From Disaster to Praise
Psalm 57
Dr. Joseph Chang
5/25/2014
Psalm 57
• 1For the director of music. To the tune of "Do
Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. When he
had fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy
on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you
my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the
shadow of your wings until the disaster has
passed. 2I cry out to God Most High, to God,
who fulfills his purpose for me.
Psalm 57
• 3He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking
those who hotly pursue me; (Selah) God sends
his love and his faithfulness. 4I am in the midst
of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts-- men
whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose
tongues are sharp swords. 5Be exalted, O God,
above the heavens; let your glory be over all
the earth. 6They spread a net for my feet-- I
was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in
my path-- but they have fallen into it
themselves. (Selah)
Psalm 57
• 7My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is
steadfast; I will sing and make music. 8Awake,
my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken
the dawn. 9I will praise you, O Lord, among
the nations; I will sing of you among the
peoples. 10For great is your love, reaching to
the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the
skies. 11Be exalted, O God, above the
heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
(Ps 57:1-11)
I. The Same Challenge in Life,
Two Different Responses (v. 1).
• The response of Ahaz, king of Judah—
• Facing the attack from Aram and Israel
• The hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken,
as the trees of theforest are shaken by the wind
(Isa 7:1-2).
• 10Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11"Ask the LORD
your God for a sign, whether in the deepest
depths or in the highest heights." 12But Ahaz said,
"I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test."
(Isa 7:10-12).
I. The Same Challenge in Life,
Two Different Responses (v. 1).
• The response of David—
• Facing the attack from Saul
• 1For the director of music. To the tune of "Do
Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. When he
had fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy
on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you
my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the
shadow of your wings until the disaster has
passed.
• The same family, under the same God, why
totally different response?
• 為甚麼同樣的神, 同樣的家庭, 會有全然不同
的反應?
II. The Possible Causes (v. 2).
• 2我要求告至高的 神，就是為我成全諸事
的 神。(詩 57:2)
2I cry out to God Most High, to God, who
fulfills his purpose for me. (Ps 57:2)
• That perfometh all things for me (KJV)
• David defeated lions, bears (1 Sam 17:34-35).
• David defeated Goliath (1 Sam 17:49).
• Ahaz has the knowledge, David has the
knowledge and the experience.
• 亞哈斯有對神的知識, 大衛有對神的知識, 以
及對神的經歷.
III. Different Internal Requirement
(vv. 3-6).
• A. Love (ds,x,) and Truth (tm,a/) is his trade
mark (v.3).
• 3He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me; Selah
God sends his love and his faithfulness. (Ps
57:3)
•
23時候將到，如今就是了，那真正拜父的，
要用心靈和誠實拜他，因為父要這樣的人
拜他。(約 4:23)
23Yet a time is coming and has now come
when the true worshipers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth, for they are the
kind of worshipers the Father seeks. (John
4:23)
• 慈愛(ds,x,)是要對等回報的.
• Love (ds,x,) is required to payback in kind.
III. Different Internal Requirement
(vv. 3-6).
B. Understand Human Nature, and Divine
Nature (vv. 4-5).
4I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous
beasts-- men whose teeth are spears and
arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. 5Be
exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your
glory be over all the earth. (Ps 57:4-5)
2 Kings 16:10-15
•
10Then
King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet
Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in
Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a sketch
of the altar, with detailed plans for its
construction. 11So Uriah the priest built an altar
in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz
had sent from Damascus and finished it before
King Ahaz returned. 12When the king came back
from Damascus and saw the altar, he
approached it and presented offerings on it.
13He offered up his burnt offering and grain
offering, poured out his drink offering, and
sprinkled the blood of his fellowship offerings
on the altar.
2 Kings 16:10-15
•
14The
bronze altar that stood before the LORD
he brought from the front of the temple--from
between the new altar and the temple of the
LORD--and put it on the north side of the new
altar. 15King Ahaz then gave these orders to
Uriah the priest: "On the large new altar, offer
the morning burnt offering and the evening
grain offering, the king's burnt offering and his
grain offering, and the burnt offering of all the
people of the land, and their grain offering and
their drink offering. Sprinkle on the altar all the
blood of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I
will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance."
(2King 16:10-15)
• 大衛: 知道人性的惡, 敬畏神.
• David: Knowing Man’s inherent evil, respects
God.
• 亞哈斯: 天真的相信人, 鄙視神.
• Ahaz: Naively believes in man, despises God.
III. Different Internal Requirement
(vv. 3-6).
C. His faith enables him to see the result of
trusting in God (v.6).
6They spread a net for my feet-- I was bowed
down in distress. They dug a pit in my path-but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
(Ps 57:6)
IV. External Application (vv. 7-11)
• 7My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is
steadfast; I will sing and make music. 8Awake,
my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken
the dawn. 9I will praise you, O Lord, among
the nations; I will sing of you among the
peoples. 10For great is your love, reaching to
the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the
skies. 11Be exalted, O God, above the
heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
(Ps 57:7-11)
• 對內成為讚美的人, 對外成為感恩的宣教士.
• Toward self—One that praises the Lord.
• Toward others—a missionary that shares the
thanksgiving.
Conclusion
•
•
•
•
Knowing God and Experiencing God.
Love and Truth are our trade mark.
Knowing Man’s Nature, Respect God.
Trust in faith that God will keep the righteous,
punish the evil.
• Then we can become men/women of praise,
missionaries of thanksgiving.