fear not – p.1 the fear of defeat psalm 68. at crosspoint we believe that a faithful...

Fear Not – p.1Fear Not – p.1

The Fear of DefeatThe Fear of Defeat

Psalm 68Psalm 68

• At Crosspoint we believe that a At Crosspoint we believe that a faithful faithful representation of the Lord Jesus will representation of the Lord Jesus will alwaysalways seek to alleviate, seek to alleviate, nevernever to instill to instill fear.fear.

The context of Psalm 68The context of Psalm 68

The context of Psalm 68The context of Psalm 68

• The Ark of the Covenant was God’s The Ark of the Covenant was God’s presencepresence among them. among them.

The context of Psalm 68The context of Psalm 68““God shall arise, his enemies shall be God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him!” before him!”

The context of Psalm 68The context of Psalm 68““Return Lord, to the countless thousands of Return Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel”.Israel”. (Numbers 10:35-36) (Numbers 10:35-36)

The reason for Psalm 68The reason for Psalm 68

• Whenever evil tries to Whenever evil tries to embraceembrace God God chaoschaos happens.happens.


• God wants His God wants His communitycommunity to to knowknow Him. Him.

God God vaporizedvaporized His enemies His enemies

God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered and those who hate him shall flee before him!and those who hate him shall flee before him!

As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;them away; as wax melts before fire, as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! so the wicked shall perish before God!

(vv.1-2)(vv.1-2)

God gave the righteous God gave the righteous a reason to a reason to celebratecelebrate

But the righteous shall be glad;But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy! they shall be jubilant with joy!

Sing to God, sing praises to his name;Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord;deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him! (vv.3-4) exult before him! (vv.3-4)

God demonstrated God demonstrated compassioncompassion in the midst of in the midst of warwar

Father of the fatherless and protector of Father of the fatherless and protector of widowswidows is God in his holy habitation. is God in his holy habitation.God settles the solitary in a home;God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. (vv.5-6)(vv.5-6)

God demonstrated God demonstrated His His sovereigntysovereignty and and goodnessgoodness

O God, when you went out before your O God, when you went out before your people,people, when you marched through the wilderness, when you marched through the wilderness, SelahSelahthe earth quaked, the heavens poured down the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel before God, the God of Israel


Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it you restored your inheritance as it languished; (vv.7-10)languished; (vv.7-10)


• The picture is that all creation The picture is that all creation crumblescrumbles and and bowsbows before the presence of the moving before the presence of the moving God. God.

• your flock found a dwelling in it;your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.the needy. (v.10) (v.10)

God God conqueredconquered

The Lord gives the word;The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a the women who announce the news are a great host:great host:

“ “The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”The women at home divide the spoil—The women at home divide the spoil—

though you men lie among the though you men lie among the sheepfolds—sheepfolds—

God God conqueredconquered

the wings of a dove covered with silver,the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold. its pinions with shimmering gold.

When the Almighty scatters kings there,When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon. let snow fall on Zalmon. (vv.11-14)(vv.11-14)

God delights in accomplishing His God delights in accomplishing His purposes through the purposes through the leastleast..

O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!Bashan!

Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the Lord will dwell his abode, yes, where the Lord will dwell forever? (vv.15-16)forever? (vv.15-16)

God receives honor from his God receives honor from his enemiesenemies..

The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.sanctuary.

You ascended on high,You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, and receiving gifts among men,even among the rebellious, that the Lord God even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there. (vv.17-18)may dwell there. (vv.17-18)

God will God will savesave

Blessed be the Lord,Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah (v.19) God is our salvation. Selah (v.19)

God delivers from God delivers from deathdeath

Our God is a God of salvation,Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death. (v.20)from death. (v.20)

God will find every one God will find every one who tried to who tried to hidehide

But God will strike the heads of his enemies,But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.guilty ways.

The Lord said,The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan, “I will bring them back from Bashan,

God will find every one God will find every one who tried to who tried to hidehide

I will bring them back from the depths of the I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,sea,that you may strike your feet in their blood,that you may strike your feet in their blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.” (vv.21-23)their portion from the foe.” (vv.21-23)

God will be God will be worshipedworshiped by by everyoneeveryone

Your procession is seen, O God,Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—the sanctuary—the singers in front, the musicians last,the singers in front, the musicians last, between them virgins playing between them virgins playing tambourines:tambourines:“Bless God in the great congregation,“Bless God in the great congregation, the Lord, O you who are of Israel's the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!”fountain!”


There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,lead, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.Naphtali.


Summon your power, O God,Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.worked for us.Because of your temple at JerusalemBecause of your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bear gifts to you. kings shall bear gifts to you.Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.peoples.


Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war. scatter the peoples who delight in war.Nobles shall come from Egypt;Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God. (vv.24-32)to God. (vv.24-32)

God will be known as God will be known as the the onlyonly truetrue God God

O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah sing praises to the Lord, Selah

to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.voice.

God will be known as God will be known as the the onlyonly truetrue God God

Ascribe power to God,Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. and whose power is in the skies.

Awesome is God from his sanctuary. Awesome is God from his sanctuary. (vv.33-35(vv.33-35

Bottom Line:Bottom Line:

• Our God has declared victory; in our past, in Our God has declared victory; in our past, in our present and for our future!our present and for our future!

For those who have not yet living a For those who have not yet living a Jesus-centered lifeJesus-centered life

• You will only experience God’s best if you are You will only experience God’s best if you are willing to embrace the willing to embrace the chaoschaos of of lifelife transformation.transformation.

For those of you living a Jesus-For those of you living a Jesus-centered lifecentered life

• O God, when you went out before your O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah wilderness, Selah

• Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up;Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah God is our salvation. Selah

• O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah sing praises to the Lord, Selah


• It is a reminder for us to recognize It is a reminder for us to recognize (Emmanuel) the presence of God among us is (Emmanuel) the presence of God among us is the same God who destroyed all His enemies.the same God who destroyed all His enemies.


• The word invites us to…The word invites us to…• StopStop and and thinkthink • Make Make musicmusic • PrayPray

fear not – p.1 the fear of defeat psalm 68. at crosspoint we believe that a faithful...

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