The holy spirit as the good spirit

THE HOLY SPIRIT AS THE GOOD SPIRIT
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Psalm143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my
God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
"i Flee Unto Thee To Hide Me."
Psalm143:9
S. Conway
Thus does the psalmist setforth the soul's swift flight to its sure shelter in
God. The man who wrote this psalm was evidently one who had been greatly
tried; but when we see the blessedhelp that has come to myriad souls through
the records of his experiences, we are taught thereby one reasonat leastfor
the trials of the people of God. Now, here -
I. WE HAVE A GOODLY EXAMPLE. That in all our troubles we should flee
to God to hide us. Now, in order to this:
1. We must see our need of such shelter. We shall never do as did the psalmist,
unless, like him, we see and feel the greatdanger we are in. Our text is the
language ofone who realizes his peril. This, in regard to things of the soul, is
what so many fail to do. They cannotbe got to believe that there is any need

wherefore they should trouble themselves. Hence, as in the days of Noah, men
went on in their wonted ways, although solemnly and repeatedlywarned, until
the Floodcame and sweptthem all away. And thus indifferent and
unbelieving the mass of men are still. But he who is awakenedby God's grace
to the reality of things will clearlysee his need of shelterfrom the guilt of his
sin, from its terrible power, and from the cruel oppressionof this world's
calamities and sorrows. He sees this, and therefore says, "I flee unto," etc.
2. He sees also his own weakness. He would not flee if he could fight with any
hope of success;or if he knew how to protect himself from the evils which he
fears, or had resources ofwhich he could avail himself. But it is because he
knows all this is impossible to him, therefore he flees unto God.
3. He has implicit and unlimited confidence in God. He believed that God was
both able and willing to save him, and that God would be well pleasedthat he
should flee to him, which he might do if he would. He felt that all would be
well with him were he once shelteredwithin the cleft of the Rock, hidden in
the secretplace ofthe MostHigh. He was quite sure that to betake himself
there was his truest wisdom, even as it was his settledresolve.
4. He realizes that his need is urgent. "I flee unto thee," etc. No time was to be
lost; he might not delay having recourse to God. "The Name of the Lord is a
strong tower:the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." So would he run into
the strong shelter of God.
5. His trust in God is realand active. Thousands of men talk of finding refuge
in God, but they never setout to find it. But the psalmist's religion was a
reality to him; he got realblessing and help out of it; he had evidently often
found a sure retreat and hiding-place from all evil in God. Ah! how much we
lose by not doing the things that we say! by letting professions serve insteadof
practice!This man actually fled awayto God.
II. THE SUGGESTEDAND SADLY TOO COMMON CONTRAST,Every
word in the text reminds us of the different conduct which is so commonly
seen. Forexample:

1. Many will recommend others to flee unto God; but they never do so
themselves. They cannotsay, "/flee unto thee." This is why so many sermons
are so ineffectual. The people who hear them feelthat the preacherknows
nothing experimentally of what he is talking about.
2. Or, if they do not refuse to go, their going is very slow. There is all too little
of fleeing unto God. We take things far too easyfor that. John the Baptist
might preach, "Flee from the wrath to come!" but how few heeded what he
said! And so it is still. Men do not believe that there is any need to escapeas
for their life; and hence, with all leisure, and often listlessness,they proceedin
regard to their salvation.
3. And many when in trouble flee awayfrom, rather than unto, God. They
plunge into business, into pleasure, into sin; they harden themselves in
unbelief; they set themselves defiantly against God.
4. Others flee to all manner of substitutes for God. "Takeawayher
battlements; they are not the Lord's!" so said the Prophet Jeremiah,
concerning the many refuges of lies behind which so many of his countrymen
were thinking that they would find shelter. And so still, how many are
thinking that in priests and sacraments,in Churches and Creeds, in religious
rites and observances, theyshall find help, when such help is in God alone!
5. And many will seek from God, not deliverance from spiritual evil, but
rather comfort in it. They do not mind the sin so much as its discomfort, and
they want God to take that away. If he will do that, they will not mind the evil
thing itself. All they want is comfort. But God's will and way is to severus
from our sin, and to place us where it cannot reachus. This should be our
desire, as it was his who wrote this psalm. Then alone are we blessed.
III. OUR SUPREME WISDOM. Forto do as is here said is nothing less;we
then are wise unto salvation. For:
1. God is honored when we thus flee to him. How did the king in the parable
feel when he had made the greatsupper, and all things were ready, but the
invited guests beganwith one consentto make excuse? And God has provided

for all our need. Will he not feel dishonored if we refuse, but glorified if we
take what hems offered?
2. And our fellow-men will be encouragedto follow our example. "No man
liveth unto himself." If any one travel truly the road to heaven, he will not
want for companionship.
3. We ourselves shall be blessedindeed. Having fled unto Godto hide him -
guilt, sin, sorrow, death, are powerless to really harm him even now; and soon
they will be unable to reachhim at all. He dwells "in the secretplace of the
MostHigh, and abides under," etc. - S.C.
Teachme to do Thy will; for Thou art my God.
Psalm143:10
The delight of the godly
H. B. Saxton.
: —
I. THE GODLY MAN'S PRAYER. Humility, teachableness,sense ofhis own
ignorance should characterize the Christian; as also the greatness andglory,
the wisdomand power of Him who is his God.
II. THE GODLY MAN'S DELIGHT.
1. What is the will of God?(1)Our sanctification(1 Thessalonians4:3).(2)He
wills that we should render Him most hearty thanksgiving for all the mercies
with which He so bountifully blesses us (1 Thessalonians5:18).(3)He wills that
by our well-doing we should adorn the Gospel(1 Peter2:15). "The Christian
is the true evidence of Christianity" (Drummond). "Adorn the Gospel." Let
the jewels be set in gold.
2. Knowing His will, having learnt it, we must do it, and do it heartily.

3. The more we do what we have been taught, the more will the Lord our God
revealto us of His will.
(H. B. Saxton.)
The supreme desire of the devout soul
A. Maclaren, D. D.
: —
I. THE SUPREME AIM OF THE DEVOUT SOUL. The tempest blows him to
the throne of God; and when he is there, what does he ask? Deliverance?
Scarcely. In one clause, and againat the end, as if by a kind of after-thought,
he asks for the removal of the calamities. But the main burden of his prayer is
for a closerknowledgeofGod, the sound of His lovingkindness in his inward
ear, light to show him the way wherein he should walk, and the sweetsunshine
of God's face upon his heart. There is a better thing to ask than exemption
from sorrows, evengrace to bear them rightly. The river of the waterof life
that proceeds from the throne of God and the Lamb is not sent merely to
refresh thirsty lips and to bring music into the silence of a waterlessdesert,
but it is sent to drive the wheels oflife. Action, not thought, is the end of God's
revelation and the perfecting of man.
II. THE DIVINE TEACHING AND TOUCH WHICH ARE REQUIRED
FOR THIS CONFORMITY. The psalmistbetakes himself to prayer because
he knows that of himself he cannot bring his will into this attitude of
harmonious submission. And his prayer for "teaching" is deepened in the
secondclause ofour text into a petition which sets the felt need and the
covetedhelp in a still more striking light, in its cry for the touch of God's good
spirit to guide, as by a hand grasping the psalmist's hand into the paths of
obedience. You and I have Jesus Christ for our Teacher, the answerto the
psalm. His teaching is inward, and deep, and real, and answers to all the
necessitiesofthe case. We have His example to stand as our perfectlaw. He
comes into our hearts, He moulds our wills, His teaching is by inward
impulses and communications of desire and powerto do, as well as of light to

know. A law has been given which can give life. As the modeller will take a
piece of wax into his hand, and by warmth and manipulation make it soft and
pliable, so Jesus Christ, if we let Him, will take our hard hearts into His
hands, and by gentle, loving, subtle touches, will shape them into the pattern
of His own perfectbeauty, and will mould all their vagrant inclinations and
aberrant distortions into "one immortal feature of loveliness and perfection."
III. THE DIVINE GUARANTEE THAT THIS PRACTICAL
CONFORMITYSHALL BE OURS. The psalmist pleads with God a double
motive — His relation to us and His own perfectness. "Thouart my God;
therefore teachme." "Thy Spirit is good; therefore lead me," etc. Note, then,
first, God's personalrelation to the devout soul as the guarantee that that soul
shall be taught not merely to know, but also to do His will. If He be "my
God," there can be no deeperdesire in His heart than that His will should be
my will. And so desiring, He does it, not from any masterfulness or love of
dominion, but only from love to us. And, on the other hand, if we have taken
Him for ours, and have the bond knit from our side as well as from His, then
the factof our faith gives us a claim on Him which He is sure to honour. The
soul that cansay, "I have takenThee for mine," has a hold on God which God
is only too glad to recognize and to vindicate. And whosoever, humbly trusting
to that greatFather in the heavens, feels that he belongs to God, and that God
belongs to him, is warrantedin saying, "Teachme, and make me to do Thy
will," and in being confident of an answer. And there is the other plea with
Him and guarantee for us, drawn from God's own moral characterand
perfectness. The lastclause may either be read, "Thy Spirit is good; leadme,"
or "Let Thy goodSpirit leadme." In either case the goodness ofthe Divine
Spirit is the plea on which the prayer is grounded. The goodness here
,referred to is, as I take it, not merely beneficence and kindliness, but rather
goodness in its broader and loftier sense ofperfect moral purity. So that the
thought just comes to this — we have the right to expectthat we shall be made
participant of the Divine nature. So sweet, to deep, so tender is the tie that
knits a devout soul to God, that nothing short of conformity to the perfect
purity of God cansatisfy the aspirations of the creature or discharge the
obligations of the Creator.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)

Active obedience to the will of God
G. Bainton.
: —
I. ASPIRATION REVEALED. The great essentialto a religious life is active
obedience to God's will. The knowledge is not in itself religion; but the
Christian is "that faithful and wise servant whom the Lord, when He cometh,
shall find so doing." Hence perfection of characterconsistsnot in knowledge,
but obedience, because —
1. Obedience is superior to knowledge. Itis possible for a man to have a
Scriptural creedand to have an ungodly heart. The question must ever be, "Is
thine heart right?" For "if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
2. Knowledge alone is positively criminal. How vast the dishonour done to
God, when, with a perfect knowledge ofduty, the man is neglectful of his
privilege, and refuses the obedience which of right he owes to God l The
possessionofthe knowledge will be but an aggravationof the offence.
II. DEFICIENCYACKNOWLEDGED. itwas a practicaldeficiency —
1. As the knowledge ofGod's will in the particular circumstances oflife.
2. As to the knowledge ofthe hindrances to the performance of God's will.
3. As to the practicalskill of doing the will of God.
III. DESIRE EXPRESSED. Like the psalmist, we must seek to be taught
obedience to God's will.
1. In the particular circumstances oflife. It must be our prayer in the minute
detail of life to fulfil the will of God. "He that is faithful in that which is least,"
etc.
2. In dealing with the hindrances to its fulfilment. The best and holiest must
feel that they have reasonto prostrate themselves before the Lord. He knows
the ills and difficulties of life, and He will help us to overcome them. The

mysteries of life must quicken us to place ourselves under the guidance of our
heavenly Father.
3. In its active fulfilment. "Teachme to do Thy will." Self-reliance gives place
to self-confidence, and hence the necessityto trust in God and not in self.
(G. Bainton.)
Prayer for Divine teaching
H. P. Wright, B. A.
: —
I. THE PSALMIST'S NEED.
1. He felt that he was ignorant, and needed Divine illumination. He desired
that God's will might be made clearto him (ver. 8).
2. He felt that he was weak, andneeded strength to do, as wellas enlightening
to know, God's will.
II. THE PSALMIST'S PRAYER. "Teachme to do Thy will."
1. He felt it to be his duty to do so. He would observe that all nature, man only
excepted, does the Divine will and never swerves from it.
2. He felt that God's will was best. He knew that He had pleasure in the
prosperity — spiritual and temporal — of His servants (Psalm 35:27). He
would seek to acquiescein the will of God, who sometimes takes away
temporal blessings that man's affections may be more completelyfixed upon
his Creator, and causes him to pass through the furnace of affliction that
when he is tried he may come forth as gold(Job 23:10).
III. THE PSALMIST'S PLEA. "ForThou art my God."
1. He had realized to some extent God's love towards him.
2. He rejoicedin His love and desiredto have God for his portion for ever.

3. He loved God and sought to do the things that please Him.
(H. P. Wright, B. A.)
At school:
I. THE PRAYER.
1. Its character.
(1)Holy.
(2)Humble.
(3)Docile.
(4)Acquiescent.
(5)Believing.
(6)Practical.
2. Its compass. "Lord, teachme to do Thy will, whether it is the will of the
greatones of the earth, or the will of my influential friends, or the will of my
loudtalking neighbours or not. Help me to do Thy will, to take my stand, and
say, 'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.'" It is a blessedprayer.
The more we look at it the more we see in it.
3. How ought God's will to be done?
(1)Thoughtfully.
(2)Immediately.
(3)Cheerfully.
(4)Constantly.
(5)Universally.
(6)Spiritually.

(7)Intensely.
II. THE ANSWER.
1. There is a reasonfor expecting it. "Thou art my God."
2. It needs to be answered. No one but God canteachus His will.
3. It is answered.
(1)In Jesus Christ, as our Example.
(2)In sacredbiographies.
(3)In every line of the Bible.
(4)By the teaching of the Holy Spirit.
( C. H. Spurgeon.)
"Teachme
A. Symson.
An argument to move God to teachhim, because He is his God, and doth trust
in none but in Him. As if David should say: Thou promised me help of Thy
free favour, help me then in this my danger. Whereby he would teach us two
principal lessons. First, by this that he desireth God to teachhim to do His
will, because He was his God, we learn that it is not in our own arbitrament or
choice to do God's will, but His specialgrace, who preventeth us by His
favour, and becomethour God, and after frameth us to do His will and obey
Him. Secondly, that if He be our God, and we will callupon Him in our
troubles, it were requisite we should frame ourselves to obey Him. If He be
our God, where is His love and obedience? If He be our Father, where is His
honour? So he must of necessitybe an atheist who saith in his heart, there is
no God; who professethGod in his mouth, and in his works denieth Him;
following his own pleasure in place of God's will.
(A. Symson.)

The doing of God's will
F. W. Faber.
: — "Thy will be done" is not a prayer of resignationonly. Something is to be
done. It calls for action, not passivity. The will is to be done by men. When we
pray that men may do it, if we pray honestly, we mean that we are ready to do
it. Are we? Are we doing it? Is what we have planned to do to-day just what
we think is the will of God?
(F. W. Faber.)
Thy Spirit is good.
The goodSpirit
Thomas Spurgeon.
: — I trust that we shall never fail to see that on God's goodSpirit we are
dependent for all goodthings, and that that Church is doomed to waste away
to absolute nothingness and uselessnesswhichdoes not draw its fresh supplies
of strength eachday and hour from God the Holy Ghost.
I. First, we shall, I hope, be disposed to say "Thy Spirit is good" WHEN WE
REMEMBERHIS RELATIONSHIPS. Whence is the Spirit? from what
quarter does He reach to us? With whom is He associated? from whom does
He proceed? By whom has He been sent forth to dwell amidst the Church, and
in God's people's hearts? The answeris of course familiar to you.
1. This Spirit is goodbecause He is the Spirit of God, He is God Himself. He is
goodbecause Godis good.
2. MoreoverHe is spokenof as the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God's
Son. Now, Christ is good. His very enemies declaredthat they could discover
no sort of fault in Him.

3. He is spokenof as the Spirit of promise. The Spirit of promise is bound to
be a goodSpirit, for He is God's promise and Christ's promise. Our earthly
fathers, so far as their judgment goes, give goodgifts unto their children; our
heavenly Father cannotfail even in His judgment.
II. We shall be still surer of this fact, I hope, WHEN WE CONSIDER HIS
ATTRIBUTES. I have only time, of course, to glance at them.
1. He is mighty, how mighty it is not for human tongues to try to say. He is
almighty; there is no limit to His power. "Thy Spirit is good" we may well
exclaim, when we think both of His terrible acts, and of the might of those acts
of mercy which have made Him renowned and reveredto every believer.
"Thy Spirit is good." He is as mighty now as He was then. What God hath
done, God cando. We are straitenedin ourselves. The Spirit is omnipotent
still. Let us both test and trust His power.
2. He is gracious and gentle.
3. He is wise.
4. He is true.
5. He is holy. All that is sweet, and lovely, and pure, and of goodreport
pertains to Him.
III. Further, I WANT TO CALL TO YOUR MIND HIS SEVERAL
OFFICES, forthese are proofs that He is good. What He does, as well as what
He is and whence He comes, substantiates this fact. He creates.By Jesus
Christ the world was made, and "without Him was not anything made that
was made," but the Spirit co-operatedwith Him. "And Godsaid, Let us make
man in our image, after our likeness."In the creationof man, as in all else,
God the Spirit was engaged, as wellas God the Father and Christ the Son. Is
He not a goodSpirit, then? Now, the Holy Ghostis still engagedin this sacred
service, creating, recreating, making hearts new, bringing chaos out of the
void, brooding over the darkness and disorder and transforming them into
brightness and beauty. Proceed, goodSpirit, with this goodwork, till all
things are made new. 'Tis He who quickens and illuminates, 'tis He who
teaches and leads. It was the Holy Ghostwho led the children of Israelin the

wilderness. The fiery cloudy pillar was the outward sign of Divine guidance,
hut it is written, "Thou gavestalso Thy goodSpirit to instruct them." In
specialcases, where much wisdom and judgment were required, the Holy
Ghostwas the Author of these goodthings. Still He seals His saints, still He is
the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry, "Abba, Father." It is even now His
blessedfunction to bear witness with our spirits that we are the children of
God. He has not forsakenHis task of comforting the sorrowful:He is to this
day the Paraclete.
IV. The same truth is exhibited or rather illustrated by the VARIOUS
EMBLEMS BY WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS DESCRIBED IN THE
WORD OF GOD. He is spokenof as a fire. In such guise He sat upon the
heads of the disciples. He is the Spirit of burning. You know that fire is a good
servants, if a bad master, but the Holy Ghost as fire is goodboth as master
and servant. He is willing to serve us as well as to employ us, and as fire He
lights, and cheers, and warms us. The Holy Spirit may be comparedto dew-
cheering, beautifying, fertilizing. The Holy Ghost is comparedto a dove, that
gentlestof featheredfowl. In this semblance He lighted upon Jesus. Listento
the voice of this celestialturtle dove as it is heard in our land, for it speaks of
spring-time come and summer-time about to appear. He is comparedto the
wind, a mighty rushing wind. Get into the draught of that wind, I beseechyou,
it is a trade wind that wafts us to our desired haven. True, it destroys, but it
destroys only what we are better rid of Deadwood, broken branches,
withered leaves, these He sweeps awayas with a bosom. They are better gone.
"Thy Spirit is good." In whateverform He works or acts upon us He is
welcome.
(Thomas Spurgeon.)
A Complaint and a Prayer
C. Short
Psalm143:1-12

Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications:in your faithfulness
answerme, and in your righteousness.…
This the lastof the penitential psalms. The authorship and occasionofit
uncertain. Pervaded by a deep tone of sorrow and anguishand a deep sense of
sin. Roughly divided, the first part (vers. 1-6) contains the complaint; and the
second(vers. 7-12), the prayer founded on that complaint.
I. THE COMPLAINT.
1. His enemies overwhelmed with a sense ofdesolation. (Vers. 3, 4.) "His life
was smitten down;" he dwelt as in the darkness of death; his heart was
desolate. No friend was left; no protectionfrom the cruel injustice of men. He
was as if forsakenof God. All this was the means of revealing the sinfulness
and misery of his own heart.
2. The contrastbetween his past and presentexperience. (Ver. 5.) This
embittered his anguish and added to the sense of his desolation.
3. He stands as one imploring help. (Ver. 6.) But to whom, as yet, help has not
come. As parched land thirsts for rain, so he pants for the help of God.
II. THE PRAYER. The petitions in vers. 7-12 may be thus grouped:
1. Prayerfor speedyloving-kindness and direction. (Vers. 7, 8.)

2. Fordeliverance from enemies and fuller knowledge ofGod's will. (Vers. 9,
10.)And for powerto obey that will when thus made known.
3. Fornew life and deliverance from the sufferings causedby his enemies.
(Vers. 11, 12.)A new internal and external life - a complete change.
4. The ground of the severalpetitions is the personalrelation of the psalmist to
God. "Thouart my God;" "In thee have I trusted;" "I am thy servant;" etc.
Man is God's child. These the strongestappeals that could be made. - S.
A Penitential Soul in Prayer
David Thomas, D. D.
Psalm143:1-12
answerme, and in your righteousness.…
: —
I. THE REASONS URGED.
1. A consciousnessofmoral unrighteousness (ver. 2). No man will ever pray
rightly until he is made deeply conscious thathe has no claims whateverupon

the favour of God, and that his necessities, ifrelieved at all, must be relieved
by sovereignmercy alone.
2. A terrible sense ofdanger (vers. 3, 4).
3. An encouraging reminiscence ofGod (ver. 5).
4. An intense craving of the heart (ver. 6). There are two figures here
indicating the craving of the heart after God. The first is taken from human
life. As the suffering child stretches forth its hand to its mother, as the dying
patient to his physician, as the drowning man to the rope thrown out for his
rescue, so the soul of the penitent stretches outJim hands to God; he must
have Him or die and be lost. God is the necessityofnecessities, the Supreme
need. Another figure indicating the craving of the heart after God is the
longing of the parched earth for fertile showers.
II. THE BLESSINGS INVOKED.
1. Soul deliverance (ver. 7). This has been provided in Christ.
2. Soul guidance (ver. 8). Let the morning dawn on me, and The night of
darkness and sorrow depart, and show me the way in which I ought to walk,
— the way of rectitude, of safety.
3. Soul loyalty (ver. 10).

4. Soul quickening (ver. 11). There must be life to struggle for deliverance, life
to follow the Divine guidance, to reachthe level land of rectitude, and to walk
in it.
(David Thomas, D. D.)
The Cry of the Overwhelmed Spirit
S. Conway
Psalm143:1-12
answerme, and in your righteousness.
I. ITS CHARACTERISTICS.
1. How earnestit is! The psalmist was not in any light, indifferent, or formal
spirit when he uttered this prayer. Its intensity is evident all the way through.
2. And believing. "In thy faithfulness answerme" (ver. 1). He believed the
promises of God, and claims their fulfillment, expects that what God has
promised he will make good. Such expectationis all too rare; and its rarity
accounts for the many unansweredprayers over which we mourn.
3. And sincere. "And in thy righteousness"(ver. 1). If he had regarded
iniquity in his heart, he could not thus have prayed, for he would have known
that the Lord would not hear him; but he could appealto him who was the

righteous Searcherof all hearts, that with true heart he prayed. Hence he
could appeal - to the righteousnessofGod, because "the righteous Lord loveth
righteousness, andhis countenance doth behold the upright."
4. Humble. (Ver. 2.) For whilst he could appealto God to attesthis innocence
and sincerity of heart, that did not prove him to be faultless in the sight of
God. St. Paul said, "I know nothing againstmyself; yet am I not hereby
justified." And similar to this is the psalmist's confessionhere. He might be,
and he was, innocent before men, and sincere in heart towardGod; but yet
there were many a trangressionand fault and failure, the remembrance of
which made him pray, "Enter not into judgment," etc. (ver. 2). Such were the
characteristicsofthis prayer, and should be of all prayer - indeed, must be, if
our prayers are to avail.
II. ITS COMPLAINT. The psalmist tells what his enemies had done against
him (ver. 3).
1. They had persecutedhis soul. He had, no doubt, some outward, present
persecutionin his thought; but in reading this psalm we may transfer his
words to those spiritual persecutions which we often have to suffer at the
hands of our greatenemy; and, thus applied, the whole psalm answers to all
too frequent experience of the people of God today. For the enemy doth by all
manner of temptation persecute our soul - he suggestsdoubt, he stirs up evil
thoughts, he assails ourfaith, he darkens our mind, and in every way seeks to
loosenour hold on God.
2. And some have to confess, "He hath smitten my life down to the ground."
There have been periods in the history of God's servants - there were in
David's - when the Divine life in them has been all but non-existent, when they
could not pray, nor witness for God, nor give him praise, nor render any

service of a spiritual kind. They have been terrible seasons -the enemy hath
come in like a flood, and the overwhelmed ones were unable to pray that "the
Spirit of the Lord would lift up a standard againsthim."
3. And then, in consequence, there has been the "dwelling in darkness, as
those that have been long dead." Oh, the darkness ofthat time! it was as the
gloomof the grave. The soul that the enemy hath so smitten is conscious ofhis
awful loss;that the life of God in him is seeminglygone;and he seems
abandoned to the utter corruption of sin! No wonder that his spirit is
overwhelmed and his heart desolate (ver. 4). How could it be otherwise? He is
simply and utterly miserable.
III. THE COMING OF RELIEF.
1. God leads him to remember the days of old. To hunger after those blessed
times when God came to his soul, and was his Helper and Deliverer. Full of
help are memories like these.
2. Then to "meditate on all thy works." To see the wisdom, power, and love
displayed in them, and so to hope that for him, too, there should be wrought
some gracious work of God. As he thus mused, the fire of love and desire and
faith would begin to burn, and then his musing thought would take form and
action; for:
3. He would stretchforth his hands unto God. His soulwas athirst for God,
and now forth go his hands in prayer. Yes, relief was coming; for there are its
near harbingers, everywhere and always.

IV. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN TAKEN BY FORCE. (Vers. 7-12.)What
a crowdand rush of prayers, protestations, cries, and pleadings, these verses
contain! One after another they come, in hot haste and eagernessthat will
take no denial. It is a very besiegementofthe throne of grace. But the chief
burden of all is, not for deliverance from enemies, but for a closerknowledge
of God; the consciousnessofhis favor, the speedyhearing of his loving-
kindness;the being made to know the waywherein God would have him walk.
Then come prayers that God would teach, would lead, would quicken, and
would bring his soul out of trouble. There is prayer for deliverance from
calamities;but the greatlonging is after the doing of God's will, and the
quickening of his soul in righteousness.Prayerhelps him in attaining that
submissiveness ofwill which is essentialto his gaining that unspeakable
blessing on which his heart is set. And in proportion as a man is taught of
God, this is the supreme desire of his soul. If he gains this, it matters not much
whether the outward calamities go or stay. If God's face shines upon him,
man's may frown as it will. He has heavenwithin him, even though hell be
outside of and all around him. What canany enemy do unto him, since God is
on his side? He has won the kingdom of heaven, and no man cantake it from
him. Blessedis any sorrow when such reactionas this psalm reveals follows
from it ] The light affliction which was for the moment is now working out the
"far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." The travail of his soul has
issuedin the glorious birth of the life of the love of God. And this is ever God's
intent in all our sorrows;for this he lets the enemy smite our soul down to the
ground, and make us dwell in darkness. He desires that we should flee unto
him to hide us. And, blessedbe his Name! he ever will; and far more than that
will he do. - S.C.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
SPURGEON

Verse 10. Teachme to do thy will. How childlike -- "teachme"! How practical
"Teachme to do"! How undivided in obedience -- "to do thy will"! To do all
of it, let it be what it may. This is the best form of instruction, for its source is
God, its objectis holiness, its spirit is that of hearty loyalty. The man is hidden
in the Lord, and spends his peacefullife in learning the will of his Preserver. A
heart cannot long be desolate whichis thus docile. Forthou art my God. Who
else canteach me as thou canst? Who else will care to do it but my God? Thou
hast given me thyself, thou wilt surely give me lily teaching. If I have thee,
may I not ask to have thy perfect mind? When the heart can sincerelycall
Jehovah"my God", the understanding is ready to learn of him, the will is
prepared to obey him, the whole man is eagerto please him. "Thy spirit is
good." Godis all spirit and all good. His essenceis goodness,kindness,
holiness:it is his nature to do good, and what greatergoodcanhe do to us
than to hear such a prayer as that which follows -- Lead we into the land of
uprightness? David would fain be among the godly, in a land of another sort
from that which had casthim out. He sighed for the upland meadows ofgrace,
the table lands of peace, the fertile plains of communion. He could not reach
them of himself; he must be led there. God, who is good, canbest conduct us
to the goodlyland. There is no inheritance like a portion in the land of
promise, the land of precept, the land of perfectness. He who teaches us must
put us into leading strings, and guide and conduct us to his own dwelling place
in the country of holiness. The way is long, and steep, and he who goes without
a divine leader will faint on the journey; but with Jehovahto lead it is
delightful to follow, and there is neither stumbling nor wandering.
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Verse 10. Teachme to do thy will. He saith not, Teachme to know thy will,
but to do thy will. God teaches us in three ways. First, by his word. Secondly,
he illuminates our minds by the Spirit. Thirdly, he imprints it in our hearts
and maketh us obedient to the same;for the servant who knoweththe will of
his master, and doeth it not, shall be beatenwith many stripes: Luke 12:47 . --
Archibald Symson.

Verse 10. Teachme to do thy will. We are to pray that God would teachus to
know, and then teachus to do, his will. Knowledge without obedience is lame,
obedience without knowledge is blind; and we must never hope for acceptance
if we offer the blind and the lame to God. --Vincent Alsop (-1703), in "The
Morning Exercises."
Verse 10. Teachme to do thy will. The Lord doth no soonercallhis people to,
himself, but as soonas ever he hath thus crownedthem with these glorious
privileges, and given them any sense and feeling of them, them they
immediately cry out, O Lord, what shall I now do for thee? How shall I now
live to thee? They know now that they are no more their own, but his; and
therefore should now live to him.
It is true indeed obedience to the law is not required of us now as it was of
Adam; it was required of him as a condition antecedentto life, but of those
that be in Christ it is required only as a duty consequentto life, or as a rule of
life, that seeing he hath purchased our lives in redemption, and actually given
us life in vocationand sanctification, we should now live unto him, in all
thankful and fruitful obedience, according to his will revealedin the moral
law. It is a vain thing to imagine that our obedience is to have no other rule
but the Spirit, without an attendance to the law: the Spirit is indeed the
efficient cause ofour obedience, and hence we are said to be "led by the
Spirit" ( Romans 8:14 ); but it is not properly the rule of our obedience, but
the will of Godrevealed in his word, especiallyin the law, is the rule; the
Spirit is the wind that drives us in our obedience;the law is our compass,
according to which it steers our course for us: the Spirit and the law, the wind
and the compass, canstand well together. Teachme to do thy will; for thou
art my God (there is David's rule, viz., God's will revealed);Thy Spirit is good
(there is David's wind, that enabled him to steerhis course according to it).
The Spirit of life doth free us from the law of sin and death; but not from the
holy, and pure, and good, and righteous law of God. Romans 8:1-3 . --Thomas
Shepherd, in "The Sound Believer", 1671.
Verse 10. Teachme to do thy will, etc. We are inclined and enabled to goodby
the sanctifying Spirit. In the Christian religion, not only the precepts are good,
but there goethalong with them the powerof God to make us good. Teachme

to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy Spirit is good. The Spirit's direction
hath strength joined with it. And he is a goodSpirit, as he doth incline us to
good. The Spirit is the only fountain of all goodness andholiness:Nehemiah
9:20 , "Thou gavestalso thy goodSpirit to instruct them." Why is he so often
calledthe goodSpirit, but that all his operations tend to make men goodand
holy? Ephesians 5:9 , "The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnessand
righteousness andtruth." -- Thomas Manton.
Verse 10. Thy Spirit is good;lead me, says the Psalmist. And therefore it is a
usual phrase in Romans 8:1-39 , and Galatians 4:1-31 , our being led by the
Spirit. --Thomas Goodwin.
Verse 10. Lead me into the land of uprightness, into the communion of saints,
that pleasantland of the upright; or into a settledcourse of holy living, which
will lead to heaven, that land of uprightness, where holiness will be in
perfection, and he that is holy will be holy still. We should desire to be led and
kept safe to heaven, not only because it is a land of blessedness, but because it
is a land of uprightness; it is the perfection of grace. -- Matthew Henry.
Verse 10. Lead me. Man by nature is as a cripple and blind, he cannotgo
upright unless he be led by a superior spirit; yea, he must be carriedas an
eagle carriethher little ones, or as a mother her tender child. Think not that
we can step one right step to heavenbut by the conduct and convoy of God's
Holy Spirit. Miserable are those who go without his conduction. --Archibald
Symson.
Verse 10. The land of uprightness. Mishor is the name for the smooth upland
downs of Moab( Deuteronomy 3:10 Joshua 13:17 20:8 Jeremiah 48:8
Jeremiah48:21 ). Derived from the root "yashar", "even, level plain", it
naturally came to be used figuratively for equity, right, righteous, and
uprightness. Malachi2:6 Isaiah 11:4 Psalms 45:7 67:5 143:10. --Cunningham
Geikie, in "Hours with the Bible", 1884.
Verse 10. The land of uprightness. The land of plainness, a land where no
wickednessofmen, and malice of Satan, vex the soul from day to day; a land
where no rough paths and crookedturns lengthen out the traveller's weary
journey (see Psalms 143:5 ); but where all is like the smooth."

Psalm143:1-12 COMING OUT OF LIFE'S DARK VALLEY
Intro: One day a preacherwho had just losthis family to a tragic fire, and
had fallen into the
depths of a deep and dark depressionwas walking downa city street. There,
he came upon
a constructioncrew that was erecting a new church. He stopped to watch
them as they
worked, as he watched, he observeda workerwho was busy carvinga triangle
out of stone
with a chiseland hammer. Stepping closer, he askedthe stonecutterwhat he
was carving.
The workerpointed tothe steeple ofthe church and said, "Do you see that
small opening up
there near the steeple? Well, I am carving this stone down here so that it will
fit in up there."

The preacherwas immediately stirred in his heart. He realized anew the
faithfulness of God
and came to understand that the valley he was in at the moment was God's
way of
carving him down here so that he would fit in up there. We live in a world
that is filled with
people like this man. People who live their lives in depression, despair,
despondencyand
defeat. Through theages,manyfamous people have been plagues with these
types of trials.
People like George Washington, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeonand many
of the hymn
writers. Even a man who is known as "A man after God's own heart." (Acts
13:22),
David, suffered from depressionand defeat. This Psalm came from a time of
depression.
I would like for us to take a walk through these verse today and by doing so,
perhaps we

can find help for those times when we too endure what seemto be
overwhelming despair.
Let's think togetheron this thought, Coming Out Of The Dark Valley.
I. THE PAIN OF THE DARK VALLEY
A. V. 3 The Pain Of Darkness -No Help - (Ill. The context: The rebellion of
Absalom, and the revolt of Ahithophel, Ill. Psa. 41:9.)Ill. There seems to
be no
end to the pain, and no light at the end of the tunnel. Many are in this
dark
valley!
B. V. 4 The Pain Of Depression - No Heart - (Ill. Overwhelmed = shrouded,
carries the
idea of being encasedin darkness;Desolate= Stunned, stupefied carries
the idea of total
astonishment.) It's as if David cannot believe what has happened to him.
It's as if he has no

heart to go on. Many walk in this dark valley today!
C. V. 7 The Pain Of Despair - No Hope - (Ill. Faileth= To be at the end!)
David feels
that he has reachedthe end of his rope and that if God doesn't lift the
veil of his darkness,
then he is no better off than those who perish in hell! Many are walking
in this dark valley
right now.
D. If you are one of the many in this valley, let me tell you, there is hope for
you today.
You may feelthat life has become unbearable. However, I let me
encourage youthis
morning. With all the despair, there is also reasonto rejoice in this
Psalm. Notice:
II. THE PRIZE IN THE DARK VALLEY

A. V.2 The Prize Of Repentance - Our Sins - (Ill. David's failures and his
repentance
of sin, Psa. 32;51) Our Dark Valleys are not always causedby sin!
However, when
we begin to seek God, our sin will become an issue that must be dealt
with, Ill. Psa.
66:18;1 John 1:9. Regardless ofwhether or not sin is responsible for
our valley, we are
still sinners in need of repentance. Anything that brings us into a closer
relationship with
God is a prize!
B. V.5 The Prize Of Remembrance - Our Sovereign- (Ill. David had much
to
remember! The stories ofwhat God had done for Israel, and closer
home, the great
things God had done for him personally. Ill. The lion, the bear, the
giant, Saul, etc!)

When walking through the dark valley, remember what God has done.
Review your life
and read His word. It will refresh your heart! (Ill. William Cowper, that
greathymn
writer was in the depths of dispair. He hired a carriage drive to take
him to London
Bridge. His plan was to throw himself into the river and end his life.
However, when
the driver picked him up and startedfor the bridge, they found
themselves driving for
hours in dense fog. Frustrated, Cowperdemanded that the driver stop
and let him out
to walk. When he stepped from the carriage, he was shockedto find
that he was
standing in front of his own door. It became apparent to him that the
Lrod still had a

use for his life. He entered his home and penned the words to that
famous song, "God
works in mysterious ways")When we are in the valley, we need a fresh
encounter
with the Lord!
C. V. 6 The Prize Of Reliance - Our Self - (Ill. Dry, parched, cracked
ground that
longs for the refreshing rains.) David knew he couldn't produce what
he needed.
Therefore, he lookedto God. The dark valley will cause you to come to
the end of
yourself, and when that happens, you can begin to rely on a big
God!Pro. 3:5-6; Rom.
8:28; 2 Cor. 4:17)
D. As terrible as the dark valleys of life are, they are also valuable.
Becauseit is in the

valley that we learn eternaltruths about God that energize and
strengthen our faith.
Yes, there is Pain. Yes, there are Prizes. But, thank God, there is a
path out of the
Dark Valley
III. THE PATH OUT OF THE DARK VALLEY
A. V.1, 6, 8a, 9a, 11-12 The Path Of Prayer - Waiting - Severaltimes in
these verses,
David refers to his prayers. I am certain that there were times when
David wanted to
stop praying, but he didn't! (Ill. Prayer - We are commended to pray -
1 Thes. 5:17;
Rom.12:12;Godhas promised to answerprayer - Isa. 65:24; John
16:23;Jer. 33:3)
Our duty is to pray! Pray when Godsays "yes", pray when He says
"no", pray when

He says "wait". Pray! Prayeris more than a religious activity, it is a
path out of the
dark valley!(Ill. George WashingtonatValley Forge in 1776, he didn't
give up. He kept
praying! You do the same!)
B. V.10b The Path Of Praise - Worshiping - In the midst of this sadPsalm,
David
issues a small word of praise. He reminds us that God is good! Ever
person who
walks in the Dark Valley this morning would do wellto adopt an
attitude of praise!
(Ill. Job - Job 1:20-22 - He worshipedand didn't accuseGod!) (Ill.
Luther Bridgers
who authored "There Withing My Heart A Melody". He penned this
greatsong just
after losing his entire family in a tragic house fire.)) If we cannot praise
the Lord in the

valley, then we have no business praising Him when we are on the
mountain! (Ill. What
can I praise Him for - Luke 10:20)(Ill. Why should I praise Him? 1.)
He is worthy -
Rev. 4:11; 2:) It will help you - Neh. 8:10 Ill. Pro. 17:22)
C. V. 8b, 9b, 10a The Path Of Practice - Walking - Ill. David's desire is to
do the will
of God. Ill. This ought to be the goalof every saint! When we fail in
walking with the
Lord, we bring dishonor to Him and more discouragementto our own
hearts.
(Ill. 1936 GermanWomen's Olympic 400 meter relay team! One of the
runners
dropped the baton. The French papers saidthey dropped the witness.)
Don't drop

your witness! A consistentwalk is a path out of the dark valley! You
can beat the
circumstance, don't let it beat you!
Conc: That personalrelationship and consistentwalk with the Lord Jesus
will help the sufferer
to come out of the dark valley. He has never failed others, He will never fail
you!
Psalm143:1-12
DON’T WASTE YOUR VALLEY
Intro: One day a preacherwho had just losthis family to a tragic fire, and
had fallen into the depths of a deep and dark depressionwas walking down a
city street. There, he came upon a construction crew that was erecting a new
church. He stopped to watchthem as they worked. As he watched, he
observeda workerwho was busy carving a triangle out of stone with a chisel
and hammer. Stepping closer, he askedthe stonecutterwhat he was carving.
The workerpointed to the steeple of the church and said, “Do you see that
small opening up there near the steeple? Well, I am carving this stone down
here so that it will fit in up there.”
The preacherwas immediately stirred in his heart. He realized anew the
faithfulness of God and came to understand that the valley he was in at that
moment was God's way of carving him down here so that he would fit in up
there.
We live in a world that is filled with people just like that preacher. There
are people all around us who live their lives in depression, despair,

despondencyand defeat. There are some in that condition right now. Through
the ages,many famous people have been plagued with difficulties of this sort.
Greatindividuals like George Washington, MartinLuther, Charles
Spurgeon, John Adams, Winston Churchhill and many of the hymn writers.
Even David who is called“A man after God's own heart,” Acts 13:22, suffered
from depressionand defeat. This Psalmwas born out of a time of depression,
discouragementand defeat.
I would like for us to spend some time in these verses today. By doing so,
perhaps we can find help for those times when we walk through our valleys.
Perhaps we can find some help when we find ourselves in our times of
overwhelming despair.
I want to preach from this passagetodayin an effort to encourage you. I
know that many in our church and our community are going through some
very difficult valleys right now. I want to encourage you by challenging you. I
want to challenge you by saying: Don’t Waste Your Valley.
I know that many people do not want to believe it, but God is in charge of
all of life. The Bible says, “The steps of a goodman are ordered by the LORD:
and he delighteth in his way,” Psa. 37:23. And, just as surely as God controls
the direction of our lives; He also controls the disruptions of our lives, Rom.
8:28.
He controls the valleys. He determines their depth, their length and their
duration. He sends the valley seasons into our lives to develop us and to make
us more like the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 8:29; Eph. 4:13. So, if God loves us,
and He does;if He sends the valleys our way, and He does;we would be
foolish to waste those valleys.
As we considerthe divisions of this Psalm, let’s take the time to reflect on
what God is doing in us as we move through our valleys. Notice the
characteristicsofthe valleys that are revealedin this Psalm. These
characteristicsteachus why we would be foolish to waste the valleys God
sends our way. So, let’s take a few minutes to look at this Psalmand the
thought Don’t Waste Your Valley.

I. THE PAIN IN THE VALLEY
A. v. 3 The Pain Of Darkness - No Help - (Ill. The context: The rebellion of
Absalom, and the revolt of Ahithophel, Ill. Psa. 41:9.) Ill. There seems to be no
end to the pain, and no light at the end of the tunnel. Many are in this very
valley today!
B. v. 4 The Pain Of Depression - No Heart - (Ill. “Overwhelmed” –
“shrouded”, carries the idea of “being encasedin darkness”;“Desolate” –
“Stunned, stupefied” carries the idea of “total astonishment”.)It's as if
David cannot believe what has happened to him. It's as if he has no heart to go
on. Many are walking in this valley today!
C. v. 7 The Pain Of Despair - No Hope - (Ill. “Faileth” = “To be at the end”!)
David feels that he has reachedthe end of his rope and that if God doesn'tlift
the veil of his darkness, then he is no better off than those who go down into
death! Many are walking in this dark valley right now.
D. The valleys of life are a shared experience. Obviously, there are many
different types of valleys, and we don’t all pass through the same places.
There are valleys of sickness, death, financial turmoil, emotional distress,
spiritual upheaval, and marital discord. There are valleys that touch the body,
the soul, the mind and the family. There are valleys of every description and
kind. The one thing we all share in common is that we all pass through valleys.
· Ecc. 2:2, “Forall his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart
taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.”
· John 16:33, “These things I have spokenunto you, that in me ye might
have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of goodcheer;I
have overcome the world.”
· Job 14:1, “Manthat is born of a woman is of few days, and full of
trouble.”
The valleys of life are going to come our way. That is a given. When
they come, we must remember that they come to us from the hand of a loving

Father, Job 2:3, 7, 10;42:11. We must remember that they come because He
is in the business of perfecting us. Therefore, we must be careful that we do
not waste the valley. God wants to teachus while we are there; it is our duty
to learn the lessons. (Ill. Paul – 2 Cor. 12:7-11)
If you are one of the many walking who are through the valley, there is
hope for you today. You may feel that life has become unbearable. Let me
encourage youtoday. With all the despair that marks this Psalm, there is also
much reasonfor rejoicing here.
I. The Pain In The Valley
II. THE PRIZE IN THE VALLEY
A. v. 2 The Prize Of Repentance - Our Sins - (Ill. David's failures and his
repentance of sin, Psa. 32;51) Our valleys, while they are always the result of
living in a sin cursed world, are not always causedby our sin! Yet, when we
begin to seek God, our sin will always become an issue that must be dealt with,
Ill. Psa. 66:18;1 John 1:9.
Regardlessofwhether or not sin is responsible for our valley, we are
still sinners in need of repentance. The valleys have a way of bringing to us
our knees. The valleys have a way of causing us to reflecton our relationship
with the Lord! Anything that brings us into a closerrelationshipwith God is a
prize!
B. v. 5 The Prize Of Remembrance - Our Sovereign- (Ill. David had much to
remember! The stories ofwhat God had done for Israel, and closerhome, the
greatthings God had done for him personally. Ill. The lion, the bear, the
giant, Saul, etc!)
When walking through the your valley, remember what God has done.
Review your life and read His Word. Remember how He savedyour soul and
changedyour life. Remember how He has abundantly blessedyou. It will
refresh your heart and encourage youto carry on through the valley!

Ill. William Cowper, the greathymn writer often lived in the depths of
depressionand despair. He hired a carriage drive to take him to London
Bridge. His plan was to throw himself into the river and end his life. However,
when the driver picked him up and started for the bridge, they found
themselves driving for hours in dense fog.
Frustrated, Cowperdemanded that the driver stop and let him out to
walk. When he stepped from the carriage, he was shockedto find that he was
standing in front of his own door. It became apparent to him that the Lord
still had a use for his life. He entered his home and penned the words to that
famous song, “Godworks in mysterious ways”.
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deepin unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereignwill.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweetwill be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scanHis work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
When we are in the valley, we need a fresh encounterwith the Lord!
C. v. 6 The Prize Of Reliance - Our Self - (Ill. “thirsty land” – “Dry, parched,
crackedground that longs for the refreshing rains”.) Ill. David knew he
couldn't produce what he needed. Therefore, he lookedto God.
Your valley has been designedespeciallyto cause you to come to the
end of yourself. When you getthere, you will find that your valley has merely

brought you to a place of utter dependence upon Almighty God. That is not a
bad place to be! (Ill. Pro. 3:5-6; 2 Cor. 4:17)
D. As terrible as the valleys of life can be, they are also extremely valuable. It
is in the valley that we learn the eternal truths about God that energize and
strengthen our faith.
It was in the furnace of persecutionthat Shadrach, Meshachand
Abednego learnedabout the God Who controls the depth, extent and violence
of the crisis. It was there that Daniellearned about the God Who overrules in
the valley. It was there that Elijah, the poor widow; the disciples, Mary and
Martha, and a countless host of others learned that the valley is a place of
pain, and heartache. More than that, they all learnedthe priceless lessonthat
the valley is where you find the “lily of the valleys”, SOS 2:1. They learned
that the valley is where the trees grow the tallest. They learned that the valley
is where God’s grace is the strongest, and His lessons the most powerful. They
learned what many of you have also learned. The valley is not to be wasted, it
is to be searchedforthe treasures that are concealedthere. Don’t waste your
valley.
I. The Pain In The Valley
II. The Prize In The Valley
III. THE PATH FROM THE VALLEY
A. v. 1, 6, 8a, 9a, 11-12 The Path Of Prayer - Waiting - Severaltimes in these
verses, Davidrefers to his prayers. I am certainthat there were times when
David wanted to stop praying, but he didn't! (Ill. Prayer - We are commanded
to pray - 1 Thes. 5:17; Rom.12:12;Godhas promised to hear our prayers and
to answerus when we pray - Isa. 65:24; John 16:23;Jer. 33:3)
Our duty is to pray! Pray when God says, “Yes!” Pray when God says,
“No, I have a better way!” Pray when God says, “Wait!” Pray! Prayer is more
than a religious activity; it is a path out of the valley!

(Ill. George WashingtonatValley Forge in 1776, he didn't give up. Often he
could be seenkneeling in the snow beseeching the God of Heaven for His
sovereignhelp and power. He kept praying! You do the same!)
B. v. 10b The Path Of Praise - Worshiping - In the midst of this sad Psalm,
David sends up a word of praise. He reminds us that God is good! Ever person
who walks through the valley would do well to adopt an attitude of praise! (Ill.
Job - Job1:20-22 - He worshipedand didn't accuse God!)
(Ill. Luther Bridgers who authored “There Within My Heart A Melody”.
He penned this greatsong just after losing his entire family in a tragic house
fire.
Ill. Horatio Spafford wrote “It Is Well With My Soul” after all four of his
daughters died when the Ship they were on was struck by another ship and
sank.)
If we cannot praise the Lord when we are in the valley; we have no
business praising Him when we are on the mountain!
(Ill. What canI praise Him for - Luke 10:20)
(Ill. Why should I praise Him?
1.) He is worthy - Rev. 4:11
2.) It will help you - Neh. 8:10 Ill. Pro. 17:22)

C. v. 8b, 9b, 10a The Path Of Practice - Walking - Ill. David's desire is to do
the will of God. Ill. This ought to be the goalof every saint! When we fail in
walking with the Lord, we bring dishonor to Him and more discouragement
to our own hearts. The best advice that can be given to those in the valley is to
continue to walk consistentlywith Jesus day by day.
(Ill. 1936 GermanWomen's Olympic 400 meters relay team! One of the
runners dropped the baton. The French papers said “they dropped the
witness”.)
Don't drop your witness!A consistentwalk is a path out of the valley! You
can beat the circumstances you face;you must never allow the circumstances
to beat you!
Conc:A few years ago, Dr. John Piper was diagnosedwith prostate cancer.
Out of his battle with his disease, he wrote an article entitled “Don’t Waste
Your Cancer”. In that article, Dr. Piper mentions ten mistakes people make
when they deal with cancerthat cause them to miss what God is doing in their
lives.
I want to share a few of the observations Dr. Piper made in his article. I
will change the word cancerto valley, because the truth of the statements he
makes are valid whether we are dealing with canceror with the valleys of life.
1. You will waste your valley if you do not believe it was designedfor you by
God. It is not enough to saythat God merely uses the disruptions of life. We
must also acknowledge thatHe designs them just for us. If He doesn’t stop it,
then He has a purpose in it for us!
2. You will waste your valley if you think it is a curse and not a gift. It is
through what some call a curse that the faithful saint experiences the tender
mercies and gracious ministries of the Lord.
3. You will waste your valley if you spend too much time reading about
your valley and not enough time reading about Christ. In the midst of our

pain, we need to turn to the Word of God to look into His face for the help we
need.
4. You will waste your valley if you allow it to drive you into solitude
instead allowing it to deepen your relationships with others. It may be that
God sent your valley to help someone else. Whenwe cut ourselves off during
our valley seasons, we deprive them of the opportunity to minister to us in the
love of Christ. (Ill. Epaphroditus – Phil. 2:26.)
5. You will waste your valley if you grieve as those who have no hope. God
uses our valleys to teach those around us that there is hopeless should not be a
part of our lives, 1 Thes. 4:13. The saint of God must walk with their hope
anchoredin Jesus, evenduring the painful valleys of live.
6. You will waste your valley if you treat sin as casuallyas you did before.
The valley should be a place of refinement where the saints of God make a
definite move awayfrom sin and its influence.
7. You will waste your valley if you fail to use it as a means of witnessing to
the glory and truth of Jesus Christ. We are never anywhere by accident. God
sent us where we are and we are there bring glory to Him. Let us use our time
in the valley to call attention to Him, His love, His grace and His glory.
Are you wasting your valley, or are you making it count for Jesus Christ
and for yourself? Do you need to come before the Lord and talk to Him about
your valley? How long will you wander around in that valley before you come
to the place where you acknowledgeHis hand in your pain? How long will you
allow the flesh and the devil to keepyou from benefiting from your time in
your valley?
· If Jesus is calling you to come to Him for salvation, the time to come is
now.
· If you need help in your valley, come to Jesus and let us know so we can
help you pray.
· If the Lord is speaking to your heart, no matter what the need, please
heed His voice and come to Him today.

· There is help in the valley and hope for the journey.
The need to do God’s goodwill.
Teachme to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness.
a. Teachme to do Your will: David could say, “Cause me to hear Your
lovingkindness” and “Cause me to know the way in which I should walk”
(Psalm 143:8). Yet in this Psalm he did not say, “Cause me to do Your will.”
In all his reliance upon God, he knew that God would not obey for him.
Rather, the loving God would teachDavid to do His will. He would lead David
in the land of uprightness.
i. “The psalmist does not say, ‘Lord, help me to talk about thy will,’ though it
is a very proper thing to talk about, and a very profitable thing to hear about.
But still doing is better than talking.” (Spurgeon)
ii. Spurgeonalso describedhow the believer should do the will of God:
thoughtfully, immediately, cheerfully, constantly, universally, spiritually, and
intensely.
iii. The next lines connectthis teaching work of God with the presence of His
Spirit. “Moreoverthe Lord has a way of teaching us by his ownSpirit. The
Holy Spirit speaks in secretwhispers to those who are able to hear him. It is
not every professing Christian that has the visitations of the Spirit of God in
personalmonitions, but there are saints who hear a voice behind them saying,
‘This is the way, walk ye in it.’ God guides us with his eye as well as by his
word.” (Spurgeon)

b. ForYou are my God: It was appropriate for David to expectthis of his
God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, andJacobwill teach the willing servant
obedience. This was a demonstration of the goodnessofGod’s Spirit.
i. We should know what David knew – that, Your Spirit is good. We should
know it even more in light of the outpouring the Holy Spirit that is part of the
New Covenant. This gives no reasonfor a believer to fail to yield to the
presence and the power of the Holy Spirit, because:Your Spirit is good.
ii. “Cyril gathereth from this text, that the goodSpirit is God, because none is
goodbut God.” (Trapp) DAVID GUZIK
MACLAREN
THE PRAYER OF PRAYERS
Psalms 143:10.
These two clauses meansubstantially the same thing. The Psalmist’s longings
are expressedin the first of them in plain words, and in the secondin a figure.
‘To do God’s will’ is to be in ‘the land of uprightness.’ That phrase, in its
literal application, means a stretch of level country, and hence is naturally
employed as an emblem of a moral or religious condition. A life of obedience
to the will of God is likened to some far stretching plain, easyto traverse,
broken by no barren mountains or frowning cliffs, but basking, peacefuland
fruitful, beneath the smile of God. Into such a garden of the Lord the Psalmist
prays to be led.
In eachcase his prayer is based upon a motive or plea. ‘Thou art my God’; his
faith apprehends a personalbond betweenhim and God, and feels that that
bond obliges God to teachhim His will. If we adopt the reading in our Bibles
of our secondclause a still deeperand more wonderful plea is presentedthere.
‘Thy Spirit is good,’and therefore the trusting spirit has a right to ask to be

made goodlikewise. The relation of the believing spirit to God not only obliges
God to teachit His will, but to make it partakerof His own image and
conformed to His own purity. So high on wings of faith and desire soaredthis
man, who, at the beginning of his psalm, was crushed to the dust by enemies
and by dangers. So high we may rise by like means.
I. Notice, then, first, the supreme desire of the devout soul.
We do not know who wrote this psalm. The superscription says that it was
David’s, and although its place in the Psalterseems to suggestanotherauthor,
the peculiar fervour and closenessofintimacy with God which breathes
through it are like the Davidic psalms, and seemto confirm the
superscription. If so, it will naturally fall into its place with the others which
were pressedfrom his heart by the rebellion of Absalom. But be that as it
may, whosoeverwrote the psalm, was a man in extremest misery and peril,
and as he says of himself, ‘persecuted,’‘overwhelmed,’‘desolate.’The
tempest blows him to the Throne of God, and when he is there, what does he
ask? Deliverance? Scarcely. In one clause, and againat the end, as if by a kind
of after-thought, he asks forthe removal of the calamities. Butthe main
burden of his prayer is for a closerknowledgeofGod, the sound of His
lovingkindness in his inward ear, light to show him the way wherein he should
walk, and the sweetsunshine of God’s face upon his heart. There is a better
thing to ask than exemption from sorrows, evengrace to bear them rightly.
The supreme desire of the devout soul is practicalconformity to the will of
God. Forthe prayer of our text is not ‘Teachme to know Thy will.’ The
Psalmist, indeed, has askedthat in a previous clause-’Causeme to know the
way wherein I should walk.’But knowledge is not all that we need, and the
gulf betweenknowledge andpractice is so deep that after we have prayed that
we may be causedto know the way, and have receivedthe answer, there still
remains the need for God’s help that knowledge may become life, and that all
which we understand we may do. To such practicalconformity to the will of
God all other aspects ofreligion are meant to be subservient.
Christianity is a revelation of truth, but to acceptit as such is not enough.
Christianity brings to me exemption from punishment, escape from hell,
deliverance from condemnation and guilt, and by some of us, that is apt to be

regardedas the whole Gospel;but pardon is only a means to an end.
Christianity brings to us the possibility of indulgence in sweetand blessed
emotions, and a fervour of feeling which to experience is the ante-past of
heaven, and for some of us, all our religion goes offin vaporous emotion; but
feeling alone is not Christianity. Our religion brings to us sweetand gracious
consolations,but it is a poor affair if we only use it as an anodyne and a
comfort. Our Christianity brings to us glorious hopes that flash lustre into the
darkness, and make the solitude of the grave companionship, and the end of
earth the beginning of life, but it is a poor affair if the mightiest operationof
our religion be relegatedto a future, and flung on to the close. All these things,
the truth which the Gospelbrings, the pardon and peace ofconsciencewhich
it ensures, the joyful emotionwhich it sets loose from the ice of indifference,
the sweetconsolationswith which it pillows the wearyhead and bandages the
bleeding heart, and the greathopes which flash light into glazing eyes, and
make the end glorious with the rays of a beginning, and the westernheaven
bright with the promise of a new day-all these things are but subservient
means to this highest purpose, that we should do the will of God, and be
conformed to His image. They whose religionhas not reachedthat apex have
yet to understand its highest meaning. The river of the water of life that
proceeds from the Throne of God and the Lamb is not sent merely to refresh
thirsty lips, and to bring music into the silence of a waterlessdesert, but it is
sent to drive the wheels of life. Action, not thought, is the end of God’s
revelation, and the perfecting of man.
But, then, let us remember that we shall most imperfectly apprehend the
whole sweepand blessednessofthis great supreme aim of the devout soul, if
we regard this doing of God’s will as merely the external actof obedience to
an external command. Simple doing is not enough; the deed must be the fruit
of love. The aim of the Christian life is not obedience to a law that is
recognisedas authoritative, but joyful moulding of ourselves aftera law that
is felt to be sweetand loving. ‘I delight to do Thy will, yea! Thy law is within
my heart.’ Only when thus the will yields itself in loving and glad conformity
to the will of God is true obedience possible for us. Brother! is that your
Christianity? Do you desire, more than anything besides, that what He wills
you should will, and that His law should be stamped upon your hearts, and all

your rebellious desires and purposes should be brought into a sweetcaptivity
which is freedom, and an obedience to Christ which is kingship over the
universe and yourselves?
II. Note, secondly, the divine teaching and touch which are required for this
conformity.
The Psalmistbetakes himself to prayer, because he knows that of himself he
cannot bring his will into this attitude of harmonious submission. And his
prayer for ‘teaching’ is deepenedin the secondclause ofour text into a
petition, which is substantially the same in meaning, but yet sets the felt need
and the covetedhelp in a still more striking light, in its cry for the touch of
God’s goodspirit to guide, as by a hand grasping the Psalmist’s hand, into the
paths of obedience.
We may learn from this prayer, then, that practicalconformity to God’s will
can never be attained by our own efforts. Remember all the hindrances that
rise betweenus and it; these wild passions ofours, this obstinate gravitating of
tastes and desires towards earth, these animal necessities, these spiritual
perversities, which make up so much of us all-how canwe coerce these into
submission? Our better selves sit within like some prisoned king, surrounded
and ‘fooledby the rebel powers’of his revolted subjects;and our best
recourse is to send an embassyto the Over-lord, the SovereignKing, praying
Him to come to our help. We cannot will to will as God wills, but we can turn
ourselves to Him, and ask Him to put the powerwithin us which shall subdue
the evil, conquer the rebels, and make us masters of our own else anarchic
and troubled spirits. For all honest attempts to make the will of God our wills,
the one secretof successis confident and continual appeal to Him. A man
must have gone a very little way, very superficially and perfunctorily, on the
path of seeking to make himself what he ought to be, unless he has found out
that he cannot do it, and unless he has found out that there is only one way to
do it, and that is to go to God and say, ‘O Lord! I am baffled and beaten. I put
the reins into Thy hand; do Thou inspire and direct and sanctify.’
That practicalconformity to the will of God requires divine teaching, but yet
that teaching must be no outward thing. It is not enoughthat we should have

communicated to us, as from without, the clearestknowledge ofwhat we
ought to be. There must be more than that. Our Psalmist’s prayer was a
prophecy. He said, ‘Teachme to do Thy will.’ And he thought, no doubt, of an
inward teaching which should mould his nature as well as enlighten it; of the
communication of impulses as well as of conceptions;of something which
should make him love the divine will, as well as of something which should
make him know it.
You and I have Jesus Christfor our Teacher, the answerto the psalm. His
teaching is inward and deep and real, and answers to all the necessitiesofthe
case. We have His example to stand as our perfect law. If we want to know
what is God’s will, we have only to turn to that life; and howeverdifferent
from ours His may have been in its outward circumstances, andhowever
fragmentary and brief its records in the Gospels may sometimes seemto us,
yet in these little booklets, telling of the quiet life of the carpenter’s Son, there
is guidance for every man and woman in all circumstances, however
complicated, and we do not need anything more to teachus what God’s will is
than the life of Jesus Christ. His teaching goes deeperthan example. He comes
into our hearts, He moulds our wills. His teaching is by inward impulses and
communications of desire and powerto do, as well as of light to know. A law
has been given which can give life. As the modeller will take a piece of wax
into his hand, and by warmth and manipulation make it soft and pliable, so
Jesus Christ, if we let Him, will take our hard hearts into His hands, and by
gentle, loving, subtle touches, will shape them into the pattern of His own
perfect beauty, and will mould all their vagrant inclinations and aberrant
distortions into ‘one immortal feature of loveliness and perfection.’‘The grace
of God that bringeth salvationhath appeared unto all men teaching that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,’ controlling
ourselves, ‘righteously,’fulfilling all our obligations to our fellows, ‘and
godly,’ referring everything to Him, ‘in this present world.’
That practicalconformity to the divine will requires, still further, the
operationof the divine Spirit as our Guide. ‘Thy Spirit is goodlead me into
the land of uprightness.’ There is only one powerthat can draw us out of the
far-off land of rebellious disobedience, where the prodigals and the swine’s
husks and the famine and the rags are, into the ‘land of uprightness,’ and that

is, the communicated Spirit of God, which is given to all them that desire Him,
and will leadthem in paths of righteousness forHis name’s sake. Itis He that
works in us, the willing and the doing, according to His owngood pleasure.
‘He shall guide you,’ saidthe Master, ‘into all truth’-not merely into its
knowledge, but into its performance, not merely into truth of conception, but
into truth of practice, which is righteousness, andthe fulfilling of the Law.
III. Lastly, note the divine guarantee that this practical conformity shall be
ours.
The Psalmistpleads with God a double motive-His relation to us and His own
perfectness, ‘Thouart my God; therefore teach me.’ ‘Thy Spirit is good;
therefore lead me into the land of uprightness.’ I can but glance for a moment
at these two pleas of the prayer.
Note, then, first, God’s personalrelation to the devout soul, as the guarantee
that that soul shall be taught, not merely to know, but also to do His will. If He
be ‘my God,’ there can be no deeper desire in His heart, than that His will
should be my will. And this He desires, not from any masterfulness or love of
dominion, but only from love to us. If He be my God, and therefore longing to
have me obedient, He will not withhold what is neededto make me so. God is
no hard Taskmasterwho sets us to make bricks without straw. Whatsoever
He commands He gives, and His commandments are always secondand His
gifts first. He bestows Himself and then He says, ‘Forthe love’s sake, do My
will.’ Be sure that the sacredbond which knits us to Him is regardedby Him,
the faithful Creator, as an obligationwhich He recognisesandrespects and
will discharge. We have a right to go to Him and to say to Him, ‘Thou art my
God; and Thou wilt not be what Thou art, nor do what Thou hast pledged
Thyself to do, unless Thou makestme to know and to do Thy will.’
And on the other hand, if we have taken Him for ours, and have the bond knit
from our side as well as from His, then the fact of our faith gives us a claim on
Him which He is sure to honour. The soul that can say, ‘I have takenThee for
mine,’ has a hold on God which God is only too glad to recognise andto
vindicate. And whoever, humbly trusting to that greatFatherin the heavens,
feels that he belongs to God, and that God belongs to him, is warranted in

praying, ‘Teachme, and make me, to do Thy will,’ and in being confident of
an answer.
And there is the other plea with Him and guarantee for us, drawn from God’s
own moral characterand perfectness. The lastclause of my text may either be
read as our Bible has it, ‘Thy Spirit is good;lead me,’ or ‘Let Thy goodSpirit
lead me.’ In either case the goodness ofthe divine Spirit is the plea on which
the prayer is grounded. The goodness here referredto is, as I take it, not
merely beneficence andkindliness, but rather goodnessin its broader and
loftier sense of perfectmoral purity. So that the thought just comes to this-we
have the right to expectthat we shall be made participant of the divine nature
for so sweet, so deep, so tender is the tie that knits a devout soul to God, that
nothing short of conformity to the perfect purity of God can satisfythe
aspirations of the creature, or discharge the obligations of the Creator.
It is a daring thought. The Psalmist’s desire was a prophecy. The New
Testamentvindicates and fulfils it when it says ‘We shall be like Him, for we
shall see Him as He is.’ Since He now dwells in ‘the land of uprightness,’ who
once dwelt among us in this weary world of confusion and of sin, then we one
day shall be with Him. Christ’s heart cannotbe satisfied, Christ’s Cross
cannot be rewarded, the divine nature cannotbe at rest, the purpose of
redemption cannot be accomplished, until all who have trusted in Christ be
partakers of divine purity, and all the wanderers be led by devious and yet by
right paths, by crookedand yet by straight ways, by places rough and yet
smooth, into ‘the land of uprightness.’ Where and what He is, there and that
shall also His servants be.
My brother! if to do the will of God is to dwell in the land of uprightness,
disobedience is to dwell in a dry and thirsty land, barren and dreary, horrid
with frowning rocks and jaggedcliffs, where every stone cuts the feetand
every step is a blunder, and all the paths end at laston the edge of an abyss,
and crumble into nothingness beneath the despairing foot that treads them.
Do you see to it that you walk in ways of righteousness whichare paths of
peace;and look for all the help you need, with assuredfaith, to Him who shall
‘guide us by His counseland afterwards receive us to His glory.’

I'm NotWhere I NeedTo Be
By Johnny Hunt
Bible Book:Psalms 143 : 1-12
Subject: Life, Overwhelmedwith; Faith; Surrender; Submission
Introduction
David is struggling;his immediate family (son-Absalom) had turned on him.
His wish was not just hatred, but death. He had had his best friend turn on
him also. He is in a crisis. He is persecuted, crushed, in death’s darkness,
overwhelmed, and distressed. His crisis is actually working for him and not
againsthim. He is thirsty for God, His spirit fails, hounded by enemies;he
needs deliverance. His soulis in trouble and afflicted.
QUESTIONS:
In the context of all his trials, how should he pray? Where should his focus
be?
Is anything too hard for the Lord?
What do you remember when you can’t forget? .5
MAJOR TRUTH IN THIS TEXT: He wants Godto acton his behalf.
ANSWER:Since he has a big God, he prays big prayers. He wants answers .7,
deliverance .9,
revival .11. He wants God to bring his soul out of trouble and destroy his
enemies .11-12.
BOTTOM LINE:Bring me out of trouble into a life of productive service for
“Your name sake.”

He perceives that deliverance will require the destruction of enemies
(something in his life, the enemies of his victory)
PRIMARY INTERPRETATION:David is fleeing from his sonAbsalom; it’s
the lastof Penitential Psalms
PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:Seenas the cry of the godly remnant of
Israelat lastto realize the impossibility of self- justification before God. This
knowledge is reachedthrough the experience of unparalleled sufferings. It
boasts of the benefit of suffering.
PERSONALINTERPRETATION:It sometimes takes physicalperil to
produce penitence. In our prayers we cannot plead merit; we may plead our
need; we may even plead our trust, but it is best to plead the attributes of God
Himself. Godis our refuge from God.
In this Psalm, you find one of the most relevant of our personalexperiences.
I’m sure I am not alone as one who sometimes goes throughtimes of spiritual
dryness. There are times I don’t feel an intimacy with God, and there is a lack
of joy and sense ofvictory day by day. Doubts plague my mind and I find that
I am vulnerable to carnal attitudes.
Why do we often feel that the flow of living waterhas been extinguished and
the vitality of our faith has vanished? The Psalmistlets us in on his solution.
I. RECOGNIZE WHERE YOU ARE. 1-4
Note the ACTS Prayer acrostic
A. Adoration 1
C. Confession2-.4
T. Thanksgiving 5
S. Supplication 6-.12
v. 1 David is aware that it is upon God’s righteousness and what He has done
that he can expectGod to answer.

v. 2 It is not by his works, his merit, that he expects God to answer. If justice
was the basis of their relationship, he would only be condemned, since no one
is righteous before God. The basis for his prayers is God’s faithfulness and
righteousness.
STRONG GOSPELSTATEMENT:It is only on the basis of God’s mercy
made known to us in Christ that we can come to God. We are righteous before
God in the righteousness ofHis Son. This is the New Covenant in His blood,
which cleanses us and makes us whole.
Romans 10:3, “Forthey being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to
establishtheir own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of
God.”
IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS
v. 3 He is in a “dark place”
“who have long been dead” – dead, buried, and forgotten
Robbed of life; abandoned by man and God
v. 4 Speaks ofdeep depression;desolate
Pictures a totally brokenman: soul, spirit, life, and heart
QUESTION:What Can He Do?
II. REMEMBER WHERE YOU WERE, AND DESIRE TO BE AGAIN
verses 5-6
Verse 5 Think about when God workedin your life before. Recallhow He has
blessedand reachedout to you, proving His power and faithfulness in the
past. Memory builds faith. We see what God has done, our hearts cry out, “Do
it again, Lord!”
Valley of Elah
1 Samuel 17:37, “MoreoverDavidsaid, ‘The Lord, who delivered me from the
paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the

hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with
you!’"
Remember, meditate, muse (to talk with oneself);to study.
Song:“He’ll Do It Again”
You may be down and feel like God
Has somehow forgotten
That you are faced with circumstances
You can’t get through
But now it seems that there’s no way out
And you’re going under
God’s proven time and time again
He’ll take care of you
VERSE 2
God knows the things you’re going through
And He knows how you’re hurting
You see he knows just how your heart
Has been broken in two
But He’s the God of the stars, of the sun and the sea
And He is your Father
You see He can calm the storm
And He’ll find some way to fix it for you
BRIDGE
Oh He’s still God and He will not fail you

Oh He’s still God and He will not change
Know, Know that He’s God and He’s fighting for you
Yes, just like Moses,just like Daniel,
And just like Shadrach and Meshach, Abednego
CHORUS
And He’ll do it again
He’ll do it again
If you’ll just take a look
At where you are now
And where you’ve been
Well hasn’t He always come through for you
He’s the same now as then
You may not know how
You may not know when
But He’ll do it again
Verse 6: There is movement in this text, the Psalmistis changing his focus
from his needs to his God. “I spread out my hands to You” – he’s moving
from being overwhelmed to expectant.
EXAMPLE: Sometimes we allow our Expectors to Expire
The longing of his heart is not just for relief from his distress;his longing is
for GodHimself.
Psalms 42:1-2, “As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soulthirsts for God, for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God?”
Psalms 63:1, “ O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soulthirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.”
The Psalmistis about to begin his recovery.
III. REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS. 7-12
Verse 7: Notjust satisfiedwith granted endurance, his major concernis to get
some answers.
“answerme speedily” – he needs to know that God is there for him.
7b - .8 He wants to hear the affirmation of God’s lovingkindness “in the
morning.” This represents the passing of the “dark night.”
“for in You do I trust” – the rising of the sun of faith (he feels secure in God)
8b David needs to know what to do, how to deal with his crisis. He needs
direction. It is out of this surrender, lifting his soul in worship, that he will
know God’s way.
9 David flees to God. In God Himself his crushed life will be restored,
darkness will be dispelled, his depressionwill be broken, and he will be
secure. “in You I take shelter”
Psalms 90:1, “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.”
“dwelling place” – refuge
v.10 “for You are my God”
“Your Spirit is good”

Doing God’s will is simply a proper actof submission.
v.10 “land of uprightness” (on level ground) smooth
v.11 The Psalmist’s big prayer is for revival; make me alive again, not for my
sake, but for God’s sake, forGod’s glory (His Name)
As God rescues him, He will vindicate His faithfulness to His covenantand
prove Himself righteous.
v.12 David is enslavedto a mighty King, therefore, he will trust Him to deal
with his enemies.
As David, in submission, surrenders to His sovereignLord, He becomes his
shelter and makes his way smooth.
ANOTHER LESSON ON PRAYER
Psalm143
By

Steven J. Cole
November 1, 2009
© StevenJ. Cole, 2009
For accessto previous sermons or to subscribe to weeklysermons via email go
to: www.fcfonline.org/sermons
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American
Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The LockmanFoundation
1
November 1, 2009 Psalms 2008-09, Lesson38
Another Lessonon Prayer Psalm143 When I was in high school, I had a
couple of English teachers who drilled into us the basics ofEnglish grammar.
We learnedabout verb tenses, participles, infinitives, gerunds, and other parts
of speech. I assure you that when the teacherannounced another lessonon
these subjects, we students did not cheer. We groanedand thought, “Why do
we have to study this stuff?” But when I got to seminary and studied Greek,

many of my classmatesdidn’t have a clue what a participle or infinitive are.
The seminary had to put togethera remedial English class forthese students
just so the Greek instructor didn’t have to get boggeddown with teaching
basic English. And now that I write sermons eachweek, I am very thankful
for those high schoolEnglishteachers who forcedus to learn the basics of
English grammar. We come today, class, to anotherlessonon prayer. It is
similar, although not identical, to the lessonwe had last time in Psalm 142.
You may groanand think, “Why do we have to have another lessonon
prayer?” Why did God put all of these psalms in the Bible when so many of
them are similar? The psalmist is in a difficult trial; he cries out to God; God
answers him; he praises God. Maybe a few of these are needed, but why do we
need so many repeatedlessons onprayer? The answeris that not many of us
handle trials rightly. I have seenmany that profess to be Christians, when
they encountervarious trials, get angry with God and fall awayfrom the faith.
Some turn to worldly solutions or false teaching. I’ve told you before about a
couple in my church in California where the wife suffered from chronic back
pain. I was chatting with the husband about it when he told me that they had
been going to a Science ofMind type of group, and that it was providing his
wife with some relief. When I told the husband that these groups held to
hereticalbeliefs, he indignantly replied, “My wife was in pain. This group
gives her relief from pain. We’re going there!” I never saw them again.
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In the parable of the sower(Mark 4:3-20), Jesus warnedthat two out of the
four types of soils would fall awaybecause of trials. The seedsownon the
rockysoil at first receivedthe word with joy, but when affliction or
persecutionarose becauseofthe word, they fell away. The seedsownamong
the thorns took longer to fail. But eventually the thorns, which represent“the
worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other
things, enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (4:19). As I
understand it, the only type of soil representing true believers is that which
endures and brings forth fruit. False believers revealtheir true colors by
falling awayor returning to the world under trials. So we need to know how
to take our trials to the Lord in prayer so that we endure and grow, rather
than fall away. That’s why Psalm143 is in the Bible, because we needthis

additional lessononhow to pray correctlywhen we face severe trials. I
emphasize that this is a lessonfor those who, like David, cansay, “You are my
God” (v. 10) and “I am your servant” (v. 12; cf. v. 2). Prayer is not a method
or technique that just anybody canuse to manipulate God to get what he
wants. Rather, prayer is for those who have repented of their sins, trusted in
the Lord Jesus Christas their Saviorfrom God’s wrath, and who are seeking
to follow Him as Lord. To apply this vital lessonon prayer, you must know
God as your God and you must be obedient to Him as His servant. We can’t
identify for sure the situation behind this psalm. The LXX (Greek O.T.)and
some ancient versions add to the inscription that it was when David was
fleeing from his son Absalom. If that is the situation, it may explain his painful
request (v. 2) that God not enter into judgment with him, adding, “for in Your
sight no man living is righteous.” Absalom’s rebellion was a direct
consequence ofDavid’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:11). So David may be
connecting his present trial with his own previous failure. But the reference
(v. 3) to dwelling “in dark places, like those who have long been dead,” sounds
more like the situation in Psalm142, where David was hiding from Saul in the
cave. But whatever the exactsituation, the language is generalenough that we
all can identify with David. He was in a severe trial, where he desperately
needed God to answer. Whetheryour trial is a life-threatening disease,the
need for a job, a difficult person, a
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powerful sin that keeps defeating you, or whatever, David’s lessonon prayer
will be helpful to you. To sum it up, We are to face overwhelming trials with
heartfelt, humble, believing, obedient prayer that seeksnot only relief from
the trial, but also to know God better. The psalm falls into two halves, divided
by the musical notation, “Selah” (v. 6). In the first half (1-6), David lays out
his problem to the Lord, crying out to Him to hear and answer. In the second
half (7-12), he presents his prayer, repeatedly crying out to God to answerhim
and to teachhim to do His will before it is too late. Since a number of the
themes are repeatedbecause of the intensity of David’s feelings, I thought it
best not to work through the psalm verse by verse from first to last, but rather
somewhatthematically, under three main headings. 1. Being godly, or even
being one of God’s chosenleaders, does notexempt us from severe trials.

Although David was God’s servant (2, 12)and was a man after God’s heart (1
Sam. 13:14), God allowedDavid to be pushed to the brink, where he
despairedof life itself. Many times he thought that Saul would succeedin
killing him. As he told Jonathan(1 Sam. 20:3), “… there is hardly a step
betweenme and death.” During Absalom’s rebellion, David’s army would not
let him go into battle, because they knew that he was the main target(2 Sam.
18:2-4). Note how he describes his situation in Psalm143. He says (vv. 3-4),
“Forthe enemy has persecutedmy soul; he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart is appalled within
me.” Derek Kidner (Psalms 73-150[IVP], p. 475)observes, “Everyphrase
here is so heavy with distress, that no sufferer need feel unique in what he
experiences. And the similarity of these terms to those that describe our
Lord’s emotions (cf. Mt. 26:37 ff.; Heb. 4:15 ff.) remind us that none need feel
himself alone, or less than fully understood.” This lesson, thatGod does not
exempt any of us from trials, is especiallyneedednow because ofthe popular,
but false “healthand wealth” teaching. Some of the pastors of the largest
churches in America promote this error, and it is spreading rapidly in Africa
4
and other places. The claim is, God wants you healthy and wealthy. You don’t
have to suffer illness or poverty. Just claim your healing or that new carby
faith. And, if you’ll send your generous gift to us, we’ll pray for your miracle!
Suckers are born every minute! But Scripture clearlyexposes the falsehoodof
this error, which appeals to the flesh. God uses trials so that we may share His
holiness (Heb. 12:5-11). The apostle Paul shares (2 Cor. 1:8-9), For we do not
want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia,
that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired
even of life; indeed, we had the sentence ofdeath within ourselves so that we
would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. He goes on(2
Cor. 4:7-10) to explain that we have the treasure of the gospel… … in earthen
vessels, so thatthe surpassing greatnessofthe powerwill be of God and not
from ourselves;we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but
not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken;struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus

also may be manifested in our body. Severalmore times in this letter he tells
of the difficult trials that had come upon him as an apostle (2 Cor. 6:4-10;
11:23-33;12:7-10). The Savior, who suffered horribly at the hands of sinners,
warned us (John 15:20), “If they persecutedMe, they will also persecute you”
(also see John 16:2). The apostle Peterwarned (1 Pet. 4:12), “Beloved, do not
be surprised at the fiery ordealamong you, which comes upon you for your
testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.” So don’t fall
for the health and wealth lie. Being godly does not exempt anyone from trials.
But, you need to know how to respond when you encountersuch trials. 2.
Heartfelt, humble, believing, obedient prayer is how to respond when you face
severe trials. In this life threatening crisis, David turned to God. Again, this is
not an automatic response. As we saw from the parable of the sower, rather
than turning to God in trials, many turn awayfrom Him. But the more
intense the trial, the more diligently you need to
5
seek the Lord. But, you need to seek Him in the right way. David here teaches
us four vital lessons aboutprayer: A. Prayershould be heartfelt. David’s
heartfelt cry bleeds through the entire psalm. It begins (v. 1), “Hearmy
prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications! Answer me in Your faithfulness,
in Your righteousness!” In verse 6 he cries, “I stretch out my hands to You;
my soullongs for You, as a parched land.” He continues, “answerme” (v. 7),
“let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning” (v. 8), “deliver me” (v. 9),
and, “cut off my enemies and destroy all those who afflict my soul” (v. 12).
He’s a desperate man, crying out for deliverance before his enemies kill him.
While we may rarely be in such life-threatening situations, David’s prayer
teaches us that we will not pray as we ought unless we recognize our weakness
and need and, therefore, our total dependence on God. Many unbelievers go
to their graves without the Lord because they are oblivious to the peril of
judgment by a holy, all-knowing God, who will judge them by His perfect
standard. In fact, the greatestdangers are often those that we do not perceive.
As you know, people die of carbon monoxide poisoning because they cannot
smell or see that deadly gas. Satanlulls many into breathing the deadly gas of
goodworks. Theythink, “I’m a pretty goodperson. I’ve never deliberately
hurt or killed anyone. I’m not a child molester. So I should be good enough

for heaven.” Evenas believers, we often do not realize our own inadequacy,
and so we do not depend on the Lord in prayer. We assume that we can
handle things on our own, unless we getinto a huge problem. So the Lord
sends overwhelming trials so that we will not trust in ourselves, but in God,
through heartfelt prayer. B. Prayer should be humble. David asks Godto
answerin His faithfulness and righteousness. I understand him to mean,
“Answerme according to Your faithful promises to your people and in
accordancewith Your way of exonerating the righteous and punishing the
wicked.” Butno soonerare the words out of his mouth than he is caught up
short. He realizes, “But I’m not completely innocent, either.” His prayer
would have brought judgment on himself! So he quickly adds (v. 2),
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“And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no man
living is righteous.” As you know, there are severalpsalms where David
pleads with God on the basis of his own innocence (Ps. 7:3-5, 8; 18:20). Willem
VanGemeren (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ed. by Frank Gaebelein
[Zondervan], 5:852)explains, “Both expressions are valid, depending on the
context in which one finds himself. The confessionofinnocence is appropriate
when one is insulted and persecutedfor righteousness’ssake, and the
confessionofguilt is proper when confronted with one’s own frailties.” Here,
David is painfully aware ofhis own sins. So he asks Godnot to bring him to
the bar of His absolute righteousness. Rather, he appeals to God’s
lovingkindness (v. 8), which is His loyal covenantlove. He asks the Lord in His
lovingkindness to cut off and destroy his enemies (v. 12). As I pointed out in
our study of Psalm 136, there is obviously a speciallove that God has for His
chosenpeople. David asks God(v. 11), “Forthe sake of Your name, revive
me.” In other words, he appeals to the attributes of God (His name) and to His
covenantlove for His people. That’s why we pray “in Jesus’name,” which
means, “on the basis of all that He is and His covenantpromises to us.” We
don’t pray on the basis of our merits or gooddeeds. C. Prayershould be
believing. David affirms his trust in the Lord (v. 8). He bases his prayer, as we
have seen, on God’s faithfulness and righteousness. He can always be trusted
to be faithful and righteous. There is faith behind David’s confession, “You
are my God” (v. 10). David strengthenedhis faith by meditating on all of

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