Where Are Your Feet?

Text:

Psalms 40:1-5:

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

 

Theme:

Where Are Your Feet?

 

Introduction:

• The Book of Psalms is the 19^th book of the Old Testament and 2^nd of the books of poetry. It is known to be the longest book of the bible with 150 chapters and contains the longest chapter of the bible, the 119^th chapter of Psalms.  Psalms is also organized in five divisions.
  • The author is David, the God-Appointed King and originator of the Davidic line of Kingship and rule in Israel.
  • Psalms is a book of praise and song consisting of verses that were rhythmically relayed in song as in poetry.
  • Psalms can be divided into 6 classes based on their content:
    • Hymns of praise to Jehovah
    • Temple hymns
    • Religious and moral songs of a general character
    • Elegiac psalms, that is, lamentations, psalms of complaint, generally united with prayer for help
    • Messianic psalms
    • Historical psalms
  • Within the section of Elegaic Psalms, the 40^th Psalm can be divided into three sections
    • Confidence for deliverance. (Ps 40:1-5)
    • Christ’s work of redemption. (Ps 40:6-10)
    • Prayer for mercy and grace. (Ps 40:11-17)
• Our text is couched within the section on Confidence for Deliverance
  • David knows what God can do!
  • David knows what God has done!
  • David knows what God will do!
• We will focus today on the portion of scripture that states that God has “set my feet upon a rock”
  • What is so important about “my feet” being “upon a rock”??
    • I am reminded of a time in my life when I was so worried about whether I was “right” in my marriage. I was tempted and tried on every side.  I was enduring struggles, confusions, and tensions within the marriage.  I was not experiencing the marriage picture that God painted in the Bible.  WAS IT MY FAULT?  I wondered if I had done or was doing anything wrong.  God led me the check myself by asking myself, “WHERE ARE YOUR FEET?”
      • Although my mind and body were tempted to go other places and do other things, WHERE ARE YOUR FEET?
      • If I wanted to know if I was where I was supposed to be, WHERE ARE YOUR FEET?
  • This same instruction applies to the life of the believer in Christ!
    • Let me as you today è WHERE ARE YOUR FEET?

Body:

PHYSICALLY — Where your feet are denote where you are (David makes this clear to us)

• In a wrong place with the wrong one
  • We know we are in the wrong place with the wrong one when…
    • Nothing goes right, and the company around you isn’t right either.
    • The only direction to seek power, peace and provisioning is from “on high”.
    • Bluntly stated, you are in an ungodly place, with an ungodly spirit, and ungodly company.
    • You can’t hear, feel, or see God!!
  • David knew when he said…
    • Psalms 121:1, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.”
• In a wrong place with the right one
  • We know we are in the wrong place with the right one when…
    • Our situation ain’t right, but we know that we ain’t alone.
    • Our environment doesn’t look right, but we feel God’s Presence.
    • Our company ain’t right, but God yet dwells within and directs without.
    • Bluntly stated, although everything else AIN’T, God still IS.
  • David knew when he said…
    • Psalms 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
• In a right place with the wrong one
  • We know we are in the right place with the wrong one when…
    • We come to church with an attitude and leave with the same attitude.
    • We hear the Word of God preached and then say, “I did not feel anything.”
    • We can hug the pastor, but won’t hug sister or brother sitting next to us.
    • We “forsake not the assembly of the brethren”, but are not “one” with the fellowship!
    • Satan stirs SIN within us that
      • Breaks…binds…destroys…darkens…kills…and…SEPARATES
    • David knew when he said…
      • Psalms 23:5, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies….”
• In the right place with the right one
  • We know we are in the right place with the right one when…
    • We can sing the old hymn, “I Done Done What You Told Me To Do”
    • We can sing the old hymn, “When I’ve Gone The Last Mile Of The Way”
    • We can sing the old hymn, “Walk In The Light”
    • We can sing the old hymn, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me”
  • David knew when he said…
    • Psalms 23:2, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”
  • But ALSO…
    • Daniel knew in spite of adversity…
      • Daniel 6:10, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”
    • Peter knew on the Mount of Transfiguration when he said…
      • Matthew 17:4 (Mark 9:5, Luke 9:33), “… Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.”
• SPIRITUALLY àWhere your “feet” are denote where you are IN GOD
  • If your “feet” are on “sand”
    • Matthew 7:26-27, “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
  • If your “feet” are on the “rock”
    • Matthew 7:24-25, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”
  • Upon the “ROCK” is where we need to be founded!
    • Matthew 16:16, “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God….And I (Jesus) say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
    • This “ROCK” is JESUS!
      • The hymn explains….

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

• Our “feet” must be on Jesus, the Christ, the Word of God, and His stability as our life and living.
  • Psalms 40:2, “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”
• Our “feet” upon the “ROCK” puts us in relationship with God through Jesus!
  • As God said to Moses in Exodus 33:21, “And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:”

Conclusion:

• I know where my feet are…
  • In my “good” times à God blesses me è Psalms 115:12, “The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us….”
  • In, what I think are, “bad” times à God sustains me è
  • Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
  • 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.”

 

• So, in light of what I said earlier, I need to be mindful of where my feet are!!
  • If you want to know why things aren’t going right à Where Are Your Feet?
  • If you want to know if you are worthy of God’s blessings à Where Are Your Feet?
  • If you want to know why folks won’t treat you right à Where Are Your Feet?
  • If you want to know if you are in a right relationship with God à Where Are Your Feet?
  • If you want to know why you don’t feel good sometimes à Where Are Your Feet?

 The old hymn gives my testimony…

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

• Then the new contemporary Gospel song, “Standing On The Rock”, gives the picture…

 A strong foundation…security

A rock never failing, my God is He

Strong and mighty…mighty in battle

Strength and securing throughout eternity

 

 I know where my feet are!!!   WHERE ARE YOUR FEET???

 

#381