We finished Esther last Sunday
night, and it was such a blessing to me going through that book,
but it's always so enjoyable to come back to the Psalms, isn't
it? The Psalms are scriptures that
I feel like God's people can always identify with and enter
into. If there are ever scriptures
that really meet God's people where they are in life, you know, we go through things.
We have troubles and trials and some things we hear about and
we talk about and express to each other and some things we
don't. I believe we will all agree that
if there are ever words of scripture that really meet God's people
where they are in the moment. And provide true help and true
comfort when we need it most, it's the Psalms. They are words for helpless,
needy, broken, fearful sinners. They are the balm of Gilead for
the sick. They're the bandage for the wounded. They're the comfort for the sad. That's why we love them so much.
That's what we are. That's what we are. I find myself
and all of us to be in that way all the time, so often. So I was searching through the
Psalms for tonight's message, and Psalm 62 got my attention,
especially this first line, especially the first line. It says, truly,
my soul waiteth upon God. Truly, my soul waits upon God. And the key word I want to bring
out is soul. My soul waits upon God. In all of God's chosen, redeemed,
called people and in every child of God who was chosen to be saved
and saved and notified of his or her salvation. There is an old nature and a
new nature. Those who are not elect of God,
redeemed of God, called of God, they don't have a new nature.
They have an old nature. But in all of God's people, there
is an old man and there's a new man. And the old man is the one that
we're more familiar with. We're still trying to get to
know the new man a little bit. We're much more familiar with
the old man. He's the one that we've been
with the longest. He's the one that we've spent
the most time with. He's the one that tends to show
himself the most. And tries to dominate the time
spent influencing the mind and the heart and the desire and
the deeds. And when I read this first line
of verse one, I was struck with the thought of both men saying
that. Saying, my soul is waiting, the
old man and the new man inside each one of God's people. Both natures spend their time
on this earth waiting. Both natures spend their time
on this earth waiting. We physically are born into this
world in the old man. That's how we come into this
world. We come in the old man, the old nature of the old man. And from the moment we're born,
we spend our time on this earth waiting. Just think about this.
All right. Just think about this. This is
how life goes. This is what life is for all
men and women. It's waiting. As kids, we're waiting to grow
up. We just can't wait to grow up.
Can't wait to be 13. And then you get there, and then
it's not good enough anymore. Can't wait to be 16. You got
it. It's not good enough anymore.
Can't wait to be 18. Can't wait to be 21. It's all exciting until you get
to 30. And then it's like, OK, we can slow down. We can back
up a little bit. Actually, I don't want to back
up one day. We all know this experience.
We spent our lives growing up just waiting to get out of school.
That's all we wanted. Waiting to get out of school.
Waiting for the right relationship to come along. Waiting for the right job. And
then you think you get that job and realize that now you're looking
and waiting for a better job. You're waiting for a raise. More
money. Waiting to get out of debt. You've
been in a career for 20, 30 years. How many more mortgage payments
do I have to make? It's a lot for me. Waiting for more time off. One
of these days, I'm gonna have more time off. Waiting for a vacation. Waiting
for retirement. Waiting for better health. You
all watch and see, this time next year, I'm gonna be in better
health than I am right now. I'm gonna get serious, I'm gonna
do something about it. Waiting to have children. Waiting to watch them grow. Waiting
for them to become established in life. We're constantly waiting
for the next phase to come. Constantly waiting. We're waiting
for the trials and the troubles and the sickness that we don't
want to come, but we fully expect at some point they will come. We're waiting to grow old. We're waiting for the end of
our time on this earth to come. That's the old man. That's the
life of the old man. He spends his time waiting and
waiting and waiting for all these things. Do you know what the
new man spends all of his time waiting for? God. God, the Lord our God. This right here is Christ in
his people, speaking for his people, causing them to say,
truly, my soul waiteth upon God. There's a new man inside every
child of God that is waiting upon God. Waiting upon God, looking to. Relying on. The Lord, our God. Only. Only that word truly translates
if you have a center margin in your Bible, you'll see that that
word translates only. My soul waiteth upon God. My soul only waits for God. That's the heart cry of the new
creation, the new man. Turn with me over to first Corinthians
15. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 45. And so it is written, the first
man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening
spirit. How be it that was not first
which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward,
that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth,
earthy. The second man is the Lord from
heaven. As is the earthy, now listen
to this, as is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy,
that's pretty easy to understand, isn't it? We are earthy, we are
Adam, we are that first man, we are that sinful man, right? Verse 48, as is the earthy, such
are they that also that are earthy. And as is the heavenly, such
are they also that are heavenly. And as we have born the image
of the earthy, We shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
That's good news, isn't it? That old man is a sinful mess,
just like our father Adam, just like our father Noah, just like
all of our sinful forefathers of this earth. But that new man
is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Christ in His people,
creating a new creation in them, causing them to bear the very
image of Christ Himself. As He is, so are they. Look at Galatians 4. Galatians 4 verse 4, it says,
But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth
His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them
that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption
of sons. And because you are sons, because
Christ came into this world and put Himself under the law and
fulfilled that law, and redeemed his people who had broken that
law and adopted them in his blood, the payment of his blood. Verse
6 says, Because you are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit
of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. In Christ, by the work of Christ
in his people, we can identify with what David wrote in Psalm
62, Christ in us causes these words to resonate with us. And
the new man created in Christ Jesus can honestly say, the Lord
my God is the only thing I need. He's the only thing I need. David
said in Psalm 27, one have I desired. That will I seek after. Him will
I seek after. Nothing else in this life matters. Alright, now I'm going to repeat
that a few times. Get ready. Nothing else in this life matters. You know, so many things come
to us in life. So many problems, so many bumps
in the road, so many illnesses, so many If you're a child of
God, nothing else in the world matters. It does not matter. It just does not. Nothing else
in life matters. Psalm 39 5 says my age is nothing. You know, we started this by
talking about kids wanting to be older and wanting to this
and this. My age is nothing. All relationships here are temporary. They're all temporary. You know,
I love my wife, I love you all. I tell you as often as I can,
I love you all so much and I love our relationship, but this is
temporary. Now in Christ, we will, I believe,
know as we have been known and And we see through a glass darkly
and we're going to see face to face and we're going to be together
forever worshiping him. But all relationships here are
temporary. Money. Time. Health. It's all an empty vapor. I don't care which one you're
talking about. Time. Money, we're not going to take
it with us. Health, at some point is going
to fail us. At some point. A puff of smoke,
it's here one minute, it's gone the next. Nothing in this world
will last. Nothing about this world will
last. There is one, there is one who
you can hang your soul on. And that's what I'm trying to
get across. There is nothing else here you
can count on. There's nothing else here you
can count on. There is one who you can literally hang your soul
on. There is one relationship that
is infinitely more valuable than all the money in this world. All these big decisions going
on in the world and big deals and big money, it means nothing. It means nothing. There is one
relationship that will outlast all of the time that this world
can possibly offer. And when the Lord allows our
new man to take over, okay, the old man is the one we know the
best. He's the one we spend the most
time with. He's the one we get most of our
counsel from. He's the one we usually walk
with and talk with and get great ideas from, the old man. But
when the Lord allows that new man to take over for just a minute,
take over our minds, take over our hearts, take over our desires,
we see this. We see this and we say with absolute
sincerity, it's like you cut through all the noise and you
get to the quiet place. That's what the word wait means.
My soul is silent. It's quiet upon God. Truly, my
soul waits upon God. That's the me that has been created
by Christ. That's the me that's real. Only my soul waits upon God. Only God is what I have. Cut everything else out. When you get to the heart of
it all, you can cut everything else out. It's only my Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. Only. Go back to Psalm 62. Verse one says, truly, my soul
waiteth upon God. From him cometh my salvation. He ordained my salvation, our
salvation, in his eternal will and purpose. He predestinated
our salvation before the foundation of the world. He manifested our
salvation in his coming into this world. He secured our salvation,
being our substitute on the cross. Every time I get a hold of the
fact that Christ made himself to be my substitute on the cross, and the new man really gets a
hold of it, I am honestly overjoyed by that. He purchased our salvation in
the offering of His own blood to God. He made a payment. He
finished our salvation in laying down His own life. He proved
our salvation in rising from His own grave. He has promised
our salvation in preparing a place for us. He said, if you see me
go, if I go, if you watch me go up, I will come again. and receive you unto myself,
that where I am you may be also." Verse 1 says, the child of God,
the new man created in Christ, hears that and says, truly, this
has given me confidence, this has given me faith, this has
given me assurance. When I hear his word, I can honestly
say, my soul is waiting upon God. I'm not waiting upon myself
to do anything. I'm not looking to me to do anything. Truly, my soul waiteth upon God. From him cometh my salvation. Where does your salvation come
from? Well, it comes from the fact that about 20 years ago,
I was baptized. No, no, that's not me. From him comes my salvation.
Verse 2 says, He only is my rock. Christ only is our rock. I am not Hannah's rock. You know, a lot of people say
that about their spouse or whoever, you know, she's my rock or he's
my rock. I'm not Hannah's rock. I'm not
my girl's rock. And here's the reason why. I
can be easily moved. And so can you. Christ is the only rock we have. Christ is our only safety. Christ is our only stability. Christ is our rock. A vessel
was wrecked one stormy night off the coast of England and
all were drowned except an Irish boy because the waves swept him
onto a great rock. In the morning, he was rescued
and they asked him, lad, didn't you tremble out there on the
rock during the night? He said, sure I trembled, but
the rock didn't tremble once all night long. Well, that's
Christ. He's our rock. When all of the
troubles and fears of the old man come crashing down, Crashing
down on the soul. Just remember, Jesus Christ is
our rock. Verse 2 says, He only is my rock
and my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not
be greatly moved. That rock is going nowhere. How
long will you imagine mischief against a man? You shall be slain,
all of you. As a bowing wall shall you be,
and as a tottering fence." Who's he talking about? Everything. Everything, not Christ. Everything
in me. Everything about me. All the
sinful fears and worries and waitings and wantings of this
old man right here. You know what? You're just a
tottering fence. You're a bowing wall. You keep leaning unto your
own understanding, you're going to fall. Lean not to your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him. Has He ever let you down
so far? He's the rock. Verse 4, they only consult to
cast Him down from His excellency. They delight in lies. They bless
with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. That sounds like me. It sounds like my old flesh.
I'm so ready to be done with this old man and all of his sinful
ways. I'm my own greatest enemy. I'm
my own greatest enemy. Verse five, my soul. I have some advice for you. Wait thou only upon God. For my expectation, my hope,
expected anticipation is from Him. My hope is from Him, in
Him, unto Him. My soul wait thou only upon God,
for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not
be moved. In God is my salvation. I love how he makes it very clear
who his salvation is. He's my salvation. God is my
salvation. Verse seven in God is my salvation
and my glory. If any man glory, let him glory
in the Lord. God forbid that I should glory
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse seven, in
God is my salvation and my glory. The rock of my strength and my
refuge is in God. Verse eight says, trust in him
at all times. You people pour out your heart
before him. God is a refuge for us. What a verse that is. From my
experience. I don't believe I have ever truly,
sincerely, deeply. Desperately poured out my heart
to him and he hasn't helped me. He doesn't always get me out
of the mess I got myself into, but he'll give me peace through
it. He'll give me comfort through it. He'll turn my eyes back to
him and see that all things are of him. Everything's ordered
of him. It's all being controlled by him. This is the lot he allowed
me to walk through. Verse 8, trust in Him at all
times. If the Lord will allow the new
man in Christ to take over, we will. We will trust in Him at
all times. Not just the good times, but
the bad times. Not just the easy times, but
the hard times. Not just the healthy times, but
the sick times. Not just now, but for all eternity. You know, I can't help it. I'm
still an old man. I'm still flesh. I know trial
and trouble is coming to me. It has, it does, and it will,
and I know it's coming to you. And we're going to need our God.
We're going to need our God in it. We're gonna need to trust in
him at all times. Verse eight, trust in him at
all times. You people pour out your heart
before him. God is a refuge for us. Christ is our hiding place any
time we need it. You ever get to a place where
you feel like you just need to go hide somewhere for a minute?
Christ is that place. Hiding in thee, hiding in thee,
thou blessed rock of ages, I'm hiding in thee. Verse 9 says,
Surely men of low degree or vanity and men of high degree are a
lie. That's everybody. All men, low degree and high
degree, all of mankind. Surely men of low degree or vanity,
men of high degree are a lie to be laid in the balance. They
are altogether lighter than vanity. That means nothing. Empty. Trust not in oppression, and
become not vain in robbery. If riches increase, set not your
heart upon them. God hath spoken once, twice have
I heard this, that power belongeth unto God. All sovereignty, all
power, all might is in the hands of one. to do as he sees fit
in all things. Look to no one else. Look to
nothing else. Him alone. Christ alone. Verse 11, God hath spoken once,
twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God. Also, something else that belongs
to him too. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongs
mercy. You know what that means? That
means he's able to save. And he's willing to save you. And that's so precious to me,
the strength is in his hand and the heart. The mercy to do it,
it's all in his hand. Verse 12 goes on to say, for
thou renderest to every man according to his work. Outside of Christ,
in judgment, God is going to render to every man and woman
according to his or her sin. But in Christ, in mercy, God
has already rendered to Christ according to our sin. That's what made Christ to be
our rock. That's what made Him to be our salvation and our defense. And seeing that leaves us with
only one thing to say. There's one resolve to all of
this. Truly, my soul waits upon God. Truly, truly, Jesus Christ,
my God, from Him cometh our salvation.