Opening Prayer: Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth, and cleanse me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O Lord, Your great mercy and love, and their long history. Don’t remember my disobedience in the past or rebellious ways then and now. According to Your love as my creator, remember me, You are good, O Lord. We honor and magnify Your holy name above all names (adapted from Psalms 25:4-7). In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen!
Today’s Bible Verse: Psalm 25:2-3
I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.
Associated Scriptures:
"Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:11-13).
For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face. I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother's sons; for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me. When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn; when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me. Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards (Psalms 69:7-12).
(Romans 9:31) "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
Correlative Quotes:
This prayer may be viewed as a promise; our Heavenly Father will never let His trustful children find Him untrue or unkind. He will ever be mindful of His covenant. Let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. David had given His enemies no provocation; their hatred was wanton. Sinners have no justifiable reason or valid excuse for transgressing; they benefit no one, not even themselves by their sins; the law against which they transgress is not harsh or unjust; God is not a tyrannical ruler, providence is not bondage: men sin because they will sin, not because it is either profitable or reasonable to do so.[1] – Charles Spurgeon
…a prayer based on a fundamental principle of God's dealings. He has common cause with all that wait on the Lord; such cannot consistently with God's honor be put to shame.[2] –Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
The face (Christ’s face) was then hidden from Him (God) that had always smiled before, and His soul felt that horror and that darkness which it had never felt before. So that there was no separation between the divine and human nature, yet He suffered pains equal to those which we had deserved to suffer in hell forever. God so suspended the efficacies (effects) of His grace that it displayed in that hour none of its force and virtue on Him. He had no comfort from heaven, none from His angels, none from His friends, even in that sorrowful hour when He needed comfort most. Like a lion that is hurt in the forest, so he roared and cried out, though there was no despair in Him; and when He was forsaken, yet there was trust and hope in these words, " My God, my God."[3] – Timothy Rogers.
Author’s Notes:
INTRODUCTION
Most people have a fear of dying. Psychology has given the aversion to death a name: Thanatophobia.[4] This term refers to a dread of the process leading to death and its aftermath.
In an ongoing evangelism program we developed, people are asked, “Do you believe in life after death?” Our evangelism team reaches out to hundreds of people each year. More than ninety percent of the contacts made believe there is a God. A very high percentage of those who believe in a god also agree there is some form of life after death. Out of more than four hundred random interviews over a period this last year, everyone answered yes.
When asked, “Do you have to be good to earn life after death?” The majority of people answered yes. Even many people who identified themselves as Christians answered yes to this question. Their major concern was being held responsible for their past sin at the end of their lives when they stand before God.
In this Psalm, David is concerned about this very issue. However, a special hope, given to him by the Spirit of God, comforts him. Through this hope, David sees no judgment for the righteous but a shameful assessment and punishment for the “treacherous” or wicked and immoral.
Christians will have their works adjudicated at the Judgment Seat of Christ. 1 Corinthians 5:10 teaches: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Many believers never made Him the Lord of their lives. They think their good works will save them. However, salvation is not about our works but by faith alone. Salvation is a gift, it cannot be earned (Ephesians 2:8).
What person can earn a gift? Even when a gift is given during work or when the job is completed, it is given as a reward for the effort made.
A simple definition for the word gift would be something given to another without thought of compensation. We have done nothing nor can we do anything to earn the gift of salvation and its reward of eternal life.
The unrighteous have no fear of judgment. They don’t concern themselves with eternity. They believe that death is a final event.
NO DISAPPOINTMENT WITH HOPE
Jesus paid the price of reconciliation. He rose again to prove its validity. If we are serving Jesus on this earth and spreading the gospel message, we will experience ridicule. However, believers will never be humiliated by God.
Societal rejection of the truth of God will not be a problem for believers. We are sealed by the Spirit until the day that we are finally and completely redeemed. Ephesians 4:30 teaches: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Reconciliation protects us from the fear of final retribution and eternal punishment.
The righteous will not be disgraced in this life or the next. Romans 5:5: Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Before salvation, I was continually being disappointed. Before salvation, I was continually being disappointed. Bad decisions thwarted my life as a teen. Even though I believed in God and attended church regularly, I had no personal relationship with Him. Salvation didn’t end setbacks and failure, but it did end the disappointment. I learned as I grew spiritually that God always had my back. It was that hope that allowed me to step out for God and not for myself.
No one whose trust is in Jesus will ever experience embarrassment with God (vs. 2b). Our position of hope in eternity has been established by the crucifixion and substantiated by the resurrection. The truth of reconciliation provides the hope that fortifies our position in Christ Jesus.
Believers do not have to fear the grave in this life or eternal punishment in eternity.
David’s enemy consisted of the armies of nearby territories. These were godless people who served pagan idols. David’s enemies were armed and physically batted against him and his God. Today’s enemy is a society struggling against God’s people and God.
The battlefield is in our minds, and the conflict is spiritual. The two forces fighting against King David and the engagement we experience today may seem different. However, the source is still satanic. The hearts, souls, and spirits of all people will be the victors or the casualties of the conflict. The answer depends on our relationship with God.
Those who fight the battle with Jesus will not be disappointed. They will be rewarded now and in the future.
Spiritual Application:
Psalm 34:3 verifies our position before God. As the Scripture indicates, Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Since Jesus is the light, we must become reflective of Him, not ourselves.
True biblical, spiritually induced by hope is a product of reconciliation. Conciliation settles the present and future of believers. A belief centered in Christ will never be disappointed. A Believer who bases their works on the will of God will not experience judgment in Heaven.
Those who refuse the gospel message will be found guilty. There is no hope for unbelievers. Psalm 1:6 states unequivocally: For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Lessons within the Lesson:
How does reconciliation protect us from final judgment? Reread Romans 5:10-11.
What is the reward from reconciliation and obedience in this life? Read John 10:10.
Why is it important for us to be a living testimony to our faith? Read Matthew 5:15-16.
List the reasons why we will not have to fear being shamed?
[1] Charles Spurgeon, Psalm 25, Treasury of David, Ibid, P. 392.
[2] Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, David Brown, Psalm 25:3-Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Ibid., P. 155.
[3] Timothy Rogers, Psalm 25:3, Treasury of David, Public Domain, Marshall Brothers, Ltd. Publishers London, Edinburgh and New York, P. 337
[4] Angela Morrow, When Your Fears About Dying are Unhealthy, verywellmind.com, Fair Use Authorization, Section 107, of the Copyright Act.