Well, let us turn to God's Word
again in the psalm that we've read, Psalm 73 Psalm 73 and the particular verse
that I want to center your thoughts upon are the words that we have
here in verse 22 So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast
before thee Psalm 73 22 so foolish was I and ignorant I was as a
beast before thee many ways it's a Psalm that's
full of perplexities there are many of them mentioned in this
Psalm as the Psalmist surveys the scene about him,
how he is surrounded by sinners on every hand. We know that the
whole world lies in wickedness, lies in the wicked one. And how
the psalmist here is so much perplexed as he views the scene. He speaks of the prosperity of
the wicked. Verse 3 he says, I was envious
at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Verse 7, their eyes stand out
with fatness, they have more than heart could wish. Verse
12, behold, he says, these are the ungodly who prosper in the
world, they increase in riches. And as he speaks of the ungodly
in this term, so favored it would seem by the providences of God
So he also goes on to bewail the prides of the wicked. He says at verse 5, They are
not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like
other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain, violence
covereth them as garments. At the end of verse 8 he says
they speak loftily they set their mouth against the heavens their
tongue walketh through the earth and then again verse 11 in their
pride they say how does God know and is their knowledge in the
most high all that pride that pride that is so bound up of
course with original sin, although, as we've said many times, the
original sin that Adam and Eve were guilty of there in the Garden
of Eden was that of unbelief, and yet that unbelief so bound
up with pride. When Satan comes by means of
the serpent, what does he say? Ye shall be as gods. That was the temptation. to embrace
the devil's lie because they wanted to be like unto God himself. And when the Apostle in 1 Timothy
3 is speaking of those who would desire the office of a bishop
or an overseer, he says that those who are placed in that
office must not be a novice, lest being up with pride he fall
into the condemnation of the devil. Our pride is that it is
the condemnation of the devil. In fact, in Isaiah 14 we read
of Lucifer. I know historically the reference
is really to the king of Babylon, but there's a more significant
application of the words that we have there in Isaiah 14 And
verse 12, Thou art now fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of
the morning. Thou art now cast down to the
ground, which did weaken the nations. For thou hast said in
thine heart, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount
of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds. I will be like the most high,
yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the
pit." Is it not ultimately a description of that fallen angel that we
know as Satan himself, who in his pride would indeed be as
God. What an awful, what an awful
sin then is that of pride. And this is what the Psalmist
speaks of as he considers those about him these wicked men in
all their prosperity and in all their pride and he he can't really
understand these things and so he confesses in the words that
I announced as our text so foolish was I and ignorant I was as a
beast before them he was so different to these the ungodly that were
all about him He was one of those who are made wise, made wise
by the grace and the goodness of God. Remember the language
that we have at the end of the book of Proverbs, there in Proverbs
chapter 30. And verse 2, the wise man says,
Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding
of a man. I neither learn wisdom nor have
the knowledge of the Holy. No pride, no pride there. He
feels himself to be one who is so ignorant, so lacking in any
proper understanding. So, tonight as we come to consider
these words at verse 22, in particular for our text, I want to say something
with regards to the spiritual ignorance that the psalmist is
bewailing and to deal with the subject matter in a threefold
sense. First of all to say something
with regards to the ignorance, and then secondly to say something
with regards to the cause of it. And then last, to try to
say something with regards to the cure. And I say again that what we
have here is the language of the child of God. It's Asaph. who is writing the psalm, admittedly
writing it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but a man
who is perplexed, as I said at the beginning, perplexed by that
that he sees about him, he has no understanding, and often this
is the way with the people of God, how we're made to feel how
ignorant and lacking in understanding we are. In many ways I suppose
we have the key to the Psalm in what we find right at the
middle there in verses 16 and 17 he says when I thought to
know this it was too painful for me until I went into the
sanctuary of God then understood I their end only as he comes
to God in the sanctuary that he begins to understand what
will be the end of these prouds ungodly man of himself he cannot
understand he cannot fathom these things he cannot explain these
things it's interesting what we actually have in the words
of the text because although the second Claus reads as a simile,
I was as a beast before thee. It's not really a simile, is
it? Because the little word as is in italics, and that indicates,
as you know, that it's been brought in by the translators. The Hebrew
literally says, I was a beast before thee. It's such a positive
statements. It's a statement of facts. And isn't this really the tragedy
of what sin has done? And the effects of sin. It affects men in their highest
faculties. Sin is that that causes us to
become so foolish. like a brute beast. Again, in another psalm, Psalm
92 and verse 6, the psalmist says, A brutish man knoweth not,
neither doth a fool understand. There, of course, we have those
parallel statements. It's the same truth in each of
those clauses. A brutish man who doesn't under... Stan doesn't know is that one
who then goes on to speak of as a fool. As a fool. And we see how this is constantly
brought out in the wisdom literature. The wisdom literature is that
that we have in books like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Those books
that were written by Solomon. He was the wisest man in the
earth. God favored him with great wisdom.
Writing under the inspiration of the Spirit, there in Ecclesiastes
3.18, Solomon says, I said in mine heart, concerning the estate
of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that
they might see that they themselves are beasts. He wants God to make
men see what they are. what they are by nature. These
are men who were created originally in the image and after the likeness
of God. And yet what have they become? It is God who must cause us to
see and feel what we really are. That's what Solomon is saying
there in those words of Ecclesiastes. He wants God to manifest Him. He wants God to make them know
that they are as beasts. And we see here that this is
so much a part of the ministry of the Word of God, even in the
Day of Grace, even under the Gospel. Look at the language
of Paul. uses when he writes in 1 Corinthians
1, it is written, he says, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is
the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? And then he goes on of course
at verse 27 to say, God has chosen the foolish things of the world.
to confound the wise. And God hath chosen the weak
things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty and
base things of the world, and things which are despised hath
God chosen. Yea, and things which are not,
to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh should glory
in his presence. All our men have to learn that
truth, their ignorance, their ignorance. So foolish was I and
ignorant. I was as a beast before them. What is it that God must teach
us? He has to teach us everything. He has to teach us all about
ourselves. And we have to know ourselves if we would know anything
of Himself. If we would be brought to realize
our great need of that salvation that is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Do we not have to learn and experience the sad truth of total depravity? Or we have to know it experimentally. That doesn't mean that we have
to sink into the most gross sins. We're not advocating that at
all, but we have to understand what it means to be dead in trespasses
and sins. As Art says, new life from him
we must receive. before for sin we rightly grieve. The language of the Lord Jesus,
we're so familiar with it. That third chapter in the Gospel
according to Saint John where he speaks so plainly to Nicodemus
concerning the necessity of the new birth, the great doctrine
of regeneration. Well why is it such an important
truth? Because by nature men are dead.
in trespasses and in sins. And so Christ says, verily, verily,
except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. There must be that regenerating
grace, that new life brought into the soul. Or man made in
God's image, but that image so defaced and destroyed because
of the fall into sin. But what does God do through
his grace? There is a putting on of the
new man, which is renewed in knowledge, says the apostle,
after the image of him that created it. Renewed in knowledge. Why
do we need to be renewed in knowledge? Because of our ignorance. So ignorant was Isis. We have
to come then and and confess it, confess our sinful ignorance. And that, in many ways, is a
mark that we're those who, in the goodness of God, are partakers
of the new nature, the divine nature. Those words that we've already
referred to, Colossians 3.10, and have put on the new man,
which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of Him that created
Him. And when we have that new nature,
that divine nature, when we've experienced that grace of God
in regeneration, or we'll want to use the language of the Apostle,
we'll want to come and make our confession and say, I know that
in me, that is in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. Surely I am more brutish than
any man, and have not the understanding of a man." That's the language
of the wise man. There in Proverbs 30 and verse
2. And here, coming back to the
text, So foolish was I, and ignorant I was as a beast, or I was a
beast, before Dr. Gill, makes observation in his commentary
that this noun beast is literally in the plural. I was as beasts. I was as beasts before them.
And Gelf simply says, well that's a superlative. It's emphasizing
what man had become because of his fall into sin. So ignorant,
just like a brute beast. What do we read in another Psalm,
Psalm 32? Be ye not as the horse, or as
the mule, that hath no understanding, whose mouth must be held him
with bitter and pride, or lest he come neither. Well, that's
the call of God. Man, in a sense, is a beast,
but really, man, he's worse. He's worse than the beast. He's
worse than the beast. the language that we have there
in the opening chapter of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. The
ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib. But Israel
doth not know. My people do not consider. They're worse than beasts. The
beast knows his owner. You only have to observe a man
with his dog and the faithfulness of that animal to his master.
God the creator of all. All men are worse, worse than
beasts. And yet man stands at the very
pinnacle of all God's work of creation. What does he say on
the sixth day having created all that was necessary in those
previous five days? He then says let us make man
in our image after our likeness. and let them have dominion. He
has dominion over all of God's creation. The animals in chapter
2 are brought to Adam and he has such an understanding he
is able to give names to every one of the animals and the names
are so suitable to what those creatures are. Oh, what is man! Such a noble creature when we
see him in his pristine condition. the image-bearer of God, standing
at the very head of all God's creation. But what has man become? The ignorance of men. Again,
Isaiah goes on to say in the second chapter, cease from man
whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted. Oh, we have to cease from ourselves.
we have to seize from ourselves so foolish was I and ignorant
I was as a beast before them this ignorance then this ignorance
that is in man but to emphasize again in the second place what's
the cause of it? it's man's sinful inability it's
his total depravity if you look at the margin We see that this
word ignorant is there rendered as I know not. It seems that's
the literal meaning of the Hebrew. I know not. So foolish was I and I know not. We have no ability as sinners
to know anything at all. we cannot know a thing. What does Paul say? Not that
we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves.
Our sufficiency is of God. He's not speaking of natural
knowledge, he's speaking of spiritual knowledge. This is where man
is, spiritually, the natural man. He receiveth not the things
of the Spirit of God, they're foolishness to him. Neither can
he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. What is man's natural mind as
a consequence of the entrance of sin into creation? The carnal
mind, we're told, is enmity against God. It is not subject to the
law of God. Neither indeed can be. But the
amazing thing is that though man in his fallen state is not
subject to God's law, yet that law is written upon his heart.
And though it's that law written upon the heart that the conscience
appeals to, all men don't like to be reminded of God's law.
And God's law constantly finds them out. Whatever things are
written in the law, Well, those are the things that come and
find a man out. Stop men's mouths, bring them
in guilty before God. This enmity, this inability,
it is sinful. And it has to be acknowledged. Again, the language of Solomon
in Ecclesiastes, he says, Lo, this only have I found. God made
man upright. But they have sought out many
inventions. Here is man, you see, stands
at the very peak of God's work of creation. He's made upright. But what has he done? He's pursued
his own foolish ways, his inventions. Every imagination of the thought
of his heart, evil. and evil continually. And so
again in another of the Psalms, Psalm 69, verse 5, O God, thou
knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee. You
see what he is doing there in that 69th Psalm? He's acknowledging
that that foolishness that is in him, that ignorance, that
lack of any true knowledge, that is really his sin. Now knowest
my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee. Now we're brought to this in
that it is God himself, it is God who must work. And God must
work mightily and effectually within our hearts. or we need
those sovereign operations of the Holy Ghost Himself, we need
to know those mighty workings of the Spirit of God. If we're
going to know anything of true religion, anything of real faith,
saving faith. Or remember the language again
of the Apostle. There in Ephesians 1.19 he speaks
of the exceeding greatness. the exceeding greatness, it's
typical Pauline language, he just piles words together the
exceeding greatness of his power to us who do believe according
to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ
when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right
hand that power that was there in the resurrection of Christ,
the ascension of Christ And Christ now seated at the right hand
of God, it's exactly the same power that God puts forth in
the hearts of those who are brought to saving faith. What a mighty
work of God is that of saving faith. Isaiah 26, Thou also hast
brought all our works in us, O Lord our God, of the lords
besides Thee have had dominion over us. But by Thee only will
we make mention of thine eye, by the owner. Or no man can say
that Jesus Christ is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. It's all so humbling for me.
It's the very opposite of what Asaph sees all around him, the
pride of the ungodly. No God will have his people to
be humbled, mightily humbled, bring them to see that all that
they have of salvation is that that comes from God, it's all
the work of God. Doesn't John the Baptist say
it? John 3.27, a man can receive
nothing except it be given him from heaven. He comes from heaven,
he's born again. And where does that birth come
from? He's born from above. That's what it says in the margin
there in John 3, except a man be born again. The margin says,
except a man be born from above. It's the great work of God. The
Lord Jesus says, no man can come to me except the Father which
hath sent me draw him. Well, we have to come to prove that. Doesn't
the Lord teach us that? Thank God if He teaches us what
real faith is, what true faith is. Oh could I but believe says
dear John Newton. Oh could I but believe then all
would easy be. I would but cannot. Lord relieve my help must come
from Thee. And how comforting are the words
that follow here after our text. So foolish was I and ignorant,
I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless, I am continually
with thee. Thou hast holden me by my right
hand, thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive
me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth
that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth,
but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. Here, you see, is the cure. Man's
ignorance, man's inability, all that he is as a sinner, what
is the cure to this terrible malady that is upon man? Well,
it follows. And we thank God for the nevertheless.
Oh, thank God for the neverthelesses that we find here in His Word. There are many of them. I just
direct you to another that we see in a later psalm, there in
the 106th psalm. Psalm 106 and verses 7 and 8. Our fathers understood not thy
wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude
of thy mercies. but provoked him at the sea and
even at the Red Sea nevertheless he saved them for his name's
sake that he might make his mighty power to be known he rebuked
the Red Sea also and it was dried up and so he led them through
the depths as through the wilderness and he saved them from the hand
of him that hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy
though they provoked him though they forgot all his good and
gracious works in the land of Egypt. He didn't forget them,
nevertheless. Oh, thank God for the never-the-lesses. Here then, we come to the cure
of that ignorance that is being bewailed in the text. So foolish
was I and ignorant. I was as a beast. I was a beast
before them. nevertheless I am continually
with thee thou hast holden me by my right hands I am continually
with thee that's the comfort of the people of God and how
we need that it is written in the prophets they shall be all
taught of God every man therefore that has heard and learned of
the Father cometh unto me says the Lord Jesus What a great text
is that in John 6.45. The Trinity is there. It is written.
It is written in the Prophets. What are those Prophets? They
were those holy men who spoke as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost. The Holy Spirit is there speaking through the Prophets.
And what is the word of the Prophets? They shall be all taught of God.
Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father,
Christ says, cometh unto me. It's the Father, you see, who
draws them. And where do they come? They
come unto God, the Son, God incarnate, in the person of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is that One who is with His
people. No, He says, I am with you always, even to the end of
the world. nevertheless I am continually
with thee." If He is with us, oh then we are with Him. One
of the great blessings of heaven as it is declared there at the
end in Revelation 21 and verse 3 is this, the tabernacle of
God is among men. That's heaven. The tabernacle
of God is among men. Remember back in Exodus 25 where
we read of the tabernacle and the furnishings and we read of
the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy
Seat and God says here in Exodus 25 that He will come and He will
dwell there and He will make Himself known to Israel. That
was the glory of Israel the Shekinah glory in the Holy of Holies the
tabernacle of God but all that tabernacle points to that true
tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man that's spoken of
in Hebrews that's the the person of the Lord Jesus, that's God
manifest in the flesh all the Lord is with his people and his
people are with him What does he say? I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee. There's great words in Hebrews
13.5 where Paul is quoting really what we have at the beginning
of the book of Joshua. Joshua 1.5 is what he quotes
there in Hebrews 13.5. I will never leave thee. nor
forsake thee." And I, well, we've preached on that text and made
the observation how it's such an emphatic negative. There are
five negatives there. Five negatives. Well, if two negatives make a
positive, well, three negatives make a very strong negative,
and five negatives make an exceedingly strong negative. And it's brought
out, of course, in the hymn, I'll never, no, never, no, never,
forsake. Or we might feel ourselves to
be so ignorant, and so brutish, and have no understanding, and
perplexed by many things that we witness all about us, so confused
in our own thinking, We can understand then something of the language
of Esau, so foolish was I and ignorant. I was as a beast before
thee nevertheless says God. Nevertheless I am continually
with thee. And then he says, Thou hast holden
me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy
counsel. and after would receive me to
glory. Oh, it is the Lord who takes
us by the hand and leads us, and leads us in that right way. What words of comfort He speaks
time and again, those fear nots, those great fear nots. 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. For
I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee,
Fear not, I will help thee." Here is the remedy, you see.
Here is the cure to all terrible ignorance, our utter inability. And believers feel it. Or do
we feel that, our following? We've done so many foolish things.
We're so ignorant, we're so unable. But what do we read concerning
those who are in this way, the Gospel way? The wayfaring man,
it says, though fools, shall not err therein. or we're prone
to err, we're prone to wonder. But God's people are those who
are kept, they're kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation. It always says, until I went
into the sanctuary then understood I their end. It's when we come
to God, it's when we come to God in prayer, it's when we cast
our cares upon Him when we commit all these matters to Him and
tell Him all our foolishness. Then He is that One, the only
One, who can make it all straight and plain. Whom have I in heaven
but Thee? There is none upon earth that
I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion. forever. Oh the Lord then, appear
for us and help us as we come now to seek His face. The Lord bless His Word. Let
us, before we pray, sing the hymn 904, the tune is
Hole 714. O Lord, with shame I do confess,
my universal emptiness, my poverty and pride, I cannot keep thee
in my sight, nor can I think one thought aright, unless thy
Spirit guides." The Hymn 904.