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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PSALMS 11 AND 12
LESSON #8
GODLY COUNSEL VS. THE TONGUE OF WORLDLY COUNSEL
MEMORY VERSE: PSALM 11:4
BACKGROUND:
THIS PSALM WAS WRITTEN BY DAVID, BUT WE DONT KNOW THE SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES. WEONLY KNOW THAT DAVID WAS IN DANGER OF LOSING HIS LIFE. THERE ARE TWO MAJOR EVENTS INDAVIDS LIFE THAT COULD RELATE TO THIS PSALM.
1. DAVIDS PERSECUTION AND FLIGHT FROM KING SAUL.
2. THE REBELLION OF DAVIDS SON ABSALOM.
READ PSA 11:1-7 FAITHS BRAVE ANSWERS TO THE COUNSELS OF FEAR
PRIMARY INTERPRETATION:
DAVIDS COUNSELORS WERE ADVISING DAVID TO FLEE THE DANGER.
PSYCHOLOGISTS OFTEN TELL THE PEOPLE THE SAME THING TODAY.
“WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS GET AWAY FROM YOUR PROBLEMS.”
THAT IS HUMAN, WORLDLY THINKING. IT IS VERY NATURAL TO TRY TO GET AWAY FROM A PROBLEM BYAVOIDING IT. HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
CHRISTIANS DO THE SAME THING. THEY RUN AWAY FROM CHURCH AS SOON AS A PROBLEM OCCURS INTHEIR LIVES.
WHY IS THIS THE WRONG RESPONSE TO PROBLEMS?
IN REALITY, YOU CANNOT RUN AWAY FROM PROBLEMS BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS TAKE YOURSELF ALONG. YOUCANNOT GET AWAY FROM YOURSELF.
LETS SEE WHAT GOD TAUGHT DAVID.
DAVID ASSURES HIMSELF WITH A STATEMENT OF FAITH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNSELS OF DESPAIR(1-3)
HE PUTS HIS TRUST IN THE LORD, NOT IN WORLDLY COUNSEL. (1)
HE DOES NOT HAVE TO FLEE TO THE MOUNTAIN BECAUSE GOD IS ALSO A GOD OF THE DEEP VALLEYS INLIFE.
FEAR SETS IN BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION IS KNOCKED OUT FROM UNDER YOU. THE IDEA IS THAT IN ABATTLE, THE CITY WALL WAS CONSIDERED THE FOUNDATION OF DEFENSE. WHEN THE ENEMY HAS BROKENDOWN THE WALL, IT APPEARS THAT THE BATTLE IS LOST.
WHEN ABSALOM TEMPORARILY TOOK OVER THE KINGDOM IN DAVIDS ABSENCE, THE FOUNDATIONS OFSOCIETY WERE DESTROYED. LAW AND ORDER DISAPPEARED AND THE WORSHIP OF GOD CEASED.
WHEN YOUR FOUNDATIONS FAIL, WHAT IS FAITHS ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IN PSA 11:3?
READ JAMES 1:1-8
1. REMEMBER THAT THE PROBLEM HAS A PURPOSE IN YOUR LIFE. THEREFORE, YOU CAN REJOICE IN THELORD.
2. GOD ALLOWS THE PROBLEM IN YOUR LIFE TO TEST YOUR FAITH.
3. THE PROBLEM BUILDS PATIENCE IN YOUR CHARACTER.
4. ASK GOD FOR WISDOM IN YOUR SITUATION BECAUSE HE PROMISES TO GIVE IT TO YOU INABUNDANCE.
WHEN FOUNDATIONS FAIL, IT IS INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TO TRUST IN GOD. THE WRONG RESPONSE ISTO TURN AGAINST GOD IN BITTERNESS AND ACCUSATION.
GODS COUNSEL REGARDING THE PROBLEM (4-7)
1. GOD IS IN CONTROL. HE IS STILL ON THE THRONE. (4)
2. GOD KNOWS AND SEES OUR PROBLEM. HE IS ALL KNOWING. (4)
3. GOD IS TESTING THE FAITH OF HIS CHILDREN. (5)
4. GOD DEALS DIFFERENTLY WITH BELIEVERS AND NON-BELIEVERS. (6)
5. GOD LOVES THE RIGHTEOUS. HE LIKES TO SEE THAT THINGS TURN OUT RIGHT FOR HIS PEOPLE.
KEEP IN MIND THAT WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT GOD THINKS IS RIGHT.
CONCLUSION:
DAVID BEGAN THE PSALM BY PUTTING HIS TRUST IN GOD. HE ENDS THE PSALM BY AFFIRMING HISVICTORY THAT GOD WILL STAND UP FOR THE RIGHTEOUS.
PERSONALLY, I THINK THIS PSALM HAS TO DO WITH ABSALOMS REBELLION. DAVID DID NOTLEAVE THE PROMISE LAND. HE RETREATED TO A CAVE IN ORDER TO RALLY TROOPS AND GO TO BATTLE.
IN DAVIDS FLIGHT FROM SAUL, HE DID LEAVE THE PROMISE LAND WHEN HE WENT TO LIVE WITHTHE ENEMY, THE PHILISTINES. HE EVENTUALLY LEARNED THAT IT WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO. (1SAM27 AND 28)
THIS PSALM SAYS THAT GOD TESTS THE RIGHTEOUS. (5)
READ HEB 12:6-8.
PERSONAL APPLICATION:
THE KEY APPLICATION TO THIS PSALM IS TO EXAMINE THE FOUNDATIONS ON WHICH WE RELY. IF YOUARE TRUSTING IN ANYTHING BUT THE LORD, YOU MAY FIND THAT FOUNDATION ABSENT SOME DAY. IFYOUR ONLY FOUNDATION IS THE LORD, YOU ARE ON SOLID GROUND. SEE JESUS PARABLE IN MAT7:24-27.
READ PSA 12:1-8 THE GODLY MAN IN THE MIDST OF UNGODLY MEN
THE MUSICAL INSCRIPTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PSALM BY DAVID IS, “TO THE CHIEFMUSICIAN UPON SHEMINITH”.
REMEMBER THAT SHEMINITH MEANS = UPON THE OCTAVE, BUT IT WAS ALSO A HARP WITH 5 STRINGS
PRIMARY INTERPRETATION:
WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ANY SPECIFIC EVENT IN DAVIDS LIFE REGARDING LIES AND GOSSIPAGAINST HIM, THROUGHOUT DAVIDS LIFE THERE WERE FREQUENT PROBLEMS WITH THOSE WHOOPPOSED HIM AND SPOKE AGAINST HIM.
THE PRAYER ABOUT THE SINS OF THE TONGUE (1-4)
DAVID BEGINS THIS PSALM WITH A CRY FOR HELP. (1)
HE FEELS ALL ALONE. THERE IS NO OTHER BELIEVER AROUND HIM.
READ JAMES 3:2-12
THE TONGUE IS IMPORTANT IN THAT IT DISPLAYS A PERSONS ABILITY TO CONTROL HIS LIFE.(JAM 3:2)
THE TONGUE IS IMPORTANT IN THAT IT CAN EITHER BUILD UP OR DESTROY. (JAM 3:6,8,10)
WHAT ARE THE SINS OF THE TONGUE?
1. CURSING OTHER PEOPLE WHOM GOD MADE. (JAM 3:9)
WHEN YOU CURSE PEOPLE, YOU ARE ACTUALLY CURSING GOD. IT IS AN ACT OF PRIDE, BECAUSE YOUARE SAYING THAT GOD DID NOT DO A GOOD JOB WHEN HE MADE THAT PERSON.
2. DESTRUCTIVE SPEECH (JAM 3:6,8)
GOSSIP, BECAUSE IT DESTROYS A PERSONS REPUTATION.
LIES BECAUSE THEY DECEIVE PEOPLE.
DIRTY STORIES AND DIRTY JOKES BECAUSE THEY APPEAL TO A PERSONS BASE NATURE.
3. FLATTERING LIPS (PSA 12:2)
FLATTERY FOR THE PURPOSE OF PERSUASIVENESS AND DECEPTION (A DOUBLE HEART) IS A SIN.
4. PRIDEFUL SPEECH (PSA 12:3)
BOASTING TO EXALT ONESELF IS A SIN.
GODS ANSWER TO THE SINS OF THE TONGUE AROUND YOU (PSA 12:5-8)
GOD WILL SET THE TRUE BELIEVER IN SAFETY. THE BELIEVER WILL NOT BE DESTROYED BY THOSE WHOSPEAK AGAINST HIM.
THEREFORE, YOU MAY NOT SEE THE GOSSIP AND LIES STOP, BUT GOD WILL SEE THAT YOU RISE ABOVEIT.
GODS STANDARD FOR SPEECH: (6)
GODS WORDS ARE THE STANDARD FOR ALL SPOKEN WORDS.
1. THE WORDS OF THE LORD ARE PURE
2. THE WORDS OF THE LORD ARE LIKE SILVER.
3. ALL WORDS ARE TESTED BY FIRE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WILL BE A JUDGMENT CONCERNING THE WORDS WE SPEAK.
A. BELIEVERS ARE JUDGED AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.
ROM 14:10 -13 2COR 5:10
B. NON-BELIEVERS ARE JUDGED AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT.
REV 20:11-15
PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
THIS PSALM RELATES TO THE PERIOD OF TIME CALLED THE TRIBULATION WHEN THE ANTI-CHRIST WILLREIGN. VERSE 1 AND 8 GIVE US A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF THE APOSTASY IN THESE LAST DAYS.
READ JUDE 16-19
IT WILL BE A TIME WHEN GODLY PEOPLE WILL BE VERY MUCH IN THE MINORITY. (1)
UNGODLY SPEECH WILL PREVAIL IN THE TRIBULATION AS PEOPLE CURSE GOD AND BELIEVERS.
WE ARE NOT IN THE TRIBULATION YET, HOWEVER, WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THIS TODAY ASCONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ARE RIDICULED AND CALLED “INTOLERANT, MEAN-SPIRITED, BIGOTED,AND LIKE THE WITCHES OF SALEM”.
GOD WILL GIVE A PLACE OF SAFETY AND REFUGE IN THE CITY OF PETRA, JORDAN TO PERSECUTED JEWSWHO FLEE THE ANTI-CHRIST. (5)
PERSONAL APPLICATION:
WHAT ARE DAVIDS WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU WHEN OTHERS SPREAD LIES AND GOSSIPABOUT YOU?
REMEMBER THAT GOD HAS A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND YOU. HE WILL PUT YOU IN SAFETY. (5)
GOD WILL NOT LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO YOU UNLESS IT WILL ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING WORTHWHILE INYOUR HEART AND LIFE.
JUDE 20 GIVES US THE CHRISTIANS RESPONSE:
1. BUILD UP YOUR FAITH
HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
READ AND STUDY THE WORD OF GOD.
2. PRAY IN THE SPIRIT.
HOMEWORK
PSALMS 13 AND 14
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF PSA 11 AND 12
MAKE A LIST OF THE FOUNDATIONS ON WHICH YOU RELY. IS THE LORD #1 IN THAT LIST?
CONSIDER THE LIST OF “SINS OF THE TONGUE” IN OUR LAST LESSON.
1. CURSING OTHER PEOPLE
2. DESTRUCTIVE SPEECH:
GOSSIP
LIES
DIRTY STORIES AND DIRTY JOKES
3. FLATTERING LIPS
4. PRIDEFUL SPEECH, BOASTING
DO YOU NEED TO REPENT OF ANY OF THESE SINS? NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT!
PREPARATION FOR PSA 13 AND 14
READ PSA 13:1-6 THE “HOW LONG” PSALM
HOW DOES DAVID ENCOURAGE HIMSELF WHEN HE FEELS AS THOUGH GOD HAS FORSAKEN HIM?
READ PSA 14:1-7 THE FOOLS PSALM
THE WORD “FOOL” IN HEBREW IS “NABAL”. NABAL IS ALSO THE NAME OF A MANIN DAVIDS LIFE.
READ 1SAMUEL 25
WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A FOOL?
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 13:6
