THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: Living By Faith In God

XVI. God's Deliverance From An Untimely Death

(Psalm 16:1-11)

Introduction: (To show the need . . .)

The concern over facing an untimely death affects many people today:

(1) Many fear a potential great loss of life with Russia's invasion of Ukraine: "Russian troops bore down on Ukraine's capital Friday . . . and fears of wider war in Europe triggered new international efforts to make Moscow stop . . . (a)mid reports of hundreds of casualties . . ." (Yuras Karmanau, Jim Heintz, Vladimir Isachenkov and Dasha Litvinova, "Wider Conflict Feared," Republican-American, February 26, 2022, p. 1A)

(2) The editorial, "Justice for tragic families" (Ibid., February 18, 2022, p. 8A) reported on the "$73 million Remington Arms Co.'s insurance companies agreed to pay" to "families of nine of the 26 victims of the Dec. 14, 2012, mass shooting at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School." The editor alluded to "numerous misjudgments by Remington and . . . family, friends, educators and professionals who could have turned the killer in a different direction while there was still time." (Ibid.) One wonders that if so many people so greatly misjudged the killer to where he committed such an awful crime, could a similar event occur again, affecting the welfare of people we know!

(3) Brigitte Ruthman's story, "Inmate cites virus stress" (Ibid., February 19, 2022, p. 3A) told how "Scott Blass" who was "convicted of manslaughter for a fatal hit-and-run crash" in Torrington while he was "intoxicated" and had been "smoking crack cocaine" is "asking a judge to release him early because of the stress he's endured in prison during the COVID-19 pandemic." However, "County State's Attorney Dawn M. Gallo told Judge Chris Pelosi there is no 'good cause' for early release" since "Blass has failed at previous attempts to remain drug-free outside of prison walls . . . 'The family of the man you killed has missed him for the past 15 years'" she told Mr. Blass. "'You took a life and ran.'" (Ibid.) One can only wonder if this inmate is released, will he similarly kill someone we know.

(4) Another story by Brigitte Ruthman ("Woman's remains identified," Ibid., February 18, 2022, p. 1A) told of the identification of "(s)keletal remains discovered two months ago in an area of town thick with similar findings over the years," that the remains "have been identified as that of a young woman . . ." The body was found along the "Harwinton-Northfield town line near Campville Road" less than 10 miles from my home, Ibid. The regular dumping of bodies so close to my home leaves me wondering about the safety of people in our area of the state!

Need: So, we ask, "What should we do about a concern over an untimely death in today's world?!"

I. Though Psalm 16 was applied by the Apostles Peter (Acts 2:25-28) and Paul (Acts 13:35-37) to refer to Christ's deliverance out of death by His resurrection, Psalm 16 initially referred to David's call for God to preserve him from experiencing an untimely death. (Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 804)

II. Thus, in Psalm 16:1-8, David explained why he expected God to deliver him from an untimely death:

A. David asked God to preserve him from an untimely death because he sought refuge in the Lord, Psalm 16:1.

B. The basis for this request was David's commitment to the Lord as his only God, Psalm 16:2-4:

1. David told the Lord that God was his Master (Adonai), that he had no good Entity besides God, Psalm 16:2 NIV; Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 985; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Psalm 16:2.

2. As a result of this devotion to God and his dependence upon the Lord, those with whom David had fellowship were other godly people (Psalm 16:3), not those who were idolatrous (Psalm 16:4).

C. God's allotted inheritance for David was thus secure, pleasant, beautiful, and restful, Psalm 16:5-6.

D. David even praised the Lord for His counsel even at night when God admonished him in his (literal) "kidneys," a figurative expression of the innermost aspects of his personality, Psalm 16:7. (kilyah, B. D. B., A Heb. and Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 480; H. A. W., Theological Wordbook of the O. T., vol. I, p. 440-441)

E. Thus, David had set the Lord before him as his Source of blessing, and since the Lord was at his right hand of honor, David would never even be "tottered" (mut, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 556-557) by his enemies, Psalm 16:8.

III. David then expressed confidence that God would rescue him from an untimely death, Psalm 16:9-11:

A. Based on the conditions David had mentioned in Psalm 16:1-8 (laken, Kittel, p. 986; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 486-487), his heart rejoiced in confident hope that his flesh would rest securely because God would not abandon his soul to Sheol, namely, the grave, or let David, His holy one, see decay in death in the grave, Psa. 16:9-10.

B. Instead, God would make known to David the path of "physical life" (hayyim, Ibid., p. 313) in fellowship with the Lord where there was great joy and everlasting pleasures at His right hand of honor, Psalm 16:11.

IV. To apply this psalm correctly in our current dispensation, we must make an adjustment (as follows):

A. David lived under the dispensation of the Mosaic Law when God promised the people in Israel a long life if they obeyed that Law, Exodus 20:12. (Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 642)

B. However, we now live in the dispensation of the Church (Romans 6:14b) where God does not promise long lives, but in principle, He rewards us with LONGER lives for living righteously than were we to live in sin as seen from the writings of Christ's apostles in 1 Corinthians 11:27-30, Ephesians 6:1-3, and 1 John 5:16. (Ibid.)

C. Thus, if we heed David's example in Psalm 16:1-11, God gives us the longest lifespan He wills that we have!

Lesson: David viewed God as his Master and sole Source of goodness. Consequently, he fellowshipped with the godly and not with idolaters who looked to other sources for fulfillment, he experienced God's intimate guidance in life, and he enjoyed great stability. Thus, David was assured that God would rescue him from an untimely death.

Application: (1) May we trust in Christ Who died as our Atoning Sacrifice for sin that we might receive God's gift of eternal life, John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. (2) In applying Psalm 16 as believers in the dispensation of the Church, may we (a) view God as (i) our Master and (ii) sole Source of goodness, (b) resulting in our (i) having fellowship with the godly and not with those who view other entities besides God as their masters and sources of goodness, in our (ii) experiencing intimate guidance from the Lord and (iii) our enjoying great stability. (b) These practices and resulting experiences will assure us that God will give us the longest lifespan He wills that we have!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the message . . .)

We apply this sermon to the issues of concern mentioned in our sermon introduction (as follows):

(1) Regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine with the possible great loss of life and world economic chaos and heightened international tensions, viewing God as our Master and sole Source of goodness in life, we can rest assured that His prediction in Revelation 3:21 with 7:17 that we will face a Mini-Great Tribulation marked by oppressive leaders and their intrigue will indeed be fulfilled! Thus, God's purpose of allowing such an era to occur to drive people to depart from relying on false idols for fulfillment and to turn to the God of Scripture for blessing will be fulfilled! Our duty is to follow God's leading through His Word and keep trusting that He will provide all we need to fulfill His will for us while we serve Him in discipling others for His coming Kingdom! (Philippians 4:10-19)

(2) Regarding the possibility of another Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, (a) David in Psalm 37:25 ESV wrote, "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread." Though David lived under the dispensation of the Mosaic Law when God's promises for the righteous become general principles for believers in our current Church era, we believers can see God provide for the livelihood and safety needs of our offspring, be they children or grandchildren who are our "seed," if we like David view God as our Sovereign Master and sole Source of goodness. (b) If you are a boy or a girl who believes in Jesus as your Savior and you are in school, Jesus in Matthew 18:10 said that you have an angel who is accountable to God your heavenly Father to guard you. So, wherever you are, trust and obey God and pray for God's help if you need it.

(3) Regarding the possibility of the intoxicated hit-and-run driver who killed a person and who has not failed to stay sober and free from drugs whenever he has been released, that such a person might be released to kill again, our best action is to revere God as our Master and only Source of good when we either walk along roadways or drive on them. Viewing God as our Master, we will obey Him, and God directs us to obey all traffic laws in 1 Peter 2:13-16. Traffic laws have been established to preserve life and property, so heeding God's will in walking along roads and driving in vehicles lawfully and carefully is useful to God in preserving us from dangerous drivers.

(4) Regarding the discovery of skeletal remains at the Northfield-Harwinton town line, Brigitte Ruthman's story about the 19-year-old young woman whose remains were identified as "Brianna Beam" adds that she "had been listed as missing more than once," that a "previous missing person's report had been issued by police in East Providence, R. I. after" she had "disappeared from a group home for 17-to-21-year-olds in October 2019. She later was found in Connecticut." (Ibid., Ruthman, "Woman's remains identified") Obviously, the young woman had a troubled background and did not obey her overseers in repeatedly running away, leaving herself vulnerable to all sorts of trouble and harm. Had she trusted in Christ for salvation and looked to the God of Scripture as her Sovereign Master and only Source of good, she would have heeded her protective overseers and even experienced a happy, fulfilled life as opposed to her tragic end. All young adults, be they young women or young men, just like everybody else, need to view God as their Master and sole Source of all that is good for blessing in avoiding an untimely death.

May we trust in Christ Who died as our Atoning Sacrifice for sin that we might receive God's gift of eternal life. May we then view God as our Master and sole Source of goodness to avoid a premature death.