Psalm: ANATOMY OF THE SOUL
Knowing Grace: Psalm 6:6-10
Pastor John Weathersby
Sunday July 24, 2022
Notes, not a Transcript
Last week, when we studied the first five verses of Psalm 6, we said that God’s sovereignty is a consequence of His Character and His Will is a consequence of His Nature.
This week, we’ll learn to know grace in the midst of trial, and get metal for the pressures and furnace of life.
1 Peter 4:12–19 (ESV)
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.
16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
David’s life delivered many opportunities to see God’s sovereignty in action. Moreover, David experienced long as obedient and disobedient to God. While God was able to call him a “man after God’s own heart,” we see God actively blessing David’s life. We see God accomplishing His Will through David’s defeat of Goliath, the fall of Saul, and in the many direct (yet unsuccessful) threats against David’s life we see in 1 Kings 2:10-12 he died of old age.
1 Kings 2:10-12 (ESV)
The Death of David
10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.
11 And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
12 So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
At the same time, we see many consequences of sinful living in David. What’s impressive about David – the take out of a Giant, being the greatest King of Israel’s history, leading many in battle, no – instead, David had good theology and an experienced steeped knowledge of God’s grace.
David’s life included the death of 4 of his sons. See Bathsheba’s first son’s death in 2 Samuel 12:18, Ammon’s death in 2 Samuel 13:28-29, Absalom in 2 Samuel 16:14-15, and Adonijah in 1 Kings 2:25. Towards the end of his life and therefore, his reign, one of his sons raped his granddaughter Tamar (2 Samuel 13:1-22, His son Absalom rebelled (desiring not to serve he kingdom but to rule, then he died a the hand of Joab (who David commanded to deal with him easily) 1 Samuel 18:9-19:9. David numbered the people in 2 Samuel 24 and was presented with 3 options as a result of his sin 1) 7 years of famine 2) 3 months of running from enmities and 3) plague – … he picks plague. And the plot of Adonijah to steal the throne as David is quite literally on his death bead Bathsheba comes to tell him that Adonijah is making himself king over Solomon.
2 Samuel 12:18 (ESV)
18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.”
2 Samuel 13:28-29 (ESV)
28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.”
29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.
2 Samuel 16:14-15 (ESV)
14 And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.
Absalom Enters Jerusalem
15 Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
1 Kings 2:25 (ESV)
25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.
2 Samuel 13:1-22 (ESV)
Amnon and Tamar
1 Now Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her.
2 And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.
3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man.
4 And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”
6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.”
8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes.
9 And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him.
10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing.
13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”
14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.
15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!”
16 But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her.
17 He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.”
18 Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her.
19 And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.
20 And her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house.
21 When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.
22 But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.
1 Samuel 18:9-19:9 (ESV)
9 And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.
10 And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
11 Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”
12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.’
13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.”
14 Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak.
15 And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.
16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them.
17 And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home.
18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s monument to this day.
David Hears of Absalom’s Death
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.”
20 And Joab said to him, “You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran.
22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?”
23 “Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.
25 The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he drew nearer and nearer.
26 The watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.”
27 The watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man and comes with good news.”
28 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.”
29 And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.”
30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.
David’s Grief
31 And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king! For the Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you.”
32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.”
33 And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Joab Rebukes David
9:1 It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”
2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.”
3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle.
4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines,
6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased.
7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”
8 Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.
David Returns to Jerusalem
Now Israel had fled every man to his own home.
9 And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.
2 Samuel 24:1-25 (ESV)
David’s Census
24 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.”
3 But Joab said to the king, “May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?”
4 But the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel.
5 They crossed the Jordan and began from Aroer, and from the city that is in the middle of the valley, toward Gad and on to Jazer.
6 Then they came to Gilead, and to Kadesh in the land of the Hittites; and they came to Dan, and from Dan they went around to Sidon,
7 and came to the fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites; and they went out to the Negeb of Judah at Beersheba.
8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9 And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000.
The Lord’s Judgment of David’s Sin
10 But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
11 And when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
12 “Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer[e] you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’”
13 So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall three years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider, and decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.”
14 Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”
15 So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men.
16 And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father’s house.”
David Builds an Altar
18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
19 So David went up at Gad’s word, as the Lord commanded.
20 And when Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. And Araunah went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground.
21 And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be averted from the people.”
22 Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.
23 All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.”
24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
25 And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel.
David’s life was wild.
Having a life of experience in God’s grace, whether, by God’s will being delivered through David or by returning, through Grace, to a loving, patient, forgiving God, David knew God and God’s grace.
I’m always amazed by God’s grace, looking back but looking forward, knowing for the elect God has future grace reserved for us in our many times of need. If I knew you’d offend me in the future, you’d be cut off, not God. He keeps us sustained, knowing we’ll violate His nature and will, AND has future grace for us.
Last week, we said that God was sovereign, which means in complete control and ability to change anything at all He wills (consistent with his character and nature – because God’s sovereignty is a consequence of His Character and His Will is a consequence of His Nature). That known, how then can we be outside His will.
I’m glad you asked!
Consider this:
Genesis 50:20 (ESV)
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Last week, we talked about the story of Joseph, through whom David and Christ would come, as a great place to see the sovereign hand of God. All that God had to orchestrate to bring this plan to be. Joseph’s dreams, his family’s reaction, the brothers desiring to kill him, the slave trader coming by, the imprisonment and word of his dream interpreting abilities, the Pharoh’s dreams, and Joseph’s coming to be in charge over the storehouses…. This is what leads up to this opus statement:
Genesis 50:20 (ESV)
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Verse 20, they had a clear intention for their action, acting freely from their nature.
2 Peter 3:8–10 (ESV)
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
God is lofty, and outside our ability to understand outside what He has provided for us to know about Him in His word (which is EXACTLY how we should know Him, His Word) He is v9 “not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance” or how (again) I believe the LSV is more faithful to the text with:
“…but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” – why is that interesting because all do not come to repentance.
How can God be willing that all come to repentance, but all do not? Because, by His general will (God’s sovereignty is a consequence of His Character and His Will is a consequence of His Nature), He desires for all people to be consistent with Him in His Character and Nature, not sinfully resistant and disobedient. Similarly, when He sovereignly worked in Joseph’s life, the brothers (and other sinful men/women) did exactly what they wanted to. They acted according to their nature (not according to God’s character and nature, and ultimately not according to His general will for all creation, they acted in rebellion as the human heart is constrained to do), but God’s sovereign will was NOT violated. People in Genesis 50:20 – did exactly what they wanted to, and God used that to His glory. They acted out, their evil desires against Joseph remaining consistent with their nature. However, by God’s Sovereign Will, He decreed His plan through the sinful free willing actions of men and women.
Incredible.
In a similar way, when David surveys himself in a moment as a man after God’s own heart by way of the general arch of his life, he realizes he is far from God’s will for him as a God-fearing man. He is crushed. Let him describe it:
Psalm 6:6–10 (ESV)
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
We said last week that David is expressing deep grief over what we don’t know, but we know that he is not being dramatic. He is describing exactly where he is. As a man after God’s own heart, when David would find himself outside of God’s will for him in moments of clarity and reflection, he would be crushed by that. Remember V5, Psalm 6:1 “O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.” It is as though, in a moment, he has realized where he is before God.
Psalm 6:5 (ESV)
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?
Psalm 6:1 (ESV)
O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath.
He realizes that he deserves rebuke, though he doesn’t want rebuke from God to be from anger nor his discipline to be connected to wrath. Maybe some light frustration and disappointment would be a good motivator for rebuke and discipline.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.
Verse 7 gets interesting and telling, what is the result of all this weeping. The eye “it” grows weak because of all my foes. The result of all this wallowing, crying, and focusing on the foes is exhausting. Have you ever stepped back and thought, ” My goodness, I’m dwelling on complaining and groaning and wallowing about – and spending all my energy there.
Like
Psalm 31:9 (ESV)
9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eye is wasted from grief;
my soul and my body also.
This is like a kind of realization for David. He realizes the depths of his grief and how his dwelling on grief has impacted his physical condition. Look at the following verse:
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
David shifts focus here and tell us why in verse 8 and in these following two verses by three times repeating the theme that brings him back from this miserable state: the Lord heard me, my weeping, my plea, my prayer.
Remember in the beginning. We said What’s impressive about David – the takeout of a Giant, being the greatest King of Israel’s history, leading many in battle? No – instead, David had good theology and an experienced steeped knowledge of God’s grace.
9 The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
Does that describe us? Are we able to survey ourselves to find whether we’re in the Will of God? Are we in fellowship with Him and the body of believers He’s placed us inside? Those believers will, as fellow creatures who live with a sinful nature, help you know when you’re outside God’s will for you.
When they ask where you’ve been or ask how you’re doing. Why you’ve been a jerk if you’re getting rest if you’re worshiping, praying, and reading – this is the church being the church. The church helps hone you. It’s a gift of God to you. You’re blessed by it, even if you don’t feel blessed.
When you find yourself far, are you like David, are you after God’s own heart? Maybe you’re stressing. Maybe you’re wallowing. Maybe you’re crying and weary – do you know that a sovereign creator God with future grace for you cares for you and hears your prayers?
If the rest of your theology is correct, if, like Jim said last week, you know that the sovereignty of God is the ultimate truth and the ultimate help in times of distress, does this pull you out?
Proverbs 29:1 (ESV)
He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,
Will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
And
Malachi 3:18 (ESV)
18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
Perhaps your situation isn’t a result of your sin but a result of living in a sinful world where things happen. Can you be comforted knowing God hears your prayers and that He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4), or Philippians 4:13, that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you?
1 John 4:4 (ESV)
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Philippians 4:13 (ESV)
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Beloved, either Romans 8:31 is true or not true:
Romans 8:31 (ESV)
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
2 Corinthians 4:8–9 (ESV)
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
Is life promised to be easy? NO. But it is full of meaning, and we’re assured of God’s presence and purpose in it, and that is what pulls David through and keeps him focused on God’s own heart. Some would say, how can God allow x circumstance and be good? I wonder how He could let it happen without purpose behind it and remain “good”. If chaotic sinful circumstances swarmed around and God was out of their control, what would He be? And so
Romans 8:28–31 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
These truths should encourage us to lives of service and glorification of God through content living.
Consider Paul in:
2 Timothy 4:1–18 (ESV)
We have Paul feeling alone and abandoned, knowing he will die soon.
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
9 Do your best to come to me soon.
10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.
12 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.
16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!
17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul, frustrated and ready to die, leaves final instructions, focused on the Word and it’s right understanding, because only through it can we know God and endure life to God’s worthy glory.
…above all the parchments. ESV
…especially the parchments LSB
The Word is our open encouragement to see God’s goodness, His grace, knowing that God’s sovereignty is a consequence of His Character and His Will is a consequence of His Nature. We can be encouraged knowing He waits with future grace and calls us to Holiness through right living in joy-filled obedience, following hard after Christ.
By the Word, as believers we’re encouraged to comfort one another:
2 Corinthians 1:3–5 (ESV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
We talked earlier about the blessing of the church. This is part of it. Maybe you read David’s Psalm and think, a bit extreme David maybe you read it and think, yep, been there. We should be willing to be a ready comfort to one another and, at the same time, not let our own experiences limit our understanding of others.
The discourse interesting in Job 3, where Job is ready to die from his calamity, and Eliphaz in Chapter 4 says:
Job 4:1–5 (ESV)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
Yet who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many,
and you have strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
and you have made firm the feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
it touches you, and you are dismayed.
Let’s be like Paul in 2 Timothy, encouraged by the Word, as David resuscitated by God’s future grace for us, and live abundantly because of it. Let’s know Grace and allow that to shape our lives. Then live in the joy of that truth and magnify God’s glory in an ever-confused and downtrodden world.
Be the joyful one in a world with a blood-lust for displeasure. David had good theology and an experienced steeped knowledge of God’s grace. We should too.
1 Peter 4:19 (ESV)
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
Pray, Observe, Apply.
