How Does Strife Begin?

Psalm 64

vs. 1-6: The Cruel, Craftiness of David’s Enemies

vs. 1 - David asks for God to preserve his life

vs. 2 - David asks God to hide him from the secret council of his enemies

vs. 3 - David says their tongues are like sharp swords, they continually rehearse their revenge

vs. 4 - David says they will at him. They have courage

vs. 5 - The enemies encourage themselves
Proverbs 1: 10-19 - A summary of enemy behavior
Prov. 17:14 - How strife begins and gains momentum Matthew 12:34 - Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks
Matthew 15:18-19 - List of things that defile a man

vs. 6 - They search for iniquities diligently
Why? Because of unresolved conflict

Background setting: Second Samuel 13-17 - Absalom kills his brother, Amnon, for raping their sister. David was angry but did not deal with it. David eventually wants to see Absalom, so Absalom comes to Jerusalem but does not go see his father.
Absalom hates his father and stirs up trouble. He gets people in the city on his side. Absalom gets his army together to go chase his father and kill him.

Rehearsing your hurt over and over will destroy your life, you become the victim. Ask God to help you get rid of the hurt and deal with it biblically. Remembering that God works on our behalf and can deliver us from our enemies, just like He did with David.

What is Better or Greater Than Life?

Psalm 63

David claims God to be his, whom he seeks and thirsts after early in the morning.

David praises God even in bad times. He knows God is his help.

Setting: 2 Samuel 15-17 - David leaves Jerusalem and is being chased by Absalom. Knowing this setting, shows how David really feels about God as he describes the dry Kidron Valley and God’s love as he is being chased.

What is better or greater than life? God’s love.
Romans 8 - We are more than conquerors with God’s love.
Ephesians 3: 14-19 - Know the love of Jesus.

How is Faith Strengthened, Part Two

Psalm 62

David’s faith was strengthened when he saw God alone could rescue him.

vs. 5 - God is our refuge

vs. 6 - God is David’s rock

vs. 7 - God is my strength
Proverbs 14:26 The fear of the Lord is strong confidence

vs. 8 - Trust in God at all times

vs. 9 - Wicked men aren’t even worth air (vainity)

vs. 10 - Do no set your heart on riches

vs. 11 - Power belongs to God

vs. 12 - God has mercy and gives us rewards according to our works.

How is Faith Strengthened?

Psalm 62

Background setting: 2 Samuel 15-17. Absalom wants to kill his father, David.
Ahithophel (Bathsheba’s grandfather and David’s personal counselor) betrays David and joins with Absalom.
David schemes a plan to send a spy to Absalom. This is not God’s plan.
Only God’s plan uprooted Ahithophel.

David acknowledges in Psalm 62, that God is his Rock and that he can find provision, strength and support in the Rock.

How is our Faith Strengthened?
1. When we see only God to be our Rescuer.
2. When we see only God to be our Refuge.
3. When we know that only God will Reward.

We must remember: God is never changed by our choices. He still loves us.
Our faith may be small and weak but it’s not the quality of our faith; it’s the quality of the object that we have our faith in.

God rewards His believers according to their deeds.

How am I Led, When I am Praying?

Psalm 61

The setting of this Psalm takes place during the rebellion of David’s son, Absalom. (2 Samuel 15-17)

In this Psalm, David acknowledges that:
God is a shelter and a strong tower.
He will trust God.
God hears his prayers.
God has given him a godly heritage.
God will prolong his life.
He will abide before God in His mercy and truth.
He will sing praises to God.
He will do the things he has promised to God.

David prepares for the next battle with this prayer. He wants God and is willing for God to lead him.

Why is There Defeat?

Psalm 60

Setting I Chronicles 18
David is trying to conquer land that was not conquered under Joshua’s leadership.

He is heading north, but is being followed by the Edomites. David splits his army.

Psalm 60
David acknowledges the hard times they are going through
David asks God for help.
David acknowledges that God will help
David praises God for the victories to come.

Constant reliance on God, not self, is required for victories.

What Does God Do To Help Us Grow?

What does God do to help us grow through difficulties?
Psalm 59, I Samuel 19

David asks for God’s deliverance: “deliver me, save me, help me”

We need to trust God in our difficulties

He is our strength and defense

God stays with us even when others betray us.

David sings praises about God’s mercy, defense, and strength.

When Does Anger Become Sin?

Psalm 58

vs. 1-5 - David’s Complaint
vs. 6-9 - David’s Consideration
vs. 10-11 - David’s Comfort

Three Ways Anger is Communicated:
1. Through What is Said
2. Through How it is Said
3. Through the Way it is Said

What is Bad Anger? Bad anger is bad emotional anger to hurt someone.
What is Good Anger? Good emotional anger will help to solve a problem or situation.

Four Questions to Ask When You are Angry:
1. Are you getting angry at the person or the problem?
2. Are you getting angry in the wrong way? Are you being destructive or constructive?
3. Are you getting angry for the wrong reason? For your own rights or is it for God’s righteousness?
4. Are you getting angry at the wrong time? Are you responding before you have all the facts?

Romans 13:19 - Avenge not yourself. Vengence is the Lords.

When Does Anger Become Sin?
- When we allow evil to overcome good.
- When we get angry at a person and not the problem that caused it
- When we are destructive when angry
- When we have responded in the wrong way without the facts first

Where am I Safe?

Psalm 57

Background Information:
I Samuel 22 and 24: David finds refuge in caves as he is running for his life, away from King Saul.

Chapter Outline:
Prayer of the Afflicted
Place of Safety
Perspective of the Saint
Pain of Slander
Purpose of Traps
Persistence in Worship

Where is God When I am Running in Fear?

Psalm 56

Fear is a Poor Counselor

Fear Causes Problems in our Lives

Fear Changes our Behavior in a Bad Way

Background info: David is fleeing for his life from King Saul, in fear. He goes to Philistine territory where the people recognize him as the killer of Goliath. David pretends to be insane, and they cast him out of the territory.

In this chapter, David tells God that his enemies fight him daily and twist his words. At the end of the chapter, David says he trusts in God. He acknowledges that God is for him.

Hebrews 11:6 - He that hath faith pleases God.
God will never leave you nor forsake you.
God’s thoughts are peaceful toward us.
Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what we can see.

What is the Price of Unforgiveness? Part Three

Psalm 55: 22-23

22 - God promises to never suffer the Righteous to be moved and to sustain us.
We are to cast our burdens on Him.

23 - David says he will trust in the Lord.

Background Information:
2 Samuel 17-18
Ahithophel, David’s father-in-law, ends up hanging himself when things don’t go his way.
Because of his bitterness and his feelings of betrayal, Ahithophel misses his great grandson, Solomon, be
the king.

Absalom (David’s son) has his army fight against David’s army
20,000 people die because of unforgiveness between the two of them.

God planted the acorn at the perfect place and time to snare Absalom years later in the tree.

Joab kills Absalom, against David’s wishes, while he is hanging in the oak tree.

Proverbs 18:19 - We should not harbor the offenses that others do toward us, as it puts us into our own prison.
When we forgive others, then we are free.
The worst prison is an unforgiven heart.

Ahithophel’s feelings = death
Absalom’s rebellion = death

What is the Price of Unforgiveness? Part Two

Psalm 55: 8-21

Section Outline:
vs. 8-19 - A Broken Relationship
vs. 20-21 - Bitter Betrayal

In these verses, David asks God to avenge those that are against him. Those that were once friends (Ahithophel), and his son, Absalom. David states he would rather have enemies hate him than his friend and son.
David is giving Ahithophel and Absalom over to God because they will not change, and because they do not fear God.

Background info: 2 Samuel 15-17

Romans 2 - God lets you go down the path of sin, so that you can choose between your sin destroying you, or choose to turn back to God.

What is the Price of Unforgiveness?

Psalm 55: 1-7

Outline for the entire chapter:
1-7: A Broken Heart
8-19: Broken Relationships
20-21: Bitterness and Betrayal
22-23: Bad Endings

Background information in 2 Samuel 13-28
- David’s son, Absalom, kills his brother, Amnon, for raping his sister
- Absalom runs to his grandfather, Ahithophel, and stays with him for three years
- David misses Absalom and wants him to come back to Jerusalem
- Absalom stays in Jerusalem for two years before seeing his father
- They finally see each other, and David expresses his love to Absalom.
- Even though David loves Absalom, Absalom wants his father killed so that he can be the king.
- Absalom and Ahithophel torment David over his past sins
- Absalom is killed by David’s men, against David’s wishes.

vs. 1 and 2: David asks God to hear his prayer
vs. 4: David says his heart is broken. (Absalom is fighting against him)
vs. 3: Even though his past sins keep being brought up, David knows that he repented of them and was forgiven by God.
vs. 5: David says he is very afraid

Will God Deliver Me From My Enemy?

Psalm 53

.vs. 1 - No God = communism/socialism. Grounded in evolution

vs. 2-3- Everyone at one time or another knows there is a God.
It is our responsibility to teach the next generation
It is their choice to heed and pass it on
Instead they push away and become “filthy”

vs 4 - Sinners have knowledge - They choose not to pay attention to it

vs. 5 - There will be great fear of God one day

vs. 6 - We have to come back to God

Psalm 54: Will God Deliver Me When I’m Trapped by my Enemy

Background info: I Samuel 23: 14-28

vs. 1 - David seeks for god to save him

vs. 2 - We always want to be in a place where God hears our prayers

vs. 3 - God wants to hear our heart

vs. 4 - David is confident of God’s help

vs. 5 - God will cut off my enemies

vs. 6 - Key word is “FREELY”
He came willingly

vs. 7 - He has delivered us: Past, Present, Future
The Lord will take care of “it”.

Is Failure Final? Part 3

Psalms 51: 5-19

Does God give us no way out of failure?

The Lord sent Nathan to David (a gift of God)

vs 1-4 - A bringing about of known sin

vs. 5 - He is a sinner

vs. 6 - He sees his own depravity

vs. 7 - He wants the Lord to clean him and announce him clean

vs. 8 - We can feel the pain that our sin has caused others. Brokenness is a work and act of God

vs. 9-10 - Make something new in me. A New Heart

vs. 11 - Deal with me not like those who reject God

vs. 12 - Restore unto me the JOY of my salvation

vs. 13-16 - David was guilty of Uriah’s blood.
God never measures the sacrifice. He looks at the heart.

vs. 17 - The sacrifice is supposed to produce a broken spirit, and a contrite heart. Now He can use us.

vs. 18-19 - He can work in us now. He can use us. We are more useful when we are broken.

Is Failure Final? Part Two

Psalm 51

The Road to Restoration Continues

Background setting: 2 Samuel 12
vs. 11 - God anounces His punishment through Nathan the prophet
vs 14 - David’s testimony causes the unsaved to blaspheme God
David’s son is born, but dies as punishment.

Sin always leaves a path of destruction.

Psalm 51
1-6 - The acknowledgement process
David says Blot out my transgressions, Wash me, Cleanse me, I acknowledge my sins.

John 3:20 When we sin, we cover the Light. People don’t come to the light because no one wants to deal with their sins and be reproved.

God always forgives when we are repentant.

Is Failure Final?

Psalm 51

The road to restoration from sin.

We study the setting of this chapter after David commits adultery with Bathsheba and then has her husband, Uriah, murdered. 2 Samuel 11 and 12.

Unconfessed sin makes you useless.

After Nathan’s proclamation of David’s sin, David acknowledges that he sinned against God.