WEBVTT

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 There's two common features to the Psalms that were absent in the first two Psalms that we covered,

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 but are now introduced to us here in the third.

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 Both of these features are helpful guides for proper interpretation, also for worshipful reflection.

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 So as we start, I want to just note these two features and show you how it is that they are significant to this particular Psalm.

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 The first feature is in what we would call a superscription.

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 That's that little title just underneath Psalm 3, but before you get to verse 1, it's called a superscription,

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 which is an inscription or a subtitle or title that exists outside of the main body of the Psalm.

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 Most Psalms have them. In fact, the vast majority of them have them.

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 And we need to be careful not to diminish their significance, not just to our study,

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 but to the interpretation of the Psalms themselves.

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 Some have viewed these more like supplemental materials.

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 You know, there may even be one in your Bible now.

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 Perhaps in my Bible, the translators have supplied their own title.

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 If you look just above the Psalm itself, in my Bible, it says,

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 Save Me, Oh My God.

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 Anybody else have a title like that?

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 That's actually supplied by the translators.

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 There are some people who have kind of reduced the significance of the superscriptions

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 to really just kind of an ancient editor

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 who has done essentially the same thing that modern Bible translators have done

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 and given us some type of title to just guide us along the way.

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 But really, we shouldn't think of it as anything more than that.

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 It's just supplemental materials.

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 But I want to push actually against that.

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 These superscriptions are part of the canonical text,

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 meaning that they exist in all of the ancient manuscript witnesses that we have of the book of Psalms.

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 So there's no reason for us outside of just pure conjecture and speculation

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 to accept them as anything other than inspired Scripture.

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 Historically, that's how the church has viewed them.

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 That's how ancient Jews had viewed them as well.

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 Again, all of our ancient manuscript witnesses, they testify to that.

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 Many of them actually even include the superscription as the first verse of the Psalm.

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 And you'll find that in some older copies of the Scriptures.

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 So we ought not to quickly look past them.

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 God has given them to us in order to help us better understand His Word.

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 And in the case of Psalm 3, the superscription alerts us to some key features that we need to understand.

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 First, it alerts us to David's authorship.

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 And it tells us that he wrote this on reflection of the events that are recorded for us in 2 Samuel 15-18,

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 which we'll reference here in just a little bit.

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 Now, I'm going to have to leave it to you to maybe go back this afternoon.

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 In fact, I think you would actually enjoy doing it.

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 If you like stories at all, you should go back this afternoon, maybe after your Sunday nap,

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 and open up to 2 Samuel 15 and just read through to chapter 18.

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 It's a fascinating story.

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 It's a tragic story as well.

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 I think you will be served by it.

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 But I'll have to leave it to you to go back and do that.

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 But perhaps just a brief summary would help us here.

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 You'll recall David's grievous sin with Bathsheba.

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 You read about that a little bit earlier in 2 Samuel.

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 And perhaps you'll remember that terrible consequences came as a result of that particular sin.

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 They weren't only immediate consequences.

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 They were ongoing consequences that did not leave David's life until his death.

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 For the rest of his life, he would suffer the discipline of the Lord in relation to that particular sin.

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 And through the prophet Nathan, God said that the sword would never depart from David's house.

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 And that the Lord intentionally would raise up from within David's house an enemy against him.

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 You can read about that in 2 Samuel chapter 12.

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 Years later, many years later, we find out in 2 Samuel that David's son Absalom proved to be the fulfillment of Nathan's prophecy.

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 But it wasn't absent of David's own sinfulness that was ongoing in his life.

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 It was as a result of David's failure as a father, as a leader, as a king, that Absalom, his son, turned against him.

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 And he spent years, years, very shrewdly actually, winning the hearts of the people of Israel away from David, the king.

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 And now I just want to tell a story.

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 Just one part.

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 This just tells you the shrewdness of Absalom.

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 He believes David's leadership to be so weak that Absalom, after coming back to Jerusalem, he was banished at one point.

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 But he's brought back.

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 But his father still doesn't want to have anything to do with him.

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 And you can read about that.

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 You can read about why in your own study.

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 Absalom sets himself up at the gates of the city for four years.

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 And for four years, people would come from Israel in order that the king would weigh in for them on issues pertaining to legal things or things that were happening in their lives, in their family, and in their communities.

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 Before they could get to where David was, Absalom would stop them at the gates of Jerusalem.

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 And they would know that he was the son of the king.

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 And he would speak as if he was speaking on behalf of the king.

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 And he would ask them their name.

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 And he would ask, why are you here?

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 And then he would say, oh, that there was someone in Jerusalem who would actually give you the time of day to listen to you.

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 And he would say, oh, that I was king.

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 And then I would hear all of your problems.

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 And I would deal with all of your problems in a way that I'll just be honest with you.

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 My dad's just not going to deal with it.

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 You're not going to see him today.

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 But you'll see me.

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 And if I was king, I'm telling you, I would help you.

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 I would help you.

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 For four years he does this.

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 For four years.

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 And to just show the weakness of David's leadership at that point in his life.

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 David is aware of it.

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 And he does nothing about it.

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 And we're told that Absalom wins the hearts of the people to himself and away from David, the king.

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 Which sets up a dramatic coup.

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 Eventually, Absalom gained enough support that he chased his dad out of the kingdom.

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 David was forced to flee the throne.

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 To flee Jerusalem.

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 Running for his life from his own son.

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 Just like years before as he ran from King Saul.

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 Now he's running in the same way.

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 Probably in his 50s at this point.

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 Except it's his son that's chasing him.

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 Psalm 3 in the superscription tells us that the psalm itself is a later reflection of David's.

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 On the events particular to his fleeing Jerusalem.

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 Now that's helpful for us, isn't it?

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 Especially when we look and we say, oh, the Lord has actually given us the details, the context of this story.

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 So we can look at Psalm 3.

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 And then we can reflect back on 2 Samuel 15 to 18.

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 And we can see, okay, this is what was happening.

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 That helps us to understand and rightly interpret the meaning of the text here in Psalm 3.

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 Okay?

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 So that's the first common feature of the psalms that's introduced to us in Psalm 3.

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 It's a superscription.

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 That's what this superscription is really all about.

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 There's a second feature, though, that I want to point out to you.

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 It's the use of this term.

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 We saw it three times.

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 The use of this term, selah.

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 Selah.

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 Now, various suggestions have been made about its precise meaning.

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 The fact of the matter is we just don't know.

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 We don't know exactly what this means.

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 We can narrow it down to a couple of possibilities, though.

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 It seems to have been some type of musical directive

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 that probably accomplished one of two things,

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 or perhaps both things in certain context.

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 It could have just been a musical note to dramatize the song itself.

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 So think of both songs that we've sung so far in our service today.

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 When we got to the fourth verse, the music had a modulation, and it had a key change.

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 And the purpose of that key change was to break up any potential monotony in the song

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 and then to dramatize the final verse as we come into the last verse of the song.

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 Like, take, for instance, Ferris, Lord Jesus.

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 It opens up beautiful Savior.

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 So after reflecting on all of these things about Jesus,

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 there is this modulation in the key that dramatizes the opening line

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 as we come in and just sing out beautiful Savior.

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 That's what he is to us, right?

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 Now, selah could just simply be that.

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 It could be a notation musically to dramatize the song.

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 It could also be kind of a liturgical note

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 indicating a pause in the song for intentional reflection.

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 You'll notice that in the case of Psalm 3,

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 it comes at the end of certain stanzas, even at the very end of the psalm.

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 Well, there would be no reason to dramatize music at the end of the psalm, right?

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 So what is the selah there for?

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 Probably to force us to pause intentionally in a moment of corporate worship

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 to reflect on what it was that we just sang

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 or what it was that we just read or recited together.

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 In either case, selah is undoubtedly a liturgical note

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 meant to add emphasis to corporate worship.

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 And in Psalm 3, the selahs provide a helpful structure for study.

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 Think of them as presenting us with three different movements

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 in David's prayer, each movement reflecting on a different part of his remembrance

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 of the day that he fled from Absalom in Jerusalem.

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 Now, third thing to note before we dive into the text itself,

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 and that is that David's authorship always, always

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 adds a layer of significance to our interpretation, doesn't it?

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 Who is David in the Psalms?

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 In some cases, David is the king who represents the people of God.

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 In some cases, David is the crafter of liturgy and of worship among the people of God.

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 But most importantly, David is an Old Testament figure

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 who points us to Jesus, the greater Davidic king.

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 So as we come to the Psalms of David, we have to determine,

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 well, what exactly is the primary emphasis in view with the Psalms that David wrote?

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 And in this Psalm, it's an individual lament.

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 He's crying out to God because of some type of suffering in his life, right?

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 We can relate to that as individuals.

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 We can pray Psalm 3 as a lament to the Lord in the way that David lamented to the Lord

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 as a representative example of God's people, okay?

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 So this is an individual lament, but there's an added feature here that I think we can't forget.

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 It's a lament that is ultimately fulfilled in the experience of Jesus Christ on the cross.

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 And I want to make those notes for you as we go along.

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 Hope is the theme here.

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 While the world insists that there is no salvation in God,

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 David reminds us that actually God himself is the real source of hope in our lives.

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 That's what I hope that you'll walk away understanding from this Psalm.

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 Let's just look at the three sections.

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 Number one, I want you to see hope denounced.

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 Hope denounced.

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 Look at the first two verses again.

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 Oh Lord, how many are my foes?

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 Many are rising against me.

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 Many are saying of my soul,

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 there is no salvation for him in God.

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 Selah.

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 Think about that.

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 Pause on that.

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 Reflect on what he's saying.

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 David's opening reflection,

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 it recalls this increasing number of enemies who were multiplying against him,

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 not the least of which is his own son, Absalom,

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 who was not only attempting to steal the throne,

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 he was attempting to murder his own father and family.

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 And as David is weighing the decision of whether or not to stay in Jerusalem and fight against Absalom or to actually leave Jerusalem,

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 those who were once loyal to him very quickly began to change their allegiances to Absalom.

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 Three times David cries in the psalm,

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 many, many are my foes, O Lord.

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 Many are they who rise up against me.

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 Many are they who are saying,

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 there is no salvation for me.

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 And among the increasing number of enemies were some of David's closest friends.

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 His most trusted counselor was in this group who had betrayed him.

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 Have you ever experienced that before?

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 Of course you have.

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 Absalom had shrewdly stolen the hearts of the people,

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 and David was keenly aware of how quickly the nation was turning against him.

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 You've got your finger in 2 Samuel, right?

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 Look at chapter 15 and verse 12.

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 Chapter 15 and verse 12.

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 Absalom has gone.

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 There is this feigned attempt to spiritualize his conspiracy.

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 So he's offering sacrifices.

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 And here's what it says is happening.

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 While Absalom was offering sacrifices,

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 he sent for Ahithophel, the Gilanite, David's counselor from his city, Gilo.

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 And the conspiracy grew strong,

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 and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

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 And we come to Psalm 3, and what is it that David's crying out to the Lord?

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 Many, many, many.

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 They keep coming.

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 They keep turning.

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 They're against me.

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 And here's the thing.

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 Their frustration with David's leadership was not unwarranted.

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 This is not about trying to make David out to be innocent or unworthy of confrontation.

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 Neither one of those things is actually true.

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 David was not faithfully leading the nation in this moment.

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 He was not faithfully leading his family at this moment.

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 He had taken a weak position as the king.

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 There was plenty there for him to be confronted about.

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 That's not really the issue.

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 His circumstances resulted as his failures as a believer and as a father and as a king.

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 Still, Absalom and his companions were acting against God in this moment.

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 They're acting against God's anointed in this conspiracy.

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 And it's what they said of David that gives us insight to the heart of the problem.

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 Notice it again in verse 2.

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 Here's what they say.

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 It's a taunt.

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 They're taunting him.

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 There is no salvation for him in God.

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 Were they aware of God's covenant with David?

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 Yeah.

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 Of course they were.

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 Were they concerned about God's covenant with David?

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 Absolutely not.

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 They mocked it.

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 They taunted David.

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 God makes covenant with you.

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 Where is your God now?

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 There is no salvation.

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 He won't help you, David.

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 Your sins are too great.

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 They declare that their attempt to overthrow David would not be hindered either by God's love for him or by the promises that he made to him.

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 This is such a stark contrast to David's own behavior, isn't it?

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 Do you remember earlier in his life?

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 He had been completely justified in man's eyes to take the life of King Saul on many occasions, who himself was trying to kill David.

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 And over and over and over, what does David do?

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 He refuses to kill Saul.

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 Not because Saul wasn't a legitimate enemy.

00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:46.779
 It's not that.

00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:51.899
 It's because David recognized that in that moment, Saul was God's king.

00:17:53.460 --> 00:17:55.099
 David knew his time was coming.

00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:57.639
 He was entrusting himself to the Lord in that.

00:17:57.859 --> 00:17:59.480
 He wasn't going to step in the way of the Lord.

00:17:59.539 --> 00:18:02.659
 He was going to let God deal with Saul in the way that God needed to deal with Saul.

00:18:02.660 --> 00:18:05.240
 And now we see the opposite with Absalom, don't we?

00:18:05.620 --> 00:18:07.980
 Absalom does not act like his father in this moment.

00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:09.320
 He does the opposite.

00:18:09.800 --> 00:18:11.600
 He rejects the covenant of God.

00:18:11.840 --> 00:18:14.120
 He rejects the promises of God.

00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:18.700
 And if we step back and consider the larger storyline of the Bible,

00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:26.500
 Absalom proves himself to be part of the seed of the serpent that we see prophesied in Genesis chapter 3.

00:18:27.340 --> 00:18:32.140
 And he's fighting against David, the seed of the woman.

00:18:32.660 --> 00:18:36.000
 That is prophesied in Genesis 3.

00:18:37.100 --> 00:18:38.920
 They denounced his hope.

00:18:39.900 --> 00:18:42.480
 They cursed and taunted him as God's king.

00:18:42.620 --> 00:18:50.120
 And in so doing, they set themselves up as enemies of God, not merely enemies of David.

00:18:51.220 --> 00:18:58.019
 Now, David's cry is a lament that certainly we can relate to, can we not?

00:18:58.019 --> 00:18:58.099
 Amen.

00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:05.339
 Spend any time at all living publicly as a committed Christian,

00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:10.379
 and you will soon find that the many foes are increasing around you.

00:19:10.380 --> 00:19:16.420
 Even potentially the loss of those who are closest to you.

00:19:17.220 --> 00:19:28.640
 Family, friends, trusted coworkers and colleagues and friendships that you've had maybe for your entire life turn against you.

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:33.780
 I've had enough conversations with many of you to know that you know this experience well.

00:19:36.180 --> 00:19:38.580
 Isn't this what Jesus told us to expect?

00:19:38.579 --> 00:19:42.460
 Matthew chapter 10, Jesus says,

00:19:42.460 --> 00:19:45.259
 Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.

00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:48.460
 I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

00:19:49.840 --> 00:19:56.980
 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

00:19:57.380 --> 00:19:59.279
 That probably didn't take a whole lot of work.

00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:05.779
 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household, Jesus said.

00:20:06.019 --> 00:20:09.740
 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.

00:20:09.899 --> 00:20:13.160
 Whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

00:20:13.299 --> 00:20:17.740
 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

00:20:18.299 --> 00:20:20.339
 Whoever finds his life will lose it.

00:20:20.839 --> 00:20:23.740
 And whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

00:20:24.579 --> 00:20:27.379
 This is exactly what Jesus told us to expect.

00:20:27.899 --> 00:20:29.139
 What does he mean here?

00:20:30.139 --> 00:20:34.359
 He means that faithfulness to him is going to make a lot of enemies that you never thought you would have.

00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:44.200
 That to repent truly and follow after Christ will cost you everything.

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:48.399
 It might cost you your relationship with your parents.

00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:51.339
 It might cost you your relationship with your children.

00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:54.279
 It might cost you your relationship with your friends.

00:20:54.460 --> 00:20:56.220
 It might cost you your job.

00:20:56.539 --> 00:20:58.700
 It might cost you your stand in the community.

00:20:58.700 --> 00:21:03.080
 It might very well cost you everything that right now you hold dear.

00:21:03.079 --> 00:21:08.799
 And the question then becomes, is Jesus worth all of that?

00:21:09.919 --> 00:21:11.399
 Is he worth all of that?

00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:14.220
 Paul judged that he was.

00:21:15.159 --> 00:21:18.579
 In fact, losing everything is exactly what Paul experienced.

00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:21.159
 He tells us about it in Philippians chapter 3.

00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:23.820
 He says, all of those things I once counted as gain.

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:25.300
 I count them as trash.

00:21:25.580 --> 00:21:26.420
 As rubbish.

00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:29.980
 That I might know Christ.

00:21:30.860 --> 00:21:31.759
 The treasure.

00:21:32.800 --> 00:21:34.279
 The pearl of great price.

00:21:34.279 --> 00:21:42.899
 Certainly, some of what we experience really just reflects the consequences of our own sin.

00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:45.960
 There is a piece of that with David here we can't ignore.

00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:51.079
 But the truth is we have a fierce spiritual enemy.

00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:55.460
 The seed of the serpent is all around us.

00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:57.919
 And they taunt us.

00:21:58.919 --> 00:22:02.639
 They taunt our faith in the way that David's enemies taunted his.

00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:08.399
 And here, David reminds us that this is not something new.

00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:15.640
 And he shows us an example of how to properly respond when it happens.

00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:17.820
 That brings us to the second point.

00:22:18.680 --> 00:22:20.620
 We not only see hope denounced.

00:22:20.900 --> 00:22:24.400
 But now we see from David's perspective, hope determined.

00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:25.880
 Hope determined.

00:22:26.800 --> 00:22:27.500
 Look at verse 3.

00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:30.640
 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me.

00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:33.840
 My glory and the lifter up of my head.

00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:36.220
 I cried aloud to the Lord.

00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:38.519
 And he answered me from his holy hill.

00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:40.779
 Selah, think about it.

00:22:40.940 --> 00:22:41.400
 Pause.

00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:41.980
 Reflect.

00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:49.799
 David is boldly determining the nature of true hope here.

00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:56.700
 In his prayer here, he argues against the enemies before God.

00:22:57.539 --> 00:23:01.680
 He essentially says, God, many are saying that I have no salvation in you.

00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:02.759
 I have no hope in you.

00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:05.140
 But, O Lord, you are my shield.

00:23:06.220 --> 00:23:07.440
 You are my glory.

00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:11.339
 Anything good of my reputation, that's you, God.

00:23:12.140 --> 00:23:17.279
 You are the one who lifts up my head in my suffering and in my discouragements.

00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:25.539
 And in determining where his hope was rooted, notice, David does not appeal to his own ingenuity.

00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:28.440
 He doesn't appeal to personal grit.

00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:34.779
 He doesn't appeal to the power to persuade others in the way Absalom had persuaded them.

00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:41.259
 His hope, ultimately, did not rest in himself or in any other human strategy.

00:23:41.660 --> 00:23:48.139
 His hope and his confidence was in God, his shield, his glory, his sustainer.

00:23:48.140 --> 00:23:54.200
 And this confident hope in God, it was not only part of his reflections in Psalm 3.

00:23:54.520 --> 00:24:00.440
 It shines in the heat of the moment as we reflect on 2 Samuel chapter 16.

00:24:00.440 --> 00:24:07.840
 As he fled from Jerusalem, there was a man named Shammai who walked alongside of David's convoy.

00:24:09.160 --> 00:24:12.259
 And as they're walking, this man, Shammai, was a Benjamite.

00:24:12.320 --> 00:24:14.779
 He was from perhaps maybe the line of Saul.

00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:17.360
 And he's yelling curses at David.

00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:26.859
 Cursing David as he goes, rejoicing in the fact that David is having to leave and that Absalom is coming in behind him to take over the throne.

00:24:27.959 --> 00:24:34.339
 And David, in the midst of that, continues to entrust himself and his circumstances to God's judgment.

00:24:34.719 --> 00:24:37.500
 Look at chapter 16, verse 9.

00:24:38.719 --> 00:24:43.939
 This is after, as Shammai is doing this, this is the response of David's servants.

00:24:43.940 --> 00:24:48.900
 Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king,

00:24:49.700 --> 00:24:53.200
 Why should this dead dog curse my lord, the king?

00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:55.860
 Let me go over and take off his head.

00:24:56.700 --> 00:24:59.440
 Now, you're thankful for friends like this, right?

00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:07.720
 Andy said of Amy one time that she is a fierce friend and a fierce foe.

00:25:07.900 --> 00:25:10.120
 And that's very true.

00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:11.519
 We want friends like this.

00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:16.779
 We want friends that when enemies are coming against us, stand in the gap in between us and say,

00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:19.799
 Jared, just let me take their head off, right?

00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:21.660
 That's what Abishai is doing for David.

00:25:21.900 --> 00:25:23.099
 Notice what David says.

00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.440
 But the king said,

00:25:25.299 --> 00:25:27.720
 What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?

00:25:28.859 --> 00:25:33.279
 If he's cursing because the Lord has said to him, curse David,

00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:37.500
 who then shall say, why have you done so?

00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:39.879
 Do you see what David's doing here?

00:25:39.880 --> 00:25:44.220
 He's committing his entire circumstance to the Lord.

00:25:46.920 --> 00:25:49.660
 David said to Abishai and to all his servants now.

00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:53.180
 It's like he gathers them all around now so he can just make it clear.

00:25:54.140 --> 00:25:57.060
 Behold, my own son seeks my life.

00:25:57.860 --> 00:26:00.260
 How much more now may this Benjaminite?

00:26:01.200 --> 00:26:01.940
 Leave him alone.

00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:05.400
 Let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:10.360
 It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me

00:26:10.360 --> 00:26:14.480
 and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.

00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:17.360
 So David and his men went on the road

00:26:17.360 --> 00:26:21.140
 while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him

00:26:21.140 --> 00:26:24.740
 and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust at him.

00:26:24.740 --> 00:26:29.779
 He endures the taunting of his enemy

00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:37.240
 and submits himself and his circumstance entirely to the Lord.

00:26:39.299 --> 00:26:41.200
 That's pretty amazing, isn't it?

00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:44.799
 Put yourself in the context of ancient Israel.

00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:49.119
 In that culture, it would have been completely justifiable

00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:51.359
 for David to have this man killed.

00:26:52.379 --> 00:26:53.500
 He doesn't do that.

00:26:53.579 --> 00:26:55.019
 It's within his power to do it.

00:26:55.619 --> 00:26:56.599
 He doesn't do it.

00:26:57.220 --> 00:27:00.980
 He says, we'll let God decide who's right and who's wrong here.

00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:02.419
 That's quite amazing.

00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:06.759
 Absalom and his co-conspiracers, they denounced God's covenant,

00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:10.160
 but still David's hope rested on God's promises.

00:27:11.700 --> 00:27:15.660
 And he entrusted his life to the one who had always protected him

00:27:15.660 --> 00:27:18.480
 and blessed him and sustained him.

00:27:19.879 --> 00:27:22.480
 Now, David's cry in verse 4

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:29.200
 refers to a particular situation that's unfolding in 2 Samuel.

00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:31.980
 While fleeing from Jerusalem,

00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:35.339
 David was told about a close confidant

00:27:35.339 --> 00:27:38.079
 who had changed his allegiances to Absalom.

00:27:39.159 --> 00:27:42.019
 And what David cries to the Lord here in verse 4

00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:44.599
 is a reflection of his cry in that chapter.

00:27:45.220 --> 00:27:48.779
 Look at chapter 15 now and verse 31.

00:27:49.980 --> 00:27:51.659
 Chapter 15 and verse 31.

00:27:52.139 --> 00:27:54.159
 Now, David is leaving Jerusalem now.

00:27:56.859 --> 00:27:58.539
 And it was told David,

00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:03.000
 Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:06.859
 And then David immediately goes to the Lord.

00:28:07.960 --> 00:28:08.539
 Oh Lord,

00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:12.140
 please turn the counsel of Ahithophel

00:28:12.140 --> 00:28:13.960
 into foolishness.

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:17.519
 Or as it's stated in Psalm 3 and verse 4,

00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:20.539
 I cried to the Lord.

00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:22.279
 This is the cry.

00:28:23.700 --> 00:28:26.680
 Now, Ahithophel had been David's trusted counselor.

00:28:27.339 --> 00:28:29.460
 He was highly regarded for his wisdom.

00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:32.500
 In fact, if you look at chapter 16 and verse 23,

00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:35.940
 notice how the people viewed Ahithophel's counsel.

00:28:37.079 --> 00:28:38.079
 Now, in those days,

00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:39.960
 this is chapter 16 and verse 23.

00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:41.079
 Now, in those days,

00:28:41.180 --> 00:28:42.900
 the counsel that Ahithophel gave

00:28:42.900 --> 00:28:46.319
 was as if one consulted the word of God.

00:28:47.600 --> 00:28:50.039
 So was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed

00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:52.680
 by both David and by Absalom.

00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:57.299
 You've met people before that are always right.

00:28:57.299 --> 00:28:59.359
 They at least think they're always right.

00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:01.220
 Talk as if they're always right.

00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:02.480
 Ahithophel was always right.

00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:04.119
 That's the thing.

00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:07.339
 God had so blessed his counsel

00:29:07.339 --> 00:29:08.639
 that the people looked at it

00:29:08.639 --> 00:29:10.259
 as if it was on par with the scriptures,

00:29:10.379 --> 00:29:11.940
 as if he was a prophet of God.

00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:13.500
 Because everything that he counseled,

00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:14.519
 it just worked out.

00:29:14.680 --> 00:29:16.500
 And David knew it.

00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:20.319
 And now that Ahithophel was loyal to Absalom,

00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:22.879
 David knew he was in grave danger here.

00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:26.800
 Ahithophel would counsel Absalom

00:29:26.800 --> 00:29:29.620
 to do precisely what was necessary

00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:31.460
 to defeat David and take the throne.

00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:32.860
 So what does David do?

00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:35.040
 He cast his hope on the Lord.

00:29:35.360 --> 00:29:37.200
 And what is it that he cries to the Lord?

00:29:37.700 --> 00:29:40.560
 Lord, let Ahithophel's counsel

00:29:40.560 --> 00:29:43.320
 seem like foolishness to Absalom.

00:29:43.780 --> 00:29:45.380
 Turn it against him, Lord.

00:29:45.520 --> 00:29:47.700
 Don't let them listen to Ahithophel.

00:29:47.700 --> 00:29:52.660
 Now, just as a side note here

00:29:52.660 --> 00:29:53.940
 as we're thinking about this,

00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:59.200
 trusting God in the way that David did here,

00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:05.980
 it does not negate the necessity of action on our part.

00:30:07.140 --> 00:30:09.259
 Trusting God doesn't mean that you don't do anything.

00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:11.100
 David proves it.

00:30:11.120 --> 00:30:12.140
 I'll show you in just a second.

00:30:12.140 --> 00:30:15.759
 There are times when we must,

00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:17.420
 as we would quote,

00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:20.580
 be still and know that he's the Lord

00:30:20.580 --> 00:30:22.580
 and just let the Lord deal with everything.

00:30:23.580 --> 00:30:25.620
 There are times when that's all that you can do.

00:30:26.780 --> 00:30:28.259
 David shows us here, though,

00:30:28.900 --> 00:30:33.880
 that deep faith does not preclude personal action.

00:30:35.320 --> 00:30:36.680
 His trust was in the Lord,

00:30:37.320 --> 00:30:38.620
 not in his own plan,

00:30:38.619 --> 00:30:41.859
 but that didn't mean he had to sit idly by.

00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:46.019
 Think of the one who has lost his job

00:30:46.019 --> 00:30:48.179
 and he knows that he needs a new job

00:30:48.179 --> 00:30:49.119
 and so he prays,

00:30:49.159 --> 00:30:50.539
 he gets on his knees before the Lord

00:30:50.539 --> 00:30:51.139
 and he prays,

00:30:51.199 --> 00:30:52.979
 Lord, will you please give me a job?

00:30:53.719 --> 00:30:55.979
 Will you please allow me to have some kind of income

00:30:55.979 --> 00:30:57.839
 so that I might care for my family?

00:30:57.939 --> 00:30:59.179
 And then he gets up off of his knees

00:30:59.179 --> 00:31:02.439
 and he sits on the couch very quietly by the phone

00:31:02.439 --> 00:31:04.259
 and he just waits for the phone to ring.

00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:06.319
 And the phone never rings.

00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:08.679
 Why does the phone never ring?

00:31:10.139 --> 00:31:13.500
 Because he never filled out an application for a job.

00:31:13.859 --> 00:31:16.279
 He never updated his resume and sent it out anywhere.

00:31:16.359 --> 00:31:19.700
 He never even opened the classifieds on the newspaper,

00:31:19.859 --> 00:31:21.019
 if you can even still do that,

00:31:21.379 --> 00:31:23.779
 and looked to see what might actually be available out there.

00:31:24.039 --> 00:31:26.519
 He trusts the Lord, but he does nothing.

00:31:27.960 --> 00:31:30.019
 Now, can God just give you a job out of nowhere?

00:31:30.259 --> 00:31:31.379
 Of course he can.

00:31:31.619 --> 00:31:33.000
 Does God often work that way?

00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:34.119
 Almost never.

00:31:35.619 --> 00:31:36.480
 Almost never.

00:31:39.240 --> 00:31:40.859
 David proves it.

00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:43.500
 He trusted God's promises.

00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:46.759
 He cast himself wholly on the Lord.

00:31:47.420 --> 00:31:51.279
 And then he acted in accordance with those promises.

00:31:51.279 --> 00:31:56.220
 After praying for God to turn Ahithophel's counsel,

00:31:56.359 --> 00:31:58.200
 David sent another friend,

00:31:58.899 --> 00:32:00.099
 Hushai is his name,

00:32:00.759 --> 00:32:04.379
 to spy and to counsel opposite of Ahithophel.

00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:07.899
 Look at chapter 15, verse 32.

00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:11.559
 While David was coming to the summit where God was worshipped,

00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:14.899
 behold, Hushai the archite came to meet him

00:32:14.899 --> 00:32:16.740
 with his coat torn and dirt on his head.

00:32:16.819 --> 00:32:19.319
 That's a sign of he's identifying with David's suffering.

00:32:19.460 --> 00:32:19.899
 He's mourning.

00:32:19.900 --> 00:32:21.220
 David said to him,

00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:23.620
 If you go with me, you'll be a burden to me.

00:32:24.420 --> 00:32:27.259
 But if you go back to the city and say to Absalom,

00:32:27.380 --> 00:32:28.800
 I will be your servant, O king,

00:32:29.040 --> 00:32:31.900
 as I have been your father's servant in time past,

00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:33.840
 so now I will be your servant.

00:32:34.620 --> 00:32:37.240
 Then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

00:32:38.340 --> 00:32:40.840
 Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priest with you there?

00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:42.580
 So whatever you hear from the king's house,

00:32:42.680 --> 00:32:44.920
 tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priest.

00:32:45.220 --> 00:32:46.960
 Behold, their two sons are with them there.

00:32:46.960 --> 00:32:50.460
 Ahimah, Zadok's son, Jonathan, Abiathar's son,

00:32:50.620 --> 00:32:53.400
 and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:57.740
 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city

00:32:57.740 --> 00:33:00.779
 just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

00:33:00.900 --> 00:33:04.900
 So Absalom's unaware of Hushai's plan.

00:33:05.880 --> 00:33:08.920
 Now, when does David put this action into place?

00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:12.980
 Immediately after, he cries out to the Lord and says,

00:33:13.100 --> 00:33:16.140
 Lord, would you please turn Ahithophel's counsel against him?

00:33:17.340 --> 00:33:20.279
 David trusts, he prays,

00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:22.640
 and then he acts in accordance with that.

00:33:23.420 --> 00:33:25.420
 And his hope is not in the plan itself.

00:33:26.140 --> 00:33:30.380
 His hope is in God using that plan to save him.

00:33:31.800 --> 00:33:35.380
 So David's cry was for God to turn Ahithophel's counsel,

00:33:35.380 --> 00:33:38.740
 and that's exactly what God used Hushai to do.

00:33:39.800 --> 00:33:43.000
 As he says in Psalm 3 and verse 4,

00:33:43.640 --> 00:33:46.040
 the Lord answered David from his holy hill.

00:33:46.800 --> 00:33:49.120
 We were introduced to this holy hill in Psalm 2.

00:33:49.400 --> 00:33:53.740
 It's the place where God rules and reigns.

00:33:53.960 --> 00:33:56.520
 He's appealing to God as the righteous judge here.

00:33:57.700 --> 00:33:58.900
 Oh, God, do this.

00:33:59.160 --> 00:34:00.060
 And what does God do?

00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:04.520
 Chapter 17, 2 Samuel, and verse 14.

00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:09.659
 After this back and forth between Ahithophel and Hushai

00:34:09.659 --> 00:34:11.400
 in the presence of Absalom,

00:34:12.099 --> 00:34:12.920
 here's what they do.

00:34:13.179 --> 00:34:14.780
 Absalom and all the men of Israel,

00:34:14.900 --> 00:34:15.659
 all of his advisors,

00:34:16.340 --> 00:34:16.920
 they said this,

00:34:17.000 --> 00:34:18.480
 the counsel of Hushai the archite

00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:21.099
 is better than the counsel of Hithophel.

00:34:21.800 --> 00:34:23.280
 If you read the story,

00:34:23.420 --> 00:34:25.079
 you'll realize that's not true.

00:34:26.699 --> 00:34:30.079
 Ahithophel's counsel would have been much more successful.

00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:34.119
 But why did he not take it?

00:34:34.900 --> 00:34:36.219
 Look at verse 14.

00:34:37.239 --> 00:34:38.539
 The Lord had ordained

00:34:38.539 --> 00:34:41.219
 to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel

00:34:41.219 --> 00:34:45.340
 so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.

00:34:46.779 --> 00:34:48.900
 Now, that's a long time to get to this point.

00:34:49.779 --> 00:34:50.819
 But the point is this.

00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:52.840
 All of David's enemies are saying,

00:34:52.920 --> 00:34:53.960
 he has no hope in God.

00:34:54.299 --> 00:34:55.079
 What does David say?

00:34:55.159 --> 00:34:57.279
 No, my hope is God.

00:34:58.719 --> 00:34:59.860
 He is my hope.

00:35:00.759 --> 00:35:01.880
 He is my shield.

00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:03.460
 He is my glory.

00:35:03.579 --> 00:35:05.840
 And upon reflection of this moment in his life,

00:35:05.880 --> 00:35:07.099
 he thinks back and he says,

00:35:07.139 --> 00:35:07.960
 I can prove it.

00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:09.739
 The very moment they told me

00:35:09.739 --> 00:35:11.119
 that Ahithophel was against me,

00:35:11.139 --> 00:35:13.099
 I cried to the Lord and I sent Hushai.

00:35:13.279 --> 00:35:16.119
 And this is exactly what God did for me.

00:35:16.179 --> 00:35:18.840
 He heard me out of his holy hill.

00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:21.819
 They trust God's promises

00:35:21.820 --> 00:35:24.220
 and then he acts in accordance with them.

00:35:24.900 --> 00:35:28.019
 And God proved himself to be faithful.

00:35:30.640 --> 00:35:35.700
 You know that the God that was so faithful to David

00:35:35.700 --> 00:35:41.160
 is also the God who will be faithful to you.

00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:45.079
 The kind of confidence

00:35:45.079 --> 00:35:48.179
 that David had in Yahweh

00:35:48.179 --> 00:35:50.579
 is the same confidence

00:35:50.579 --> 00:35:52.579
 that you should have in him.

00:35:55.739 --> 00:35:57.859
 The world says the only real hope

00:35:57.859 --> 00:35:59.199
 that any of us can have,

00:35:59.619 --> 00:36:01.539
 if there is hope to have,

00:36:02.299 --> 00:36:04.119
 it's going to have to be found

00:36:04.119 --> 00:36:06.000
 from somewhere deep within ourselves.

00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:08.940
 That it certainly wouldn't be

00:36:08.940 --> 00:36:10.380
 from some celestial being

00:36:10.380 --> 00:36:12.179
 who may or may not be there.

00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:16.420
 But that's a lie.

00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:20.639
 That's the way of the wicked.

00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:22.760
 That's described for us

00:36:22.760 --> 00:36:24.159
 in Psalm 1 and Psalm 2.

00:36:25.019 --> 00:36:28.159
 That's the way that Absalom walked.

00:36:29.920 --> 00:36:31.980
 But the truth is that God himself

00:36:31.980 --> 00:36:35.380
 is our shield and our glory.

00:36:35.380 --> 00:36:37.280
 He's the one that lifts our heads

00:36:37.280 --> 00:36:38.980
 in our suffering.

00:36:40.079 --> 00:36:41.880
 And you can trust his promises.

00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:45.440
 And if you act according to his promises,

00:36:45.960 --> 00:36:47.760
 in obedience with his word,

00:36:48.360 --> 00:36:51.360
 he will always prove faithful.

00:36:53.240 --> 00:36:55.940
 Number three, hope declared.

00:36:56.440 --> 00:36:57.440
 So there's hope denounced

00:36:57.440 --> 00:36:58.340
 in the first two verses.

00:36:58.720 --> 00:36:59.640
 There's hope determined.

00:36:59.820 --> 00:37:00.420
 David determines,

00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:01.440
 no, God is my hope.

00:37:01.720 --> 00:37:02.800
 In verses three and four,

00:37:02.800 --> 00:37:04.500
 and then finally hope is declared

00:37:04.500 --> 00:37:06.480
 by David in verses five through eight.

00:37:07.580 --> 00:37:08.200
 He says,

00:37:08.280 --> 00:37:09.480
 I laid down and slept.

00:37:11.220 --> 00:37:12.200
 I woke again.

00:37:13.580 --> 00:37:15.840
 For the Lord sustained me.

00:37:17.060 --> 00:37:18.320
 I will not be afraid

00:37:18.320 --> 00:37:19.800
 of many thousands of people

00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:20.740
 who have set themselves

00:37:20.740 --> 00:37:21.940
 against me all around.

00:37:22.420 --> 00:37:24.440
 Arise, O Lord, save me.

00:37:24.780 --> 00:37:26.360
 Oh my God.

00:37:27.400 --> 00:37:29.220
 For you strike all my enemies

00:37:29.220 --> 00:37:29.860
 on the cheek.

00:37:30.120 --> 00:37:31.840
 You break the teeth of the wicked.

00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:35.039
 Salvation belongs to the Lord.

00:37:35.660 --> 00:37:37.200
 Your blessing be on your people.

00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:38.420
 Selah.

00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:39.260
 Think about that.

00:37:40.460 --> 00:37:42.920
 Let it marinate, David says.

00:37:43.780 --> 00:37:44.579
 What I just said.

00:37:46.579 --> 00:37:48.519
 This final movement of the psalm,

00:37:49.220 --> 00:37:50.440
 really what we see David doing

00:37:50.440 --> 00:37:51.800
 is bursting into praise.

00:37:52.180 --> 00:37:54.079
 It's a lament that ends really

00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:55.740
 in quite astounding worship,

00:37:55.860 --> 00:37:56.320
 doesn't it?

00:37:56.320 --> 00:37:58.400
 In verse five,

00:37:58.519 --> 00:38:00.000
 he declares to his enemies

00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:02.700
 that the Lord sustained him.

00:38:03.580 --> 00:38:05.360
 If you're still in second Samuel,

00:38:05.880 --> 00:38:07.880
 look at chapter 17 and verse 21.

00:38:09.480 --> 00:38:10.600
 After they had gone,

00:38:10.700 --> 00:38:12.059
 the men came up out of the well.

00:38:12.360 --> 00:38:13.260
 You'll have to go back

00:38:13.260 --> 00:38:13.840
 and read it yourself

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:14.980
 to figure out why there were men

00:38:14.980 --> 00:38:15.700
 hiding in a well.

00:38:15.699 --> 00:38:17.500
 And they went

00:38:17.500 --> 00:38:18.359
 and they told King David

00:38:18.359 --> 00:38:19.179
 and they said to David,

00:38:19.339 --> 00:38:20.399
 Arise and go quickly

00:38:20.399 --> 00:38:21.119
 over the water

00:38:21.119 --> 00:38:22.399
 for thus and so

00:38:22.399 --> 00:38:23.119
 has Ahithophel

00:38:23.119 --> 00:38:24.219
 counseled against you.

00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:26.000
 Then David arose

00:38:26.000 --> 00:38:26.739
 and all the people

00:38:26.739 --> 00:38:27.519
 who were with him

00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:28.659
 and they crossed the Jordan.

00:38:28.779 --> 00:38:29.739
 And here's the sentence

00:38:29.739 --> 00:38:30.659
 that I love so much.

00:38:30.980 --> 00:38:31.799
 By daybreak,

00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:34.199
 not one was left

00:38:34.199 --> 00:38:35.919
 who had not crossed the Jordan.

00:38:37.059 --> 00:38:37.879
 Not one.

00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:39.799
 The Lord sustained him.

00:38:39.859 --> 00:38:40.419
 I laid down.

00:38:40.500 --> 00:38:41.019
 I went to sleep.

00:38:41.099 --> 00:38:41.659
 I woke again.

00:38:41.739 --> 00:38:43.579
 The Lord sustained us.

00:38:43.579 --> 00:38:45.759
 Not one of us was lost.

00:38:47.400 --> 00:38:49.420
 Look down at verses 27

00:38:49.420 --> 00:38:50.759
 and 20 through 29.

00:38:51.079 --> 00:38:51.819
 Same chapter.

00:38:52.599 --> 00:38:53.579
 When David came to Mahanaim,

00:38:54.219 --> 00:38:54.819
 that's where he went

00:38:54.819 --> 00:38:55.480
 from that moment,

00:38:55.960 --> 00:38:57.599
 Shobbi the son of Nahash

00:38:57.599 --> 00:38:59.659
 from Rabbah of the Ammonites

00:38:59.659 --> 00:39:02.039
 and Machir the son of Amiel

00:39:02.039 --> 00:39:02.819
 from Lodabar

00:39:02.819 --> 00:39:04.299
 and Barzillai the Gileadite

00:39:04.299 --> 00:39:05.500
 from Rogalim

00:39:05.500 --> 00:39:07.860
 brought beds and basins

00:39:07.860 --> 00:39:08.880
 and earthen vessels,

00:39:09.579 --> 00:39:11.500
 wheat, barley, flour,

00:39:11.920 --> 00:39:13.219
 parched grain, beans,

00:39:13.659 --> 00:39:15.079
 lentils, honey, and curds

00:39:15.079 --> 00:39:16.079
 and sheep and cheese

00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:16.759
 from the herd

00:39:16.759 --> 00:39:19.279
 for David and the people

00:39:19.279 --> 00:39:19.799
 with him

00:39:19.799 --> 00:39:21.319
 so that they might eat

00:39:21.319 --> 00:39:22.939
 for they said

00:39:22.939 --> 00:39:23.899
 the people are hungry

00:39:23.899 --> 00:39:24.379
 and weary

00:39:24.379 --> 00:39:25.480
 and thirsty in the wilderness.

00:39:26.379 --> 00:39:27.399
 And what does David say

00:39:27.399 --> 00:39:28.279
 upon reflection?

00:39:29.399 --> 00:39:30.059
 I went to bed.

00:39:30.839 --> 00:39:31.519
 I woke up.

00:39:32.219 --> 00:39:33.059
 The Lord sustained me.

00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:35.579
 Was that a difficult season?

00:39:36.219 --> 00:39:36.659
 Yep.

00:39:36.659 --> 00:39:40.399
 My own son was trying to kill me.

00:39:41.460 --> 00:39:44.259
 I had to leave the city that I love.

00:39:44.920 --> 00:39:46.420
 I had to flee the throne

00:39:46.420 --> 00:39:47.679
 that God had given me.

00:39:48.859 --> 00:39:49.859
 Everyone around me,

00:39:49.899 --> 00:39:51.159
 my wives, my children,

00:39:51.279 --> 00:39:51.759
 my servants,

00:39:51.899 --> 00:39:52.779
 they're all starving.

00:39:54.679 --> 00:39:56.099
 It was one of the most difficult times

00:39:56.099 --> 00:39:57.039
 of David's life.

00:39:58.099 --> 00:39:59.379
 But what is it that he says

00:39:59.379 --> 00:40:00.219
 upon reflection?

00:40:00.219 --> 00:40:03.079
 The Lord sustained me.

00:40:03.899 --> 00:40:05.859
 He was there for me.

00:40:06.579 --> 00:40:07.799
 He helped me.

00:40:07.800 --> 00:40:10.900
 In verse 6,

00:40:11.019 --> 00:40:12.180
 David declares that

00:40:12.180 --> 00:40:14.100
 because of God's goodness,

00:40:14.960 --> 00:40:16.440
 no amount of enemies

00:40:16.440 --> 00:40:18.200
 can overthrow those

00:40:18.200 --> 00:40:19.200
 who belong to God.

00:40:20.640 --> 00:40:23.160
 He so trusted God's promises

00:40:23.160 --> 00:40:24.400
 that he did not fear

00:40:24.400 --> 00:40:26.380
 the many thousands of people

00:40:26.380 --> 00:40:28.000
 who had turned against him.

00:40:28.800 --> 00:40:31.019
 In the opening verses of the psalm,

00:40:31.580 --> 00:40:34.140
 many foes rise against David.

00:40:34.420 --> 00:40:35.420
 But in verse 7,

00:40:35.420 --> 00:40:38.260
 he confidently calls on the Lord

00:40:38.260 --> 00:40:40.639
 to rise against his enemies,

00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:43.820
 acknowledging that God always defeats

00:40:43.820 --> 00:40:45.019
 those who reject him.

00:40:45.980 --> 00:40:47.619
 And then finally in verse 8,

00:40:48.400 --> 00:40:49.700
 David reminds us

00:40:49.700 --> 00:40:52.280
 that it is the decision of the Lord,

00:40:52.599 --> 00:40:53.840
 not the enemy,

00:40:54.159 --> 00:40:55.380
 that ultimately matters.

00:40:56.320 --> 00:40:57.039
 What does he say?

00:40:57.880 --> 00:40:59.599
 Salvation belongs to the Lord.

00:41:01.260 --> 00:41:03.019
 And the opposite of that is true.

00:41:03.019 --> 00:41:06.940
 judgment belongs to the Lord as well.

00:41:09.800 --> 00:41:11.940
 Let's just take a moment

00:41:11.940 --> 00:41:15.860
 and let the weight of that last sentence

00:41:15.860 --> 00:41:18.980
 burden us.

00:41:21.239 --> 00:41:23.159
 What is it that David prays?

00:41:24.579 --> 00:41:26.960
 Your blessing be on your people, God.

00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:29.079
 Your salvation,

00:41:29.800 --> 00:41:31.380
 your help,

00:41:32.139 --> 00:41:33.860
 come to your people.

00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:38.579
 To pray for God's blessing on his people

00:41:38.579 --> 00:41:42.179
 is to also ask for God's judgment

00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:43.639
 on his enemies.

00:41:45.179 --> 00:41:47.059
 You can't have one without the other.

00:41:47.059 --> 00:41:50.360
 In this case,

00:41:51.019 --> 00:41:53.559
 that enemy is David's own son,

00:41:54.400 --> 00:41:57.400
 whom he loved,

00:41:57.619 --> 00:41:58.460
 by the way.

00:42:02.400 --> 00:42:03.199
 Many of us,

00:42:03.299 --> 00:42:06.139
 we know the complex array of emotions

00:42:06.139 --> 00:42:07.400
 in a prayer like this.

00:42:07.400 --> 00:42:10.200
 to affirm

00:42:10.200 --> 00:42:12.380
 and even desire

00:42:12.380 --> 00:42:13.539
 for God's blessing

00:42:13.539 --> 00:42:14.380
 on the faithful

00:42:14.380 --> 00:42:17.380
 requires that we also recognize

00:42:17.380 --> 00:42:19.059
 the inevitability

00:42:19.059 --> 00:42:20.320
 of God's judgment

00:42:20.320 --> 00:42:21.180
 against those

00:42:21.180 --> 00:42:22.119
 that we actually care

00:42:22.119 --> 00:42:23.059
 very deeply about.

00:42:25.619 --> 00:42:27.019
 Some of you have people

00:42:27.019 --> 00:42:29.460
 that you love more than anybody else

00:42:29.460 --> 00:42:30.079
 on this planet.

00:42:30.920 --> 00:42:32.119
 And if they died today,

00:42:32.860 --> 00:42:33.960
 they'd spend an eternity

00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:35.059
 in hell.

00:42:35.059 --> 00:42:39.900
 And it's hard for you to pray

00:42:39.900 --> 00:42:41.940
 prayers like this

00:42:41.940 --> 00:42:43.079
 because you know

00:42:43.079 --> 00:42:45.219
 that a prayer for God's faithfulness

00:42:45.219 --> 00:42:46.480
 on his own people

00:42:46.480 --> 00:42:48.179
 is a prayer for God's judgment

00:42:48.179 --> 00:42:49.779
 on those who are not his people.

00:42:51.980 --> 00:42:53.579
 And the conflict of this

00:42:53.579 --> 00:42:54.679
 in our emotions,

00:42:54.880 --> 00:42:56.360
 it's really an emotional conflict

00:42:56.360 --> 00:42:58.619
 more than an intellectual conflict.

00:42:59.960 --> 00:43:01.539
 The conflict of our emotions,

00:43:01.659 --> 00:43:02.739
 it leads us to temptation.

00:43:05.059 --> 00:43:05.759
 On one hand,

00:43:05.860 --> 00:43:07.799
 it tempts us to soften

00:43:07.799 --> 00:43:09.719
 the sting of truth

00:43:09.719 --> 00:43:12.639
 by altering the gospel message

00:43:12.639 --> 00:43:14.980
 or diminishing in some way

00:43:14.980 --> 00:43:16.320
 the reality of God's wrath.

00:43:17.420 --> 00:43:19.119
 That's one side of the temptation.

00:43:20.119 --> 00:43:22.179
 We love our family so much,

00:43:22.239 --> 00:43:23.320
 we love our friends so much,

00:43:23.440 --> 00:43:25.920
 and so we don't burden them

00:43:25.920 --> 00:43:26.759
 with thoughts of judgment.

00:43:27.539 --> 00:43:29.679
 We leave out parts of the gospel

00:43:29.679 --> 00:43:31.659
 that are not as palatable

00:43:31.659 --> 00:43:32.779
 as other parts.

00:43:32.780 --> 00:43:35.960
 We diminish in our theology

00:43:35.960 --> 00:43:37.660
 the fact that God,

00:43:38.560 --> 00:43:39.180
 while loving,

00:43:39.240 --> 00:43:40.300
 is also wrathful.

00:43:42.440 --> 00:43:44.200
 There's a second temptation, though.

00:43:44.280 --> 00:43:45.740
 We may also be tempted,

00:43:46.240 --> 00:43:47.140
 even in ourselves,

00:43:47.320 --> 00:43:49.540
 to reject the truth of the gospel

00:43:49.540 --> 00:43:52.540
 based on anger,

00:43:52.539 --> 00:43:55.599
 maybe dissatisfaction

00:43:55.599 --> 00:43:57.320
 with the way that God

00:43:57.320 --> 00:43:58.320
 has chosen to work.

00:43:59.039 --> 00:44:00.179
 It's not that we deny

00:44:00.179 --> 00:44:01.360
 what the scripture says,

00:44:01.420 --> 00:44:02.000
 it's just we say,

00:44:02.079 --> 00:44:04.079
 wait, I can't accept a God

00:44:04.079 --> 00:44:05.320
 who would act like that.

00:44:05.360 --> 00:44:06.219
 I prefer a God

00:44:06.219 --> 00:44:07.199
 who would act in the way

00:44:07.199 --> 00:44:09.340
 that I want Him to act,

00:44:09.500 --> 00:44:11.480
 and we push against it.

00:44:12.480 --> 00:44:13.539
 We push against it.

00:44:15.119 --> 00:44:16.460
 Can I just remind you

00:44:16.460 --> 00:44:17.519
 that the burden

00:44:17.519 --> 00:44:18.559
 of this kind of prayer

00:44:18.559 --> 00:44:20.099
 was familiar to our Lord?

00:44:20.099 --> 00:44:22.559
 We talked about it

00:44:22.559 --> 00:44:24.480
 in Psalm 2 briefly last week,

00:44:24.599 --> 00:44:25.839
 that God's holiness

00:44:25.839 --> 00:44:27.599
 makes His judgment necessary.

00:44:28.059 --> 00:44:29.940
 If God didn't judge sin,

00:44:30.559 --> 00:44:31.940
 then He wouldn't be holy,

00:44:32.119 --> 00:44:32.759
 He wouldn't be perfect,

00:44:32.819 --> 00:44:33.559
 He wouldn't be God.

00:44:34.559 --> 00:44:36.239
 But God doesn't delight

00:44:36.239 --> 00:44:38.519
 in the destruction of the wicked.

00:44:38.659 --> 00:44:40.699
 We see that in Ezekiel 33, 11.

00:44:40.759 --> 00:44:41.799
 He plainly says it.

00:44:42.199 --> 00:44:43.619
 I take no pleasure

00:44:43.619 --> 00:44:44.360
 in the destruction

00:44:44.360 --> 00:44:45.440
 of the wicked, He says.

00:44:46.000 --> 00:44:47.159
 Rather, He tells us

00:44:47.159 --> 00:44:48.480
 in Jeremiah chapter 9,

00:44:48.480 --> 00:44:51.219
 He delights in steadfast love

00:44:51.219 --> 00:44:51.840
 and mercy.

00:44:55.440 --> 00:44:56.519
 He judges

00:44:56.519 --> 00:44:58.659
 because He must judge

00:44:58.659 --> 00:44:59.260
 in His holiness,

00:44:59.480 --> 00:45:00.500
 and He is glorified

00:45:00.500 --> 00:45:01.099
 in that judgment.

00:45:02.860 --> 00:45:04.480
 His delight, though,

00:45:04.639 --> 00:45:05.780
 is in mercy.

00:45:07.400 --> 00:45:08.539
 We see it in Jesus,

00:45:08.659 --> 00:45:09.000
 don't we?

00:45:10.940 --> 00:45:12.780
 This Jesus who stands

00:45:12.780 --> 00:45:13.960
 overlooking the people

00:45:13.960 --> 00:45:14.500
 of Israel,

00:45:15.039 --> 00:45:16.559
 and the Scripture tells us

00:45:16.559 --> 00:45:18.940
 in Matthew chapter 9.

00:45:19.159 --> 00:45:20.380
 It tells us that He was moved

00:45:20.380 --> 00:45:21.099
 with compassion.

00:45:21.460 --> 00:45:22.360
 He weeps.

00:45:22.719 --> 00:45:23.039
 Why?

00:45:23.920 --> 00:45:25.599
 Because of their lostness.

00:45:27.259 --> 00:45:30.139
 Knowing that He is the judge

00:45:30.139 --> 00:45:32.699
 who will finally judge them

00:45:32.699 --> 00:45:34.340
 to eternity in hell

00:45:34.340 --> 00:45:35.559
 if they do not repent.

00:45:36.559 --> 00:45:39.559
 And yet He mourns their lostness.

00:45:40.059 --> 00:45:41.279
 This is the same Jesus

00:45:41.279 --> 00:45:43.539
 who on the cross cries out

00:45:43.539 --> 00:45:45.719
 in prayer for the very people

00:45:45.719 --> 00:45:48.199
 who are crucifying Him.

00:45:48.719 --> 00:45:50.139
 This is not a prayer

00:45:50.139 --> 00:45:50.980
 or a conflict

00:45:50.980 --> 00:45:52.619
 or an emotion

00:45:52.619 --> 00:45:55.019
 or a burden

00:45:55.019 --> 00:45:55.759
 that the Lord

00:45:55.759 --> 00:45:57.199
 does not Himself know.

00:45:58.480 --> 00:46:00.360
 As long as there is salvation,

00:46:00.559 --> 00:46:01.699
 there will also be judgment.

00:46:02.619 --> 00:46:03.699
 And it is true,

00:46:04.179 --> 00:46:05.960
 God's glory in salvation

00:46:05.960 --> 00:46:07.400
 shines brightest

00:46:07.400 --> 00:46:09.380
 against the backdrop

00:46:09.380 --> 00:46:10.340
 of His justice.

00:46:10.340 --> 00:46:12.300
 But what we find here

00:46:12.300 --> 00:46:13.059
 in this psalm

00:46:13.059 --> 00:46:14.960
 is that it's entirely possible

00:46:14.960 --> 00:46:16.519
 and necessary

00:46:16.519 --> 00:46:19.220
 to both rejoice

00:46:19.220 --> 00:46:20.320
 in God's blessing

00:46:20.320 --> 00:46:21.079
 on the faithful

00:46:21.079 --> 00:46:24.440
 and worship Him

00:46:24.440 --> 00:46:25.860
 for His judgment

00:46:25.860 --> 00:46:26.680
 against the wicked,

00:46:26.980 --> 00:46:27.820
 though we do that

00:46:27.820 --> 00:46:28.740
 with grief

00:46:28.740 --> 00:46:30.140
 for those that we love.

00:46:30.440 --> 00:46:31.039
 Do you understand?

00:46:32.380 --> 00:46:33.519
 David tells us

00:46:33.519 --> 00:46:35.039
 this is possible,

00:46:35.220 --> 00:46:37.059
 this is necessary,

00:46:37.340 --> 00:46:38.440
 and he shows us how.

00:46:38.440 --> 00:46:40.220
 At the end of the day,

00:46:40.400 --> 00:46:41.599
 Absalom made his bed.

00:46:43.519 --> 00:46:44.559
 He made himself

00:46:44.559 --> 00:46:45.139
 God's enemy.

00:46:45.320 --> 00:46:46.920
 He faced the consequences

00:46:46.920 --> 00:46:48.240
 of rejecting God's covenant.

00:46:48.599 --> 00:46:49.700
 And then David shows us

00:46:49.700 --> 00:46:51.760
 how we might praise God

00:46:51.760 --> 00:46:52.500
 for His holiness

00:46:52.500 --> 00:46:53.480
 while still grieving

00:46:53.480 --> 00:46:54.280
 over the loss

00:46:54.280 --> 00:46:56.280
 of those that we love.

00:46:57.039 --> 00:46:58.300
 And if you go to chapter 18,

00:46:58.360 --> 00:46:59.039
 we won't read it now,

00:46:59.119 --> 00:46:59.639
 I'll read it later,

00:47:00.000 --> 00:47:01.240
 but if you go to chapter 18

00:47:01.240 --> 00:47:01.940
 of 2 Samuel,

00:47:02.039 --> 00:47:03.079
 you'll see that David

00:47:03.079 --> 00:47:05.940
 experienced tremendous grief

00:47:05.940 --> 00:47:07.820
 at the death of Absalom.

00:47:08.440 --> 00:47:10.280
 so much so

00:47:10.280 --> 00:47:12.460
 that the people around him

00:47:12.460 --> 00:47:14.139
 had to correct him

00:47:14.139 --> 00:47:15.920
 as if everyone

00:47:15.920 --> 00:47:16.720
 was going to turn away

00:47:16.720 --> 00:47:17.360
 from him again

00:47:17.360 --> 00:47:18.220
 because of the depth

00:47:18.220 --> 00:47:18.960
 of his grief.

00:47:20.539 --> 00:47:21.920
 Now, final thing

00:47:21.920 --> 00:47:22.639
 and we'll be finished.

00:47:24.519 --> 00:47:25.599
 I said at the beginning

00:47:25.599 --> 00:47:27.220
 that when we look at Psalms

00:47:27.220 --> 00:47:27.840
 that are attributed

00:47:27.840 --> 00:47:28.500
 to David,

00:47:28.800 --> 00:47:30.659
 there are various ways

00:47:30.659 --> 00:47:31.880
 for us to think about them.

00:47:32.260 --> 00:47:33.059
 We have to determine

00:47:33.059 --> 00:47:34.740
 what the primary emphasis is,

00:47:35.159 --> 00:47:36.539
 and through careful study,

00:47:36.539 --> 00:47:37.300
 we can do that.

00:47:38.279 --> 00:47:39.860
 This is an individual lament

00:47:39.860 --> 00:47:41.199
 that certainly we relate to,

00:47:41.340 --> 00:47:42.320
 but this is a lament

00:47:42.320 --> 00:47:43.239
 that is fulfilled

00:47:43.239 --> 00:47:44.360
 in the person of Christ,

00:47:44.420 --> 00:47:45.400
 and I want to show you how.

00:47:46.400 --> 00:47:47.779
 How Jesus is actually

00:47:47.779 --> 00:47:49.099
 our true and eternal hope.

00:47:49.440 --> 00:47:50.539
 How He is the fulfillment

00:47:50.539 --> 00:47:51.739
 of Psalm 3, okay?

00:47:53.500 --> 00:47:54.559
 Jesus had enemies

00:47:54.559 --> 00:47:55.380
 seeking His life

00:47:55.380 --> 00:47:56.059
 from the very moment

00:47:56.059 --> 00:47:57.199
 He was born in Bethlehem,

00:47:57.539 --> 00:47:57.840
 didn't He?

00:47:58.619 --> 00:47:59.500
 Herod tried to kill Him,

00:47:59.500 --> 00:48:00.780
 and in trying to kill Him,

00:48:00.820 --> 00:48:03.000
 He killed a bunch of children

00:48:03.000 --> 00:48:03.920
 in the process of it.

00:48:03.960 --> 00:48:05.019
 Just terrible tragedy.

00:48:07.320 --> 00:48:09.760
 The number of Jesus' foes

00:48:09.760 --> 00:48:10.480
 grew steadily

00:48:10.480 --> 00:48:11.340
 throughout His ministry.

00:48:11.440 --> 00:48:12.860
 We see it especially

00:48:12.860 --> 00:48:14.079
 in the days leading

00:48:14.079 --> 00:48:15.219
 to His crucifixion.

00:48:16.159 --> 00:48:17.539
 The one who rode in

00:48:17.539 --> 00:48:19.059
 to Jerusalem on a donkey

00:48:19.059 --> 00:48:20.380
 to cries of Hosanna,

00:48:20.699 --> 00:48:21.800
 God save us,

00:48:23.340 --> 00:48:24.719
 finishes the week

00:48:24.719 --> 00:48:27.280
 having His friends

00:48:27.280 --> 00:48:28.900
 run away in fear,

00:48:28.900 --> 00:48:31.720
 one of His closest confidences,

00:48:32.240 --> 00:48:33.220
 betray Him,

00:48:34.820 --> 00:48:36.200
 and His own people

00:48:36.200 --> 00:48:37.960
 cry out now,

00:48:38.820 --> 00:48:39.880
 crucify Him.

00:48:41.619 --> 00:48:42.579
 Crucify Him.

00:48:44.820 --> 00:48:47.780
 Many are my foes, Lord,

00:48:47.820 --> 00:48:48.420
 He could have prayed.

00:48:49.320 --> 00:48:50.260
 Many are they

00:48:50.260 --> 00:48:51.900
 that rise up against me.

00:48:53.539 --> 00:48:55.139
 But then we get to verse 2,

00:48:55.300 --> 00:48:56.380
 and we see that

00:48:56.380 --> 00:48:58.160
 as Jesus hung on the cross,

00:48:58.900 --> 00:49:00.579
 many actually reviled Him

00:49:00.579 --> 00:49:01.280
 in the way that they

00:49:01.280 --> 00:49:02.400
 were reviling David.

00:49:03.400 --> 00:49:04.340
 They mocked Him,

00:49:04.440 --> 00:49:06.519
 saying in Matthew chapter 27,

00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:08.079
 He trusts in God?

00:49:08.619 --> 00:49:10.000
 Let God deliver Him now

00:49:10.000 --> 00:49:11.280
 if He desires Him.

00:49:11.800 --> 00:49:12.820
 That's a testimony

00:49:12.820 --> 00:49:14.180
 of all four of the Gospels.

00:49:14.280 --> 00:49:15.200
 They show us this,

00:49:15.579 --> 00:49:16.440
 that the people around Him,

00:49:16.480 --> 00:49:17.760
 this was not like

00:49:17.760 --> 00:49:19.119
 a sincere statement of,

00:49:19.280 --> 00:49:20.480
 oh, let's see if God

00:49:20.480 --> 00:49:21.240
 really delivers Him.

00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:22.780
 No, this is a taunt.

00:49:22.780 --> 00:49:24.620
 As He hangs naked

00:49:24.620 --> 00:49:25.260
 on a cross,

00:49:25.400 --> 00:49:25.740
 dying,

00:49:25.940 --> 00:49:26.720
 they walk by

00:49:26.720 --> 00:49:27.740
 and they wag their heads

00:49:27.740 --> 00:49:28.720
 and they gnash their teeth,

00:49:28.780 --> 00:49:29.420
 the Scripture says,

00:49:29.460 --> 00:49:30.019
 and they said,

00:49:30.300 --> 00:49:31.440
 look at you now.

00:49:31.660 --> 00:49:33.060
 There is no salvation

00:49:33.060 --> 00:49:34.260
 for you in God.

00:49:34.820 --> 00:49:36.100
 You said that God is,

00:49:36.440 --> 00:49:37.320
 that you're from God.

00:49:37.500 --> 00:49:38.720
 Let God save you now.

00:49:38.800 --> 00:49:39.660
 Let's see what happens

00:49:39.660 --> 00:49:40.220
 to you now,

00:49:40.340 --> 00:49:41.380
 Jesus of Nazareth.

00:49:42.600 --> 00:49:44.780
 He knew David's situation

00:49:45.580 --> 00:49:46.300
 well, didn't He?

00:49:46.300 --> 00:49:48.720
 We get to verse 3.

00:49:50.300 --> 00:49:51.480
 What is it that we see of David?

00:49:51.539 --> 00:49:52.420
 We see that David

00:49:52.420 --> 00:49:53.800
 entrusts himself to the Lord

00:49:53.800 --> 00:49:55.519
 even as his enemies cursed him.

00:49:55.760 --> 00:49:56.680
 Is this not exactly

00:49:56.680 --> 00:49:58.120
 what Peter says Jesus did?

00:49:58.440 --> 00:49:59.220
 That in the midst

00:49:59.220 --> 00:50:00.120
 of that mockery,

00:50:00.280 --> 00:50:01.360
 Jesus just continually

00:50:01.360 --> 00:50:02.340
 entrusted Himself

00:50:02.340 --> 00:50:03.120
 to the Father.

00:50:03.420 --> 00:50:04.860
 1 Peter 2, 23,

00:50:05.220 --> 00:50:06.420
 when He was reviled,

00:50:06.640 --> 00:50:08.460
 He did not revile in return.

00:50:08.820 --> 00:50:09.740
 When He suffered,

00:50:09.740 --> 00:50:11.200
 He did not threaten,

00:50:11.560 --> 00:50:13.700
 but continued entrusting Himself

00:50:13.700 --> 00:50:15.740
 to Him who judges justly.

00:50:16.300 --> 00:50:19.280
 Jesus does exactly

00:50:19.280 --> 00:50:20.280
 as David did.

00:50:21.200 --> 00:50:22.120
 Verse 4.

00:50:23.360 --> 00:50:24.280
 What is David doing?

00:50:24.400 --> 00:50:26.100
 He's crying to the Lord

00:50:26.100 --> 00:50:27.039
 to save Him,

00:50:27.500 --> 00:50:28.560
 to help Him.

00:50:29.519 --> 00:50:30.539
 Jesus cries to the Lord,

00:50:30.620 --> 00:50:31.680
 but it's not the same cry.

00:50:33.140 --> 00:50:34.280
 David cries for the Lord

00:50:34.280 --> 00:50:34.920
 to save Him.

00:50:35.019 --> 00:50:36.340
 Jesus cries for the Lord

00:50:36.340 --> 00:50:37.840
 to save those

00:50:37.840 --> 00:50:39.800
 for whom He came to die.

00:50:41.180 --> 00:50:41.980
 David says,

00:50:42.539 --> 00:50:42.940
 save me.

00:50:44.100 --> 00:50:44.800
 Jesus says,

00:50:45.000 --> 00:50:45.900
 save them.

00:50:46.300 --> 00:50:48.940
 John chapter 12.

00:50:50.039 --> 00:50:51.740
 Now is my soul troubled,

00:50:51.980 --> 00:50:52.700
 Jesus says,

00:50:52.760 --> 00:50:53.940
 and what shall I say?

00:50:54.140 --> 00:50:55.840
 Father, save me from this hour.

00:50:56.760 --> 00:50:57.560
 No, Jesus says,

00:50:57.620 --> 00:50:58.600
 but for this purpose

00:50:58.600 --> 00:50:59.920
 I have come to this hour.

00:51:00.180 --> 00:51:01.260
 And then He turns His attention

00:51:01.260 --> 00:51:01.820
 to the Lord,

00:51:02.019 --> 00:51:02.320
 and He says,

00:51:02.420 --> 00:51:04.280
 Father, glorify Thy name.

00:51:04.280 --> 00:51:05.320
 How will the Father

00:51:05.320 --> 00:51:07.200
 glorify His name?

00:51:08.880 --> 00:51:10.220
 Through the atonement

00:51:10.220 --> 00:51:11.300
 that Jesus made

00:51:11.300 --> 00:51:12.700
 on the cross for us.

00:51:12.699 --> 00:51:14.399
 Jesus didn't come

00:51:14.399 --> 00:51:15.319
 to be saved.

00:51:15.379 --> 00:51:16.659
 He came to save

00:51:16.659 --> 00:51:18.079
 through His own death.

00:51:19.679 --> 00:51:20.759
 Verse 5.

00:51:21.960 --> 00:51:22.739
 David says,

00:51:23.759 --> 00:51:24.980
 I laid down and slept.

00:51:25.099 --> 00:51:25.679
 I awoke.

00:51:25.819 --> 00:51:26.939
 The Lord sustained me.

00:51:27.779 --> 00:51:29.059
 Did Jesus understand that?

00:51:30.079 --> 00:51:32.579
 Oh, yes, He did.

00:51:32.579 --> 00:51:35.619
 Jesus slept in a grave

00:51:35.619 --> 00:51:36.840
 for three days.

00:51:38.039 --> 00:51:40.219
 Dead as dead can be.

00:51:41.420 --> 00:51:42.920
 And on the third day,

00:51:43.739 --> 00:51:44.880
 He awoke again.

00:51:46.019 --> 00:51:48.000
 For the Lord sustained Him.

00:51:49.000 --> 00:51:50.659
 Acts chapter 2, verse 23.

00:51:50.659 --> 00:51:52.420
 This Jesus delivered up

00:51:52.420 --> 00:51:54.039
 according to the definite plan

00:51:54.039 --> 00:51:55.219
 and foreknowledge of God.

00:51:55.619 --> 00:51:57.420
 You crucified and killed

00:51:57.420 --> 00:51:58.940
 by the hands of lawless men.

00:51:59.519 --> 00:52:01.000
 God raised Him up,

00:52:01.779 --> 00:52:03.339
 loosing the pangs of death

00:52:03.339 --> 00:52:05.139
 because it was not possible

00:52:05.139 --> 00:52:08.039
 for Him to be held by it.

00:52:08.539 --> 00:52:09.420
 And then we get to

00:52:09.420 --> 00:52:10.679
 verses 6 through 8.

00:52:11.079 --> 00:52:12.619
 Jesus is the Lord

00:52:12.619 --> 00:52:13.779
 to whom salvation

00:52:13.779 --> 00:52:15.019
 and judgment belongs.

00:52:17.339 --> 00:52:19.440
 He is the serpent crusher

00:52:19.440 --> 00:52:21.619
 who conquers all the wicked

00:52:21.619 --> 00:52:22.400
 in their waves.

00:52:22.539 --> 00:52:24.340
 It is through His incarnation

00:52:24.340 --> 00:52:26.099
 and His crucifixion

00:52:26.099 --> 00:52:27.179
 and His resurrection

00:52:27.179 --> 00:52:28.800
 and His exaltation

00:52:28.800 --> 00:52:29.539
 to the throne

00:52:29.539 --> 00:52:30.840
 that God's people

00:52:30.840 --> 00:52:32.260
 received the blessing

00:52:32.260 --> 00:52:33.659
 for which David prayed

00:52:33.659 --> 00:52:34.780
 at the end of this psalm.

00:52:35.220 --> 00:52:36.960
 Jesus is the true

00:52:36.960 --> 00:52:38.679
 and better David

00:52:38.679 --> 00:52:40.519
 who did not suffer

00:52:40.519 --> 00:52:42.260
 as a result of his own sin

00:52:42.260 --> 00:52:44.659
 but in order to take God's wrath

00:52:44.659 --> 00:52:46.200
 for our sin.

00:52:46.199 --> 00:52:49.159
 David suffers

00:52:49.159 --> 00:52:50.559
 because he was a sinner.

00:52:51.199 --> 00:52:52.119
 Jesus suffered

00:52:52.119 --> 00:52:53.539
 because we are sinners

00:52:53.539 --> 00:52:56.599
 and He gives His life

00:52:56.599 --> 00:52:58.879
 in order that we may

00:52:58.879 --> 00:53:00.579
 have ours back.

00:53:03.299 --> 00:53:05.659
 David trusted fully

00:53:05.659 --> 00:53:06.739
 in God's covenant

00:53:06.739 --> 00:53:08.359
 regarding the future king

00:53:08.359 --> 00:53:09.079
 from his life.

00:53:09.079 --> 00:53:13.159
 and we must trust fully

00:53:13.159 --> 00:53:14.059
 in God's covenant

00:53:14.059 --> 00:53:16.139
 because that king

00:53:16.139 --> 00:53:16.960
 has been revealed

00:53:16.960 --> 00:53:18.440
 to be Jesus of Nazareth

00:53:18.440 --> 00:53:20.639
 and there is salvation

00:53:20.639 --> 00:53:23.259
 in no other name

00:53:23.259 --> 00:53:23.980
 under heaven

00:53:23.980 --> 00:53:27.400
 than the name of Jesus.

00:53:29.000 --> 00:53:30.980
 We can pray David's prayer

00:53:30.980 --> 00:53:31.799
 with confidence

00:53:31.799 --> 00:53:33.960
 because Jesus has fulfilled

00:53:33.960 --> 00:53:35.880
 that prayer to perfection.

00:53:35.880 --> 00:53:36.119
 salvation.

00:53:38.360 --> 00:53:39.000
 Selah.

00:53:40.340 --> 00:53:41.500
 Think about that.

00:53:42.780 --> 00:53:44.260
 Let that marinate.

00:53:46.500 --> 00:53:47.640
 How are we supposed

00:53:47.640 --> 00:53:48.519
 to respond

00:53:48.519 --> 00:53:50.119
 to a psalm like this?

00:53:51.880 --> 00:53:52.980
 On one hand

00:53:52.980 --> 00:53:55.780
 don't allow the enemy

00:53:55.780 --> 00:53:56.920
 to lure you

00:53:56.920 --> 00:53:58.079
 into despondency

00:53:58.079 --> 00:54:00.260
 into such despair

00:54:00.260 --> 00:54:00.960
 that you feel like

00:54:00.960 --> 00:54:01.660
 there is actually

00:54:01.660 --> 00:54:02.660
 no hope in God.

00:54:03.840 --> 00:54:05.119
 Where you cast off

00:54:05.119 --> 00:54:05.839
 all faith

00:54:05.839 --> 00:54:08.779
 and just submit yourself

00:54:08.779 --> 00:54:09.739
 to the way

00:54:09.739 --> 00:54:10.279
 of the wicked.

00:54:11.619 --> 00:54:12.739
 God is your hope.

00:54:14.039 --> 00:54:15.039
 Trust in Him.

00:54:18.199 --> 00:54:19.719
 We must also recognize

00:54:19.719 --> 00:54:20.779
 that since salvation

00:54:20.779 --> 00:54:21.739
 belongs to God

00:54:21.739 --> 00:54:22.219
 again

00:54:22.219 --> 00:54:24.719
 so does judgment.

00:54:26.940 --> 00:54:28.219
 Blessing is on His people

00:54:28.219 --> 00:54:30.900
 while the curse of sin

00:54:30.900 --> 00:54:32.420
 rests on those

00:54:32.420 --> 00:54:34.139
 who will not receive Him.

00:54:34.139 --> 00:54:35.119
 and the question

00:54:35.119 --> 00:54:35.920
 then just becomes

00:54:35.920 --> 00:54:37.299
 are you His?

00:54:39.139 --> 00:54:40.779
 Do you belong to Him?

00:54:44.739 --> 00:54:45.739
 Come to Jesus.

00:54:46.379 --> 00:54:47.519
 That's the invitation

00:54:47.519 --> 00:54:48.759
 Jesus gives isn't it?

00:54:48.799 --> 00:54:49.900
 Over and over again.

00:54:50.859 --> 00:54:51.539
 He says just

00:54:51.539 --> 00:54:52.719
 come to me.

00:54:55.839 --> 00:54:56.420
 You say

00:54:56.420 --> 00:54:58.440
 there's just too many things

00:54:58.440 --> 00:54:59.400
 that I don't understand.

00:54:59.539 --> 00:55:00.179
 Too many questions

00:55:00.179 --> 00:55:00.719
 that I have.

00:55:00.719 --> 00:55:01.519
 I'm not satisfied

00:55:01.519 --> 00:55:02.219
 with the answers

00:55:02.219 --> 00:55:02.739
 that I have.

00:55:03.299 --> 00:55:04.219
 Jesus doesn't say

00:55:04.219 --> 00:55:04.819
 you have to put it

00:55:04.819 --> 00:55:05.379
 all together.

00:55:05.859 --> 00:55:06.359
 He just says

00:55:06.359 --> 00:55:06.939
 come to me.

00:55:07.339 --> 00:55:08.159
 Trust me.

00:55:08.699 --> 00:55:09.500
 Believe me.

00:55:09.559 --> 00:55:10.599
 Look at what I've done.

00:55:12.500 --> 00:55:13.959
 And I've done it for you.

00:55:15.579 --> 00:55:16.319
 Won't you just

00:55:16.319 --> 00:55:17.639
 come to Him?

00:55:18.779 --> 00:55:19.659
 The truth is

00:55:19.659 --> 00:55:20.419
 that like David

00:55:20.419 --> 00:55:21.899
 if you do come to Christ

00:55:21.899 --> 00:55:24.919
 and if you live publicly

00:55:24.919 --> 00:55:25.959
 as a committed Christian

00:55:25.960 --> 00:55:28.019
 you will gain

00:55:28.019 --> 00:55:28.840
 many enemies

00:55:28.840 --> 00:55:31.380
 maybe even those

00:55:31.380 --> 00:55:32.059
 that you love

00:55:32.059 --> 00:55:35.099
 but you'll also gain

00:55:35.099 --> 00:55:36.980
 eternal salvation

00:55:36.980 --> 00:55:39.260
 and the truth is

00:55:39.260 --> 00:55:41.260
 He is worth it.

00:55:42.539 --> 00:55:43.559
 He's worth it.

00:55:43.559 --> 00:55:59.539
NING

00:55:59.539 --> 00:55:59.539


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