"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overcast. I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digger a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth….." (for my text - verses 1 and 2)
This sermons is preached with the thought…..A Shelter From The Storms. I am reminded of the Lord's disciples being in the midst of the sea…..tossed with the waves and contrary winds. The elements were greatly disturbed. A storm was raging. Calamities were all about the sea. (St. John 6)
There are many kinds of storms that rage on this sea of life. Economic Storms…Political Storms…Social Storms…Spiritual Storms…
The storms of Temptation…Sorrow…Sickness…Troubles…Trials…Physical Storms…
(the list is long)
The winds of perilous times are here! The waves and currents of perplexing times are ever threatening! BUT, as Jesus came on the scene in the fourth watch of the night and performed a miracle for the disciples and Peter, He is still manifesting Himself in this hour to those who trust in Him.
Psalm 57 is one of the psalms of David. David was a warrior from his youth up. He was a man of war. He knew what storms and calamities were. He lived through one storm after the other. He went from trial to trial. But most important, David knew how to trust his God! He knew where to look in the times of storm and trial.
In verse 1- our text, "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee; yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overcast."- a careful study reveals that…
#1 - David was trusting God and God alone. On one occasion David cried out, "In thee ONLY do I trust." God is never pleased nor is it His will for His children to trust in secondary causes.
#2 - God alone deserves our complete trust.
#3 - God has mastery over the elements; mastery over me; mastery over means. God is the MASTER of every situation!
#4 - God is sovereign. He is in complete control. We can trust in Him alone without fear. David wasn't trusting the hills when he said, "I will look unto the hills from which cometh my help"…..for he immediately said, "For my help cometh from the Lord."
Verse 7 - "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise."
David had a heart fixed on God. David's complete trust in the Lord was the ground for his plea when he said, "Be merciful unto me, O God." Why did he have such a plea? Because - he was trusting completely in the Lord. David was abandoning all else and trusting ALL his care upon the Lord and His mercy. David's heart was fixed. Right now God is asking us to
"Cast ALL of your cares upon Him for He cares for us". (1 Peter 5:7)
How many people do you know who would say, cast all your cares on me? (probably none)
David felt his great need of God's help. He tells us over and over again in the psalms of the many storms that come his way. He warns us of the calamities that will come our way from time to time. BUT, the comforting thing is…that over and over David lets us know that after awhile these storms will be over for the child of God.
In Psalms 23 David says, "Yea THOUGH I walk THROUGH the valley…."
David realized the valleys would come- but, he also knew that God would bring him through.
He said, "Thou art with me." Goodness and Mercy were on his heels. Someone once said, "It's good to know that those two fellows are following you around". (ha!) Again, David said, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want". Surely with such a shepherd, "goodness and mercy shall follow me….and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever". Notice again the words of the text…."UNTIL these calamities be overpast". David was saying here - child of God - the storms of life will come. They are common to everyone. BUT, Praise God one day they will pass over. Amen?
Then, David goes on to say (this is the message of this psalm) - the storms will come and they will pass over - BUT - I want to tell you what to do in the meantime. I want to tell you how to react in the midst of the storms. Don't mope around looking lost; don't throw your hands up and say why has this or that happened to me. David says in the midst of the storms of life I have found a person and place of trust. "My soul trusteth in thee, yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge".
David pictures the Lord as one who comes between us and the trials and storms of life; between us and the fires of trials and trouble. It reminds me of the time a farmer's barn had burned to the ground. As he examined the ruins he came across the charred body of a Mother hen. He moved her remains aside with his foot - and to his surprise, out scampered some baby chicks. They had found refuge underneath the Mother hens wings. She came between them and the flames of trouble.
The promise of our test is…There is a person…There is a place…that we can trust in and know that we will be kept through the storm.
To trust means "to have confidence in".
It means to "entrust" or "commit ourselves" to God's trust.
It means "to abide in" and "rely upon".
In the midst of the storms of life we can have FULL confidence in God.
Commit everything to Him.
Abide in Him and rely upon Him.
Know that He will see us through.
Praise and Trust in God!
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