Muddy Times

Text: Psalms 40

 

I.         Psalms 38-40 cover related themes on the problems caused by sin

            A.        Sin is an overwhelming burden and they cause problems in life - Psalms 38:3-8

            B.        Sin can cause anxiety - Psalms 38:18

            C.        Even close friends and family tend to avoid you when you are in sin - Psalms 38:11

            D.        Worse, your enemies try to gain an advantage in your time of weakness - Psalms 38:12

            E.        You can’t fix it by deciding not to sin anymore - Psalms 39:1-2

            F.        It takes God to solve the problem - Psalms 39:7-8

            G.        We need to understand just how much we need God - Psalms 39:12-13

            H.        Psalms 40 is divided into two parts: What has happened in the past (verses 1-10) and what is currently needed (verses 11-17)

II.        Past Rescues - Psalms 40:1-10

            A.        God acts when He sees it best, not when we want to happen - Psalms 40:1

                        1.         We need to develop patience - Psalms 38:15; 39:7

                        2.         David spent years running from Saul, who was intent on his death

                        3.         When Absalom rebelled, David was again on the run

                        4.         God answered, but I’m sure not as soon as David would have liked to have an answer

            B.        But God did rescue David - Psalms 40:2

                        1.         The vivid description of being stuck in a mud pit – slippery, hard to move, and it seems every move makes you more stuck - Psalms 69:1-4

                        2.         But God puts us on solid ground.

                                    a.         It is on His paths - Psalms 17:5

                                    b.         It is found in His word - Psalms 119:133

            C.        However, it goes beyond rescuing - Psalms 40:3

                        1.         God restored joy to David’s life - Psalms 142:5-7

                        2.         David’s rescue made an impact on others

            D.        Your trust has to be in God - Psalms 40:4

                        1.         You can’t trust the proud – they only think of themselves

                        2.         You can’t trust those who lie

            E.        What God has done is beyond comprehension or enumeration - Psalms 40:5

            F.        God isn’t looking for sacrifices - Psalms 40:6-8

                        1.         Too often people think they need offer sacrifices for God to favor them, or they think God will overlook their sins if they balance it out with offerings.

                                    a.         It is what Samuel told Saul - I Samuel 15:22

                                    b.         It is what God said to Israel - Isaiah 1:10-17

                        2.         The writer of Hebrews quoted these verses - Hebrews 10:5-8

                        3.         It isn’t that God did require sacrifices, but that was a part of obedience. It was the obedience God wanted, not the rituals.

                        4.         David opened his ears and obeyed - Isaiah 50:4-5

                        5.         And David is referred to in God’s book - Exodus 32:32-33

                                    a.         But these same verses apply to Jesus where the book can refer to volumes of the Old Testament that foretold of the Suffering Servant’s obedience

            G.        As a result, David has proclaimed far and wide God’s righteousness - Psalms 40:9-10

                        1.         How thankful are we when God saves us from trouble?

                        2.         Again this is quoted, this time in Hebrews 2:12, and applied to Jesus as well

                        3.         Like Jeremiah, it should be news impossible to keep to ourselves - Jeremiah 20:9

                        4.         Let your light shine - Matthew 5:16

                        5.         It is the driving force behind spreading the Gospel - Matthew 28:19-20

III.       But that was the past and David finds himself in need, yet again - Psalms 40:11-17

            A.        The fear is that God will give up on me

                        1.         He has to be tired of rescuing me

                        2.         I’ve must have exhausted His patience

                        3.         But God hasn’t - Psalms 40:11

            B.        Troubles are too numerous to handle. My own sins are overwhelming - Psalms 40:12

                        1.         No one is immune from the danger of sin - I Corinthians 10:12

                        2.         Everyone sins, and we need rescuing – again! - I John 1:8-2:1

            C.        There are always people who prey on those show weakness - Psalms 40:13-14

            D.        There are those who mock what they see as shameful behavior - Psalms 40:15

            E.        But there are the righteous who rejoice at the saving of another soul - Psalms 40:16

            F.        I’m not strong enough on my own, but God cares for me - Psalms 40:17

                        1.         God watches over His people - I Peter 3:12

IV.      Jesus understands - Hebrews 4:15