Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.slbc.org.au/sermons/68123/longing-for-deliverance/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] Psalm 40, to the choir master, a psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined to me and heard my cry. [0:11] He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. [0:24] Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie. [0:36] You've multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us. None can compare with you. I'll proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. [0:52] In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted. But you've given me an open ear, burnt offering and sin offering you've not required. Then I said, Behold, I've come. [1:07] In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God. Your law is within my heart. I've told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation. [1:19] Behold, I've not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I've not hidden your deliverance within my heart. I've spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation. I've not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. [1:33] As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me. Your steadfast love and your faithfulness will preserve me. For evils have encompassed me beyond number. [1:48] My enemies have overtaken me and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head. My heart fails me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me. [2:00] O Lord, make haste to help me. Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonour who delight in my hurt. [2:15] Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, Aha, aha. But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. May those who love your salvation say continually, Great is the Lord. [2:30] As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer. Do not delay, O my God. [2:43] Well, let's pray. Our Father in heaven, please make haste to help us to hear your word this morning. And as we do that, please encourage our hearts, knowing the great deliverance we've received, and that we might sing your praises and sing a new song. [2:59] We pray it in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, when your life experience is one of sorrow and pain and disappointment and grief and sickness and hardship, you just want it to stop. [3:12] Let me tell you, you just want it to be over, you've had enough, right? No one who's suffering wants suffering to last a moment longer, and the temptations look to relief in all kinds of places around that might offer it, temporarily at best. [3:29] Now, no one's immune from suffering in this world. It screams out that something is wrong, right? It shouldn't be this way. [3:40] And we're right, it shouldn't. Unfortunately, sin has wrecked everything. [3:51] And creation itself is crying out and groaning that we long for something more, something better. And while we live in this world, we may enjoy times of peace and joy and gladness. [4:07] Yeah, it's fantastic now, but trouble is always not far away. And there are people this morning in this room, we know, and I know, who are suffering in all kinds of ways. [4:24] Health, disappointments with dreams not coming off, financial setback, relationship struggles. And my prayer is that after looking at Psalm 40 this morning, this Psalm will give us some perspective and renewed hope in the midst of it. [4:44] Now, as we've coming to Psalm 40, we've come through Psalm 37 and Psalm 38 and Psalm 39, right? And we've been to the depths of David's despair. [4:59] We've seen David in the pit, who was the great king of Israel, the anointed king, the Messiah of Israel, who prefigures the ultimate king, the Lord Jesus Christ. [5:14] Jesus is not only the king of Israel, but is the king of the whole cosmos. And we've heard David cry out, I mean Psalm 37, why is it that the wicked seem to prosper and the righteous suffer? [5:31] Why do you, what do you, how do you, what do you think when the wicked seem to prosper and the righteous are cast down? [5:46] And we're told to wait. Wait for God to act and he'll bring about justice and the wicked will not win, the righteous will win. And then we've come to hear David's cry in Psalm 38. [6:01] He's suffering from some kind of illness. He's being crushed by God. He's under the judgment of God for his sin. He's crying out to God, waiting for, longing for God to answer his cry for mercy, to bring about a relationship back with God. [6:17] Because being out of relationship with God is unbearable. His plea in Psalm 38 verse 21, have a look at it with me, Psalm 38 verse 21, I can't hear the pages rattling or the computers scrolling. [6:36] Psalm 38 verse 21, do not forsake me, O Lord, O my God, be not far from me, make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation. David's crying out from the pit. [6:48] And we've heard David cry out in Psalm 39 about the brevity of life, that life is but a morning mist. Have a look at Psalm 39 verse 5. Behold, you've made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is nothing before you. [7:09] And he's waiting for God, to deliver him from his sins, and he's waiting for God to save him, to, life's too short, right, to live under God's wrath, your whole life long. [7:22] And so he asks for deliverance. Verse 8, chapter 39, deliver me from my transgressions, do not make me the scorn of the fool. [7:34] And he cries out to God in verse 12, have a look at it with me here, hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry, hold not your peace at my tears, for I'm a sojourner with you, a guest like all my fathers. [7:47] Don't ignore me, God, it's tough enough. I've had enough of being ignored, please hear me, I'm waiting, deliver me, save me. He's been through the depths of despair, but Psalm 40, is the light at the end of the dark tunnel, it's the dawning of a changed life experience for him, and Psalm 40, can be our Psalm as well. [8:15] Have a look at verses 1 to 3, I waited patiently for the Lord, he inclined to me, and he heard my cry. [8:27] There it is. He drew me up from a bit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. God looked towards him, focused his attention upon him, and heard his cry. [8:47] What a relief it was, for he was not forsaken, he was not abandoned, his waiting was worth it. God came through, God drew him up from the pit of destruction, from death's door, so to speak. [9:03] He drew him up out of the miry bog, we can't be sure, what the particular situation was, some sin, some sickness, some deadly peril, he went through them all. And the good news is, that God set his feet upon a rock, made his feet secure, they weren't going to sink anymore, weren't going to slip anymore. [9:21] That's the danger for us all really, that when the pressure comes on, it's to give up on God, and abandon God. Like Job, the temptation was great, to slip up, and end up cursing God, and dying. [9:37] Like Jesus, the temptation was great, to slip, and to listen to the lies of the Satan, and to bow down, and worship him, and the suffering of hunger, would finish in the wilderness. [9:52] And so God has changed David's song, from one of lament, to one of praise, putting a new song in his mouth, maybe something like Psalm 96, let me read it to you, the first few verses of Psalm 96. [10:04] Oh sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord all the earth, sing to the Lord, bless his name, tell of his salvation, from day to day, declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works, among the peoples, for great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, he's to be feared above all gods, for all the gods of the peoples, are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens, splendor and majesty are before him, strength and beauty, are in his sanctuary, and it continues on. [10:29] It seems that after every time Israel is saved, they sing a song, and because that song, of that praise, many will come to see, that God is good, many will come to fear, God, not man, many will see the shortness of life, and fear God, not man, many will see the need, for mercy from God, and not so fear God, not man, and so put their trust, in the Lord God, and fear him, not man, and put their trust, in God who delivers, because that's exactly, what David has done, he trusted God, he waited patiently, for God to deliver him, God heard him, God rescued him, God saved him, and yet there's a greater deliverance, to have in mind, you see it there in verse 4 to 10, see verse 4, the temptation, is to seek relief, from suffering, in all the wrong places, verse 4, blesses the man, who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn, to the proud, to those who go astray, after a lie, [11:48] God's rescue, is infinitely greater, than any rescue, offered by those, who are opposed to God, they will tell you, give up on God, serve yourself first, if you only live once, give up on God, there's no need to suffer, to live this strange way, why do that, there's no point in suffering, for doing what's right, get hit any way you can, lie, cheat, steal, if you can get away with it, the proud talk about, putting yourself first, putting yourself forward, look after number one, you, they'll tell you, to trust, in their get rich scheme, at the cost, of your own soul, don't worry about your sin, you're the boss of you, and nobody else, if it feels good, do it, it's the lie of Satan, the man, the woman, the person who is blessed, is the one, who turns to the Lord, who turns to the Lord, for deliverance, who hears his word, loves his word, and trusts in him, his deliverance, is far, far greater, far, far better, the wondrous deeds, he's done, are like those, of the Exodus, remember the song of Moses, in Exodus, chapter 15, he led the people, out of Egypt, he led the people, to the Red Sea, they're thinking, they're going to get annihilated, they cross the Red Sea, get to the other side, and then he sings a song, [13:22] God heard the cry of the Israelites, and rescued them, saved them, delivered them, from the promised, and brought them, to the promised land, and there he fed them, miraculously, for 40 years, remember the battles, that God fought, for his people, giving them the very land, that they inherited, the blessing, that God has given, his people, is more than can be told, just keep meditating, on the good things, and the deliverance, that God has given, and as David, reflects on his deliverance, we see that it's, not by any, any, mechanical, sort of religious, means, and here, the deliverance, changes, right, from deliverance, from the things, this world, to deliverance, from the wrath of God, that's what comes here now, the judgment, and the punishment, that we all face, for our sins, see it's not deliverance, from just the situation, now David looks at, but deliverance, from sin, it's not deliverance, and salvation, from a situation, but salvation, from sin, he moves towards now, which comes ultimately, in the Christ, who is, [14:33] Jesus, see in Christ, we see, deliverance, from sin, verses 6 to 8, have a look at it, with me there, in sacrifice, and offering, you've not delighted, but you've given me, an open ear, burnt offering, and sin offering, you've not required, then I said, behold, I've come, in the scroll, the book, it's written of me, I delight to do your will, oh my God, your law, is within my heart, God has opened up, David's hearing, to understanding, God's word, he's, bore to hold, in his ear, so that this, word of God, can get in, the root cause, of all suffering, in this world, is, not situational, the root cause, is sin, that is, rebelling against God, and it's, deliverance, from the power, and the penalty, of sin, that's paramount, he knows, that deliverance, from sin, is not, by religious, rights, making a sacrifice, the offering, of bulls, and goats, without delighting, in the will of God, [15:43] David recognizes, that the content, of the scroll, of the book, is talking about, him, right, the king, probably, Deuteronomy chapter 17, where instructions, are given to the king, to write out, a copy of the law, right, where the instructions, are given to the king, of how we will live, the first five books, of the Old Testament, he's to write a copy, out for himself, to be approved, by the priests, he can't just make up, his own version, say, ah, this is good, no, it's got to be one, approved by the Levitical priests, and then he comes, to Deuteronomy chapter 18, he sees that, God will raise up, a prophet, who's just like Moses, from you, and in David, revealing the word of God, he too is becoming, is a prophet, here in Psalms, as he writes God's word for us, and he says, behold I've come, reminds me of Isaiah chapter 6, when the prophet Isaiah says, here I am, send me, and so David writes out, the word of God, it's on his lips, it's on his heart, it's dear to him, and so he delights, in the law of God, because, well what other nation, has such wonderful words, wonderful laws, wonderful instructions, [17:01] Deuteronomy chapter 4, verse 8, what great nation is there, that has statutes, and rules, so righteous, is all this law, that I set before you today, and we know, that this psalm, is speaking about, David's experience, but it ultimately, points towards, great David's, greatest son, King Jesus, Hebrews chapter 10, quotes this psalm, about Jesus, teaching us, about who he is, what he's done, David knows, that the sacrifice, of bulls, and goats, it's not sufficient, to save him, from the wrath of God, literally did you know, that what he was writing about, was the way that God, would actually, save, not just him, but the world, and that this would, actually happen, by the death, the death, of God's King, God's perfect King, who was in, [18:03] David's family line, the long awaited Messiah, great David's, greatest son, would himself, save the world, by dying for it, Psalm 40, points us forward, to Jesus, who is the deliverer, who is our rescuer, who is our saviour, and Hebrews 10, explains it for us, come to Hebrews chapter 10, with me, because the word of God, explains the word of God, come to Hebrews chapter 10, you need to turn your Bibles over, Hebrews chapter 10, Hebrews chapter 10, we'll pick it up, verse 4, have a look with me, Hebrews chapter 10, Hebrews chapter 4, pick it up, sorry, 10 verse 4, for it's impossible, for the blood of bulls, and goats, to take away sins, consequently, when Christ, came into the world, now you know, who the Christ is, it's Christ Jesus, we're talking about now, but, this is what David said, back in Psalm 40, so, it's both, [19:20] Hebrews chapter 10, verse 5 now, consequently, when Christ, came into the world, he said, sacrifices, and offerings, you've not desired, but a body, you've prepared for me, in burnt offerings, and sin offerings, you've no pleasure, then I said, behold, I have come, to do your will, O God, as it is written of me, in the scroll of the book, now, when he said above, you have desired, neither desired, nor taken pleasure, in the sacrifice, and offerings, and burnt offerings, and sin offerings, these are offered, according to the law, then and behold, I have come, to do your will, he does away the first, well, that is the, Old Testament, requirement, for sacrificing, of bulls and goats, for the forgiveness of sins, right, in order, to establish the second, that is, to establish, the New Testament, the New Covenant, established by, the sacrifice of Jesus, on the cross, and his subsequent, resurrection, from the dead, verse 10, and by that will, we have been, sanctified, that is, made holy, through the offering, of the body, of Jesus Christ, once, for all, right, not the repeated, continual offering, of bulls and goats, but the once, off, infinitely effective, sacrifice, of the Lamb of God, [21:10] Jesus, who is, the King, of Israel, behold, I have come, to do your will, that is what, King Jesus came, and did, foretold, by the words, of King David, 1,000 years, beforehand, and by the will, of God, the means, by which we've been, made holy, washed clean, forgiven of our sins, delivered, saved, it came through, the offering, of the body, of Jesus Christ, once, for all, and so, now, it's even more, appropriate for us, to say continually, great is the Lord, and because of what, Jesus done, we can confidently, cling, to Psalm 40, as well, that's how we do it, right, for we've been, caught up, in all that God, has done, for King David, in King Jesus, as well, as we trust, in King Jesus, we wait, patiently for the Lord, and we are, confident, that he hears, our cry, he's rescued us, delivered us, from the pit, of destruction, we are no longer, objects of wrath, and so, we have a new song, to sing, and one day, in the great congregation, the gathering, of all people, from all time, from every place, and every land, who has lived, or whoever will live, whose trust, in the Lord, and waited, patiently, for his deliverance, we will all, sing together, you can see, the songs, in Revelation, that the elders sang, and so, we have a salvation, to proclaim, verse 9 to 10, back to Psalm 40, and so, now David, opens his lips, [23:09] Psalm 40, previously, he'd muzzled, his lips, so that he, wouldn't sin, with his lips, with his tongue, but now, it's time, to actually, speak, the glad news, of deliverance, in the great congregation, verse 9, literally, tell of the glad news, of righteousness, in the great congregation, God is righteous, God is just, God is pure, he will say, what he says, and do what he says, he's a good God, and, we'll proclaim, this gospel, that God is righteous, that God delivers, those who trust in him, he's not restrained, his lips, in declaring this, he hasn't kept, his deliverance, secret, verse 10, I've not, hidden your deliverance, or righteousness, within my heart, I've spoken, of your faithfulness, and your salvation, I've not concealed, the steadfast love, and your faithfulness, from the great congregation, he's not ashamed, to tell the whole world, what God has done, how great God is, how righteous, our God is, that's his lived experience, [24:21] I wonder, if it's ours, I wonder, if it's yours, I wonder, if when we speak, we speak, of how great God is, how good God is, how good it is, to be his people, when I open my lips, am I speaking, about God's graciousness, God's greatness, God's goodness, and we see, that David's future, is secure as well, because David, has been delivered, from the great peril, in the past, he can look again, to the future, with confidence, he can be confident, that God will deliver him again, from the deadly perils, that are to come, see verses 11 to 17, verses 11 to 17, there's perils to come, it's not over for him, notice verse 11, your steadfast love, and your faithfulness, will ever preserve me, that is, will continually, guard him, time and time again, from those, who would bring him down, it's going to happen again, life's going to get tough, we live in an ambiguous world, at one level, [25:33] David knows, that he's a sinner, in need of a saviour, he will surely sin again, his iniquity, his sinful practices, are beyond numbering, you see, they're more than the hairs, on his head, verse 12, he must have had some hair, and David knows, he has opposition, he needs God's help, God, David knows, that there are people, out there getting, to bring him down, they want his life, verses 14 to 15, that's going to be, what faces him as well, let those, be put to shame, and disappointment, all together, who seek to snatch, my life away, let those be turned back, and brought to dishonour, who delight in my hurt, let those be appalled, because of their shame, who say to me, aha, aha, David is trusting, that God will act, rightly in the future, towards him, but again, speaks about things, bigger and greater, than he can possibly comprehend, for there were those, who mocked Jesus, on the cross, saying, aha, aha, listen to Mark 15, and those who passed by, derided him, that is Jesus, wagging their heads, and saying, aha, you who would destroy, the temple, and rebuild it, in three days, save yourself, and come down, from the cross, so also the chief priest, with the scribes, mocked him, to one another, saying, he saved others, he can't save himself, let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now, from the cross, that we may see, and believe, and those who were crucified, with him, also reviled him, the whole world, was opposed to Jesus, at the cross, all wanting, to bring him down, all plotting, shame, and disgrace, upon him, mocking him, and at the cross, [27:25] King Jesus, suffered far greater, than King David, ever did, as he's surrounded, by evildoers, and yet, he trusts the Lord God, to deliver him, from death, which he did, by raising him, on the third day, proving, that sin, and death, was conquered, once, and for all, and yet, verse 16 and 17, Psalm 40, his prayer, is that those, who seek the Lord, who seek refuge in the Lord, will be glad, that they have, those who love, God's salvation, have received, this rescue, this deliverance, say continually, great is the Lord, and our heart, will be, that even those, who mocked, and rejected Jesus, would actually, turn and believe, and be saved as well, David has experienced, [28:27] God's deliverance, rescue, salvation, and because of that, having been saved, he can be sure, that he will always, be delivered, he knows, that the Lord, cares for him, considers him, has focused his attention, on him, has not abandoned him, leading to ask, not to delay, in delivering him again, because there will come a day, when he will, desperately need it, just like all of us, there will come a day, when we will, desperately, need, deliverance again, on account of our sins, sins, which are more than, the hairs on those, who have got, hairs head, so what do we make, of Psalm 40, well first, it's a psalm, about God, hearing David's cry, and saving him, second, the psalm, teaches us again, that God's way, of salvation, has always been, by faith, and will always, be by faith, and finally, while deliverance, from situations, of suffering, is what we long for, and God may, grant it now, in this life, we will, need deliverance, fully and finally, again in the days to come, and on that day, when God, finally brings about, his eternal kingdom, will be brought, into the great congregation, where people, from every tribe, and every language, and every tongue, and every place, and every time, will be gathered together, in the great congregation, and will say continually, great, is the Lord, and until then, right, we wait patiently, we wait, expectantly, and we wait, patiently for our Lord, who, hears our cry, and, has drawn us, out of the pit, of destruction, out of the miry bog, as he did for David, as he did for Jesus, he will do for all, who trust in him, let's pray, our Father in heaven, we thank you, for your great mercy, and thank you, you're God, who cares, and we pray, as we wait for you, and we long, for your return, that we will, continue to sing, your praises, how great you are, that we'll continue, to trust in you, and that we'll sing, of your, song of the gospel, to the world, around about us, and continue, to remember, the great things, that you've done, for us, as we wait, expectantly, for the even, greater things, yet to come, please have mercy, upon us, and mercy, upon our world, and that through us, many would come, to hear the things, of Jesus, and so, long for his, appearing, we pray, in Jesus name, [31:39] Amen.