Comfort from Psalms Sometimes We Hurt Sometimes We

Comfort from Psalms • Sometimes We Hurt • Sometimes We Get Discouraged • Sometimes We Feel Lonely • Sometimes Our Faith Gets Weak • Sometime We Almost Quit

Frustration Turns to Trust w R e evi Psalm 55 I. A Frustrated Heart (vv. 1 -8) II. A Wicked Friend (vv. 9 -15) III. A Resolve in God (vv. 16 -23)

ew i v Re Change To Fly to God Is Better Thought About Flying Away 6 So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. 7 Indeed, I would wander far off, And remain in the wilderness. Selah 8 I would hasten my escape From the windy storm and tempest. " Change 22 Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

R ew i v e Psalm 77 I. The Psalm II. Lessons From the Psalm

ew i v e R Psalm 77 Seems That God Has Forgotten His People I. Seems Like God Has Forgotten His People (1 -9) A. B. C. Cries out to God – finds no comfort (vv. 1 -3) Troubled and thinks back (v. 4 -6) Questions: has God forgotten (vv. 7 -9) II. Hope and Confidence Based on the Past (10 -20) A. Admits his thinking was wrong (vv. 10 -12) B. His comfort is in God (vv. 13 -20)

vie e R w Psalm 77 Lessons From The Psalm 1. Cry out to God & express your grief (vv. 1 -3) 2. Sleepless nights of anguish can drive sober thinking (vv. 4 -6) 3. Ask questions – but seek the answer (vv. 7 -9) 4. Troubled soul has a narrow focus (vv. 10 -15) 5. Remember God’s power is greater than power of world (vv. 16 -18) 6. God has delivered his people & can deliver (vv. 19 -20)

Two Psalms of Comfort Psalm 17 A Plea for Help When Oppressed Psalm 121 Jehovah is the Keeper of His People

Psalm 17 1 Hear a just cause, O LORD, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. 2 Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright. 3 You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. 5 Uphold my steps in Your paths, That my footsteps may not slip.

Psalm 17 6 I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. 7 Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You From those who rise up against them. 8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, 9 From the wicked who oppress me, From my deadly enemies who surround me. 10 They have closed up their fat hearts; With their mouths they speak proudly.

Psalm 17 11 They have now surrounded us in our steps; They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth, 12 As a lion is eager to tear his prey, And like a young lion lurking in secret places. 13 Arise, O LORD, Confront him, cast him down; Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, 14 With Your hand from men, O LORD, From men of the world who have their portion in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their possession for their babes. 15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Psalm 17 Plea for Help When Oppressed • Psalmist is in trouble and goes to God about it • He is looking at danger that is “more immediate” than the previous Psalm (Leupold) • This Psalm is a prayer • Plea to Hear, Hold, and Hide (vv. 1, 5, 8) - Scroggie

Psalm 17 Plea for Help When Oppressed I. Plea to Hear (vv. 1 -5) A. Plea for God when unjustly treated (vv. 1 -2) B. Declaration of innocence (vv. 3 -5) II. Plea for Mercy (vv. 6 -12) A. God hears my cry – so show mercy (vv. 6 -7) B. Keep me as the apple of your eye (vv. 8 -9) C. Enemy (arrogant) seeks my harm (vv. 10 -12) III. Plea for Deliverance (vv. 13 -15) A. Delivered by your sword (v. 13) B. Enemy’s focus is only on this life (v. 14) C. Hope is in righteousness – Satisfied at resurrection (v. 15)

Psalm 17 Comfort Learned from the Psalm 1. Often we feel unjustly treated (strive to do right and still…) – our vindication is ultimately from the Lord (vv. 1 -2) 2. Must appeal to God from a position of righteousness. We cannot expect the Lord to bless if don’t live right (vv. 3 -5) 3. Assurance that God hears – even if he lets you go through the trial or test (v. 6) 4. Power is in word (v. 4) 5. “Peace is the portion of the one who prays” (Scroggie) 6. God’s sword (his word) defends us (v. 13)

Psalm 17 What Does It Mean to Turn to God? 1. Obey his word 2. Pray

Psalm 121 1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.

Psalm 121 7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Psalm 121 Jehovah is the Keeper of his People • Circumstance of the Psalm is not clear • Thought to be one of the songs of Ascent (120 -134) • May have been sung on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for 3 annual feats • Psalm of trust & comfort

“So much is clear, it is written across the face of the psalm – it is a psalm of trust. It counsels men to trust in the Lord in all situations of life. ” (Leupold) “With good reason has it been called an ‘exquisite Psalm, ’ and a ‘sweet outpouring of quiet trust. ’ The preceding Psalm is one of complaint, but in this one is comfort. ” (Scroggie)

Psalm 121 Jehovah is the Keeper of his People • Circumstance of the Psalm is not clear • Thought to be one of the songs of Ascent (120 -134) • May have been sung on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for 3 annual feats • Psalm of trust & comfort • Something makes the psalmist anxious and restless – finds help in God in his hour of trial and testing • Point: The Lord is the keeper of his people • Leupold: “The Lord, The Guardian”

Psalm 121 Jehovah is the Keeper of his People I. Lord Helps (vv. 1 -4) A. Help only comes from God (vv. 1 -2) B. God watches – does not sleep – always involved (vv. 3 -4) II. Lord Keeps (vv. 5 -6) A. Lord is your keeper – [ft note: protection] (v. 5) B. Lord is your shade (v. 6) III. Lord Preserves (vv. 7 -8) A. When he preserves (vv. 7 a, 8 b) 1. Now from evil (7 a) 2. Forevermore (v. 8 b) B. What he preserves – soul (v. 7 b) C. Where he preserves – in totality of activities (v. 8 a)

Psalm 121 Comfort Learned from the Psalm 1. Look to God for help a. Many look to science – medicine b. Many look to human wisdom (i. e. Dr. Phil) c. Many look to friends [They don’t know what is right without the word any more than you do] d. Many look to own wisdom (Jer. 10: 23)

Psalm 121 Comfort Learned from the Psalm 1. Look to God for help 2. “Many hearts have been strengthened for the pilgrimage of life by this song” (Leupold) 3. God watches over his people in all their activities

Psalm 121 What Does it Mean to Look to God? 1. Look to his word 2. Obey his word 3. Pray