WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.879 We're going to be looking at Psalm 35. 00:00:02.879 --> 00:00:07.660 So if you want to grab a Bible, turn to Psalm 35. 00:00:07.660 --> 00:00:08.779 ! 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.299 Great. 00:00:33.299 --> 00:00:35.939 Of David. 00:00:37.020 --> 00:00:40.640 Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me. 00:00:41.560 --> 00:00:44.500 Fight against those who fight against me. 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:49.280 Take up shield and armour, arise and come to my aid. 00:00:50.120 --> 00:00:53.659 Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. 00:00:54.539 --> 00:00:57.820 Say to me, I am your salvation. 00:00:57.820 --> 00:01:02.980 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:07.019 May those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:13.019 May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:19.340 May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them. 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:24.700 Since they hid their net for me without cause, and without cause dug a pit for me, 00:01:24.700 --> 00:01:27.480 may ruin overtake them by surprise. 00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:30.280 May the net they hid entangle them. 00:01:30.620 --> 00:01:32.920 May they fall into the pit to their ruin. 00:01:33.740 --> 00:01:38.359 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation. 00:01:39.260 --> 00:01:42.600 My whole being will exclaim, who is like you, Lord? 00:01:43.300 --> 00:01:46.939 You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:49.760 the poor and needy from those who rob them. 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:53.140 Ruthless witnesses come forward. 00:01:53.260 --> 00:01:55.820 They question me on things I know nothing about. 00:01:56.340 --> 00:02:00.359 They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved. 00:02:01.060 --> 00:02:05.000 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. 00:02:05.540 --> 00:02:10.159 When my prayers returned to me unanswered, I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. 00:02:10.740 --> 00:02:13.500 I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. 00:02:13.500 --> 00:02:17.120 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee. 00:02:17.900 --> 00:02:20.860 Assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. 00:02:21.460 --> 00:02:23.240 They slandered me without ceasing. 00:02:23.740 --> 00:02:26.080 Like the ungodly, they maliciously mocked. 00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:27.580 They gnashed their teeth at me. 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:30.520 How long, Lord, will you look on? 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:33.080 Rescue me from their ravages. 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:35.620 My precious life from these lions. 00:02:36.620 --> 00:02:39.379 I will give you thanks in the great assembly. 00:02:40.020 --> 00:02:41.780 Among the throngs I will praise you. 00:02:41.780 --> 00:02:45.900 Do not let those who gloat over me, who are my enemies without cause, 00:02:45.979 --> 00:02:50.000 do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye. 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:56.680 They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land. 00:02:57.460 --> 00:03:02.219 They sneer at me and say, ah, ah, with our own eyes we have seen it. 00:03:03.300 --> 00:03:04.460 Lord, you have seen this. 00:03:04.539 --> 00:03:05.280 Do not be silent. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:07.819 Do not be far from me, Lord. 00:03:07.819 --> 00:03:10.000 Awake and rise to my defence. 00:03:10.139 --> 00:03:12.079 Contend for me, my God and Lord. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:15.280 Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God. 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:17.239 Do not let them gloat over me. 00:03:17.340 --> 00:03:20.099 Do not let them think, ah, just what we wanted. 00:03:20.519 --> 00:03:22.859 Or say, we have swallowed him up. 00:03:23.500 --> 00:03:27.079 May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion. 00:03:27.620 --> 00:03:31.359 May all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace. 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:36.620 May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness. 00:03:37.040 --> 00:03:42.480 May they always say, the Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant. 00:03:43.220 --> 00:03:48.660 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long. 00:03:49.180 --> 00:03:49.780 Nathan. 00:03:49.780 --> 00:03:50.259 Great. 00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:53.620 We're going to get into Psalm 85. 00:03:54.620 --> 00:03:56.939 Like, oh, let me introduce myself first. 00:03:57.319 --> 00:03:57.819 I'm Nathan. 00:03:58.120 --> 00:04:00.219 I'm the trainee pastor here at WKBC. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:07.080 And it is a delight to get to open up God's word together, to get to see what Psalm 85 has to say to us. 00:04:07.080 --> 00:04:18.620 I think I say this before most times we preach, but the Bible commends people for looking at the word and actually discerning what it has to say. 00:04:19.379 --> 00:04:21.960 Scrutinizing what they hear with what is in the word. 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:24.439 So can I encourage you, keep Psalm 85 open in front of you. 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:26.060 I'll be referring back to it. 00:04:26.460 --> 00:04:30.100 And we're going to have a great time going to see the goodness of God through this. 00:04:30.580 --> 00:04:32.360 But before I do that, why don't we pray? 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:33.920 Great. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:38.060 Lord, we are so thankful that we are in this room together. 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:43.699 We're so thankful that we have the freedom to open up your word, to see what you have to say to us. 00:04:44.300 --> 00:04:48.980 And Lord, we pray that we would be left challenged and encouraged by it. 00:04:49.640 --> 00:04:53.620 And Lord, we pray that you would help us to delight in your truths. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:59.900 And Lord, like David, would we be left rejoicing in the Lord and delighting in your salvation. 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:01.520 In Jesus' name I pray. 00:05:02.280 --> 00:05:02.560 Amen. 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:02.700 Amen. 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:04.060 Amen. 00:05:05.259 --> 00:05:05.560 Great. 00:05:08.040 --> 00:05:09.340 I'm going to start with a question. 00:05:09.500 --> 00:05:11.420 Has anybody watched a series called The Hunted? 00:05:12.620 --> 00:05:13.040 The Hunted. 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:14.259 Yeah, great. 00:05:14.420 --> 00:05:14.560 Okay. 00:05:15.100 --> 00:05:15.759 One person. 00:05:17.140 --> 00:05:18.879 Is that where you have to run away from? 00:05:19.300 --> 00:05:19.680 Yes. 00:05:20.379 --> 00:05:20.780 Yes. 00:05:21.319 --> 00:05:26.240 The Hunted is the show where you have to basically run away from some... 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:28.000 So there are the hunters and the hunted. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:39.699 The hunted are two normal sort of contestants that basically are running away from these sort of ex-military people and ex-secret service that are trying to then find them. 00:05:39.699 --> 00:05:46.839 So they have to get from one point to another point without being caught by these detectives essentially trying to find them. 00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:49.719 And if they do, it's kind of like a reality TV game show. 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:51.019 They get a prize at the end of it. 00:05:51.219 --> 00:05:51.319 Okay. 00:05:51.319 --> 00:05:52.740 So that's The Hunted. 00:05:53.740 --> 00:05:58.480 It wasn't, I don't think, a great series, which is probably why everybody hasn't watched it. 00:05:58.560 --> 00:05:59.980 I thought it was quite fun. 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:04.300 But really, the people that were ex-military were pretty good at their job. 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:06.779 And they found and hunted down most of the contestants. 00:06:06.779 --> 00:06:13.879 I don't know if you watch shows like that with like a confidence and self-delusion that I do, because I think I'd do great. 00:06:14.799 --> 00:06:18.039 But I think you'd end up being found out quite quickly. 00:06:18.739 --> 00:06:22.179 They're pretty good at figuring out where you are and hunting you down. 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:25.559 Now, here's my assessment of that. 00:06:25.879 --> 00:06:29.059 I think David would have PTSD if he watched that with you. 00:06:29.579 --> 00:06:32.919 David spends most of his life being chased by people. 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:39.080 At the start of his story that we see in the Bible, he is being chased down by King Saul. 00:06:39.400 --> 00:06:41.160 He is being pursued by King Saul. 00:06:41.660 --> 00:06:44.439 By the tail end, he is being pursued by his own son, Absalom. 00:06:45.520 --> 00:06:50.040 So if you know the story of King David, it is bookended in some ways by him being chased and pursued. 00:06:51.000 --> 00:06:55.060 We don't know exactly which of those two stories Psalm 35 sits in. 00:06:55.060 --> 00:07:02.300 But we know, and most theologians would agree, that one of those two is the situation he is in as he writes Psalm 35. 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:04.300 So he is being pursued. 00:07:04.500 --> 00:07:07.759 That's what verse 3 says. 00:07:08.580 --> 00:07:11.740 Lord, brandish your spear and javelin against those who pursue me. 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:20.100 So, I think the best way to make the most of this passage and to understand it is to first, let's break this down into three different sections. 00:07:20.100 --> 00:07:26.160 I'll break this section down into three sections just so that we can get a better idea of what's going on. 00:07:26.220 --> 00:07:29.560 And then we will see how this applies to us and our lives out of it. 00:07:29.900 --> 00:07:33.700 So the first section, if you look down, is verses 1 through to 10. 00:07:34.640 --> 00:07:40.400 David starts with a theme of this Psalm, which is asking the Lord to contend for him. 00:07:40.660 --> 00:07:42.820 Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me. 00:07:43.280 --> 00:07:45.020 Fight against those who fight against me. 00:07:45.019 --> 00:07:48.019 He is asking the Lord that he would fight his battles. 00:07:49.579 --> 00:07:51.659 That he is in a problem. 00:07:51.779 --> 00:07:52.680 He is being pursued. 00:07:53.139 --> 00:07:57.799 By verse 4, you see that he is being pursued by people that are seeking his life. 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:02.259 So this is not like the hunted example where it's pretty much a game show. 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:04.879 These are very real threats for David. 00:08:06.299 --> 00:08:08.500 And so he is being pursued by people that seek his life. 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:12.860 And he is asking and contending with the Lord that they would be put to shame. 00:08:13.240 --> 00:08:18.220 That the plans that they bring against him, the traps they set for him, would be turned on them. 00:08:18.860 --> 00:08:22.279 That is the course of verses 1 through to 10. 00:08:22.500 --> 00:08:28.379 But he ends this first section, like with the other two sections we're going to see, praising the Lord. 00:08:28.939 --> 00:08:30.079 Look at verse 9, which says, 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:32.100 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord. 00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:38.180 Lord, when you fulfill this, when you answer these prayers that you help me in this battle, 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:41.720 and in this fight against people that are pursuing me, 00:08:42.040 --> 00:08:44.440 Lord, I will then, my soul will rejoice in the Lord. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:45.779 Delight in his salvation. 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:47.779 My whole being will exclaim, 00:08:47.920 --> 00:08:48.840 Who is like you, Lord? 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:51.180 You rescue the poor from those who are too strong for them, 00:08:51.720 --> 00:08:53.980 and the poor and needy from those who rob them. 00:08:54.560 --> 00:08:55.840 That's our first section. 00:08:56.500 --> 00:08:58.519 There is a problem that David is dealing with. 00:08:58.519 --> 00:09:04.319 He asks the Lord to contend for him, to fight for him, and he ends it in praise for the Lord. 00:09:04.939 --> 00:09:08.199 That's the first section, and it continues in that pattern, but the problem changes. 00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:11.539 So verse 11 to 18, that's our second section. 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:19.179 Verse 11 to 18 is portrayed by this idea in verse 12 that says, 00:09:20.019 --> 00:09:22.100 They repay me evil for good. 00:09:23.240 --> 00:09:26.759 David is saying, I'm doing good to them, I'm loving them, I'm caring for them, 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:29.080 and they are repaying that with evil. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:32.799 The problem in this section is basically betrayal. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:34.200 He is being betrayed. 00:09:36.019 --> 00:09:37.779 Look with me at verse 13. 00:09:38.700 --> 00:09:38.980 It says, 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:41.259 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth, 00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:43.240 and humbled myself with fasting. 00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:46.200 When my prayers returned to me unanswered, 00:09:46.439 --> 00:09:49.179 I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. 00:09:49.960 --> 00:09:53.139 I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. 00:09:53.139 --> 00:09:59.159 Also here, David is concerned for them like a friend and a brother and a mother. 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:02.639 He has given them great love. 00:10:02.779 --> 00:10:06.740 He has prayed with them, mourned with them, fasted with them when they were doing bad. 00:10:07.860 --> 00:10:09.259 Yet, verse 15, 00:10:09.259 --> 00:10:10.939 When I stumbled, they gathered in glee. 00:10:11.580 --> 00:10:15.240 Assailants gathered around me, or against me, without my knowledge. 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:17.580 They slandered me without ceasing. 00:10:19.019 --> 00:10:20.340 And so here's the problem. 00:10:20.500 --> 00:10:25.279 The problem is he's been betrayed by people that he has loved, mourned for, cared for, and fasted with. 00:10:26.019 --> 00:10:29.019 And then he continues to ask God to contend for him. 00:10:30.620 --> 00:10:33.659 And verse 17 is a very honest prayer, right? 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:35.519 How long, Lord, will you look on? 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:39.019 This is just this prayer of, Lord, you see what's going on. 00:10:39.100 --> 00:10:40.500 You see that they are betraying me. 00:10:40.579 --> 00:10:41.720 You see that they are pursuing me. 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:43.139 Lord, how long will you just look on? 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:46.579 How long, Lord, until you act upon this situation? 00:10:47.240 --> 00:10:48.980 And so he pleads, rescue me. 00:10:50.439 --> 00:10:51.419 Need to remember that, sir. 00:10:52.299 --> 00:10:56.439 Rescue me from these ravages, he says in verse 17. 00:10:57.259 --> 00:11:00.240 And like with the first section, by verse 18, he is saying, 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:03.600 Lord, but when you come through on this, I will give you thanks in the assembly. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:07.740 I will publicly declare your greatness, says David. 00:11:08.279 --> 00:11:11.440 That's section one, section two, and then section three. 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:15.060 We're in verses 19 through to 28. 00:11:16.420 --> 00:11:19.000 The third section is the problem of them gloating. 00:11:19.820 --> 00:11:23.340 It says, do not let those gloat over me who are my enemies without courts. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:29.060 Do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye. 00:11:29.059 --> 00:11:34.359 I used to know a pastor that actually thought that was a reason why he was suspicious of anybody that winked. 00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:37.519 But I don't think that's exactly what I was talking about. 00:11:38.359 --> 00:11:44.139 I think verse 19 through to 28, the problem is that not only have they defeated him, 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:46.079 they are now gloating over it. 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:50.700 I don't know how you spend a bunch of time to relax. 00:11:51.660 --> 00:11:54.840 My main guilty pleasure of sorts is video game. 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:56.120 Daisy will know this. 00:11:56.680 --> 00:11:59.980 But I spend a bunch of time playing games competitively online, 00:11:59.980 --> 00:12:02.800 and you end up playing against people online that you can hit, 00:12:03.040 --> 00:12:04.340 and people can talk to you. 00:12:04.340 --> 00:12:11.759 And really, if I'm honest, by like 16 to 18, that's your golden years of gaming. 00:12:11.899 --> 00:12:13.700 That's when your reactions are still there. 00:12:14.259 --> 00:12:18.379 By 28, you're losing a bit of an edge, and you're playing against 16-year-olds. 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:22.700 And so what is worse than getting defeated in those games as somebody that's competitive 00:12:22.700 --> 00:12:28.000 is hearing the screech of a 16-year-old scream and tell you how much you suck, 00:12:28.980 --> 00:12:31.680 and then having to deal with that as well. 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:35.279 Well, it's not just the defeat that's painful in that silly little scenario. 00:12:35.459 --> 00:12:38.199 It is the gloating that is even worse. 00:12:38.439 --> 00:12:40.639 That kind of doubles the pain of the defeat. 00:12:41.379 --> 00:12:44.579 And it is similar, though a lot more serious, for David here. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:47.019 They are gloating over him. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.799 He is pleading with the Lord, do not be far from me. 00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:52.879 Contend for me, Lord, again. 00:12:53.019 --> 00:12:54.779 And it says, do not let them gloat over me. 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:57.039 Do not let them say, aha, just what we wanted. 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:00.819 We wanted him swallowed up, and he's been swallowed up. 00:13:00.820 --> 00:13:04.660 That's what he is contending for here. 00:13:05.060 --> 00:13:06.440 So here the problem is gloating. 00:13:06.560 --> 00:13:09.460 He contends for it again and asks God to move. 00:13:10.180 --> 00:13:12.320 And then by the end, verse 28, he says, 00:13:12.420 --> 00:13:16.620 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness and your praises all day long. 00:13:17.420 --> 00:13:20.800 This is the pattern of the psalm that we're reading. 00:13:21.740 --> 00:13:24.280 There is a problem that David deals with. 00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:26.500 He says, Lord, contend for me. 00:13:27.379 --> 00:13:30.899 And then he praises the Lord, saying, I will praise you when you come through. 00:13:32.079 --> 00:13:32.720 That was the story. 00:13:33.539 --> 00:13:38.539 Though there is something that we could miss in the fine print that has quite a big impact throughout this passage. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:42.360 Look with me at verse 7 of chapter 35. 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:48.060 Verse 7 says, in the first section, they say, 00:13:48.419 --> 00:13:51.220 Since they hid their net for me without cause. 00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:53.480 And without cause dug a pit for me. 00:13:54.680 --> 00:13:58.519 The words without cause are a theme throughout this passage. 00:13:59.320 --> 00:14:00.980 They are chasing him and pursuing him. 00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:02.800 And in this first section, verse 7 says, 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:04.620 They hid their net for me without cause. 00:14:04.699 --> 00:14:06.359 He is innocent of any crime against them. 00:14:06.419 --> 00:14:09.559 He has not gone against the people that he's pursued. 00:14:09.719 --> 00:14:11.919 They have no reason to chase after him. 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:13.000 Yet they are. 00:14:13.859 --> 00:14:15.759 They hate him without cause. 00:14:16.419 --> 00:14:18.539 Verse 14 continues that theme. 00:14:19.719 --> 00:14:19.799 Right? 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:21.259 Verse 14 and 15, he is saying, 00:14:21.620 --> 00:14:24.559 I mourned for them like a friend or a brother or mother. 00:14:24.659 --> 00:14:26.319 I cared for them deeply. 00:14:26.659 --> 00:14:28.419 Yet they still turned their back on me. 00:14:28.479 --> 00:14:29.979 They still betrayed with me. 00:14:30.079 --> 00:14:31.500 They don't have a cause to do it there. 00:14:31.500 --> 00:14:36.139 Actually, he has been a great friend to them and companion to them. 00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:39.059 Yet they have gone against him. 00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:42.639 And then verse 19 continues to drum that home. 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:47.399 It says, do not let them gloat over me, who are my enemies without cause. 00:14:48.460 --> 00:14:51.379 There is, and do not let them hate me without reason. 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:52.620 Right? 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:57.580 There's all throughout here, the main fine print here is that they hate him. 00:14:57.580 --> 00:15:00.299 They have pursued him without cause. 00:15:00.299 --> 00:15:06.859 I will keep the name of my family member nameless. 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:11.219 But I remember this story being told to me by one of my family members. 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:12.779 They were growing up. 00:15:12.899 --> 00:15:14.379 They played rugby a bunch. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:20.120 And in their sort of cohort of friends at school, they were playing rugby. 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:23.799 And there was, ideally, like there is in every school, there was this big, bad bully. 00:15:24.179 --> 00:15:25.639 That was quite a big deal. 00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:30.080 He used to hate, everybody used to hate him, but they used to kind of fear him, just like every other bully. 00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:34.600 And they were playing rugby, and this rugby ball got kicked over the fence. 00:15:34.980 --> 00:15:37.899 If you've played any games in a park, you know the cardinal rule is. 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:38.960 You kick it over the fence. 00:15:39.299 --> 00:15:39.919 You go get it. 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:43.979 This bully thought, I don't really want to do that. 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:48.759 So he picked on the quiet kid in the corner, asking him, hey, why don't you go get the ball? 00:15:50.339 --> 00:15:56.019 And surprisingly enough, this quiet kid actually spoke back and said, no, I'm not going to do that. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:57.740 There was some pushing and shoving. 00:15:57.740 --> 00:16:04.159 And it turns out this quiet kid just walloped this guy straight in the nose. 00:16:04.940 --> 00:16:09.039 Broke his nose, and they ended up both in the policeman's office? 00:16:09.180 --> 00:16:10.039 The principal's office. 00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:11.159 It wasn't that serious crime. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:19.000 They both end up in the principal's office by the end of the day, telling each other how bad the situation was, 00:16:19.340 --> 00:16:21.480 and that my kid has a broken nose. 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:22.820 All of that goes on, right? 00:16:22.820 --> 00:16:28.260 So the bully in this story is a guy that you could hate with just cause, right? 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:33.640 He's the guy that everybody in the school had a reason to hate because he had been hateful towards them. 00:16:34.520 --> 00:16:38.460 While, I don't know about you, when I watch stories and movies about bullies, 00:16:38.540 --> 00:16:42.280 I end up feeling sorry for the bully because he's got some sort of rough life situation. 00:16:42.680 --> 00:16:46.460 But you could understand why somebody might hate the guy, right? 00:16:46.680 --> 00:16:48.540 He has done horrible things against somebody. 00:16:48.539 --> 00:16:55.000 But David is putting himself in this situation and in that story as the friend that is the best friend in the world. 00:16:55.299 --> 00:16:57.579 He's the one that celebrates everything that you do. 00:16:58.139 --> 00:17:03.019 He is the one that feels sorry for you and is there for you in your hardest moments. 00:17:03.219 --> 00:17:04.099 All of that. 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:09.259 And yet, the whole place and all of the people around him hate him. 00:17:10.099 --> 00:17:11.879 It's not right, is it? 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:13.339 Without cause, he is being hated. 00:17:14.119 --> 00:17:16.200 He is not the bully that has reason to be hated. 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:19.880 He is the innocent one that does not have any reason to be hated. 00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:28.580 A point that out and that theme out because verse 19 is a really interesting verse in the context of the Bible story. 00:17:29.840 --> 00:17:36.360 It's interesting because in John 15, verse 24 to 25, Jesus picks the theme back up. 00:17:37.059 --> 00:17:41.039 Jesus picks those exact verses up in John 15. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:44.720 And he says, when talking about the religious leaders of the time, he says, 00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:48.460 As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and the Father. 00:17:48.920 --> 00:17:51.680 But this is to fulfill what is written in their law. 00:17:52.139 --> 00:17:57.180 And this is where he quotes Psalm 85, an amalgamation of that, and Psalm 69. 00:17:57.420 --> 00:17:59.740 And he says, they hated me without reason. 00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:01.859 They hated me without reason. 00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:07.799 What is David's situation, and he is letting you into what he is going through at the time, 00:18:08.039 --> 00:18:14.319 is also a prophetically signaling to what Jesus will do. 00:18:14.879 --> 00:18:20.179 Jesus says that this is to fulfill what has been said in Psalm 35, that they hated him without reason. 00:18:20.659 --> 00:18:23.899 If David had no reason to be hated, Jesus certainly didn't. 00:18:24.939 --> 00:18:29.659 Jesus' ministry was that he came to this world not to condemn it, but to save it. 00:18:29.660 --> 00:18:35.860 He came to this world to live the perfect life, to love the people and show them who God was. 00:18:36.800 --> 00:18:40.019 And he went and said, I will give up my life for you. 00:18:40.360 --> 00:18:41.220 Ends up doing that. 00:18:41.300 --> 00:18:50.820 He goes to the cross, dies for our sin, lays his life down for us to fulfill so much of what these religious leaders would have known as Old Testament prophecy. 00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:57.000 He dies, rises again, having forgiven all of their sin if they would just believe in him. 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:01.339 And he has made them right with God, which they were always longing for. 00:19:01.700 --> 00:19:04.140 And yet, they hated him. 00:19:05.299 --> 00:19:06.700 He was perfect. 00:19:06.940 --> 00:19:08.859 There was no cause to hate him. 00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:09.720 Yet they do. 00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:14.740 That is why he quotes it, saying, they hated me without reason. 00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:29.599 And so, it's really interesting that this is the passage that he picks out to go into John 15. 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:35.880 Partially because earlier in John 15, he is telling the disciples, look, you will be hated like me. 00:19:36.259 --> 00:19:39.200 If they hated me, they will hate you too. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:43.759 If they persecute me, they will persecute you too. 00:19:45.059 --> 00:19:50.299 And so, there's a very clear connection from this passage over to what Jesus is talking about. 00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:53.380 We are not in the situation of David. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:56.299 I hope nobody's pursuing you, aiming to kill you. 00:19:56.299 --> 00:20:03.240 But there is a very real sense in which Jesus says that I have been hated without cause and you will be too. 00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:08.659 As Christians, we might not find ourselves being pursued like David. 00:20:08.740 --> 00:20:16.879 But we will find ourselves in situations where, because of our faith and our hope in Jesus and our being disciples of Jesus, we are hated without cause. 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:22.560 Or we are betrayed and people gloat over us as we suffer with Christ. 00:20:23.180 --> 00:20:27.360 Because we don't just get to share in his glory, but also we share in his sufferings. 00:20:28.540 --> 00:20:36.240 So, that promise that Jesus says, which is that they will hate you if they hated me, comes true in our lives as well. 00:20:36.800 --> 00:20:40.540 And so, that is the light in which I would hope we would see Psalm 35. 00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:46.299 Firstly, in the light that we will face suffering and persecution without cause. 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:57.740 But I think there's also a sense in which we can see and learn from this passage by seeing it as when we suffer through spiritual warfare and just the brokenness of this life. 00:20:58.899 --> 00:21:04.500 Just like David is without cause, without something that he has done wrong, facing the brokenness of this life. 00:21:05.139 --> 00:21:09.339 And he reacts to it through Psalm 35 and you see that play out. 00:21:10.539 --> 00:21:12.099 I know that wasn't very clearly explained. 00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:15.740 I will explain that a bit clearer by showing us what I mean when I say that. 00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:27.079 I think there are three things that we should learn from Psalm 35 as we face the brokenness of this life as well as the persecution that comes with being a disciple of Christ. 00:21:27.619 --> 00:21:28.740 Here's the first thing. 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:31.079 Look at verse 3 with me. 00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:35.920 He says, as he is talking to God, 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:51.320 In this moment, as he is being pursued, David requests of God, Lord, would you just tell me that I am your salvation? 00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:59.860 Lord, would you remind me that I, and reassure me that you are my salvation, that you hold me close and you will save me? 00:21:59.859 --> 00:22:05.459 And Lord, would you remind me by your word and just tell me that I, that you are my salvation? 00:22:06.479 --> 00:22:13.519 And so I think as we deal with all that life has for us as Christians, I think part of that is a longing for his words. 00:22:14.119 --> 00:22:18.740 A longing for the reassurance we find in his word as we look at the Bible. 00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:22.539 There is a reason why we stand up here on Sundays and preach God's word. 00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:27.019 That it is not a new news that we have, but the same good news over and over again. 00:22:27.420 --> 00:22:32.359 Because as Christians, we need reassurance of the fact that Jesus is our salvation. 00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:34.839 We need that over and over again. 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:39.259 David longs that God would remind him, I am your salvation. 00:22:40.899 --> 00:22:45.299 And it is not, I don't want this application of that to just be, now we need to read our Bibles more. 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:46.539 I hope that's the case. 00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:53.159 But I also want us to understand that it is beautiful that God has deliberately given us his word. 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:59.359 It is a reason to worship him for the fact that he has gone, I'm going to continue reminding you that I am your salvation. 00:22:59.619 --> 00:23:03.839 That I died for you, that I rose again, that I am your salvation. 00:23:04.039 --> 00:23:09.859 And that you can find those reassuring words, the reassuring power of those words in God's word. 00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:13.079 So that's our, first of how do we apply this in our lives? 00:23:13.079 --> 00:23:16.119 We long for his words in the way that David does. 00:23:16.539 --> 00:23:21.740 The second is trusting in God's sovereignty and yet being honest with him. 00:23:22.619 --> 00:23:25.920 Verse 17 says this, 00:23:26.399 --> 00:23:28.019 How long, Lord, will you look on? 00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:32.480 Rescue me from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. 00:23:33.659 --> 00:23:38.119 There is something that David holds really helpfully as he prays to the Lord. 00:23:38.379 --> 00:23:44.879 He holds in one hand the idea that the Lord does still see everything, right? 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:47.240 When he says, how long, Lord, will you look on? 00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:55.160 There is an admittance that God is looking on, that he sees everything, that he is sovereign, that he has providence over the entire world, that he sees what David is going through. 00:23:55.620 --> 00:23:57.880 And so he asks, how long will you look on? 00:23:57.880 --> 00:24:02.500 He is seeing it, yet he is saying, Lord, will you act on this? 00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:05.460 Will you not just see this, but also act on it? 00:24:06.080 --> 00:24:15.560 He is honest in his request that the Lord would act quicker, but also holding in one hand that he is sovereign over everything. 00:24:16.120 --> 00:24:17.220 And so it should be with us. 00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:27.019 We should understand that God is sovereign and he cares for it, yet also long to bring honest requests to him as we struggle in life and as we delight in life. 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:29.180 And so that's the second one. 00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:34.039 First is longing for his words, trusting in his sovereignty and yet being honest. 00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:37.240 And the last is a desire for his presence. 00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:39.920 Verse 22 says this, 00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:41.820 Lord, you have seen this. 00:24:42.560 --> 00:24:43.440 Do not be silent. 00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:45.880 Do not be far from me, Lord. 00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:55.759 He is not only content in God's speaking, he sees the power of God's words as he says, 00:24:55.840 --> 00:25:00.279 Lord, you have seen this, do not be silent, because he knows as the Lord speaks, things can change. 00:25:00.360 --> 00:25:03.460 But more than that, he says, do not be far from me, Lord. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:08.060 Will still stay close to me as I go through this. 00:25:08.059 --> 00:25:14.039 Because we don't just need reassurance, we also need someone that is with us, that is closer than a brother. 00:25:15.079 --> 00:25:20.339 The beautiful thing about all of these points, the longing for his words, the trusting in his sovereignty and being honest, 00:25:20.419 --> 00:25:23.339 and the desire for his presence is that Jesus fulfills all of them. 00:25:24.419 --> 00:25:32.000 Jesus has given us his words and told us that we can trust that he is our salvation, that he has finished the job on the cross. 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:41.259 We can trust that he is sovereign over the world and we can trust and know that his presence is close to us because he has given us the Holy Spirit. 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:46.380 And we should delight in all three of those things, says Psalm 35. 00:25:46.380 --> 00:25:57.520 And so, as we go through our lives, I think it is important that we copy David in loads of those things. 00:25:58.140 --> 00:26:03.240 But ultimately, we want to trust the Lord as he does and praise him at each section of our life. 00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:06.740 When he comes through and he saves us and he carries us through each and every section, 00:26:07.300 --> 00:26:11.420 the desire is that we worship him for who he is, continues to long for his words, 00:26:11.420 --> 00:26:18.580 and continue to delight in him, saying, my tongue will proclaim your righteousness and your praises all the day long. 00:26:19.400 --> 00:26:21.240 Great. Let me pray first. 00:26:28.900 --> 00:26:31.560 Lord, we thank you for your word. 00:26:31.560 --> 00:26:38.740 We thank you that Psalm 35 screams of a God that understands when we face suffering without cause. 00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:46.200 Yet, Lord, we thank you that you are with us, that you reassure us of you being there for us. 00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:56.019 And Lord, we pray that you continue to delight in caring for your servants like you care for David. 00:26:56.500 --> 00:27:01.160 Lord, we pray that we continue to trust you in all that we do and gain to know more of you. 00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:03.140 In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:09.740 Amen. 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:09.740 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:09.740 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:09.740 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:09.740 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:09.740 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:09.740 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:09.740 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:10.740 Amen. 00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:10.740 00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:11.740 Amen. 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:11.740 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:12.900 Amen. 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:12.900