Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I said to the Lord, You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.
As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.
Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup.
You have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.
Surely I have delightful inheritance.
I will praise the Lord who counsels me.
Even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices.
My body also will rest secure.
Because you will not abandon me to the grave.
Nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
You have made known to me the path of life.
You will fill me with joy in your presence.
With eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Let's pray.
You are my Lord.
Apart from you, I have no good thing.
Father, our prayer this morning is that we all here would be able to say
that apart from you, without you, we have no good thing.
So please bring us to that place where we are resting in you as our eternal refuge.
Teach us this morning by your Holy Spirit.
Speak to us in such a way that we turn away from all our other places of refuge.
And turn alone to you.
Help us.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Well, in 2014, Muhammad al-Hajj Ali escaped the terrors of Syria
with his two sisters, brother and parents.
Muhammad fled to the city of London.
Being granted asylum, he settled down to begin a new life.
Tragically, Muhammad was the first named victim of the Grenfell Tower fire disaster
just the other week.
His friend commented,
He survived the war in Syria,
only to die in a tower block in London.
This is horrible after all he has been through,
and a place of safety
leads to death.
Let those words sink in.
This is horrible.
After all he has been through,
and a place of safety
leads to death.
It makes us wonder,
is there anywhere we can find
true refuge?
You see, we all look for safety and security.
In fact, our whole lives are focused on trying to build or create a bubble
or this place of protection around us.
We install security systems.
We buy cars with the latest braking technology.
We go on special diets and fitness regimes.
We go to health and safety classes.
We strive to build a place of protection
around our fragile lives.
But the experience of life keeps reminding us
that not one of us is safe in this world.
Accidents do happen.
Sickness strikes.
Wars rage on.
Tower blocks do go on fire.
And if we manage somehow to escape all of those things,
we do eventually die.
So is there anywhere we can find refuge?
Well, Psalm 16 that we read together just now
shows us how and where we can find refuge.
Look at verse 1.
And don't forget the little heading.
A miktam.
I don't know what that is,
nor does anybody else apparently,
when you read the commentaries.
It could be a musical term.
Who knows?
It's a miktam.
More importantly, it's David.
King David.
Who wrote it.
And listen to what he said.
Verse 1.
Keep me safe, O God.
For in you I take refuge.
This Psalm is showing us that refuge is not found in a place.
It's not a physical location.
Not in a place,
but in a person.
In you, O God,
I take refuge.
The Psalms, if you were to go through them,
speak often about God being a refuge.
We started this this morning.
Psalm 46.
God is our refuge and strength
an ever-present help in trouble.
Or what about Psalm 61, verse 3.
You have been my refuge.
A strong tower
against the foe.
Or Psalm 91.
I will say of the Lord,
He is my refuge
and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust.
Refuge,
shelter,
protection
is not found in a place,
not found in a building like this,
but in a person.
God is our tower.
So let's see how we can know
and experience God as a refuge.
We're going to look at two big ideas
from this Psalm.
First,
God is our refuge
in life.
Verses 2 to 8.
If God is our refuge,
what does that actually look like?
What is it that constructs
the shelter
in which we can say
God is our refuge
that we run to?
Well, three things.
God is all sufficient
in life.
Look at verse 2.
I said to the Lord,
You are my Lord.
You are my boss.
You are my master.
Apart from you,
I have no good thing.
Or without you,
I have no good thing.
Nothing else satisfies
and provides
like God.
You see,
we can own a house
and a car.
We can have a job.
We can have good health.
We can have friends.
We can have family.
We can have all of these things.
And all of these things
are good things
that God has given to us
for our enjoyment.
And in some sense,
they provide us
and give to us refuge.
These are the things
we look to,
the people we turn to
when we need safety
and security.
But all of these things,
none of them,
are guaranteed to last.
They are all
false
refuge.
In fact,
they can all disappear
in the passing of a day.
A letter of redundancy
from our boss,
unexpected news
from our doctor,
a freak accident.
Everything can be taken
just like that.
You see,
look at verse 4.
The sorrows
of those
will increase
who run after
other gods.
Now,
we might worship
pagan gods
or have little temples
built up
in our back garden,
but we've all got
our little gods,
haven't we?
Gods that we look to
for our refuge.
It might be
the security of a job.
I've got my job.
I've got a good income.
I'm safe.
Or I'm married.
I've got a wonderful
wife or husband.
They're good to me.
Or I've got great health.
Never been to the doctor.
Never had a night
in hospital.
But none of those things
are guaranteed.
They are all
a false
refuge.
Verse 4.
For the sorrows
of those
will increase
who run after
other gods.
So if we look
for our refuge
in other things
or look for our rest
from other people,
well,
ultimately,
he's saying,
you will experience
sorrow.
They'll not
satisfy.
They will not be
the shelter
that we need.
You see,
if we are to
no true refuge,
we are to run away
from our false
refuge
and run to,
literally repent,
turn away from
and turn to
the all-sufficient
God.
Verse 2.
Who is
my Lord?
Apart from you
I have no
good
thing.
Now,
part of God's
sufficiency,
part of God's
provision and
care
is experienced
through his
people.
So look at
verse 3.
Remember,
David is writing,
he says,
as for the saints
who are in the
land,
they are the
glorious ones
in whom
is all my
delight.
David was a
king and he
enjoyed all the
privileges and
the status of
being a great
king,
access to so
much.
But look who
he looks to.
It's the saints,
God's people,
he delights in.
The people
are his
support and
strength.
He says it's
good to be
with them.
And that's
what God
has done
for us.
He has
provided a
shelter for
his people,
the church,
not just a
physical building.
When we talk
of church,
we're thinking
of God's
people,
people who
trust in
him.
And through
his church,
through his
people,
God provides
rest for the
broken.
him.
That doesn't
mean to say
church takes
the place
of God.
No, the
community of
God's people
is the
means by
which God
brings refuge.
So if you've
come here this
morning and
you're seeking
that refuge and
you're looking
for that rest,
well it could
be coming from
the person you're
sitting beside,
through the
words that they
speak to you.
Now I know
we let each
other down,
we're not
perfect people.
And I know
that I have
let down
many of you.
But amidst
all our
flaws and
failures of
saying the
wrong thing
and doing
the wrong
thing,
God in
his goodness
works through
people like
you and me
to speak
words of
encouragement
as we
point each
other towards
God who
is our
refuge.
God works
through his
people to
bring refuge
and care
and comfort
to one
another.
So can
you say
in verse
two,
you are
my Lord,
apart from
you I
have no
good thing.
Can you
say that?
That God
is sufficient,
that God
is enough
and he is
my refuge?
refuge.
Well,
another way
in which
God
provides refuge,
not only is
he sufficient
in providing
and giving
to us,
he is
sovereign
over our
life.
To be
sovereign means
that he's
in charge,
he rules
over everything.
David,
of course,
the writer
of this
psalm,
was a
king.
He ruled
over a
people,
over a
nation.
But he
looks beyond
himself to
the ultimate
king,
the ultimate
sovereign.
Look at
verse five.
He says
of God,
Lord,
you have
assigned
me my
portion
and my
cup.
Whatever
I have,
everything
that we
have,
our health
and strength,
right down
to our
places of
work,
everything
comes
from
God.
He
supplies,
he
sustains,
in fact,
our whole
life,
is in
the hands
of God.
Look at
verse six.
The
boundary
lines have
fallen for
me in
pleasant
places.
Surely
I have a
delightful
inheritance.
Let's
think about
that,
the boundary
lines falling
in pleasant
places.
We've
got to
think back
in here a
little bit
in our
history to
when God
had rescued
his people
out of
Egypt and
brought them
into the
promised
land.
Remember
when God
did that
great act
and he
gave
orders,
he gave
instructions
about where
each group,
each tribe
should live.
Boundary
markers were
laid out and
said,
this family
is to live
here,
this is your
boundary,
this family
is to live
here,
this is your
boundary.
And so as
David looks
back over the
course of his
life,
he can see
that God
has ordered
and directed
his life,
he is where
he is because
God has
them there.
And this
God is
sovereign over
your life.
He sets
boundaries,
boundary lines
for your
life.
Have you ever
thought about
where you're
living right
now?
You live here
in Carragalline,
okay, but the
house where you
live, the
place where you
work, the
person you're
married to if
you're married,
all of these
things have
all been set
part of God's
boundary lines.
Nothing takes
God by surprise.
Nothing happens
in our life
without God's
permission.
Our life is
not a random
set of chances
in which I've
just kind of
got to figure
my way out
and do my
best.
God is
over my
life.
And knowing
that the
God who
created the
universe in
which we
live has
set a
boundary
around our
life means
that in
God I
have a
refuge.
And that's
what David
is looking
to here.
He says
the boundary
lines have
fallen for
me.
I can
trust this
God.
He has
my life
in his
hands.
He directs
and orders
your life.
He alone
permits and
allows what
is in
your life.
God.
So we
rest in
the knowledge
that God
is over
everything.
He is
sovereign.
But he's
not just
sufficient.
He's not
just a
sovereign over
our life.
He is a
God who
stands with
us through
life.
Look down
at verse
eight.
He says
I have
set the
Lord always
before me.
So his
focus, his
attention is
on God.
Because he
is at my
right hand,
I will not
be shaken.
Now to
have someone
at your
right hand
is to have
someone who
stands with
you.
It's like
an armed
soldier in
battle.
he stands
alongside you,
covering you,
covering your
back, protecting
you, looking
out for you.
Or to
have someone
at your
right hand
in court
is to have
someone who
speaks up
for you,
pleading your
cause.
Or others
talk of it in
this way as
if you were
going on a
journey, to
have someone
at your
right hand
as you go
on your
journey is
someone who
will be a
companion to
you, a
loyal friend
who walks
with you,
doesn't give
up, supports
you.
They're on
your side, they
stand with
you, not
against you.
And David
is looking to
God and
saying, you're
my right
hand.
You stand
alongside me.
Well, in
what sense
does God
stand alongside
us?
How does
he kind of
speak up for
us and how
does he
support us?
God
do you
know?
Well, I
think the
clue for
us comes
in verse
seven, the
preceding
verse.
Look what
it says in
verse seven.
He says, I
will praise
the Lord
who counsels
me, even
at night my
heart instructs
me.
So, you
see, it's
through the
counsel and
the instruction
of God that
he stands
with us.
Do you
remember
Psalm 1 we
looked at the
other week?
Have a look
back there,
just flick
back to the
beginning of
the Psalms,
Psalm 1.
Remember
these opening
words?
Blessed, so
blessed we were
thinking there
about a
blessed person
is a happy,
contented person.
So the
contented or
happy person
does not walk
in the counsel
of the wicked.
So they're not
listening to
what the wicked
have to say.
They don't
stand in the
way of sinners
or they don't
sit in the
seat of mockers.
They're not
looking to them
for advice
or for
instruction.
Instead,
verse two,
his delight
is in the
law or the
word of the
Lord.
And on his
law or on
his word he
meditates
day and
night.
So you
see, it's
through the
word that
God draws
alongside us
and counsels
us and
instructs us.
God's word
is like a
refuge.
So the
Bible that
we're using
here this
morning, that
we're speaking
from, this
in a sense is
our refuge.
It's how God
speaks to us.
It's how he
counsels us,
how he
instructs us.
He's at our
right hand as we
listen to him.
He is speaking
those words to
us, giving
us that sense
of refuge,
speaking comfort,
speaking assurance,
speaking help.
So first,
in life,
God is our
refuge.
He's all
sufficient.
He's sovereign
over your life
and he stands
with us as we
walk through
life.
But he's not
just our
refuge in
life.
Here's the
second big
idea.
He is our
refuge in
death.
You see,
even when
death
threatens us,
God is our
refuge.
There's three
promises here
we're going to
look at.
Here's the
first one.
The promise
of physical
protection.
Look at
verse 9.
It starts,
therefore,
my heart is
glad.
Therefore,
why is he
saying therefore?
Because God
is a refuge
in life.
He's sufficient.
He's sovereign.
He stands
with us.
Therefore,
my heart is
glad and my
tongue rejoices.
My body,
that is my
physical body,
as we are
sitting right
now,
my body
will rest
secure.
How can we
be so sure
that we'll just
rest secure?
Look at
verse 10.
Because,
he says,
you will not
abandon me
to the grave.
You'll not
abandon me
to the grave,
nor will you
let your
holy one
see decay.
What an
incredible promise.
God is saying
to David,
you're not
going to die.
you're not
going to
decay.
Whoever
or whatever
is threatening
David's life,
we're not
told,
but something
is threatening
his life,
he has
absolute
confidence
and total
assurance
that God
is going
to preserve
his life.
Sickness
isn't going
to kill
him.
People
aren't going
to kill
him.
David
is somehow
going to
escape
death.
you will
not let,
or look
at verse
10,
you will
not abandon
me to the
grave.
He's going
to be
protected.
God is
his refuge,
keeping him
safe and
secure.
Now,
isn't that
the kind
of refuge
you and
I want
as we go
about our
day-to-day
lives?
One who
will keep
us and
preserve us
even when
life is
threatened.
Do you
think that's
possible?
Well,
hold that
thought in
your mind
and we'll
come back
to it.
Because
that's not
all that
is promised.
There is
the promise
of
lasting
pleasures.
Verse 11,
at the
very end
of the
psalm,
he says,
you've
made known
to me
the path
of life,
you will
fill me
with joy
in your
presence,
with
eternal
pleasures
at your
right hand.
hand.
David has
this total
confidence
that God
will be
his
eternal
refuge,
not just
a shelter
through
life,
not just
preservation
when life
is being
threatened,
but a
refuge
forever.
Do you
see what
it said
at the
end of
verse 11?
With
eternal
pleasures
at your
right hand.
God
was at
his right
hand
through
life,
and God
is going
to be
his right
hand
for all
eternity.
You see,
at the
very beginning,
David cried
out in
verse 1,
keep me
safe,
O God,
for in
you I
take refuge.
And now
with absolute
assurance at
the very
end,
he can
say to
God that
not even
death
itself
has the
power
to destroy
or break
down the
shelter
that God
has over
David.
David's
life is
eternally
safe and
secure.
He will
have
eternal
pleasures.
Now
just think
about that.
Is that
actually
true?
Is that
possible?
How could
David be
so sure
his life
was safe?
Because in
some sense
his life
in the
world is
no different
to you
where he
faced
dangers
and
struggles
and
people
got
sick
and
how
could
he
be
so
sure
his
life
was
safe?
Well,
there's a
third
promise.
The
promise
of the
prophet.
Remember,
David
was God's
king.
And God
also had
prophets.
Prophets
were people
who spoke
on behalf
of God
to the
people.
And
Nathan
was one
prophet
who spoke
to
King
David.
And we're
going to
have a
look at
what this
prophet
spoke to
King
David.
So go
back to
2 Samuel
chapter 7
which I
think is on
page 311.
If you're
using a
church
Bible,
that's the
red-covered
one.
It's on
page
311.
2 Samuel
chapter 7
we'll pick
it up
verse 12.
So
MBC
students
should all
be familiar.
Get your
hermeneutical
hats on
and do
your
interpretation
here.
So
2 Samuel
chapter 7
verse 12.
So
Nathan
the prophet
is speaking
to
David,
King
David.
and here's
what the
prophet
says.
Verse 12.
Nathan's
speaking to
David.
When your
days are
over and
you rest
with your
fathers.
Now,
hang on a
minute.
David's just
been saying
in the
psalm,
I'm not
going to
see the
grave,
I'm going
to be
protected
in death.
And now
somebody's
coming along
saying,
well no
actually David,
when your
days are
over and
you rest
with your
fathers,
you are
going to
die,
you are
going to
go to
the
grave.
So
what's
going on?
Well let's
read verse
12 again.
When your
days are
over and
you rest
with your
fathers,
I will
raise up
your
offspring to
succeed you,
who will
come from
your own
body,
and I
will establish
his
kingdom.
He is
the one
who will
build a
house for
my name,
and I
will establish
the throne
of his
kingdom
forever.
So,
you see,
David knew
he was
going to
physically
die.
The
prophet had
told him,
you know,
you are
going to
die,
David.
He would
be placed
in the
grave,
he would
decompose
and decay
like everybody
else,
his body
would rot
and be
eaten like
worms or
whatever else,
he would
die.
But David
also knew
that God
promised
through the
prophet Nathan
that there
was an
eternal
king to
come.
One of
David's
descendants
whose
kingdom
and throne
would
never
ever
end.
Look at
verse 16
of 2
Samuel 7.
Your house
and your
kingdom
shall endure
forever
before me.
Your throne
shall be
established
forever.
Now go
back to
Psalm 16.
An
eternal
king,
one of
David's
descendants
would come
who would
defeat
death or
somehow
destroy
death and
therefore he
would reign
forever,
he would
live
forever.
And
because of
this promise,
because of
this death
defeating
king that
was coming,
David could
say in
Psalm 16
verse 10,
you will
not abandon
me to
the grave,
nor will
you let
your
holy one
see decay.
So he's
no longer
talking about
himself,
he's talking
about your
holy one,
one to
come.
So David
knew that
his life,
his future
destiny was
wrapped up in
God's holy
one to
come,
a promised
king who
was going
to come,
an eternal
king.
And because
this king
would reign
and live
forever,
it meant
that David
would also
live forever.
David's
refuge is in
God who
promised,
a death
defeating,
death
destroying
king.
Well you
say,
well that's
great for
David that
he had this
king who
was going
to come
and live
forever
and somehow
be able to
deal with
David's
death,
but what
about you
and me?
Because you
and I are
going to
die,
what's
going to
happen
to us?
Well,
have a
look at
Acts 2,
which is
on page
1094.
Acts 2.
24.
You see,
the Bible
is not
just a
random
set of
books or
stories just
kind of
collected and
shoved in
together between
two covers.
It's one
big story
and every
story connects
to the
greatest story,
the story of
Jesus.
So look at
what Acts 2
has to tell
us.
Acts 2,
verse 24.
And the
person here
speaking is
Peter,
one of
Jesus'
disciples.
And he's
preaching.
He's telling
the people
about the
resurrection of
Jesus Christ
from the
dead,
that Jesus
died and
he rose
again.
And look
what it
says in
verse 24.
He says,
Acts 2,
verse 24,
God raised
Jesus from
the dead,
freeing him
from the
agony of
death because
it was
impossible for
death to
keep its
hold on
him.
So Jesus
died but
death couldn't
hold its
grip on
Jesus.
God brought
Jesus back
to life
again.
That's what
Peter is
talking about.
Then Peter
starts quoting
Psalm 16.
Look at
verse 25.
David said
about him.
Jesus, I
saw the Lord
always before
me.
Because he
is at my
right hand,
I will not
be shaken.
Therefore
my heart is
glad and
my tongue
rejoices.
My body
will also
live in
hope because
you will
not abandon
me to the
grave nor
will you let
your Holy
One see
decay.
You have
made known
to me the
path of
life.
You will
fill me
with joy
in your
presence.
And now
Peter starts
commenting or
explaining this
Psalm.
Look at
verse 29.
He says
brothers,
brothers and
sisters,
I can tell
you confidently
that the
patriarch David,
King David,
died and
was buried in
his tomb.
It's here to
this day.
So go check
it out.
Go down the
road.
You can dig
it up.
You'll find
his bones.
David died.
He's dead.
But,
verse 30,
David was
a prophet.
So as he
wrote,
he was
speaking
prophetically
and knew
that God
had promised
him on
oath that
he would
place one
of his
descendants on
his throne.
Seeing what
was ahead,
looking into
the distance,
not quite
knowing everything
what it would
be like,
but looking
ahead,
David spoke
of the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ,
that he
was not
abandoned to
the grave,
nor did
his body
see
decay.
God has
raised this
Jesus to
life,
and we
are all
witnesses
of that
fact.
You see,
Jesus Christ
is the
promise,
death-defeating,
death-destroying,
eternal
king.
Jesus did
die,
but he
was not
abandoned
to the
grave.
He did
not see
decay.
Three days
later,
we read
that he
rose from
the dead,
becoming an
eternal refuge
for all
who would
trust in
him.
You see,
the world
we live
in is
not a
safe place.
Our
places of
protection,
the little
bubbles that
we create
around us,
cannot
withstand the
onslaught
of death.
One day,
death is
going to
confront us,
and whatever
little protection
we have
around us,
it ain't
going to
work.
Sooner or
later,
every single
one of us
in this
room will
die.
But,
if like
David,
our faith
is in
Christ,
because as
he wrote,
he was
looking forward
to God's
promise,
that there
would come
a king
who would
defeat death
and destroy
death.
So if
our faith
is like
David in
Christ,
then as
we look
back to
Christ and
to his
resurrection,
then Jesus
becomes our
refuge in
death.
You see,
our whole
life is
wrapped up
in the
eternal
destiny of
Jesus.
If Jesus
rose from
the grave,
we too
will rise
from the
grave.
Yes,
we will
physically
die,
but he
will come
back and
he will
restore us
to life
in his
eternal
kingdom.
So in
that sense,
death is
not the
end.
And we
can say
with David,
with absolute
confidence and
total assurance,
Psalm 16
verses 10
and 11,
you will
not abandon
me to the
grave.
You will
not let
your Holy
One see
decay,
for you
have made
known to
me the
paths of
life.
You will
fill me
with joy
in your
presence,
with
eternal
pleasures
at your
right hand.
what a
promise,
refuge,
shelter,
protection
for all
eternity.
No more
evil,
no more
suffering,
no more
burning down
towers,
no more
wars,
no more
death.
And that
is all
found not
in a
place,
but in
a person,
the person
of Jesus
Christ who
conquered
death and
lives
forever
more.
So my
question to
us all,
to myself
included,
is where
is your
refuge?
Where do
you run
to or who
do you look
to to keep
you safe?
there is
only one,
and that is
Christ our
refuge,
the eternal
death-defeating,
death-destroying
king.
Can you
say,
Psalm
16,
verses 1
and 2
for yourself
personally,
can you
say this?
May this
be our
prayer as
we close.
keep me
safe,
O God,
for in
you I
take refuge.
I said
to the
Lord,
you are
my Lord,
apart from
you I
have no
good
thing.
Can you
say that
for yourself?
Can you
confront death
with the
confidence and
say,
my refuge
is in
him,
apart from
him I
have no
good
thing.
run to
him.
Find your
refuge and
your rest
in our
eternal
king.
Let's pray
together.
Amen.