Sermon Notes

June 9, 2024

The God Who Laughs

Psalms 37:12-20

There are seasons in our lives when we dwell in the shadow of the Almighty and in the shadow of His cross, and in those seasons, it feels like we are on the mountaintop with God ― it's a spiritual high point in our lives. It’s a place where we hear from God like never before, it’s a place where our faith is strengthened like never before. We grow in Him, and we rest well in Him. Those times have sometimes been referred to as a “Mountain Top Experience” with God. However there are other times when there is another shadow that seems to loom over our lives. It’s a shadow that is much different than the shadow of the Almighty. Because it looks more like the shadows that come when we walk through the valley of death that is spoken of in the 23rd Psalm. It’s a season of life that comes when the presence of our enemies seems to overshadow us. Everything that we do and with it, a sense of dread will permeate many parts of our lives as believers. It can cause us to look around and not see any light and feel hopeless, scared, and even overwhelmed. King David had been to those places many times in his life and wanted to remind the reader that any time there is a shadow, the one who is the light of the world is always close by.

The Shadow of our Enemy - Psalms 37:12

The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.

David starts off this Psalm by speaking about the overarching theme of this entire Psalm and the cause for those dreadful shadows that come into our lives ― the wicked. There is no doubt that David had in mind the many times he faced foes whose numbers and abilities were overwhelming and brought fear into his life. That’s the situation we find ourselves in today as well because we have the same enemy as David. No, we don't have to worry about Goliath coming stomping through Bloomfield or a Philistine army massing at the corner of highway 64 and 550, but it is the same enemy in a spiritual sense. Remember what Ephesians 6:12 says “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” This spiritual warfare that we wage and the spiritual enemy that we face is nothing new. This enemy and strife were promised since the fall of man and sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden. This has continued and will continue until Jesus returns and says, ENOUGH! The truth is that we have this enemy who is constantly seeking to destroy us as Children of God. Jesus even told us in John 15:19 that the world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. This world hates us and is actively plotting our downfall. Therefore we should not be surprised that from time to time the shadows of our enemy will seem to overwhelm us. However David’s point wasn’t to discourage us, but rather to encourage us as followers and that encouragement starts with the very next line in the Psalm. “They snarl at us in defiance” and that is where our hope starts to shine through. Let’s start with their motivation and that is defiance. The wicked are against everything that God stands for and that the Godly represent in their obedience to Him. They are the ones who want to silence everything that God is. Not because they have thought it through, not because they know there is a better way, but because of their selfish sinful nature that rebels against everything God is and stands for. They are in straight and utter defiance of God and those who have surrendered to Him. C.S. Lewis said there will be two types of people in Eternity; Those who say to God, “Your will be done Lord!” and those to whom God says, “Fine, your will be done”. The latter are those who do not want to be told what they should do. In a very childlike manner they are angry and rebelled because they want what they want. They do not want to be told that they are wrong. Proverbs 15:12 calls those people fools and there is nothing worse to be called than a fool in Scripture (other than unknown by God, Matthew 7:21-23). These wicked ones are the ones who snarl and bark in the lives of believers. That can be a very scary, unnerving, and sometimes overwhelming thing. But did you notice, that just like the lions in the den that Daniel faced, God has shut their mouth so they can’t bite. They can only make a loud noise and only for a time. David is telling us that even during these times ― God is still in control. Evil can look spectacular for a season but remember it’s always temporary because of the Lord who laughs.

The Laugh of our Lord - Psalms 37:13

But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.

The laughter of God is a very intriguing concept, we see it mentioned in the 2nd Psalm as well, when the nations are raging against God’s anointed one. When God laughs, it’s not a laugh of nervousness, it’s not a laugh of surprise, but instead it’s a laugh of absolute power, and certainty. It is surely mingled with the humor found in the idiocracy that is present in the foolishness of the wicked and their efforts. God is never in doubt of His absolute power and authority. He knows there is none greater and has never doubted for a single moment because of the truth of who He is. From everlasting to everlasting He is the almighty God. There have been many worldly rulers throughout history who claimed they possessed this same kind of power and told everyone that no one could ever conquer them, and their kingdoms would reign forever. These are the same men who would sleep in a different bedroom in their palaces each night because they were terrified of the coming assassins and those who might overthrow them. They knew that they would fail at some point. They all have and those who are still standing their time is coming soon. What should this laugh really mean to both the godly and ungodly? Well, let’s start with the ungodly because that is an easy answer. When they hear God laugh, they should be terrified because of their actions that were meant to cause fear and terror in the hearts of God and His followers. We’re being mocked with laughter from the highest, if they would set aside their foolishness for a mere moment they would cower in fear and rightly so, because their efforts are doomed. The wicked who plotted and planned against God and His children are about to be met with the most righteous judge who is coming with their eternal judgment in His hand. But what about believers? This laughter should be the most comforting thing we can experience in the presence of our enemies, it’s reassurance that our faith is in the right place when we place it in God through Jesus Christ. During this time sometimes-scary times. We can just wrap ourselves in our faith, keep calm, and carry on, knowing that our heavenly father has got it all under control and we are in His mighty hands. God holds the future of both the godly and ungodly in His grip and will do with both what He sees fit and just.

The Demise of the Enemy - Psalms 37:14-17

The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly.

The laugh of God is more than just a mere warning or even an attempt to intimidate, but to the wicked it is an absolute assurance that judgment is coming. The picture David paints here in these few verses is a contrast to what we spoke of last week when we read about His call for believers to keep calm. The shift is from the calm believer to the wicked who are in an uproar. They are beside themselves because of God whose ways do not match their worldview. When God’s light shines through us in obedience to His Word, their rage will be focused on us. Again they are intent on doing harm even up to death. They want to slaughter the righteous just as one butcher’s meat. They are planning a feast for their victory over God and His people, but don’t you love that verse 15 starts with a “But”. That’s not reality. The anger and harm the wicked want to pour out upon those who follow God will not come to pass. However there are motives and actions that are literally just digging their own graves. Even though they draw their swords against God, they will soon be pierced by those same swords. They draw their bows to pierce the righteous and their bow falls in their once mighty hands. They meet their demise because the Lord shatters their strength when they think they cannot fail. The idea of “shattered strength” gives us a picture that their arms are broken, and they will not only not be able to complete their intentions, but also, they will never be able to again enjoy the blessings of God. Their time of judgment will come. When it comes, they will not be able to partake in the grace and mercy that God has so lavished upon them their entire lives. He gave them chance after chance to repent and come to know Him as their Lord and Savior. When judgment comes, they will have no excuse. There is something else here that I think can encourage us when we find ourselves in the shadows of the wicked in our lives. Do you notice that the wicked are not stopped before they are a good way into their plan to harm the godly? The swords are not just sharpened, they are not just placed into their sheath, they are not only worn at their side, but they are drawn. The bows are all the way to the point where the arrow is in the string and ready to fire. I think this is a wonderful reminder that just because God doesn’t stop the attack right away, doesn’t mean He doesn’t care or that He doesn’t understand our struggle, or that He will not act. He will ALWAYS act according to His own timing, and it will always be in His way. We just must be still and silent and wait on God.

The Care for the Righteous - Psalms 37:18-20

Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough. But the wicked will die. The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke.

Therefore it’s not just the demise of the wicked that God cares about, He also cares for His children as well. This is what David wanted to make sure the reader understood from the last part of verse 17. God is not just a God of wrath and judgment but is a God full of love, full of grace and mercy that He will eternally lavish upon those who are innocent. We know that none of us are innocent, the Bible tells us that we have all sinned and have fallen short of God’s glory. It says that wages of those sins are an eternal death in a place of everlasting torment called Hell that was prepared for Satan and his angels (this is what the smoke in verse 20 is in reference to). We are guilty and there is no denying that. We must understand that to be the innocent ones that the Lord takes care of, we must do so by the blood of Jesus Christ alone. We must trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior and be forgiven and clothed in His righteousness. That is the only time we can be found and called innocent by God. This promise of care is for those and those alone who have trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This care is incredible when we understand it in the way that David lays it out in the Psalm.

It’s a Day-by-Day Care

Personally, the hardest-hitting truth in this portion of the Psalm is found right here when David describes the care of God as a day-by-day care. Why is this such a hard-hitting truth? Because when I pray and God answers, I usually expect and want an immediate and total response right away, but that is not always the way God answers and cares for us. We must learn to really see God answering prayers day-by-day. He is sustaining us and answering our request, but He is doing it in a way that is the best for us and sometimes that way is not total and immediate. It’s this method of care that God provides that helps us grow in Him. It strengthens our faith, and it is what is best for us. Even though we want it all at once, God knows better and gives it to us a little at a time, taking care of us one day at a time. When times come that we feel God has forgotten us, we can remember that He has been taking care of us day-by-day. We can start seeing His mighty hand in our lives much more than we had before. Even in times of famine we have more than we need ― not more than we want. He provides for us day-by-day, and we do not go without what we need, because He will provide for our needs according to His riches in glory.

It’s an Eternal Care

Like we have said time and time again as we proclaim the Gospel, the time we spend in eternity is going to be the majority of our existence and God not only takes care of us during our short time here on Earth as we reflect the light of God into a lost and dying world, but He has made a way for us to be taken care of for all of eternity. That only comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Like we have said before we have all sinned and that sin has separated us from God. We are destined and deserving of the punishment that our sin entails. But, because God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son, that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus took the punishment for our sins on the cross of Calvary and offers everyone the gift of salvation to everyone who will call upon the name of the Lord. God has cared for us more than we will ever know, both now and eternally.

Many times in the life of David it seemed like the enemy was overwhelming, but David knew that perception is not always reality, because there is a God that laughs. He is not laughing at us, at our lack of faith, or even at our fear, but He laughs at the ones who believe that they can do anything to stop Him. He laughs at the ones who think that they can derail the plans He has for you, as His children. When staying on the path of obedience that He has laid out in His Word it is the road map for you in life. Keep Calm, Carry On, and know that when your enemies seem to surround you on all sides, and there seems like there is no way out, God laughs because just as He says in Isaiah 41:10, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” He is the God who laughs!

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Sermon Notes

The God Who Laughs

Psalms 37:12-20

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