<p> 1709-17P 1 “YOU HAVE GIVEN ME RELIEF” times of distress. (Psalm 4) I. GOD’S WORD TO THE DOUBTING. SUBJECT: F.C.F: PROPOSITION: A. So the first attitude that David has been INTRODUCTION: hearing, the first that he must meet head on, is that of A. How does the day usually end for you? doubting. His men are loyal, but some of them are Perhaps a dish of ice cream, watch the news, brush wondering: “Was Absolom really so bad after all? your teeth, and off to slumberland? What if it’s been a Maybe he had a point. Perhaps they could go back and hard day, a terrible day, a horrific day, the worst day hear him out. Already the majority are with him. of your life? What would the close of that day be like? What’s the use of going any further?” I think we are invited to witness the end of just So David begins his prayer: that kind of terrible day for King David. There are “1Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! clear connections between Psalm 4 and the one that You have given me relief when I was in distress. precedes it, the day that David fled from the Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!” murderous coup staged by his favorite son turned So, along the way, David has prayed what we call traitor, Absolom. Verse one seems to point back to a Psalm 3, perhaps dozing peacefully in a nap when previous occasion in the second line: “You have given they stopped for a brief break. But while he felt some me relief when I was in distress,” literally, “in a tight relief already, the problem still exists. And so he cries corner.” Verse 6 also appears to be an echo of Psalm to the Lord once again. 3, verse 2: “many are saying of my soul, there is no And then he addresses what some of his men salvation for him in God.” And verse 8 harkens back have been thinking and fretting about. to Psalm 3, verse 5 with its reference to confident “2O men, how long shall my honor be turned into sleep. shame? The scholars suggest that Psalm 3 is a morning How long will you love vain words and seek after psalm of David and Psalm 4 is an evening psalm of lies? Selah David. And due to their striking similarities and their So there it is, followed by the “Selah,” which may be back-to-back positions in the Psalter, perhaps Psalm 3 an invitation to pause and ponder. “You men who are reflects the morning of this dreadful day, and Psalm 4 doubting, you have been the targets of a clever captures the mood of that evening, and that fits very campaign of whispering, of false promises and empty well. slander.” B. Picture the scene: David has fled his capitol B. So how do we respond? city fearing the threats of his son, accompanied by a 3But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for small band of loyal friends. They press on far away, himself; out of reach, hopefully, and finally stop to bed down the LORD hears when I call to him. for the night. Someone kindles a fire, and before they Consider not the empty prattling of wicked sinners, set a watch and the rest bunk down for the night, but hearken fully to the Word of God and stay true to David calls them together for devotions, for prayer, him. Oh, this word is very fitting for out day! but also to counsel his men in their various frames of C. The world today seems convinced that true heart. He’s been listening to their talk on the way. morality is only tolerance, and not faithfulness in While all are perplexed and distressed, there are some commitment to the covenant of marriage between one very different moods represented around the circle. man and one woman. Let’s just say it: the world wants And so, the King, who is himself confident in God’s sex on demand just like they have movies on demand, care, instructs his men, both naming and confronting or buy things instantly on demand with a card and a their various concerns. click: whenever, wherever, however, and with C. Of course in happier times to follow, this whomever. In the eyes of the world today it is moral Psalm-prayer was incorporated into the public to affirm and applaud any choice that anyone makes, worship of God’s people. And they all could consider period. So it is immoral to hold to any code that might their own various concerns in a fallen and troubling restrict the absolute sexual freedom of anyone who world. And the inspired wisdom of their King would wants to do anything. likewise counsel and encourage them (and us) in our And, as you can see, that creates a bit of ______1709-17P 2 tension and trouble for the biblical Christian today. I doubting, and they are not going to sleep at all this recently watched a video of a couple of prominent night. They may as well stand watch for the night, for Christians trying to defend heterosexual marriage, and they are furious, boiling, overflowing with anger and did they ever squirm! The interviewers kept hounding outrage. They are incensed at Absolom’s treachery them: “Why can’t you let people do what they want? and are devising ways to get revenge, to utterly Who do you think you are to interfere with their destroy this evil upstart who has caused so much happiness?” And the strong implication was that these trouble and division. Some of David’s men are Christians were bad and should be ashamed of consumed with anger. themselves. B. Are you? I will admit that there is much to In the eyes of the world today, Christians are be angry about in the world today, often for the same bigoted and backwards, judgmental, anti-progress, reason as appears here. The truth of God’s Word is haters, Nazis, and on and on and on. And you can just regularly denied. People right and left are being imagine many sincere believers beginning to buckle misled, some of whom we know and love. The under the relentless onslaught of criticism and insidiousness of this is that it truly is a diabolical accusation: “Maybe we’ve been a bit hasty in holding conspiracy. From one direction we have “our ancient to a high moral standard. Others are caving and foe” who “doth seek to work us woe: his craft and capitulating, and they seem to be able to stay under power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is the radar. Perhaps we too should compromise, go with not his equal.” This evil enemy who alternately the flow, stop being so strict, give a little.” Give a entices or intimidates us has a willing partner, an little and the world will never stop taking. Give a “inside man” in our own flesh or sin nature, the fallen little, and you will be lost, utterly lost. self that willingly believes Satan’s lies and jumps to D. King David’s inspired counsel speaks right comply every time he calls. And we are surrounded by into our situation today. There really is nothing new people who are similarly dedicated to evil, and under the sun: together this forms the world system that works day 2O men, how long shall my honor be turned into and night to make sin seem normal and godliness shame? seem stupid. And we know about this, and we see it How long will you love vain words and seek after happening, and we often feel utterly powerless to lies? Selah prevent it. 3But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for C. But we must recognize the temptation that himself; lies behind our impulse to both get mad and get even. the LORD hears when I call to him. James writes: “19Know this, my beloved brothers: let Beloved, the world is literally going to hell, every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to literally, as fast as it can. We cannot stop that, but we anger; 20for the anger of man does not produce the can stand firm and call upon the Lord and believe his righteousness that God requires.” And that explains Word, and rest in his promise, and witness to the why David so quickly moves to put a lid on the truth. righteous anger of his men. Our Lord Jesus shared in this confidence. He 4Be angry, and do not sin; himself was the constant target of his enemies, who ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be happened to be the official, Jewish authorities, silent. Selah including the high priest of the nation. At one point in 5Offer right sacrifices, John 6, Jesus watched as the crowds walked away at and put your trust in the LORD. his hard words. His confidence was not in his success, His counsel is for the godly practice of self-control, but in his Father. At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus the last of the fruit of the Spirit. You’re going to lie expressed this assurance: “Father, I thank you that their fuming, but don’t let it control you. you have heard me. I knew that you always hear Some suggest that the best thing to do with me….” So we must share in the confidence of Christ. anger is to vent it: punch a pillow, shout in a closet, go for a drive and tell your steering wheel all the bad II. GOD’S WORD TO THE DEMANDING. things you are thinking. I’ve read some studies that show that venting your anger like this only stokes A. There’s another group, distinct from the more anger. Rather, turn to the Lord. Make it your ______1709-17P 3 aim to please him. Worship and trust are God’s way. A good harvest with plenty laid up for the winter and Otherwise we would always be angry: there is enough beyond can bring happiness. I never saw my own wrong in the world to keep us worked up forever. father, a farmer, happier than when he was in the D. The incarnate Son of God had the full range harvest and it came rolling in. Elsewhere in Psalm 104 of affections that we do, and if anyone had a right to the psalmist acknowledges the goodness of God in be angry, it would have been him. Every sin in the providing for his people: “14You cause the grass to world was directly a sin against him. He above all grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, should have been outraged at the wicked way we that he may bring forth food from the earth 15and wine behave. And yet he carefully controlled his anger. He to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face reserved it only for the worst: the hypocritical, Jewish, shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart.” religious leaders who were deceiving the people and But David reveals the secret. His hope is not in preventing them from worshiping in the temple. his circumstances, but in the Lord himself, and that’s The Apostle Paul agrees. In Ephesians 4:26- why, at the close of his worst day ever, he could 27: “Be angry and do not sin…” Causes for anger testify to joy, not to despair. abound, but we must not allow them to tip us over into 7You have put more joy in my heart sin. Rather, Paul adds, “do not let the sun go down on than they have when their grain and wine your anger.” Resolve it quickly, before nightfall, so abound. you don’t have to lose any precious sleep over it. And C. Our Lord Jesus also testified to this joy. “give no opportunity for the devil.” See the Though he was a man of sorrows because he carried conspiracy? The devil knows us and works us and our sorrows, yet he continually rejoiced in the Lord. uses even righteous anger to push us over the edge Even though the wise of this day, the influential into sin. Beware. leaders who studied the scriptures and should have And thirdly we find… known better rejected him, yet he rejoiced in the Father’s wisdom as he confessed in Matthew 11:25- III. GOD’S WORD TO THE DESPAIRING. 26: “At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have A. Some of David’s men had already lost hope hidden these things from the wise and understanding and were desperately crying out to God. He gives and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, voice to their concern in verse 6: for such was your gracious will.” 6There are many who say, “Who will show us some Even if your plans are failing, can you rejoice good? that God’s plans never fail, that he is perfectly Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!” accomplishing his will? “It’s hopeless. It’s over. We are outnumbered. There is no escape.” CONCLUSION My guess is that you’ve felt this way as well. I know I have at times. It’s really hard to endure a So where does God’s Word catch you this despairing person. They are able to suck all of the life evening? Doubting? Demanding? Depsairing? Or in out of the room, no matter how full it may be of some other frame of heart? God’s solution is steadfast carefree, happy-go-lucky, effervescent people. They trust, to turn from the failings of others and fears of cast a shadow wherever they go. Again, I speak from their threats to faithful worship. firsthand experience. I have been that doomsayer 5Offer right sacrifices, before. and put your trust in the LORD. B. Now you can be very glad that we looked And we know that our “right sacrifice” has been into this psalm because David shares with them a very offered for Christ, a perfect and final sacrifice. Hope great secret to unfailing joy. Put your hope in what in his promised goodness. cannot fail and you will always be joyful. This is how  David describes it: 7You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. ______</p>