Sermon

The Faithful Focus

January 10, 2024 Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Psalm 71.
And over the next few weeks I hope to make our way through Psalm 71.
Tonight we'll give our attention to the first section up to verse mark 11.
Psalm 71 is a special psalm to many of us.
I appreciate it as we read through it there.
The words are solemn.
The words are thoughtful.
And it is thought provoking for us to come and read and consider what the psalmist is saying in it.
As we read through it we can pick up that the psalmist experiences this vicious attack from the devil.
The psalmist is in this most difficult of places.
And he feels like he is also vulnerable.
And yet as we go through it and we follow with his experience we find glimpses where he has joy.
And he praises the God and his Lord.
And as we look through this psalm together there is faith that undergirds it.
There is his own faith and trust in his Lord.
And there is the Lord's faithfulness to his people and to the psalmist.
Now this psalm it is debated whether David wrote it.
David wrote the majority of the psalms.
But I don't think they are not too sure whether this is entirely his work.
There are parts from it.
From other psalms in its construction.
But regardless of who wrote it.
While we read through it we can understand that it is an elderly person that is writing it.
Or someone who is in old age.
If you go to verse 9.
It says there do not cast me off in the time of old age.
If you go to verse 18.
It is more of that.
So even to old age and grey hair.
O God do not forsake me.
This believer.
Psalmist.
Writer.
He has walked the narrow path.
He has followed the Christian way for many years.
But if you look at the title of the psalm.
If you have the ESV version.
It will have a title to it.
It says forsake me not when my strength is spent.
The psalmist.
All his strength has gone.
There is nothing left to give.
He is running on empty.
As it were.
The faithful believer is facing the greatest trials.
And afflictions of his life.
And personal battles.
And through this psalm.
We are led into his experience.
Of what he is going through.
When he is just holding on.
When he says.
I am beat.
But I am still.
Holding on.
To my Lord.
He still has faith.
In his Lord.
And this is a.
Great lament.
Of the psalmist.
He cries out to God.
With the sorrows of his soul.
And we can imagine.
Like a crying child.
They cry out.
It is as simple as this.
Mommy or daddy.
They make that cry.
And.
No one else will do.
Until they are comforted.
By.
Their mother.
Or their father.
Until they feel that hand.
Until they hear.
That voice.
Comforting it.
And as we go through our lives.
We are faced with.
So many different challenges.
And afflictions.
Tribulations.
That's a reality.
Of our lives.
And we.
Often cry.
To God.
Because we don't know what to do.
Cry in the anguish.
Of our souls.
And we turn.
Like the psalmist here.
Oh Lord.
And.
I would be a fool.
If I was.
To say that.
If you became a Christian.
Or if you are a Christian.
Your.
Your life will be.
Without tests.
And trials.
That would be a lie.
For often the Christian.
Is afflicted.
In.
Many.
And.
Greater ways.
As.
Those who do not believe.
In the Lord.
But they have.
Someone to go with them.
Through it.
And to lead them through it.
They have the good shepherd.
To guide them through it.
Even if it is the valley.
Of the shadow of death.
There are times.
In our lives.
When we.
We make that great call.
Heavenward.
To our Lord.
And our God.
But there are times also.
Where we confess.
That we.
We don't make that call.
And we.
We search for other.
Comforters.
Which fail us.
And as we.
Look at the psalm.
And generally.
As you study the psalms.
And look through them.
They say that the main point.
Is within the middle of the psalm.
The central idea.
Is found.
In the middle.
And you look at psalm 71.
You have a.
Distinct section there.
From verse mark 12.
To verse mark 16.
On either side.
Are small.
Two.
Smaller.
Paragraphs.
So.
From verse 12.
To 16.
It's the center.
Of the psalm.
And if you go to the center.
Of the center.
Of that section.
At verse 14.
It says.
But I will hope.
Continually.
And will praise you.
Yet.
More and more.
The psalmist.
Faith.
Continuing.
With.
His Lord.
And his God.
Regardless.
Of what the situation is.
Of the experience.
Of his life.
Regardless.
Of how he feels.
He is.
Holding on.
To his.
Only hope.
And his.
Only trust.
To go.
With God.
So.
As we consider this.
Short section.
Here.
Down to verse mark 11.
There's.
Three.
Distinct.
Focuses.
That the psalmist.
Has.
He.
He.
Firstly.
Has a focus.
On God.
He looks.
Towards God.
And rightly so.
Second look.
That he has.
Is he.
He looks.
He looks.
At himself.
He looks.
Inwardly.
At himself.
And he also.
Has a look.
Outwardly.
At those.
Who are around him.
And the situation.
That he is in.
And.
Elements of that.
Overlap.
Throughout the psalm.
But hopefully.
You can.
You can.
Grasp.
These ideas.
The three.
The three looks.
That he has.
Looks to God.
He looks.
Within himself.
And he looks.
Around.
At the.
Situation.
That he is in.
And.
We'll give.
Most of our attention.
To the most important.
Of those looks.
And that is.
The look that he has.
To his God.
And.
To his Lord.
As we look.
At the beginning.
Of the psalm.
Straight away.
His focus.
Is.
In that direction.
In you.
Oh Lord.
I do.
Take refuge.
And you can.
Feel.
The pleading.
Of the psalmist.
Beginning.
There.
His cry.
Oh Lord.
That.
His Lord.
Is his refuge.
In the time.
That he is experiencing.
There is no other.
Safety for him.
There is no other.
Refuge for him.
There is no other.
Shelter for him.
To go to.
Where he will find.
Protection.
But in his.
Lord.
I look.
To you Lord.
You are the one.
That will keep me.
The keeper.
Of my soul.
I too.
The Lord.
Will look.
For aid.
As we sung.
In Psalm.
One.
Two.
One.
He's got that.
Look.
Heavenward.
To the Lord.
That will hold him.
And it says.
In verse.
One.
Let me never.
Be put.
To shame.
So that he will have.
No shame.
In that cry.
As he looks.
Heavenly.
Heavenward.
To God.
There's no shame.
In his hope.
In his weight.
In his trust.
In this Lord.
In this God.
Other translations.
Will have this.
That he.
That he.
Would never.
Be put.
To confusion.
Rather than shame.
That he would never be.
Completely.
Bewildered.
As it were.
He pleads.
That his Lord.
Would ever.
Be faithful.
To him.
And his refuge.
In him.
And his trust.
In him.
Would not be shattered.
Or brought.
Into question.
You can imagine.
If you were to.
Set up a business.
You'd have all your hopes.
In this business.
And you would make your plans.
For this business.
And you would have your ideas.
And you would put it into motion.
You'd have shared this with people.
And people would have seen you.
Trying.
To form this business.
Set it up.
Get it running.
Employ people.
And on paper.
It all looks like it'll work.
And you've put everything into it.
All your hopes.
Are in this business.
But then it falls flat.
In its face.
The business fails.
And fails you.
You have an element of shame.
For having trusted.
In your plans.
Having trusted.
In this business.
You have an element of confusion.
Because you can't figure out.
What went wrong on paper.
It should have worked.
But it didn't.
The shame and confusion.
In these things.
But business.
Is so uncertain.
The psalmist.
The psalmist.
Is crying.
To his lord.
Who is certain.
So that he would not.
Be put to shame.
He's trusting.
In his lord.
That when he.
Expresses his hope.
And trust.
It will not fail.
Because the lord.
Will never fail.
His people.
And he knows.
He will never be put to shame.
By trusting.
By trusting.
By trusting.
In his lord.
Now as I said.
Confusion may.
Leave us with questions.
And.
We can't say that.
If we come to.
The lord.
And we cry to the lord.
That we'll never have.
Questions.
We'll never.
Be left.
Bewildered at times.
At what.
At what.
The lord is doing.
There's.
Situations.
That leave us.
Confused.
And.
Although the situation.
Leaves us confused.
Our hope.
And our faith.
Should never have.
Confusion.
We look to god.
Our faith.
Is in the god.
Who has.
Decreed all things.
That he works.
All things.
For good.
Mysteriously.
That's beyond.
Our understanding.
Beyond what we can.
Grasp.
But our faith.
Is to.
Trust.
In that god.
Who works.
All things.
For good.
To have faith.
In that god.
Who will not.
Put us to shame.
And not leave us.
Confused.
Because he has.
Foreordained.
All things.
Our lord.
Will not.
Fail us.
And though.
There are days.
Where it may feel like shame.
And the honesty of our hearts.
For trusting in the lord.
When we go out.
And live.
And live.
A Christian life.
In this world.
There may be an element.
Of shame.
Because we don't have the answers.
We like.
To give people.
We don't.
Feel.
Like god.
Like god.
So close to us.
As we would desire.
But.
The lord.
Will not.
Fail us.
The lord.
Who works.
All things for good.
All things for good.
In his time.
Will not bring shame.
To the people.
Who trust in him.
The lord.
Will honor.
His people in time.
Who are faithful.
To him.
And trust in him.
And with this.
Focus.
On god.
That the psalmist has.
He looks towards.
This.
His lord.
And he.
It's almost as if he can't help.
But feel.
His own failures.
As we come before the holiness of god.
And we see god.
Clear.
And we look upon him.
I say I confessed.
When he saw god.
I am a man of unclean lips.
He sees his own failures.
And we acknowledge them.
As we come.
We confess our sins.
To our lord.
The psalmist knows.
That.
There's no goodness.
Of him.
Worth rescue.
In your righteousness.
Deliver me.
And rescue me.
In your righteousness.
The lord.
Who is righteous.
In all things.
And he looks at himself.
And he says.
I am so unrighteous.
I do not deserve.
To be rescued.
But.
I hold fast.
To you.
My lord.
And you.
Know.
That I have not.
Chased after other gods.
You know.
I have held fast.
To your word.
And I've been faithful.
To you.
And in.
Your righteousness.
Deliver.
Me.
Hear.
Hear.
My cry.
Incline.
Your ear.
To me.
And save.
Me.
Me.
He knew.
As he.
He looks himself.
His.
Sins leave him.
Staying.
Before his god.
And he wants god.
To hear.
The.
Sorrows.
Of his soul.
The anxieties.
Of his soul.
Incline.
Your ear.
To hear.
Me.
And save.
Me.
Remember.
The psalmist.
It is.
All his strength.
Is gone.
He's got nothing.
Left to give.
He knows.
He's got nothing.
Worth.
Rescue.
Being.
Of himself.
And he's calling.
Out to god.
Lord.
In your.
Righteousness.
Rescue.
Me.
Hear.
Me.
And climb.
Your ear.
To hear.
The agonies.
Of my heart.
And save.
Me.
And it's often.
Like that.
When we are.
So perplexed.
At times.
We don't have.
The answers.
It is often.
Just that.
Short.
And effective.
Prayer.
That says.
Save.
And it's a prayer.
That I'm sure.
Many of us.
Have prayed.
In years.
Gone by.
And often.
A prayer.
That comes back.
To us.
At difficult times.
In our lives.
We don't know what to say.
There's no words.
To express it.
But just.
Oh Lord.
Save me.
We run.
To our Lord.
We call on him.
And there's a beautiful.
Version.
Isaiah.
58.
Verse 9.
Thou shalt cry.
And he shalt say.
Here I am.
Thou shalt cry.
And he shalt say.
Here.
I am.
The Lord.
The Lord.
Who hears.
The cries.
Of his people.
And saves them.
He hears that cry.
Of salvation.
And the psalmist.
Has his salvation.
Founded.
In his Lord.
In verse 3.
Be a rock.
Of refuge.
To which I may.
Continually come.
You have given.
The command.
To save me.
You are.
My rock.
And my refuge.
This place is.
Immovable.
It is like this.
Huge.
Rock.
That he can come.
And.
Clamber.
Under.
And every time.
He comes.
To that place.
He will find.
Safety.
Security.
It is a.
Impenetrable.
Wall.
Of defense.
A fortress.
To him.
That he can come.
To this place.
And know.
That it is a place.
Where it's.
Does not change.
It is sure.
It is strong.
And it will always.
Be there.
But the assurance.
He has.
In coming.
To this place.
Is found.
In God's word.
He continues.
To come.
You have given.
The command.
To save me.
See.
He finds.
His assurance.
In God's word.
He's reasoned.
He's calling on his God.
And he comes back.
To God's word.
And what the Lord.
Has commanded.
You have given.
The command.
To save me.
And when God.
Speaks.
A command.
It is.
Equates.
To a promise.
What the Lord.
Says.
What he speaks.
And it shall come.
To be.
And whoever.
Shall call.
Upon the name.
Of the Lord.
Shall be saved.
A.
W.
Pink.
Says.
It is.
Because.
God.
Has promised.
A certain.
Thing.
That we can.
Ask.
Of them.
With full assurance.
Of faith.
It is.
Because.
God.
Has promised.
A certain.
Thing.
In his word.
The promises.
Are there.
That we can.
Ask.
Of them.
With full assurance.
Of faith.
We can.
Ask.
Of these.
Things.
That are.
In his word.
That if he.
Shall save you.
And you call upon him.
From the depths.
Of your heart.
He will hear you.
And answer you.
And we have.
Find the assurance.
In his given.
Commandments.
Given.
To us.
That he will save us.
And hear us.
When we.
Cry out.
To him.
But our.
Rock.
And our.
Refuge.
Is the Lord.
Jesus Christ.
He is the one.
That we.
Come to.
And cry to.
He is the one.
That takes out.
Prayers.
And hears.
He is the one.
That died on the cross.
For us.
He is the one.
That bore.
Our.
Shame.
He took.
All.
Of our.
Shame.
So that we would be.
Honored.
By God.
He is the one.
Who bore.
All.
Our.
Unrighteousness.
So that we.
Would be.
Righteous.
He is the one.
Who bore.
The wrath.
Of God.
So that we.
May be.
Saved.
The Lord.
Jesus Christ.
Is a refuge.
On a rock.
In a day.
Of trouble.
He is a fortress.
Of protection.
Against us.
That we.
Must continually.
Come to.
And be guarded.
By.
The schemes.
Of the devil.
And his attacks.
The Lord.
Jesus Christ.
Is the one.
When we call out.
To him.
To save us.
He will answer that.
And he.
Will save.
The one.
Who calls.
To him.
It is promised.
Of the word.
That those.
Who call upon him.
Shall be saved.
And he.
Who has promised.
Is faithful.
Our Lord.
Our Lord.
Is faithful.
To us.
And we.
Come.
To him.
Year.
After year.
As the.
Psalmist.
Here.
As an elderly person.
Is looking.
Back.
The years.
Come.
And the years.
Go.
but we constantly come to the word as well we come back to the word of god for our encouragement
for our assurance for every step that we take into the days that are unknown we don't know what
lies ahead of us and there are many days where we will cry out oh lord hear me answer me are you there
to listen to my cry and we come back to this word we find his assurances and his promises as a comfort
to us as a reminder that he is there as a rock and refuge and that he is protecting us
the faith that has matured over years does not easily let go in the time of trouble
it holds on and holds on fast whether we are whether we are young or old here
it's good to remind ourselves to hold on to god and to keep looking to him whatever situation we are in
to keep coming back to his word and be reminded of what it says to us
and how it guides us and shows us who the god is that we are looking at
the psalmist here he looks to god but he also looks to himself
verse 4 almost introduces this transition rescue me oh my god we have that call of heavenward again
from the hand of the wicked and then he comes down from this vertical look almost to this horizontal
look to those that are around him those that are surrounding him the situation that he is in
the hand of the wicked from the grasp of the cruel and the unjust man
it's almost as if he is in this hand that has overpowered him he feels so vulnerable and helpless all his strength has gone
he's in this hand of the evil one
it almost feels like he's been controlled by this hand
and maybe he's asking himself is this where the believer belongs is this where i'm meant to be
no he knows that is not where he will be
he seeks to be rescued and he cries out to be rescued from that place
he knows that's not this natural place
and he cries out to be rescued the god that hears him will not abandon him for whatever reason he's in that hand
he cries out to god
and the hand that holds him as the evil hand is weak before god
for the lord's hand is a mighty hand it's a strong hand
and if you look at this the one that has fallen into this hand of the evil one for whatever reason
it speaks of job six job's experience
it's it's kind of written over this experience of the psalmist as well
but his faith just wouldn't let go
all his strength is spent all his resources has been taken from him
he's got nothing absolutely nothing he's on empty
he's holding on to god
others are coming and telling him
curse god and die
abandon god
but what was job's cry
i know that my redeemer lives
he knew that his rescuer was there
to hear his prayer
and in time would save him
he looks to god
he looks within himself
and he has this personal declaration in verse 5
for you oh lord are my hope my trust oh lord from my youth
upon you i have leaned from before my birth
casting his mind back over the years of his experience
his hope and trust has always been in this lord
even from his youth
but he extends that look even
to his birth
keeps going back
and it says there
upon you i leaned from before my birth
now that kind of implies that he made some sort of conscious decision
to
rely upon god or to trust on god
but if you
took the king james version
maybe the translation here isn't so
clear
the king james version says
by thee i have been
hold
holding up in the womb
by thee i have been upheld in the womb
so he looks back to all the way back to his birth
and he says
well even there oh lord
you kept me
you upheld me
you chose to keep me
even in that moment
god in his grace
chose him first
god in his grace
loved him
first
god in his grace
protected him
even when he knew nothing of god
as he did for
even when we didn't have any word of god
god in his grace
was looking out over us
and when the psalmist here
is recalling these things
he's
thinking of himself
that baby
in the most vulnerable
of situations
where there's no word of god
can't do anything for himself
so weak and fragile
completely reliant on another
he thinks
well
you kept me then
and when all his strength is spent
in the day
where he has no strength
where he cannot do anything for himself
and he feels like
he is so vulnerable
as a child that can do nothing
he looks to the lord
who will keep him
who trusts in him
and has faith in him
when he looks to himself
he sees that
great hand of god
the greater hand of power
than
all the powers of the evil
and of this world at work
the one who has
decreed all things
he who is there
in that day
and he who is with me
even to this day
and this is true
of the christian
today
that the lord
is there with him
and at the end of verse 6
when he considers
all these things
even in the turmoil
that he is in
he says
my praise
is continually
of you
he looks to himself
and he's
immediately
directed back
heavenward
to the lord
who is faithful
to him
he has kept him
he has not left him
he has been with him
through his youth
through his life
even to this day
to other people
he is a wonder
it says in verse 7
I have been
a portent
to many
that means just
we know the
Psalter version
more
more familiar
with us
I have been a wonder
to many
that's just what
that word means
I have been a wonder
to many
maybe he looks back
on his experience
and people
people that he knew
maybe have wondered
at him
for
having trusted
in the lord
in these days
of turmoil
where other people
are questioning
why are you
why are you
still trusting
in that lord
what can he do
for you
but he does not
let go
the lord
has not
let him down
even though
he may have
walked away
he may have
walked in a
different direction
but he comes
back to god
and this may
be a cause
of wonder
to many
but they go
out to the world
looking for
other comforters
they come back
to their lord
and their god
they realise
the foolishness
of their way
like the
prodigal son
that went out
on his own way
returned to his
father
his father
welcomed him
the behaviour
of the christian
the world
doesn't get it
the world
left baffled
and wondered
why you would
act in such a way
the faithfulness
of the christian
should be the same
that we
trust in god
every day
every step
we read our bible
and are guided by it
and the world
just look at you
and wonder
what is he doing
they don't grasp it
and it is only
by the power
of the spirit
that has been
at work
within us
do we ever
understand
we look
at ourselves
at times
but not
for too long
like shane
said
every look
at yourself
have ten looks
at christ
when we look
at ourselves
for too long
there is kind
of every reason
that why would
the lord save us
why would the lord
love us
we see so much
of ourselves
it is so sinful
but the lord
jesus christ
will never leave thee
or forsake thee
we look back
at god's faithfulness
and the faith
that he has worked
in us
over the years
we ourselves
can be at times
in awe
of what he has done
the psalmist
mouth is filled
with your praise
and with your glory
all the day long
all day
the psalmist's mind
is on his lord
but then we see
this on element
of doubt
in verse 9
do not cast me off
in the time
of old age
forsake me not
when my strength
is spent
you know
there's people
in our lives
and we may think
of elderly
christians
witnesses
and we may look
at them
and we think
they're so strong
and yet it's
probably true
that they equally
have their own
doubts
this person
this psalmist
on the outward
to the world
he probably looks
so strong
and so faithful
and yet he
there's an element
of doubt
coming in
which is true
of ourselves
as well
there's times
where we doubt
that god
would hear our cry
we doubt
that god
will go with us
we doubt
that god
would keep us
do not cast me off
in the time
of old age
forsake me not
when my strength
is spent
and we look
at ourselves
we must
only do so
briefly
we come back
to the word
of god
we see
our lord
we see
our rock
we see
a god
that does
not leave
us
nor forsake
us
even when
we feel
like he should
you'll always
remain with us
and be
constantly
faithful
to the people
that trust
in him
so the
psalmist
of psalm
71
who is
of old age
looking back
afflicted
his strength
is spent
the attack
of the enemies
come
there in
verse 10
and 11
they're chasing
him
they're almost
as if they're
pursuing him
to catch him
to trap him
but we know
he is not
left there
we know
that the
psalmist
even in this
situation
he lifts
his eyes
heavenward
to god
and he
finds
himself
praising god
all the
day long
for the
lord's
faithfulness
in every
step
every year
every day
we come
to the
beginning
of our
new year
and what
does the
lord ask
for
of his
people
that they
would be
faithful
but to
be faithful
is maybe
one of the
hardest
things
of our
lives
as
Christians
it is
hard
to be
constantly
faithful
and to
be obedient
to what
he asks
of us
but we
must be
that is
what forms
a Christian
our faith
that is
our identity
our faith
in Jesus
Christ
what is it
that Christ
asks for
on the
day of
judgment
not that
you
understood
your bible
you knew
everything
you didn't
you weren't
anxious
you weren't
in turmoil
so you
can enter
heaven
good
and faithful
servant
the servants
of the
lord who
hold fast
to his
word
cling
to
his
promises
and do
not let
go
even when
all their
strength is
spent
when the
tank is
empty
maybe
you feel
like that's
the beginning
of a new
year
maybe you
feel like
you feel
so dry
come back
to God
cry out
to him
oh lord
rescue me
oh lord
hear my
prayer
oh lord
save me
we turn
to him
we look
back over
the years
and may
we
lift our
heads
and voices
heavenward
prayerfully
praising
our lord
who is
faithful
to those
who are
faithful
the lord
will never
leave his
people
nor
forsake
them
may these
thoughts
be blessed
to us
this evening
we'll conclude
by singing
and sun
joy
of
a
verse
and
extend
to them
for
and
let's
say
well
that's
this evening
and
do
to tab
out
and
say
how
to
instead
of