2 Samuel 14-18

Sit at city gate and undermine his heather the King until he had enough support to attempt an overthrow

Prayer is the natural language of faith, obvious condition for pardon, appointed means for walking in the fullness of the Spirit, expression and exercise of our personal relationship with God


To God - Jahweh, Jehovah. 5 times in 8 verses

3,3,5,6,8

The most personal name for God....the God who is named in creation, salvation, giving the 10 commandments, the self existent, unchangeable, ever living God.....

Relief - military term describing when an army is surrounded, facing certain destruction, and are suddenly rescued from what seems to be a hopeless situation

Things of life that are squeezing us

In this request is the reality that David has experienced God' rescue in the past.....

Mercy - an infinite inexhaustible energy within God's divine nature which compels God to be actively compassionate. A W Tozier

Prosperity - goodness, better times, qualitative word that speaks to being better off, in a good place


Safety - calming effect of an inner hope in God, which is the exact opposite of despair that leads to sleepless nights

How long the Lord asks will people

Minimize God' role in life, belittling his power, taking credit for themselves things that belong to God

Exchanging God for the deception of home made Gods

We live in less than ideal conditions.....

Oh men at the beginning of verse 2 stresses the weakness of the flesh, of being human....
Tendency to rush after what is unclear, lacks purpose, is a poor imitation of the True God?

Lots of homemade Gods out there....

David knows that God sets apart, can distinguish, see us in the crowd, visibly point us out

Actually the LXX says God has marvelously dressed us.....

Who we are in Christ.....

Chooses to emphasize our progress not our failings, because we are viewed through Christ's righteousness......

It is possible to live in the world and not be permanently stained by it

And hears our prayers..... the world' s anti God rhetoric can get pretty loud....

Avoid false Gods

Tremble and sin not.....

And do not sin.....cross the line, go too far with your emotions

LXX. Keep on being angry, but stop going too far with it.....

Sin insults the majesty of God
Grieves the Holy Spirit
Destroys our lives as John 10:10 reminds us
Very costly and should not be taken lightly

Spurgeon comments that today many people sin and tremble not....

To stand back and be amazed at, shake with intense emotion, at the majesty of God

Emphasis on think before you speak

Go to bed and wait on God in silence, process things in the quietness of your heart, not by lashing out at others....

(Illus. Remember the backdrop of Absalom and David cutting him all kinds of slack....)

In effect, sleep on it.....

Worship God.......

seeking forgiveness

Doctrinal accuracy - of the righteous

Trust in God

Overall sense of well being due to actually
placing our confidence in God

Some are skeptical......

Who can do us any good....

The God who does me more good than a good harvest party.....that is who.....

He gave merriment into my heart.....


And as a result I can trust in him.....
Hope, rest assured in the Lord LXX

Feel confident in, secure about......

Personal note......I

Joy - greater than any party

State of being, a position

Something that lights up your eyes....

Impacts your heart and shows up on your face

Peace- absent of conflict, position of completeness, wholeness, fulfillment that found its source in God

True joy can't be found outside of God