52 - The Greatest Sermon You Will Ever Hear - Part 1

Psalm 56:1-13 THE GREATEST SERMON YOU WILL EVER HEAR
This Psalm was written during a difficult time in David’s life. It is a companion to Psalm 34, written during this same period. David was on the run from King Saul. As David fled the king's wrath, he made a decision that brought great trouble. The story is found in 1 Samuel 21:10-15. During this challenging time in his life, David wrote this Psalm. David is alone and on the run. While he works through his problems, David preached the truth he knew to himself. The greatest sermons David ever heard were preached to himself by himself.

As David begins this Psalm with a superscription. He calls this a “Michtam.” This speaks of “a golden psalm.” It means “profound, weighty, and worthy of being inscribed in stone.”  Then he says, “upon Jonathelemrechokim.” This refers to the tune to which this song is to be sung.“Jonathelemrechokim” means “to the silent dove in distant oaks.” The word identifies David as one who is a long way from home. It also identifies David as one who has learned to be “silent,” even amid his pain. David found a place of rest. 

The greatest sermons you will ever hear are the sermons you preach to yourself as you remind yourself of the great truths you know from the Word of God. We spend too much time listening to ourselves when we should be preaching to ourselves. When we listen to ourselves, we are listening to the reasonings of our sinful nature as it tries to work through issues from a fallen human perspective. The natural man living within us is not saved. It is still trapped in sin and bases all its thinking on faulty, sinful reasoning. When we listen to ourselves, we will hear a litany of lies. Our hearts cannot be trusted to speak the truth. “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. (“The seed of every sin known to man is in my heart.” Robert Murray McCheyne)

We must stop listening to ourselves. Self will always lead us down the wrong path. 
Instead of listening to ourselves, we need to listen to God. We must do what David did and tell ourselves what it needs to hear. What self needs to hear is the truth.
What self needs to hear is the Word of God. Self needs to be silenced and made to listen to God-centered truth and not to self-centered lies. 

  I.  NOTICE THE SORROWS DAVID DISCOVERED
A.  V. 1  David Faced Problems - I have already detailed the dangers and hatred David faced from both Saul and the Philistines. David felt as though these problems would “swallow” him whole. The word “swallow” means “to inhale; to devour.” David believed his problems would consume him. 
B.  V. 1  David Faced Pressures - David tells us he was “oppressed.” The word refers to “crushing force.” It brings to mind “a weight too heavy to be carried.” David described the efforts of his enemies as “fighting.” The word means “to feed on, devour, overcome.” David believes the pressures he faced were destroying him bite by agonizing bite. He felt he was being eaten alive by the pressures he faced. 
C.  V. 5-6  David Faced Plots - v. 5a David says his enemies “wrest” or “twist” his words. v. 5b They are always thinking of ways to hurt him. v. 6a They conspire together, making their plan against him.  v. 6b They wait in ambush against him. v. 6c They seek ways to trap him.  v. 6d They watch every move he makes, looking for a way to destroy his life.