Well, good evening. It is great to be with you, although slightly terrifying to be up here with you.
But that's just the way it is.
If you have a Bible in front of you, please open it to Psalm 13 if you don't have it there already.
And as Neil was saying, if you've been with us over the past few Sunday evenings,
we've settled into something of a theme as we've been looking at our soul-bearing Psalms.
Each Psalm has so far included something of God as creator.
And we've seen God as the creator, as the king, as the governor, as the ruler.
But as we come to our Psalm this evening, we're brought up short.
As we have read and sung, our Psalm does not open with a confident assertion that God is in control.
But with a despairing cry that implies God is nowhere to be seen.
And I think the central theme of our Psalm tonight must be that on some level or another,
the Psalmist's expectations of God have been failed.
The Psalmist, in a word, is disappointed in God.
But surely that can't be right.
Doesn't the New Testament quote Psalm 22,
saying whoever believes in him, that is in Christ, will not be disappointed?
I can assure you it does.
It does it three times.
But yet it is clear that the Psalmist is disappointed with God.
The Psalmist clearly has expected different experience of God than what he is currently experiencing.
And that leaves us with something of a dilemma.
Firstly, what do we do when our expectations are failed?
Secondly, what do we expect from God even when we are disappointed?
And finally, why do we expect what we expect from God?
I hope that as we work through this incredible little Psalm,
we will find a good and biblical way of dealing with our disappointments.
But until we get there, we've perhaps got an interesting way to go as we look at this Psalm.
Let's just pray before we go any further.
Father, we come to you.
And as we're found here this evening,
we want to be satisfied in you.
We long to know that you are a good and a faithful God.
That you are trustworthy.
That you are dependable.
And yet, perhaps as we have experienced in our lives,
or perhaps as we look through the window of this Psalm,
we can see that life doesn't always work out the way that we had hoped.
And you do not always answer our prayers in the ways that we want.
Father, we long to make this right.
To understand what's gone wrong.
And to know fellowship with you fully and clearly.
To be able to say with the confidence of the end of this Psalm.
That we trust you.
And that we are sure that you will bring salvation.
So, Father, help us, we pray.
Send your spirit to open our eyes and our ears.
And enable us to see you through everything else.
We pray these things in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So, what do we do when our expectations are failed?
When we come to this Psalm,
all of us have information about God in our minds.
Perhaps for some of you,
that information has been maturing for 60 or 70 years
of Bible study and prayer and relationship with God.
For some of you, perhaps,
what you know of God is just what you have thought.
What you've heard from others
is maybe second-hand experience.
And as we come to this Psalm,
we are expected to have something of a backdrop in place.
We're expected to know something of the God
that we find in the Bible.
of a faithful God.
A God who keeps His promises,
who does not forget His people.
Before we get to this Psalm,
as we've seen through the previous Psalms in our series,
we see a God who is absolutely reliable,
who has a proven track record
as creator and sustainer,
whose words and whose works are good.
But what happens when all this seems contradicted
by the sad realities of life?
We cannot read these first two verses
and be unmoved or callous
in our estimation of the psalmist, can we?
This is the heartfelt cry of a man
who is broken about his circumstances.
He's distraught
that there's a breakdown of communication with God.
And we have to be careful
that we're not like Job's friends.
Don't we?
Oh Job, it's so simple.
Job, we have a soundbite of theology for your problem.
Job, don't you know that you're just a sinner
and you're just getting your comeuppance?
That's almost what some have said
about this Psalm
when they've been commenting on it.
But we have no reason for believing
there's any sin here.
And so we ought to be moved
with compassion for the writer.
And we need to be moved with compassion
for anyone who finds themselves
uttering these words.
How long, O Lord?
Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
Perhaps even some of us
have taken these words on our lips
in times past.
Can't this be resolved?
Whether illness or distress,
whether a lingering situation
at work or at home,
inner turmoil or problems with people.
I think we should be able
to take these words
without any hesitation as Christians.
But I suppose we need to wonder
why do these come?
Why do we ever need to ask the question,
how long, O Lord?
Perhaps it sounds like a silly question to ask
because it's obvious.
It's instinctive to us.
But for many,
this question is alien and unusual.
For the atheist,
there is no God to ask.
For the agnostic or the deist,
there's no point in asking.
To the fatalist,
this is subversive.
To the prosperity gospel believer,
this is a moot point.
This should never happen.
But to those who believe
the gospel of Jesus Christ,
who believe in a good God
who is sovereign,
to us and only us,
does it make sense
to ask this question.
How long, O Lord,
will you forget me forever?
However,
this world is not as it should be
according to the principles
of a good God
who's in sovereign control.
And only as we come
to this understanding
that we have of the fall
and of sin
and of the brokenness
of this world
will we ever be able
to make any sense
of this question.
However,
as we come to an understanding
of God's faithful dealings
with His people,
it dredges up
a whole new level
of this problem.
Because here's the problem
that this psalm
is fundamentally dealing with.
God is not treating
the psalmist
as the psalmist expects.
The writer of these words
is a part
of the covenant people of God.
He's an Israelite.
And as such,
God has promised blessings
and curses
through the nation
of God's.
We can go back
to Deuteronomy.
Go back to chapter 30
and see that God promises
life and prosperity
to the obedient
and death and adversity
to the disobedient.
And yet fundamentally,
that's not what's happening here.
That's not what's happening
in the case
of this man's life.
He is,
to all the information we have,
living in obedience.
And yet we clearly see
that he is in danger
of receiving death
and adversity.
Why?
Why does the world
not match up
to what
is expected
of God's faithful work
in his life?
We need to recognize,
I think,
that those promises
were to the whole nation
and not to a disparate
group of individuals.
You see,
the Old Testament
doesn't work
on a system of karma.
You don't get
what you pay for.
If the nation
falls away
from God,
both the righteous
and the unrighteous
fall under the curses
that were prescribed.
And so,
this righteous author
is feeling the pain
of God's righteous rebuke
against the nation
of an apostate Israel.
I missed that
when I read the psalm
at first
and perhaps you did too.
It's hiding there
in the very first verse.
How long,
O Lord,
will you forget me forever?
How long will you
hide your face
from me?
Isn't that an odd phrase?
Why does the psalmist
use this idea
of hiding
God's face?
And perhaps
as you start
to think about that,
you'll hear an echo
of words in your mind.
May the Lord
bless and keep you.
May the Lord
make His face
to shine upon you.
And if you thought of that,
you're probably
onto a good idea.
It's a quote
from number six,
a blessing
that the priests
were to use.
And this is
a fuller version
of the quote.
The Lord said to Moses,
tell Aaron
and his sons,
this is how you are
to bless the Israelites.
Say to them,
the Lord bless you
and keep you.
The Lord make His face
shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
The Lord turn His face
toward you
and give you peace.
And here's where
it gets interesting.
So they will put
my name
on the Israelites
and I will bless them.
This language
of having your face
turned towards
or turned away
from somebody,
that's intensely
covenant language.
And perhaps we
in the 21st century
think that that's
awfully distant
from us.
perhaps that puts
a little bit
of distance
between us
and this psalm.
It's not so simple
anymore.
This psalm of David
deals with
an expectation
of prosperity
that has been
failed.
And we don't
have that issue.
We don't have
that issue
because in Christ
we should have
no expectations
for material blessings
on this earth.
It isn't part
of the Christian's
deal.
We're promised
good things
from our Father,
absolutely.
We're intended
to have our
daily bread.
But the Christian
gospel has a
promise of suffering,
not prosperity
in this life.
It's rather
negative,
isn't it?
And perhaps
you're wondering
why on earth
would I be
saying this?
Why on earth
would that help us?
Does that mean
that we can never
cry out these words
because we should
expect suffering?
Does that mean
that this psalm
and many others
are interesting
but basically
historical
and irrelevant?
No.
No, not at all.
I merely hope
to show in that
that beneath
this psalm
there is a depth
of understanding
that we could
so easily miss.
And now that we
see the distance
between us
and the psalmist,
perhaps we can
see how near
it is to our
situations all
the same.
We ask the
question,
what do we do
when our
expectations are
failed?
We also ask
the question,
what do we
expect from God
even when we
are disappointed?
Because despite
the failure
of the psalmist's
expectations,
he's actually
still writing.
even though
disappointed
by God's
seeming
abandonment,
he is still
crying out to
God.
If he wasn't,
we wouldn't
have this psalm.
And we see
that in verses
3 and 4.
He still has
expectations of
God.
What does he
pray there?
Consider me
and answer,
O God,
Lord my
God.
Light up
my eyes
lest I
sleep the
sleep of
death.
You see,
the psalmist,
he doesn't
just throw in
the towel
because it's
all gone
wrong.
He doesn't
turn his
back on
this God
and go to
find some
convenient
idol.
Rather,
he pleads
with this
true God
and has
a fresh
hope in
him.
And that
is so
close to
our lives
because,
again,
we can ask
what will
we expect
from God
even when
we are
disappointed
in life?
Will we
expect
answered
prayer
even if
everything
seems to
go wrong?
Will we
expect
God's
presence
even though
there seems
to be a
chasm
and eternity
wide?
will we
expect to
be
vindicated
or will
our faith
be crippled
and crushed
by the
weight and
weariness
of our
life?
Dear
Christian,
hold on.
Keep on
going.
Dear
Christian,
keep
praying.
Yes,
and I
don't say
this lightly,
our hopes
and our
dreams may
be shredded.
and yes,
it is far
too much
for any
of us
to deal
with.
I don't
deny any
of that,
but yet we
have a
hope that
is sure
and certain.
Yet we
can expect
from our
good God
recognizing
that He
is God
and that
we are
not.
and this
is part
of the
great
difficulty
of the
Christian
faith.
We
aren't
the
boss.
We
don't
get to
set the
agenda
and that
rips and
tears at
the values
that we
have drank
in since
birth.
We
aren't the
center of
the universe
and our
lives aren't
conformed to
our wishes,
faith,
but yet we
can still
return to
God.
Yet we
can still
return to
our source
of life.
We can
still ask
of our
good God
who gives
good gifts.
We can
yet pray
for the
strength to
last the
trial.
That's
exactly what
the psalmist
asks for
here,
isn't it?
Light up
my eyes
lest I
sleep the
sleep of
death.
Light up
my eyes,
refresh me,
give me
the strength
to keep
going.
Show me
your face
so that
even though
my life is
falling apart,
I might
still
continue.
And it's
the puzzle
of Psalm
13.
And I
doubt that
any sermon
or at
least any
sermon
that I
can preach
can take
you into
the depths
of this
tension.
Here is a
broken man
at the
end of his
own resources
looking into
the surrounding
circumstances
that have
utterly no
light in
them.
And his
response is
to turn
back to
the God
who has
been seemingly
silent and
laid out
his case
once again
to the
God in
whom he
trusts.
Neil
pointed me
towards a
quote from
C.S.
Lewis from
the Screwtape
Letters.
If you
haven't read
them,
they're from
an odd
perspective.
The speaker
here is an
imagined demon
and so when
it says our
cause,
it's the
cause of
hell.
And when it
says our
enemy,
it means
God.
So try
and adjust
your mind
to hear
that.
This is
the quote.
Do not
be deceived
Wormwood.
Our cause,
the cause
of hell,
is never
more in
danger than
when a
human,
no longer
desiring but
still intending
to do our
enemy's will,
that still
desiring to
do God's
will,
looks round
upon a
universe from
which every
trace of
him of
God seems
to have
vanished and
still asks
why he has
been forsaken
and still
obeys.
I'll read
that again to
try and get
it across.
Do not be
deceived Wormwood.
Our cause is
never more in
danger than
when a
human,
no longer
desiring but
still intending
to do our
enemy's will,
looks round
upon a
universe from
which every
trace of
him seems
to have
vanished and
asks why he
has been
forsaken and
still obeys.
To this
world that
is utterly
stupid.
This makes
no sense to
the person
without faith.
It's
incomprehensible
to the
person who
does not
believe in
a loving
God.
But this
is exactly
what Jesus
did.
We saw it
didn't we
when we were
studying Psalm
22 before
Easter.
Jesus took
those words
on his lips
that echo a
different form of
the cry that we
get here.
My God,
my God,
why have you
forsaken me?
and yet he
still intended
to and he
did finish
the work for
which he was
sent by his
father.
This Psalm
then is an
incredible challenge
to us.
Will we take
the same
attitude and
continue faithfully
when our
expectations are
dashed?
will we
still expect
an answer
from heaven
when all
trace of
God seems
to have
vanished?
Or will
we allow
our present
circumstances
to drown
out the
reality of
God in
our lives?
Look on
me and
answer,
Lord my
God.
Give
light to
my eyes
or I
will sleep
in death.
We've
asked what
do we
do when
our
expectations
are
filled?
We've
asked what
do we
expect from
God even
when we're
disappointed?
And we
get into
our third
question,
why do
we expect
what we
expect from
God?
As we
come to
the last
stanza of
the Psalm,
we ought
to be
surprised
by the
speed of
change of
tone.
I was
chatting to
Peter and
he said
it sounds
wrong.
It almost
sounds trite,
this bit
kind of
tagged on
to the
end.
I don't
think this
Psalm is
one that
naturally fits
into our
thinking about
life and I
don't think
it's meant
to.
As we
read verses
five and
six,
we could so
easily be
forgiven for
thinking that
time has
elapsed maybe
or circumstances
have somehow
changed in
that full
stop or
the Psalmist
has had some
monumental
revelation from
God which has
transformed
everything for
him.
But I don't
believe that
that's the
case.
I think that
verse five and
six ought to
be surprising
because nothing
has fundamentally
changed.
They are the
answer to
our third
question.
Why do we
expect what we
expect from
God?
But I have
trusted in
your steadfast
love.
My heart shall
rejoice in your
salvation.
I will sing to
the Lord and
I think here's
the kicker
because he has
dealt bountifully
with me.
These verses
form the
rationale for
what we've been
thinking about
so far.
And without
these verses
everything that
has gone before
is a bit vague
and a bit
piecemeal.
Without these
last two verses
there exists a
God out there
somewhere but
we're given no
real reason to
trust him.
But here is a
God who has
unfailing love.
who is loyal,
who is steadfast
in his care for
his people.
Without these
last two verses
there is some
idea of a
God who is
willing to
interfere in
human affairs.
But who knows
when or why.
But here we
find a God
who saves,
who steps
into the
fray for the
sake of his
people.
a God who
will bring
joy as he
intervenes in
our distress.
Without these
final verses
we may think
that the
psalmist has
some relationship
with God.
But as we
read that
this is a
God who
accepts the
praise of
his people
and a God
who has a
track record
of good,
then finally
we have an
objective basis
for the faith
that the
psalmist has.
It's only in
the resolution
of this very
last verse
that we see
the reason
why this
change of
tone has
come at
all.
The psalmist
is remembering
who God
is and
that makes
all the
difference to
his situation.
Yes, the
threat of
death may
stand.
Yes, the
shame of
defeat may
still be a
possibility.
Yes, God
is still
seemingly
silent, but
God is a
covenant
keeper.
But God
is enduring
in his
love.
But this
God is the
God who
saves.
And so the
psalmist
trusts and
even sings,
even in the
darkness of
his situation,
even in the
very middle of
disappointment
and distress,
he can
yet praise
God because
he is absolutely
sure that God
will live up to
his name.
For most of
us, this is a
hard message to
hear.
I don't deny
that this flies
in the face of
our natural
tendencies.
When we're in
the middle of
a trial,
the ending of
this psalm
seems utterly
out of sync
with reality.
And perhaps
you're sitting
here this
evening and
you feel like
you're in the
middle of what
the psalmist is
going through.
Perhaps you
can identify
with verses
one or two
still smarting
from the
situation,
unable to
see any
real situation
at all.
Perhaps you're
just about
able to
muster the
words of
verses three
and four.
You know
that God is
your only
option, but
you're really
unclear how
anything can
be resolved.
But see
here that
we can look
back to
God's goodness
to us in
the past,
to God's
track record,
and we can
be utterly
sure that
there will be
salvation at
the end of
our trials.
For some
of us,
that salvation
will come in
a good
death.
For others
of us,
that salvation
will come in
God's
strengthening us
to persevere
through a
long and
arduous trial.
But be
sure that
God will
not disappoint
us if we
take him
at his
word.
Amen.
We've
asked,
what do
we do
when our
expectations
are filled?
What do we
expect from
God even
when we are
disappointed?
And why do
we expect
what we
expect from
God?
And I
hope that
we've seen
that this
isn't some
fanciful
dream,
but a
solid reality
based on
God's
character
and God's
actions.
I fear
that the
reality of
our lives
is that we
expect from
God what
he never
promises to
us.
I don't think
that's what's
happened here
with the
psalmist,
but I fear
that's where
many of our
disappointments
with God
come from.
And for
many of us,
I can think
of a number
in my own
case,
for many
of us,
this is an
especially
difficult
lesson to
learn.
But hear
Paul's
words to
the suffering
Christians in
Rome as
we finish.
This is from
Romans 5.
We also
exalt in
our
tribulations.
Did you
hear that?
We also
exalt in
our
tribulations,
knowing that
tribulation
brings about
perseverance,
and perseverance
proven character,
hope, and
hope does
not disappoint,
because the
love of
God has
been poured
out within
our hearts
through the
Holy Spirit
who was
given to
us.
Yes, our
circumstances
may be
hard.
yes, there
may be all
sorts of
reasons why
we want to
just clam
up and
not engage,
but Paul
assures us
that we
can have
hope,
even in the
darkest of
times,
not because
everything always
works out
beautifully,
not because God
has promised us
a painless
path through
life, but
because the
love of God
has been
poured out
into our
hearts
through the
Holy Spirit
who God
has given
to us.
Let's
pray.
Father,
many of
us perhaps
have prayed
this prayer
at times
past.
How long,
O Lord,
will you
forget me
forever?
Perhaps
many of
us yet
pray,
how long
will you
hide your
face from
me?
And
Father,
we ask
this evening
that you
would answer,
that you
would consider
and answer
us,
that you
would even
give us
the strength
and the
refreshment
that we
need to
live in
this broken
world as
your children
who are
full of
faith,
even in
the hardest
of circumstances.
Father,
we thank you
because you
are a good
God and we
trust in you.
praying these
things in
Jesus' name.
Amen.