Psalms of David: Psalm 4

Well thank you for coming tonight's you look at Psalm for tonight for your worry and anxiety. There are no strangers to men. Psychologists agree that these are natural part of human life. How did you know that anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States.

You know that. Did you know that more than 40 million people, adults in the states. They suffer from anxiety disorder. I do know that I was reading an article the other day and it was surprising to me. 40 million people facing anxiety. We all have fears, let this be true draws as we all have fears and worries and anxieties. The question is how do we deal with. How are we dealing with our fears and worries and anxieties avoid completely everything that elicits fear worries and anxieties and you is that is that what we do or like one psychologist said by believing in sales and the innate power innate power to disarm anxiety and fear is not how we fight for your worry and anxiety that even works trying to rely on your own strength. We don't have strength is not is not why we have fear and worry but psychologists say that one way to find that is to leave and says, and innate power to disarm anxiety and fear causes fear, worry and anxiety, a loss of job, maybe passing of a loved one financial instability, severe sickness threats on life. Failure fear of losing reputation humiliation alike. In the context of some formula that an American false accusations nylon all these things I believe false accusations are the worst, it destroys lives it. It destroys trust and reputation for sometimes becomes very hard to recover from that. Once you are false. It's very difficult.

Have you ever been falsely accused.

I think Psalm four teaches us how to deal with anxiety and distress and have a joyous peace in the midst of all that if I were to label the title of my message tonight.

It would be joyous peace in the midst of anxiety available but we gotta be in some for now most scholars. They agree that Psalm three and Psalm four share the same background. David is fleeing from Absalom who stole the hearts of the Israelites and his attempt and in an attempt to usurp the throne of David. He proclaims himself as David seeing that and fearing that now he flees last week are Pastor Matt Thompson, he thought. He looked at Psalm three and he was talking about David running barefooted fear don't know what's gonna happen but yet David is able to say at the end of Psalm forces eight. He says in peace I will both lie down and sleep for you alone. Lord, make me dwell in safety amazing isn't it.

Now worst you might give us some insight into what David is going to look at verses two I'm gonna read from Psalm for verses to all men. How long shall you owner shall my honor be turned into shame how long will you love vain words and seek after lights. They are trying to humiliate David there trying to destroy the reputation that David had their trying to use vain words and even nice falsely accusing David that it could be that it is talking about an incident in in and some are in in second Samuel, where I David is accused by a man named action may, son of Guerra.

He comes out.

If you remember, David is running away from Absalom. She made the son of Guerra comes out and he curses David and this is what he says this is in second Samuel chapter 16 and he says the Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, now that is interesting that's a false accusation. David never tried to split his hand on the anointed king sword gnarly, just that he punished the murderers of issue Bush at one of Saul's sons. He also helps them.

If he pushes it's not true. Now she may comes out and he curses David and he says you have put the house assaulted and all that blood is going to be upon you is not true at all award as David. How does David deal with these accusations he's going to say at the end. As we just read he's going to lie down in peace and sleep peacefully. How was he able to do that we gonna look at that. But before that, others there's an amazing structure to the book of Psalms and so fascinated when I see our structures and connections between the verses of the passage that you look at verse one it talks about David's petition to God answer me when I call all God of my righteousness. I think we have a slight up there we can help you and do please follow along with that yes of course 1A, talks about answer is his petition toward God. Verse eight which is connected to verse one Perley.

It talks about David's confidence and access in peace I will both lie down and sleep for you alone. The Lord make me dwell in safety.

Now look at the second portion of verse one. You have given me relief that parallels to verse seven, you have put more joy in my heart in these two verses.

David is trying to think about are we trying to remind himself of what God has done in the past you have given me relief you have more joy in my heart that it was to access all men.

How long shall my honor be turned into shame that parallels to the verses six it talks about. There are many who says who will show us some good invoices to David is talking to his enemies, and in verses six he is talking to those people who are with him at the heel of verses two in verses three talks about David's confidence but know that the Lord has set apart the body for himself speaking about himself and look at the end of verses six. This is David's David is seeking God's favor, lift up the light of your face upon us all Lord and he is praying that God shows him favor and in the middle of all that we see verses four and verses five.

Be angry and do not send ponder in your hearts in your own hearts on your beds, be silent offer right sacrifices and put your trust in the Lord be angry. Larson, ponder, be silent offer right sacrifices. Put your trust in the Lord, able to see that structure now the messages based on that. So how does David deal with this. How is he dealing with these false accusers, but he does start with the petition to God. Please answer me, but toward the end of that.

It seems that he has made his resolution of what he's gonna do in the night he's going to sleep in peace. First, by remembering God's mighty deeds in the past. Look at verse one again answer me when I call a God of my righteousness. You have given me relief when I was in distress, be gracious to me and hear my prayers. God has given him the relief he says when he was in distress. We don't know for sure what the situation what what he's referent to which event he's referring to, but it could be that David is talking to the writer to the times when God has saved him from the hands also remember info in and for Samuel so many times Saul tries to kill David and God rescues all that he was in distress, God gave him relief now versus seven.

He is looking at the joy that God had put in his heart are looking verses seven. Again, you have put more joy in my heart, then they have when their grain and wine abound. First, he remembers the time God saved him second.

He remembers the joy, the bounding joy that God had poured into his heart. Could it be that he is referring to the time when David brought brought the ark of the Lord back to Jerusalem and if you remember the story of that.

The ark of the covenant was so taken by the Philistines and they tried to bring it back when the Israelites tried to move the ark back to Jerusalem. The judgment of the Lord falls upon a man by the name loser and second Samuel 69 says this and David was afraid of the war that day. He was afraid of the Lord that that he did move the ark after that. But when David heard that the Lord had blessed the house. All of the obeyed ego and that's the name of the person with his the ark was kept under his care. When the Lord blessed his house. David rejoiced. God showed favor upon them again what it David do remember the story.

He brings the ark back and he danced with all his might. When he was bringing the ark back and people especially macabre spreadsheet. She looks looks at her masses doing. And David says I will dance unto the Lord so much joy that he had in his heart he he he experience God's favor. He was first afraid, but now he experience God's favor and he danced with all his might ever to past events to significant events in David's life when he was in distress, God gave him relief when he was afraid God poured his joy into his heart. Now this is more David is doing when he is possibly running away from Absalom. Now let me ask you this what you think about what I think about when we go through distress past. Right now or in the future. We have no control over. I think we are not able to recall God's mighty deeds in the past because we don't thank God enough.

We have the tendency to take his blessings for granted and develop a sense of entitlement as of God is supposed to as God as if God is obligated to do this thing for us to look at the addition to verse one how he calls God he says. And so when I call old God off my righteous normal righteousness that is in David that income from God and look at how he ends verse 1B gracious to me and answer my prayer. There is no sense of entitlement in David as he approaches God.

He is not going to God and said well I have done this for you have done this for you.

I'm the anointed, not just please give me what I asked.

He goes to goddesses. Please be gracious to me.

David is appealing to God's grace now isn't it true that we don't usually stop to give thanks to God we don't thank God enough.

We are quickly moving onto the next goal for the next event on the next activity also worn and when we do know that we are so focused on what we have and not and have not achieved and forget what the Lord had already done for us in the past. So we are always looking forward to never looking at God's goodness in the past you.

Looking forward to what we don't have, not in the past to see what God has already given us so we have the sense of what we need to get more, we need to do more. We need to achieve more, we tend to forget what God had already achieved for us. Then when we go through struggles and fears and anxieties, especially when we are falsely accused. We are not able to look away from our situation to look at God and draw confidence from what he has done in the past because we have trained ourselves to keep it going. We have trained ourselves to look at what we don't have.

We have trained ourselves to push ourselves writer to do to achieve the next goal niche achieve the next get to the next event accomplish. The next thing where we should be constantly should be regularly stop time back. Look at God's goodness see what God has done in the past.*Ward – remembering God's mighty deeds in the past due to us or do for us what is I do.

It reminds us of who he is. Remember Psalm 4610. Be still and know I am God.

The instruction that is not to get doing more stuff get active and do more things that is not instruction but instructions to be still, I do nothing now, I think, be still and ponder and think quiet down, listen to God. Look at what he has done the past and then no who God is now how does David face his anxieties, fear, especially when he's falsely accused first by remembering God's mighty deeds in the past. Second, knowing who you are in the Lord and seeking his approval. David is a David is confident office office identity in Crockett in in God. He is very confident who he is and he is also seeking God's approval. Look at look at verses to all men.

How long shall you honor by on a child might want to be turned into shapes how long will you loving words and see Leistner look at David's response but know this, know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself and look at his proclamation and the Lord errors. When I called I know for a fact he's going to hear me, you might take some time. He might do it in his own time. But that's fine. He will hear me why because he knows who he is now.

Who is he, his confidence is based on who he is in God. Firstly, he is a part of God's chosen people. God has a covenant relationship with the people of Israel. He is part of God's come the community.

Moreover, he is the anointed king rejecting the anointed king as April is equal to rejecting God himself. David knows that if God has rejected. David knows this note, there's nothing they can do. He stands no chance.

But if God has chosen David God has anointed David Maddow, who is against David. He knows I know the Lord has chosen me. I know I'm the anointed king of David if he wants to be here if you want to be me. If he wants me to me to be the king. I'll be looking does know where you can get around that. I remember Goliath story. What is David say when he sees Goliath. Who is this uncircumcised Philistine who was coming out to defy the armies of the living God. Now why is he calling him uncircumcised because he knows the Philistines were not a part of the covenant relationship with Yahweh, Israel was. He knows God has chosen Israel.

He knows who is standing behind Israel fighting the war.

It is the living God.

The solution to worry, fear and anxiety.

Even when you are falsely accused is the deep seated knowledge of who we are that we who are Christians and followers of Jesus must have a more heightened conference of who we are in Christ, we are more than conquerors. The Scripture says we are well pleasing to God in Christ Jesus our sins are totally forgiven in Christ. It is Christ who is living inside of us. Paul says if I am crucified with Christ. It is Christ who lives in me is not on the will of what he will loosen me is Jesus through the Holy Spirit living in us, who can touch us. If God is on our side who can stand against us.

Do you have that sort of confidence you have the assurance of who you are in Christ is give us a great confidence to face what ever may come our way. If our confidence is in the Lord, even if the horror world were to turn against us.

We can surely stand strong.

Knowing who we are in Christ totally accepted in Christ Jesus, stand strong and face what will become away.

David knows that and that's what he does now. See if our identity comes predominantly from our possessions, relationships, career talents when we lose one of those we crumble. I know that firsthand. I used to work in IT company when I was back in India came to the US in 2009 I was working for Cisco Systems if you know networking is one of the one of the biggest largest companies in the in the world.

They say that they own 80% of the Internet. I used to work for the company. I was so proud of my work in a book, but I was so proud that I would send emails from my work email address just to show people that I work for Cisco so people will read about my friends and Mike about from college and school. They respond back to my email I sent all my goodness, do you work for Cisco all year.

I work for Cisco. Yeah, 2009 God the opportunity to come to the US reassign my job back in India came to the US, although I did not think that I my identity came from my job. I did not think that way. God had to show it to me first, and he script that away from me came to the United States. I was without a job for six years. A proud Indian man coming to an unknown place have no control of what is going on financially or or whatever and then my wife she was for the document.

She urge she used to work for Bank of America everywhere we go. They talk about work. I'm just sitting there work. What should I talked out hit me hard. It hit me so hard that I understood my goodness I have pleased my identity. I brought my identity from used to work God scripted away from me to help me understand while that's that's not going to help you. You need to find your self in me. You define your identity in me LC when we have that kind of an identity in Christ knowing that we are complete in Christ knowing that we are accepted by Christ knowing who we are. We are children of God.

If that is the case we can stand thing that comes our way we can lose anything in the world. We know for a fact, God will never leave us and forsake us. I have the confidence you have the confidence we can have the confidence if we were to put our trust in him. Our meaning or value in our significance must come from Christ. Our name should not our our our meaning should not come from the things that we do our value should not come from our talents should come from who we are in Christ. Isn't that why Paul would say in second Timothy chapter 1 verses 12. This is why I suffer the way I do, for I know whom I have believed I am not ashamed. Oh no I'm not, for I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day.

What has been entrusted to me. He knows who he believes Paul knew it, David knows whom he believed me challenge you with this. Do we know we have believed do we know that the one who was inside of us are John says that apostle John says in one John the one who was inside of the one inside is greater than the one outside. He is powerful and us. Now David's conference is not only in his identity is also looking at God's approval not man's approval are read from versus versus four, five and six. There are many, this is versus four. Be angry and do not sin ponder in your own hearts on your bets and be silent.

Also write sacrifices and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say who will show us some good, but David says lift up the light of your faith upon us all. Lord now these are the people who were with David they were fleeing with David and they not only saw the wickedness of Absalom, but one of David David's counselors. He turned his back against David now Shumate comes out and he curses David. Naturally, there would have thought that one in this land who would not turn that back against the anointed king of God is that anyone who can do any good. You guys know who David is, do you not understand what Absalom is trying to do is that anyone who can do good look at David's prayer, lift up the light of your faith upon us, as I remind you of something that is they that is very similar to Aaronic prayer blessings. I look at numbers chapter 6 if you could turn there numbers chapter 6 verses 24, 25 and 26. This is how it goes. The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord left top his countenance upon you and give you praise David is reminding himself of that blessing. He is basically looking and seeking God's favor.

David is talking about God's favor here. Can you imagine God's favor upon you as you endure through your false accusations through your anxieties through your fears, etc. this is in. In a sense it is as if God were will not close his eyes against when you're against you when you're going through your struggles with these difficult distressed difficult times in life, but he's gonna look at you, he's going let his face shine upon you, and here's a look at you and my can you imagine my younger one I'm going to use her ass by object lesson here she get up.

She better get used to that the user may type what you know she she does recitals. Both of them. I order one and my younger one, they do recitals and when they sing songs and if we are sitting somewhere in the audience. The younger one Judas look like that the audience is here. I'm sitting right there and she looks at my face and goes back to sing again little in the face and goes mixing again. Why is she doing that she's looking for my face she is expecting me to smile at her, and when we give her that smile both my wife and I when we give her that smile she sings like she has no care in the world.

That is what God does for us as children. As we look at him as we trust him as we have confidence in him. As we have thought and remembered and contemplated, and pondered all the things that he has done in the past and as we have put our trust in him. As we seek approval. He looks down upon us, and so to speak. My address I will bring you joy, what that brings me immense joy that I can look at God's face, and I can see him smiling at me.

I have a quote from AW toes or life.

We can have it up there. Yes, fear destroys the smiling aspect of God's face. Do I really believe that God has my best in mind or is he there are is there a bit of fear in my heart, obscuring his good intentions. My circumstances are no indication of whether the smiling face of God is upon me. Fear causes me to look around at my circumstances instead of up at the :-) of God is in the three Hebrew children talking about Charlotte, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace had been more conscious of the fire around them, then that God was with them, they might have felt discouraged but they looked beyond the fire and saw the smiling face of God.

Can you imagine that that God would show favor upon you, and he would smile helping you going through the struggle are you afraid anxious, hurt by a friend, maybe who backstabbed you falsely accused.

Are you worried that the days to come is going to bring bad news or or something bad is going to happen.

Maybe you're not able to sleep because you're waiting for that test result. Or maybe that interview are you going to hear from someone the Interboro about the interview they just took know you are in Christ. Remember office mighty deeds in past and in the past. Your trust in him and do what is right and that is Schwartz verses four and five talk about our look at verses four and five again be angry and do not sin ponder in your own hearts on your bets and be silent. Also write sacrifices and put your trust in the Lord now verses four and five. David is actually telling his enemies. These things these enemies who are falsely accusing him.

David is predominately telling to these enemies, but Paul caught this in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 26 to 27 and he says be angry and do not sin. Let the sun not go down in your anger, lest you give poured forth the devil don't give the devil an opportunity. Don't let the sun go down your anger be angry and do not sin now. Although David is telling this to his enemies. Remember this. He is well aware he's well aware of how uncontrolled anger can end ingredients since.

Remember first Samuel 25 by Dr. Monroe spoke about that but several months ago David was belittled. David was humiliated by a man by the name the ball and netball comes and says the ERP he utterly despises David and what is he tell his men strap on your sword and let's go over and show him who David is basically he wanted to show who David is and Abigail comes in the description and Abigail comes and talks to David in the in kindness and David turns he relents from doing that you and he says this Blessed be the Lord, who has send to you and you have your your discreteness has turned me away from blood guilt.

David was going to kill that entire clan. He said one one single male will not be left not doing a mailer will not be left in your household by night I'm gonna kill everybody on controlled anger. Do you know who I am you dare to speak to me that way and they will want to show who he was, but David turns around uncontrolled anger. So David knows what uncontrolled anger would do. I want to see say what is his instruction tremble due to arson. The word dad be angry. This is the only place that is translated as angry, but all the other places. It is either translated as quake are tremble or rage in a sentence it is being shaken agitated by what is happening your horn warrant has been shaken, so to speak when you're going to the sitters and you don't know what to do. You want do something because you want to get out of the situation. Just want to get out of as soon as possible. My dad passed away in 2012 very difficult time for for our entire family, especially for me, this this is so this is several years after I accepted Christ. In a sense God is taking me to school again went back to India after 23 hours of flight totally, totally exhausted, physically exhausted, emotionally drained and spiritually at the lowest level so to speak, and we all thought that you number my dad is going to be healed. My dad is going to be saved and he might come out of the intensive care units preaching the gospel glories with that. My dad was a hint of till the day he got into the intensive care unit. When back to India that you got into my house doing this is the first thing that someone would do if I if a person comes to you whose dad just passed away hug, maybe I am sorry. Maybe not.

Other I have straight faces.

They looked straight into my face, especially one. One of my relatives restraint in the face no emotion on their face and says get ready for the ritual okay when inside so my brother didn't have any wants to speak went to my mom. She was shattered and the we we were there for a while and then my mom went out and she came back in and she said you would not believe this. Do you know what they're saying behind your back. What is it they are blaming you for my dad's death. There were saying it is because of these two sons office that he died it was almost as if it was a punishment for my dad.

Whatever we have done the cars has fallen upon them. Oh that shook my word.

It really shook my word agitated to the core. What had some unholy thoughts to tremble to not sin quiets rests ponder on your heart and the night. Don't react, don't be quick to speak will be quick to act so we know who we want to find solutions when you're going through trouble, especially people who are the go-getters the type a personality.

I want to find solution right now. Don't ponder and be silent. Think of what has happened.

Instead of hastily responding ponder on what how to get back at those people, how to change the situation by your own strength do everything as you can to avoid the situation for many trust in your says and do what you think is right now. Ponder on God's goodness in the past. This is the same God who parted the Red Sea. This is the same God who come to see in the New Testament, the same God who provided manna for the answer lies. This is the same God who fed the 5000 people New Testament. This is the same God who raised people from the dead. When Lazarus was dead. Jesus raises people that this is the same God that we worship the same God that we believe we do.

We think that the hand of the Lord is short, remember what has what God has done in the past, not just in our lives from biblical history to by just speaking. He brings everything into existence. He sustains every single one of us every single moment that we love.

He sustains he personally sustains us.

We have no existence of our own P let's exist.

All he has to do is pull his existence and we get annihilated how powerful he is, that is how intimately connected he is to us. This is the same God that we worship know who he is. Remember of his mighty deeds in the past and on top of that, know who we are in Christ might see that's only for those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I know there might be some here who have never placed their faith in Christ. You are not made to live life alone. I don't I wish that every single one of us would know what the Lord had done.

This is our desire what the Lord had done for you and that you have this peace that passes all understanding that only comes from the Prince of peace, Jesus Christ, by his sacrifice that he is this the love that he is displayed on the cross by the sacrifice that he gave for us, please don't go back home without knowing that piece.

Please don't go back home with our knowing this Prince of peace and of suitable can wait you can record your watch tomorrow. Please don't go back without knowing who Christ is and offer right sacrifice is trust God do the right thing obedience even to the point of humiliation, even at faith even when you're facing destruction obedience to God's word even to the point of death.

Isn't that what Jesus model for us when he was revived here not provide back when he suffered, he did not threaten, but what you do. He quietly entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. That is what he did. That's the model that he….Here's a place in front of us for us to walk. That's how he modeled for us a look at how David ends the song in peace I will both lie down and sleep for you along the Lord, make me dwell in safety look at that confidence. David is not seeking to get back at his perpetrators, but to partnering on ward the Lord had done in the past, reminding himself of who he is in God and doing the right thing in prayer seeking the approval of God himself is not trying get back. I hope tonight you will go back home with that same rest salute decision to sleep in joyous peace. Having understood who you are in Christ, having surrendered all to the Lord and standing firm on the foundation of his acceptance that comes only through Christ and well aware of his goodness in the past and the joy that he has given to you in the past. Are you confident can you face trials. You can with Paul. We can also say I know whom I have believed, and I'm confident that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me to that day just like Psalm 4610 says be still and know he is God. How do we know that. Remember what you've done in the past, how do we know he is with us know who you are who we are in Christ. How can we face the trials in the struggle to be going through. Do the right thing. Be angry. Don't send, ponder, be silent. Also, the right sacrifices and trust in God. Do you know that you are a child of God. If you don't have the confidence please don't leave here without talking to one of our part one of the pastors here.

Please don't reprint follow. Thank you so much for the love that you given to us how how how how amazing it is that we who are very seemingly insignificant, but you still came down to save us to pick us out of the miry clay that we were in and who placed us on the rock. Thank you so much daddy for the love that you given to us. Help us to see your face. Help us to know who we are in Christ teaches not to put our confidence in things other than you and help us to fight this day. Standing strong teaches fun that we can have a joyous peace in the midst of anxiety as we remember of your past. As we know who we are in Christ as we do the right in all this we ask in the mighty majestic powerful name of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen