Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19951126.htm
PSALMS: DIARIES OF GODLY OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
Psalm Four: God's Remedy For The Afflicted Who Face Painful Verbal Abuse
(Psalm 4:1-8)
- Introduction
- Some say that "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me!" However, reality teaches that words DO damage us! Besides, Patricia Evans who has "worked extensively in counseling and recovery settings with battered women," in her book, The Verbally Abusive Relationship, p. 13 reports that "Physical abuse is always preceded by verbal abuse." If verbal abuse occurs, it is only a matter of chance and time that physical abuse will follow!
- Well, how do we handle painful verbal abuse? Is there an authoritative word from God on the matter?
- Psalm Four is David's insight on how he handled such verbal abuse as follows:
- God's Remedy For The Afflicted Who Face Painful Verbal Abuse, Psalm 4:1-8.
- The "similarities in . . . expression and structure" between the Davidic Psalm Four and his Psalm Three where the enemy is son, Absalom have led scholars to conclude that David composed both psalms for the "same crisis," Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, p. 794! If so, this psalm takes on an added thrust of application to instruct one relating to a difficult, clo se relative to whom one must relate!
- The problem David faces in this psalm is slander over a long period of time, Psalm 4:2. By way of implication the matter was so critical to his welfare and so bothered David that his sleep was th reatened, Ps.4:8a. Specifically applied to his conflict with Absalom, David saw him discredit his administration before the entire nation in order to win a following unto himself away from his father, David, 2 S. 15:1-6!
- David's solution is worth itemizing as a remedy for all who face prolonged, painful, verbal abuse:
- Step One - Confess any sins outstanding to God so that we can pray in accord with His Biblical will.
- David calls God the God of his righteousness, claiming the righteousness of God applied to his personal standing as a basis for his current deliverance, 4:1a.
- He was right with God, so we must be right with God before praying, also, 1 Jn. 1:9; Ps. 66:18!
- Step Two - Depending upon memories of God's former resolutions to equally critical concerns of one's past, pray to God righteously for His intervention, Psalm 4:1b.
- Step Three - Trust in the sovereign immutability of God to be unaffected in His attitude toward us though many other people may be swayed to believe the enemy's lies, Ps. 4:3a,b:
- David states that God is not able to be seduced by the lies, but is immutably impartial and sovereignly sets the upright apart for Himself where He has no such fellowship with the ungodly who slander, and for those who follow their lies, Ps. 4:3a.
- Thus, David is confident that God will hear his prayer no matter what the slanderer achieves, 4:3b.
- Step Four - With such confidence in God, David instructs other similar sufferers not to ventilate their infuriated revenge on their persecutors, but rather to direct all of their frustrations in prayer to God so they can rest in silence before men about their frustrations, Ps. 4:4.
- Step Five - Focus on worshipping and trusting the Lord INSTEAD OF letting the injustice eat away inside of us to where we take vengeance, Ps. 4:5-6. If we allow the injustice done by our enemy to distract us toward taking revenge, the abusive party then controls US by our reactions, even if they are negatively expressed toward him, for that satisfies his deep need control us. That in turn just equips him to continue more abuse to satisfy his need for continued control, Ibid., Evans, p. 40!
- Step Six - Because of God's resulting peace of mind, one realizes that he himself is much more blessed than his pathetic, abusive opponent is at his BEST ("when their grain and new wine abound," something that happens at the most blessed time of harvest in the agricultural society of Palestine), 4:7.
- Step Seven - Having come to a resolution by taking these steps, the psalmist can lie down and get some rest, trusting that God alone is able to protect him from his opponent, Ps. 4:8.
Lesson: Painful, prolonged, verbal abuse can be matched ONLY by a discerning, Almighty God who is immutable to being confused or controlled by the abuser, for any foolish, knee-jerk reaction to it only plays into the hands of the verbally abusive party. Such futile reactions meet his morbid need to control the feelings and actions of others EVEN IF those reactions are VENGEFUL! We respond best by following Psalm 4's steps to handle weaknesses WITHIN US so the offender cannot CONTROL US!