THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: Living By Faith In God

CXVI. Trusting In God When Badly Deceived

(Psalm 116:1-19)

 

Introduction: (To show the need . . .)

            2 Timothy 3:13 predicted that deception would increase in the latter days, and it is being fulfilled today:

            (1) “Paris Olympics organizers” produced “a tableau that evoked Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ during the glamorous opening ceremony . . . The scene . . . featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch – an LGBTQ+ icon – flanked by drag artists and dancers.” (AP, “Olympics organizers say they meant no disrespect with ‘Last Supper’ tableau,” Republican-American, July 29, 2024, p. 2A) “(A)rtistic director Thomas Jolly” defended the tableau, claiming that “it was meant to celebrate diversity and pay tribute to feasting and French gastronomy,” Ibid.

            However, “religious conservatives from around the world decried the segment, with the French Catholic Church’s conference of bishops deploring ‘scenes of derision’ that they said made a mockery of Christianity – a sentiment echoed by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova” and “The Anglican Communion in Egypt” that “expressed its ‘deep regret.’” (Ibid.) The defense of the tableau’s artistic director was dishonest at best!

            (2) Deception is escalating in the mainstream media: “(S)lightly more than one-third of Democrats believe the attempted assassination of Donald Trump was staged . . . the phenomenon known as ‘BlueAnon,’ a play on the far right QAnon conspiracy that once gripped portions of the Republican base.” (“Just asking questions?” Ibid., July 27, 2024, p. 6A) The Washington Free Beacon reports that the Morning Consult poll found “‘BlueAnon adherents among the Democratic base far outnumber their QAnon counterparts on the right’ . . . (W)hen one surveys the left-wing media landscape, it’s no wonder why.  Over and over again in the days since the shooting, prominent progressive media figures have hinted at conspiracy theories,” for as “(t)he Spectator’s Stephen L. Miller noted . . . ‘Trump cannot be seen as a victim . . . even when he is the target of a would-be assassin’s attempt against his life’ . . . In . . . a political movement that views victimhood as the ultimate currency and Mr. Trump as the personification of evil, the official story simply can’t be accepted as true.” (Ibid.)

            (3) Deception exists in America’s largest Protestant denomination: “Brent Leatherwood,” head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s “Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission,” responded to President Biden’s statement “that he would not seek re-election” by posting on X, “‘We should all express our appreciation that President Biden has put the needs of the nation above his personal ambition.’” (Peter Smith, “Oops: Southern Baptist agency fires leader – or maybe not,” Republican-American, July 26, 2024, p. 3B) “Leatherwood’s statement prompted fierce blowback on social media from some within the denomination . . . (A) Southern Baptist professor . . . Andrew Walker, said Biden’s withdrawal was not an ‘act of valor’ but rather a case of ‘ultra-powerful’ Democrats forcing him out.” (Ibid.)

            Amazingly, “(i)n under 48 hours,” for “applauding President Joe Biden’s ‘selfless act,’” Leatherwood, “head of the staunchly conservative public-policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention . . . was fired – and now they have reaffirmed his leadership,” saying he “has the full support of his top board members – though its chairman resigned and apologized for the erroneous announcement” of the firing! (Ibid.) The tumult and vacillation in SBC leaders over this issue exposes a spiritual war of deception that exists in America’s largest Protestant denomination!

 

Need: So, we ask, “How should we respond if we have fallen for a bad, harmful deception?”

 

I.               Psalm 116:1-19 is a thanksgiving psalm of a formerly naïve man who was greatly, harmfully deceived:

A.    In verse 6 KJV, the psalmist stated that God protects the “simple,” what translates the Hebrew word peti, “simple; open-minded,” and here means “naïve” (B. D. B., A Heb. and Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 834).

B.    Testifying of the trial he faced as a naïve man, the psalmist at verse 10 noted that upon believing in the Lord, “therefore” (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:13 that cites this phrase from the Greek Septuagint) he had said, “I am greatly afflicted!” (NIV), realizing that he had been badly deceived as was evidenced by his great affliction.

C.    This experience recalls the Proverbs 22:3 proverb of a peti, that a prudent man sees danger and takes refuge where the peti keeps going and suffers for it!  Similarly, Psalm 116:10 tells of the peti coming to the realization that he had been badly deceived as was evidenced by his affliction!

D.    In his state of alarm while facing his affliction and realizing that he had been badly deceived, the peti added the claim that he had made in the crisis when he had also said, “All men are liars!” (Psalm  116:11)

II.            Psalm 116:1-19 then testifies how the once naïve psalmist gained God’s deliverance from his trial:

A.    The psalmist opened the psalm with praise to God for hearing his request for deliverance from trouble, v. 1-2.

B.    He then reported of the past distress he faced, and of his call on the Lord for His deliverance, Psalm 116:3-4:

1.      The trouble the psalmist had faced was some life-threatening trial that involved his experience of intense distress and anguish, Psalm 116:3 ESV.

2.      Consequently, he had called on the Lord to deliver his life from certain, terrible destruction, Psalm 116:4.

C.    The psalmist then told of God’s deliverance that had involved delivery from being badly deceived, v. 5-11:

1.      Referring to the Lord as gracious, righteous, and merciful, the psalmist claimed that God had preserved him as a naïve (peti) man, that when he was brought low in being badly deceived, God saved him, v. 5-6.

2.      The psalmist could tell his soul to relax, for God had bountifully helped him and settled his spirit, v. 7-9.

3.      At verses 10-11, the psalmist rehearsed how when had believed in God, he had realized that he had been badly, dangerously deceived, and that he had stated in his alarm amid his trial that all men were liars!

D.    Accordingly, the psalmist committed himself to praise the Lord for His deliverance, Psalm 116:12-19:

1.      In great appreciation for the Lord’s bountiful deliverance, the psalmist would offer a drink offering in gratitude for his deliverance (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Psalm 116:13) and call on the name of the Lord, paying his vows made under duress when he needed God’s help, Psalm 116:13-14.

2.      God did not view the death of His people lightly (Psalm 116:15), what made the psalmist so grateful that he pledged himself to be God’s servant for His having loosed his bonds from a dangerous situation, v. 16.

3.      The psalmist would then praise, honor, and glorify the Lord for His deliverance in public worship in God’s temple, and that in the presence of the rest of God’s people, Psalm 116:17-19.

 

Lesson: Since the Lord had graciously delivered the naïve psalmist when he had been badly, harmfully deceived, and he had called on the Lord for help, he glorified the Lord and praised and exalted Him in great relief and joy.

 

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) If we discover that we have been harmfully deceived, may we call on a gracious God for help, and when He delivers us, may we praise Him as we relax and rejoice in His grace!

 

Conclusion: (To illustrate the message and provide additional guidance . . .)

            Since 2 Timothy 3:13-17 directs that we can AVOID being deceived by relying on God’s Word, we apply Scripture’s commentary on the issues of concern mentioned in our sermon introduction for our insight and edification:

            (1) As for “The Last Supper” tableau that featured LGBTQ+ actors hailing diversity, feasting and French cuisine, (a) Jesus and His disciples obeyed the Mosaic Law (Matthew 5:17-18), and the Law at Deuteronomy 22:5 and Leviticus 18:23 condemned gender diversity.  (b) On the claim that the tableau celebrated feasting and French cuisine, the first Last Supper was a religious Hebrew Passover meal (John 13:1-30) of unleavened bread, bitter herbs and a lamb with its head, legs and entrails roasted to commemorate God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 12:1-17)!  (c) This meal did not celebrate feasting and French cuisine – the tableau was a falsehood!

            (2) As for the BlueAnon conspiracy that the assassination attempt on Mr. Trump was staged, Proverbs 20:12 claims that God gave us eyes and ears that we might know reality, and our eyes and ears gleaned from news reports between the June 27th Trump vs. Biden debate where President Biden did so poorly and the July 13th assassination attempt that Mr. Trump was well ahead of President Biden in the polls!  There was no motive for the Republicans to stage a risky assassination attempt on July 13th to improve Mr. Trump’s ratings, so the BlueAnon conspiracy errs!

            (3) As for the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission’s reversal of the firing of its leader for praising President Biden’s withdrawal from running for reelection as putting the nation’s welfare above his ambition, we note that the president’s withdrawal speech included his backing of Vice President Kamala Harris to run in his place (Zeke Miller and Colleen Long, “Biden drops out of race,” Ibid., Republican-American, July 22, 2024, 1A).  However, she “is an abortion zealot,” she “raised money for a bail fund that helped put people accused and later convicted of violent crimes back on the streets, and she supports giving former prisoners, including rapists and murderers, the right to vote . . . (She also) helped lead the coverup of Biden’s cognitive decline . . .” (Marc Thiessen, “Why didn’t any Democrats challenge Kamala Harris?” Ibid., p. 6A) If Brent Leatherwood, the leader of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, publicly claimed that President Biden put the needs of the nation above his own ambition by stepping down while simultaneously backing Vice President Kamala Harris to run in his place, a politician who greatly lacks Christian morals and values, Mr. Leatherwood is at least deceived and should not lead the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of America’s largest Protestant denomination!

            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 call on God to rescue us from bad deception and cleave to His word for discernment!