Well, seeking the Lord's help
for a little while this evening, turn with me to Psalm 34. Psalm
34, and reading verse 6. Psalm 34, verse 6. This poor
man cried. and the Lord heard him and saved
him out of all his troubles. This poor man cried, and the
Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. I mentioned this morning that
Pastor James, earlier in the week when he was speaking to
me regarding Liz, so poorly in hospital, but having made a measure
of recovery, that he quoted this text, this poor man cried, and
the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles. And that really laid hold upon
me, and I felt that that would be the word that we would come
with this morning. But as I meditated upon it, so
those glorious words that we did come with this morning in
St. Mark chapter 7, And verse 37,
He hath done all things well, arrested me, and I trust there
was some prophet in seeking to bring that before us this morning. Well, so this evening we have
this word that David, oh, this cry, this prayer of his, this
poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all
his troubles. And what trouble he was experiencing. We read, didn't we, in the first
book of Samuel of the troubles that he was enduring as a result
really of jealousy. That was the root cause of jealousy. And the dear man, he'd been secretly
anointed by Samuel in Bethlehem. He had entered at the service,
Saul's service, and he was a victim of jealousy by Saul himself. It was a most difficult relationship. And David was popular in the
18th chapter and the 17th verse, or the second verse. Rather,
they spoke of him that he slew, well I think it
was in the chapter that we read, wasn't it? In the 21st chapter
of the 1st book of Samuel, and in the 11th verse, the servant
of Achish said unto him, Is not this David, the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another
of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and
David his ten thousands? And so he was a victim, he was
a victim of jealousy. In the 18th chapter and the 7th
verse, the women they sang, they played, Saul hath slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands. The dear man, he slew Goliath. He slew Goliath with a sling
and a few pebbles he took with him. With one pebble he slew
him. He wouldn't have any armour on.
They've not been proved. He went in the strength of the
Lord. And so he became a hunted man. He became a hunted man. He'd barely begun his life of
usefulness in God's service and he finds that his world is falling
apart. His life was hanging by a thread
as he found himself in enemy land. He found himself in enemy
land. Oh, he was beside himself, wasn't
he? You know what it is sometimes
when things, they become so intense that our mind, we feel that we
cannot cope with any more. And we can't, as it were, see
the wood for the trees. And that's where the dear man
was. He was in a desperate place. He's being hunted like a fox. And he flees, and he flees, and
he finds himself in enemy lands. And there as his life is hanging
by a thread, he resorts to acting like a madman. Speaking of his life hanging
by a thread, I spoke this morning about that dear lady that had
mentioned to me in Cambridge a short while ago as I'd been
seeking to preach about the woman that came to Jesus in the press. If I may but touch the hem of
his garment, I shall be made whole. And this woman, I didn't
quote it correctly, and my dear wife, who was with me at the
time, she reminded me of what exactly was said. And it was
this, that she'd said to a friend, oh, I'm just hanging in there
by a thread. She was in such trouble and this
dear person said in response, well make sure you're hanging
by a thread of the hem of Jesus' garments. And that's precious,
isn't it, dear friends? And so David, he's hanging. He's hanging by a thread. He's
hunted like a fox, as though he were a fox being hunted by
the hounds. And he flees to enemy land. And in his desperation, in his
desperation, he acts like a madman. Well, we would say, wouldn't
we? How dishonoring to God. A man of God, like David, favored
of God, blessed of God, anointed king, and yet he resorts to changing
his behavior, feigning himself mad, scrabbled on the doors of
the gates, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. But you know, dear friends, it
was all in the purposes of God, isn't it? Oh, sometimes, you
know, he's a good God, isn't he? He's a good God. And these
are proving to be amongst the all things. All these opposites,
all these things that seem to be going against us, that you
never rise from it again, left to yourself. And yet even in
this, there are all these things working together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called according to His
purpose. Oh, it was desperate action that
He took. And on the face of it, it's dishonoring
to God. But friends, He's being schooled
in the school of affliction. He's being schooled in the school
of affliction. He's in sore trouble, in sore
trial. And it's for His learning, for
His teaching, for His usefulness in that which is before Him as
He reigns as King. And it's recorded for yours and
my comfort, for our teaching, for our guiding. And how we prove,
don't we, as dear David proved, and we have it in our Psalms
that we read before us, that trials bring us to submission
to God's will. Oh, the dear man, he said to
Jonathan, hadn't he, his dear friend, Jonathan, just before
they were to part forever, he said, there is but a step. a step between me and death,
a step between me and death. Such was his fear of Saul that
Saul would have him, would have him, would have him, would have
him killed. And so in that second Psalm that
we read, that he penned at that time of great trouble, in Psalm
56, he says in verse 1, that man would swallow me up. Man
would swallow me up. He's in a desperate, desperate
state. He's fearful. He says in verse two, he says,
they daily, every day, he repeats it. They swallow me up. They
would swallow me up. They'd be many that fight against
me. Swallow me up. He fighting daily
oppressive me. My enemies would daily swallow
me up. For they be many that fight against
me. He says in verse 5, every day,
there's no let up, they rest my words. Whatever I might say,
they put a different meaning to it. And that's a desperately
hard, desperate place, isn't it, to be in. But whatever he
was to say, whatever he was to say, whatever he was to do, they
put a slant on it to bring dishonor upon him and to have it as an
excuse against him to say that he was hunted down. Every day
they rest my words, all their thoughts are against me for evil. Well, he says, he said that he
goes further, doesn't he? Said they in verse six, they
gather themselves together. They hide themselves. They mark
my steps when they wait for my soul. They'll do anything to
trip him up. They'll do anything to trick
him. They'll do anything to bring
him into sore trouble, sore trial. They'll speak. They'll speak
unjustly against Him to achieve their ends. But friends, where
is He found? He's found at the throne of grace,
isn't He? He's found there. He pours it
all out. He pours it all out to God. Now instead of scheming, now
instead of scheming, He comes to the Lord in prayer. And he
pleads with him so that he begins this Psalm of 56. Be merciful,
be merciful unto me, O God. Be merciful unto me, O God. He cries for mercy. He declares in the third verse,
what time I am afraid, and he is afraid, but he looks, his
trust is in the Lord. What time I am afraid, I will
trust in thee. He says in verse 4, doesn't he?
He says, In God I will praise his word. In God I have put my
trust. I will not fear what flesh can
do unto me. And so he comes again in the
7th verse. He says, Shall they escape by
iniquity? And he pleads with his God. He pleads with his God to appear
to deal with this enemy. He says, In thine anger cast
down the people, O God. And He speaks. He speaks. He says, Lord, thou knowest my
wanderings. Thou knowest the paths that I've
trodden in, the steps that I've made, the wrong steps that I've
made, that I never should have done. And thou hast seen how
it's brought me into trouble, trouble upon trouble upon trouble. Oh, he says, Thou, Thou tellest
my wanderings, but Thou hast seen that Thou hast seen at the
humble contrite heart that Thou hast favoured me with. Thou hast
brought me to understand that I'm a poor wretched sinner and
left to myself I can do nothing. Oh, at the tears I've wept, I've
wept. But I bless God that thou seest
them. My tears, your tears this night,
dear friend, they're in his bottle. They're in his bottle. Oh, are they not in thy book? Are they not in thy book? And so he's confident. He's confident as he says in
verse nine, when I cry unto thee, Then shall mine enemies turn
back. He says, this I know, this I
know. This is his confidence. This
is his confidence in a thrice holy God. This I know, for God
is for me." Oh, friend, you know, whom once our God loves, He never
leaves. He'll be with us through thick
and through thin. Yes, He will. Oh, He'll teach
us. He'll chastise us. But it's not
in anger. It's from His dear covenant love. And so he's blessed to confidently
sigh and to plead when I cry unto thee. Then shall mine enemies
turn back. This I know. For God is for me. And so he proves over and over
again, this poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved
him out of all his troubles. Well, in the psalm that we read
where our text is in Psalm 34, he would say in the 19th verse,
many, many are the afflictions of the wicked. Many are the afflictions
of the righteous. Many are the afflictions of the
righteous. But the Lord delivereth him. That's it, dear friends. He's
a delivering God. He's a transforming God. Oh, that scene which is so difficult,
so hard, so perplexing, so trying, misunderstood, whatever it might
be, that He, He knows it all, and He's a transforming God. and in his good time and why
he delivers, he delivers a poor soul out of all his troubles. He says in verse 7, in verse
7 he says, the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that
fear him, and delivereth them. Oh, and that immediately follows
the verse of our text. Verse 6, This poor man cried,
and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. He says in verse 18, the Lord
is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. The poor man
was broken hearted, so favoured of God, hadn't he been? And that's sometimes how it is,
that we can receive such great blessing, we can be favoured
so much, And yet the Lord is pleased to keep us in check. And sometimes He keeps us in
check by leaving us as dear David was left to himself to behave
in an ungodly manner. And yet He's merciful. Oh friends, that's it, isn't
it? When we sin, we understand we don't sin lightly, do we? Oh, we're brought, aren't we,
with a humble contrite heart, weeping at the throne of grace. pleading, pleading to Him, and
to be able then to testify that the Lord, the Lord, it was nigh
unto me when brokenhearted. He saved me when I was favoured
with a humble, contrite spirit, a humble, contrite heart. And so, dear friends, this is
the way, isn't it? This is the lot of the children
of God. It's affliction, some more, some
less. But the people of God, they are
a tried people. We're in enemy land, aren't we? And sometimes we're overwhelmed,
aren't we? Perhaps there's a poor soul here
tonight. That you're overwhelmed with
the situation that you find yourself in. Overwhelmed with trouble. Overwhelmed with sadness. Overwhelmed
with afflictions of various sorts. And it seems nobody understands. You know, R.C. Sproul, he said
this, and it's well worth repeating. If God is not sovereign, then
God is not God. If God is not sovereign, then
God is not God. Friends, it's impossible. Friend,
he's the sovereign ruler of the skies. He's ever gracious, ever
wise. And as the hymn writer puts it,
that not a single shaft can hit till the God of love sees fit. And perhaps you're in that place
tonight, but all that the shaft has hit. But He's in control. He's ordered it. And you'll prove
it, dear friend, that He's working together for the good of your
never-dying soul. And so that as you cry unto Him,
as you cry unto Him, and you'll prove it, that He will hear,
that He will hear. And in His good time and way,
He'll save you out of it. He'll save you out of it. and
ultimately our precious day save you out of all all of your troubles
well he rules doesn't he's majestic you think of that 93rd psalm
the lord reigneth he is clothed with majesty the lord is clothed
with strength wherewith he hath girded himself. The world also
is established that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established
of old. Thou art from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O
Lord. Oh, you feel you be overwhelmed,
don't you? The floods, oh, they're rising. I shall sink under this load. But no, look to Jesus. Look to Him. Deep calleth unto
deep at the noise of thy water spouts. All thy ways and thy
billows are gone over me. precious Jesus. He's taken it
all. He's your great High Priest.
He understands everything about what you're going through and
nothing, there'll be nothing more that He'll load your shoulders
with than you can bear. For the Lord on high is mightier
than the noise of many waters. then the mighty waves of the
sea. You think of that as the psalmist
gives thanks to God in that 107th psalm for his mercy on Israel
and his manifold providence. And many times he repeats, as
in verse 6, then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and
He delivered them out of their distresses. Verse 13, then they
cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their
distresses. Verse 19, Then they cry unto
the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He says in verse 27, They reel
to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their
wits end. Then they cry unto the Lord in
their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. he maketh the storm a calm, so
that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad, because they
be quiet. So he bringeth them unto their
desired haven. That's it. Saves them out of
all their troubles. eventually saves them to be forever
with the Lord. Amen. So let it be. Oh, that men would praise the
Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children
of men. and so he maketh the storm a
calm. In the 37th psalm he says in
verse 7 rest in the Lord rest in the Lord and wait patiently
for him fret not thyself, because of him who prospereth in his
way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Oh friends, to be favoured, to
be brought there into that fifth verse of Psalm 37, fret not thyself,
because of evildoers neither be thou envious against the workers
of iniquity for they shall soon be cut down it's not you child
of god that'll be cut down and rise and no more no it's them
these evildoers these are seeking your hurt for they shall soon
be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good. So shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord,
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way
unto the Lord. Trust also in him, and he shall
bring it to pass. Oh, it's the sight of evil men,
isn't it, friends? It's the sight of those that
seek ill against you. That, oh, it causes those anxious
fears, doesn't it? and dear David he had to prove
didn't he that scheming his way out of it just brought him brought
him into a desperate state but it led him friends it led him
to the throne of grace it led him eventually to wait upon the
lord in paul as he writes to the romans and in chapter In
chapter 5 and verse 3, He says, We glory in tribulations, knowing
that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and
experience hope. Oh, hope thou in God, for I shall
yet praise Him. Oh, He is the help of my countenance. He's my strength. He's my stay. And so again in our Psalm 34
and verse 15, he says, the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous. Oh, you don't feel very righteous,
do you, when you've sinned? Oh, when you've sinned, when
you've sinned against light and knowledge, when you sought to
scheme your own way? But he's a covenant-keeping God,
once in Christ, in Christ forever, thus the eternal covenant stands. And David can testify in our
Psalm 34, many are the afflictions of the
righteous. but the Lord delivereth him out
of them all. The dear man, he'd gone to gath,
hadn't he? He'd gone to gath prayerless. He'd gone to gath prayerless,
but his prayerlessness, what he was brought into, the trouble
that he was brought into, blessed be God, was sanctified and drove
him to prayer. drove him to prayer. This poor man cried, and the
Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. We have that lovely little hymn,
don't we? What a friend we have in Jesus. Number 157 in hymns for worship,
all our sins and griefs to bear. and he says he says of taking
it to the Lord in prayer he says we should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer. you know friends he's the god
of the impossible you think of isiah or rather hezekiah in as
recorded for us in isiah chapter 37 and verse and verses 16 to 20. Sennacherib had written
Hezekiah a letter. He was threatening to destroy
Jerusalem. But he took it immediately unto
the house of the Lord, and he spread it before the Lord, and
Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord. And this is what he prayed in
verse 16 in Isaiah chapter 37. O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest
between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of
all the kingdoms of the earth, thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline thine ear, O LORD, and
hear. Open thine eyes, O LORD, and
see and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he hath sent
to reproach the living God. Of a truth, Lord, the kings of
Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their countries,
and have cast their gods into the fire. For they were no gods,
but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they
have destroyed them. Now, therefore, O Lord our God,
save us from his hand. that all the kingdoms of the
earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only. That's it, friends. He poured
it out. He poured it out. That's real
prayer, isn't it? That's real prayer. He hid nothing
back. He told his God exactly as it
was. He poured it out. cried unto
his God. And however, however dark the
pathway, how God hears, He loves, He loves to hear His people cry. The hymn writer in Gatsby's of
232, written by John Newton, he says, Be gone, unbelief, my
Saviour is near, and for my relief will surely appear. By prayer
let me wrestle. and he will perform with Christ
in the vessel I smile at the storm and then he speaks of King
David's greater son King David's greatest son he touched with
the feelings of all of our infirmities yet without sin and he says in
verse six how bitter how bitter that cup no heart can conceive
which he drank quite up that sinners might live oh that's
it isn't it dear friends save them out of all their troubles
i look for hell he sent at me heaven He's a redeeming God. He's a redeeming God. Redeemed. Poor, wretched, hell-deserving
sinners. Redeemed with Jesus' precious
blood. Redeemed. How bitter that cup,
no heart can conceive, which he drank quite up, that sinners
might live. His way was much rougher and
darker than mine. Did Christ, my Lord, suffer,
and shall I repine? Since all that I meet, all these
sadnesses, afflictions, troubles, trials, misunderstandings, my
own wretched self, Since all that I meet shall work for my
good, the bitter is sweet, the medicine is food. though painful at present, that
will cease before long. And then, O how pleasant the
conqueror's song! This poor man cried, and the
Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. as following that of all things
working together for good to them that love God, to them that
are called according to his purposes. He goes on to say in verse 32,
he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Oh friends, the greatest trouble,
the greatest trouble that a child of God ever has is soul trouble. Soul trouble. But you think of
Jesus. Think of Jesus. Meditate upon
his sufferings. Seek sweet, close fellowship. Communion with a precious Jesus. Suffering, bleeding, dying in
your room, place and stead. The agony of his soul. the agony of his soul as God's
wrath was poured upon him upon him the substitute for sinners
so will he forget you now Having bought you at such a price, such
a precious price, that he laid his life down, a ransom for you,
a poor sinner? He shed his vital blood. Will he forget you now? Will
he leave you at last, in trouble to sink? Impossible! Impossible! Oh, you bring it all to him. Tell him how you feel. Now as
we come to a close We have in the hymns for worship
that hymn of France's Ridley Havergill, or Havergill, and
she penned many hymns and one of them, 171, Take My Life and
Let It Be. and the Lord knows how it is
with each of us here and especially those of you that are younger
those of you that are bearing the the heat and the burden of
the day and you know I recently been reading of this dear woman
Frances that she was a greatly afflicted lady Her mother was
also very frail and she died when Frances was just 11 years
old. And it appears that she had inherited
some of her weaknesses. And her mother, prior to her
dying, she said to her, pray God to prepare you for all he
is preparing for you. Pray God to prepare you for all
He is preparing for you. A word in season for those of
you that are younger as well. Seek that the Lord will prepare
you for His will. Well, after nearly a decade of
severe illness which came on her when she was 18, the Lord
showed her what His will was, and that was He'd given her a
talent, a talent for music and writing. And these were great
qualities for a hymn writer and for that which the Lord blessed
her with and those many hymns that are sung many years later
as she put pen to paper. And this hymn that she, one of
the many that she wrote, Take My Life and Let It Be. friends her long struggle her
long struggle with ill health made her acutely aware of her
limitations both physical and practical and yet in this hymn
she lists she lists so many ways in which she has something to
contribute. Take my life and let it be consecrated,
Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise. Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet, and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee. Take my voice, and let me sing
always only for my King. take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee take my silver and my gold not
a mite would i withhold take my intellect and use every power
as thou shall choose take my will and make it thine it shall
be no longer mine take my heart it is thine own it shall be thy
royal throne take my love my lord i pour at thy feet its treasure
store take myself and i will be ever only all for thee well
how encouraging isn't it how encouraging especially especially
to those who struggle especially to those who struggle maybe you're
in employment in employment where you struggle Oh, and it's a wretched
place to be in it. You struggle, perhaps with your
health. You struggle because of your
capabilities. But you know, you'll prove it,
friends, that all these things are working together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to His purposes, as you're favoured with a real spirit of living
prayer, and to cry to Him, to be amongst these poor men, This
poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of
all his troubles. You know, friend, perhaps it's
in a job that you feel that you haven't the capability. Or maybe
you've been over-promoted. Oh, and with this little story
for your encouragement, we'll close. Oh, there was a time with
myself when I was promoted way, way beyond my capability. I struggled
and I struggled and I struggled and it affected my health. And eventually the Lord made
a way of escape. And it seemed to be such an impossible
situation. We had our three young children,
Michael was eleven, and Alan and Matthew seven and eight,
and I was made redundant. And it just seemed as though
that was the end. That was the end. It could never
be amongst all those things, working together for good. But it's to them who love God,
to them who are the call according to His purpose. and friends,
and his way is in the sea. His footsteps are not known. Yes, he rides upon the storm. He has all under control. He is the sovereign ruler of
the skies, ever gracious, ever wise. And as it is recorded of
dear Francis, that it is said there that her desire was that
she would be given sufficient grace, that all of these limitations
that she had would pale into insignificance, even although
they appeared to be insignificant against the contributions of
others, but so blessed But God, she said, but God who made and
loves us, who made you, made me, made Francis, knows exactly
what you, what I, what we are capable of achieving. he recognizes our insecurities
and practical limitations and he knows that sometimes it's
the smallest of gifts which are not only the most sincerely and
generously given but which can also have the greatest impact. This poor man cried, and the
Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. And
King David's greater son, none are with so great a trouble,
such great agony, we can never begin to enter into the agonies
of his soul. And yet it was for his love he
made that atonement for sin. And friends, the deed was done.
That poor trite sinner, poor, poor afflicted saints. in the world ye shall have tribulation
but be of good cheer I have overcome the world I will save you he
says this poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved
him out of all his troubles oh friend that's what it'll be won't
it oh then loudest of the crowd it you'll sing all these things
worked together for good. All these things work together
for good. And as we shall close our service
with that glorious hymn number 410, you'll sing with that glorious
rapture that we finished with this morning. He hath, my Jesus,
hath done all things well. So let's sing that hymn in conclusion,
hymn number 410. 410. O, for a heart prepared
to sing to God my Saviour and my King, while with his saints
I join to tell my Jesus has done all things well. Hymn 410, tune
332. How for a heart prepared to sing
To God my Saviour and my King ? While with his saints I join
to tell ? ? My Jesus has done all things well ? ? All world's
his glorious factor ? confess. His wisdom all his words express. But for his love, what tongue
can tell? My Jesus has done all things
well. How suffering, wonderful and
free, Is all his love to sinful me! He plucked me as a brand
from hell, My Jesus has done all things well. And since my soul has known his
love, what mercy has he made me prove? Mercies which, O my praise, excel,
My Jesus has done all things well. Whene'er my Saviour and my God
has on me laid his gentle rod. I know in all that has befell
my Jesus has done all things well. Sometimes he's pleased
his face to hide To make me pray or stain my pride Yet am I held
on this to dwell My Jesus has done all things well. Soon shall I pass the vale of
death, And in his arms shall lose my breath. Yet then my happy soul shall
tell My Jesus has done all things well And when to that bright world
I rise and join the anthems in the skies. Among the rest this
note shall swell, My Jesus has done all things well. We do bless Thee, dear Lord,
that my Jesus, our Jesus, has done all things well. The grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the fellowship
and the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit rest and abide with
us all, now and for evermore. Amen.