Psalms1-2

1. How does the theme of "guidance" or "following the Lord" keep coming

up in these verses?

2. What are the characteristics of the man who will be guided by God?

3. Of what about himself is the Psalmist aware?

C. Comment :

First comes TESTIMONY. The psalmist declares his trust in the Lord, sure that he will not be disappointed (or shamed).

Then comes PETITION as he calls out for the Lord to teach him His ways, or his paths i.e. the ways the Lord goes, the way He walks (or operates). These paths are paths of love and faithfulness (steady, unchanging commitment) and are for those who seek God and desire to follow His agreed ways (covenant and testimonies).

The knowledge of the Lord is reserved for those who hold Him in high regard (reverential awe) and that person will know friendship, guidance, security and blessing from the Lord.

Note also, weaving its way through these verses, is the theme of the psalmist's own UNWORTHINESS. He is aware of the folly of past youth, and yet even more he is aware of his own present unworthiness. God has instructed (taught by telling) him as a sinner, but he yearns to know the Lord more intimately, because from Him come all blessing, security and holiness.

D. Application?

1. Am I seeking to know the ways of the Lord so that I may walk closely

with Him?

2. Am I increasingly aware of my own unworthiness as I know Him more

and more?

Passage: Psalm 25:16-22 - See my afflictions

A. Find Out:

1. What was David feeling? v.16

2. What had happened and with what consequence? v.17

3. What did he ask the Lord to do? v.18

4. What had happened? v.19

5. So what did he ask of the Lord? v.20

6. What was his hope? v.21

B. Think :

1. How was David aware of people?

2. Of what else was he aware?

3. In what did he place his hope?

C. Comment :

In the first part of this psalm David had called to the Lord to lead and guide him. He had been aware of the folly of his youth. Now he fully faces his present state.

He is first of all aware of his own sins, his own failings. It is these which upset his heart, he is in deep distress because of them.

Next we find he feels that because of them he has become isolated and everyone is against him. In this David makes a connection that many of us are slow to make: sin does have consequences! When we hold onto known sins, God cannot bless us as He wants to and indeed, in His love for us, He disciplines us (Heb 12:5-11), sometimes by lifting away His hand of protection from us so that the enemy seems to rise up against us. In that situation we repent and cry out for the Lord.

That seems to be the situation here. David is aware of his sins and he is also aware of his enemies who have risen against him. In this state he cries out to the Lord to rescue him and take away his sins. He wants his life to be characterised by integrity and uprightness as he turns back to the Lord and puts his whole trust in Him.

D. Application?

1. Known and tolerated sins in our lives hinder the blessing of the Lord

coming upon us.

2. In such a state the Lord comes and disciplines us to drive us back to Him

in repentance. It is an act of His love for us.

Passage: Psalm 26 - Vindicate me Lord

A. Find Out:

1. What did David claim? v.1

2. What did he ask the Lord to do? v.2

3. What, positively, did he say he did? v.3,6-8

4. What did he say he didn't do? v.4,5

5. What did he ask the Lord not to do? v.9,10

6. Instead what did he ask Him to do & on what grounds? v.11

B. Think :

1. How did David describe unrighteous people?

2. What was David able to claim at this point?

3. What was this psalm really asking?

C. Comment :

In this psalm, in stark contrast to the other psalms we consider in this Part, David seems not to be aware of his sin but of his lack of it! At this point in his life (and we don't know when it was) he is able to say that he has led a blameless life and has trusted in the Lord without wavering. At the end of his life he would not have been able to say that but at this point he obviously can. Within it we see his awareness of right and wrong, so let's examine that.

First the matters he considers he has done well: he's continually aware of God's love and he continually walks in God's truth. In worship he praises the Lord and he loves being near the presence of God.

Next let's consider what he seeks to avoid: mixing with people who are deceitful, hypocrites, evildoers, and wicked. Rather than avoid specific things, he avoids specific types of people.

Why does he say all this? Because he calls to God to redeem him and reserve a place for him with God in eternity.

The psalm leaves us with questions: how can someone pray like this? Answer: only by knowing that God has declared you righteous and blameless. This is the position of the Christian who has been redeemed by the Cross of Christ, this is our position.

D. Application?

1. Do I feel at ease with the gaze of God on my life?

2. Do I trust the Lord alone implicitly for my salvation?

Passage: Psalm 11 - The Lord is Righteous

A. Find Out:

1. How does David view the Lord? v.1

2. Why does he fear fleeing? v.2

3. What does he say has happened? v.3

4. Where is the Lord? v.4a

5. What does He do? v.4b-6

6. Why? v.7

B. Think :

1. What appears to be David's problem here?

2. What is his very real fear?

3. How does he counter that?

C. Comment :

David appears to be countering a chiding he has been receiving. Someone has been telling him to flee to his refuge (perhaps where he used to keep his sheep?) but as he considers doing that, he feels that before he got very far he would be shot down. There appears to be a lack of safety in the land and the foundations of peace and security have been eroded by the Unrighteous.

In response to this David makes a simple reply: my refuge is the Lord! Look, he says, the Lord is here on earth, He is here ruling and He sees what is going on, He sees the righteous (me) and He also sees the wicked (who He hates). Don't you worry, he continues, He'll sort out the wicked! Why? Because the Lord is righteous and loves justice and comes to the aid of the righteous.

In this Psalm there is simple straight forward faith and trust in the Lord. David is in a place of real threat and he knows his only answer is the Lord. The Lord is real and the Lord will come to his aid. Why? Because the Lord is righteous and He fights for the righteous. That is the heart of this short Psalm. Do we know and do we hold onto these same truths? When we are surrounded and cannot run, do we simply declare, "The Lord is my refuge!"?

D. Application?

1. At times in life, it seems like we are surrounded and have no where to

flee. At such times we need to know that the Lord is our refuge.

2. The Lord is righteous and just.

Passage: Psalm 23 - The Lord's my Shepherd

A. Find Out:

1. How does David picture the Lord? v.1

2. What 4 things does the Lord do? v.2,3

3. Where and why does David fear no evil? v.4

4. What does God do for him and where? v.5a

5. What also does he do for David? v.5b

6. What did David expect for his future? v.6

B. Think :

1. From what does David's security come?

2. How does God care for his well-being?

3. What does this Psalm tell us about the nature and character of God?

C. Comment :

David first gives us the picture of the Lord being his shepherd and, by implication, he is a sheep. First of all the Lord looks after his well-being. He stills him, makes him rest, leads him into quiet places, restores him and then guides him in the right way. Yes, everything here speaks of well-being! Then comes the sense of security, in being under the eye of the shepherd who, in being concerned for his well-being, will guard him against enemies and death.

But even more, he has a sense that not only will the Lord protect him from his enemies but He will also provide abundant blessings for him, even when the enemies are around. Even in the threatening circumstances the Lord is pouring out his goodness.

The consequence of all this is that David has the sense of ongoing well-being, for the future. Goodness and love come from God and he can be assured that they will continue to flow out to him and that he will be able to dwell in God's presence for ever.

This famous Psalm is the peak of assurance for the believer, that he is looked after by God, will be provided for, cared for, and protected throughout all his days by the One who said, "I am the good shepherd" (see John 10:11).

D. Application?

1. Care, protection and provision are the inheritance of the believer.

2. Jesus IS the good shepherd.

Passage: Psalm 20 - Prayer for Protection

A. Find Out:

1. For what does the prayer ask first? v.1-2

2. What does it ask second? v.3

3. What does it finally ask for? v.4,5c

4. What is the statement of faith following? v.6

5. What further statement is made? v.7,8

6. What is the final call? v.9

B. Think :

1. Who appears to be speaking this Psalm?

2. On whose behalf?

3. What is it essentially asking?

C. Comment :

Here appears a prayer of the people for David the king. It starts with a prayer and goes onto declarations of faith.

The prayer looks first to the Lord to PROTECT and guard David. Jesus taught us to pray, "Deliver us from all evil" (Matthew 6:13).

It then looks to the Lord to PROVIDE for David the support he needed. Jesus taught us to prayer "Give us our daily bread" (6:11).

The prayer then looks to the Lord to ACCEPT David on the basis of the God decreed method, the sacrifice. Jesus also taught us to pray "Forgive us our debts" (6:12).

Finally comes the desire in prayer for David to achieve all his purposes. Jesus taught us to pray "May your will be done" (6:10).

Herein is the heart of our needs: to be protected by God, to receive God's provision and acceptance through the work of Jesus, and to be able to walk in His purposes. When the assurance of that comes, then can follow the proclamation: we know the Lord saves and we know we can trust in Him, not in the strength of man. Assurance follows prayer. As we pray we find the Holy Spirit gives us a surge of faith to believe for the things we are praying and thus we come into a place of deep assurance over these things.

D. Application?

1. God is our protector, our provider and the one who has redeemed us.

2. We trust in Him alone.

RECAP - "Anguish from Personal Unrighteousness" - Psalms misc.

SUMMARY :

In this second group of 6 studies we have seen :

- Psa 25 - cry of distress with awareness of sin

- Psa 25 - cry of loneliness and affliction

- Psa 26 - a cry for vindication

- Psa 11 - to overcome nagging doubt and defeatist talk

- Psa 23 - a cry from the valley of the shadow of death

- Psa 20 - prayer for success in leadership

COMMENT :

In this rather mixed group of psalms we have focused on those writings of David that seem to highlight his own self awareness. Many people go through life with apparently little self-reflection. David was not such a person. He often seems to have been aware of his shortcomings, his need of God's forgiveness, protection & provision.

We may say, perhaps, that these were writings from his times of failure and need, but we shouldn't take them for granted, for many people take little notice of their sin and don't acknowledge their need. No, this was a man aware of God, aware of himself, and aware of all his needs before Him.

LESSONS?

1. Anxiety saps our strength.

2. A desire to know God is followed by a sense of unworthiness.

3. God disciplines us to drive us back to Himself.

4. I can only be at ease before God with the Cross between us.

5. In times of trouble God will be a refuge.

6. Care, protection & provision make up our inheritance.

PRAY :

Thank the Lord for the Cross - that He accepts us because of what Jesus has done for us.

PART 3 : "Anguish from unrighteousness of others"

Many are totally unconcerned about the sin around them. Let David's example of a man who is not like that challenge and provoke you as you read these next psalms.