You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing (19th August 2012)

 

Scripture Reading: Psalm 16:1~11 A miktam of David

1. Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2. I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."

3. As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.

4. The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.

5. LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.

6. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

7. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

8. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,

10. because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy one see decay.

11. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

 

 

 

 

Sermon: You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing

 

In a lot of poems in Psalm, there are some masterpiece of David's. Particularly these poems have been called by miktam of David. What is the meaning of 'miktam'? it means carving or sculptures. That is to say, "to carve something, or gold". A miktam of David presents "a poem like gold" or a masterpiece of his works". It belongs to not only today text Psalm 16 but also from Psalm 56 to 60.

A common theme of these Psalms is " you are my Lord who gives us great blessings"

Why David confess it from many poems? He was suffered by his enemies in many times without any reasons or with unreasonable jealousies. At every moment, who saved him? Anybody helped him but only God saved him from every hardships and sufferings. He can not reject God's compassion and grace.

How David was suffered ? After getting victory against Goliath, people of Isarel praise David; "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."(1 Samuel 18:7)

This caused Saul's jealousy toward David. At the same time Saul's political side started worrying David's popularity from people. In fact, it threatened Saul's royal authority. So, Saul' side tried to kill him in 9 times. Moreover, they asked professional assassin to kill David at three times. Also, David was falsely accused by them with countless times. By these all, there is one conclusion from David. " God is my Lord"

Let us read from 1~3 verses.

1. Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2. I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."

3. As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.

 

"You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."!!!

If we think of his life, this confession is very touching in us. If he does not have any faith for God, he can not live in this world; kill himself or killed by someone. How did David say the confession in unimaginable situation? According to 1 Samuel 18:14, "In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him."

Yes! God was always with David. on the other hand God was not with Saul. This is very serious issue for human-being, us.

Sometimes, we are leaving from God in many excuses. With some anxiety of God, we think "I have to keep my faith and holiness but I can not do it because of my hardships. God will understand me in my situations." Like this, we delay and delay our faithful lives. But this period of delay lead what is the conclusion? We know very well about it. Who will be Saul? or Who will be David?

Today you came and are now worshipping God with all your hearts in any reasons. You must be David who received God was his Lord.

 

To David, God is the only one apart from the other gods. With his pure faith, what is his blessing from God?

Let us read verse 5 to 6.

5. LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.

6. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

 

Firstly we can know God keeps his eyes on David's circumstances. We possess lots without any efforts, or rewards after much hard works. But we can receives these all the time. Sometimes, we have not received these in this world. The world is not fair to us. However if we are in our Lord, all lots and rewards should be ours. This is God's blessing. Fairly receiving is very important while we live. So all these are a delightful inheritance from God.

Also, we can know God become a manager of David. As you know, entertainers are always with managers. What is manager doing? The manager protects his entertainer, controls his or her activities with his catching schedules, and even manage private lives of the entertainers. God is like a manager. He is invisible but counts all numbers of our hair.(Luke 12:7) When we are managed by God, Automatically, we are blessed and all goes well.

 

Let us read verse 8 to 9.

We can know God fill David with joy in your presence, and with eternal pleasures. According to a research of Columbia University, Comparing between believers and unbelievers in the point of taking the probability of depression, unbelievers take more easier depression, 80 % higher than believers. Why? believers have joy and pleasure given from God. Accordingly, they are enjoying physical secure. Stress is a origin of all disease. But those who have no stress with spiritual joy are always in Him. He lead us right way and show us His Kingdom.

Accordingly, look at verse 11.

"You have made known to me the path of life". In the world without any hope, God make us know the way of living us. then we can enjoy his caring, protection, and love in His holy tent.

Therefore, we can know the secret of David. His secret is " God is my Lord who only gives me the blessings". I hope his confession must be ours.

 

Let's pray.

Oh, living God! We always rely on you but this world is not easy. Please give us faithful strength and get victory in this world. You are my only God and my Lord. In Jesus name we pray Amen.