Because God Is Opposed To The Proud
Psalms 30
March 10, 2019
You are most certainly familiar with the reality:
Matthew 23:12 “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
That statement is repeated by Jesus
A couple of times during Luke’s gospel.
James reminded us:
James 4:6 “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
David said:
Psalms 138:6 “For though the LORD is exalted, Yet He regards the lowly, But the haughty He knows from afar.”
Isaiah wrote:
Isaiah 5:15-16 “So the common man will be humbled and the man of importance abased, The eyes of the proud also will be abased. But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment, And the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.”
It’s not an uncommon truth.
We’ve all heard it.
The bigger problem with that verse is that
It tends to be so easy for man to ignore it.
We so badly want to be able to take pride in our accomplishments.
We so badly want to get just a share of the credit.
Maybe we’ve been financially successful, so we want some credit for our savvy or our work ethic.
Maybe we’re athletic and can run faster or jump higher than someone else.
Probably the worst area is found in ministry where we think ourselves to be more gifted, or our ministries to be more successful because of our efforts.
And all the while we forget simple things like:
Acts 17:25b “…He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things”
Or as Paul says moments later:
Acts 17:28a “for in Him we live and move and exist…”
We forget what Paul told the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”
It’s like we forget that our success has very little to do with us.
• So you’re smart…well who gave you your mind?
• So you’re strong…well who gave you your strength?
• So you’re successful…and that was all you?
Even ministers who boast in their great successes in ministry.
• As though they spoke to the dead and brought up dead souls into salvation.
• As though they actually bore the sin of the wicked and redeemed them before God.
• As though they imputed their righteousness to the sinful in their midst.
That’s why Paul also told the Corinthians when some were boasting in the fact that they followed him. He wrote:
1 Corinthians 1:13 “Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”
That was Paul deflecting any credit.
He understood that it was not his doing.
He even makes a point later in the chapter to say:
1 Corinthians 1:30 “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,”
You get the point.
It is so tempting to take credit for the successes in our life,
But that is so dangerous because God is opposed to the proud.
God does not deal kindly with boasters.
God does not share His glory.
Well, that’s what Psalm 30 is all about.
It’s specifically about a time in David’s life when he learned this lesson,
And it’s the song he wrote to remind his flock about this reality.
You see that this Psalm comes with a setting:
“A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David”
Charles Spurgeon has a theory on when this specifically was, and I’m inclined to believe him, but I’m not going to show it to you yet. We’ll get there in a moment.
I first just want to begin working through the Psalm.
There are 3 main points, but I’m going to give you
sub-points all the way through this one too.
#1 DAVID’S PERSONAL EXALTATION
Psalms 30:1-3
These aren’t difficult verses to understand,
They are just verses of praise to God.
1) PRAISE FOR VICTORY (1)
“I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.”
It is simply David praising God for placing him in a position of authority
And for keeping him there.
David is giving God all the glory for all the victories he has won;
Both to become king and to remain king.
Let me give you a picture of this.
TURN TO: 1 Chronicles 18.
(read it)
You just feel how victorious the Lord had made David.
God just continued to establish his kingdom.
If you read chapter 19
• You get a story about Hanun the new King of Ammon who insulted David and
humiliated David’s messengers.
• When he saw that David was angry the king of Ammon hired 32,000 Aramean
chariots to fight with them against David and David defeated them all.
Chapter 20
• Is story after story about how David’s mighty men continued to defeat the
relatives of Goliath.
Chapters 18-20 are just victory after victory after victory.
And in verse 1 of Psalms 30 David is praising God for that.
For Victory
2) FOR HEALING (2)
“O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me.”
This can be personal physical healing on David,
Or this can be corporate political restoration of the nation.
Either way David is praising God
For being the One to restore what was sick and broken.
It reflects on a time when David was down and God restored him.
And David simply praises God for it.
3) FOR DELIVERANCE (3)
“O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.”
The idea being that God preserved his life, his throne and his kingdom.
So you have David praising God for bringing him to power,
Restoring a nation from its trouble and then keeping him in power.
It’s basically David praising God for everything God did.
It’s the opposite of pride, instead it’s full humility.
It is a statement like what Paul said several times.
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 “For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”
Romans 15:18 “For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed,”
2 Corinthians 3:5 “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,”
That is certainly the personal exaltation from David here.
I’m not taking credit for anything, I’m giving all the credit to You!
Victory, Healing, Deliverance: they’re all because of You.
That’s an easy praise to see.
And that moves naturally into the next point:
#2 DAVID’S PASTORAL EXHORTATION
Psalms 30:4-5
Now we read the command of David.
He is telling all the “godly ones” that they also need to join in the song.
1) THE REQUIREMENT (4)
“Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name.”
Praise and Gratitude.
This draws our minds again to the reality of Romans 1
And the problem of unbelievers.
Romans 1:21 “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
No honor, No gratitude.
That certainly is not the attitude of the godly.
So David here commands the flock to sing to God.
Praise Him and give Him thanks.
2) THE REASON (5)
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
Here DAVID GETS SPECIFIC about a reason
Why they should praise and give thanks to God.
And that specific reason is that God does not hold His anger forever,
But that He returns to a position of favor.
Certainly we know that even as God’s children
We can undergo the discipline of the Lord.
• At times this is just necessary discipline to work out our sanctification,
• Other times it is punishment type discipline because we have sinned and we
need correction.
God does this.
Every believer knows this.
It is not a pleasant thing to feel the conviction of God’s displeasure.
But the joy of the believer and the reason David calls for praise
Is that though God may get angry, He doesn’t hold a grudge.
Though God may cause weeping through discipline,
He brings about a morning of restoration.
“His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
As believers we don’t confuse His discipline with condemnation.
He isn’t condemning us.
In fact, His discipline is to spare us condemnation.
1 Corinthians 11:32 “But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.”
God’s plans for us are still good, even when we are being punished.
And the believer is to praise God that
Even when we blow it in a major way
And bring upon ourselves God’s discipline,
We can rejoice in knowing that He will never totally forsake us.
In short, “mercy triumphs over judgment”
So David is clear to begin the Psalm.
• He is praising God for all that God has accomplished on his behalf.
• And he is calling the congregation to praise God that God doesn’t hold a
grudge, but that He will always restore us.
Now if that seems like it comes a little out of left field,
It’s because you need the background to fully understand it.
So let me give you this third point
#3 DAVID’S PRODIGAL EXPLANATION
Psalms 30:6-12
And let me give you the first sub-point
1) HIS ABSURDITY (6)
“Now as for me, I said in my prosperity, “I will never be moved.”
David is recounting a time
When he had achieved a prosperous situation
And in that prosperity he reached a point of boasting.
The heading of the Psalm says it was
“at the dedication of the House” (temple)
TURN TO: 1 Chronicles 21
Now you read that first verse and it says, “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.”
If you read that same account in 2 Samuel it says this:
2 Samuel 24:1 “Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
You put them together and you understand what is happening.
Obviously it’s not that numbering the nation is bad.
God has an entire book called Numbers where He does just that.
What is actually occurring here is that David has developed an attitude that has moved God to anger.
• And in that anger God has decided to punish David.
• The method God has chosen to use is to allow Satan to sift David by tempting
him to number Israel.
While ordinarily having a census is not in and of itself sinful,
Numbering the nation so that you can boast
In what a great nation you’ve built is.
Remember, David has just come through chapters 18-20 and he has experienced victory after victory.
It is apparent that in his heart he grown a little proud of that fact.
He was self-confident “I will never be moved”
He actually sounds like THE WICKED he already wrote about back in Psalms 10
Psalms 10:6 “He says to himself, “I will not be moved; Throughout all generations I will not be in adversity.”
He sounds like NEBUCHADNEZZAR, whom the Lord judged:
Daniel 4:28-33 “All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. “Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. “The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ “While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ “Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
He sounds like the rich man the Lord judged:
Luke 12:15-21 “Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘ You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
He sounds like the boaster the Lord condemned:
James 4:13-17 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
It is what Paul warned the Gentiles about as they contemplated God breaking off Israel and grafting them in.
Romans 11:17-22 “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.”
Are you picking up on the problem?
• You just don’t start boasting that your salvation was because of your goodness
• Or that your prosperity was because of your ingenuity
• Or that your victory was because of your strength
God did it all.
And by the way, God had specifically warned
Against developing this type of arrogant attitude.
Deuteronomy 8:11-14; 18 “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery…”But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
God had specifically told them not to let their prosperity go to their head.
Don’t let your success cause you to get proud of all that you’ve done.
Well, that’s where David was and so God allowed Satan
To incite David to count the people.
This was a boasting act
Wherein David could relish in his own accomplishments,
And even David’s subjects knew it was all pride.
(READ 2-7)
• Well there’s the problem.
• Now David has offended God and he has brought upon himself God’s discipline.
(READ 9-17)
• So David gets the option of 3 different punishments and David chooses the one that only involves God. 3 days of plague, and 70,000 people died.
• And God in His mercy stopped the angel and the threshing floor of Ornan.
Now you say, “What does this have to do with the dedication of the temple?”
(READ 21:18 – 22:1)
This became the site of the temple mount.
This is where it would the holy of holies would sit.
So perhaps now David’s Psalm is becoming a little clearer;
• Specifically why he is praising God for accomplishing everything
• And why he is telling the people to praise God for being merciful even when He
is angry.
So you see David’s Absurdity
2) HIS ADMISSION (7)
“O LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong; You hid Your face, I was dismayed.”
Boy it didn’t take David long to change his tune did it?
He went from a self-confident boaster
To one who readily admitted that all credit goes to God
And apart from God I can accomplish nothing.
I’d say it is true that God knows how to humble those who walk in pride.
Nebuchadnezzar would agree:
Daniel 4:34-37 “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ “At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
David would “Amen” that statement.
3) HIS APPEAL (8-10)
“To You, O LORD, I called, And to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness? “Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me; O LORD, be my helper.”
Now you could read that and say,
“But David wasn’t near death. In fact David actually prayed that God would just be angry at him and not Israel.”
But if you back up, you read the story a little differently.
David numbered the people and then we read:
1 Chronicles 21:7-8 “God was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel. David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
• We read in verse 7 that God “struck Israel”
• We don’t know what that was, but whatever it was it led David to full repentance.
THE PLAGUE WAS the necessary discipline
TO MAKE SURE David never made the mistake again.
It is clear that David initially feared that God would kill him,
And part of that supplication was that
“If You kill me, then I can’t praise You in the earth”
THE POINT IS that David obviously learned the point of his existence.
It was to praise and honor and glorify God.
David hadn’t done that.
In fact, he was taking God’s glory for himself,
And God had no use for that and so God had threatened his life.
David figured it out, repented, and said,
“God don’t kill me, I’m going to praise You.”
The 3 options came after that.
Here is David’s prayer of repentance
And begging to God as he appeals for his life.
David wanted God to deliver him again.
(10) “Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me; O LORD, be my helper.”
That’s the appeal
4) HIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (11-12)
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”
What is that?
• It is David praising God for relenting.
• It is David praising God for not keeping His anger forever.
• David is praising God for stopping the plague.
• David is praising God for not completely wiping out all of Israel or for not leveling Jerusalem.
And there you also better understand the first part of this Psalm.
“I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my enemies rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me. O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
So the song makes sense to us for sure now.
But what do we learn from it?
• DON’T BOAST – what do you have that you have not received?
• PRAISE GOD – He gets the glory for all that has happened
• GIVE THANKS – that God has not totally discarded you for the times that you
did take His credit.
This is certainly a great song for the church to learn and sing!
