Psalm 61 Our Strong Tower When Life is too Hard
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Death and bad news has been very real this week to someone. The reality is that every week is a hard week for someone.
Some are walking through valleys
Some are wandering aimlessly
Some have lost perspective on life
In the midst of these hard times the answers seem simple to those distant from the events. Yet mere answers don’t usually help much when you are hurting We still hurt. The pain is real.
The questions are real. The fact is that truth can be cold and distant. Necessary? Yes. But when life is hard cold truth doesn’t seem to help much. In the aches of life we need more than information. We need someone to come alongside. Someone to care.
So David writes about during one of his own hard times in Psalm 61
When Life is too Hard – He looks to His strong tower.
I. Our Strong Tower: Cry Out in Crisis
I. Our Strong Tower: Cry Out in Crisis
A. When the heavens are silent Psalm 61:1
A. When the heavens are silent Psalm 61:1
NKJV Psalm 61
1 Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.
1. The problem
1. The problem
a. Things seem out of control
a. Things seem out of control
b. Pain is too great
b. Pain is too great
c. Sometimes events seem to contradict what we “know is true”
c. Sometimes events seem to contradict what we “know is true”
d. Pat answers are insufficient – events more significant than knowledge
d. Pat answers are insufficient – events more significant than knowledge
2. Many reasons
2. Many reasons
a. Consequences of sin
a. Consequences of sin
b. A time of drifting
b. A time of drifting
c. Dark night of the soul
c. Dark night of the soul
3. The response
3. The response
a. Honest outburst of emotion to God
a. Honest outburst of emotion to God
b. I am hurting
b. I am hurting
c. The world is winning
c. The world is winning
d. Where are you God – You don’t care
d. Where are you God – You don’t care
4. From the depth of despair still a confession of trust (expectation)
4. From the depth of despair still a confession of trust (expectation)
B. In the midst of overwhelming difficulty Psalm 61:2a
B. In the midst of overwhelming difficulty Psalm 61:2a
2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; …
1. Immense separation
1. Immense separation
a. At the brink of death
a. At the brink of death
2. Drowning in problems
2. Drowning in problems
a. Submerged and drowning – over your head – massive waves of trouble breaking over your head
a. Submerged and drowning – over your head – massive waves of trouble breaking over your head
3. Fog of confusion
3. Fog of confusion
a. Engulfed like deep fog – can’t see – closed in
a. Engulfed like deep fog – can’t see – closed in
4. Emotional exhaustion
4. Emotional exhaustion
a. Overwhelmed
a. Overwhelmed
b. Loss of hope
b. Loss of hope
c. Estrangement
c. Estrangement
d. Despair
d. Despair
e. I can endure no more – about to fail
e. I can endure no more – about to fail
C. Search for something beyond myself Psalm 61:2b
C. Search for something beyond myself Psalm 61:2b
2 … Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
1. Perhaps a crag in a massive cliff
1. Perhaps a crag in a massive cliff
a. Cool inside when the heat arises
a. Cool inside when the heat arises
b. Warm when the cold wind blows
b. Warm when the cold wind blows
c. Dry and untouched by the wind rain lightening – blunts upon the massive rock
c. Dry and untouched by the wind rain lightening – blunts upon the massive rock
d. Pettit Jean state park in Ark – underneath a cliff – Indian paintings – heavy rain – untouched by the elements
d. Pettit Jean state park in Ark – underneath a cliff – Indian paintings – heavy rain – untouched by the elements
2. Perhaps a high place save from the waves
2. Perhaps a high place save from the waves
a. Waves crash into it – but the waves are destroyed not the rock
a. Waves crash into it – but the waves are destroyed not the rock
b. From the safety of the cliff you can watch the ocean beat uselessly at the rocks below – you are save – Ireland on the Skye Isles – below the waves crash but to no avail
b. From the safety of the cliff you can watch the ocean beat uselessly at the rocks below – you are save – Ireland on the Skye Isles – below the waves crash but to no avail
3. On a rocky summit that is higher than I am
3. On a rocky summit that is higher than I am
a. Moro Rock – Sequoia NP – walk out on a bare rock – stairs chiseled in stone
a. Moro Rock – Sequoia NP – walk out on a bare rock – stairs chiseled in stone
b. Safety
b. Safety
c. Perspective
c. Perspective
4. The Rock
4. The Rock
a. Not built by man
a. Not built by man
b. Impervious to all nature can throw against it
b. Impervious to all nature can throw against it
c. Unable to overcome
c. Unable to overcome
d. A need for stability
d. A need for stability
e. A need for perspective
e. A need for perspective
5. A need for one greater
5. A need for one greater
a. A foundation that extends beyond me – I am not enough
a. A foundation that extends beyond me – I am not enough
b. A need for help to get there – it is beyond me (too high for me)
b. A need for help to get there – it is beyond me (too high for me)
6. An act of faith – in the midst of the pain
6. An act of faith – in the midst of the pain
a. Psalmist distant from God – call anyway
a. Psalmist distant from God – call anyway
b. Every place – every situation – call anyway
b. Every place – every situation – call anyway
c. Don’t run from Him – He is there
c. Don’t run from Him – He is there
II. Our Strong Tower: Move toward God
II. Our Strong Tower: Move toward God
A. A tower of strength Psalm 61:3
A. A tower of strength Psalm 61:3
3 For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.
1. Shelter (refuge) – go to Him and you are save (base)
1. Shelter (refuge) – go to Him and you are save (base)
a. Protection
a. Protection
b. (from the face of my enemy)
b. (from the face of my enemy)
2. A strong tower
2. A strong tower
a. A place of strength– can’t get me here
a. A place of strength– can’t get me here
1) Purposefully built 2) May breach the walls but can’t get into the tower 3) Last refuge
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lordis a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.
b. A place to see clearly
b. A place to see clearly
c. A place to get direction
c. A place to get direction
B. A place of intimate relationship Psalm 61:4
B. A place of intimate relationship Psalm 61:4
4 I will abide in Your tabernacle (tent) forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah
1. Dwell with Him in His place
1. Dwell with Him in His place
a. Hospitality
a. Hospitality
b. Friendship
b. Friendship
c. Lamar – talk from 12:00-3:00 AM - just sit and drink coffee after work. – Never in a hurry – just interested in being there
c. Lamar – talk from 12:00-3:00 AM - just sit and drink coffee after work. – Never in a hurry – just interested in being there
2. Intimacy – under His wings
2. Intimacy – under His wings
a. Parental love
a. Parental love
b. Childlike trust – Alex in the dark
b. Childlike trust – Alex in the dark
c. Protection from the outside world
c. Protection from the outside world
d. As safe as the strength of the parent
d. As safe as the strength of the parent
e. Warmth from the cold
e. Warmth from the cold
f. Could you hear his heart?
f. Could you hear his heart?
C. A place of His faithful provision Psalm 61:5-7
C. A place of His faithful provision Psalm 61:5-7
5 For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritageof those who fear Your name. 6 You will prolong the king’s life, His years as many generations. 7 He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!
1. Realization of God’s presence
1. Realization of God’s presence
a. You (hear, give, prolong)
a. You (hear, give, prolong)
2. Realization of God’s response
2. Realization of God’s response
3. Realization of eternal provision
3. Realization of eternal provision
4. Preserved by God’s loyalty
4. Preserved by God’s loyalty
III. Our Strong Tower: Live a changed life
III. Our Strong Tower: Live a changed life
A. Of gratitude and praise Psalm 61:8a
A. Of gratitude and praise Psalm 61:8a
8 So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
1. Perspective comes – the problem or enemy is no longer in his thoughts
1. Perspective comes – the problem or enemy is no longer in his thoughts
2. No longer having need – thankful for Him and His provision
2. No longer having need – thankful for Him and His provision
3. For He Himself – better than anything else
3. For He Himself – better than anything else
a. Who He is
a. Who He is
b. What He has done
b. What He has done
c. What He will do
c. What He will do
B. Of dedicated living Psalm 61:8b
B. Of dedicated living Psalm 61:8b
8 … That I may daily perform my vows.
1. And this perspective of being safe and provided for by Him leads to a changed life – act out of the perspective that comes from within
1. And this perspective of being safe and provided for by Him leads to a changed life – act out of the perspective that comes from within
2. Response of life
2. Response of life
3. Daily (day by day)
3. Daily (day by day)