It is wonderful to be back with you again this morning, and my great privilege to bring the Word of God to you this morning, we will be looking at Psalm 56 so as you have a Bible with you, would you please turn to Psalm 56 I remind you that this is the infallible and inerrant Word of God. Please give it your careful and undivided attention.
[1] Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;[2] my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. [3] When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. [4] In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me? [5] All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. [6] They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. [7] For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! [8] You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? [9] Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that[d] God is for me. [10] In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, [11] in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me? [12] I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. [13] For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
Thus far, the reading of God's Holy Word, let us pray, Lord God, we thank You for this moment in David's life where he very honestly and openly records his feelings during earthly pursuit, and yet also honestly and openly records his hope in you, Lord, we ask that You would help that to be our hope as well. This morning, even in light of the many difficulties which we have faced throughout our existence, we ask these things in Jesus name, amen.
Please be seated.
Life is hard, and then you die.
It was a popular saying some time ago, perhaps as long as 40 years ago, and yet it still applies. It seems life can come at you in such a way that when things are going well, you begin to look at it as a mere brief break before the next difficult thing comes your way. The difficulties we face in life tend to involve relationships, economic hardship or health concerns. These are real difficulties, to be sure, but they are, for the most part, not matters of life and death. For most, if not all of us, have never had someone unjustly pursuing us with murderous intent. Even with that being a case, we have experienced similar emotions of such a circumstance, although perhaps not with identical intensity. So it is that our Psalm as an expression of David's Feelings and Faith under those conditions can still resonate with us today and serve as an example of God's saving care for us as well as for him. We will see that as we examine first the peril of David's circumstances, then the pain of David's circumstances, and finally the whole salvation of God. But before that, I believe it's important for us to consider the superscripts of the Psalms, because before we look at the peril of David's circumstance. We need to discuss from where we know of David's circumstance, and that is in the title or superscription of the Psalm, which reads to the choir master, according to the dove on far off, terebinths a miktam of David when the Philistines seized him in Gath. As you're probably aware, many Psalms include such introductions in your English Bible. They are generally written either in bold or some other typeface to distinguish them from the balance of the Psalm, and there honestly has been some division.
Vision among scholars as to how to regard these superscriptions.
When I was in seminary, for instance, I had one professor who felt unambiguously that these were later uninspired additions to the Psalm, and as yet, as such, should be disregarded. There's a lot to unpack in that sentiment, but I'd only say that if, in fact, these are later additions to the original Psalms, they are still earlier than the earliest manuscripts which we have. In other words, we don't have any actual record of the Psalms without these superscriptions, and I think absent such evidence, it's safe to assume that these superscriptions actually serve a legitimate introductory purpose for their respective Psalms. When they attach a psalm to a particular historic period, as is the case in our Psalm, it gives us insight into what might have influenced David's words. In this particular case, our Psalm is written to the choir master, as are 56 of the Psalms, including the dozen, the dozen or so that surround this one. It notes the musical nature of the Psalm. And in this case, we have a recommended tune, the dove on far off terebinths, which I think it's safe to say is different than the tune to which it's set in our own Psalter hymnal. But it disco it does underscore the original musical nature of the Psalms, which, in addition to making them useful in worship, also serves as a mnemonic device, aiding in their memorization. So having looked at these superscriptions in general through the lens of this psalm, let's get to the specifics of the Psalm, beginning looking at the peril of David's circumstance beyond the musical notation, our superscription says that the Psalm is a miktam of David when the Philistines seized him at Gath. And the meaning of miktam, which occurs in five other Psalms, is somewhat unclear, but it's always associated with some sort of lament, as it is here, the actual circumstances of the psalm are reported as being when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Now about this circumstance, David says, Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me all day long, an attacker oppresses me.
My enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly, clearly, David is under siege as he writes these words, and his enemy is taking delight in attacking him. Unfortunately, it's unclear exactly when that was David was with the Philistines in Gath twice in Scripture, in First Samuel, chapter 21 and in First Samuel, chapter 27 In neither case did he appear to have been seized by the Philistines in the first instance he was evading the initial pursuit of Saul, having learned from Jonathan that Saul wanted him dead, he arrives in Gath, which is under control of King Achish, and he is immediately recognized as the king of the land, the one about it is whom it is sung. Saul has struck down his 1000s, but David his 10 1000s, the very things which have set Saul against him have followed him to Gath in order to preserve his life, David had to fend being insane and drool in the presence of Achish, and this sent this leads Achish to send him away, rather than to kill him. In the latter case, in chapter 27 David's reasoning was, now, I shall perish one day at the hand of Saul. There's nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines.
Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand as such, David wasn't seized by the Philistines when he went to them voluntarily in order to escape from Saul's pursuit, while there may be some other unrecorded incident which better fits The idea of David being seized by the Philistines in Gath. Both of the instances in First Samuel indicate that David went there voluntarily, and in the second case, he stayed there for an extended period of time and feigned an alliance with Achish.
However, if the Philistines did not. Outright seized David. He was nonetheless under siege. The one pursuing David, in both cases, the one whose men sought to trample him, as he says, Here, was Saul. And Saul's intentions towards David were unmistakably murderous. David's jealousy. Saul's jealousy towards David, precisely because of his success in battle and the knowledge that David had been anointed his successor, drove Saul to madness and rage.
Ironically, David had opportunity to kill Saul in proximity to both of his times in Gath. In both cases, he refused, saying he did not want to take vengeance upon the Lord's anointed, even though that was a title which David himself could rightly claim. God protected and preserved David throughout this lengthy ordeal of Saul's pursuit, but make no mistake, he spent those days in almost constant peril, spending perhaps years under constant threat, being unjustly accused and pursued. However, takes a toll, even when one ultimately survives it. This takes us to the pain of David's circumstance, the psychological and emotional harm which comes from days, weeks, or even months, of living in legitimate fear of your life. It's not as clear as the physical hurt, but it is nonetheless real. This is something that we understand better today than was likely appreciated in David's day, as we have studied the psychological harm which comes from extended time in battle, we have come to see it as a real, lasting thing, though such studies preceded our Psalm by millennia. We see their conclusions reflected here nonetheless, in addition to the physical peril, David refers to the motives of his foes as injurious, starting in verse five, all day long, they injure my cause. All their thoughts are against me for evil. They stir up strife. They lurk. They watch my steps. They have waited for my life for their crime. Will they escape?
It's not merely their actions that are taking their toll on David, but their evil intent and the thought that they might never be held to account. In all it is all of this, not just the physical danger, which drives David to God for relief. In so doing, David is brought to the realization that not only is God able to save his life from such evildoers, he's also able to heal him from the emotional harm he suffered. We see that as David pivots to these words in verse seven, in Wrath, cast down the people. O God, you have kept count of my tossings, put my tears in your bottle? Are they not in your book? David wants God to vindicate him in the face of this unjust pursuit of his life, something which would be gratifying while also preserving his life. But beyond that, David acknowledges that God not only has kept track of this life threatening Chase, but how it has affected him. God has a record of all his tossings, his countless sleepless nights.
Beyond that, God has kept every tear David has shed in his bottle. David himself probably couldn't number his sleepless nights or his tears, but God has an exact count of both. So intimate is his care for him.
This is where I think this psalm hits home for us. Probably none of us have ever been in battle for an extended period of time as David was, but each of us has experienced the pain of betrayal that accompanied it for him, David has done nothing wrong up to this point, he has valiantly fought for Saul, served him, personally, befriended his son, and yet is despised and hunted by him. Saul a king who proved to be impulsive and disobedient to the Lord's command and was thus replaced by. Someone better, David, whom Samuel anointed as the next king. And despite of all of that, he lives his life on the run, unsure of what tomorrow may bring, an altogether unfitting and unjust outcome that had to hurt with a pain that would never fully go away. Have you ever been hurt like that? I suspect that many, if not, most of you have been, and it may be that last night was a sleepless night for you as well. David here affirms that God knows and understands this pain intimately and ultimately will put a stop to it. And this brings us to the whole salvation of God, while it is in many ways cathartic to lament, as David does in this and other Psalms which reflect his true feelings under difficult circumstances, it is neither healthy nor productive to remain in an ongoing state of lament. Indeed, the refrain of this psalm is the antidote to the lament, and every bit his heartfelt in verses three and four, David says, when I am afraid, I put my trust in you, in God whose word I praise, and God I trust. I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? It is a wholesale statement of trust in God in the midst of difficulty, and after his mention in the center of the psalm of the pain he's experienced, he essentially repeats it in verses 10 and 11, In God whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise.
In God, I trust I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me, knowing that God is his only sure object of trust. In the midst of difficulty and despair, David turns from lament to worship. I must perform my vows to you. O God, I will render thank offerings to you. He says in verse 12, God's antidote for difficult times is to enter into His presence with appropriate humility and gratitude.
Gratitude in the face of difficulty may seem counter intuitive, but it reflects God's present knowledge and concern for your troubles, as David mentions here, along with his ultimate solution to them in the future, which is how he ends the psalm, for you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
David regards his deliverance as certain, even though he has yet to experience it. Additionally, this deliverance is essentially entirely spiritually focused.
Indeed. In the refrain, he repeats that he trusts in God, What can man do to me? What can man do to him? Well, it's clear that man can continue to trample him and plot against him. His trust in God is for a salvation that transcends these circumstances, thus rendering man's sovereignty over him ultimately moot. It is a formula that we see elsewhere in other Psalms and throughout Scripture.
Psalm 118 has a very similar formulation, and the writer of Hebrews quotes it in the New Testament. God has saved me from death. What can man do to me?
And though the possibility still exists that David bought David's body may ultimately be sacrificed to this present pursuit. His soul will be preserved and will enter into God's presence in a way that he has yet to experience at this point.
Thus we see how God addresses our problems in life, vexing though they may be, he addresses them through the high priest he has sent before us, who is described in Hebrews chapter four. Since then, we have a great high priest has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God. Let us hold fast our confession, for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect, has been tempted as we are, yet without sin, let us then with confidence, draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. God knows our sufferings and pain because he has experienced them as Christ, the Son. Nothing we experience is beyond his earthly experience. He knows he cares and he will ultimately put an end to our suffering in heaven, where we are told he will wipe away every tear. It is important that we are honest with ourselves and God as we are in distress, as David is here, and it is even more important that we ultimately come back to acknowledging him in worship, because he will ultimately deliver us from death and our despair and so as we go through this life, often filled with tears and tossings, may God give us the insight, faith and strength to cling to Him no matter what, let us pray. Lord God, we thank you that your knowledge, even of our suffering, is perfect, and your desire for us to have relief is also well documented, even as our suffering may continue here, it will ultimately be put to an end, and we shall be so close to you that your hand can wipe the tears from our eyes. We thank you for this wonderful hope, and we ask that you help it to be the focus of our lives, particularly when we find ourselves in great difficulty, we ask these things in Jesus' name, Amen.