Psalm 91

Transcript

1. P PSALMS real prayer real hope
2. P Eugene Peterson on The Psalms “People look into mirrors to see how they look. They look into the psalms to find out who they are. With a mirror we detect a new wrinkle here, or a new wart there. We use a mirror when shaving or applying makeup to improve, if we can, the face we present to the world.
3. P With the psalms we bring into awareness our ancient sorrows and release our latent joys. We use the psalms to present ourselves before God as honestly and thoroughly as we are able.
4. P A mirror shows the shape of our nose or the curve of our chin…. The psalms show us the shape of our souls and the curve of our sins, realities deep within us, hidden and obscured for which we need focus and names.
5. P admit adore aspire learn to pray through the psalms
6. P PSALM 91 ןָֽנוֹלְתִי יַ֗דַּ֜שׁ לֵ֥צְבּ ןוֹ֑יְלֶע רֶתֵ֣סְבּ בֵשֹׁי psalm of plagues
7. P “It is ingrained in all living creatures, first of all, to preserve their own safety, to guard against what is harmful, to strive for what is advantageous.” ::Saint Ambrose In times like these we are looking for safety.
8. P Where do we find true safety?
10. P Psalm 91 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. There is a condition here, but all are invited to meet the conditions.
11. P Psalm 91 1 He who dwells in the shelter (secret place) of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
12. P So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud over-shadowed the tent of meeting (secret place), and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. -Exodus 40:33
13. P Psalm 91(through the lens of tabernacle) 1 He who dwells in the shelter (secret place) of the Most High will abide in the shadow (glory/presence) of the Almighty.
14. P Where do we find true safety?
15. P Protection is found in the Presence.
16. P 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. O Jerusalem… I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! (Matthew 23:17)
17. P O Jerusalem… I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! (Matthew 23:37) God’s affectionate love flows unconditionally, but how we experience it is conditional on our posture.
18. P In the image of the hen we see great intimacy. It’s wings are attached to it’s body. You can’t be protected if you’re not close. You can’t have it’s wings without it’s body.
19. P You have to take the cuddles to get the covering. In the image of the hen we see great intimacy. It’s wings are attached to it’s body. You can’t be protected if you’re not close. You can’t have it’s wings without it’s body.
20. P 5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. The Presence protects us from both the sneak attack and the outright assault.
21. P 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. STAND IN THE STORY
22. P Presence doesn’t protect us FROM danger. It meets us IN the danger. relief, yes but also…sadness, grief, anger, rage… a looking towards God making it right in the future.
23. P 9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge — 10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. Reading these as simplistic promises or equations leads to big questions… and possibly judgment for me as your pastor.
24. P Why do terrible things happen to incredibly godly people? What do we do with all the bible stories of godly people suffering? What do we do with the rest of the psalms?
25. P We must never expound one place of scripture, that it be repugnant to another. (39 Articles of the Anglican Church) What does protection IN and THROUGH suffering look like bible?
26. P Gen 50:20 “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose”.
27. P Luke 21:16-18. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.
28. P The fullness of protection doesn’t come until the fullness of Presence. These are true promises, but they don’t come into the full until the resurrection.
29. P 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
30. P 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Here’s one way this promise can be used…
31. P 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. And Satan took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written…
32. P 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written… And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Lk. 4:9-12)
33. P We must never use the promises of God to keep us from the purposes of God.
34. P Jim Elliot: 1927-1956 (Missionary to the Huaorani (Ecuador))
35. P "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” -see also Phillip Henry 1631 Jim Elliot: 1927-1956 (Missionary to the Huaorani (Ecuador))
36. P His biography is entitled: Shadow Of The Almighty (Psalm 91:1) Jim Elliot: 1927-1956 (Missionary to the Huaorani (Ecuador))
37. P True safety is found where Moses found it… in the tabernacle, the place of sacrifice, the place of the sprinkling of blood… That’s where the shadow of the glory cloud comes…
38. P True safety can only be found in the shadow of the cross.
39. P 14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. 15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honour him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
40. P PSALM 91 ןָֽנוֹלְתִי יַ֗דַּ֜שׁ לֵ֥צְבּ ןוֹ֑יְלֶע רֶתֵ֣סְבּ בֵשֹׁי psalm of plagues
41. P let’s pray
42. P admit adore aspire learn to pray through the psalms