David Vows To Serve God, Will You?

Psalms 61:1-8  Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.  (2)  From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  (3)  For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.  (4)  I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.  (5)  For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.  (6)  Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.  (7)  He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.  (8)  So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

INTRODUCTION:           David in distress vows that whatever comes, “I will cry unto Thee.”  He determines not to be angry over affliction, and to pray with earnestness and fervency even though he is far removed from the sanctuary.

I.            DAVID OFFERS HIS PETITON.                         (vv 1-2)

A.           Hear Me God.

                             1.           Answer my prayer.

(Jeremiah 29:13)  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

B.           No Matter Where He Is.

                             1.           I will call upon God’s name.

                             2.           When my heart is overwhelmed.

C.           Lead Me To The Rock That Is Higher

Than I.

(Psalms 18:31)  For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

II.           DAVID EXPRESSES HIS TRUST.                                     (vv 3-5)

              A.           David Knows God Has Provided                                 (v 3)

1.               In the past

(Psalms 91:2-4)  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  ³ Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  ⁴ He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

2.               Expects He will provide in the future

(Psalms 27:5)  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

              B.           David Knows He Is Heaven Bound. (v 4)

1.               I will abide in thy tabernacle (Heaven)

(Psalms 122:1)  I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

2.               I will trust in the (covert) shelter.

C.           God Has Heard My Vows

(Deuteronomy 23:21)  When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

(Ecclesiastes 5:4)  When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

1.               I am of God’s heritage

(Isaiah 54:17)  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

i.                Of those that fear the Lord.

III.         DAVID PRAYS FOR LONGEVITY.                                   (vv 6-7)

A.              Thou Will Prolong My Life.

(1 Kings 3:14)  And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

B.              The Lord Has Been A Strong Tower.

1.           David will abide before God

ii.               Forever

(Daniel 12:2)  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

2.               Give me mercy and truth

(Psalms 40:11)  Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

3.               Which preserves me

(Psalms 37:28)  For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

IV.         DAVID OFFERS A PROMISE (Vow)                                     (v 8)

A.           I Will Sing Praise.

1.               Unto thy name

i.            for ever

(Numbers 30:2)  If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

               B.          David Wants To Pray Daily.

                             1.           He wants to follow God.

(Nehemiah 8:18)  Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.

CONCLUSION: We have seen David’s desire and his promise (vow) to God.

              We talk to people weekly and ask them to come to our church and some say we will be there, count on it.  I know sometimes something comes up and well they just can’t make it.

              They see or hear nothing providential, just their need to go to the lake, or the park, or who knows.

              Now I know I am a servant of God and an elected official of this local New Testament church.

              When you tell a servant of God you will serve God, and don’t I would suspect you are in trouble.  They made a vow.  (A promise to God)

              We each have made vows to God and we need to refresh our minds about what they were, and get on our knees to beg forgiveness if we haven’t kept our promise.

(Ecclesiastes 5:4)  When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

              Don’t wait pray, do your promise to God today. 

Make good on your promises to God through His Son Jesus the Christ.

              That is the purpose of these altars.