Sermon Central
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A Study Of Psalm 39 Series
Contributed by T.j. Conwell on Jan 22, 2018 (message contributor)
Summary: David understood what it took to live fully for God. Even under Godly discipline he knew God's ways were better than his. What would our lives look like if we adopted the same thinking?
A Study of Psalm 39
Introduction
- Wed night format; opportunity to study together from our homes
-- Re: Invite someone else to join in - not an exclusive study for "just LFC"
- Psalms are songs of praise and words of encouragement/warning
- We are studying book 1, Psalm 1-41 … primary focus on David's experience
- Today is definitely a self-examination piece of scripture; chance to heart-check
- Many would be surprised at the amount of "tough love" found in the Bible
- We prefer to think of God as all loving; but we ignore that He will also correct us
- Jesus in Matthew 7:13 told us, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."
-- APP: Even this simple passage is one of correction - guidance for living right
- God wants us to live rightly, and how we react to correction says a lot about us
- FB post about this Psalm "knocking our socks off" is absolutely factual
- Will we live under His authority or won't we - that's the question!
- Read Psalm 39:1-13/ Pray
Point 1 - David's realization
- David learned to guard his mouth against sinful things (v1)
-- The tongue is a powerful weapon, able to destroy worlds if desired
-- EX: A commander giving an order to invade can wipe out a civilization
- Personal EX: A rumor or word spoken in anger can destroy
-- David declares that he will muzzle his mouth
-- Esp. in the presence of the "wicked" (unrighteous) - no fuel for them
- He chooses to remain quiet and doesn't even speak good things (v2)
-- Why? So that he would not be tempted to speak bad things
- EX: Ever tell a story and decide to gossip a bit?
-- David is muzzling his mouth completely - to not say a word
-- APP: Saying nothing is often better than speaking
- However, (v3) within Him his heart is burning
-- He feels driven to speak - but still remains silent
-- But when he does speak, it is only in God's presence (key word: meditate)
- APP: This allows him to be transparent with God
-- IMP: Having a prayer life is important!
-- Communication with God is critical!
- TRANS: David realizes that he can control what he says
Point 2 - David prays
- David asks God for insight to himself (v4)
" Show me my life's end
" Show me the number of days
" Show me how fleeting life is
- There's no word whether God gave him his death date
-- However, I believe he got something else from this
-- APP: He now understood how short life is - how quickly it can end
- He confesses God has total control of his life (v5)
" Even his next breath is provided by God (this is total supplication)
" And, that breath, is nothing compared to the infinity of God
- David asks God: Remind me how frail life is (v6)
-- Prayer: "Teach me Lord, how vain my purposes are compared to yours"
- CHALL: Think we'd live differently if we did this …
- TRANS: Why does David asks for such a difficult examination?
Point 3 - David understands his sin
- David looks to God for everything he might need (v7-8)
" God is his provider
" God is his hope
" God is his redeemer
" God is his savior
- Expound on verse 7 …
" David turns to his God, in disgust of all things
" He has thought on the world and all things in it (less than we have now)
" He is relieved by knowing that such vain things are all passing away
" Declaration: My hope is in you.
- God is self-existent and true, and therefore worthy of the confidence of men
" God will live when all the creatures die
" His fullness will abide when all Earthy pleasures are exhausted
" For David, all his cares are cast upon God for what he needs
- APP: His (our) only hope for deliverance is in God
- David understands the salvation & discipline he feels is from God (v8-9)
-- It is because of his choices that have landed him in this place
-- APP: Sometimes we just need to admit what we've done / deserve correcting
- This is what David does perfectly … pleads with God for relief (v10)
" Remove the scourge from me (God's discipline)
" It is too much Lord, my heart is suffering
- APP: For David, being transparent with God is very important
- From David's view, he really understands how short life is: (v11)
