Sermon Tone Analysis

(ESV) —1 And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.

This song or Psalm is recorded in .

The writer of 2 Samuel places this here in part because as David’s life is winding down, he included two of David’s songs. is the last major Psalm David wrote.

This is a flashback to .

This song or Psalm is recorded in .

The writer of 2 Samuel places this here in part because as David’s life is winding down, he included two of David’s songs. is the last major Psalm David wrote.

This is a flashback to .

(ESV) —1 Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,

David was thinking of building the temple, but God said, “No temple… but your family will always have the throne of Israel…” which continued until Jesus came and was anointed king of Israel.

David was thinking of building the temple, but God said, “No temple… but your family will always have the throne of Israel…” which continued until Jesus came and was anointed king of Israel.

This event takes place before his sin with Bathsheba, an important point as we look in verses 22-28 in just a few moments.

This event also takes place before the failures we saw on Father’s day in his dealing with his family.

David was never perfect, but we see a major turn in his life when he sinned against Bathsheba.

We can almost draw a mark on his life at that point.

Before the mark he walked close to the Lord.

After that mark, his successes and his life, though still fairly strong, are marked by real problems because of his sins.

This Psalm given here and in is the Psalm of a mature spiritual person.

Jesus calls us to follow him.

When we trust in Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we have a home in heaven.

When we trust Jesus, he also gives us a new way of thinking.

God’s ways are not our ways nor are his thoughts our thoughts.

When we follow Jesus, our thinking will change.

This Psalm is set at a time of relative peace.

David’s main responsibility was to fight battles.

These were real battles in a real war.

War is a necessary evil.

If he didn’t fight, the Philistines and certain elements in his own country would come and kill and enslave the men, women and children.

One never knew whether or not they would return from battle alive.

David did.

He survived the battles.

This Psalm is the reflection of a spiritually mature person on the battles in his life.

I am thankful that I am an American.

Most Americans have had to travel across one of two major oceans in order to be involved in war.

War is not glamorous.

Those who have survived understand better than anyone else what it means to see live action and people dying.

Because we live in peace, we have other kinds of battles.

We have battles in our marriages.

We have battles with our children.

We have battles with our bosses or employees.

We face health battles.

We have battles with our own consciences and struggles over doing what is right.

These battles are emotionally and physically draining.

These battles can lead to depression and hopelessness.

Yet, for many, you have been through the battle and you are now at a place of peace.

How do you look back on those battles?

What is your mindset?

The spiritually mature person has a distinct way of looking at life’s battles.

This morning we are going to look at David’s song to see how he viewed the battles of life he faced.

The spiritually mature have a strong personal connection to the Lord.

He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, 3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

The spiritually mature pray to God when they are in distress.

The spiritually mature pray to God when they are in distress.

I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

5 “For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; 6 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

7 “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I called.

From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears…

The spiritual mature accept that there are things in life that are beyond their ability to deal with.

“He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.

18 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support.

The spiritually mature see a real connection between their obedience to Jesus and the peace they have in their lives.

The spiritually mature see a real connection between their obedience to Jesus and the peace they have in their lives.

The spiritually mature see a real connection between their obedience to Jesus and the peace they have in their lives.

He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

21 “The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.

22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all his rules were before me, and from his statutes I did not turn aside.

24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt.

25 And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

26 “With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 27 with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

28 You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

The spiritually mature give God credit for their talents, abilities and successes.

2 Samuel 22:29-37 For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness.

30 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.

31 This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

32 “For who is God, but the Lord?

And who is a rock, except our God?

33 This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless.

34 He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.

35 He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great.

37 You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip;

The spiritually mature attribute their strength to the provisions of the Lord.

2 Samuel 22:38-38 I pursued my enemies and destroyed them, and did not turn back until they were consumed.

39 I consumed them; I thrust them through, so that they did not rise; they fell under my feet.

40 For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.

41 You made my enemies turn their backs to me, those who hated me, and I destroyed them.

42 They looked, but there was none to save; they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.

43 I beat them fine as the dust of the earth; I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets.

The spiritually mature see God helping them deal with family and foe.

The spiritually mature see God helping them deal with family and foe.

44 “You delivered me from strife with my people; you kept me as the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.

45 Foreigners came cringing to me; as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.

46 Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses.

The spiritually mature speak out loud about the goodness of the Lord.

2 Samuel 22:47-51 “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation, 48 the God who gave me vengeance and brought down peoples under me, 49 who brought me out from my enemies; you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from men of violence.

This morning I want to end with a challenge to those of you who have been through the battle.

I want to challenge you to live in the will of God as David did.

50 “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.

51 Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.”