Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19990704.htm

PSALMS: DIARIES OF GODLY OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
Psalm One Hundred And Forty - God's Solution For Facing Constant Entrapping Conspiracies
(Psalm 140:1-14)
  1. Introduction
    1. There are occasions when the believer faces a constant pressure of secret plans by others to cause him to trip up so as to defeat him in an endeavor of some kind. Sometimes, when viewing the deterioration of society on the national or international stages, he may wonder if there is a secret plan afoot to do him in as a believer at the grassroots level! Many believers today speak of feeling like a world plot is against them!
    2. This is a very difficult challenge, for it wears on one's emotions and can cause fatigue to the point where one will get tripped up or tragically give in to offenders because he feels he cannot "cover all the bases."
    3. Psalm 140:1-14 offers God's way out of such a dilemma as follows:
  2. God's Solution For Facing Constant Entrapping Conspiracies, Psalm 140:1-14.
    1. David faced the constant threat of secret plans by wicked men, Psalm 140:3.
    2. These plans came from men of both low estate as well as from those in high estate, Psalm 140:2:
      1. Men of low estate are named in the Hebrew Bible as 'adam where men of high estate are named with the term 'ish, cf. Robert B. Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, p. 49.
      2. Well, David called unto God to save him from the scheming of both the 'adam class of lowly men as well as those of the lofty, 'ish estate, Psalm 140:2, Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1096.
    3. These plans were intended to cause David to trip himself up in his lifestyle so that he would become vulnerable to just criticism in some area of life, Psalm 140:6.
    4. This guilt on David's part would lead to his being unjustly slandered and alienated from relationships with friends. That in turn would make David vulnerable to being destroyed, Ps. 140 :12a, 2b, 5b, 12b with 3b.
    5. Thus, David knew the scheming to do him in was going on, but not where, when or what plans were being made, nor how nor when they would be implemented!
    6. The solution was for David to rely upon God for rescue from destruction in seven practical ways:
      1. First, David would pray for God's deliverance from a vulnerable position where he could be defeated, 2.
      2. Second, David would ask God for deliverance from getting tripped up and falling into a trap, v. 5.
      3. Third, David would ask God for deliverance from proud men who had hidden a snare for him, v. 6-7.
      4. Fourth, David would look to the Lord for protection in the day of conflict with these men, v. 8.
      5. Fifth, David would ask God to intervene to obstruct the plans of the opponents, v. 9.
      6. Sixth, David would secure justice and uphold his cause as he was the unjustly afflicted party, v. 13.
      7. Seventh, David expected to rejoice in God's final deliverance from such men, Ps. 140:14.
Lesson: David looked to God for help in handling constant entrapping conspirators at every turn.

Application: (1) If we face constant, entrapping intrigue from either associates we know, or from lofty forces in national or international leadership over which we have no knowledge or insight into handling on our own, we need to look to GOD in pr ayer as listed in section "F" above for help! (2) However, having done so, we can MINIMIZE troubles in practical terms by applying pointers suggested in what David requested of the Lord: Proverbs 4:20-27 implies that we do so. Namely, we can (a) watch t hat we function in life free of ways that we KNOW leave us vulnerable to being harmfully misrepresented by schemers. (b) We can AVOID walking into entrapments we DETECT ahead of time are entrapments. (c) We can keep a wary eye out for anyone we know is proud -- that party spells trouble! (d) We can try to avoid conflict with schemers, and be very careful when we have to be in conflict with them. (e) We can avoid HELPING to facilitate the plans of schemers when we know what they are. (f) We can remain optimistic and avoid surrender when afflicted by remembering that God helps the afflicted and grants th em justice. (g) We can keep a POSITIVE outlook on the final outcome of the trial with such people instead of getting a defeatist attitude in the process and unnecessarily becoming depressed to our opponents' glee!