Socialism 101

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before but had once failed an entire class.

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Psalm 34 a Bible study by Kathy Kearney

Background found in 1 Samuel 21:10-15

David has been running from Saul, who wants to kill him. David has been living in caves and wherever he could to escape. With him are his band of warriors who have aligned themselves with him and others. At this particular time to escape Saul he goes to Abimelech (a title), king of Gath.

However, his reputation has preceded him because the servants of Abimelech quote the little chorus that the women sang when they saw David. “Saul has slain his thousands but David tens of thousands”. When David heard this he was afraid and feigned insanity.

Because of superstition king Abimelech drove him away. This superstition is prevalent among many tribes and nations. They believed that if they harmed the person who was mad, that or something worse would come upon them. We find that same superstition even among the American Indian. There have been stories recorded of trappers or explorers who feigned madness when traveling through hostile territory.

What’s also interesting is that David is called a man after God’s own heart. In other words, he loved the Lord and really desired to serve him, yet he was very, very human in every way. He was afraid for his life, even though he had been anointed king by Samuel, and believed he would be king. Yet still at moments like this, he showed his humanity.

Vs. 1-3 I will extol (praise) the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted (humble) shall hear and rejoice. Glorify (magnify) the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

Vs. 1 extol means praise but is a higher form of praise than what we usually think of when we think of praise.

Vs. 2 My soul (not just his lips) but his entire being – his essence of who he was.
Boast – Scripture says a lot about boasting, since God knows man intimately, he knows that he likes to boast or brag about something, usually nothing important.

Psalm 44:8
James 4:11
Jeremiah 9:23-24
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
2 Corinthians 11:30

Then he says in vs. 2 that others will hear of it and rejoice with him, thus giving God the praise.

The last half of vs. 3 we have inscribed inside our wedding bands. That has always been our desire, to exalt his name!!

Vs. 4-7 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. (5) Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. (6) This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. (7) The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

Vs. 4 David’s personal testimony
vs. 5 He will do the same for all who look to him. Psalm 25:3 Those who are trusting in God have nothing to be ashamed of.
Vs. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps – beautiful story in 2Kings 6:15-17
This would have been years later, yet David saw it with his Spiritual eyes.
After all his rescue from the hands of Saul would have been supernatural. See also Psalm 139:5

GOD’S INVITATION

Vs. 8-10 (8) Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (9) Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. (10) The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Vs. 8 David’s invitation see Isaiah 55:1-3 God’s invitation – it’s free
vs. 10 Count your blessings. You may not have thousands of dollars in the bank, most of us don’t and yet we are the most blessed people on earth because we know the Lord.

Welfare in this country is man’s answer to a problem that families and the church were supposed to address. Much, (not all), of the poverty in this country is caused by rebellion against God’s laws.
By this mean when people don’t apply themselves, get involved in things like drugs and alcohol which everyone knows is self destructive, or they won’t stay in school or take a job which in their opinion is beneath them, then they are in rebellion against God’s law – which says, “if a man won’t work then let him not eat”.

Not only here but in other places as well. We have North Korea and places in Africa where the leaders won’t allow relief to reach the people. In India years ago during a famine, our country and other nations sent rice and wheat in only to have it eaten on the docks by rats and monkeys and the people would not stop it because these animals were sacred to them. You talk about spiritual darkness!!!

God’s word to his people all through the OT were if they would obey his laws, his blessings would remain on them, but if they did not, the opposite would happen and ultimately did, they went into captivity.

Vs. 11-14 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. (12) Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, (13) keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. (14) Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Vs. 11 His invitation is to the children (anyone who would learn)
What is he going to teach them? THE FEAR OF THE LORD.
Vs. 12-14 Is the lesson he is going to teach them.
(a) this is only for those who love life and want to live a long happy life.
(b) what they must do control their tongue (gossip) and their lips (lies)
(c) seek peace and pursue it. They are to seek peace with God and not necessarily as the world says today. In today’s world, seeking peace means accepting anything your neighbor says you must accept, even if it is against the Scripture.
(d) Note: this is in the active sense. Not passively going along your way, but working at it. (pursuing )

Proverbs 13:3
James 1:26

Vs. 15-16 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; (16) the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Contrasts here that we have seen in other Psalms – see Psalm 33:18 for a beautiful verse on this. The assurance that God hears us when we call. It says his ear is open (NIV- attentive) to their cry. Even when we think God isn’t listening, he is!!!

v. 16 is also a warning to the unbeliever, that he is against them.

Vs. 17-18 he continues: The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. (18) The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

First requirement is to cry out. God may not answer according to the way you think he should. The young girl, Cassie Bernal in Littleton who was martyred for her faith might have thought God would send an angel to save her. Instead he took her home.

That ties in with the next verse:
Vs. 19-20 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. (20) He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
This is a Messianic reference. David was a Prophet and is called that by Christ. The Passover lamb was a picture of Christ and Exodus 12:46 there was a command that the lamb was not to have any bone broken

Exodus 12:46
Numbers 9:12
John 1:29
John 19:36
1 Corinthians 5:7

Vs. 21-22 Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. (22) The Lord redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

1. God will not slay the wicked. Evil will slay them.
2. They will be condemned, because they oppose righteousness.
3. We are told in Psalm 37 to not fret because evil men seem to be prospering. Psalm 73 – the Psalmist says he nearly lost his foothold when he envied the arrogant and saw their prosperity. They seemed to have no troubles till VERSE 17 — he entered the sanctuary and meditated on what God said – then he understood!!
Was David a Christian? No, because before Christ came there were no such things but he sounds like he is quoting Romans 8:1 & 28

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You and I tend to do the opposite. We would explain to Moses how he is ideally suited to return to Egypt… Then we’d remind Moses how perfect he is for wilderness travel…We’d spend time reviewing with Moses his résumé and strengths.

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The intent of the gospel of John is found in John 20:31: “These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing on Him, you might have eternal life through His Name.” The intent of the first letter of John is found in 1 John 5:13: “These things are written so that you who have believed on the name of Christ may know that you have eternal life.” The gospel of John is the introduction to our faith, the letter of John is about walking and maturing in faith.

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