bibleteacher.org: sermon by Rev Willmouth, Psalm 90:13-17

"When A Backslider's Heart Is Broken"
Psalm 90:13-17

(This Devotional was given at Trinity Bible Church on March 13, 2002. All Scripture
references used in this sermon are based upon the NASB^®, unless otherwise stated)

This Devotional was written and submitted by: Joseph M. Willmouth, Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Biloxi, Mississippi 39532. This contributed article is copyright protected, and the sole property of the contributing author. It may be freely copied and used provided the above credits are included. Document expiration: indefinite.

13 Do return, O LORD; how long will it be? And be sorry for Thy servants. 14 O satisfy us in the morning with Thy loving kindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad according to the days Thou hast afflicted us, And the years we have seen evil. 16 Let Thy work appear to Thy servants, And Thy majesty to their children. 17 And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And do confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.

Introduction: In this oldest Psalm, Moses reflects upon the shortness of man's life, man's sinfulness, and God's judgment upon the sinner. Israel had been commanded to enter into the promised land, but they doubted God and refused to obey. As a result that whole generation was judged and would never enter the promised land; this got their attention. J. Vernon McGee said, "Moses out there in the desert, pausing day after day in the wilderness march to bury someone, got a perspective of life that many of us do not have." Sometimes God has to take drastic action to get our attention (i.e., believers'), so that we too can get a new perspective about what is important in life. When this happens, like Moses, it will impact our lives in at least three different ways. . .

I. There Will Be A Renewed Desire For Fellowship With God (vv.13-14a).
1. A cry for God's presence in the believer's life (v.13).

A. First notice that you have to have known God before you can miss him.
1) Moses pleads with God to bring Israel back into fellowship with Him.
2) Return: Heb. shuwb (shoob); to turn back, to fetch home again, restore, retrieve.
B. Secondly, Moses asks God to have pity upon them.
1) Sorry (KJV - repent): Heb. nacham (naw-kham'); to be sorry in a favorable sense, to pity, console.
2) Moses pleads with God to have compassion on His humbled people.

2. A cry for God's forgiveness and mercy in the believer's life (v.14a).

A. loving kindness (KJV - mercy): Heb. checed (kheh'-sed); kindness, loving kindness, merciful kindness, covenant-love (this is the equivalent to agape love in the N.T.).
B. A broken heart of a backslider recognizes that they deserve God's judgment and they appeal to God's steadfast love.

II. There Will Be A Renewed Joy And Gladness In Their Life (vv.14b-15).
1. A restored fellowship with God brings joy and gladness in a believer's life (v.14b).

A. A right relationship with God is not a silent relationship.
1) Sing for joy (KJV - rejoice): Heb. ranan (raw-nan') ; to creak (or emit a stridulous sound), i.e. to shout for joy, to sing aloud, to give a ringing cry.
2) The joy that God's brings cannot be contained, but instead it bubbles up from a glad heart and out through the lips of the believer.
B. A right relationship with God fills the believer's heart with gladness.
1) be glad: Heb. sameach (saw-may'-akh); blithe or gleeful, to be glad, joyful, merry hearted.
2) There is joy in a believer's heart when they are walking in fellowship with God.

2. God can pour out His goodness on His people just as easy and as long as He can His judgments (v.15).

A. Moses asked God for "equal time."
B. Moses asks that God will now make His people (i.e., Israel) glad to the same extent in which He had humbled them.

III. There Will Be A Renewed Longing For God's Will To Be Accomplished (vv.16-17).
1. There will be a desire to see/feel God's presence among the assembly of believers (v.16).

A. Moses desired to see God working among the Israelites once more, and to see God getting the glory that He deserves (v.16a).
1) Work: Heb. po'al (po'-al); an act or work, deed..
2) Appear: Heb. ra'ah (raw-aw'); to see, appear, have experience, gaze, take heed.
3) Majesty (KJV - glory): Heb. hadar, haw-dawr'; magnificence, splendor, glory, goodly, honor, majesty.
B. There is nothing like seeing God move within a group of believers, and there's no better witness to a believer's child than to see their parents walking in fellowship with the Lord (v.16b).

2. There will be a desire to serve the Lord to the best of one's abilities (v.17).

A. Moses wanted the Lord to bless their efforts to live for Him (v.17a).
1) Favor (KJV - beauty): Heb. no'am (no'-am); agreeableness, delight, suitableness.
2) Every believer takes delight in knowing that God is with them where ever they go and everything they do.
B. Moses asks the Lord to make them fruitful in their endeavors (v.17b).
1) Confirm (KJV - establish): Heb. kuwn (koon); establish, appoint, render sure, confirm, direct.
2) When we are serving the Lord we know that our lives have a purpose, and the things that we do are worthwhile because we are letting the Lord direct our lives.

Conclusion: There is no peace for those who are disobedient children of God. God's Word teaches it here and also in the New Testament in Hebrews 12:5-6, "and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, 'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.'" When a believer is out of fellowship with God, they may have fun for a while, but sooner or later they will become the a miserable creature without the presence of God in their lives. That's because the discipline of the Lord is not an enjoyable thing to experience. Remember the old BeeGee's song, "How Do You Mend A Broken Heart?" There's only one way for a backslidden believer to mend their broken heart, and that is to gain a new perspective on life and to seek the Lord.