February 9, 2020

ALONE: AND AFRAID
February 09, 2020
Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Loneliness can make well-grounded, rational people do crazy things, sometimes to the harm of their health. Can anyone think of a memory you can share (not necessarily your own personal experience)?

Open: The Bible is unsurpassed as it offers us examples of people going through nearly every suffering known to man. We need only to search its pages to find relief, comfort and freedom as we, too, endure misery and distress. In it, we see it is filled with lessons of great hope, great promises, great statements, songs, and instances of great seasons of life. Today we will look at feeling alone and afraid, finding in Psalm 27 that David endured more than most of us ever will, leaving us to learn the  steps he took as he sought freedom from both.

Key Verse: Psalm 27:13: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”

Focal Passages: Psalm 27; 1 Samuel 16:1-21:14

Background:

  • 1 Samuel 16. Does anyone remember what the event was in David’s life when he was first introduced in Scripture? Who had come to his town in order to anoint him king in Israel?
  • 1 Samuel 17. What was the next major event for David? His father, Jesse, sent him to minister to his (David’s) brothers. What did David find when he arrived at the Valley of Elah, and what were the Israeli soldiers doing? What was the ending to his journey to see his brothers?
  • 1 Samuel 18. King Saul, impressed with David for the slaying of Goliath, now presents David with a gift; what was it? What had the people began to sing about David? What did Saul’s favor turn to as he heard the people praising David over praising him?
  • 1 Samuel 19. Saul’s original admiration of David now began to turn to furious hatred; what was it going to take before Saul would be content? How did David react?
  • 1 Samuel 20. Who became David’s ally, helping him escape from the king? How did this go down with Saul?
  • 1 Samuel 21. David was able to escape Saul, and make his way to Nob. Who helped him there? What did the priest immediately ask David when he realized who it was? What was David given? Leaving Nob, David made his way to Gath. How did he act when he realized the king of Gath was not going to be his friend at this time?

1. Feeling alone is a common condition

  • Read Psalm 27:1-3a. What did David call the Lord in verse 1? As 1 Samuel 21 ends and David writes Psalm 27, how do you assume he is feeling?
  • Who is he referring to in verse 2? What did he say his enemies were wanting to do to him?
  • As he wrote verse 3a, how had his songs of praise infused David? Read Col. 3:16. What did Paul write many years later about singing?
  • What lesson had David learned in order to beat fear in these verses? Did it work for him?

2. Feeling alone should not shake your confidence in God

  • Read Psa. 27:3b-5. David was not about to let Satan attack his mind. What was his weapon in verse 3b?
  • In verse 4, he could not dwell in the “house” of the Lord; however, what was he able to abide in?
  • What was David’s confidence in verse 5? Read Psa. 17:8. What was another figure of speech used for God’s protection? What does this remind you of?
  • What do we know about God that rises above our feelings of being alone?

3. Trusting God in our trouble is the first step towards victory

  • Read Psa. 27:6-7. What is usually the focus of people whose love is the world and whose heart is carnal? If our focus is on the Lord, where is the gaze of our heart?
  • Why is praise called a “sacrifice”?
  • No matter the problem, a first step is necessary in order to begin the process of healing or “fixing”; why is trusting God an essential beginning?

4. Trusting God requires seeking God

  • Read Psa. 27: 8-9. Why would you not seek help from someone whom you do not trust?
  • Read Hebrews 11:6. Would you ask God for help if you have no faith He is willing to help you? What does this verse say you must believe? What will God do for you when you ask in faith?

5. When all else fails, trust Him

  • Read Psa. 27:10-13. One sees David comforted on every side by  God’s protection; what has he learned?
  • Patience—waiting on God—is one of our hardest lessons to learn. Why is that true?

Close:

If ever anyone had the “right” to feel alone and afraid—going from a tremendous high, where he tended his father’s sheep and wrote beautiful songs (Psalms) to God, to a complete low, where he was running for his life, with no one’s help, or food, weapons, or clothing—it was David! Still so young that he deserved no honor among Jesse’s sons when he was anointed king by Samuel (1 Sam. 16:11, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep”), he was still old enough within a relatively short period of time to receive Saul’s daughter’s hand in marriage (1 Sam. 18:20-22). Saul had an ulterior motive, however, as he was already feeling the wretched emotion of jealousy, and hoped giving his daughter to David would result in David’s death, fighting Saul’s enemies (1 Sam. 18:21, “So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.”). Soon, rather than relying on the Philistines to kill David, Saul decided to take matters into his own hands, with such vengeance that David had to begin running for his life. Through chapters 19 and 20 David seeks safety from Saul, finally, in 21 reaching Nob, and sought the priest, though just for a moment. The godly man recognized David and exclaimed, “Why are you alone, and no one is with you?!” He could hardly believe no one was taking care of David. Furnishing David with food and a weapon, David leaves, where he pens Psalm 27. Reading this song of love for God amidst despair shows David had not wavered in his loyalty, as he was truly “a man after God’s own heart.”

How about you or me? In a world filled with enemies—if not human, then the demons of Satan who would constantly seek to kill us (1 Pet. 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour”)—do we have the heart for God to keep our minds focused on Him when we need comfort, protection or love? Can you look back at past years and say “In all that I’ve been through, He hasn’t left me yet”? The beautiful truth for all believers is that He never will.

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