Getting Through To God - Psalm 34:1-10

by Rohn Sun Jan 05, 2014 5:58 am

GETTING THROUGH TO GOD
Psalm 34:1-10

(Psalms 34:1-10) <<A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.>> I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. (KJV)

The first 10 verses of this psalm is a hymn and the last 12 verses is a sermon.
Notice especially verse 6:
(Psalms 34:6) This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. (KJV)

I. NOTICE THE MAN WHO IS CRYING UNTO THE LORD AND THE EXTENT OF HIS PRAYING.
1. DAVID DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS A “POOR MAN.”
What makes or constitutes a poor man? There is more than poverty than poverty in material things. This is the case here with David. He felt the poverty of his own soul and being. Spurgeon said, “David was indeed poor – he was so utterly friendless that his live was in jeopardy. He was so poor in spirit that he could not encourage himself. He was so weighed down with troubles that he knew no way out. His prayer was a cry - it wasn’t just words but a cry. It came from his heart. It was brief, it was artless, and it was earnest. It was a prayer from the heart of a poor man to the only One who could meet his need.”
He wasn’t poor in this world’s goods but he was poor in those things that strengthen the soul and lift us our of the problems and troubles of our day.
I wonder how much we feel the need of God these days. The story of the rich farmer in Luke 12:16-21 shows us that poverty doesn’t necessarily mean just this world’s goods.
(Luke 12:17-18) And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. (KJV)
You can have much laid up for many years and still be very poor.
He felt no dependence upon God. He never planned for the time when this life would be over. He was living only for today. But what did God say to him?
(Luke 12:20) But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (KJV)

We need to feel our dependence upon God. The word of the song, “I Need Thee Every Hour” is so true.

I need thee ev'ry hour,
Most gracious Lord.
No tender voice like thine
Can peace afford.

I need thee ev'ry hour;
Stay thou nearby.
Temptations lose their pow'r
When thou art nigh.

I need thee, oh, I need thee;
Ev'ry hour I need thee!
Oh, bless me now, my Savior;
I come to thee!

I wonder if we wouldn’t keep out of more trouble and temptation if we realized our poverty spiritually and depended more on the Lord and sought Him more.
David was dependent on the Lord and called on Him for help.

2. DAVID WASN’T WEAK OR POOR AS FAR AS INTELLIGENCE WAS CONCERNED.
David was doing the wise thing when he called on God. It seems that today many people seem to think or at least act like it is only the weak minded or those that are in desperate trouble that call on the Lord. Here was David who was wise enough to be king of a nation and lead an army and elude his enemies yet he felt the need of calling upon God.
He wasn’t speaking mere words when he was praying but he cried unto the Lord expecting God to answer his prayers. He was willing to do whatever God showed him so that his life might be whatever God wanted.
You know when we pray as David did God will show us how to act and what to do that He can work out our problems.
It is useless for me to pray for God to meet my financial need then not try to find work as the means provided in answer to that prayer.
It is useless for me to pray for the missionaries but do nothing and depend on someone else or some other church to support them while I do nothing.
It is the same way with revival. When we pray “God give us a revival,” I should expect to see where I can work to promote a revival.
What can I do to start a revival in my own soul? What can I change in my life that would be beneficial to the promotion of the Gospel and draw me nearer to God? Are there some things in my life while not necessary sinful if changed would influence others to live more godly lives? Are we living a life of self-denial and following closely to the Saviour so that we can be more spiritual?
Real prayer is not just words but it leads to actions. It should stir up our faith, our confidence, our determination and our energy.

3. DAVID’S POVERTY WASN’T A POVERTY OF INACTIVITY – HE WASN’T LAZY.
This is a day when we find that people are spiritually lazy. David wasn’t lazy in the responsibilities he had or his spiritual duties either.
He was poor in spirit – humble before the Lord.
When we get humble enough to see how really poor we are within ourselves then we can get ahold of God and believe Him to hear our prayer and see us through.

II. LOOK AT THIS POOR MAN’S PRAYER.
“This man cried.” Crying comes from the heart of a man and is the expression of his soul.

1. It was a prayer of thoughtfulness. David didn’t come to the Lord with a lot of words or with things that didn’t really matter to him or weigh on his heart. He was thoughtful about the things he brought before the Lord.
I don’t believe that they were prayed about then forgotten. These things weighed upon him.
We need to learn to pray and we learn by praying, but we need to learn more than just how to form a good sentence and say many words before the Lord. We need to think about what we bring before the Lord. It isn’t how little a matter it is or how big a problem it is but it does matter that we have it on our heart.
We need thoughtfulness in prayer. If we have thoughtfulness in prayer it will help us to be dependent on the Lord for everything.
I believe David was thoughtful and the Lord could lay on his heart and mind those things that he should pray for.
Thoughtfulness in prayer will show us our need and our weaknesses in ourselves. Think as we pray and as we go through the day think about what we should pray about.

2. DAVID WAS EARNEST IN HIS PRAYER.
He had an urgent need. If we could feel the urgency of crying unto the Lord for our own needs and the needs around us we would see some results. Not just see the need but feel the urgency.
Often we pray with just a cold request and wonder why God doesn’t answer us. Requests are often nothing more than news announcements. When we think about how much our requests are really on our hearts, can we expect God to answer? Do we really feel the need of seeing the urgency of our request?
This poor man cried unto the Lord.
We get urgent and urge people to get desperate at the altar of prayer for salvation but we need to get just as desperate if we are to see things done and see the Lord answer our prayers.

3. DAVID’S PRAYER WAS CONTINUOUS.
David didn’t just pray for his needs now and then but he was consistent in his praying.
(Psalms 88:1) O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: (KJV)
The beggar says, “If you grant me this request I’ll never ask anything again,” but the Christian says, “If you grant me my request I’ll never cease asking more and more.”
God delights to have us ask because asking and praying, means we have faith in God and are enjoying His love and companionship.
The Word tells us that God delights in our prayers.
(Proverbs 15:8) …. the prayer of the upright is his delight. (KJV)
The greatest thing prayer does for a man is bring him into communion with God and brings God into his life as nothing else can.
We are encouraged and grow as we attend the church services. We are searched out and blessed as we attend revival meetings and camp meetings.
But it is as we pray and have a continuous prayer life that we are held steady by the ever present hand of God. Not only does He answer prayer but He is a constant companion to those who pray. Those who don’t pray can’t understand this but God is continually with those who are consistent in prayer and communion with Him.

III. NOTICE THAT DAVID WAS SUCCESSFUL IN PRAYING.
1. HIS PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED.
If we aren’t successful it is because we sought amiss or haven’t sought the throne of grace at all.
(Psalms 34:4) I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (KJV)
(Psalms 34:6) This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. (KJV)
(Psalms 34:9) O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. (KJV)
(Psalms 34:22) The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. (KJV)
In this psalm we have a pattern for a successful prayer life.
I sought, I cried, I feared and the Lord heard me.
The words sought, cried and feared are sords that describe the inner feelings. The heart. His prayer ws from his heart.
Someone has said that prayer is like the rope hanging from the belfry, we pull it and it rings the bell in heaven and brings God to meet our need.
David’s need was met, he was kept safe from his enemies. He sought God for his kingdom, as he depended on God from day to day.

2. NOTICE THE NATURE OF DAVID’S PRAYERS.
David realized that in prayer he was dealing with God and not only that but God was dealing with him. His life, although he felt himself poor and worthless, was important to God.
God cared about David and He heard his prayer.
The richness and fullness of Divine grace was made plain to David when he prayed and God’s presence was real to him.
Prayer put David to thinking along the right lines and humbled him before God.
(Romans 8:26) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (KJV)

It is as we pray thoughtfully and earnestly that we are helped in prayer.
Prayer isn’t a haphazard coming before God but it is a careful seeking of God.
I believe this is how David prayed.

We hear a lot about prayer, but oh that we could learn to pray!
It is not that we don’t pray but we need to pray clear through.
Prayer did something for David.
Verse 4 – Delivered him from his fears.
Verse 6 – Delivered him from his troubles.
Verse 7 – Protected him.
Verse 9 – His needs were met. There was no want.

It transformed David. He talks about the saints of the Lord; and departing from evil.
We can’t really pray without being made more and more like the Lord.
It changes our thinking.
It changes our actions.
It even changes our personalities.
It creates in us a care and love for others.
We can’t sincerely pray for men without a love for their souls being born in us.
If prayer doesn’t do this for us it is because we say word rather than really pray.
Prayer lifts us out of our own selfish desires and gives us a concern and an outlook toward the needs of others.
Prayer blesses the soul and enriches our experience with God.
Check up on your prayer life. Where do you stand when you think about it?
I’m sure none of us could say we excel in prayer. But prayer is the only way through.
All the victories to our spiritual battles and help through the trials of life are found in prayer.
Prayer is our lifeline to heaven.

by dizzy Sun Jan 05, 2014 7:48 am

Excellent message, Rhon.

Getting Through To God - Psalm 34:1-10

Getting Through To God - Psalm 34:1-10

Re: Getting Through To God - Psalm 34:1-10