Lesson#19p2

PSALMS 63 AND PSALMS 64
LESSON #19/P2
FOLLOWING HARD AFTER AND SEEKING EARLY

• MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 63:8

• THE PRIMARY AND THE PROPHETIC INTERPRETATIONS:
• PSALMS 63 A THIRST FOR THE WATER OF LIFE
• IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, THIS PSALM WAS A FAVORITE. THEY PUBLICALLY SANG IT AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY MORNING GATHERING.
• READ PSA 63:1-11
• THE SUB-TITLE: “A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah”
• PSA 63 FOLLOWS PSA 62 IN TIME AS WELL AS IN SEQUENCE.
• REMEMBER IN PSA 62 WE DISCUSSED HOW DAVID FLED JERUSALEM WHEN ABSALOM, HIS SON, TRIED TO TAKE THE THRONE FROM DAVID. (2SAM 15)
• WHEN DAVID FLED THE CITY, ZADOK, THE HIGH PRIEST FOLLOWED DAVID CARRYING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT. HOWEVER, DAVID STOPPED HIM AND MADE HIM RETURN THE ARK TO JERUSALEM.
• IT IS THIS PHYSICAL SEPARATION FROM THE ARK, WHERE GOD’S PRESENCE DWELT, THAT PROMPTED THE WRITING OF THIS PSALM WHEN DAVID TOOK REFUGE IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDAH.
• “…EARLY WILL I SEEK THEE…” (63:1)
• THE WORD, EARLY, CAN REFER TO EARLY IN LIFE, EARLY IN A PARICULAR EVENTFUL PROBLEM, OR EARLY IN THE MORNING.
• DAVID KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEKING GOD IN THE MORNING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY.
• WHEN WE SEEK GOD BEFORE OUR DAY BEGINS, WE CAN COMMIT OUR DAY AND OUR TIME TO HIM AND TO HIS GUIDANCE.
• EARLY DEVOTIONS SET THE TONE FOR THE DAY.
• WHY DOES THE BELIEVER NEED TO SEEK GOD?
• HE WANTS TO BE THE OBJECT OF OUR LOVE.
• HE WANTS OUR FELLOWSHIP.
• HE WANTS US TO DEPEND ON HIM
• HE WANTS TO GUIDE US
• HE WANTS US TO PROVE THAT SEEKING ANYTHING ELSE IS POINTLESS.
• “…MY SOUL THIRSTETH FOR THEE IN A DRY AND THIRSTY LAND…” (63:1)
• CHRISTIANS NEED MORE OF A “THIRST” FOR GOD AND HIS WORD.
• IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN IN A VERY DRY, DUSTY, AND HOT PLACE WITH NOTHING TO DRINK, YOU KNOW HOW THIRSTY YOU CAN BECOME. ALL YOU THINK ABOUT IS FINDING SOMETHING COOL AND REFRESHING.
• SEPARATED FROM JERUSALEM AND THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IN A DESERT AREA, DAVID LIKENS HIS PHYSICAL THIRST TO HIS OVERPOWERING SPIRITUAL THIRST FOR GOD.
• HE DESIRES TO SEE THE EVIDENCE OF GOD WORKING IN THE SANCTUARY AS HE DID BEFORE HE LEFT JERUSALEM. (63:2)
• WORDS AND ACTIONS OF PRAISE (63:3-5)
• THE WORDS, GOD’S LOVINGKINDNESS IS BETTER THAN LIFE, IS A MARVELOUS PHRASE OF PRAISE TO GOD. (63:3)
• I WILL BLESS THEE WHILE I LIVE. (63:4)
• USUALLY WE THINK ABOUT GOD BLESSING US. INSTEAD DAVID THOUGHT ABOUT BLESSING GOD WITH WORDS OF PRAISE AND HONOR AS LONG AS HE LIVED.
• I WILL LIFT UP MY HANDS IN THY NAME. (63:4)
• MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY FEEL IT IS TOO EMOTIONAL OR TOO EMBARRASSING TO WORSHIP GOD WITH UPLIFTED ARMS. DAVID DID NOT THINK SO. IF YOU FORGET ABOUT THOSE AROUND YOU AND TRY IT IN PRAISE TO GOD, YOU WILL FIND IT AS UPLIFTING AS DAVID DID.
• THE SIGNIFICANCE OF UPLIFTED HANDS IN WORSHIP HAS MANY ASPECTS:
• UPLIFTED HANDS IS A WAY OF SURRENDERING YOURSELF TO GOD.
• UPLIFTED HANDS IS A WAY OF IDENTIFYING YOURSELF WITH GOD.
• UPLIFTED HANDS IS A WAY OF CLAIMING AND RECEIVING GOD’S BLESSINGS.
• UPLIFTED HANDS IS A WAY OF DECLARING YOUR AGREEMENT WITH SOME SPOKEN TRUTH.
• MY SOUL SHALL BE SATISFIED. (63:5)
• TRUE WORSHIP OF GOD NOT ONLY SATISFIES GOD BUT IT SATISFIES US. IT FILLS THE SOUL WITH A WARM OIL OF SATISFACTION. DAVID SAYS THAT PRAISE TO GOD SATISFIES THE SOUL AS MUCH AS GOOD FOOD SATISFIES THE BODY.
• MY MOUTH SHALL PRAISE THEE WITH JOYFUL LIPS. (63:5)
• THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT HEARING YOURSELF SPEAK PRAISES TO GOD THAT SILENT PRAYER JUST DOESN’T DO. THE ORAL WORDS REINFORCE GOD’S PRESENCE IN YOUR SOUL.
• READ PSA 22:3
• COMMUNION WITH GOD MORNING AND NIGHT: (63:6)
• NOT ONLY DOES DAVID COMMUNE WITH GOD WHEN HE FIRST AWAKENS IN THE MORNING, BUT HE ALSO REVIEWS HIS DAY WITH GOD WHEN HE GOES TO BED.
• IT IS A TIME WHEN YOU CAN ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS FOR YOUR FAILURES OF THE DAY.
• YOU CAN THANK GOD FOR THE HELP HE GAVE YOU DURING THE DAY. (63:7)
• YOU CAN THANK GOD FOR THE PROTECTION UNDER HIS WINGS THAT HE GAVE YOU DURING THE DAY. (63:7)
• AN ATTITUDE OF DETERMINATION: (63:8)
• DAVID WAS DETERMINED TO LET GOD LEAD HIM.
• DAVID WAS DETERMINED TO OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS.
• DAVID WAS DETERMINED TO FOLLOW HARD AFTER GOD.
• THE WORD, HARD AFTER, MEANS = CLOSE BEHIND OR CLINGING TO.
• PUNISHMENT FOR THE WICKED AND VINDICATION FOR THE RIGHTEOUS: (63:9-11)
• “…THE LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH…” (63:9)
• IN THE OLD AND THE NEW TESTAMENT TIMES, THE NON-BELIEVERS WHO DIE GO TO A PLACE CALLED sheol OR hades (THE SAME PLACE, JUST 2 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES) TO WAIT FOR THE FINAL RESURRECTION AND THE DAY OF JUDGMENT AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE. (REV 20:11-15)
• OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS THOUGHT THIS PLACE OF THE DEAD WAS IN THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.
• “THE KING SHALL REJOICE IN GOD…” (63:11)
• DAVID REFERS TO HIMSELF, BUT ALSO, PROFETICALLY HE REFERS TO JESUS CHRIST. HOW DO WE KNOW HE IS TALKING ABOUT JESUS?
• NOTICE THAT DAVID SAYS, “EVERY ONE THAT SWEARETH BY HIM SHALL GLORY…”
• IF YOU SWEAR YOUR COMMITMENT TO KING DAVID, IT WILL PROFIT YOU NOTHING.
• BUT IF YOU SWEAR YOUR COMMITMENT TO JESUS CHRIST, THE KING OF KINGS, IT WILL PROFIT YOU ETERNAL LIFE IN THE GLORIOUS PRESENCE OF GOD FOREVER.
• APPLICATION OF PSALMS 63:
• AT WHAT TIMES DURING THE DAY DID DAVID TALK TO GOD IN PRAYER?
• THE ANSWER IS MORNING AND EVENING AT BEDTIME. DAVID SETS A GOOD PATTERN FOR US.

• PSALMS 64 PRESERVATION FROM FEAR
• THERE ARE MANY SITUATIONS IN DAVID’S LIFE THAT COULD HAVE SPARKED THE WRITING OF THIS PSALM. HOWEVER, THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US WHICH SPECIFIC EVENT PROMPTED ITS WRITING.
• READ PSA 64:1-10
• “…PRESERVE MY LIFE FROM FEAR OF THE ENEMY” (64:1)
• PROPHETICALLY THIS PSALM IS ALSO RELEVANT TO JESUS CHRIST IN THE HANDS OF THE SANHEDRIN.
• PROPHETICALLY THIS PSALM IS ALSO RELEVANT TO THE GREAT TRIBULATION PERIOD WHEN THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL HUNT DOWN GOD’S PEOPLE, THE JEWS AND THE CHRISTIANS, TO KILL THEM.
• THEY WILL NEED THE TRUTHS SPOKEN OF IN THIS PSALM.
• “…THE INSURRECTION OF THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY…” (64:2)
• THIS PHRASE REFERS TO THOSE ENEMIES THAT PLANNED THE OVERTHROW OF DAVID’S KINGDOM LIKE HIS SON, ABSALOM.
• PROPHETICALLY IT ALSO REFERS TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF JESUS’ DAY THAT PLANNED HIS DEATH.
• PROPHETICALLY IT ALSO REFERS TO THE ANTI-CHRIST AND HIS EVIL WORKERS THAT DO THE WORK OF SATAN IN THE FUTURE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• “THAT THEY MAY SHOOT IN SECRET AT THE PERFECT…” (64:4)
• THERE IS ONLY ONE WHO IS PERFECT. IT WAS NOT DAVID, NOR WILL IT BE THE SAINTS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• ONLY JESUS CHRIST IS THE PERFECT AND SINLESS ONE.
• NOTICE THAT DAVID SAYS, “…SUDDENLY DO THEY SHOOT AT HIM AND FEAR NOT.”
• HE DOES NOT SIMPLY SAY, “THEY SHOOT AT ME.”
• THOSE THAT CRUCIFIED JESUS CHRIST HAD GREAT REASON TO FEAR GOD’S JUDGMENT UPON THEM.
• THE EVIL MATTER (64:5)
• THE EVIL MATTER IN DAVID’S LIFE WAS SATAN’S ATTEMPT TO KEEP DAVID FROM THE THRONE THROUGH SAUL’S ATTEMPTS TO KILL HIM, AS WELL AS THE ATTEMPT, ONCE DAVID WAS ON THE THRONE, TO REPLACE DAVID WITH HIS SON, ABSALOM.
• THE EVIL MATTER IN THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST WAS THE PLOT AND BETRAYAL THAT LED TO THE CRUCIFIXION.
• THE EVIL DURING THE FUTURE TRIBULATION PERIOD, IS THE ANTI-CHRIST’S ATTEMPTS TO EXTERMINATE CHRISTIANS AND JEWS.
• THE SEARCH TO DO EVIL (64:6)
• THE UNBELIEVING HEART SEARCHES FOR WAYS TO DO EVIL.
• WE LOOK AT THE NEWS ON TELEVISION AND MARVEL AT MAN’S INHUMANITY TO MAN AND WONDER HOW PEOPLE CAN BE SO FILLED WITH SUCH HATE AND CRUELTY TO COMMIT ALL KINDS OF DESPICABLE CRIMES EVEN AGAINST OTHERS INCLUDING AGAINST CHILDREN. VERSE 6 TELLS US HOW:
• THE EVIL THOUGHT BEGINS ON THE SURFACE OF THE MIND BUT EVENTUALLY THE EVIL IN THE DEPTHS OF THE HEART IS SEARCHED OUT TO COME TO THE SURFACE.
• IT IS AS THOUGH NOTHING SATISFIES, SO THE PERSON KEEPS SEARCHING FOR MORE AND MORE THRILLS TO FILL THAT SPIRITUAL VOID IN EVERY PERSON.
• EVIL MAY GIVE PLEASURE FOR A SEASON, BUT SOON A PERSON THIRSTS FOR MORE TO SATISFY.
• THE SEARCH TO DO EVIL IS A DOWNWARD SPIRAL TO DESTRUCTION.
• GOD’S RETRIBUTION (64:7-8)
• GOD WILL ALLOW THE EVIL TO FALL UPON THE HEAD OF THE EVIL PERSON.
• THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS SIN WILL FINALLY CATCH UP WITH HIM AND DRAG HIM DOWN TO DESTRUCTION.
• WHY DOES GOD IN HIS MERCY ALLOW EVIL TO REAP ITS OWN REWARD?
• VERSE 9 TELLS US THE ANSWER…”THAT ALL MEN SHALL FEAR AND DECLARE THE WORK OF GOD…”
• WHEN YOU SEE THE END RESULT OF A LIFE LIVED ADDICTED TO ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND DISSIPATION, IT SHOULD MAKE YOU WANT TO RUN THE OTHER WAY…BACK TO GOD.
• THE WISE MAN WILL CONSIDER IT AND MAKE BETTER CHOICES FOR HIS OWN LIFE. (64:9)
• GOD HAS GIVEN MAN FREE WILL TO CHOOSE HIS OWN DESTINY. WE ARE TO LEARN FROM THOSE WHO HAVE MADE BAD CHOICES SO AS TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES FOR OUR OWN DESTINY.
• THE WISE MAN LEARNS THIS TRUTH.
• THE FOOLISH MAN DOES NOT LEARN IT.
• THE GLORY FOR THE UPRIGHT (64:10)
• THE WISE WHO CHOOSE RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST WILL REAP GOD’S GLORY IN ETERNITY:
• GOD’S GLORIOUS PRESENCE.
• A GLORIOUS NEW BODY.
• GOD’S GLORIOUS BLESSINGS OF ETERNAL LIFE.

• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• THESE TWO PSALMS DIRECT US TO FOLLOW HARD AFTER GOD SEEKING HIS PERFECT WILL FOR OUR LIVES, AND SEEKING GOD EARLY. WE ARE NOT TO BECOME DISTRACTED FROM FOLLOWING GOD BUT WE ARE TO SEEK GOD EARLY IN THE DAY, EARLY IN LIFE, AND EARLY IN ANY SITUATION THAT THREATENS US.
• THE FARTHER DOWN THE SPIRAL OF EVIL HAS DRAGGED US, THE HARDER IT IS TO BE FREE OF IT. THAT’S WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEEK GOD THE MINUTE YOU SEE A PROBLEM ARISE ON THE HORIZON OF YOUR LIFE.

HOMEWORK
PSALMS 65
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF PSA 63 AND 64
• DO YOU GET DISTRACTED IN YOUR CHRISTIAN WALK AND FIND THAT YOU HAVE STRAYED AWAY FROM GOD?
• IF YOUR ANSWER IS YES, CONSIDER WHAT IT IS THAT HAS DISTRACTED YOU.
• IF YOUR ANSWER IS NO, CONSIDER WHAT IT IS THAT HAS KEPT YOU ON TRACK.
• DO YOU SEEK GOD EARLY IN A PROBLEMATIC SITUATION, OR DO YOU WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE?
• IF YOUR ANSWER IS THAT YOU WAIT, CONSIDER WHY YOU DO NOT SEEK GOD EARLY.
• MAKE A DETERMINATION TO SEEK GOD EARLY THE NEXT TIME TROUBLE APPEARS ON THE HORIZON.

• PREPARATION FOR PSA 65
• READ PSA 65:1-13
• WHAT THINGS WILL GOD RESTORE IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF CHRIST?

• MEMORY VERSE: ROM 8:23