PSALM 40:10
WHEN SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN
When Calvin Coolidge was President he saw dozens of people every day. Most had complaints of one kind or another. A visiting Governor once told Coolidge he didn’t understand how he could see so many people. “Why, you finish with them by dinner time,” the Governor remarked, “while I’m often at my desk till midnight.” “Yes,” said Coolidge, “But you talk back.” Bits and Pieces, August, 1989
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
Once on a railway journey a boy’s father unintentionally perpetrated some slight infraction and was unmercifully bawled out by a minor train employee. The young son hotly told his father afterward that he should have given the man a piece of his mind.
His father smiled, “Oh,” he said, “if a man like that can stand himself all his life, surely I can stand him for five minutes.” Catholic Quote, Reader’s Digest, March, 1980
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
During his years as premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev denounced many of the policies and atrocities of Joseph Stalin. Once, as he censured Stalin in a public meeting, Khrushchev was interrupted by a shout from a heckler in the audience. “You were one of Stalin’s colleagues. Why didn’t you stop him?”
“Who said that?” roared Khrushchev. An agonizing silence followed as nobody in the room dared move a muscle. Then Khrushchev replied quietly, “Now you know why.”
Today in the Word, July 13, 1993 All the above from: http://www.bible.org/illus.asp?topic_id=1408
SILENCE IS GOLDEN?
Detrick Bonhoeffer - “First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.” Martin Niemoeller in "Dietrich Bonhoeffer," Christian History, no. 32. Bible Illustrator 3.0
SILENCE IS GOLDEN?
There are many times when the old saying is true. Silence is, indeed, golden. There are many times when it is best to remain silent rather than say something that will cause discord or strife or something that you will later be sorry that you said it.
But there are other times when silence is not golden.
There are times when we are wrong if we remain silent.
If we know someone is innocent and remain silent we are wrong.
If we know someone is being misrepresented and remain silent we are wrong.
If we know that someone needs to hear what God has to say on a subject and remain silent we are wrong.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 7 - To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: [2] A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted… A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
When is it wrong for a Christian to remain silent?
When is it necessary for a Christian to speak?
I believe we find the answer tucked away in Psalm 40:10
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
King David is giving a personal testimony here.
He is telling us that there were times that he didn’t remain silent in his life. He had to speak out.
Most of us are reluctant to talk about God. God is not a popular topic of conversation even among Christians. And men, generally speaking, are even more reticent to talk about God than women are.
Look at this verse again.
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
David knew how to speak for and about God when he was supposed to. Let’s see if this verse can help us be prepared to speak up when we should.
I would like to suggest to you that speaking for God when we should is the last step of a threefold process. The threefold process is:
THINK
THANK
TALK
THINK!
Before we can talk, we must have something to talk about.
We need to think about God before we can talk about God.
There are five things mentioned in this verse that David talked about God. Therefore, he had to think about them first. So I challenge you to think about these five things.
1. THINK ABOUT GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart;
Has it ever occurred to you that God is righteous?
That He can’t stand what is wrong?
That He is opposed to anything the least bit questionable?
Psalm 145:17 - The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
Psalm 119:142 - Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
We need to think about our righteous God’s opinions of things that we encounter in every day life. Often He gives you his opinion in His Word.
What does our righteous God think of abortion?
Exodus 20:13 - Thou shalt not kill.
Remember that life begins at conception, not at birth.
What does God think of sexual immorality?
Hebrews 13:4 - Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
What does God think of homosexuality?
Leviticus 18:22 - Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
What does God think of stealing, bearing false witness and covetousness?
Exodus 20:15-17 - Thou shalt not steal. [16] Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. [17] Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Not all of God’s righteous opinions are stated in the negative.
Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
These qualities are reflections of God’s righteousness.
2. THINK ABOUT GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
I have declared thy faithfulness
Lamentations 3:22-23 - It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [23] They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
For thousands of years the sun has come up every morning and set every night. God is faithful.
God has given you abilities so you can earn a living and/or take care of a family. God is faithful.
God has provided you with food and clothing. God is faithful.
God is available to answer you prayers. God is faithful.
God has provided you with friends and loved ones. God is faithful.
And this is only the beginning of a list that can and should go on and on.You should think on how God has been faithful to you specifically.
3. THINK ABOUT GOD’S SALVATION
When we think about what great sinners each of us is, we can get depressed. Isaiah 64:6 - But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
But when we start to think about what Jesus did for us to save us, we can get encouraged.
Isaiah 53:3-6 - He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. [4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
And when we think that Christ death for us means that salvation, deliverance and forgiveness from sin, is a free gift of grace that is already paid for, we should be ecstatic!
Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
4. THINK ABOUT GOD’S LOVINGKINDNESS
I have not concealed thy lovingkindness…
God loves you.
If you are saved, God loves you as His own child.
If you think you know how to love your children, think how much more powerful God’s love is for you!
God loves you enough to indwell you through His Spirit.
God loves you enough to encourage and help you.
God loves you enough to never leave or forsake you.
God loves you enough to meet your needs.
God loves you enough to never separate his love from you.
Romans 8:35-39 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
5. THINK ABOUT GOD’S TRUTH.
I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
Jesus prays for us in John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
God’s Word is truth, therefore, we need to be thinking about His truth. We can not share God’s truth until we know God’s truth. We can not know God’s truth until we get into His Word.
2 Timothy 2:15 - Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
So there are 5 things to think about in this Psalm 40:10
THINK ABOUT GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
THINK ABOUT GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
THINK ABOUT GOD’S SALVATION
THINK ABOUT GOD’S LOVINGKINDNESS
THINK ABOUT GOD’S TRUTH.
THINK
THANK
We will not be able to speak effectively for God until we are thankful to God.
Sharing God’s blessings are the reflection of a thankful heart.
God’s wants us to be thankful.
Mankind has had a problem with a lack of gratitude.
Romans 1:21 - Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
God’s Word tells us to be thankful.
Psalm 107:1 - O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Ephesians 5:20 - Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
I challenge you this week to give specific thanks to God in five areas. I think you can guess what they are.
THANK GOD FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS – Naming specific ways He has shown Himself to be righteous.
THANK GOD FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS
Reflect on how He has been faithful to you this very week.
The specific needs He has met and the specific blessings He has given.
THANK GOD FOR HIS SALVATION
If you are truly saved you should be thankful for salvation every day. Think! Where would you be if the Lord hadn’t saved you?
If you aren’t saved, you need to trust Christ this morning!
THANK GOD FOR HIS LOVINGKINDNESS
As you think of ways God has shown His love for you be sure you thank Him.
THANK GOD FOR HIS TRUTH.
And as God has been gracious to show you his truth and help you understand it, make sure you thank Him.
THINK
THANK
TALK
The more I think on these truths, the more thankful I will be.
The more thankful I am, the more likely I am to share them with others.
When it comes to these truths, silence is not golden!
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
I MUST TALK ABOUT GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart;
Should God’s righteousness be in my heart?
Yes it should! We need to think about it and thank God for it.
But David’s point is that it did not stop in his heart.
David knew what was right in God’s eyes and said so!
We know that abortion is wrong in God’s eyes, and when we know that someone is considering one, we need to lovingly tell them it is wrong in God’s eyes and warn them. We need to also help them through the pregnancy anyway we can.
We know that homosexuality is wrong in God’s eyes and we need to be ready to explain the position. Marriage in the Bible is always between a man and a woman. And there is coming a day when Pastors like me will be asked to perform “same sex marriages”. When we refuse we will be thrown in jail.
We know that lying, cheating and stealing are wrong in God’s eyes, and we must speak up when we are asked to lie, steal or cheat or see others do it.
These are just a few examples.
We must realize whenever we speak up for what is right in God’s eyes, there is a good chance that we will be ridiculed.
Psalm 34:19 - Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
2 Timothy 3:12 - Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
I MUST TALK ABOUT GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
I have declared thy faithfulness
I have shared with you how God took care of us on our trip to Brazil. I declared His faithfulness.
Whenever God does something special for us that shows how faithful He is, we should not keep it to ourselves. We should share it.
When we share with unbelievers, we are giving them reason to believe.
When I share with believers, such as in our evening church testimony time, I am encouraging them.
Hebrews 10:25 - Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
I MUST TALK ABOUT GOD’S SALVATION
I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation:
God did not save you so you would be silent. God saved you so you would talk.
In fact, if you don’t make profession of faith, if you don’t profess Jesus Christ as Savior, I’d be concerned if I were you.
Romans 10:9-10 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
If salvation is the greatest gift you have ever received, you should want to share it.
You talk about hunting, fishing, children, spouses, sports, and a host of other things because you appreciate them.
How much do you appreciate the Lord Jesus?
I MUST TALK ABOUT GOD’S LOVINGKINDNESS
Those who are not saved need to know that God loves them.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Those of us who are saved need to reassured of God’s love.
Often, a personal reminder of God’s love is needed by Christians.
Don’t hesitate to remind fellow Christians of God’s love and care for them. Many of them are hurting.
I MUST TALK ABOUT GOD’S TRUTH
I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
There needs to be more fellowship among Christians.
I don’t mean more coffee and donuts.
I mean more times when we sit down and discuss God’s truth.
I mean more times when we share with each other.
Remember, there are times when silence is not golden.
WE NEED TO THINK
WE NEED TO THANK
WE NEED TO TALK
THINK ABOUT GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
THINK ABOUT GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
THINK ABOUT GOD’S SALVATION
THINK ABOUT GOD’S LOVINGKINDNESS
THINK ABOUT GOD’S TRUTH.
THANK GOD FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
THANK GOD FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS
THANK GOD FOR HIS SALVATION
THANK GOD FOR HIS LOVINGKINDNESS
THANK GOD FOR TRUTH.
TALK OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
TALK OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
TALK OF GOD’S SALVATION
TALK OF GOD’S LOVINGKINDNESS
TALK OF GOD’S TRUTH