Hated Without a Cause #2

We might be afflicted and despised by men, but the Lord doesn't despise us. You know why he never despises our plea for help. It's because he is a God of loyal love who has compassion upon his children. Many times when were going through a tough trial or difficult situation, it can feel like God is taking his time in getting around to helping us hello and welcome to the truth pulpit with John Green, founding pastor of truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio hi Bill right today.

John brings his series called a cry for justice to a close with a powerful reminder that God always goes before us in every situation and even though it may feel like the trouble is never going to end our loving heavenly father will be with us every step of the way resulting in our complete deliverance and his ultimate glory. Open your Bibles right now. Let's join our teacher for part two of a message called hated without a cause fear on the truthful Psalm 69 with verses 10 through 12 with me when I made sackcloth my clothing. I became a byword to them. Those who sit in the gate talk about me and I am the song of drunkards what he saying is, is that that the sorrow through which he is going has become an occasion for just by sinful men, people mock him. They gossip about him. The city leaders who would sit in the gates were opposed to him.

The drunks, the lowest of society made his suffering, a topic of their songs from the greatest to the least men mocking him and deposing him mark this all of this going on while he is praying and fasting with righteous desires. God my godliness is become the occasion of content with my earthly contemporaries so he feels this deeply, you know why I like this aspect of David. I like this aspect of the songs I like the fact that that here we see a godly man who is articulating some of the desires and the passions in the sorrows of the soul that that this is this is not someone cold and remote that walking with God. This is a man who knows something about sorrow, who knows something about expressing it. A man with feelings in a man with passions of godliness and that when you and I have those same motions going on in our hearts we have we have feelings of betrayal, justice, feelings of being on the receiving end of the unjust treatment that we find in Scripture that those feelings of our heart are given a voice I love God for that. I love his word for that.

I love the fact that we find not shame and reproach from God. As we go through such times as we feel that what's a matter with you, you weakling kind of thing. No no, God doesn't deal with us that way. Why this go back to where we started because he's got a steadfast love is a God of mercy. He's a God of compassion who, as Hebrews 4 says we have a Christ to sympathizes with us in our weakness.

Isn't that a precious place to be. Isn't that a wonderful place to find yourself with a God who loves you like that yes, it is well while the drunks were singing in an ungodly manner. David goes in verse 13 and stands in contrast to them.

He says in verse 13 but as for me my prayers to you oh Lord at an acceptable time. Oh, God, and the greatness of your lovingkindness. Answer me with your saving truth. He's desperate, feels like he's drowning, but he still has confidence in God's loyal love. Look at verses 14 through 18. He says deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink may I be delivered for my foes and from the deep waters by the flood of water not overflow me nor the deep swallow me up nor the pit shut its mouth on me. God don't let me die like this. Don't let me die in this condition. Deliver me. Verse 16 he says answer me oh Lord Yahweh that that name of God that particularly speaks of his covenant promise keeping faithfulness to his people answer me oh covenant keeping God. Oh Lord, for your lovingkindness is good. According to the greatness of your compassion turned to me and do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress answer me quickly. Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it ransom me because of my enemies. The two things I would have you see in that passage, which just requires more time than we can give it is this call that he makes to God for help and for deliverance and that call for help in deliverance is rooted in his knowledge and his trust in the eternal love of God that is why he can pray in his distress. That is why he can pray for help. God, I know I can appeal to you because you are this God of loyal love to me and beloved right there coming back to where we started. I ask you whether you know God like that.

I ask you whether your sense of confidence in your knowledge of his attributes is such that you can pray to him with the exact same confidence that David did God. I know I can pray to you for help in my distress because I know that you are a God of love God all go so far as to say I know it better than David did. Because since David Christ has come since David, you have become flesh since David, the cross has been there since David Christ is given his life.

I see the fullness of it. So I pray with even more confidence in David did Lord I know you love me, help me in my distress. Do you know God like that is your trust in him like that. David goes on and he expresses his his his certainty that God knows the situation even though there is no comfort for them on earth with verse 20 he says reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick I look for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They also gave me goal for my food and for my thirst. They gave me vinegar to drink golf was a bitter substance that was mixed with wine would not be pleasant to drink. It might even be poisonous. What he saying here is, here I am in my distress and these people come to me and rather than giving me food to strengthen me rather than giving me drinks for my for my thirst. They betray me even further at the simple basic level of basic human kindness and they give me that which would injure me further God. That's the kind of enemy that I am dealing with is the height of treachery is the height of betrayal from David's perspective. What we find with Christ is hanging on the cross.

John 19 says they offered him goal to drink what was probably a cheap sour wine that very well. If he had taken it would have prolonged his life. Therefore, prolonged his pain. According to commentator DA Carson in his commentary on John so that even in the midst of Christ suffering there offering them something that would make him suffer more. How wicked, how despicable, how how how old is the is the sinful black heart of unregenerate men to deal with a man in suffering such not just a man and suffering in David's case, a godly man in Christ case the God man, what is it the prompts such wickedness and how do we deal with that. Well we seen our first point that he asked God for deliverance. That's verses one through 21. What David does in Psalm 69 as we come to the second point here as he assigns the wicked to God. He hands them over to God. He asks the Lord to repay their evil and as we read this passage ever so briefly, let me remind you that we've dealt with this difficult topic of imprecatory Psalms are prior to messages so I'm not going to repeat any of that here. Let's just look at it briefly. David prays and he says, may their table before them become a snare and when they are in peace may become a trap. May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see and make their loins shake continually. Pour out your indignation on them and may your burning anger overtakes them either can't be desolate. May none dwell in their tents for they have persecuted him whom you yourself have smitten and they tell of the pain of those whom you have wounded. What's he saying there is he saying that Lord they they have boasted and laughed in the suffering of your people. We are we are experiencing the discipline of your hand in our lives. And rather than stepping back in reverence they have made it a topic of sport and laughter have of their own perverse entertainment Lord you see the injustice of this Lord you see the wickedness that is about them. Lord, this needs to be addressed.

God I'm asking you to deal with these wicked people. Verse 27 add iniquity to their iniquity, may they not come into your righteousness may they be blotted out of the book of life, and may they not be recorded with the righteous. What David is saying is this God you've already brought me low. The circumstances have already humbled me and these wicked men are finding delight in adding to my pain and in and affliction. They should have shown me compassion, instead they piled on. Instead, they are delivering late hits. You might say God what I'm asking for you to do is this. You see what they are doing.

You see what they are sowing the seeds of sin. The seeds of wickedness. What David is saying here. In essence in the Psalm is God. Let them reap what they have sown. They deserve to feel the consequences. David here in the Psalm is not taking his own revenge.

David is not going out and striking them with his own hands. In fact, David's life shows remarkable restraint when he is the object of personal insult or personal attacks from King Saul from semi EI who cursed him as he was walking by. David said let them alone.

David had opportunities to take Saul's life and he always passed on it. David was not a man of personal vindictiveness and David was not taking matters into his own hands to extract his own vengeance here he's praying he's pouring his heart out to a God who knows his situation knows the wickedness that he is being subjected to and to the God who is a God of compassion and news on his side got, I commit them to you.

Let them report their sewing but Laura lead the outworking of that to your hand hold them accountable for their sin. And when he asked God to blot them out of the book of life. He's asking that they would have no sharing God's blessing. Charles Spurgeon says the inner meaning of this request is that David wanted to be made evident that their name was never written there at all, that they were never a part of the true family of God. They were never part of spiritual Israel, because they never would've acted this way if they had been God make it manifest they were never part of yours and he says this is quoted in Romans 11, referring to how Israel's hard heartedness will bring judgment to them. Verse 25 of Psalm 69 he says me. There can't be desolate. May none dwell in their tents yet again. The New Testament draws upon Psalm 69 and applies this to Judas, that wicked man who betrayed our Lord. Speaking of Judas. It says in acts chapter 1 verse 20 is written in the book of Psalms let his homestead be made desolate, and let no one dwell in it, and let another man take his office. The New Testament writers showing the fulfillment of this judgment and the life of Judas, so he commits the wicked to the Lord and beloved, here you go is Dave is praying this. Remember that he's praying in a representative capacity.

Remember that others are affected by what's happening to him. Remember that zeal for the Lord and the glory of the Lord is is animating everything that he says there are broad consequences to what's happening to David. Many people are affected by it. When you and I are personally insulted when people personally react against us. Even in the cause of Christ.

Christ causes you pray for your enemies you love those who persecute you. What David is doing here is different because the circumstances are different here. The cause of God is at stake here the glory of God is at stake in a way that is usually not it's at at all at stake if were thinking rightly and clearly in the personal animosities we deal with day-to-day. That said, beloved, let me put it this way to give to give a sense of perspective. You know I have people that are still hostile to me after decades. I don't I don't like that but I'm not angry with them. I'm not asking God to bring judgment on them.

I'm asking God to save the HUD show mercy to them. They need mercy in their hostility directed to me as a Christian is dealt with in that perspective, that's where you should deal with hostility that's directed to you in your personal thing to make the point. I pray differently when other people are at stake when the cause of God is at stake when the people of God are at stake.

I can't treat that I can't lightly dismiss that following through on the hypothetical because at your well-being at stake is something beyond me and so I would say God I give them to you and ask you to deal with them to stop that wicked influence so that your people would not be harmed by what these wicked people are trying to do.

See the difference. There's this representative capacity that changes the way that you think about it and so we kind of separate ourselves out we say David knew what it was like he didn't raise his hand against the personal enemy great. I see that that's what Christ calls me to in Matthew five Lord when your glory is at stake when people are perverting your truth. Some people are our leading your people astray God when I ask you to intervene.

I don't have a personal stake in this itch are people that are at stake, and for their sake. Lord I ask you to exercise your strength to protect them.

Whatever that means for the wicked people that are bringing this harm upon. I think that's right way to sit. I don't think the people in spiritual leadership can just idly stand by in prayer and to say well you know whatever's going to be is going to be God. This matters.

These are people for Christ died. I won't raise my own hand against them. But God I will sure appeal to you to exercise your protective Shepherd care to exercise your rod and staff to drive away the rules, whatever it takes, so that your people would be safe and secure and protected. That's how I understand this.

That's how I see the enduring relevance of imprecatory Psalms not done lightly when the occasion presents itself. There's time for men of God to step up and pray God you need to help us. This is greater than us. This is more than we can deal with this is beyond our control, God. There are forces of wickedness behind these men.

We are wrestling with principalities, Lord, deal with the whole situation so that your people would be safe and secure and delivered safely into your heavenly kingdom will have no other way. God, if I pray wrongly discipline me, but I'm going to pray for the protection of your people so there you go. Point number three said that we ask for God's deliverance with sign the wicked to God. Point number three David here in Psalm 69 anticipates final deliverance anticipates final deliverance has almost always happens in the song he went on a high note of praise and David, having assigned the wicked to God. In verses 22 through 28 in verse 29.

He summarizes his overall lament and plea for help. He says, verse 29 but I he's turned his focus away from the wicked and now he's he's back verse 29 but I am afflicted and in pain. May your salvation of God set me securely on high kind of a summary of everything set up to this point from that summary, he turns to praise. I love this verse 30 having committed himself fully to God his cause to God the wicked to God.

He's dealt with it all in prayer.

Now he pivots leaves that behind and turns to praise. In verse 30. He says I will praise the name of God with song and magnify him with thanksgiving and it will please the Lord better than an ox or young bull with horns and hooves Thanksgiving he says is a better sacrifice to God than any animal ever could be echoes of Psalm 51 verse 16 when David speaks in a similar vein, God. Thanksgiving and praise is a better sacrifice.

That's more pleasing to you than any animal ever could be. So I offer you my praise father, knowing that it pleases you. Verse 32. The humble have seen it and are glad you who seek God, let your heart revive you see again his concern for the people of God, he says, as I praise you, the people of God will draw strength. The humble will find encouragement. They will be glad in it is a seed of God. Why can we have this corporate rejoicing in the midst of our affliction. Verse 33.

For this reason is because the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his who are prisoners.

We might be afflicted and despised by men, but the Lord doesn't despise us. He doesn't afflicted us, you know why. Let's answer the question. Let's keep coming back. You know why he never despises us you know why he never despises our plea for help.

It's because he is a God of loyal love who has compassion upon his children, and if we belong to him through faith in Christ.

That is the infinite storehouse that we draw upon when we go to him in prayer. God, I am confident in your presence because I know you love me.

I know that you are gracious and I can come to you and I can pour out my heart before you with an absolute certainty that you will receive me well if my prayers are somehow misdirected.

Lord I know that you will straighten all of that out and so in verse 34.

He says let heaven and earth praise in the season.

Everything that moves in them, for God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it. The descendents of his servants will inherit it and those who love his name will dwell in it. David here looks beyond his present situation to the future salvation of Israel and so he ends in praise God the outcome for your people will be there final deliverance and in that final deliverance. We will be offering you pure and kindred undistracted praise. That's what is looking forward to that final deliverance that informs the way that he praise in the midst of his opposition now, let's draw this to a close, let's bring this plane in for a landing. What can we draw from Psalm 69. Beloved Christ has gone before you in sorrow and how did it end with Christ is exalted to the right hand of the father.

He went through sorrow. He went to the cross he went to the grave, but he came out in glory, and he ascended and he is exalted to glory. That's who Christ is and that is the pattern of God in dealing with his own Christian, are you walking the path of unjust affliction will take heart. God knows the way of the righteous. Sometimes he takes us through affliction. Sometimes we go through accusations. Sometimes those who are close to us pushes away but God knows all the fat. It's not the end of the story for you. God knew the way of David and David says this comes out in glory. God knew the way of Christ, and Christ is now exalted to glory one day to come back again from that glory to make it known. Overall the earth that he is Lord of Lord and Kings of Kings in Christ, God himself walked that way.

Beloved, I beg you to take to heart that in your affliction, the love of God for you has not changed he receives you now in sympathy and in the end he will deliver you completely and all that will be left for you after all of the sorrows of this life are done. What will be left with you will be your presence at the throne of Christ giving him praise and honor and glory with all of the tears wiped away with all of the sorrows forgotten and nothing but bliss and joy and praise and consuming your every thought forever and ever.

Amen.

God never forsakes his your hard path will end in praise that's done green bringing our series titled a cry for justice to a close. You're on the truth pulpit and dear friend if you'd like to review this broadcaster may be like to share it with a friend or loved one. Simply go to the truth. Pulpit.com to listen again.

That's the truth. Pulpit.com and Don today as we close out this series.

What advice would you give to the person listening right now who may be dealing with a seemingly out-of-control situation wondering when God is going to step in and make things right will bill these are questions that from time to time, trouble, the heart of every true believer as we see things going wrong in our personal lives. We suffer under the hands of unjust people. Or, you know, maybe we see it at a macro level with the politics of the world that come crashing down and uphold evil things in the name of of tolerance. My friend let me encourage you with this.

Remember this God always has the final word on these things and he is a good God who is faithful to his people with great loyal love. And if you are in Christ you can know that God is going to cause everything to work together for good, so that even if men intend evil against you. God will overrule it to accomplish good in your life. In the end that's what he did with Joseph in the book of Genesis is what he did with his righteous son.

When they crucified him.

It's what he did with the apostle Paul.

It's what he's done throughout the ages of church history. So, my friend.

Be patient in your trials. Be patient in the face of injustice and look to Christ because Scriptures promises that he believes in Christ will never be disappointed in the end thanks God and friend that brings our time for today to a close eye bill right thanks for listening. Join us next time on the truth pulpit teaching God's people. God