God is good and He alone can satisfy, so we don’t have to look elsewhere.  In this message we see how David is able to find refuge and exalt in the Lord, even in a time when he is fleeing from his enemies.

Teaching Notes:

God Is Good

Psalm 34:1-9

Intro- David is blessing, praising, boasting, magnifying, and exalting in the Lord. Surely David is living “His best life now” and “Every day is like Friday” for him. Not even close! David is going through some major trials and facing death everywhere he turns. So what is David’s secret to having so much joy and worship while on the run?

V.1- David is not one who only praises God when circumstances are favorable for him. Maybe King David had learned this wonderful truth from a man of God who had gone before him named Job. After Job had lost 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys and most importantly his 10 children (7 boys and 3 girls) he mourned and worshipped saying these words, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

It will always help us to know of and remember those who have suffered well (worshipped/trusted in God) in the midst of great tragedy and loss. I am reminded of Jeremy Camp’s testimony. As his young wife passed away from cancer he felt God was telling him to get up off the hospital floor and worship Him. Jeremy did and God brought great things out of the loss of His wife. Through the experience came the song “Walk by Faith.”

V.2- David is very clear that it is his soul that boasts in the Lord. He had opportunity to boast in his wisdom (pretending to be mad before the Philistine King) or his might (he had killed lions, bears and Giants) but instead he knows that it was the Lord who truly had delivered him from all of his previous enemies. We also must know that no flesh has grounds for boasting before God. What do we have that we have not received? Jer. 9:23-24 says, Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

A person who is proud in heart (wicked) will not rejoice or be glad when they hear your speech giving the glory all to God. They may try to get you to take some of the credit (glory) for yourself. Many people have told me how I have changed my life and what a great person I am but it always makes me uncomfortable to hear such proud nonsense and I reject it and give it all to Jesus.

V.3- David in the midst of all his troubles is desirous of one thing “Magnifying the Lord and exalting His name together with other believers.

Who in the midst of great troubles says “hey, come and worship with me and let’s fix our eyes on God because He’s so great?”

V.4- David knows that the Lord is good and is the only one who can deliver him from all his fears and leave him satisfied/fulfilled in Him.

If You have fears and troubles then the way to find deliverance is through worship and rest in who God is and what He has done.

The answer is to look to Him who alone can satisfy!

V.5- God through David promises that when we look to Him (seek Him) we will never be disappointed. You will be revived. You may have come to Him dry, down and full of despair as David may have but you will leave joyful, light (having burdens lifted) and more confident in your God.

V.6- David knows he is poor before God (he cannot help or save himself). He does the only thing that he can do, he cries to God for help. Before we have received a new heart we are proud and will not seek God but the new heart is a humble heart that sees clearly and knows that God alone can save. God delights in helping poor men cause He gets all the glory, and all the boasting of poor men is in Him.

The poor man (David) is also a righteous man whom the Lord has graciously chosen and caused him to be in relationship with Him. The only reason that God hears his cry is because God has given David a right standing with Him. God’s ear is shut to the wicked and His face is against them (v.16).

V.7- Another great promise from God is given here. Fear God and He will bring deliverance for you through His angelic army. What great motivation we have to fear God, that He promises to divinely protect us. This reminds me of a story of a missionary who was targeted by evil men. When they followed him from his bank they were going to take his life and money but they saw a huge army of angels surrounding him and they were scared and repented from their evil plans. This missionary must have feared the Lord.

V.8- David has tasted and seen that the Lord is good (satisfies him) and now calls others to do the same. He cries out to others to “seek God and see that He will satisfy you!” He promises that the man who does this will be happy. Take refuge in Him (dwell/live in Him). Make Him your life your all. Happy will be the man who seeks deliverance from God. Full of misery and woe will the man be who seeks deliverance elsewhere.

V.9- The fear of the Lord belongs to saints only. It is a gift from God. He says that He puts it (the fear of Him) in our hearts so that we may not turn away from Him (Jer. 32:40).

Do you want to be fully satisfied in life lacking nothing? Then seek Him and ask Him to increase your fear of Him. You will be joyful (lacking nothing) and He will be properly glorified.

______________________________
© The Bridge

Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by The Bridge.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Kelly Salas. © The Bridge.  Website: www.TheBridgeOnline.net