Title: People Who Praise (Psalm 42:6-11)
Rather, those who sing praises (Psalm 42:6-11)
“I remember you, O my God, in the land of Jordan, and in Hermon and on Mount Misar, because my soul is discouraged within me. The deep sea calls to one another at the sound of your waterfalls; Your waves and waves cover me. And by night their praise is with me, I will pray to the God of life. I will say to my Rock, God, Why have you forgotten me? Why do I walk in sorrow because of the oppression of my enemies? Like a sword that pierces my bones, “Where is your God, my soul, why are you discouraged, and why are you troubled in me? Look to God, and I will rather praise my God, who helps my face” (Psalm 42: 6-11)
"Sir, how much is your face and how far is your head?" When this question was dropped, laughter erupted in the hall. The reason is that Eisenhower was one of the most bald presidents in the past, so he couldn't tell the difference between the head, forehead and face. I was curious about the president's answer.
Our society can't afford it right now. Moreover, if you look at the political board, it is a thin ice sheet that repeats death or death.
Two people were fighting while holding their car on the street. After that, about 30 cars were pushed back. The reason they fight is that the car that is following suddenly cuts in and almost causes an accident. There was only about an accident, and it caused the car to stop and the gentlemen with their neckties on were fighting.
We need to restore peace of mind as soon as possible.
The poet of Psalm 42 sings a majestic song without losing his composure when the surrounding ridicule rains down, when his heart is hurt by one day or another, and even in extreme situations of despair and discouragement. In a word, we find in the text that it was because of our faith in waiting for God and waiting for His help. Let's find the situation and solution in the text.
At the end of verse 5, he says, “I will rather be praised.” It is a proud confession that I will sing praises no matter what happens. Let's look at when and why the poet decided to sing.
1. It is a time of broken heart and discouragement.
At the end of verse 4, he says, “My heart is broken.” In verse 5, it says, “Why are you discouraged, and why are you anxious within me?” In verse 6, it says, “Because I am discouraged within me.” In verse 9, it says, “Because of the oppression of the enemy,” and in verse 11, “Why are you discouraged, O my soul, and why are you troubled within me?”
The poet continues to repeat the words, "I am broken, disappointed and anxious."
The mind determines a person's actions. The soul determines a person's mind and actions. What kind of heart you have determines events and determines your life.
In the case of an airplane flying in the sky or a car or train running on the ground, it doesn't just pop out of nowhere. It is the product of thinking, thinking, and thinking. If the inventors of automobiles and airplanes had immersed themselves in the self-suggestions that humans could never fly or that they could never run on land at a speed of 200 km/h, the airplane or automobile would not have been able to come out.
Despair, pain, failure, frustration, anxiety, the less of these things, the better. But there are more times in life when the rush of things becomes unavoidable. However, as long as you have the belief that "Come when you come. I can fight you and win", you are not afraid of such things.
There is a quote from US President Roosevelt. "There is something we must really fear. It is fear itself."
There is a book called Positive Thinking by Bristol. He said in the book, "If you decide not to lose, you win."
You shouldn't think, "I can't, I'm going to lose, I'm done, I'm out of hand". He asks, "Would you choose between sadness, suffering, anguish, failure, or health, wealth, happiness, or success?"
What is important is whether success, health, happiness, and wealth and wealth come to life when I make up my mind and choose. The answer of the Bible is that I can make the choice, but it is God who makes it happen.
In Proverbs 16:1, it says, "A man's taste lies with man, but the answer of a word comes from the LORD." In 16:3, it says, "Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will come to pass." . And in 16:9 it says, "A man plans his way in his heart, but the Lord directs his steps."
I can plan and think. But it is God who makes it happen, completes it, and brings it to fruition.
The poet, who realized this truth early, entrusted his pain, pain and wounds to God and sang that he would rather sing praises.
2. It's time to get help.
Verse 5 says, “I will rather be praised for the help of his face.”
We see two positions of the poet in the text. That is, we sing praises when we are suffering and difficult, and we sing praises when we receive help. In other words, when I was in hardship and suffering, I looked to God and prayed, and God heard and helped me. We praise and thank you again for your help.
So, in verse 5, “Praise for the help” means to give thanks for the help.
Verse 8 says, “The LORD shows his kindness by day, and by night his praise is with me, to the God of life.” It means to sing and pray to God day and night.
Dr. Shigeo Haruyama, in his book “Inner Brain Revolution,” said, “No matter how harsh the situation, when you go to bed, it’s good to think about your future dreams, hopes, or plans for life. Even if it is, you have to try to change it into a positive idea anyway. The common thing for people who live a long life is not to suffer.”
There is a saying that hard work when you are young is even bought with money. However, there is no need to pay money to worry or worry. Those things should be thrown away even if you give them money.
However, the problem is that it is difficult to relieve the stress created by the accumulation of worries, worries and concerns.
In early August, the two families went on vacation to the East Coast. The two families were close friends, and both families had siblings. The children are friendly with each other, so we decided to go to the same destination, and each departed by car. It was the peak of the holiday season, so it took over ten hours to get to our destination. However, the situation in which the two families spent ten hours of hot, boring, and annoying on the street was very different.
In a family A, the couple drives the car separately. Listen to hymns and sermons from the cassette tapes prepared in advance. The two children in the back seat are given a prize and have them recite Bible verses. It is a prepared snack and food is shared. The four members of the family take turns singing songs, playing word-of-mouth games, talking about mom and dad when they were little, stories about how dad and dad were cheered on in the military, and stories about how mom and dad were dating. Neither tired nor bored. We arrived at our destination as if ten hours had passed.
House B was different. Husband at the steering wheel complains. "A country with a small piece of land makes so many cars, and makes dogs and cats drive cars like this. When a car is pushed, you have to open the toll gate and let the car slip away. Pushed out because of ticketing and paying money... Let's go on vacation after we're free Because my girlfriend insisted that I go together this week, I bought it and had a hard time."
At that time, if your wife shrugs and rubs her husband's shoulder, saying, "I'm sorry, honey. You are suffering a lot because of me. If you are tired, stop by the roadside and rest for a while. Children, say 'I'm sorry and sorry' to your father." Even her impatient husband would have subsided. But he said, "You're such a strange person. Were we the only ones on vacation? Tens of thousands of people drive together, so why are you campaigning like that? And I take the kids once a year, so if you go comfortably, you'll get better wherever you go?" I did.
A couple fights in the car. Shout out. children cry Family B's summer vacation this year was a hell of a trip.
There were two families of four each, and the car was a car called XG made by Hyundai. The destination was the same place in Gangwon-do. It was the same time I left.
So, what made one family a festival and one family a journey to hell?
Simple. It was overcome through faith while positively accepting the given negative reality. However, the fighting family could not overcome the difficult and annoying situation and fell to their knees there.
I read a book titled “Son, Life is Too Short to Hesitate” by Dr. Among the books were these anecdotes.
“Words, whether positive or negative, become seeds.” Bill Gates said countless times, "I will create a world in which every home in the world has at least one computer on every desk," and it happened. Film director Spielberg used to say to everyone he met, "I'm the best storyteller in the world," and it happened. People at Stanford University said, "Our university is the Harvard of the West," and it happened.
There are hardships and joys along the way. There is day and there is night. Who can succeed and who can laugh? Like the confession of the poet, I am a person who longs for God (1~), prays to God (8~), and looks to God who helps me (11~).
Rather than being pessimistic, we should be optimistic. Don't look at the dark and difficult despair, but look to the east where the morning sun rises. I like the saying, "Even in the dark night sky, if you look closely at the sky, you can see one or two twinkling stars there."
In verse 1, it says, “I am thirsty for you”, in verse 2 it says, “I long for God”, in verse 8 it says, “I will pray to the God of life”, and in verse 9 it says, “I will pray to the God of the Rock.” I did. And in verse 11 he says, “My God who helps me.” The poet's priesthood, reveals what God's faith is like.
Look to the Lord when you are lonely and distressed. Let's sing praises to the Lord even when we are happy and happy. Let's be people who pray and sing
We conclude with a hymn written by Johann Peterson.
"Look at the face of the Lord when you are in trouble, look at the Lord of peace
Friends in trouble in the world, look to the Lord of comfort
Lift up your eyes and see the Lord, cast all your worries on the Lord
Behold the face of the Lord Jesus in times of sorrow, the Lord of love will give you rest
When I have no strength and my heart is weak, look to the Lord of power
Give strength to all who call on the name of the Lord and protect them always.
Lift up your eyes and see the Lord, cast all your worries on the Lord
Behold the face of the Lord Jesus in times of sorrow, the Lord of love gives you rest.