RESOLUTIONS OF THE PSALMIST

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Today is January 1, 2014.

1.     It is the day when we begin to implement all the resolutions we have made.

2.     Yesterday was the day of planning.  Today is the day of work.

 

B.    Definitions:

1.     Resolution:  the act of determining upon an action or course of action

2.     Resolve:  to come to a definite or earnest decision about

 

C.    Resolutions do not begin with the words:  “I might.”  Resolutions begin with the words:  “I will.”

 

D.    The psalmist was a man of resolve.  Over and over again in the book of Psalms, we read the words:  “I will.”

1.     I want us to look at some of the things the psalmist resolved to do.

2.     Perhaps some of his resolutions can become our resolutions in 2014.

 

I.               THE FIRST “I WILL” (Ps. 4:8)

 

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:  for thou, Lord, only maketh me dwell in safety.

 

II.             THE MOST REPETITIOUS “I WILL” – I WILL PRAISE

 

A.    There are at least 34 verses in the Psalms that contain the words “I will praise,” or something equivalent (Ps. 5:7; 7:17; 9:1, 2; 13:6; 16:7; 27:6; 30:1; 34:1; 52:9; 56:12; 57:7, 9; 63:4; 66:15; 69:30; 89:1; 101:1; 104:33; 108:1, 3; 109:30; 111:1; 118:9, 21, 28; 119:7; 138:1, 2; 139:14; 144:9; 145:1, 2; 146:2).

 

B.    Psalm 7:17

 

I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness:  and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.

 

C.    Many other terms used to express the psalmist’s praise:

1.     I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy (Ps. 5:7).

2.     I will be glad and rejoice in thee:  I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High (Ps. 9:2).

3.     I will bless the Lord (Ps. 16:7).

4.     I will extol thee, O Lord (Ps. 30:1).

5.     I will lift up my hands in thy name (Ps. 63:4).

6.     I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams:  I will offer bullocks with goats (Ps. 66:15).

7.     I will worship toward thy holy temple (Ps. 138:2).

 

 

D.    Other interesting statements about praise.

1.     I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart (Ps. 9:1).

2.     I will bless the Lord at all times (Ps. 34:1).

3.     I will praise thee for ever (Ps. 52:9).

4.     I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people:  I will sing unto thee among the nations (Ps. 57:9).

5.     I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live:  I will sing praise to my God while I have my being (Ps. 104:33).

6.     I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth (Ps. 109:30).

7.     I will praise thee with uprightness of heart (Ps. 119:7).

8.     Every day will I bless thee (Ps. 145:2).

 

III.          THE “I WILLs” INVOLVING THE WORD OF GOD

 

A.    I will praise his word (Ps. 56:4, 10).

 

B.    I will hear what God the Lord shall speak (Ps. 85:8).

 

C.    I will walk in thy truth (Ps. 86:11).

 

D.    Psalm 119

1.     Keep (Ps. 119:8, 69, 115, 134, 145)

 

I will keep thy statutes…

 

2.     Meditate (Ps. 119:15, 48, 78)

 

I will meditate in thy precepts…

 

3.     Delight (Ps. 119:16, 47)

 

I will delight myself in thy statutes…

 

4.     Run in (Ps. 119:32)

 

I will run the way of thy commandments…

 

5.     Consider (Ps. 119:95)

 

…but I will consider thy testimonies.

 

6.     Have respect for (Ps. 119:117)

 

…and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

 

IV.          MANY OTHER “I WILL” PASSAGES IN THE PSALMS

 

A.    I will rejoice in thy salvation (Ps. 9:14)

 

B.    I will love thee, O Lord, my strength (Ps. 18:1)

 

C.    I will call upon the Lord (Ps. 18:3; 86:7)

 

D.    I will pay my vows (Ps. 22:25; 66:13; 116:14, 18)

 

E.    I will fear no evil (Ps. 23:4)

 

F.     I will dwell in the house of the Lord (Ps. 24:6; 61:4)

 

G.    I will walk in mine integrity (Ps. 26:11)

 

H.    I will give thanks unto thee (Ps. 30:12; 35:18; 116:17; 119:62)

 

I.      I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord (Ps. 32:5; 38;18)

 

J.     I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue (Ps. 39:1)

 

K.    I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations (Ps. 45:17)

 

L.    I will freely sacrifice unto thee (Ps. 54:6)

 

M.   …I will trust in thee (ps. 55:23; 56:3)

 

N.    I will declare

1.     I will declare what he hath done for my soul (Ps. 66:16)

2.     I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress (Ps. 91:2)

3.     I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings (Ps. 119:46)

4.     I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works (Ps. 145:5)

5.     …I will declare thy greatness (Ps. 145:6)

 

O.    But I will hope continually… (Ps. 71:14)

 

P.     I will go in the strength of God (Ps. 71:16)

 

Q.    …I will judge uprightly (Ps. 75:2)

 

R.    I will remember the works of the Lord:  surely I will remember thy wonders of old (Ps. 77:11)

 

S.     I will meditate also of all thy work… (Ps. 77:12)

 

T.    I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way (Ps. 101:2a)

 

U.    I will walk in my house with a perfect heart (Ps. 101:2b)

 

V.    I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes (Ps. 101:3)

 

W.  I will not know a wicked person (Ps. 101:4)

 

X.    I will be glad in the Lord (Ps. 104:34)

 

Y.    I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 116:9).

 

Z.    I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help (Ps. 121:1).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    In the course of this study, we have looked at 51 “I will” statements made by the psalmist.

 

B.    His resolves involved numerous areas of life.  It is interesting that each one of them is spiritual in nature.

 

C.    My we examine the multi-facets of our lives and make resolutions that declare:  “I will…”