Pastor’s Pen Pulpit                                                                                                                                                        

March 7, 2004!

A PSALM OF TRUST - III

Psalm 27

 

In past weeks we have looked at a stanza of confidence in Psalm 27:1-3 and a stanza of commitment in verses 4-6.  Now we come to another important stanza in verses 7-10 – a stanza of Comfort.

 

Hear, O Lord, when I cay with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me.  When You said, “Seek My face.” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”  Do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation!  For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up.

 

There are two important points in this stanza:

 

1.      A Plea to be Heard – vs. 7, 8.  There were times when David, no doubt, felt totally alone with his problems…times when he prayed and there was no immediate answer from God.  Therefore, he prayed that God would hear him.

 

      2.     A Plea to be Helped – vs. 9, 10   David is assured that if the last bastion of help and hope from human sources fail him – God will never fail!

 

Secondly, a stanza of Challenge vs. 11-14

 

Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a level path because of my foes.  Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence.  I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.

 

1.      Keep an open mind to the Lord.   Note the following:

 

David asked for knowledge - “Teach me Thy way”

David asked for wisdom - “Lead me in a level path.”

 

The believer’s demeanor should be right on – clear cut , straight, without ambiguity, unquestionable.  We should be easily read and uncomplicated.  Why?  Worldly critics we have with us always.  Thus, we should seek to live life along the plain path.  Don’t give the critics any legitimate grounds for censure.  This requires knowledge of God’s way and wisdom to walk in those ways.  We must always keep an open mind to the LORD!

 


2.      Keep a Positive outlook on life - v.13

 

The only way a believer can keep a positive outlook on life is by faith.  Faith looks at God’s faithfulness to His people.  Faith understands God’s character – that He is essentially good and does good.  David was supported solely by his faith in a loving and good God.  David believed that he would see the good hand of God in his life – because he had seen the good hand of God in his life countless times before.  His faith had a precedent.

 

3.      Keep a patient disposition - v. 14

 

*Wait  -“to hope or to be convinced that a thing will be brought about and then to wait steadily and patiently until it is brought about.”  Waiting is always easier when you know that your waiting will be rewarded.

 

*God has never let you down.  Has He brought you up to this moment in time?  Then why should you doubt that He will take you through this experience and on to the next one? (Philippians 1:6)

 

Psalm 27 is a bastion of strength for the believing community.  The more frequently you read the Psalm, the more you grasp the significance of it.  Therefore, the more it gets hold of you and infuses God’s strength into your life.  Truly the LORD is our light and our salvation.  He is the defense of our life.  He proves this over and over in times of stress and disappointment.  I recommend that you read Psalm 27 at least once each day for the remainder of the week.  I promise you won’t be sorry!  God bless

 

In His matchless love and grace,