I Will Extol Thee O Lord

October 14, 1990

Psalm 30:1 I will extol Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not let my enemies rejoice over me.

Introduction

This is a Psalm of thanksgiving to God because He has brought the Psalmist David through a time of deep trouble. Just what the trouble was this time, the Psalmist does not say. But David was certainly no stranger to trouble.

One reason that the Psalms have such great appeal to us all, why we find it easy to identify with David, is that in the Psalms we often find expression of our deepest, inmost feelings: David feels good for whatever reason- and he says so; he feels anguish for whatever cause- and he says that, too.

From time to time I can identify with both his highs and his lows. Can't you?

[Some of the "lows" David knew he brought on himself, by being careless, or disobedient, as when he numbered the people against the best advice of his counsellors, or when he backslid into the grievous sins of adultery and murder.

[Some of the "lows" David experienced came when he was being perfectly obedient to God, doing what he was supposed to be doing and yet he looked trouble in the face, as when Saul sought to kill him.

[And I like to think that some of the "lows" came because David was Jesse's son, and Jesse may have been a dour Geordie or a somber Presbyterian Scot by nature. I think I know a bit about that, too.]

Whatever the reasons for David's "lows," he refused to simply accept them as inevitable or normal. David fought them! In I Samuel 30:6 it is written that David was "greatly distressed," but also that "David encouraged himself in the Lord!" Then, after God had lifted him, and had come through to bring him victory and joy, David recited over and over to himself, and to everyone and anyone who would listen, about how great God IS to hear and to come to the aid of those who cry to Him in their distress.

I. LIVING IN OPENNESS BEFORE GOD IN THE STORMS OF LIFE

  1. The storms of life, the "hard places," come to every one of us. And yet when those challenging times come they usually seem to surprise us. We do not think that any low places ought to be in our life.

    David reflects this tendency for us to deny, (in verse 6,) when he says: "I said in my prosperity 'I will never be moved!'" I'm wiser now! I've had troubles before, but I'll never have trouble like that again.

    Or, "I'm a Christian— so I should never even be tempted to be depressed." And yet in spite of our personal theology, of what and how we think, the "low times" come to us all!

  2. It is true that depression can follow sin or moral failure and breakdown. God has forgiveness and restoration as well as healing when this happens. But there are other causes for depression as well:

    Some of the storms that shake us are related to the "passages" of life. Growing up, or growing older— facing new experiences— any and every form of cultural change brings a threat to the comfort of the status quo. Every move that a family makes brings about inevitable cultural clash. Every promotion at work, or demotion, for that matter, every adjustment we have to make brings an emotional price that we have to pay.

    Physical illness often brings emotional depression, and with it a feeling of spiritual emptiness. Many kinds of disappointment leave us vulnerable to what David was feeling. Friends let us down. A job we wanted doesn't materialize. Family misunderstandings cause concern and even anguish and grief.

  3. But even though we may have said, like David, "I said in my prosperity 'I shall never be shaken!'"—this can't happen to me— when we wake up to find that it HAS happened, we need, like David, to say so! To admit to ourselves, and especially to God, "I need Your help! Show me where I'm wrong, if I am— but help me!" God hears such praying!

II. THERE IS A GOD WHO HEARS US IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM

  1. God hears your prayer! David testifies here (verse 2) "I cried unto Thee, and Thou didst heal me!"

    What I am telling you this morning, on the authority of God's Word, is that God loves us, and knows us, and that God hears every prayer that we pray, even in the middle of a storm of life!

  2. Every situation is unique! But I also need to say that there are very few 'textbook experiences.' We want to be insulated from the harsher sides of reality, and avoid pain at all costs, and live without strain or ruffled feathers. But then when the storms come we begin to realize that what we talk about may well be true, but also we find we know very little in actual experience.

    [I recall a mini-storm that took place many years ago in another state. I was up in the wee hours with a couple undergoing severe problems. As a young pastor I was challenged to my depths and beyond— and I would be severely challenged by the same problem today!

    [But the irony I felt most keenly that night was that I had recently written, and had had published, words of comfort that came to me in accusation during those hours of extreme stress:"You wrote about God's sufficiency! NOW you are feeling stress! You are a hypocrite!"

  3. [Well, I wasn't a hypocrite! But I was sure paying my dues! It is a comfort to know that someone else has weathered such a storm— usually!]

    God works in His own mysterious way! What I am trying to say here is: We need to be careful HOW we speak for God! He is a very real Friend in our need! But I do not own Him. You do not have a corner on Him. He knows better than we know what our friends can bear, and what they need. And He does come through! Every time! God does not abandon those who trust in Him!

III. DELIVERANCE BEGINS WHEN WE HAVE THE ASSURANCE GOD KNOWS

  1. Be assured God knows! The enemy's tactic is to convince us we are isolated, alone— and not even God hears or cares to hear!
  2. Do not despise providential means! Often our deliverance comes along avenues of Providential guidance. God expects us to use what resources we have. It is useless to pray for help on an exam when we have never cracked a book in study.

    {Illus: A religious man in flood time looked to God for deliverance. The waters came to his front door, and a boat came by with the invitation to ride to higher ground and shelter.

    "I'm trusting the Lord!" said the brother with a smile.

    Soon the waters were even with the second story, and another rescue boat came by his bedroom window. He waved it off- "I'm trusting in the Lord!"

    But the waters cam higher yet, and he climbed to the roof and then sat on the chimney. A helicopter pilot saw his plight, and a sling was lowered. The man gritted his teeth and waved the helicopter away: "I'm trusting the Lord!"

    After the waters swept him and his house away in total loss, the man opened his eyes in the glory of heaven. He asked the Lord immediately, 'Didn't You hear me praying?"

    "I sent you two boats and a helicopter!" was the Reply. More truth than humor in this story!}

  3. In all honesty, some times there is literally nothing more that we know to do, and still we are swept by the storm.

    Psalms Now puts it this way: "There are times when I feel God's anger, but even then I know His concern and love for me remain eternal. And my nights of despair resolve into the dawn of new joy."

    It pays, in times like these, when we don't know what to do, to hang on in the confidence that God does love us, God does hear us, and God will never abandon us. God will come through!

(Conclusion)

IV. THE BENEDICTION OF THE CONFESSIONAL LIFE

  1. The benediction I have been using this fall— "Humble yourselves...Casting all your care upon HIM, for He careth for YOU!"— comes from I Peter 5. I would like to read the entire short paragraph from which the benediction has been taken.

    I Peter 5:6-11

    Humble yourselves. therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.

    Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

    But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brotherhood who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

    To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

  2. This benediction tells us that there is a part we play in the fight against bitterness and despair. We can cooperate with God's grace! "Humble yourselves!" You need the mighty hand of God! And here's how:
    • Be vigilant; don't expect an uncontested pathway to glory
    • Be resistant. This is a fight of faith. Don't give in to fear or despair or bitterness.
    • Be patient. There will be suffering. But it will pass.
    • Be Present to God! for GOD HIMSELF IS AT WORK IN YOU!
  3. Finally, our thanksgiving takes the form of a confessional statement. Back to the text: I WILL EXTOL THEE, O LORD!

    This "confession" can begin even while we are in the struggle! It is effective there!

    Confession is more than part of repentance and conversion, although it is that. Confession is even more than living in openness before God, although it certainly is that, too. Confession is more than a formal prayer to say every time we come together in worship. A confessional statement says:

    This is MY God! I belong to HIM! HE does not exist for MY convenience, but rather, I EXIST FOR HIM!

    But my God does not abandon His children, ever, ever, ever!

PRAYER:

#81(EH) My Faith Has Found a Resting Place