You're with me back to Psalm
73. Psalm 73 what made me want to
be in? This song tonight is one verse. We're going to look at this song.
because of and in light of this one verse, verse 28. Psalm 73,
verse 28, it says, it is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord
God that I may declare all thy works. It is good for me to draw
near to my God. It is good for me to draw near
to God. Does that sound good to you? Doesn't that sound so peaceful?
Do you envision that in your mind as we say that? That sounds so safe to me. That just sounds so comforting
to me. It sounds so restful to me. I have moments in life that cause
me to just want to draw near to God. Things happen that just
make me want to draw near to my God. I just want to get close
to my God. We have moments like that all
the time. We have moments like that every
day. I've titled this a message for
every moment. A message for every moment. At
every moment we can say, it is good for me to draw near to God. As I go through things that cause
me to feel this way, it makes me think of you. I don't wish for trials or troubles. I don't recommend that anybody
do that. I don't recommend anybody pray, Lord, send me trials and
troubles. However, they will come. Man's
days are few and full of trouble. But I'm thankful for them. I'm
honestly thankful for them because as I go through things myself,
it causes me to think of you and the things that you're going
through. And there are times that brethren
and loved ones go through things that I can say, I've been through
that. I know exactly what you, I know
exactly how you feel. There are times that I can't.
But I know because I know the things that you go through. I
know that you say with me, I just want to draw near to my Lord.
I just need to draw near to my God. And do you know why we say
that? You know why we God's people
say that? It's because we have put our
trust in Him. That's the reason why. And we
haven't done anything. We haven't done anything. He
put our trust in Him for us. And thank God He did because
there's nowhere I'd rather my trust be. There's nowhere else
I want my trust to be. Verse 28 says, it is good for
me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord
God that I may declare all thy works. That's all I want to do.
I want to declare his works. I want to know his works. I want to be found in his works. Besides that, nothing else matters.
Nothing else matters. And that's what this psalm writer
realized. Just under the title, if you
look at the title of Psalm 73, just under that it says, a psalm
of Asaph. That word of translates for,
a psalm for Asaph. Either Asaph wrote this, it's
either a psalm of Asaph, or David wrote this for Asaph. Asaph was a cymbal player, and
we learned some of this from First Chronicles 16, and I really
enjoyed reading this. The commentary writers pointed
some of this out, that we learn it from First Chronicles 16,
and I went over there and read it, and he was a cymbal player.
who David promoted to chief musician, which would be the conductor
or the song leader. And he played his cymbals while
he conducted. It made me think of Brother Henry. He used to be a trumpet player,
and he used to make fun of himself when he was in false religion.
He was a song leader, and he said, I was just popping off.
That's what he used to say all the time. I'd be up there leading
the singing, and I'd sing a little while, and I'd blow my trumpet
a little while. I was just popping off. Well,
I don't believe Asaph was popping off, but he would lead, he would
conduct, and he would play his cymbals while he conducted. No
matter who penned this, from what is written, it's clear that
this writer was brought to the place and the desire that every
child of God is brought to. I just want to be near my Lord. That's what I want. That's what
I need. I need to be near my Lord. I want to know Him. I want Him
to know me. I want to know Him, but I need
for Him to know me. I need to have a connection with
Him. I need to have a union with Him.
If I can just have Him, I'll have all I need. I'll have all
I need. And I'm saying this myself. I know you say it too. Beside Him, nothing else matters. Besides Him, nothing else is
anything. Nothing else means anything. Nothing else is worth anything.
Let me just draw near to the Lord Jesus Christ. Just let me
draw near to the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the Apostle Paul said, He
said, I count everything else dung, worthless, empty, nothing,
good for nothing but to be thrown away, just throw it away, cast
it out. I count everything else dung
that I may win Christ and be found in him, that I may know
him and know the fellowship of his righteousness, not my own
righteousness, his righteousness. and the fellowship of his sufferings
and the fellowship of his death and the fellowship of his resurrection
and the fellowship of his ascension. I want to ascend with him. The
fellowship of his glory, his eternal glory. Oh, that I might
know him and have him for all eternity. So verse one says, let's just
look through this Psalm in light of all this. Verse one says,
truly, God is good to Israel. Truly, the Lord is so good to
his people, his chosen people. Everything that he does is good. Everything that he does is good. He does all things well. And that is proven to us time
and time again. That's proven time and time again.
If our Lord brings us to a place where we really sincerely say
in our hearts, if we're in a situation, if we're in a condition, if he
brings us to a place where we have nothing else to say, but
all I want to do is get close to my Lord, that's good. That's
good. No matter what, it's good. Again,
like Brother Henry said, but it's good, right? It's good. Verse one, truly God is good
to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. How can a filthy
sinner end up with a clean heart? I'm looking at, in the flesh,
I'm looking at a bunch of filthy sinners right now. You're listening
to a filthy sinner in the flesh. How can any of us have a clean
heart? Only in Christ. Only if Christ will take out
that dead heart of stone and put in his own heart of life.
The clean heart in God's people, that's the heart of Christ himself.
His purity, his goodness, his righteousness in his people.
That's the only thing that makes him clean. Verse one, truly God
is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But
as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well nigh
slipped. That's the condition we fall
into at every moment that creates this need we're talking about.
We get our feet knocked out from under us. Every now and then
we get our feet knocked out from under us. And that's good. That's
good because that's the moment we realize our Lord is carrying
us. But things like this happen all
the time. It's the constant state for us. And for the writer of this psalm,
this was his situation. He's about to tell us his situation
that put him in this condition we're talking about at this particular
moment. Okay. Verse two, he said, as
for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well nigh slipped,
for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of
the wicked." He said, that's what knocked my feet out from
under me. This unbelieving world, this foolish, self-centered,
self-gratifying world. He said, it seems like everything
they do in this world, they prosper in it. Everything they do, they
prosper in it by way of having their place in it and being compatible
with it. And I want to say that again.
He said it just seems like they prosper by having their place
in this world and being compatible with this world. Some prosper
by way of money, some don't prosper by way of money. But whatever
class a person of this world falls into, they fit into it. This world fits in with this
world. God's people fit in with God's
people. This world fits in with this world. This world is not
strangers and pilgrims passing through this world like God's
people are. Verse four says, for there are
no bands in their death, but their strength is firm. That
means they leave this world so confidently, just so sure of
themselves, sure of who they are, sure of what they've done.
Verse five, they are not in trouble as other men, neither are they
plagued like other men over sin. Over sin, over the thought of
standing before a just and holy God, they're not troubled by
that, they're not plagued by that. Verse six, therefore pride
compasseth them about as a chain, violence covereth them as a garment. They see what they want in this
world, The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the
pride of life and they go get it. They see what they want and
they go get it. Verse seven, their eyes stand
out with fatness. They have more than heart could
wish. They are corrupt and speak wickedly
concerning oppression. They speak loftily. And I have
a big business mogul envisioned right here. But I also have the
self-righteous religionist envisioned right here, whose eyes stand
out with fatness toward his own worth and his own works. He has more self-righteous works
than a heart could ever wish. So he speaks loftily of himself,
foolishly and wickedly concerning God, loftily concerning himself. Verse nine. They set their mouth
against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
Can you hear it? I, me, my. I did this. Look at what I did. Verse 10, therefore his people
return thither. Those that he influences, his
people, those that follow in his way. and water of a full
cup is wrung out to them. They prosper in their foolishness,
in their own eyes, and in other people's eyes who are just like
them. Verse 11, and they say, how does God know? And is their
knowledge in the most high? They question his sovereignty
over their own. They question his will and purpose
over their own. They question his right over
their own. Verse 12, behold, these are the ungodly who prosper
in the world. They increase in riches. Verily,
I have cleansed my heart in vain. Look at them and look at me. Look at how they prosper and
look at how I suffer. Verse 13, barely I have cleansed
my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency for all the
day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. If I say I will speak thus, I
tell you what, if I can't beat him, I'm going to join him. That's
it. I'm just going to join him. Like
Peter said, I'm going back to fishing. This has not worked
out. I think I'm just going to go
back to fishing. I'll get me a little slice of
the life they're living. Verse 15, if I say, I will speak
thus, behold, I should offend against the generation of the
children. That thought grieves me more. Because my envy just proves my
unfaithfulness. That word fin means to be unfaithful
toward. I'll just be unfaithful toward
the generation that I'd be an unfaithful child. If God let
me give into that verse 16, when I thought to know this, it was
too painful for me. Everything about this grieved
me. No matter how I looked at it, it grieved me. Verse 17 until. I went into the sanctuary of
God, then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them
in slippery places, thou castest them down into destruction. How
are they brought into desolation as in a moment? They are utterly
consumed with terrors. As a dream, when one awaketh,
so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. Everything seems fine for them
now, but their day of trouble is coming. And all men and women
have trouble in this life. Honestly, everybody has trouble
in this life. But he's talking about spiritual
trouble. He's talking about eternity trouble. Everything's fine now, temporarily. But he's talking about eternity
trouble. Verse 21, thus my heart was grieved and I was pricked
in my reins. So foolish was I and ignorant. I was a beast before thee. He said, Lord, how could I be
this way? How could I do that? How could
I think that? How could I say that? After all the goodness and kindness
and mercy you've shown to me, I'm a fool before you. Have you
ever said that? Can you enter into that? I'm
a beast before you. I can enter into this. I can
really enter into this. I know this feeling very well.
I've told you this before, but I'm going to tell it to you again. Just before I was called to come
here, I was traveling a lot to preach. I was traveling a lot,
especially that last year before I was called here. I was going
all over the place. I was preaching most every weekend
somewhere, and I had a full-time job, full-time business. My business
was midday, evening. I got off at about 9, 9.30 every
night. And so I would study every morning
and then work every night. I didn't have time to be a husband
or a father. And then Saturdays, I drove somewhere, spent the
night in a hotel or somebody's house or something, got up Sunday
morning, preached. Sunday afternoon, drove home.
Monday morning, started it all over again. And I was tired.
And I was tired, so exhausted. And one particular Sunday, I
was scheduled to preach in Cottageville, West Virginia. And I incorporated
a trip to go see my dad in Fairmont, West Virginia. And so I went
up and spent the night with him. I think he was about, I think
he's about two and a half hours from Cottageville. I don't know,
hour and a half, two and a half hours. So I spent the night there
Saturday night, got up early Sunday morning, and was driving
to Cottageville to make the service. And I was tired. And I was having
that moment like George Whitfield had when he was riding on his
horse in the rain, pouring down the rain, saying, Lord, wow,
this rain. And I was having one of those
moments. And I was just tired. And coming down one of those
highways, I passed a gas station. And as I was passing by, a guy
was pulling out in a brand spanking new, you know, I was driving
something at the moment that I was hoping would get me there.
And a guy pulls out in a brand spanking new Ford F-150, pulling
a shiny, brand spanking new bass boat. All of his gear loaded
up. You can tell he's gassing up
for the lake all day, you know. And man, that was the straw that
broke my back. And I just, mm. They got the life. They get the
life. That's living. You know, they
work 40 hours a week. You put in one additional hour,
it's time and a half. And I don't even have time to
see my family. And I'm exhausted. I'm driving
all over the place. And most people at least have
Saturday to cut their grass and to do work around their house.
I don't even have that. I'm driving somewhere. But everybody works
at home on Saturday, and then Sunday, if you don't go to church,
Sunday's you. That's your day. That's rest. That's fun day. Sunday's fun
day. We'll go to Cracker Barrel and
get brunch. I love brunch. I do, that's about my favorite
thing to eat. Breakfast at 10 or 11 in the morning. 10.30 in
the morning, my favorite meal. 10.45, breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Boy, that'd be living, wouldn't
it? Sunday morning at 10.45. Honestly. And man, I just was so envious
and so jealous and so torn up over it for about one good solid
minute, for about 60 good seconds. And then I thought of that man's
end. And I thought, oh Lord, I'm so
sorry. You put the message of the gospel
in me. You taught me the gospel. You've
privileged me and handed me this precious, priceless gift to go share and feed to God's
people, this thing of eternal value. You've placed the value
of eternity in my hands, our hands. And here I am, envious How long does a Ford F-150 really
last? Those of you who, I used to have
one. Boy, those were the good old days. No. Oh, I honestly, I felt like such
a fool. I went to that service so broken. Never been more broken and thankful.
I don't know if I've ever been more thankful to preach the gospel. That man is trading eternity
for one vapor of vanity. Like Esau, you want the whole
inheritance? Nah, give me one bowl of sod
pottage and I'll be fine. Verse 21, thus my heart was grieved
and I was pricked in my reign. So foolish was I and ignorant. I was as a beast before thee.
Nevertheless, I'm continually with thee. Thou hast holden me
by my right hand. Thank God, nevertheless, I'm
still with you. Thank God, in spite of my foolishness,
you didn't let me go. He said, I'll never let you go.
Isn't that good news? I'll never let you go. Verse
23, 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. Do you want the
glitz and the glamour and the attraction of this world to fade
away? Just dwell on that. Just dwell on that. He said,
Lord, I know that in Christ, in the blood of Jesus Christ,
because Christ is my Savior, you're gonna guide me with your
counsel all the days of the rest of my life on this earth, and
after this is over, after all these light afflictions are over,
You're going to receive me into glory. I know. I believe. I believe
you've caused me to believe. Verse 25, whom have I in heaven
but thee? And there's none upon earth that
I desire beside thee. Christ is everything to God's
people in glory. God's people who are in glory.
Christ is everything to them. And Christ is everything to God's
people right here on this earth. Verse 26, my flesh and my heart
faileth, but God is the strength of my heart in my portion forever. My center margin says that means
he's my rock. God is the rock of my heart. in my portion forever. Verse
27, for lo, they that are far from thee shall perish. Thou
hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it
is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the
Lord God that I may declare all thy works. Thank God he continually
brings us back to him. Thank God He continually brings
us back to Him. He just keeps on bringing us
back to Him. That's what He does. He brings us back to Him. It
is good for me, for you, for all of us to draw near to God.
It's good to draw near to God. And I want to leave us with this
promise tonight, okay? I'm done in closing, but let
me leave us with this promise from Him. Turn with me to James
4. James 4, verse 8 says, draw nigh to God and He will
draw nigh to you. Thank God. Thank God. That's a promise in His Word. Draw nigh to God and He will
draw nigh to you. It is good for us to draw nigh
to God because if He causes us to draw nigh to Him, how does
a sinner draw nigh to God? God Almighty lays hold of a sinner
and draws that sinner to Himself. God Almighty puts a heart in
the center that says, I want to draw nigh to you. David said,
when you said, seek my face, that's when my heart cried, thy
face will I seek. When he says, come to me, that's
when our heart says, I want to draw nigh to the Lord. It is
good for us to draw nigh to God because if he causes us to draw
nigh to him, he will draw nigh to us. And that's what we want. That's what we want him to do.
You know, I thought about the fact that how sad would it be
if we drew near to him and then he took a step away from us. Thank God he said, I will not
do that. I will not do that. You draw not of me, I'll draw
not of you. Lord, draw near to us and then
stay there. Draw near to us and then just
stay there. You just keep us right there
and then you stay there with us. Amen.