Psalm 27
Psalms • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro
Intro
Fearless (1-3)
Dwelling in the Lord’s House (4-6)
Seeking God (7-10)
Plea for God’s help (11-12)
God’s influence now (13)
Exhortation to wait (14) (cf. 1-3)
KEY Emotion: Desire
Desire vs. craving
Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) asserted that human desire is the fundamental motivation of all human action.
As a culture, we’ve had uncertain feelings about desire from the very beginning.
The Christian tradition generally takes a dim view of desire, mainly because we tend to focus on the fleeting satisfaction of this world when we talk about desires—the lust of the flesh, pride, gluttony—rather than the eternal rewards of the next world.
Philosophy, on the other hand, has generally viewed desire as fundamental to human life. To be human is to desire what we do not have.
Often those desires are driven by necesary carnal desires.
For example, what we call lust and condemn, a philosopher may say is merely an expression of a carnal desire to procreate.
So, you have to ask yourself…
Donut ILL: When I crave or desire a donut, Is it really the donut that I want? Or is there something deeper?
It’s not to please the tastebuds so much as it is a desire for fat and quick carbs which are necesary for life.
There are base desires that are a necesary part of this world.
What we deal with—and where we see desires become sinful—are with the outward desires that are an expression of the base desires.
A necesary distinction:
Ascetic groups within many religions, including Christianity, have failed to make this distinction and in an effort to get closer to God or to reach enlightenment of some sort, they have neglected the base desires.
Starved themselves of food necesary for life.
Vows of silence when communication is necesary for healthy community.
Vows of celibacy when procreation is necesary for society.
On the other hand, all religions have had hedonistic groups as well that recognize base desires as being part of the natural order and then excused all outward expressions of those desires.
Gnostic groups who believed you had to experience sin in its fullest so that God could free you from it in the next life.
What is needed is…
Therefore, there is a righteous and unrighteous method of carrying out base desires.
The Psalmist has base desires for comfort, protection, and even to be victorious over His enemies. But, his desires manifest as righteous
to embrace our base desires as being human
and to find righteous expressions of those desires
Everyone wants the same things in this world. We all want to thrive. We want to live. We want to succeed. We want joy and peace and comfort and pleasure.
But, there are righteous and unrighteous ways of going about getting those things and I think the Psalmist has the right perspective on this.
BODY—3 righteous outward expressions
OUTWARD DESIRE 1: To Dwell in the Lord’s House
OUTWARD DESIRE 1: To Dwell in the Lord’s House
I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.
ANALYSIS:
dwell in the house of the Lord (temple)
gazing on the Lord’s beauty
Seeking Him in His temple
Why does he want this?
For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
(a) Being sealed in God’s temple shelters you from adversity. (If the God is with us, who can be against?)
(b) Being sheltered from adversity means exaltation.
How does the Psalmist respond?
Gazing upon the beauty of the Lord
Seeking him in his temple
What does it mean to dwell in the house of the Lord? (4-6)
Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Singing and making music
APP:
from enemies
concealment
hiding
exaltation
Seek God’s Face (8)
When God gives you victory over your enemies and exalts you above your enemies, the natural result of that is to express that joy to God.
Many Christians are highly demonstrable in worship, dancing, shouting, and singing with instruments and tambourines and all sorts of things going on.
Others are reserved and either sing softly or not at all.
And there’s everywhere in between.
But, the Psalmist says, if you have truly been victorious and you have truly been exalted then you will—or at least you should—express yourself in some outward way when you worship. (doesn’t mean everyone needs to be dancing in the isles—not everyone’s personality—but how do you express your excitement?)
Q: Have we been exalted and have we recieved victory?
“To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
x`
This speaks of a future exaltation—we have not yet been actually exalted to high places. We are not physically in the presence of God in His temple, seated on His throne.
BUT!
He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,
Spiritually, we have already been exalted and seated with Christ in the heavens.
How so?
Because if we truly know Christ, the immeasurable riches of his grace will be displayed in our lives throughout the ages of the church.
What are the immeasurable riches of His grace?
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The regeneration of your heart — causes you to desire what is right and good, even as it conflicts with the passions of the flesh.
The sanctifying work of the Spirit to bring you to repentance of sin.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit that empower and inspire you to accomplish God’s work in this world.
The confidence of your perseverance in Christ, that you will endure the day of judgement when it comes.
Have you experienced these graces that are of immeasurable worth?
If you have experienced it, then you are exalted with Christ even now and the natural response will be expressions of joy and praise through song and music.
If you have not experienced it, then there is a problem with your faith, because in , Paul says that your exaltation is a consequence of your salvation which comes from your faith.
OUTWARD DESIRE 2: Seek the Lord’s Face
OUTWARD DESIRE 2: Seek the Lord’s Face
My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face.
What does it mean to seek the Lord’s face?
This is a furthering of the previous desire to be in God’s presence.
To seek the face of a king was to come before the King in his throne room to petition him in some way.
Not everyone in every kingdom had the right to come before the king and thus you often had to seek an audience with Him.
Seeking the king could be dangerous in some kingdoms (seems to be the case here).
Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation.
ILL: Esther seeking her husband, the king of Persia
Why does he want this?
Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path.
He seeks the Lord because he needs direction.
We get the sense now that the Psalmist is speaking metaphorically about the presence of God—dwelling in His house and standing before Him in his throne room.
He wants advice on the level path—the best way—to overcome his adversaries.
The heart
How does he respond?
Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.
He responds in confidence.
Even if those who love me more than anyone else in the whole world abandon me, that’s ok, the Lord cares even more for me than they do.
Inference that God will listen to His plea for help.
APP:
Jeremiah said that the heart is deceitful and wicked.
But, the promise of the New Testament is that, in Christ, we receive new hearts.
Notice what the Psalmist does.
He’s in trouble.
His desire is to be free of the trouble.
He doesn’t decide to lie, cheat, and steal his way out of the mess.
He doesn’t get angry and fight his way out of the mess.
He doesn’t drown his troubles in the desires of the flesh—food, drink, sex.
The instinctual desire of his regenerate heart is to seek the face of the Lord for help in times of trouble.
This is the kind of desire we want to listen to.
And if you never have this kind of desire, this is the kind of desire you want to train.
Start forming a habit of prayer—seeking God’s face—for every situation you face.
Ask God what path he would have you on.
He has been your help and he will not abandon you.
Seek him.
And I think what you will find is that He will set you on paths of forgiveness and reconciliation not anger, lying and deceit.
I think you’ll find that He sustains you by His word so that you don’t have to drown your troubles in excess.
The heart
The response to the heart
Trusting your heart?!?!?
OUTWARD DESIRE 3: To Experience the Lord’s Goodness Now
OUTWARD DESIRE 3: To Experience the Lord’s Goodness Now
I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
What does it mean to see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
What does it mean to seek the Lord’s face?
Dispensational Pessimism—eschatological blessing only—life is only suffering
It’s ok to want goodness in life—it’s not promised that everyone will always have it.
The rain falls on the just and the unjust
Why does he want this?
How does he respond?
APP:
(3rd desire—certainty) The Lord’s Goodness in the Land (cf. wait) — 3 senses
1) blessings that come and go in life (have to wait for)
2) the goodness that comes apart from blessing ()
3) eternal blessing — new heaven and earth (creation) — house of the Lord in Revelation
The psalmist is confident that he will experience the favor and help of the Lord in his life....Otherwise he could not pray as he has. - James Luther Mays
EXH:
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.
Some of you are great at seeking the Lord in prayer and you haven’t seen a clear answer or a clear path.
Wait for the Lord.
Some of you have a great desire to enter physically into God’s eternal Kingdom and into His temple, because this life has been so difficult for you that you are done with it.
I would just remind you that there is still goodness that God will bring into this world.
Wait for the Lord. Seek His face.
And finally, I want you to notice that, even though regeneration of the heart is something God does...
He gives you a new heart
You still choose to use it
“Let your heart be courageous”
It takes great courage to wait on God
It takes great courage to resist worldly means of overcoming trouble
It takes great courage to be different
In Christ you can have great courage, because we have the confidence of the Psalmist that says…
The Lord cares for me
My head will be high
Even in trouble, I will still be confident
The Lord is the stronghold of my life
He is my light and my salvation
In whom shall I fear
For I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
PRAY:
Of David.
The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread?
When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident.
I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.
For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me.
My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face.
Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation.
Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.
Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path.
Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence.
I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.