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Sunday, June 10
Pastor Oliver R. Blosser, M.Div., Ph.D.
Faith Community Church
Pipestone, MN
Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
Psalm 27:7
Psalm 27 is a psalm of David in which the Psalmist confidently praises the Lord who is his light and salvation. The situation described in Psalm 27 is likely to be King David’s flight from Absalom as recorded in II Samuel 15:1 - 19:43. Through strong faith, King David rises above the fear of his enemies.
This psalm reveals, as you follow David’s guidelines, how you can have your prayers answered.
HOW TO HAVE YOUR PRAYERS ANSWERED
I. Pray with
confidence in the Lord, Psalm 27:1-3.
David opens this beautiful hymn with one of the most sublime Old Testament affirmations speaking of the security of God’s people, Psalm 27:1-3.
David’s enemies were evil and many, yet he prays with confidence in the Lord;
- The Lord is my Light to guide me.
- The Lord is my Salvation to deliver me.
- The Lord is the Stronghold of my life, in whom I take refuge.
In such confidence, David asks, Of whom, then, shall I be afraid? If David’s enemies attack him, then they will stumble and fall. If a whole army should make war against him, even then David will remain confident in the Lord.
Like David, you can have the same confidence in the Lord. For Jesus Christ is our Light;
John 12:46; I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
I John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Jesus Christ is our Salvation;
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Hebrews 5:8-9 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.
II. Desire a personal relationship with the Lord, Psalm 27:4-5
David’s steadfast assurance against many foes rested in a personal relationship with the Lord. This personal relationship provided both the presence and the protection of the Lord, Psalm 27:4-5. David cherished one desire above all others, namely, to dwell in the House of the Lord all of his life, so that he may both gaze on the beauty of the Lord or ‘savor the sweetness of the Lord’ and seek Him in His Temple, an expression applied to the Tabernacle in David’s time.
When King David took flight from Absalom, he also took flight from Jerusalem and had to leave the Temple/Tabernacle behind! He longs to return to the House of the Lord in the time of trouble; to be hid in God as His Refuge and to be set high upon a Rock. In several other psalms, David refers to the Rock of His Salvation, Psalm 18:1-3; 61:1-4. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, Psalm 61:2b.
When you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you can turn to the Rock of your Salvation in your time of trouble. The Lord’s presence and protection will be with you. His Tent will give you shelter from the sun and His High Rock safety from the floods of trouble.
III. Live a life of praise, Psalm 27:6.
The situation in which David found himself was grave. However, David exhibits total confidence in the Lord’s ability to protect him.
David chose to replace his worry with worship, Psalm 27:6. A life of praise becomes a powerful life, because the Lord inhabits the praises of His people, that is, He is very real and present to those who worship Him, Psalm 22:3.
As you face the trials and troubles of life, remember that praise brings the Lord’s power and presence into focus, with His protection into your life!
IV. Realize your dependence upon the Lord, Psalm 27:7-10.
David pleads for the Lord to hear him and to answer his prayer, Psalm 27:7-10. Remember that ‘mercy’ is the Lord helping those who cannot help themselves. How often we need the Lord’s mercy. ‘To seek the face of the Lord’ in Hebrew thought means ‘to seek His presence.’ At the Lord’s invitation, at this time, David sought the Lord’s presence through prayer. David’s mother and father were deceased, David realized that His dependence had to be completely in the Lord! As we face the difficulties of life, it is important to realize our own personal dependence upon the Lord. Prayer becomes the means to receive the Lord’s help at every turn of life. Like David, we must believe that the Lord will not forsake us. He is near to us and will show His mercy to us.
V. Possess a teachable spirit, Psalm 27:11.
At this point in David’s prayer, He seeks the Lord’s guidance and direction, Psalm 27:11. Each of us needs the attitude of a teachable Spirit. Scripture reminds us how we receive the Lord’s guidance in life, Proverbs 3:5-6.
VI. Trust to experience the goodness of the Lord in your life, Psalm 27:12-13.
David, who himself was upright, faced the cruelty and lies of the enemies who had risen up against him. In spite of the violence against the king, David’s assurance in God’s goodness caused him to expect a good end, Psalm 27:13. David will not be delivered to the will of his enemies, but will be delivered through God’s goodness. Each of us must trust in the Lord’s goodness, Romans 8:31.
VII. Learn to wait upon the Lord, Psalm 27:14.
The believer, who ardently desires to see with the eye of faith ‘the beauty of the Lord,’ Psalm 27:4, is sure to see the Lord’s goodness displayed through personal circumstances. David realized through prayer that if he would wait upon the Lord, the Lord will reveal His goodness, Psalm 27:14. To wait upon the Lord means to trust patiently in Him, to be strong and to take heart in the Lord. Courage is more than a Stoic virtue, it is the fruit of a quiet confidence in the Lord.
David is trusting in the Lord’s goodness for His survival in this life. The key is to believe and wait. The Lord will surely bring deliverance from the day of trouble!
Life Application
Psalm 27 reveals how each of us can have our prayers answered in times of trouble and stress of life, no matter what that trouble may be. We will not have the same problems that David had, nor will we have the same problems as other people around us, but God is able to meet all of our needs. The guidelines in the prayer can help us to reach out to the Lord in the time of trouble.
1. Pray with confidence in the Lord, believe that He will do what He says He will do, vv. 1-3.
2. Develop a personal relationship with the Lord. Pray to the Lord every day, share your intimate concerns and thought with Him and grow close to Him, vv. 4-5.
3. Live a life of praise. Learn to be thankful for the many blessings in your life, and tell the Lord that you are thankful! Praise Him for what He does, and also for who He is! Look for the positive, good, and wonderful things God is doing all around you, and thank Him for it, v. 6.
4. Realize your dependence on the Lord; don’t trust in your own strength or in any other person or thing. Trust in God, depend on Him,vv. 7-10.
5. Possess a teachable spirit. Be willing to learn all you can about the Lord and from the Lord. Attend church regularly, attend Sunday School faithfully, obtain and use a personal devotional book, and seek the counsel of godly leaders to teach you, v. 11.
6. Trust to experience the goodness of the Lord in your life. We sometimes are unable to see how God will work good in our lives, especially when we face trials. But have confidence that God is good all the time, vv. 12-13.
7. Learn to wait on the Lord. He is on His perfect timetable. He is not nearly as concerned with time as we are, and in His time, and in His way, He will do what is best. We must learn to be patient, and wait for God to reveal His will and His activity in our lives, v. 14.
God is good all the time, and He is very present in times of trouble. In the midst of trouble and trials, pray with confidence in God!