and his character every week...
you would begin to feel like you KNOW Joe; even though you have never met him.
And if some day, Joe were to come visit our Church...
You would probably go up to him and say, "Pastor Larry has told me so much about you...and even though we haven’t met, I feel like I KNOW you"
God’s Name is an extention of His character.
When we share personal testimonies of what God is doing in our lives,
we are doing what it says in Psalm 29:2 "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name"
We are giving God the credit of what He is doing in our lives...
We give God the credit; because He DESERVES the credit...
We recognize that God is personally responsible for the blessings in our lives.
And as we share more and more about what God has done...
it helps us to know Him that much better.
And as we get to know God better and better...
we realize that we KNOW that we can TRUST in God
3. And, as we get to know God better and better, we will learn; like David has; that the Lord has NEVER forsaken those who seek Him
I remember taking tests in high school...
and I always kept a close eye on those "special" words...
words like: "always, never, every, all, none, ..."
1 of those words thrown into a question can completely change the answer.
So I always take special note of those kinds of words.
and I guess my practice of noticing those kinds of words has carried over into my study of Scripture.
and words like that, found in Scripture are always a real blessing to me!
David said, "for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalms 9:10 (NIV)
In Psalm 37:25, David says, "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread." Psalms 37:25 (NIV)
David had experienced a lot in his life time...
He was a hunter, a shepherd, a musician, a writer, a poet, a warrior, a king, and much more.
And throughout all his many experiences...
throughout all the different places he had been...
through all the different facets of his life...
as David looks back through his life...
He cannot remember 1 time when someone was seeking God and went away empty handed.
He cannot remember 1 time when someone sincerely came to the Lord during a time of need;
and God turned His back and said, "I’m sorry, I’m too busy for you".
He cannot remember 1 TIME when God had forsaken His own!
Let me go a step further...
Even though I am only 40, I have experienced a few things during my life time...
I have delivered pizza, worked in a restaurant, worked for different farmers, I sold vacuum cleaners, I worked with Mentally Retarded children and adults, I managed nursing homes, I am a Pastor, I’ve lived in 5 different states, attended 6 different schools, I’ve lived in 12 different homes, I’ve experienced deep grief, I’ve struggled with emotionally painful things in my life, I have times when people have said mean things about me...
and as I look back throughout my life...I can say with all the forcefulness that I can muster...
"for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you."
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken"
Conclusion
"You Can Trust Him." by S. M. Lockridge
He’s the one who made us. It is He who made us and not we ourselves.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork....
I’m telling you today you can trust Him.
"No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.
He’s enduringly strong, and He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast...
He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world.
He’s God’s Son. He’s the sinner’s Savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization.
I’m trying to tell you, Church, you can trust Him.
"He does not have to call for help, and you can’t confuse Him...
He’s unique. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He’s supreme. He’s preeminent.
He’s the loftiest idea in literature...
He’s the miracle of the age, He’s the superlative of everything good that you can call Him.
I’m trying to tell you can trust Him.
"He can satisfy all your needs, and He can do it simultaneously.
He supplies strength for the weak, and He’s available for the tempted and the tried.
He’s sympathizes and He sees, He guards and He guides.
He heals the sick, He cleansed the leper. He forgives sinners.
He discharges debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the people.
He blesses the young. He regards the aged. ...
I’m trying to tell you, Church, you can trust Him....
He’s the doorway of deliverance. He’s the path of peace.
He’s the roadway of righteousness. He’s the highway of holiness. He’s the gateway to glory.
You can trust Him....
He’s the Governor of the governors. He’s the Prince of princes. He’s the King of kings. He’s the Lord of lords.
You can trust him...
His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes.
His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous.
His yoke is easy. His burden is light...
You can’t get Him off your hands. You can’t get off your mind.
You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him...
Herod couldn’t kill Him. death couldn’t handle Him, and thank God, the grave couldn’t hold Him.
There was nobody before Him. There’ll be nobody after Him.
He has no predecessor. He’ll have no successor.
You can’t impeach Him, and He’s not going to resign.
You can trust Him."
"He’s the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end.
The first and the last. He’s all things. He’s the giver of life.
He’s the joy out of every sorrow. He’s the light of every darkness.
He’s the peace that passes all understanding.
He’s the giver of every good and perfect gift.
You can trust Him.
There’s no God before Him. There’ll be none after Him.
He is the first. He is the last... There is no other God."
YOU CAN TRUST HIM
