over here in Psalm 68. Psalm 68. And we'll begin reading there
in verse 18. Thou hast ascended on high, thou
hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for men,
yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell
among them. Blessed be the Lord who daily
loatheth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation, sela. He that is our God is the God
of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. But God shall wound the head
of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such in one as goeth
home in his trespasses. The Lord said, I will bring again
from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths
of the sea. that thy foot may be dipped in
the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the
same. They have seen thy goings, O
God, even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. The
singers went before, the players on instruments followed after.
Among them were the damsels playing with timbrels. Bless ye God in
the congregation, even the Lord from the fountain of Israel.
There's little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah
and their council, the princes of Zebulun and the princes of
Naphtali. Thy God hath commanded thy strength. Strengthen, O God, that which
thou hast wrought for us. Now we'll stop there. We might go a little further
than that. We had looked at a couple of these verses last week. Thou
hast ascended on high, that has led captivity captive. That is,
He has set the captive free. He has made the very captivity that
we have the captive. The Lord turned the tables. Those things that were meant
insofar as the flesh is concerned and insofar as the threatenings
of the law were concerned, those things which were to be our destruction
have turned to be our joy and redemption because the Lord would
be just and the justifier of them that believe in Christ.
Now, it's an amazing thing as you think about it that the very
law that was ordained unto the condemnation of the wicked is
the very law that the Lord used to justify and he would use the
law in order that he might justify his people I mean the Lord is
under no obligation in any fashion by the law, I mean he made the
law so the law belongs to him he wasn't somehow bound to fulfill
the law He could have just decreed that God's people are free if
it so pleased Him. But it didn't so please Him.
He would demonstrate through the very law that He gave to
men and put them under, subjected them to vanity in which they
by nature, according to their constitution, disobeyed. went against him, demonstrating
what we are by nature. But it's that same law of condemnation
that he uses to set captive free. That's an amazing thing if you
stop and think about it. I mean, only the Lord could have
devised such a thing. I mean, men could never come
up with such a, if you want to call it a plan
or whatever, could never come up with it. And so it is an amazing
thing as we read this that he has led captivity captive. That
is, he took the very thing that held men and he has made it the
prisoner. that has received gifts for me
and gave for the rebellious also that the lord might well among
them he has received gifts he had daily loaded us with benefits
he's brought us into a wealthy place for the rebellious that
the lord might well among now uh... you know natural religion
and the religion of me and would teach that the lord doesn't dwell
among the rebellious that he dwells among the righteous. He
dwells among those that do good. I mean, that's the natural thinking
of men, isn't it? I mean, if you went out into
the world here and just took a survey and said, does God smile
upon the wicked or does he smile upon the righteous? Now, the
natural thinking of man would look at you, well, how foolish
is that? Of course, you know, he blesses the righteous and
he hates the wicked. Now, you know, there's plenty
of scripture that would lend credence to that concept if a
man doesn't have a full understanding of what it is that the Lord would
teach by these things. The Lord is angry with the wicked
every day, but it is to the wicked that the Lord Jesus Christ came
as the Redeemer. And so, at one and the same time,
while the scripture says that he hates sinners, the scripture
also says that he loves sinners. Because if it had not been that
he loved sinners, then none would be saved. And so, the redemption
and the work of salvation which the Lord has wrought for us is
ever amazing, as he has received gifts for men. Those that didn't
deserve anything, we've received some. And so what a glorious
thing. For the rebellious also that
the Lord God might dwell among them. The Lord would dwell with
those of a broken and contrite heart. And the gift of God is
repentance. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
earned that gift for us. See, men think they can just
repent when they get ready. You know, I mean, most men think
they can repent. I mean, most people think that
if you go out here and you tell people to repent, well, you ought
to just repent. But I'm telling you that that's
a gift. A man can't repent because a man can't see himself to be
a sinner. We sang that song there a moment ago. The sinner's a
sacred thing. The Holy Ghost has made him so.
I mean, how can a man know himself to be a sinner? Except the Lord
in mercy opens his eyes to see it. It is a gift. Because multitudes
go down there, well, I'm all right. I mean, I don't need that
religious stuff. I mean, I'm fine just like I
am. I'm gonna stand before the Lord one day and I'll tell him
all the things I've done and how good I've been and all that. You know how foolish a man is
that would think in that way. But some men do, because they
can't see what we're talking about. They can't understand
it. They've never been given the gift of repentance, to know
themselves to be wicked men before Almighty God and need the Lord. But wicked men will repent. A
man who's been shown himself to be a sinner, he will repent.
He doesn't have any choice. in the matter, that is a gift.
And it's brought to us by the hand of the Lord who purchased
our redemption, that the Lord might dwell among them. Blessed
be the Lord, who daily loatheth us with benefits, even the God
of our salvation, sela. We have the benefits of salvation,
which is more, you know, when I was growing up, and at the
church i went that the about only benefit i knew all of that
there was to be in what they call the inside was that you
didn't go to hell when you die I mean, that was the main thing.
You know, when the evangelists would come to town, that was
the main subject they had. Buddy, you want to get out of
hell. I mean, hell's coming and you better do something to escape
it. And that was about the only thing
I thought of. I mean, I just figured you just got saved so
you wouldn't go to hell. I mean, I figured that was the
whole thing. And so once you got that, I mean, what else was
there? You know, you'd just go down the road and do whatever
you wanted to, but you had your ticket punched and you couldn't
go to hell. But the Lord daily loatheth his
people with benefits. Like Brother Barnard said, he
said there's a lot of hell on the road to hell, but he said
there's a lot of heaven on the road to heaven. You see, there's
blessings that the Lord gives to his people that can't We can't
even imagine, I mean, the unfolding of God's mercies day by day as
He shows us His tender mercy and kindness. What a blessing
that is. Blessed be the Lord. He's worthy
of praise, the God of our salvation. He that is our God is the God
of salvation. Now, Naaman, the Syrian, he learned
that lesson, did he not? He said, you know, I've been,
there's lots of gods over here in Syria. But he said, the God
that's in Israel, He's the true God. He's that one who's the
God of salvation. And so men, you know, they'll
seek out and worship many gods, but there's only one God, who
is the God of salvation. He that is our God is that God,
and unto God belong the issues from death. He said, I kill and
I make alive. I the Lord do all these things.
He said, don't fear him who's able to destroy the body. But he said, fear him who's able
to destroy body and soul in hell. Now some people think that that's
speaking about Satan. I've heard men say that, but
rather than the one who can destroy the body and the soul in hell,
not Satan. Satan is a victim of hell. He's
a recipient of hell. He doesn't rule in any fashion
in hell. He is the one whose hell is created
for. And so it is that the Lord is
the one to whom belong the issues from death. But God shall wound
the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one
as goeth on still in his trespasses. You know, the mercies of God
are new every morning. And man in his natural state,
he is constantly going against the mercy of God. I mean, the
gospel is preached. And the truth is held up and
men reject it. By nature they are going to go
on their way. They are satisfied with what
they are. But in doing so, they are raising
their fist against God. They are despising the way of
the Lord. And they continue on in that.
And the Lord shall wound the head of His enemies. Indeed He
shall. And the scalp of such a one is
goeth on still. Man keeps going down the pathway
of destruction, he is going to get there. There are no side
roads to take. The Lord said, I will bring again
from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths
of the sea where they have been overcome. I will bring them again,
I will bring them out of the sea. that thy foot may be dipped
in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in
the same." Now this is speaking of the triumph of the Lord in
very colorful language, as He would triumph over all of His
enemies. And it's interesting that he
uses this, the tongue of thy dogs, the blood of thine enemies,
the tongue of thy dogs will be dipped in that as well. Now,
that's about as low a blow as you could strike. And whenever,
you remember there's two people, actually three, that specifically
mentions about the dogs licking their blood. One was Naboth who
wouldn't sell the vineyard to Ahab and Jezebel had him framed
and stoned and says that the dogs came and licked up his blood. But then the same fate befell
Jezebel and Ahab, because Ahab, when he was slain in his chariot,
and they went and washed the chariot out, it says the dogs
came and licked up his blood. And then when Jezebel was thrown
down off of the wall, and the horses trampled her, and it says
that the dogs came and ate her. There wasn't nothing left but
her hands. And so the dogs licked up the
blood of the enemies of God. And so, you know, that's just
a colorful way of saying that that's ultimate destruction.
That's the ultimate disgrace is for the dogs to lick up the
blood of the enemies of God. They have seen thy goings, O
God, even the goings of my God, my King in the sanctuary. What
a glorious thing that we have seen Him. that one who's worthy
to be worshiped. The singers went before, the
players on instruments followed after. Among them were the damsels
playing with timbrels or tambourines as it were, drums perhaps. Bless
ye God in the congregations, even the Lord from the fountain
of Israel. Now, God's people, are called
upon to rejoice in the judgments of God. Now, we don't delight
to see anybody perish. We're not taking personal delight
in it, but we do rejoice in the triumph of God over the wicked.
I mean, He called us to do so, and such as such we do. And that we are, we bless Him,
we praise Him, we worship Him, because the triumph of God over
the wicked shows His strength, does it not? his power and that
is where we rejoice. Bless ye God in the congregations,
even the Lord from the fountain of Israel. There's little Benjamin
with their ruler. Now we know Benjamin, he was
the youngest of the tribe of Jacob. So he's always the baby of the
family. And there it says, little Benjamin,
even little Benjamin, even the baby of the family, is gonna
praise the Lord, the princes of Judah. And Judah's the line
that the tribe, the line of the tribe of Judah came. He's that
ruler, he's that one who the government shall be upon his
shoulders. And of his rule in his kingdom, it shall never end.
So whether it's little Benjamin, the youngest of the family, or
the most powerful Judah and their council, or all of the rest of
them, the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
It makes no difference. All of God's people shall give
praise unto Him. Thy God hath commanded thy strength. Strengthen, O God, that which
thou hast wrought for us. The Lord has given us strength.
I mean, why do we have any strength at all? It's because of the Lord.
I mean, apart from His strength, we don't have any. The Lord said,
without me ye can do nothing. But the glorious thing is, He
said, Through me ye can do all things. As Paul said, I can do
all things through Christ who strengthens me. Now it does not
say I can do all things. You know, that's where people,
that term, that frame has been, that word, that term has been
co-opted by the world, the religious world, and they say, I can do
all things. No, you can't do all things.
Because if you leave off the last part of that, you miss the
whole meaning of it. I can do all things through Christ. Because it's Christ is the one
who is our strength. He's that one who gives us power.
to tread on our enemies, not in our power, but in His. Because
of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee. Now there again, thinking about
the testimony of Nahum, He said to God of Israel, he said, if
you want to worship the true God, you need to go down to Israel,
because that's where he's at, and such it is, because of thy
temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee. Rebuke the company of spearmen,
the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till
every one submit himself with pieces of silver, and scatter
thou the people that delight in war. Now again, it's coming
back to those that will not worship the Lord. Those who take up arms
against Him. He says, Rebuke them till everyone
submit himself with pieces of silver. The Scripture does say
that's going to occur. Every knee shall bow and every
tongue shall confess. That the ultimate triumph of
Christ is a certainty. We're not waiting and wondering
if He will triumph. We're not trying to cause Him
to triumph. Nothing you can do can cause
Him to triumph and nothing you can do can prevent Him from doing
so because He is going to triumph. He is already triumphed. We're seeing the unfolding of
His triumph in the earth as He calls men out of darkness and
into the light. The priest shall come out of
Egypt. Ethiopia shall soon stretch out
her hands unto God. Now those are regions that were
way beyond. When they talked about Ethiopia,
that was a long ways off. Even though geographically it
wasn't really all that far as we consider today. I mean, you
know, you could be from Israel to Ethiopia probably in a couple
of hours today, but in that time it was a long journey. It was
a long ways away. It was the place of the heathen.
And the princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall soon
stretch out her hands unto God. When he said his king upon this
holy hill of Zion, he said, ask of me and I will give thee the
heathen for thine inheritance. Ethiopia shall stretch out her
hands to thee. Because out of every kindred,
tribe, and tongue in the earth, the Lord is ordained to bring
forth praise. And to have a people out of every
country, out of every tribe, every kindred. There's not a
place on the earth that the Lord doesn't have His
people. Now we might not be able to see them, and they might be
hid away. People look for big organized
religion and what not to try to find the people of God. You're
not going to find them there by and large. I mean where the
people of God are, is in little places scattered in the earth
where the Lord would gather them out of every kindred, tribe,
and tongue. And in many of these places, dark places of the earth,
men are not free together like we are. I mean, you know, we're
not worried about anybody coming down here and telling us we can't
meet or whatever. But there's a lot of places on
earth where they would if they could. But you know, even in
those places, God's people, Or still, they still gather together
to worship Him. It can't be prevented. Sing unto
God, ye kingdoms of the earth, O sing praises to the Lord. Selah. To him that rideth upon
the heaven of heavens, which were of old, lo, he doth send
out his voice, and that a mighty voice. Ascribe ye strength unto
God, his excellence is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.
O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places, the God of
Israel, is He that giveth strength and power unto His people. Blessed be God. What a wondrous declaration to the sons of God
to be encouraged that our God is the God. That One who sent
His only begotten Son to die on Calvary's cross is the God. who shall and has triumphed over
all the earth. And we are to ascribe unto him
excellency. See, sometimes people get and
think, well, what can I do for the Lord? I want to do something
for the Lord. Well, he says right here what
we ought to be doing if you want to consider it for the Lord.
You can't really do anything for the Lord, but you can, we
are called to serve him. What is our service? To ascribe
unto Him excellency and glory, to magnify His name in the earth.
Now He sends, you know, He equips and sends His people into the
earth in various capacities to do that, but nonetheless, all
of God's people need to ascribe unto Him glory. Be ready to give
to every man. Sanctify the Lord God. in your
hearts and be ready to give to every man that asketh you a reason
of the hope that is within you. Ascribe unto Him excellence and
glory, O that He might be praised. Is that your desire? Is that
that which moves in your soul? To praise and honor the Most
High God, because that's the thing that He calls His people
to do. Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall stretch
out her hands unto God, and shall not we, who dwell in the light
of the glory of His grace, shall not we stretch our hands out
to Him and praise Him with our whole heart? He is worthy to
be praised.