[ ] 11/9/2008 #800 FAITH IN GOD ALONE Psalms 62:1-12

INTRODUCTION: Someone wrote, “The most important thing about Psalm 62 is that the psalmist is making God his only object of trust.” David had learned that God was sufficient. Troubles will strengthen our faith in God or will cause us to doubt. In these uncertain days, our faith like David’s must be in God alone.

I. TROUBLES OF DAVID A. TIME OF TROUBLES. Many believe this Psalm was written by David during the revolt of his son Absalom. His son had undermined David’s rule as king and was leading the people to dethrone David. He was surrounded by his enemies, and he had to flee Jerusalem for his life. Yet, David’s faith was unshakable in God.

B. TEST BY TROUBLES. 1. Mischief of David’s enemies. (v. 3) 2. Method of David’s enemies. (v. 4)

II. TRUST OF DAVID A. CONFIDENCE OF DAVID. 1. God was David’s salvation. (v. 1; 2; 6; 7) 2. God was David’s strength. (v. 7) 3. God was David’s security. (a) David’s defense. (v. 2; 6) (b) David’s refuge. (v. 7)

B. COUNSEL OF DAVID. (v. 8)

H. C. Leupold wrote: “There is scarcely another psalm that reveals such an absolute and undisturbed peace, in which confidence in God is so completely unshaken, and in which assurance is so strong that not even one single petition is voiced throughout the psalm.”

III. TESTIMONY OF DAVID A. TESTIFIED TO VAIN FAITH. 1. Vain to put faith in men. (v. 9) 2. Vain to put faith in money. (v. 10) B. TESTIFIED TO VICTORIOUS FAITH. 1. Faith in the power of God. (v. 11) 2. Faith in the mercy of God. (v. 12)

LESSON FOR LIFE: 1. Genuine faith has God alone as its object. As Oswald Chambers wrote, “It is not our trust that keeps us, but the God in whom we trust who keeps us.” 2. David’s calm assurance was from God: “for my expectation is from Him.” This grace is bestowed upon those who wait upon and trust in God. 3. One of the Old Testament names of God is El Shaddai. It means “the All-Sufficient One.” Only when we trust in God alone do we discover His sufficiency. 4. David had confidence in God because he could say: “God is my salvation, my rock; my defense, my expectation, my glory, my strength, my refuge. Are you able to say as David in Psalms 23:1: “The LORD is my Shepherd”?