Knowing God In Your Disappointments

Temple Baptist Church - 8-18-2019

Psalms 57:7-11; 108:1; 112:7

Introduction: 

A.  In Psalm 57, David is hiding in a cave because he is being pursued by King Saul.  David, the anointed King of Israel; David, a man after God’s own heart; David, a Worshiper; David, upon whose future throne the Messiah will sit! 

1.  What will you do when everything goes wrong and the world seems to be against you? 

2.  What will you do when problems come that you do not understand and cannot fix?

B.  David Worships! 

Psalms 57:5-11  Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.  (6)  They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.  (7)  My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.  (8)  Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.  (9)  I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.  (10)  For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.  (11)  Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.

C.  As David worships God, he declares that his heart is “fixed.”  The word “Fixed” is used only 4 times in the Bible with 3 of these brief mentions being in the Old Testament concerning the heart.

Fixed defined.  Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines fixed as:  Settled; established; firm; fast; stable.

D.  The word fixed is only used one time in the New Testament and I believe that the context in which the word is found gives a wonderful definition and description.  

Luke 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  (The gulf in Hades was fixed between Abraham’s Bosom and the flames of Hell.  It was immovable.  It was permanent.)

E.  In Psalms 57, it is in the context of great persecution from David’s enemies.  It is a time of great trouble and his heart is fixed upon the Lord in worship.  Beholding God’s glorious person instead of his own personal plight.

F.  We, because of our weakness of flesh, are prone to fix our hearts upon the circumstances instead of the Lord who controls them!  May the Lord help us to fix our hearts upon Him. 

1.  We know that He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. 

2.  We know that nothing is impossible with Him and He certainly “thinketh upon me!” 

3.  We know that we are worth many sparrows and yet not one of these falls to the ground without His knowledge. 

4.  We know that He can and will supply our physical needs in this life. 

5.  We know that He goes before us and has suffered all that we will ever suffer.

6.  We know that He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and ever liveth to make intercession at the right hand of the Father. 

G.  Our lives are in His hand - John 10:28-29  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.   My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Job 23:13-14  But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.  For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

H.  A fixed heart does not:

1.  Look Back - Luke 9:62  And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

2.  Look Around - Matthew 14:30  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

3.  Look Down - Psalms 43:5  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

I.  A fixed heart looks up - Psalms 121:1   I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

1.  A Fixed Heart is an Assured Heart – 1 John 3:18-21  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

2.  A Fixed Heart is a Trusting Heart - Psalms 112:7  He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD

Psalms 56:3  What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  (Trusting Him despite it all!)

3.  A Fixed Heart is a Praising Heart

Psalms 57:7  My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 

Isaiah 24:15  Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. (Praising Him despite it all!)

4.  A Fixed Heart is a Panting Heart - Psalms 42:1-2  As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? 

Psalms 119:10  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

5.  A Fixed Heart is a Serving Heart - Job 13:15  Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

Job 23:11  My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

6  A Fixed Heart is a Stable Heart - John 20:27-28  Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.