Psalm 34, I want to read the whole Psalm, but we will be looking at verses 11-14, and the title of the message will be, Walking in the Fear of the Lord. We heard a message about a man who had unfamed faith this morning, who had sincere, genuine faith, that is, Timothy. And I preached a message not too long ago from Proverbs 22 on what is the good life, what is true riches, true honor, true life. And Proverbs Solomon told us that it is by humility and the fear of the Lord is where riches and honor and life is found. And so what the psalmist David is going to teach us, he's going to teach over 400 people that's in a cave with him, and teach you and I today, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is how to walk in the fear of the Lord. You'll remember the background of this psalm. It says it's a psalm of David when he changed his behavior before Abimelech. Abimelech was a name like Pharaoh would be a name of Egyptian kings. Abimelech was the name of Philistine kings. So it was the Abimelech at the time, his name was Achish. You'll remember that Saul, David, was the sole focus of Saul's hatred and jealousy for many, many years. At first, Saul liked David, but then after after God used David to kill the wicked, giant Goliath of Gath, the one who was defying the armies of the Lord, defying God. God used David to slay him with the sling and the stone. And David sort of became a folk hero. And you'll remember that the women were dancing in the streets shouting, Saul has killed his thousands, but David his ten thousands. And from that point forward, Saul was blind with hatred towards David. And from that point forward, David was on the run. He was hiding from cave to cave, from hiding place to hiding place. hiding from Saul, and it got to the point where David did some pretty foolish things. I mean, he was in a panic, and in his panic he did some foolish things, such as he thought it was a good idea to actually run away from Saul to the town of Gath, which is where Goliath, the champion Philistine that he slew, that's where he was from. And you'll remember that Akish, the king of Gath, found out he was there and then David knew he had messed up. And so what do you do when you panic? He starts scratching the walls and letting his spit run down his beard. He acts like he's an insane man because he doesn't know what to do. After that point, Abimelech is saying, who is this guy? Achish, the Abimelech, the king of Gath is saying, who is this guy? Why have you brought him before me? Get him out of my sight. Well, even in David's foolishness of going to Gath, God in His sovereignty used this insane behavior to deliver him, and so he flees to this cave called Adullam. There, about 400 of his family members, his soldiers, bodyguards, I guess, are there. And that is where this psalm, that's the background of where this psalm is found. So I'm going to read the whole psalm. Sorry, Mama. I'm going to read this. Sorry, I left my cell phone. I'm using Mama's cell phone, so I'll know what time it is. So, let's read Psalm 34. I love how one man broke this down. He said the first ten verses are a song, a song of praise for deliverance, and then verse 11 forward is a sermon. So we're going to read about a song and a sermon. I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto Him and were lightened, or radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. Oh, fear the Lord, ye His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing." Now here's our text. Come, ye children, hearken unto me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite, that literally could be said, crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all. He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants, and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate." Heavenly Father, Lord, I pray that You would sanctify us by Thy truth, Lord, for Thy Word is truth. In Jesus' name, Amen. Verses 11-14, Come, ye children, hearken unto me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. He has just got through these first ten verses. He is exuding praise to the Lord. You can imagine, he is in this cave, he has been delivered. He was for sure going to get executed there in Gath, but he has been delivered, and so now he has some exhortations. to these 400 plus that are in this cave with Him. And so He is saying, listen, it is time to listen up. Hearken unto Me. Listen to Me, children. And everybody else that's here, I have a message to give. That's what David is saying. Do you want to know how to walk with the Lord? Walk in the fear of the Lord? Do you want to know how to follow the Lord? Listen. And so I say that to you today. Will you listen? Will we listen? Not to Nathan Guest, but to God's Word, to God's inspired words. These are God's words for you and I tonight. Hearken unto Me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. I'll teach you how to walk with the Lord. That's what He's saying. He says the same thing. I love Solomon, David's son. In Proverbs 4, he uses similar language when he is teaching his children. I love this. Solomon borrows from the wisdom that David, his father, gave him, that Solomon gives to his children. When he says in Proverbs 4, he says, Hear ye, children, the instruction of a father, and attend to no understanding. For I give you good doctrine. Forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, Again, this is Solomon. David was his father. I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also and said unto me, let thine heart retain my words, keep my commandments, and live. I can only imagine that Solomon remembers some of the same wisdom that he was given by David and that he would give to his children. Back to Psalm 34, verse 12. So come, you children, hearken unto Me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. I'm going to teach you how to walk closely with the Lord. Verse 12, what man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good? Who here desires to live a prosperous, fruitful life? Who here desires for your life to count for the Lord? Then listen up, hearken. That word hearken, by the way, it does not mean just listen with your ears and the sound waves will get to your eardrums and then you hear. No, it has the idea of listen with the intention of obeying. You are listening, intending to obey what's being said. That's the language of hearken unto me. It's a very strong word. Do you desire to live a long life, a prosperous, a fruitful life? You know, approximately a thousand, maybe eleven hundred years, some have said, after this psalm, Peter uses the same language to persecuted saints who were scattered abroad. He borrows the same language from David who was being persecuted and he was running from his life. He borrows the same language to speak, to encourage and to exhort persecuted saints. He says in 1 Peter chapter 3, he says, for he that will love life and see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil or avoid evil and do good. Let him seek peace and ensue it or pursue it. I love that Peter can borrow from this language 1100, approximately 1100 years before to be able to exhort and encourage persecuted saints. And we can use this language, God's language for us years and years later in 2022. to walk in the fear of the Lord. So how do we do it? We learned a few weeks ago that riches and honor in life are found by what? By humility and the fear of the Lord. Well, what is the fear of the Lord? What does He say? I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who here desires to live a long life that loves many days that he may see good? Verse 13. Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile." Keep your tongue from evil. This literally means keep your speech under control. Watch what comes out of your mouth. Do we need this in our marriages today, in our families today, sibling to sibling, parent to sibling? husband to wife, or whatever the scenario is. Do we need this? Whatever context of life, do we need to watch what comes out of our mouth? Keep our speech under control. Psalm 141, verse 3, Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips. Keep thy tongue from evil. That's military language. that keep has the idea of guarding, of protection. I remember watching video and reading a book about the attempted assassination on President Ronald Reagan. You can watch the video still, it's on YouTube. As soon as shots are fired, his bodyguards immediately jump on him, push him into the limousine, into the car he's in, jump on him and they were shot, some of them were shot, one of them was paralyzed. That's their job. That was their job. They were sworn to do that. Bodyguard for the president. That's the type of language he uses when talking about watching what comes out of our mouth. What do we let come out of our mouth? Guard your tongue. Keep thy tongue from evil. Keep your speech under control. And that evil is just all manner of evil. Ephesians 4.29, we know it well, let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. That literally means let no worthless talk come out of your mouth. Let no fruitless talk come out of your mouth. That absolutely, of course, is talking about let no profane language, let no foul language come out of your mouth. But it also means, when we talk to each other, does it mean something or is it just worthless talk? I love to talk about sports. There's nothing wrong with talking about sports or your favorite video game. But is that all we talk about? Do we give ourselves to, are we more interested in the juicy stories or the gossip of what he said and she said? Is that what comes out of our mouth? I heard a message last Sunday in Birmingham on stewardship. And I was reminded again what a steward is. The word means manager of household affairs. He is a manager of something that's been entrusted to him. So I may have said this, I think I said this something similar last time I was preaching here. Really, whose tongue is it? Who gave us our tongue? It's God's tongue, really. We are to steward what God has given us. Keep thy tongue from evil. Steward what God has given us for good. Well, we can't talk about the tongue and not go to the epistle of James. You know, James has been called at times the Proverbs of the New Testament because of its great practical wisdom, practical godliness, practical teaching. James 1, verse 19 says, "...Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." Do we need that today? Does that step on a few toes? I know it steps on my toes. You know, there are times when I'm in conversation, and I'm sure it's similar with all of us, where I may be giving you ear service by listening to what you have to say, but really what I'm doing is, I can't wait until he's done so I can say what I want to say. I'm really listening to you so you'll hurry up and get done, and then I really want to say what I want to say. Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. You know, the fewer words we say, the less opportunity we have to sin with our words, to sin with our mouth. James 1, verse 26 says, He says, If any man among you seem to be religious, seem to be holy and pious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart." This man's religion is vain. That means it's empty. If I can't bridle my tongue, control my tongue, watch what comes out of my mouth, protect, set a watch over my mouth, my religion is in vain. Well, then James chapter 3, He uses that analogy of a bridle again, this little bit, this bridle that you put in a horse's mouth. You have this big old horse and this little bridle. And with that little bridle, you steer where that horse goes. That horse goes wherever you want it to go with that little bridle. He also uses the analogy of a ship. And I guess it's a little, what's the word for the little, is it a rudder? A rudder. That little rudder can steer this humongous ship. where He wants to go. Listen to what He says about the tongue then in James chapter 3 verse 5. Even so the tongue is a little member, tongue is little, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. And the tongue is a fire, listen to this, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beast, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind, but the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God, which are made in the image of God. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." Brothers and sisters, that little tongue can destroy reputations. It can destroy lives and churches and marriages and families. I know that James and David did not know yet about social media at this point, but I guarantee that the third person, the Trinity, who inspired these words did know about social media. And so when we talk about how the tongue, keep our tongue from evil, we can also say keep our fingers from evil, that they tweet or text or Instagram or Facebook, no guile, no evil. Brothers and sisters, death and life are in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18 verse 21. Hearken unto me, children. Come, you children, hearken unto me. I'm going to teach you how to walk in the fear of the Lord. You want to walk with the Lord? You want to live a fruitful life that counts? Keep your tongue from evil. And then he gets more specific. Your lips from speaking guile. Guile is hypocrisy or lying. Why does he get specific about guile? I think it's because this type of speech is demonic. Why do I say it's demonic? It's the very language of Satan. What does Jesus say in John about Satan? He is what? The father of what? The father of lies. What type of language did he get to deceive the woman in the garden in Genesis 3? He was subtle, crafty. Hath God said? It's the language of Satan. Guile, lying. Proverbs chapter 6, when he goes through the litany of sins that are an abomination to God, Proverbs chapter 6, he repeats one of these in verse 16. These six things that the Lord hate, yea, seven, are an abomination to Him. These things are disgusting to God. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, and heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, and then, verse 19, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren. A lying tongue, and then he says, a false witness that speaketh lies. He repeats himself. Keep your tongue from evil, your lips from speaking guile. You know, I already said it about stewardship, that this is, we belong, we are not our own. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 19, that the context is fleeing sexual sin, fleeing fornication. This includes our mouth, our tongue, it all belongs to God. Paul says to the Corinthian saints, verse 18, he says, flee fornication, every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? Know ye not that your body including your tongue, including your mouth, is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." Brothers and sisters, keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil. Verse 14, depart from it. Have nothing to do with it. Abstain from the very appearance of it. What does Paul say in Ephesians? Neither give place to the devil. Don't give Satan an inch. Do you want to know how to walk in the fear of the Lord? Don't give him an inch. Solomon says in Proverbs 8, to fear the Lord. We're talking about walking in the fear of the Lord. He says to fear the Lord in Proverbs 8.13. To fear the Lord is to hate evil. This same wisdom that Solomon was giving in Proverbs 4 that he got from his father David about departing from evil. Proverbs 4.14, Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. Depart from evil. You know, this is counter-cultural. It goes against our sinful nature because we, by default, we like sin to an extent in our sinful nature. What also means, this could mean losing friends, being shamed, being cut off, being made fun of. This is counter-cultural. Walking in the fear of the Lord. We have to be counter-cultural. Do what it takes. To live in the fear of the Lord, we must do what it takes, like Joseph had to do what it took to get out of the situation with Potiphar's wife who was trying to seduce him. He ran. He got out. He did what it took. Abhor what is evil. Cleave to what is good. Well, I'm thankful that David doesn't just leave the 400 there in that cave and us with what not to do, the negative, don't do this, don't do that, so we're just on the defensive. Well, he gives us a positive, here's what you do in Psalm 34. He says, keep thy tongue from evil, thy lips from speaking guile, depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. Do good. That means do what is valuable. It's similar to what we spoke on earlier in Philippians. Approving what is excellent. Approving what is valuable. Being sincere and without offense. Being pure, undefiled, unspotted from the world. Walk circumspectly. Walk wisely. depart from evil and do good. You know, as image bearers of God, we all, everybody, has some concept of right and wrong. Romans 1 would tell us that. We've been made in the image of God. And even in a world where absolute truth is denied, we know that when a school shooting happens or something like that, everybody admits that was evil that was done there. So we all have some concept of good and evil because we all are image bearers of God, believer and non-believer alike. But especially those of us who have grown up in Christian homes, who have been under the sound of the gospel, We have been taught from God's Word on how to do good, to do what is valuable, to approve what is excellent, to be fruitful, like that fruitful tree that's planted by the rivers of water in Psalm 1. What does it say about that man? We know what he didn't do. He avoided the path of the wicked. But where was his delight? It was in the law of the Lord. You want to know how to walk in the fear of the Lord? We've got to know what He says and know what He wants. We have to be in His Word. Colossians chapter 3, where Paul uses the old man and new man language, he says, Colossians 3, start in verse 12. Depart from evil and do good. How do we do good? What is good? Put on therefore, as the elect of God, Holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering." Remember I said this is counter-cultural right here? This is not like the culture of the world. Who wants to be meek and humble and forbear? Someone who wants to walk in the fear of the Lord. Humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. Even if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." So really, when he's talking about doing good in Psalm 34, and when Paul is giving the Colossian saints exhortations on putting on the new man. Where is He pointing them to? Who was meek and lowly in heart? Who was humble? Who humbled Himself to become a man? Who was undefiled? Who was enjoying all the glory of heaven, but willingly became a man to live among sinners? To be shamed? To be physically just beaten beyond recognition. But then just to be spat upon. I mean, that's one of the lowest things that you can do to somebody. Well, He's ultimately pointing them, the Colossian saints, and pointing us to Jesus Christ. We have to put on how Jesus lived. The perfect man. The God-man. He was humble. He was meek. He was kind. He was long-suffering, He was forbearing, and we know He was forgiving. He was a forgiving God, is a forgiving God. Put on these things, depart from evil, do good. So in Ephesians 4.29, let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." So instead of using our tongue for evil, for fruitless talk, use it to edify, to build up, to minister grace to the ears. Proverbs 25 11, a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold and pictures of silver. Whatever that is that's painting a beautiful picture, that apples of gold and pictures of silver is a word fitly spoken. Keep thy tongue from evil, thy lips from speaking guile, depart from evil and do good." Then he gets a little more specific. Seek peace and pursue it. Can you imagine the bouts of anxiety and worry that David must have had? I mean, he got to the point where he didn't know what else to do, but act like an insane man, a literally crazy man. In my foolishness when I picture this, I picture Abraham Fullmer with that big beard playing the part of David and acting like that crazy man and letting his spit fall down his beard and scratching on the walls and things like that. Can you imagine though the anxiety that David must have felt? Well this is what he's telling these children, this is what he's telling. Walk in the fear of the Lord, seek peace. Shalom. has the idea of completeness and soundness, tranquility, all those beautiful words. This, brothers and sisters, is only found and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. What does Isaiah 26.3 say? Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, that peace, peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee, because he trusteth in thee. That word stayed, I've talked about it here many times, it literally means to brace yourself on. I think of maybe you're hiking up a mountain with some friends and somebody twists an ankle. What have they got to do the rest of the time? I've got to lean on my friend or I'm not going to get up that mountain or get down that mountain. Bracing yourself on. Where is peace found? Where is completeness, soundness of mind found? Bracing yourself on Jesus Christ. Seek peace. By the way, this seeking, this is not a casual Casual search like well, I my son lost a toy. Let me let me find it If I can't find it, then let's just move on. No, this is this is bigger than this But this is I'm already running late for work and I can't find my keys I have to find but this is not an option not to find my keys. I have to find my keys This is the type of idea what he's talking about seeking peace. I love what Spurgeon says about this. I'm pursuing peace He says the most desirable things Isn't this the truth? The most desirable things are not the easiest to be obtained. What is more lovely to the imagination than the tranquility of peace? But this great blessing does not voluntarily present itself. It must be sought after. Brothers and sisters, sometimes we have to fight for peace. Maybe in our families. Maybe in the church. Maybe it means we have to die to ourselves. And none of us like to do that. But maybe we have to forbear one another, forgive one another, in order for peace. The worthy walk that Paul talks about in Ephesians 4, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, how? With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, bearing one another up, the idea of on your shoulders, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Endeavoring. That means make every effort to keep the unity of Spirit and bond of peace. Strive. I heard a man say this one time. Strive to the point of exhaustion to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Seek peace and pursue it. You know, Paul in Romans 12, when he's given the Roman saints' exhortations to practical living, he tells them, as much as possible, Be at peace with all men, with those around us, with all men. We need it as much as we can. We live in such a divided and just hate-filled culture, where if you don't agree with me, I'm just going to cancel you and shame you and tell everybody else not to listen to you. Now I get, there are times where we do, it gets to a point where we may not be able to have peace with somebody. But what Paul says in Romans, as much as you can, live at peace with all men. And the characteristics of the minister that I talked about in 1 Timothy, he talks about having a good reputation with those that are without, having a good reputation among outsiders, those who may be outside the church, outside the body of Christ. Pursue peace. Seek peace. And again, it's only found in the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Kids, you've been memorizing the Beatitudes, Matthew 5. What does it say? Blessed are what? The peacemakers. Blessed are the peacemakers. Psalm 15. This is when David is carrying the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. And this is a series of questions and answers with David and the Lord. In Psalm 15 he says, Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill? Who shall walk in the fear of the Lord? What does God say? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart, he that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor, in whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord, he that sweareth not to his own hurt, and changeth not, he that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent, he that doeth these things shall never be moved." In closing, Come, ye children, hearken unto Me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it." I want to leave you, as I close, I want to leave you with some promises, with some encouragements that is found in this same psalm for those who fear the Lord. You ready for this? Just listen. Listen to God speak to you. This is for those who fear the Lord, those who trust in the Lord. I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears. You know, I can hear you. I want to hear you. I want to be a shoulder for you, an ear for you. But I can only go so far. I can't deliver you. This God that we're talking about, I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto Him and were enlightened. Their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. You feel like a poor man sometimes, poor in spirit, poor maybe financially, poor in health, poor mentally? Cry out to the Prince of Peace. Cry out to God. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him and delivereth them. Don't you love that? The angel of the Lord sets up camp around you who fear Him, who trust in Him. He sets up camp around you. Oh, fear the Lord, ye His saints, for there is no want, there is nothing lacking for those who fear Him. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want, shall not be in need of any good thing." I could go on and on. You know, verse 20, He keepeth all His bones, not one of them is broken. You may recognize that language from John 19, verse 36, when they were about to expedite the crucifixion of the two criminals and that man in the middle. They broke the legs of the two criminals so their death would come quicker, but then they come to the one in the middle, Jesus Christ, and He was already dead. Why? Because it was prophesied that not one of His bones would be broken. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. Jesus Christ is the source, is the one whom we are to fear. And in closing, verse 22, the Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants, and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate. Walk, brothers and sisters, in the fear of the Lord. Trust in Jesus Christ. God bless you. Amen. Let me make a couple of comments on that message. I appreciate the message very much. And I wanted to say a couple of things about this passage. One thing about the context and then one thing about the promises that he mentioned at the end. These words are spoken in real time, so they're not spoken, as we often say, just in a classroom about the fear of the Lord. Tonight we come to hear about the fear of the Lord, but these words are written, they're spoken in real time. So he gave us the context, David is in this cave in a dullum with these 400 people. This is after God has delivered him in some miraculous ways from Saul, who is his assaulter, and it is before he will also be in crisis again and again and again. This is not some end-of-time deliverance. This is deliverance right in the middle of still the crisis. So he's still in a crisis right here. Now, here's what I want you to remember. David loved Saul. David was loyal to Saul. David wanted to see Saul's good. David always worked on behalf of Saul, even when Saul was trying to destroy David. And so, I believe that in this moment, David is both reflecting on this man that he loves and reflecting on some of his own decisions and urging himself and his followers to continue fearing the Lord. So, what's the question? Who wants long life? Who wants to see good? Who wants to see many days that he may see good? That's what Saul wanted. That's what David wanted. And yet, Saul, in his moment where he thought that he was not going to get the good life because David was going to steal it from him, what did Saul do? Saul turned his tongue to evil. Saul turned his lips to lies. Saul began to pursue evil and do evil. And Saul went the opposite of seeking peace and pursuing it. And this broke David's heart. It did all along. He always wanted to have reconciliation with Saul, if at all possible. Well, David at times was tempted to do the same thing, wasn't he? Nathan mentioned it. He went down to Gath. He feigned to be insane. And so, brothers and sisters, it is important for us, right in the middle of the reality of life, to remind ourselves what seems right. It seemed to make sense to Saul, if I could just get rid of this problem, then I'll have good. But it was the opposite of what would have brought him good. If Saul would have sought peace with David, Everything would have been fine. He would have enjoyed a great kingdom. David would have served him faithfully. But Saul couldn't do that because Saul's heart was not turned towards the fear of the Lord. Saul was not one who could say, Lord, take my life and let it be consecrated to You. Take my life and use it however you want to. If David gets more acclaim, that's fine, but I want to serve You. Saul would have had a good life. if he had pursued that, but his heart wasn't turned to God. So may we, whose hearts are turned towards God, may we, in that time of temptation, when it seems like this is the way, if I can just clear out this problem and make this right, even if it takes not always using my tongue the right way, and even if it takes seeking division and not seeking peace, may we truly fear God, say, God, your ways are right, even when it doesn't seem right. Man, that's important. Now, what about the promises? I just want to remind you of this as well. That even as David says, the Lord delivers the righteous out of all his troubles, the Lord is close to him that is not him, that has a broken heart. Many of the afflictions, the Lord delivers them out of the ball. I want to remind you that David will be afflicted again the next week. David will be troubled again the next week. He will have a broken heart again the next week. So I say this to you. If you are tempted to think that David's trouble just went away and so David must be more righteous than you because you still struggle with troubled heart, you still struggle with a broken heart. Just know that God's deliverance is daily. It's daily. God's deliverance of you yesterday was real deliverance. And if your soul is troubled again today, God's deliverance today will be real deliverance. Deliverance out of all of trouble, whether it's a troubled heart, troubled mind, troubled circumstances, deliverance doesn't equal full deliverance until we lay our heads down to rest for that last time. But deliverance is daily. God may fully deliver you of whatever the trouble is. But don't take the fact that you are troubled today as evidence that either you must not have a righteous heart, or God is not faithful, or somehow this promise is not to you. Today's deliverance truly was deliverance, is deliverance, and tomorrow's will be as well. So live in the seeking of the Lord as He is close to those who have a broken heart, and saveth such as be of the contrite spirit. I hope that will be encouraging to you. It is so tempting. Satan won't use anything to tempt us. And it's so tempting to think, well, I mean, God just must not relate to me the way He did to David because I'm still troubled. Well, guess what? David is going to be troubled again, and the Lord is going to deliver him again, and again, and again, and again, until finally He delivers him home.