Psalm 64 - The Futility of Schemes
INTRODUCTION:
Interest:
How many of you remember the TV show Hogan’s Heroes? If you do, I’m sure that you remember that Hogan and his men had this sophisticated network of tunnels that they used to get in and out of the German prison camp that was their base of operations from which they conducted all of their espionage exploits. That show was one of my favorites when I was a kid. Partly I think I was attracted to Sgt. Schulz, since I shared his name.
Anyway, when I was in early elementary school, I remember that I and a friend came up with a scheme to build tunnels under our town like Hogan and his men had. At the time I lived right on the edge of our small town and there was a field right behind our house. We figured the edge of that field made the ideal entry point for a secret system of tunnels. My friend and I grabbed a spade and set out to begin building our tunnels. We went to the edge of the filed and started digging. As I recall, we spent the rest of the afternoon working on our project. In the end we managed to make a hole big enough for us to jump into that was about 3 feet deep. And that was the end of our scheme to network our town with secret tunnels.
Involvement:
Schemes don’t always work out as planned, not when we are children nor when we are adults. In fact, we will see that idea clearly in our psalm this morning.
Context:
Our psalm, Psalm 64, is attributed to David; but that is all that we can say about it. It is impossible to try to place this particular psalm at any specific place in David’s life. David lived a very eventful life. He faced the kind of threat that we see described in this psalm many times spread over most of his years.
Preview:
So what kind of threat is David facing? Well, our psalm naturally breaks into 2 sections. We will read each section as we come to it this morning.
Transition from introduction to body:
The threat against David is found in the first section, verses 1–6, where we see that…
BODY:
I. The wicked scheme to destroy the godly
The threat he faces is a series of schemes. Let’s read these first six verses…<read Ps 64:1–6>.
As you probably noticed, the psalm is actually structured as a prayer. Because there are wicked people scheming against him, David cries out to God, “Hear my voice, O God.” The cry is emphatic. It seems as if God is rather elusive or not listening. By contrast, the enemies are all around him. David feels like he has to get God’s attention.
Illustration
Can you relate? Do you ever feel a bit like a young child trying to get Mom’s attention when Mom is in the middle of a discussion with a friend? The child will try to be patient, waiting a good 2.5 seconds for mom to notice her. Then she will start tapping on mom’s arm. Followed after 2.5 seconds of that with, “Mom! Mom! Mom!” In her mind that most urgent thing in the world requires mom’s attention. Mom, though, seems preoccupied with her adult conversation.
David has a complaint. It actually is a serious matter to him. The word “complaint” carries the idea of troubled thoughts. David is greatly concerned by the schemes that are being launched against him, but as far as David can tell at the moment God is busy running other parts of His universe. David knows that God has the power to preserve him and to hide him, but is God paying attention to his need?
Application
I asked if you could relate. I’m sure that we all can to some level. We know that God has the ability to help us and protect us. But when there is a real threat, it is not unusual to begin to wonder if He will? Is God paying attention?
Transition:
I would like us to notice two things about the schemes that have David so concerned. These are things that may shake us as well. First,…
A. The wicked attempt to destroy with secret plots
I am not sure how secret the plots really are since, after all, David is aware of them. But he is not fully aware. He knows that the wicked are plotting against him. He knows that they are talking about his undoing and are looking to bring harm to him. But he doesn’t know exactly what they are planning. They are not posting their plans in the Jerusalem Journal or anything. They are scheming, taking council among themselves, evildoer to evildoer.
Now, there is no doubt in David’s mind that the schemers are evil. He is the chosen king, appointed by God. A scheme against him is a scheme against God’s plan.
Application
I would encourage us to be a cautious before we draw too direct a parallel. It is not necessarily the case that those who might plot against you and I are evil, although it is quite likely. Secret scheming is usually not a righteous activity. It is even more likely if the reason they are out to get us is because we carry the name of Christ, because we are known as Christians.
Friends, we should anticipate that as the world rebels more and more openly against God, there will be more and more attempts to destroy us as we stand for righteousness. Let’s not be surprised when it happens. But let’s also make sure that we are not bringing it upon ourselves because of unrighteous activities of our own. It is one thing to be hated because we stand against sinful things. It is another thing to be hated because we are vile in the things that we say toward those enslaved by sinful things. May we be known for speaking truth in love…and may that alone be what causes the wicked to attempt to destroy us with secret plots.
Transition:
The wicked scheme to destroy the godly. The wicked attempt to destroy with secret plots. Also,…
B. The wicked attempt to destroy with words
David seems to be facing a war of words. Words designed to do harm, liked to a sharpened tongue and a carefully aimed arrow.
Illustration
We are familiar with how words are wielded to do harm. We have just over a week to go of an all-out war of words expressed through the millions of dollars’ worth of campaign ads on the airways and filling the internet. Every campaign at every level is attempting to undo the opponent through carefully crafted messages communicated with words.
The reason that the wicked are using words in their war against David is that they know that words have the ability to move the masses. Words rally people. Words affect public opinion. Words bring down rulers.
Illustration
If you remember the story of David’s son, Absalom, you will remember that he effectively used words to launch his coup against his father. He met people coming into Jerusalem and sweet-talked them. “My father may not care about your problem, but I will listen to you. I will take your side and help you get everything you want.” Before David knew what was happening, most of the nation had followed after Absalom.
Application
What this means for us is that we need to be prepared to face a war of words. There are many people in this country who want to denounce Christianity. There are many people who want to undermine righteousness and to destroy the church. Of course, they are ultimately driven by Satan, but that does not mean that they are aware they are his tool. All they know is that they have a hatred of Christianity. Our secular culture and the culture makers—the universities, the media, the entertainers—they will use words to attempt to destroy what they hate—you and I. we had better expect it to happen. We need to be prepared.
Transition:
The wicked attempt to destroy with words. They scheme to destroy the godly. The do so with secret plots and with words. We see both of those ideas in the first section of this psalm.
In the second section, by contrast, David assures us that…
II. God protects the godly
Let’s read verses 7–10…<read Ps 64:7–10>.
David called out to God in verse 1. He was concerned by that God wasn’t paying attention, but in the second half of the psalm David expresses complete confidence that God will come to his aid; God will protect him.
Application
And, of course, we should have the same confidence that God will protect us as long as we remain among the godly, obeying Him and trusting in Him.
Transition:
There are two things that I would like for us to notice again as David expresses his confidence in God. First,…
A. God protects through reversals of schemes
The way in which David expects God to protect him is through reversals of the schemes that have been crafted and launched against him. Notice a couple of specific contrasts given in the psalm.
David’s enemies, the wicked, have plotted many actions. By contrast, God will suddenly shoot a single arrow that will bring all of their schemes to and end. God doesn’t need elaborate plans. Of course, God is infinitely capable of elaborate things…His creation demonstrates that fully. But God doesn’t need elaborate plans to undo the plans of the wicked, a single action will do.
Illustration
The picture that comes to mind is that of a mosquito biting me. I may not notice it at first, but when I do a simple swat will end its efforts completely.
Second, notice that the wicked were quite concerned about secrecy. They held secret council. They planned to shoot from concealment. They lay snares secretly. God, by contrast, deals with the wicked entirely in the open. Everyone will see what God does, He turns the wicked that David’s enemies had so carefully planned back on them. They are taken down by their own efforts as God completely unravels their plans and reverses their schemes.
Application
Friends, the world is filled with people who believe that they can outsmart God. They flesh out this claim by proclaiming that there is no God. They mock people who believe in God and are convinced that they will never be held to account for their actions. Yet, there is one simple action that God brings into each of their lives that brings all their plans to naught—they die. None of these people have ever outsmarted death.
In fact, the greatest reversal of all is the story of redemptive history itself. Satan thought he won in the Garden when he got Adam and Eve to bring sin into creation. After all, that is the reason for death. Satan thought he won when he used Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Israel. Again, when he got Herod to kill the babies in Bethlehem. Satan’s greatest achievement was orchestrating the Messiah’s death on the cross. Yet all of these so-called victories, along with countless others that the Bible unfolds, led to God’s greatest reversal when Christ rose victorious from the grave; having died in our place, having conquered sin and death, having dealt the crushing blow to the serpents head.
Satan continues to scheme to bring about the destruction of image-bearers, but God continues to reverse his scheme through the foolishness of the gospel preached—the message of Jesus Christ that saves us from our sin…<insert Gospel as needed>.
Of course, there are countless examples of God protecting His people more quickly by reversing the schemes of those who plotted against God’s people. Think of Haman who planned to destroy the Jews in the book of Esther. In particular he planned to hang Mordecai on a high scaffold that he had constructed specifically for that purpose. Yet, we all know who ended up swinging from the hangman’s noose on that scaffold—Haman. Likewise, think of the satraps who sought to have Daniel die in the lions’ den. Those lions feasted well when all the satraps, the high officials who plotted against Daniel, found themselves thrown to the lions.
Let’s never think that the wicked people we encounter around us can outsmart God. God is more than able to protect His people.
Transition:
God protects through reversals of schemes. We see that in these final verses. We also see that…
B. God protects for His own glory
The reason that God protects His people is for His own glory. God’s actions are always ultimately about God. We see that clearly in these final verses.
I already mentioned that God reversed the schemes of the wicked publicly. David says that the reason that God does it this way is so that people will “declare the work of God.” God’s actions should lead to the proclamation of those actions to others.
Application
Have you experienced the cosmic reversal of your own personal destiny? Were you bound for hell, as all of us are naturally; but you are now bound for heaven because God has granted you faith in Jesus Christ? If so, are you proclaiming His great work to others, sharing the Gospel message?
But not only does God protect so that public proclamation will be made, He also does it so that there will be personal worship. God wants people to “consider what He has done” and “be glad in the Lord.” These are expressions of worship. God desires worshippers as worshippers rightly reflect His glory back to Him.
And all of this results in quiet confidence, “the upright in heart will glory.” As is the case with many of David’s psalms, we come to the end of verse 10 with nothing changing. The wicked are still scheming. They are still designing their words to destroy him. Yet, the tone in verse 10 is completely different than the tone of verse 1. Quiet confidence has replaced his fear of his scheming enemies. This is because David’s faith has been renewed. He has remembered His God and for that reason praises God all the more.
Transition from body to conclusion:
God protects the godly. He does that for His own glory through reversals of schemes. Such truths renew David’s faith.
CONCLUSION
Application
How about you? Are you renewed in your faith thinking about God and His protection? Are you prone to focusing on the schemes of the wicked or are you renewed thinking about God protecting His people for His own glory? What is it that we should learn from this psalm today? How are we to be like David? What is our overarching idea this morning?
I would express the main idea from this psalm as that Our lives must display our conviction that God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked for His own glory.
Our lives must display our conviction that God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked for His own glory.
Application
That is a long statement. It sums up this psalm, but it is a long statement. For that reason, I want to spend a few minutes picking it a part a bit before we conclude this morning.
First, let’s think about the fact that God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked. There is no doubt about that. We are on the winning side if we are on God’s side. We don’t know how much time is still on the clock, but we know how the final score will come out. Christ Jesus has already walked out of the tomb. His return has already been promised. The serpent will be crushed. His followers will be put down. The righteous will be victorious, standing in the righteousness of the Righteous One.
Illustration
Too often, we lose sight of this truth as we get caught up on the temporal moment. In just over a week, our preferred candidates may or may not win in the various elections. Yet, we know that either way, the wicked will not win. It may appear for a moment, at least to our eyes, that their schemes are working, but that is no reason for our faith to waver—God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked and He will do so in a manner which is guaranteed to bring glory to His name. God’s concern is not our preference; His concern is His own glory. And for that reason He has guaranteed that He will frustrated the schemes of the wicked.
Our lives must display our conviction that God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked for His own glory.
Second, think about the conviction part of this idea. Do we really believe this? Are we convinced in the core of our being that our God is going to be victorious? If so, then how can anything possibly cause us to despair. Certainly, nothing as flimsy as elections of temporal leaders for our country. For that matter, there really isn’t anything that can shake our conviction.
Illustration
This past Wednesday night we finished my class on Romans with the final verses of Romans chapter 8. Do you remember those verses? “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Conviction. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Not even a little thing like death. Not even a spiritual ruler, a principality. Certainly, then, the schemes of the wicked will not rule the day. We can be convinced of that; that is reality. That is confident faith.
Our lives must display our conviction that God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked for His own glory.
Thirdly, think about the display part. Our lives must display our conviction. What do people see when they look at you, at your life? Do people see someone constantly worried about the things of this life? Let’s call it worry what it is…worry of any kind is a lack of faith. I have it at times. So do you, I’m sure. But that doesn’t change it. Worry is not displaying conviction that God will win.
Does your life display a concern to find security through your own efforts? Maybe you are known for the hours you work, the business risks you take, the investments you manage, the people you’ve stepped on to get ahead. We are to be dedicated, hard workers, certainly, but what are we displaying in our lives as we work?
Maybe the greatest display in your life is what is seen when you have free time. Does your life display your conviction that God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked in your free time? If you free time is spent nearly exclusively in self-indulgence, then the answer is no. A conviction in God’s victory will cause you to use your so-called free time in service to Him. After all, there really is no free time, all time is a gift of God that you are responsible to steward. You have time because God has given you life. What are you displaying with it?
Our lives must display our conviction that God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked for His own glory.
This is our main idea from our psalm. Our lives must display our conviction that God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked for His own glory.
The Futility of Schemes: My elementary-aged scheme to build a network of tunnels in my hometown was futile. David has reminded us that so too are the schemes of the wicked. He has reminded us that the wicked attempt to destroy the godly. That is inevitable in this broken, rebellious world. But David has also reminded us that God protects the godly. That is inevitable in this God-created, God-run, and God-in-the-process-of-redeeming world.
Our lives must display our conviction that God will frustrate the schemes of the wicked for His own glory.