“If You Only Knew”
Psalms 34:1-6
When we stop and think of the phrase “If You Only Knew” we come to the conclusion that it is letting someone know that if they could understand something like you understand it. If you could only experience that like I did then maybe you could appreciate it like I do. If you only knew like I know then maybe then you could comprehend what is that I am saying, maybe then you would understand why I act the way that I do. “If You Only Knew” A person that has suffered from starvation is more appreciative of food then those that have always had an abundance of food, because they know what it is like to not have food. Those that never had a lot of money are more appreciative of money then those that always had a great deal of it. “If You Only Knew”.
We find in our text David has penned one of the most famous and most quoted Psalms. He says “I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth”. The first thing that you must understand is that this is personal. David didn’t say you need to bless the Lord at all times and His praise should be in you mouth continually. He didn’t say that, even though that is the truth, but he said I. He made it personal, WHY, because in order for you to be able to say like David said you must have your own experience with God yourself. “I will bless the Lord at all times.” It is personal. We must understand the reason why David wrote the 34th division of Psalms.
I like numbers and their roll in the Bible. Every number in the Bible doesn’t have a particular meaning mainly just the numbers 1-12 have a certain meaning and most of the other numbers are combinations of those numbers. The number 7 is called God’s number it represents perfection. The number 34 in and of itself doesn’t have a certain meaning, but the combination 3+4=7, which represents perfection; therefore the 34th division of Psalms is a perfect Psalms of praise.
David the anointed King of Israel was sent to see about his brothers who were in the Israelite army, when he got there he heard the boasting of the Philistine champion Goliath threatening the Israelite army. Down deep on the inside David knew that this giant was no match for God. So he said I’ll kill the giant for Israel. Saul the King of Israel looked at David and said surely you are no match for this giant. He has been fighting ever since he was a boy he is the champion of the Philistine army and you are just a boy yourself. However, David looked at him I like to believe he said, Saul If You Only Knew. When I was tending my fathers flock in the field a lion came and grabbed one of the sheep in its mouth, the spirit of the Lord was upon me and I grabbed the lion and killed it. Then a bear came a tried to grab one of the sheep I killed the bear also because the power of God gave me strength and to my God this giant is no different then any other animal, today I will kill the giant and I will bring his head to you O’King.
David went and fought the giant Goliath. Goliath laughed and said what am I that you send out this boy, today your flesh I will feed to the beast of the field. David picked up five smooth stones, the number five represents God’s grace David picked up the grace of God, plus Goliath had four more brothers, which David ended up killing also. David killed Goliath and cut of his head and brought it to Saul. While he was bringing the head of the giant Goliath to Saul the women began to sing praises unto David. They said Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands. Saul became jealous of David a sought from that point on to take his life.
After several attempts David fearing for his life becomes literally a fugitive running from the enemy Saul. He comes to a place called Nob to a priest by the name of Ahimelech. Ahimelech gave him the showbread and the sword of Goliath. However, there was a man there by the name of Doeg that was loyal unto Saul and got word to Saul that David was in Nob, being sustained by the priest. Saul sets out for the land of Nob. Ahimelech being in touch with God knew that David wouldn’t be safe there told David to leave. David fearing for his life leaves the land of Nob and goes to the city of Gath, which was the home of Goliath the giant he had killed not long ago. Saul arrives in Nob and kills Ahimelech the priest for taking care of David.
David is now in the city of Gath, the hometown of Goliath, who had four brothers and needless to say a whole lot of homeboys if you will. David tried to hide among them, but the servants of Achish the King recognized David and told Achish it’s a trap that is David the one that killed our champion Goliath, he is the one the daughters of Israel sang about in their song when they said Saul killed his thousands, but David his ten thousand. Surely he his hear as a trap in order to take us captive.
David knew now that he was surely going to die, either at the hands of the enemy of Gath or of Saul because they would turn him over to Saul in order to save their necks. David was literally between a rock and a hard place. He feared Achish so he began to act like a mad man, he began to claw on the doors of the gates, he let his spittle run down into his beard. He knew the superstitions of the Philistines and that they believed in many gods and one of their superstitions was that you don’t mess with a mad man because the gods have punished him for some sin and if you messed with the, killed them, or cause any harm on them, that the gods would punish you. So David changed his behavior and began acting like a mad man out of his mind.
Achish then began to fear himself and said ‘have I need of a mad man?” open the gates and lets this man go. David departed Gath, running for his life he came to the cave called Adullam. While he was at Adullam, those that did not go along with Saul came to be by David’s side including his brothers and his parents. The Bible says David became captain of 400 men while at Adullam. He now had an army of his own. It is here while at Adullam that he pens the 34th division of Psalms.
He begins to tell those that were with him about how Saul wanted to take his life, how Saul tried to sneak into his bedroom and kill him while he slept. He begins to tell how at the inner table one night Saul grabbed a javelin and threw it at him trying to take his life. He goes on to tell them that while he was at Gath in front of Achish, when he felt for sure he was going to die, that God made a way of escape. No doubt he said if you only knew the mess I’ve been through and how God’s brought me out. If you only knew how I was literally between a rock and hard place, but God opened the doors. If you only knew like I know what the Lord has done for me. Therefore I will bless the Lord at all times His praise shall continually be in mouth my soul shall make her boast in the Lord the humble shall hear there of and be glad. (IF YOU ONLY KNEW) it’s so wonderful I just can’t keep it to myself so I am saying O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. (If you knew like I know you would bless him with me.) YOU SEE I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me out of all my fears. They looked unto him and were lightend and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
See if you only knew what I have been through then you would know why I act the way that I do.
If you only knew, When I thought I was going to loose my mind, God kept me in perfect peace.
If you only knew, when the doctor said I should be dead, God said not so.
If you only knew, when I was on my way to hell, God saved me.
Therefore I can say like David said I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth, because if you only knew like I know what the Lord has done for me then you would praise Him too.
Elder Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr
Boanerge Ministries
