Sermon Tone Analysis

You Will Not Abandon My Soul

Chair Bible pg.

453

Main Idea: The LORD will keep his people forever.

A Miktam of David.

Either means tune or golden Psalm.

Clearly a Psalm pointing to Christ.

Because Christ has fulfilled the Psalm, it is now applied to our lives in Christ as his followers.

This psalm is a song of confident trust in God in which the psalmist was able to live life to the fullest because he was gripped with a living hope in God beyond (this life and beyond) the grave.

(Lawson, pg.

86)

Psalm teaches us to live beyond the hear and now in spite of difficulty and not to fear death as a follower of Christ.

The LORD God alone provides refuge and good for his people.

Source of refuge and good

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

Preserve me--watch over me.

David is asking God to watch over him with the care and concern of a shepherd.

This is the only petition he makes in this psalm; he doesn’t make any other requests.

(Johnston, pg.

175)

These words are evidently spoken by one in great distress, who addresses himself to heaven for support under his sufferings, pleading his confidence in God, still unshaken by all the storms that had set themselves against it.

(Horne, pg.

78)

Two-fold request for safety in both life and death.

2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; You are in charge.

I heard again this week that He is my Savior, not yet made him LORD.

Jesus is your LORD and Savior or He is neither.

We must remind ourselves who He is and who we are.

As Christ followers, we were bought with a price…we are not your own.

He does not save to take advantage of you but to do good for you and through you...

I have no good apart from you.” “You are all the good I need” (Davis p. 58)

God is all-sufficient and has need of nothing, while we are destitute of any goodness and can contribute nothing to him.

In short, it is impossible for any person ever to bring God under obligation to them or put him in their debt.

(Calvin, pg.

71) He is not (made) happy by us; but we are made happy by him.

He can do without such earthly servants but we cannot do without such a heavenly Master.

(Spurgeon quoting William Seeker, pg.

200)

God is all-sufficient and has need of nothing, while we are destitute of any goodness and can contribute nothing to him.

In short, it is impossible for any person ever to bring God under obligation to them or put him in their debt.

(Calvin, pg.

71) He is not rendered happy by us; but we are made happy by him.

He can do without such earthly servants but we cannot do without such a heavenly Master.

(Spurgeon quoting William Seeker, pg.

200)

Shared refuge and good

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,

In whom is all my delight.

Verse 3, then, is the proper corollary of verse 2; the psalm assumes that if you delight in God, you will delight in His people.

It’s a biblical axiom.

(Davis, pg.

57)

,

The love of Christ we share in Him turns our attention to Him together and as a result to love one another…they go hand in hand.

Sorrow of those who look elsewhere

4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

Or take their names on my lips.

David is rejecting all other religions and forms of paganism(things we drag into the Christian faith)

Illus: Luther crawling to the top of Scala Sancta Holy Steps(story is the steps that Jesus climbed to stand before Pilate) in Rome (repeat Lord’s Prayer on each step and kiss the step--when reach top sins are forgiven) Luther reached the top unconvinced and concerned by what he saw.

The experience was one the things that the Lord used to begin to open his eyes to the gospel.

The gospel is good news to those who are seeking salvation elsewhere at great expense.

The one great sacrifice had been offered upon the altar of the cross.

(Horne, pg.

79)

Sure and beautiful inheritance expression of contentment and assurance

5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

Using the language reminiscent of the conquest of Canaan (“portion,” “lot,” “boundary lines,” “inheritance”), the psalmist reflects on all that the Lord has done.

The LORD is the sufficient supply for all that we need.

Our joy and contentment are not found in the God’s gift but in the LORD God himself.

Yet, He wants us to enjoy the good gifts he gives and praise him as the giver.

(Johnston, pg.

180) See v. 6...

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

The LORD God alone rightly instructs his people.

7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

In the night also my heart instructs me.

How does Yahweh give him counsel?

Through His written word.

The very first psalm implies this: there the believer walks away from the counsel of wicked (1:1) and instead meditates on Yahweh’s torah (law, instruction) day and night (1:2).

(Davis, pg.

60)

Illus: The joy of knowing the LORD through his Word that feeds and nourishes our soul as we hide it in our hearts and minds.

His Word reminds and instructs us as to his care and keeping...

The LORD God alone keeps his people forever.

8 I have set the LORD always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

David is placing the forefront of his mind that the LORD is ever with him, at his right hand-place of support.

He will not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.

Even in the midst of suffering and in the face of death, David’s heart was glad, he rejoiced with all that was in him because he knew that in either life or death, he was secure in the hands of the LORD GOd.

Read v. 10-11 without comment

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

Or let your holy one see corruption.