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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PSALM 18
LESSON #12
INSTRUCTION IN HOW TO PRAY
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 18:19
ACCORDING TO THE TITLE AT THE BEGINNING OF PSALM 18, DAVID WROTE THIS PSALM AS A RESULTOF ENEMIES, INCLUDING KING SAUL, WHO PURSUED HIM
AN EXACT COPY OF THIS PSALM, FROM VERSE 2 TO THE END, IS ALSO IN 2SAM 22. BECAUSE GODINCLUDES IT TWO TIMES IN SCRIPTURE, IT MUST BE VERY IMPORTANT. HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE WE DONOT MISS THE MESSAGE. THIS PSALM IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE WILL SPEND 2 LESSONS ON IT.
PRIMARY INTERPRETATION AND PERSONAL APPLICATION:
WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS PSALM FROM DAVIDS EXPERIENCE IN ORDER TO TEACH US HOWTO PRAY. THEREFORE, I AM COMBINING THE PRIMARY INTERPRETATION AND THE PERSONALAPPLICATION.
READ PSA 18:1-5
COMMIT YOUR HEART TO THE LORD:
“I WILL LOVE THEE, O LORD” (1)
PAUL MADE THIS KIND OF COMMITMENT IN ROM 14:8, “WHETHER WE LIVE, THEREFORE, OR DIE,WE ARE THE LORDS.”
IT IS IMPORTANT TO TELL THE LORD YOU LOVE HIM NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.
RECOGNIZE WHO GOD IS:
THE PSALM BEGINS WITH A SERIES OF TITLES FOR JESUS CHRIST. NOTICE THAT HE MAKES GODPERSONAL TO HIM BY USING THE WORD, “MY”.
MY ROCK (1COR 10:4)
MY FORTRESS
MY DELIVERER
MY GOD
MY STRENGTH
MY SHIELD
THE HORN OF MY SALVATION
THE WORD “HORN” IS USED IN VARIOUS WAYS IN THE BIBLE:
1. TO INDICATE POWER AND AUTHORITY
2. TO INDICATE POLITICAL AND MILITARY POWER
3. TO INDICATE STRENGTH
4. TO INDICATE MERCY
A PERSON COULD GRAB THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR IF HE COMMITTED A CRIME AND THEN HE WOULDRECEIVE MERCY.
MY HIGH TOWER
A HIGH TOWER IS GOOD FOR PROTECTION. IT IS ALSO GOOD FOR GAINING A BROAD PERSPECTIVE. WENEED GODS BROAD PERSPECTIVE OF LIFE.
THESE TITLES TELL US THAT GOD IS WORTHY OF PRAISE. (3)
THE ENGLISH WORD “WORSHIP” COMES FROM THE WORD “WORTH”. WE WORSHIP AGOD WHO HAS WORTH. WHEN WE WORSHIP GOD, WE ASCRIBE TO HIM VALUE. THAT IS WHY IT ISIMPORTANT TO WORSHIP THE LORD.
THESE TITLES GIVE DAVID ASSURANCE THAT GOD IS EVERYTHING THAT HE WILL NEED TO FIGHTAGAINST HIS FEAR. HE TELLS GOD HIS FEAR IN VERSE 5.
BE HONEST WITH GOD. HE KNOWS YOUR HEART ANYWAY.
WHEN TIMES ARE DIFFICULT, GOD IS OUR ONLY SECURITY.
READ PSA 18:6-9
RECOGNIZE GODS CONCERN:
GOD SAYS HE LOVES HIS CHILDREN AND CARES ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS. HE HEARS OUR PRAYERS, WHENWE CALL UPON HIM. HE NEVER SLEEPS, AND HE IS NEVER TOO BUSY.
GOD IS ANGRY WHEN INJUSTICE IS DONE TO HIS PEOPLE.
READ PSA 18:10-18
RECOGNIZE THE POWER OF GOD:
GOD SENDS HIS ANGELS TO MINISTER TO THE NEEDS OF HIS CHILDREN. HE MOVES HEAVEN AND EARTHTO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS.
IN THIS SECTION WE SEE VICTORY IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD OVER THE POWERS OF THE ENEMY.
READ DAN 10:12-14
DAVID SAYS, “HE BROUGHT ME FORTH ALSO INTO A LARGE PLACE” (19)
THIS MEANS THAT GOD MOVES SATAN OUT OF THE WAY TO MAKE ROOM FOR HIS CHILDREN.
WHEN OUR WALK IS WEAK, GOD IS OUR ONLY SOURCE OF POWER.
READ PSA 18:19-24
RECOGNIZE WHO WE ARE IN JESUS CHRIST:
“HE DELIGHTED IN ME” (19)
DAVID KNEW GOD LOVED HIM.
“ACCORDING TO MY RIGHTEOUSNESS” (20)
WE ARE RIGHTEOUS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
“I HAVE KEPT THE WAYS OF THE LORD” (21)
DAVID HAS PAID ATTENTION TO GODS LAW.
“I DID NOT PUT AWAY HIS STATUTES FROM ME.” (22)
WE SHOULD LIVE ACCORDING TO GODS WORDS AND STANDARDS IN THE BIBLE.
“I KEPT MYSELF FROM MINE INIQUITY.” (23)
DAVID WAS AWARE OF SIN. HE FOLLOWED THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO HELPED HIM AVOIDSIN.
READ PSA 18:25-29
RECOGNIZE GOD AS YOUR SOURCE:
DAVID KNOWS GOD PERSONALLY. HE KNOWS GODS CHARACTER. HE KNOWS HOW GOD DEALS WITHPEOPLE.
HE BASES HIS PRAYER ON GODS CHARACTER.
SOMETIMES I HEAR CHRISTIANS PRAY. THEY SAY, “OH GOD, HEAL MY SISTER. SHE IS SUCH AGOOD CHRISTIAN. SHE DESERVES TO BE HEALED.” THAT PRAYER IS BASED ON THE GOODNESS OF ASINFUL HUMAN BEING.
WE DONT DESERVE ANYTHING FROM GOD. IT IS BETTER TO BASE YOUR PRAYER ON THERIGHTEOUSNESS AND GOODNESS OF JESUS CHRIST, NOT ON MANS SINFUL NATURE.
YES, DAVID TALKED ABOUT HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT HE DID NOT STOP THERE. HE THEN TALKSABOUT THE CHARACTER OF GOD. THAT IS THE BASIS OF HIS PRAYER.
THE CHARACTER OF GOD:
HE IS A MERCIFUL GOD. (25)
HE IS AN HONEST GOD (25)
HE IS A HOLY GOD (26)
HE IS A GOD OF LOVE AND ABLE TO SAVE (27)
HE IS A GOD OF WISDOM AND COUNSEL. (28)
HE IS A POWERFUL GOD (29)
WHEN DAYS ARE DARK, GOD IS OUR ONLY LIGHT. (28)
READ PSA 18:30-36
RECOGNIZE THE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED:
GODS WAY IS PERFECT EVEN WHEN WE DONT UNDERSTAND IT. (30)
DAVID EXPANDS HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE TITLES FOR CHRIST THAT BEGAN THE PSALM.
WE LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH WATCHING HIM HANDLE THE PROBLEMS IN OUR LIVES.
DAVID LEARNED THAT GOD WAS A SHIELD WHEN HE TRUSTED GOD.
“HE MAKETH MY FEET LIKE HINDS FEET” (33)
MOUNTAIN ANIMALS ONLY NEED TO WATCH WHERE THEIR FRONT FEET GO BECAUSE THE BACK FEETAUTOMATICALLY FOLLOW THE FRONT FEET.
THE ILLUSTRATION HERE IS THAT YOU ONLY NEED TO WATCH THAT YOU FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST, AND HEWILL MAKE SURE EVERYTHING AFTER YOU WORKS OUT WELL ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN. NOTHING CATCHESGOD BY SURPRISE.
WHEN OUR FUTURE IS UNCLEAR, GOD IS OUR ONLY HOPE.
READ PSA 18:37-45
MAKE A STATEMENT OF VICTORY BASED ON FAITH.
BUILD INTO YOUR CHARACTER THOSE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WILL ENSURE VICTORY.
PERSEVERANCE WILL BRING VICTORY. (37)
COURAGE WILL SEE THE ENEMY DEFEATED. (39-40)
SETTING A FUTURE GOAL WILL SEE A DREAM FULFILLED (43)
READ PSA 18:46-50
“THE VIOLENT MAN” (48) = SATAN
GIVE PRAISE TO GOD BY FAITH FOR A VICTORY YET UNSEEN. (49-50)
THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS PSALM IS THE PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION. BECAUSE IT IS SOIMPORTANT AND EXTENSIVE, WE WILL WAIT UNTIL OUR NEXT LESSON TO DISCUSS IT. IT IS THATMESSAGE THAT GOD DOES NOT WANT US TO MISS.
HOMEWORK
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 98:1
