Sermon Central
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The Prayer Of The Righteous!
Contributed by Tony Fox on Mar 31, 2016 (message contributor)
Summary: This is the prayer of David after he was overwhelmed by the Philistines at Gath.
The Prayer of the Righteous!
(Psalm 56)
This psalm was written by David when the Philistines overwhelmed him in Gath. Verses 1-7 indicate that David was overwhelmed! His enemies were many. They oppressed him every day to the point that he felt like they would swallow him up! (Sound familiar?)
He wrestled with the fear and failure of being God’s man. (That’s a real fear, isn’t it?) We want to do right, but wrong is all about us. Not only is it all around us, it attempts to make us feel like we are the ones who are wrong! Like David, the enemies of righteousness twist our words, (vs. 5). Their thoughts and evil plots are against us! What on earth do we do?
Pay attention to the following verses. Some of them recap verses 1-7. This is a great chapter in the Psalms. Look, listen and take courage. David acknowledges God’s attributes toward him and then directs affirmations toward God.
(vs. 8)
Thou tellest my wanderings: (God is all knowing!)
put thou my tears into thy bottle: (God cares and is concerned about me!)
are they not in thy book? (God keeps records of my heartaches!)
(vs. 9)
When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: (God fights my battles!)
this I know; for God is for me. (God is for me: He’s on my side!)
(verse 10)
In God will I praise his word: (Through the Creator I will praise His word!)
in the Lord will I praise his word. (In the Master I praise His word!)
(verse 11)
In God have I put my trust: (I’m counting on God for everything!)
I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. (I’m not afraid of life or its circumstances!)
(verse 12)
Thy vows are upon me, O God: (I’m committed to the Lord!)
I will render praises unto thee. (I worship the Lord through praise!)
(verse 13)
For thou hast delivered my soul from death: (God has saved my soul from Hell!)
wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, (God will keep me from failure if I ask Him!)
that I may walk before God in the light of the living. (Let the world see me walk with God!)
BI – “God is totally committed to us and when we realize this and affirm our worship and commitment to Him, the forces of Hell cannot stop us from being Christ to the world!”
1. God’s Tender Attributes Toward David – (vs. 8-9)
• He is omniscient: He knows everything about me and amazingly, He still loves me!
• He cares about me so much that He puts my tears in a bottle! He counts them and keeps up with them!
• He makes a record of my disappointments and heartaches! They don’t take Him by surprise! He knows and cares and keeps up with what is happening in my life! Imagine that!
• He fights my battles! When I call on Him, when I am overwhelmed by the circumstances, frustrations, and failures in life; God goes to war on my behalf!
• He is on my side! He is on the side of the righteous. He is on the side of His children. He is on the side of what is good and right. Watch out enemies of God! He is on my side and against you! You do not want to be on the wrong side when retribution comes! Get on the right side and God will be on your side too! Don’t you want the living, moving, loving, all-powerful God on your side?
2. David’s Thoughtful Affirmations Toward God – (vs. 10-13)
• I will praise His Word! David said: His Word. That’s right, His Word! It’s the greatest source for life and liberty in this old world. It’s not only the greatest, it the only complete source. It’s my guide for faith and practice. It’s the lamp unto my feet and the light unto my path. It’s inspired, inerrant, infallible and able to make one wise unto salvation! It makes the man of God throughly furnished unto all good works. It is a rock upon which to stand. (I could go all day, but you get the point.) Praise Him for His Word!
• I will trust God completely and without reservation! Yes, in God have I put my trust! It doesn’t matter what happens in this world – and Brothers and Sisters it’s happening! I may not be able to trust my friends, (although I need to), my neighbors (although I’d like to), and myself (although I want to), but I can trust my God! He is God and He has never let me down! He’s come through when the door was closed! He’s come through when the path was dim! He’s come through when the clock ran out! I trust Him because He is God. I trust Him because He is my God!
