Get Me Out of This Mess

Psalm 60

I. David Had Another Problem

A. God sometimes ruins plans because they are flawed; David was reflecting on his problems between battles. “To the chief Musician upon Shushaneduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand. O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.” (Psalm 60:1) The song was written to play on the Lily of Testimony.

B. The same God Who can make the earth shake can make it take a nap. “Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.” (Psalm 60:2) “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” (Matthew 24:6) “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.” (Psalm 46:2-3)

C. When God’s people seriously consider hard times, disasters transform themselves into timely warnings. “Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.” (Psalm 60:3)

D. Christians owe God thanks when hard times prevent falling into worse situations; Providence reveals truth. “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.” (Psalm 60:4) “Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.” (Isaiah 49:22)

E. Praise God for solved problems; difficult quizzes prevent failed exams. “That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.” (Psalm 60:5)

II. God Will Keep Solving Problems

A. While still in the middle of his problems, David was ready to praise God for the solutions he expected. “God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.” (Psalm 60:6)

B. God turns problems into opportunities and consequently prayers for help become occasions for celebrating solutions. “Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; Moab is my wash pot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.” (Psalm 60:7-8)

C. The memory of hard times will humble the soul. “Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.” (Lamentations 3:19-20)

III. Life Will Get Better

A. Christians must learn to think beyond their own resources when evaluating problems; once the problem is left to God, He can find the solution. “Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?” (Psalm 60:9) “Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.” (1 Corinthians 3:22-23)

B. God occasionally lets His people learn reality through failure just as any parent has to let children learn some lessons the hard way; never presume that God has turned His back. “Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?” (Psalm 60:10)

C. Keep turning to God; every appearance of shadow is a prompting to prayer; only God has satisfying and long-term answers for hard times. “Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.” (Psalm 60:11) “A Song of degrees of David. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say; If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:” (Psalm 124:1-3)

D. The only absolutely guaranteed solution to life’s problems is to hand them off to God. “Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.” (Psalm 60:12) “A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:” (Psalm 144:1)