PSALM 28:6-9

King David had much for which to be thankful! Had it not been for God's enabling, he would never have conquered the giant Goliath. Had it not been for God's choice, he would never have become King of Israel. Had it not been for God's mercy, he would have been condemned for adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah. Had it not been for God's guidance, he would never have been up to the immense task of shepherding Israel. As he mused on all God had done in his past, all God was doing in his present, and all God would do in his future, David was moved to declare, "Blessed be the Lord!" "Blessed" means to salute, or bow down to or to kneel before God in praise. There are three basic reasons in the text for David's blessing. To illustrate those reasons, let me tell you about a little boy named Jim. Back in the days of one room schools, a new teacher was just beginning his duty. He began by enlisting the class to help establish some rules of conduct. The students called out rules and he wrote them on the board. "No stealin'!" "Be on time!" "No fightin'!" and so on. For breach of the rules the class demanded, "Beat them 10 times on the back with no coat on!" Though the teacher thought it severe, he put the penalty on the board and asked if they thought they could live with that. They could, they insisted. In a day or so "Big Tom" found his lunch was stolen. Upon inquiry the thief was located; a little fellow about ten named Jim. The next morning the teacher announced, "We have found the thief and he must be punished according to your rule -- ten stripes across the back! Jim, come up here!" The little fellow, trembling, came up slowly with a big coat fastened up to the neck and pleaded, "Teacher, you can lick me as hard as you like, but please don't make me take my coat off!" The teacher was relentless, "Take that coat off Jim, you helped make the rules!" "Oh, teacher, don't make me!" But he began to unbutton, and the entire class saw that he had no shirt on, just strings for the brace which covered his little bony body. "How can I whip this child?" thought the teacher. "But I must do something if I keep this school." Everything was quiet as death. But in the teacher's mind the little boy's plea echoed over and over. As he heard the voice of the boy, and that plea went to his heart, so God heard David's supplication and it went to His heart, and God hears our cries and they go to His heart. That brings us to the first reason for blessing the Lord..

1. DAVID BLESSED GOD FOR HEARING HIS SUPPLICATION: V6:
1. The word for "supplication" means
1. To entreat earnestly.
2. To beseech for pity and mercy.
2. To "hear," in this text, means:
1. To listen attentively and with concern.
2. To intelligently comprehend what is being said.
3. It is as a father bending low, cupping his hand to his ear to hear every word his child is speaking.
3. David knew that when he cried out, God listened attentively. John gives this assurance: "And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 1 John 5:14. God is the God who hears the cry of His people for mercy and help! God hears your supplication, too.
1. Jonah knew that and he said, "In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and You listened to my cry." Jonah 2:2.
2. David proclaimed it in Psalms 22:24 "For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help."
3. In Psalms 120:1 David declares, "In my trouble I cried to the Lord, And He answered me."
4. The blind man knew it and when he heard that Jesus was walking by, cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Mark 10:47. Jesus heard that cry.
5. The lepers knew it and raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Luke 17:13. Jesus paid attention to that plea.
4. A mother came to Napoleon to ask for mercy for her son who had been condemned to die. Napoleon said that the boy was guilty and that justice demanded the death penalty. She said, "But I don't ask for justice, only for mercy." Napoleon said, "He doesn't deserve it." She said, "No, he doesn't, but it would not be mercy if he deserved it." Napoleon paid attention to that mother and agreed and granted mercy. He heard that mother's supplication.

2. DAVID BLESSED GOD FOR BEING HIS STRENGTH AND SHIELD: V7:
1. The word for "shield" in the text means, literally, "a protector" or "defender!"
2. So, what does this mean? That we will never experience weakness? That we will never suffer or be in pain? Does it mean that God somehow puts an invisible force-field around us to prevent any sort of difficulty? To all those the answer is a resounding, "NO!"
1. Job suffered intensely, but was favored in God's sight, and ultimately vindicated.
2. Jeremiah suffered great lamentation because of the plight of Israel, but God was still his hope.
3. The early Christians often suffered persecution, but they rejoiced "that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name." Acts 5:41.
4. Everybody has some portion of suffering, but 
1. James says, "Consider it all joy ... when you encounter various trials." James 1:2.
2. Peter adds, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" 1 Peter 1:3-7.
3. So, while He did not promise to shield us from all suffering, He did promise to be our strength and protector in it!
1. Psalms 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." 
2. Psalms 91:15 "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and honor him." 
3. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 
4. 1 Peter 5:10 "And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 
4. Here's the proposition: you and I and every living human being will experience our portion of pain, sorrow, affliction, suffering, and misery. It is a given that we will face those things! Now we can face it alone, or we can face it with God. Leave Him out of the equation and you're on your own. But with Him, we can say with David, "He is my strength and shield."

3. DAVID BLESSED GOD FOR GIVING HIM JOY: V7:
1. The word for "exults" literally means to "jump for joy!" It is like the Beavers fans after their team defeated the Ducks in the recent Civil War game. Were they joyous? Were they exultant? Were they excited? Hey, does honey come from bees?
2. But note that David didn't talk about happiness: there had been much unhappiness in his life.
1. King Saul had frequently tried to take his life.
2. The child born to Bathsheba died in infancy and David's heart was crushed.
3. Amnon, one of his sons, sexually violated his own half-sister, Tamar.
4. Absalom, another of his sons, sought to kill him so he could get the throne.
3. Let's not mix up happiness with joy!
1. Happiness depends on externals: circumstances, people, health, what happens to us.
2. Joy depends on internals: the Holy Spirit, the Word of God dwelling in us, and our own attitudes.
4. God never promised happiness, as the world means it; but He does promise and provide fullness of joy!

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