Revering the Word
Psalm 57 How do you see God? Do you see Him exalted?
Good morning everyone this morning we are in Psalm 57 and what it says at the beginning of this Psalm an intro to it it says, "For the choir director set to Al Tashaath a mikkam of David when he fled from Saul in the cave." There was a time in history where Saul the king was hunting down the life of David who was anointed to be king and would be king eventually and Saul was very jealous of him and wanted to kill him and David hid for a period of time in the cave of a dulam and what's interesting is that is now a a park in Israel it's south west of Jerusalem kind of in between Jerusalem and Gaza and there's lots of caves in that area so they have a hard time distinguishing what specific cave David was in but it is said back in 1 Samuel that there was as many as 400 men hiding out with him other men who were discontented or also were with David and on David's side so you know a thing that it's interesting that it's all real right and that these caves exist but the other thing that really came to me this morning as I was taking in this Psalm you know we are interjecting Psalms into our three-year journey so you know about every I don't know week or ten days or so we do Psalm and most of them have been a Psalm of David or something with David's life and David had so many trials in his life and so many times were you know people were after him and it just you know I've commented on that's several times in order to give context but this morning it just really hit me you know David is called a man after God's own heart he definitely made mistakes in his life significant ones but he had a significant relationship as well with God and isn't it interesting that in all the trials that he went through it this developed I believe this type of relationship here listen to what it says and I'll speak a little more about this be gracious to me oh God be gracious to me for my soul takes refuge in you and in the shadow of your wings I will take a refuge until destruction passes by you know if our lives were in peril as much as David did was we probably would be crying out to God too because it's like you know what if God's hand is not with me with everything being against me my life is likely to be taken now God had a plan for David to be a king and to live an old life and for someone to come to be a king forever in his line and that came true in Jesus but I just think that you know who wants to go through trials right who wants to have your life be hunted down the anxiety and difficulties David based was immense but the kind of relationship and reliance that it helped him develop with God is truly remarkable so I think it's important to see that when we do go through hard times God does use that to draw us near to him and to to develop a trust and a reliance and David ultimately although he's hiding in a cave ultimately he knows his true refuge is in the Lord Hallelujah I will cry to God most high to God who accomplishes all things for me he will send from heaven and save me and you know God did I mean God really miraculously protected this man from Saul from Absalom his son who later was one who tried to usurp him but God God had a divine plan for David he approaches him who tramples upon me God will send forth his loving kindness and his truth and that's the word hased there his loving kindness his loyalty to frequent term used of God in the Old Testament and Hebrew hased isn't it interesting there that God will send forth his loving kindness and his truth you know that's something that I think about a lot and I'll be speaking later today and being talking about this very same topic and you might recall where it says in Ephesians 5 speak the truth with love the passage I'm preaching on today from 1 Corinthians chapter 16 I believe it's verse 13 it says act like man act like men be strong and let all you do do in love and you know it's a it's a it's a it's a combination where we need God and here he's saying for God to send forth his loving kindness and his truth it's both and it's both and you know that that chapter on love love is kind love is patient all that kind of stuff you know that in that chapter verse Corinthians 13 where it speaks about all those wonderful things about love it says love rejoices in the truth in that interesting and a lot of times today we are taught that love is absent of truth or love is just accepting approving anything and everything and and not considering what God says is true and true love is in the truth of God and both things don't need to go together we do want to approach our mankind today in love but we want to do it in truth too and again that's where we need God to do it well Lord help me help us my soul is among lions I must lie among those who breathe forth fire he's referring to saw on the people after his life even the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and they're tongue a sharp sword he realizes he has a lot of enemies but then he says be exalted above the heavens oh God let your glory be above all the earth and in the midst of David's trial he sees God is big he sees God is magnified and he trusts the Lord they have prepared in that for my steps my soul is bowed down they dug a pit before me they themselves have fallen into the midst of it he's like you know what these people are after me and they're trying to set me up but they're gonna they're gonna end up falling into their own pit my heart is steadfast oh God my heart is steadfast what a wonderful word to stand firm in the Lord to trust in Him I will sing yes I will sing praises and what an incredible thing you know to think that David on the run being hunted down is trusting in the Lord and singing God's praises what a what an act of faith awake my glory awake harp and leer I will awaken the dawn I will give thanks to you O Lord among the peoples I will sing praises to you among the nations man just so impressed you know and it's it's kind of challenging sometimes because you you know you know what David did with Bathsheba and Bathsheba's husband and and all that you know the mistakes this man made but yet he was his exuberance and enthusiasm and devotion his worship of God it's just so impressive I will give thanks to you O Lord among the peoples I will sing praises to you among the nations for your loving kindness there it is again hased is great to the heavens and your truth to the clouds isn't that interesting again bringing together God's grace his love his kindness his faithfulness his loyalty and his truth all together in one be exalted be magnified above the heavens O God let your glory be above all the earth you know we had a Bible study the other day and we were talking about this word to be exalted or to be magnified and you know God is God is big God is enthroned in the heaven God is the creator of all things and we don't change the size of God you know we don't we don't magnify him in the sense that like there's nothing we can do to make God bigger however what is our perception of God right how do we view him so even though he doesn't change based on how we view him he changes in our minds not that it actually changes him but the question is is how do we view him like do we see him as big as he is do we see him as creator God do we see him you know as the beautifully mysterious sovereign one who is in charge do we see him as king of kings and Lord as lords and you know I think a lot of the world has minimized him and they they need to magnify or see him as exalted and you know we talked about this as it relates to the word of God too I mean a lot of people have very little values so sad to say that God you know but have so little value for the word of God and it's on a shelf maybe and they don't look at it it's collecting dust or you can have reverence and see God's word is inspired by him and high and lifted up so although that doesn't change the word the word is still the same it changes our perception and our view of it and our perception and view of God in his word changes everything I mean if you believe he is real he is true he is high and lifted up that you're gonna answer to him one day that he sees what you do now that he's coming to get you one day that you're gonna go home to be with the Lord in heaven all those things when you see him for who he really is the Lord and Savior of all mankind now we're seeing him big we're magnifying we're seeing him the way he should be seen as big and his word as holy and and we revere it revere the word so it's important how we view God and it's mentioned several times and we can see in David can't we that he saw God as big he saw God as one he could trust he he had a right perspective of who God was and I think if we could interview David and find out when he made mistakes what was the problem it's it's when he became complacent and began to be complacent and when he stopped seeing God for all he is and his beauty and his his being exalted and then he ended up acting out in his flesh so the more that we see God in our minds for who he really is it keeps us on the right track and keeps us devoted to our Lord hallelujah you know next time you're in a trial praise God that even though you know who wants one right we're not looking for a trial but praise God that he does use it to draw us near to him and learn to worship him for who he is and trust him God bless you all