Facing Affliction
Psalms 31
March 17, 2019
Several years ago when Carrie and I were facing a very real affliction,
The Lord led me to a passage in 1 Peter that became very important to me.
1 Peter 5:6-11 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
• There was of course a reminder to be humble and submit to God’s perfect will in our suffering.
• There was a reminder to be alert and aware of the enemies attacks and schemes.
But there were also some very good points of encouragement.
• “knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”
Peter DIDN’T say, “knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being EXPERIENCED…” He said, “ACCOMPLISHED”
It comes from a Greek word meaning
“to bring to an end; perfect; accomplish; execute”
Peter didn’t reference common suffering as our hope.
Peter referenced other believers
Who walked through their suffering to the perfect end.
I suppose there is some comfort in mutual suffering.
They say that “misery loves company”
But really that’s not all that encouraging.
WHAT IS REALLY ENCOURAGING IS
To know other people have suffered in this same way,
But have seen that suffering also accomplish its perfect end.
And of course Peter promised that once this end is achieved that God would “Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
So Peter’s encouragement was to
• Be humble before God,
• Resist the devil,
• And trust that God would accomplish His perfect work in you through the suffering.
And as an added encouragement
Peter told us to look to other brothers and sisters around the world
Who are testimonies to God’s work in the midst of our suffering.
Tonight we are going to get a look at one of those examples.
Psalms 31 is a good example of how to face affliction.
We are aware of some of the purposes of our trials.
• JAMES told us that God uses trials to teach endurance and thus perfect us.
• The writer of HEBREWS taught us that God uses suffering to cause us to share in His holiness.
• PETER told us that our suffering was a means to prove the genuineness of our faith.
• JOB taught us that as well.
• JEREMIAH reminded us that suffering can be used to purify us from disobedience and draw us near to God.
We know some of God’s purposes in suffering.
What this Psalm is about is the attitude we should have in the midst of it.
It is a testimonial song of David regarding suffering.
The message is stated at the end of the Psalm.
(23-24) “O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.”
That is the message.
• “love the LORD”
• “Be strong”
• “let your heart take courage”
• “hope in the LORD”
That’s the advice.
But leading up to that we get the backstory.
We get an account of David’s affliction
And we get to see how he walked through it.
It is a good example for us.
3 main points.
#1 ENTER AFFLICTION WITH CONFIDENCE
Psalms 31:1-8
Now what you will notice as we work through this Psalm
Are some VERY DISTINCT MOODS.
• Verses 9-18 are very solemn as in a lament.
• Verses 19-24 are very upbeat like a victory lap.
• But the feel of these Verses 1-8 is clearly confidence.
FIRST we look at these verses and recognize that affliction has emerged in David’s life.
• Verse 4 tell us that David’s enemies have “secretly laid” a “net” for him.
• In verse 7 the affliction is spoken of in a present tense. “You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul.”
THE SUFFERING IS HERE.
It may be only beginning, but it is here.
David is aware of it, and he is confident that God is aware of it.
And as David prepares to face this affliction
We notice the intense confidence he has.
Now he starts with A REQUEST:
(1-2) “In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed; In Your righteousness deliver me. Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; Be to me a rock of strength, A stronghold to save me.”
• David reminds the Lord that He is his hope.
• David knows that God is righteous and appeals to that righteousness that God would do what is right in this situation.
I certainly understand the request “rescue me quickly”
That’s how I prefer it too.
And David says “Be to me a rock of strength, A stronghold to save me.”
Now why does David say that?
(3-4) “For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me. You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength.”
It’s very interesting and it teaches us a great deal about prayer.
• David prays “Be to me a rock of strength”
• And then he says at the beginning of verse 3, “For You are my rock…”
• And he says at the end of verse 4, “For You are my strength.”
Well then, that request makes sense.
Incidentally, this is why it is so important for you to know God.
This is why it is important for you to gaze upon Him in His word
And learn who He is.
• David can ask God to be a rock because he knows God is a rock.
• David can ask God to supply strength because he knows God supplies
strength.
So David is requesting for God to “be to me a rock of strength”
• He wants God to “lead me and guide me”
• He wants God to “pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me”
He is simply counting on God to be who He has always been
And to do what He has always done.
And this is why it’s so important for you to have good theology.
People today frown on theology as though it were some sort of bad thing.
• I’ve heard statements like “Doctrine divides”
• Or “I’m not interested in theology, I just love Jesus”
Those are foolish statements.
Do you know what theology is? It’s the study of God.
It is to know who God is.
And here we learn how beneficial that is in our affliction and trials.
It certainly guided David’s prayer life
To know who God is and what God does.
That is huge.
And then comes that pinnacle statement of confidence.
You’ll recognize it
(5) “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth.”
Where have you heard that before?
• Jesus quoted it on the cross.
• Just before He died, Jesus quoted Psalms 31:5
It was a statement of faith from our Lord as He died.
That He knew God and He knew what God would do,
And so He did not have to fear entrusting His soul to God.
Peter referenced the confidence of Christ as well.
1 Peter 2:23 “and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”
That is confidence.
Jesus faced the cross with confidence in God.
It is that confidence that David is here expressing.
Let me show you WHY David has such confidence as he faces this trial.
“You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth.”
“ransomed”, what is that?
You have saved me!
You’ll see it spelled out in the very next Psalm.
Psalms 32:1-2 “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!”
And here is the beauty.
David knows that he can trust God with this trial
Because God has already shown His favor toward David in salvation.
Sovereign Grace Music has a song I love: “I Lay It All”
It has to do with trusting in God when trials come.
The second verse says this:
“When questions rise, when faith wears thin, when fears come fast, and truth grows dim. The One Who saved will not forsake. I’ll trust His word and trust His way. For He Who bore my blame can bear each care I name.”
We are reminded that
If God would go to great lengths to save us when we were enemies,
Then there is no chance of Him abandoning us once we are sons.
And that is what David said.
“I’m going to trust my soul to you in this trial because You have already proven my soul’s worth by redeeming it.”
It is the logic Paul appealed to in Romans 8.
He first reminded of God’s sovereignty to save us.
Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
And later Paul said:
Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
It’s the same point.
If God has already gone to such great lengths to redeem you,
Why would you think He’d abandon you now?
And this is the basis for David’s confidence while facing this trial.
He knows that God is his Savior.
And then comes David’s CONFIDENT DECLARATION.
(6-8) “I hate those who regard vain idols, But I trust in the LORD. I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction You have known the troubles of my soul, And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a large place.”
David first announces his disdain for those who refuse to trust God
But instead run to false gods for deliverance.
“I hate those who regard vain idols”
It crushes David to the core
That people would refuse to trust God
And instead would run to some false god for deliverance.
TURN TO: ISAIAH 44:6-20
TURN TO: JEREMIAH 10:1-16
Habakkuk 2:18-20 “What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it, Or an image, a teacher of falsehood? For its maker trusts in his own handiwork When he fashions speechless idols. “Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’ And that is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath at all inside it. “But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.”
Idolatry is just stupid!
That’s what David says as well.
So David says, “I trust in the LORD.”
“I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness” (loyalty)
“Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul, and You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a large place.”
That is to say.
• I know You know about my affliction.
• And I know You are loyal to me.
• And this is liberating to me!
My world is not caving in.
My hopes are not crushed.
I am not trapped.
I have You, the loyal and faithful friend on my side.
You have seen my affliction and I am confident
That You will act in my best interest.
NOW THAT’S HOW YOU ENTER AFFLICTION ISN’T IT?
• You remember who God is.
• You remember that God has saved you.
• And you determine to entrust your soul to Him in confidence.
I don’t know what’s coming, but I know God can handle it.
When you face trials of various kinds, then know that your brethren in the world are accomplishing it with an attitude like David’s. They enter their affliction with confidence in God.
#2 ENDURE AFFLICTION WITH FAITH
Psalms 31:9-18
Well, raise your hand if you can identify with David here!
It’s like his attitude has done a complete 180 in between verses 8 and 9.
Those first verses dripped with confidence and boasting and disdain for those who turn from God. He was making bold claims and walking with his head high.
And now, he almost comes across as a defeated man.
“Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;”
I can tell you what happened.
Back in verse 2 David prayed,
“Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;”
But I’m just going to go out on a limb here and say
That God didn’t move as “quickly” as David had anticipated.
The affliction has continued.
I’ve said it many times. We as believers tend to handle the appearance of trials relatively well. It is my observation that believers seem to handle those initial blows pretty good. The bigger problem comes when the affliction lasts longer than we think it should.
David seems to be there.
Just listen to the depth of his lament as he pours out his suffering to God.
(9-13) “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow And my years with sighing; My strength has failed because of my iniquity, And my body has wasted away. Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach, Especially to my neighbors, And an object of dread to my acquaintances; Those who see me in the street flee from me. I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel. For I have heard the slander of many, Terror is on every side; While they took counsel together against me, They schemed to take away my life.”
That is not a statement of a man who had a bad morning.
That is a man who had a bad year.
• “my life is spent with sorrow”
• “my years with sighing”
It has just gone on and on and on and on and on
And now, “I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors”
I mean people avoid me
Because they don’t want what I have rubbing off on them.
“And an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.”
He has become that guy who people avoid because they are tired of bearing his burden.
• They are tired of hearing about my pain…
• They are tired of hearing about my affliction…
• They are tired of being asked to help in my infirmity…
The end result?
“I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;”
People have just written me off.
“I am like a broken vessel”
No benefit to anyone.
And what is more they continue to slander him and David says, “They schemed to take away my life.”
This man has moved from pride and bold speaking to the pit.
It is safe to say that he is broken.
He is at his wits end.
SURELY YOU CAN AT LEAST PARTIALLY IDENTIFY
• It is not so hard when trials present themselves to boldly declare that I am going to trust God; especially while we pray “rescue me quickly.”
• But when “quickly” doesn’t come and days turn to months and months turn to years and we have worn out our welcome with everyone who used to help.
It is then that our endurance is really tested.
But this is where David shows us how to handle our affliction.
When the trial has endured and all help is gone.
YOU ENDURE WITH FAITH
(14-15a) “But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand;”
That is encouraging isn’t it!
“But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, “You are my God”
And please understand that
This isn’t some declaration meant to inspire God to spare him from pain. It’s too late for that.
This is commitment to God in spite of the pain.
I’m with You regardless.
“My times are in Your hand;”
• It is a reminder that God has the right to give him life, to take that life, and to mold that life however He chooses.
That is such great faith.
It DOESN’T MEAN that David has given up hope of deliverance.
He clearly has not.
(15b-18) “Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me. Make Your face to shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your lovingkindness. Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You; Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol. Let the lying lips be mute, Which speak arrogantly against the righteous With pride and contempt.”
• He is still requesting deliverance.
• He is still requesting justice.
• He is still banking on God’s “lovingkindness”
It’s just that until that day,
He has determined that he will keep trusting God.
It may be the hardest thing we do in this life.
• It is to wait on the Lord.
• It is to trust when we don’t see.
• It is to continue to make request when it’s the same request over and over and thus far not granted.
It is the deepest kind of faith.
Luke 18:1-8 “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. “There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
• It’s not so much a parable on prayer as it is a parable on faith.
• It is meant to teach us that we “that at all times we ought to pray and not to lose heart”
Keep trusting even when life seems to be wasting away.
It is a submissive faith that accepts anything the Lord brings because
“my times are in Your hand.”
That is how faithful believers endure their trials.
So we enter trials with confidence because God has saved us.
And we endure trials with faith because God is sovereign.
They enter them with confidence.
They endure them with faith.
#3 EXIT AFFLICTION WITH PUBLIC PRAISE
Psalms 31:19-24
Well, now the trial is over.
In verse 22 David said, “As for me, I said in my alarm, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”; Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried to You.”
Have you ever felt in your affliction that maybe the final answer was just “No” and you will die in this affliction?
Well, that’s what David thought too.
• He said, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”
• That is to say, “You’ve refused to grant me an audience with this; it’s over”
And yet God answered and delivered.
And this is how David responded.
With public praise!
“How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men!”
Many times I have read Paul’s warning in Romans 2
Romans 2:4-5 “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,”
Paul reminded the self-righteous who lived in sin
That they were “storing up wrath” for themselves.
It is a terrifying reality.
Well here David says that God has “stored up [goodness] for those who fear [Him]”
• And just like the wicked store up wrath that they may not see today, but will certainly see in the future.
• So we also store up goodness, which may seem non-existent in the day of affliction, but which we will certainly enjoy.
And David praises God for that here.
He goes on to say, “You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.”
David felt doomed,
But all along he was in a place
That has always been off limits to the wicked.
David was in the presence of God.
He had been hidden there.
He had been sheltered there.
And though the enemy raged and badgered and threatened,
They were not able to enter the presence of God and so David was safe.
And that leads to David’s great expression of praise.
(21) “Blessed be the LORD, For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.”
• Even though he was in a city that was besieged.
• Even though the war raged all around him.
• Even though at times he thought it was over.
God proved His loyalty there!
God made it marvelous.
And that is certainly a part of why God allows trials.
There is an element of deliverance we simply cannot know until we are in a dangerous situation.
And so you have David here who:
• Enters affliction with confidence because God has saved him.
• Endures affliction with faith because God is sovereign
• And how he Exits affliction with public praise because others are suffering.
And here is that praise again:
(23-24) “O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.”
This is David now giving his encouragement
After accomplishing his affliction.
This is the testimony of all those other brethren
Who have accomplished the affliction you are currently enduring.
And the encouragement?
“O love the Lord”
• Don’t stray to vain idols.
• Don’t grow embittered with enduring suffering
• Don’t doubt His lovingkindness
Love Him!
And know this:
“The LORD preserves the faithful and fully recompenses the proud doer”
That is the doctrine which must drive you in your trials.
• That God preserves the faithful.
• That God never deserts those that love Him.
Cling to that.
And finally:
“Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD”
• I don’t know how it feels…
• I don’t know how long it has lasted…
• But don’t give up, God does not forsake the faithful.
Just keep hoping in God
Just keep loving God.
Just keep trusting God.
That’s all that God is asking.
1 Peter 5:6-11 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
