Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

William Cowper so aptly stated, “Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.”

The goal of this series is not to make anyone feel guilty about how little they pray

It is born out of a work God is doing in my heart ....a deepseated conviction that God is calling us to

I. Prepare your heart (v.

1-3)

A. He prayed with passion (v.

1-2)

Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning.

Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.

(, ESV)

The passage begins with a call for God to hear his cry

groaning (v. 1) -- can also mean sigh

cry (v. 2) -- a cry for help, it's the only time this Hebrew word is used in the OT

David's prayer is anything but calm and reserved.

He is raw and vulnerable.

All real, meaningful prayer begins with great need.

You will not have a meaningful prayer life if it is devoid of passion

Only desperate hearts pray like this.

And you cannot manufacture desperation.

David indicates he is putting time and forethought into his prayer.

He’s not just winging it.

Spontaneous prayer can a good thing and at times it is very necessary.

But unless you cultivate some planning and preparation into your prayer life, you will quickly run out of things to say.

How do we do this?

MORE

“Do we not miss very much of the sweetness and efficacy of prayer by a want of careful meditation beforehand.

Too often we rush into the presence of God without forethought or humility.”

Spurgeon

Where does this desperation come from?

B. He prioritized prayer (v. 3)

O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

(, ESV)

We do not know the exact circumstance of this prayer but it may have come during his son Absalom’s rebellion

If this psalm did grow out of the time in the wilderness when David was fleeing from Absalom, then he teaches us an important lesson: no amount of danger or discomfort should keep us from our time of morning fellowship with the Lord

Here he mentions morning twice.

He has chosen the very first part of the day to be set aside as a time to devote himself to communing with God

Notice that in v. 3 in the ESV it says “I prepare a sacrifice for you.”

David is not speaking about actually offering sacrifices.

That was the job of the priests.

However, he uses the Hebrew word here that refers to the priests arranging the sacrifices upon the alter.

Notice that in v. 3 in the ESV it says “I prepare a sacrifice for you.”

David is not speaking about actually offering sacrifices.

That was the job of the priests.

However, he uses the Hebrew word here that refers to the priests arranging the sacrifices upon the alter.

David indicates he is putting time and forethought into his prayer.

He’s not just winging it.

Spontaneous prayer can a good thing and at times it is very necessary.

But unless you cultivate some planning and preparation into your prayer life, you will quickly run out of things to say.

How do we do this?

Carve out time

Use a prayer journal

Use guides such as Matthew Henry’s Method of Prayer or Valley of Vision

In two weeks, we will also talk about how to use scripture to guide us during our times of prayer

“Do we not miss very much of the sweetness and efficacy of prayer by a want of careful meditation beforehand.

Too often we rush into the presence of God without forethought or humility.”

Spurgeon

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait in expectation.

II.

Know your God (v.

4-6)

If this psalm did grow out of the time in the wilderness when David was fleeing from Absalom, then he teaches us an important lesson: no amount of danger or discomfort should keep us from our time of morning fellowship with the Lord

II.

Know your God (v.

4-6)

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.

The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.

You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

(, ESV)

He has already acknowledged who God is in the first three verses by addressing him as Yahweh twice and “my king and my God” in verse 2.

He is not speaking to a God who is unfamiliar to him.

And he recognizes who he is in light of who God is.

Remember, he is a king himself!

But not a king like God is king.

Not a king with a capital K.

In his passion, David does not resort to arrogance.

In verses 4-6, he brings forth the holiness of God.

David’s specific circumstances had something to do with evildoers — enemies who had rebelled against God (v.

10).

And David hearkened back to what he knew about God’s nature and built it into his calls for God to intervene in his situation.

We were made to know Him!

The aim of our lives must be to know HIM!

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

(, ESV)

We must know the God to whom we pray!

Dale Davis says, “The character of God is the basis and springboard of our prayer.”

But now he turns

What is it about the nature and character of God you need to recall today?

His holiness?

"Evil cannot be your houseguest" (v.

4)

His faithfulness?

His love?

J.I. Packer says, God’s love is an exercise of his goodness toward individual sinners whereby, having identified himself with their welfare, he has given his Son to be their Savior, and now brings them to know and enjoy him in a covenant relation.

His mercy?

His mercy?

His mercy?

His omnipotence?

Remove any thoughts of God’s powerlessness

To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?

He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

(, ESV)

His glory?

III.