God Is Our Refuge Week 30

We are in Psalms chapter 62, page 33 and 34 of your notes. If you're watching online, you can download the notes at ohana uh.urch/live. They should be updated there. And uh and so we're taking a look at some chapters we skipped over and people have asked me to cover here. And so we're looking at Psalms chapter 62. And uh and he starts out talking about waiting on the Lord in silence. And then then that God is my safe place. And then now we're in down to verses number seven and 8 talking about God is my refuge as well. And um and and God verse seven is God is my salvation, my glory, the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God.

Trust in him at all times you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. sila and uh so we want to realize that God is our refuge and uh and and a place that we can go to in times of trouble. Look at Psalms chapter 46 and verses 1-3. Psalms chapter 46 and:es 1-3 says, "God is our refuge and our strength, the very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not we fear through though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea through the though the waters thereof roar and be troubled through the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.

Uh just realizing that God is a place of refuge a place we can come to when life is just in turmoil when when everything around us is uh is upside down. Um, I remember watching uh reading about an artist who was asked to paint a picture of peace and and talk about peace we find in the Lord. And what the artist painted a picture of was a a um a bird's nest on a side of a cliff in the middle of a storm with the waves crashing up and the storm going all around. And when you looked in real closely, you saw this bird's nest and a little cliff in the rock and a and a place of of cover and and refuge.

And the idea was that God doesn't always take away the storms, but he is always the place of peace and always a place of refuge that we can find in our trouble. So, he's our refuge in trouble. And and then he's also our place of shelter. And um Psalms chapter 91 and verses 1 and two. Psalms chapter 91 and verses 1 and two. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. I will save the Lord. He is my refuge and my fortress. My God. In him will I trust. And what we want to learn to do is to find that place of refuge in the Lord. To find that place of of of safety in the Lord.

For a lot of people, they have a place in their home that's that place of refuge or safety. uh it's a place that they go to when uh they're just u need to be alone with the Lord and feel that place of safety with the Lord and it's good to have a physical place like that a certain place that you sit or a certain place you go to uh that you feel like this is my calm place but we don't always have that place to go to physically but we can go to it spiritually to find really that calm in the storm to find that place of protection from all that's going on around us and to find that place of shelter.

And then it's also the place that we pour out our heart to God. In Psalms chapter 62 and verse number eight, it says, "Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us." And it's really learning how to pour out our heart to God. uh in 1st Samuel chapter 1 and verse number 15. 1st Samuel chapter 1 and verse number 15. I I think you know the story. It's the story of Hannah and how Hannah wanted to have a baby so badly and she was in depression over it and um and she finally came to the point she was tired of being depressed and tired of feeling that way and she just poured out her heart to God.

In verse number 15, it says, "And Hannah answered, I'm sorry. And and let's go up a little bit further there. Uh verse 13." "Now Hannah, she spake in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore, Eli thought she had been drunken." Uh she was pouring out her heart so much. He, you know, it's not just that she was sitting there silent, but you could see the physical um draining coming out of her. You could see that that her heart was coming out. It was almost like she was drunken and she was just pouring out her heart to God. Uh and and and and and Eli saw and thought she was drunk in the temple of the Lord.

And verse 15, Hannah answered and said, "No, my Lord. I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the Lord." And if you've never done that, you you you are missing something with the Lord. and and there's a just a time where we need to just say, "God," and just pour it out to him. Uh he knows what's going on, but it's just giving it to him and and being very frank with the Lord, not holding back. Um sometimes it's good to express your anger. Sometimes it's good to express your tears and your frustration and just to express that to the Lord and and just to come to him as your place of refuge, as your place of shelter.

And that's what the psalmist is saying here. He's saying, "God, when I am just at my wit's end and I'm at the place where I just don't know what to do, and I I just uh I can come and pour out my heart to you." And that's something that very few people really know how to do. And and it's something that God wants us to to feel that we can come to him and share that with him and and pour out our heart to to him. And then sila, you notice I made a main point. The word sila in your Bible means stop. Don't read another word. Stop and think about what I just said. Stop and meditate upon it. Like I talked about on Sunday and and it's the cila.

And God is my salvation. I no matter what happens, I'm going to heaven. No matter what happens, they can kill my body, but they cannot take my soul. And and I have my salvation in God. He is um the rock of my strength. In verse six, he's my defense. Uh you know, he is a fortress that cannot be beat and and he's my refuge. I can go to him in the storm and and be protected and covered over and and so go, you know, just trust in him. Trust God. No matter how bad things look, no matter how hard it is, God, I trust you. Hannah finally came to the point. She says, "I'm done trying. I'm done trying to have a baby.

I I'm going to I I just going to trust in you, God. If you give me a baby, great. If you don't give me a baby, great, because I'm just going to trust in you." But she poured out her heart. This is what I want. This is what I what I need, Lord. and and she poured out her heart to God and and and so God is saying before you go any further just stop and think about that and don't just rush past these verses without thinking about that. And then in the next section there he talks about that all is vanity. Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie to be laid in the balance.

They're altogether lighter the vanity. Trust not in oppression, become not vain in robbery. If riches ex riches increase, set not your heart upon them. And so he talks about how things are how it's vanity. Go to Ecclesiastes uh chapter 1 and verse number two. If you've ever read the book of Ecclesiastes, you know the word vanity is is prominent within that book. Verse number two, vanity of vanity, sayeth the preacher, vanity of vanity is all is vanity. Now the word vanity is a word which means empty. It it's like a bubble that's empty. If you've ever done those bubble things with kids, you know where they blow the bubbles, they float around.

You just pop them and and that's vanity. There's nothing there. And and and the psalmist is saying, you know, all of this is vanity. It's emptiness. It has no value. And and I need to understand the things that have value and not get caught up in the things that are just vain. And and so he talks about first of all that men of low degree. And so what is he talking about there? Go over to Luke chapter 1 and verses 51 and through 53. Luke chapter 1 and beginning with verse number 51. He has showed strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud and imaginations of their heart. He had put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree.

Heath has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has set empty away. And and so he goes on talks about this. He talks about people of of low degree. Go over to James chapter 1 and verses 9 and 10. James chapter 1 and:es 9 and 10. James 1:9 says, "The double-minded man is unstable in all his way. Let the brother of low degree ex in the in that he rejoice in that he's exalted. And so when he's talking about the the person of of low degree here in in Psalm chapter 62 and verse number nine, surely men of low degree are vanity. is talking about, you know, somebody that just is is low in and and and and where they're at is it's it's low degree and men of high degree.

In other words, he's talking about men in both both conditions. You can be somebody's poor and has nothing or you can be somebody that has everything. But both of them are vanity and they're both a lie. And and but a man of low degree, he can rejoice in the Lord. Why? because even though he has nothing, he has God and and so we can rejoice in the Lord. And so men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie. Uh go to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and:es 26-31. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and beginning with verse number 26. For you see your calling, brother, how that meant not many wise men after flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.

But God had chosen the full thing foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And God had chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, that God chosen, yay, and things which are not to bring to not things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence, but of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God has made unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. that accord is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. And and see, the men of high degree think that they're so special, the the wise, the noble.

Uh but God says, listen, I I don't use people because of whether they're low degree or high degree. Now, overall, God says, I'm going to use people of low degree because uh because I can get the honor and the glory. You know, when God uses someone like me, you know, people say, "Look at all you've done, pastor." And then they look at me and say, "How did you do it?" You know, "Well, I didn't do it. God did." And God gets the glory when we're of low degree. And um and men of high degree, they're a lie. Uh they're living a lie to think that they're something when they're nothing. And then we need to treat all men equally.

They're to be laid in the balance. They're altogether lighter than vanity. Whether low degree or high degree, we we are empty. Our lives are empty. We are nothing without God. And um look at Proverbs chapter 22 and verse number two. Proverbs 22 and verse number two. The rich and the poor meet together. The Lord is the maker of them all. So it doesn't matter whether you're low or high degree. It doesn't matter you're rich or poor. It without God it's all vanity. It's all emptiness. And that's what the psalmist is trying to get across here. Look at James chapter 2 and look at verses 2-4. James chapter 2 and verses 2-4.

For there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring and goodly apparel. And there come in also a poor man of vile raignment. And you have respect to him that the gay clothing and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place, and say the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my foottool? Are you not then partial in yourselves or become judges of evil thoughts? And so the psalmist is saying, listen, men of low degree, vanity, men of high degree, it's a lie. And you and I, we should not treat them differently because God doesn't. They all have to come to him. They all are without him. They are nothing.

They're just emptiness in life. And and that's what he's trying to get across here. And then verse 10, trust not in oppression and become not vain and robbery. If riches increase, set not your heart upon them. And so he's saying, don't trust in riches. Don't trust in riches. Um, Ecclesiastes chapter 5 and verse number 10. Ecclesiastes 5 and verse number 10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This is all vanity. olomon is writing Ecclesiastes at the end of his life. He's had everything. He's had riches. He's had fame. He's had power.

He's had women. He's had everything. And he comes in his life and looks at all and said, "This is just a bunch of emptiness. It's just a bunch of bubbles popping with nothing there." And and and it's emptiness. And that's what the psalmist is trying to say here in Psalm 62. and and look at 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verses 19 17- 19. 1 Timothy chapter 6 beginning with verse number 17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high- minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in a living God, who giveth richly all things to enjoy, that they could do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the kind to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

It's not sin to be rich, but it is sin to depend on your riches. It is sin to get your riches through robbery and through um uh through oppression and robbery. It is sin to use your riches and for the wrong purpose. We need to use our riches what for what reason? To to be a blessing to others to be able to use them to uh lay up stores for in as a good foundation in heaven to do good works and ready to distribute willing to communicate. That's what we need to do with our riches. And so it's not wrong to have money. It's not wrong to be wealthy and to earn it. But what do we how do we get it and what do we do with it?

And this is what the psalmist is speaking of here. And then going back um to Psalm 62 11 and 12. It says, "God has spoken once, twice have I heard this. Thou power belongth unto God. Also unto thee, oh Lord, belongth mercy, for thou renderest to every man according to his work." So other words, how many times does God have to say it? You ever said to your kids, "How many times do I have to tell you?" Now, by the way, I'm teaching a child training class on Sunday morning, and in that class, I tell the parents, when you do that, you're teaching your kids to wait until you tell them that many times.

Never repeat yourself with your children. Uh if you tell them, they should believe it. Uh if you have to tell them, "Don't make me tell you again," you're they're controlling you. You're not controlling them. You ought to teach your children when I say it, you do it. You don't need to be told more than once. But when you say something more than once, it's important. And when you repeat something, it's important. And there is time. Repetition is the key to learning. And Isaiah says, "Leine upon line and precept upon precept." And repetition is important. You don't want to have to tell your kids to do something over and over again.

But you do want to teach them truths over and over again. You want to repeat it in different ways to get that message across. This is important. This is what I want you to remember in the years to come. And um and so it is important in that way. Look at Job chapter 33 and look at verse number 14. Job chapter 33 and verse number 14. For God speaketh once, yay, twice, yet man perceiveth not. Don't make God repeat himself. Don't make God tell you again. And and and and so this what the psalm is saying. God's spoken and I I I've got to get I've got to get past my problems here. You know, as we've looked at the Psalms, the Psalmist is talking about he's going through some struggles.

Probably David wrote this when he was under siege by maybe Saul or the Philistines or whatever, but he's going through a very difficult talent challenging time. And he gets to the point and say, "You know what? I I've got to get over this." Hannah had to get to the point she said, "I've got to stop being depressed about not having a baby. If God's going to give me a baby, I'm going to have a baby. If God's not going to give me a baby, I'm not going to have a baby." Some point, we got to get past that in dealing with that. So, he says, "Listen, God has spoken once, God has spoken twice. Have I heard that power belongth the Lord?"

And then he goes on to say, "Unto the Lord belongeth mercy." And God is merciful God. Uh look at Psalms chapter 18 and verse number 25. Psalms 18:25. With the merciful, thou will show thyself merciful. With an upright man, thou will show thyself upright. God is merciful. And if we want to enjoy the mercy of God, then we need to be merciful as well. He gives us mercy so we can give mercy to others. And the more we give mercy to others, the more we'll receive the mercy of God as well. the the um Lord's Prayer, forgive us as we forgive others. To show that mercy, go to Psalms 103 and verse number eight.

Psalms 103 and verse number 8. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous mercy. And then look at Exodus chapter 34 and verse number six. Exodus 34 and verse number six. And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth to really wrap yourself in that the mercy and the grace of God. I'm going to be talking about the this Sunday in my second message on and and just that you know when you're when you're just feel that place of bliss and that place of comfort just to know the mercy and the grace and the goodness of God and that's what the psalmist is wrapping himself up in look at Lamentations chapter 3 and verses number 22 and 23.

Lamentations right before Ezekiel. It's right after Jeremiah. Lamentations 3:22 and 23. It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumeir consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. Every day is a fresh new day. Every day I can wake up in the mercy and the grace of God. And that's what the psalmist is expressing here. God, I poured my heart out to you. You know what's going on, how these people are treating me. You know what's what's going on in my life right now. But God, I just want to be wrapped up in your mercy and your grace. He says, "Also and the Lord belong to mercy, for thou renders every man according to his work.

You will receive according to your work." Look at Isaiah chapter 30 and verse number 18. If you want mercy, you need to show mercy. Isaiah 30:18. And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will you be exalted that he may have p mercy upon you. For the Lord is a God of judgment. Blessed are all those that wait for him and finding that mercy in the Lord. Look at Proverbs chapter 24. Proverbs chapter 24 and verse number 12. Proverbs 24:12. If thou sayest, behold, we knew it not. Does not he ponderth the heart considerth it? And he that keepeth thy soul, does he not know it?

And shall not render every man according to his works. Verse number 29. Say not, I will do so to him. If as he had done to me, I'll re render every man according to his work. In other words, if I want mercy, I've got to show mercy. You said, well, how can I show mercy? Because I have mercy. God gave it to me. God gave me mercy so I can show mercy that he forgave me so I can forgive you and he's going to render that mercy according to our works. Look at Revelation 22 verse 12. Revelation chap 22 and verse number 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to every man every man according as his work shall be.

And so he's he ends here saying, "Listen, if I want mercy, I've got to show mercy as well." And so I I love this psalm. I'm really glad for somebody that the person who said, "Why don't we do that psalm?" Uh there's so much in that psalm that's a blessing. So the next psalm I'm going to look at here is somebody asked for Psalm 141. So if you want to turn over there, Psalms 141, and that's pages 35 and 36 of the notes. So, if you need a page 35 and 36, wave your hand here and Ricky will bring it to you and you can download it on ohana.urch/live. Um, Lord, I cry unto thee, make he haste unto me. Give ear unto my voice when I cry unto thee.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and the lifting of my hands as evening sacrifice. Again, it's some of the same themes throughout the psalm. We got to talk to God. We got to cry out to him. we got to share what's going on. Now, God knows my heart and he knows what's happening in my life, but he said, "Listen, I want you to call out to me. I want you to cry out to me." And and that's what the Lord asked us to do. And and that's what the psalmist do. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and lift up my my hands as the evening sacrifice. So, this is David's cry of psalms.

And the reason I think is this cry of Psalms because in in chapter 140 he says deliver me oh Lord from the evil man. Preserve me from the violent man which imagine and the whole thing is about how these people are against me. They set snares for me. They set traps for me. They've set pits for me. They are after me. He he was going through some really difficult challenges right at that point in his life. And and he says, "Lord, I I'm crying out to you because of what's happening in my life right now." Now he says,"Lord, I cry unto thee, make haste unto me." So why does why does he want the haste unto him?

Turn over to Habach um chapter 1. Uh Habach chapter 1 and verses 1 and two. Habach chapter 1:es 1 and two. The burden which Habach the prophet did see. Oh Lord, how long shall I cry and thou will not hear? even cry out unto thee of violence and thou will not save. Sometimes it just seems like, Lord, I need you right now. I can't wait. I I need you today. Lord, come in haste to me today. Come right now to me today. Um and so why is he in haste? I heard a saying once that you're How did it go? your disaster is not my problem. You know, uh you know, you're you've you're the one that waited too long.

You're the one that put it off too long. And and I think part of the reason maybe he's crying out, "Lord, haste to come to me," is because he waited too long to come to God. A lot of times we're we're behind the Aball and by the time we come to Lord, it's like my emergency is is now your problem, Lord. And and but it was it should should have come to you a long time ago. and uh he just waited too long to pray. Uh go over to Proverbs 1 and:es 26-30. Proverbs 1:es 26-30 says, "I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation, your destruction cometh as a whirlwind.

When when distress and anguish come upon you, then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall seek me early but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsel disposal all my proof. You know in other words you could have come to me a long time ago and you didn't. And now all of a sudden your emergency is my emergency. All of a sudden you need me now. Why weren't you asking about this a long time ago? Why did you pray about this before you got into this situation? You know and and doing that. Go over to Jeremiah chapter 29.

Jeremiah chapter 29 and verses 11 through13. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, sayith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil. I give you an expected end. Then shall you call upon me. You should go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And you shall seek me and find me when you shall search me with all your heart. You know what? God knows what's going on, but he's waiting for us. He's waiting for us to come to him. He's waiting for us to seek him out. And the psalmist finally realizes that, Lord, I need you. And God's saying, but wait a minute. Why is your emergency all of a sudden my emergency?

Why weren't you coming to me a long time ago? And we sometimes just wait too long to pray. And sometimes it's because God waits for a reason. Um, he has a purpose on waiting. In Psalms chapter 13, it's very short psalm. It says, "How long wil thou forgive me, oh Lord, forever? How long will thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, oh Lord my God. lighten mine eyes, lest I sl lest I sleep the sleep of death. Lest mine enemies say I have prevailed against him and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I trusted in thy mercy. My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully in me. And sometimes it does seem like, well, where is God? Why isn't God coming? Why isn't God answering my prayer? Why isn't God doing something? And and often it's because God says, "Listen, I I've got a reason. I know in my life there's many times that I've been frustrated. Uh when we were looking for this building, uh we're looking for a building. We looked for two years. I was looking all over the place." And I I got to point. I said, "God, aren't you hearing? Don't you see the need here?"

I said, "God, we've built a church for you, glory, and and you're not even giving us a place to meet in. And where where are you, Lord?" And God was trying to teach me patience. And God was also trying to teach me not to trust in myself because all the time I was saying, "God, you got to supply stability." I was going out there saying, "This one will work and I can make that one work and I can make this work." And God said, "You know what? When you slow down and when you stop trying to do it yourself and you're really ready to seek me, I'm going to show you something great." And he did. And that's the psalmist is here to say, "Lord, I I need you to haste.

I need you to do something right now. But not always does God do things right now in our time. Sometimes we have to learn to wait. Look at Psalms chapter 27. Psalms chapter 27 and verses 13 and 14. I had fainted unless I believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living. Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage. you strengthen that heart. Wait, I say in the Lord. Sometimes it's hard to wait. Sometimes think, I can't wait any longer. And what happens when we do that? We rush ahead of God and we do things our own way. And then we get a big mess out of it. And and and just got to learn to wait and we want God, God, do it now.

But sometimes we got to learn to wait on the Lord. Look at Lament um Lamentations chapter 3 and verses 25- 26. I think did we look at those already? Thanks. We looked at that already. So, we want to learn to wait on the Lord in doing that. Okay. So, going back to Psalms 141, it says, "Lord, I cry unto thee. Make haste unto me. Give ear unto my voice when I cry unto thee." So, why would God not hear his cry? Uh, go to Psalms chapter 66 and verses 18- 20. Psalms chapter 66. and verses 18- 20. You know, we didn't look at Lamentations. We looked at that verse, the last one, Psalm 62. So, let's go over to Lamentations real quick and uh take a look at that right before Ezekiel again.

Lamentations chapter 3:es 25 and 26. We looked at verses 22 and 23 for the last psalm there. Lamentations 35 and 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. And there's just times we got to learn to wait. And I don't know about you, but that's so hard for me. I am a go-getter type guy. I want it now. I have very little patience, you know, uh and and and and we got to learn to wait on the Lord. And that's what the psalmist has to remind himself of here. Now, let's go over to Psalm 66 [snorts] and:es 18-20.

Why would not God not hear his cry? Psalm 66:18-2. Regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. But verily God hath heard me. He hath attended the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. If you got iniquity, you got sin in your life, you got to get it right with God. God doesn't promise to hear our prayers when there's sin in our life. So, we've got to deal with that iniquity. Got to deal with that sin. And then look look at Zechariah 7 and verse number 13. Zechariah chapter 7 and verse number 13. Therefore, it has come to pass that as he cried and there would not that they would not hear.

So, they cried and I would not hear, sayeth the Lord of hosts. Why? because they weren't obeying. When we don't obey, why should God answer our prayers? My kids when they were younger would come to me and say, "Dad, what do you want me to do now?" "Well, have you cleaned your room?" "No." "Then don't ask me." You got to obey. You got to start by obeying. And then not asking according to his will. Look at James chapter 4 and verses 1-4. James chapter 4 and verses 1-4. From when once come wars and fightings among you, come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members. You lust and have not.

You kill and desire to have and cannot obtain. You fight and war yet you have not because you ask not. And you ask and receive not because you ask and miss that you may consume it upon your lusts. You adulterers and adulterers know you not that the friendship of the world is envied with God. Whosoever there will whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. We're not asking according to God's will. We're seeking it our own flesh and our own desires instead of what God wants. There's nothing wrong with saying, "God, here's what I want, but your will be done. Your will be done."

I was talking to somebody this week about um whether they're going to stay in a Year or leave. And I know what my prayer is going to be that they stay. But I want God's will for their life as well. And it may not be God's will for them to stay. And I want God's will more than I want them to stay. And we have to seek God's will in that process. And then 1 John chapter 5 and verse number 14. 1 John chapter 5 and verse number 14. It says, "And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us." And so it is important to seek God's will. Now, a lot of times we don't know God's will.

There's there's a lot of times we do know God's will. We're just not willing to admit it. Uh there's some things that are very clearly this is God's will. It's not God's will for you to divorce your spouse. You know, that's not God's will. It's not God's will for you to, you know, to to steal something. There's certain things we know are God's will from the word of God. There's other things to clear that's God's will even though it's not a verse, a chapter and verse to go by it. But sometimes we don't know God's will. And that's what we have this I think that's somewhat of what the psalmist here is saying.

Lord, I don't know what to do in this situation. And so I want you to hear my cry. I want your will. I want you to show me what's the right thing to do. And I think that that's what's happening here with the psalmist as well. Okay. And then he goes on in verse number two. He says, "Let my prayer be set before thee as incense." So, how is a prayer like incense? We don't use incense in our worship. Um, a lot of Eastern religions do and even the Catholic religions uses it. Well, um, and and in the Old Testament, they would have things that were like that. Go over to Exodus 30 and verse number 8. Exodus 30 and verse number 8.

And when Aaron lightth the lamps at evening, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. In other words, incense was constantly burning 24/7, 365 days a year. And it it represented that constant prayers going up to God. Now, we don't burn incense as as examples of our prayer. We don't do that physically. But what he's picturing here is that we should continue in prayer. that we should continue in prayer. Let my prayers before these incense that that not just a one-time prayer that Lord, this is coming before you because I really want your will.

I really want you to work in this situation. Um in Romans chap 12 and verse number 12, Romans 12 and verse 12, rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation, continue instant in prayer. We've got to be patient and just continue in prayer. And then also look at um Colossians chapter 4 and verse number two. Colossians 4 and verse number two. Colossians 4:2 says, "Continue in prayer, watching the same with thanksgiving." So continue in prayer to pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 uh and Luke 8:18 men ought always to pray and not to faint and and so the psalmist has used this picture of incense is that my prayers are continually doesn't mean we pray 247 but it means our prayers we're we're right there in connection with God.

We're right there. Lord, not forgetting to pray and and seeking the Lord. Okay. So, um, going back to Psalms 141, just a couple of things there in verse, we'll look at verses 3 and 4. He says, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity, and let me not eat of their dainties." So, he says, "Put a guard on my heart. Put a watch on my h my mouth and keep the door of my lips. Incline mine not my heart. So it protect me in these areas. Let me put a guard. Proverbs 4:23 says keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.

That word keep means put a guard or watch on your heart. And and so the psalm is saying help me watch my heart because out of the heart out of the abundance of the heart cometh the words I say and the things that I think. That's where it comes from. And so I've got to keep my heart right with the Lord and then control the gate as well. Uh my mouth and my lips and and control what comes out of those as well. And so controlling what comes out of my mouth is important. Go over to Proverbs 13 and verse number three. Proverbs 13:3. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life, but he that openeth wide his lip shall have destruction.

So we just need to control our mouth. And the best way to control your mouth is to control your heart because out of the heart, what is the heart man speaketh and so what comes out of my mouth is coming from my heart. And so I got to keep that heart right with the Lord. And then Proverbs chapter 21 and verse number 23. Proverbs chapter 21 and verse number 23. Whoso keepeth his mouth, his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. Uh there's there was dozens of verses I could have gone to in Proverbs. It's just full of them. The problem with the mouth, not the control thing. The mouth tells us in in in James that the mouth is a little thing, but yet it does great damage.

And and we need to control what comes out of our mouth and out of our lips. But the best way to control what's in our heart. So we got to control lying. Um, well, let's go to Ephesians chapter 4. We'll look at a couple verses there. Ephesians chapter 4 and verses 22- 24 it says that you put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to sinful lust and be renewed in the spirit of your mind that you put on the new man which after God has created righteousness and true holiness. So put off the corrupt the former conversation. Now the word conversation means your lifestyle but it also means the words that you speak.

Changing the way we talk. And verse 25 wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbor for remembers one of another. And so we need to uh deal with lying to be honest with each other. Speaking the truth in love. It tells us in Ephesians chapter 4 uh and verse 25 to speak every man truth his neighbor. And then in verse 15, but speaking the truth in love may grow up into all things which is said in Christ. So I want to be honest. Now there's such thing as being too honest. And you don't have to say everything that comes to your, you know, in your thoughts and all, but you want to be honest with each other.

Not hiding things, not lying. And then curse words. Ephesians 4:29, he says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good, the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Look at chapter um five and verse number four. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor justing, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks. It's describing all kinds of different words, filthy words that that just are are coarse and and immoral uh words that are foolish talking, jesting, which is not convenient. These are the kind of things that should not come out of my mouth and and whether it's curse words or swear words or whatever you want to call it and they should not be part of our vocabulary.

We should not use those kind of words. And then uh we'll have to finish up next week. We're out of time, but we'll talk about the other things that should not come out of our mouth. I I hope this psalm I've enjoyed studying it. Uh I hope I'm getting some of that across to you as well. There's so much he's saying here and and I think it's just a challenge. Both Psalm 62 and 14541 have been a blessing. And I hope they'll be a blessing to you as well as you review through