We're looking at Psalm 3. Psalm 3. And if you read this
title that is attached to this psalm,
it says, A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. It says, Lord, how are they in
Christ that trouble me? Many are they that rise up against
me. Many there be which say of my
soul there is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord,
art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of
his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept. I awaked. for the Lord sustained
me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands
of people that have set themselves against me round about. Arise,
O Lord! Save me, O my God! Thou hast smitten all mine enemies
upon the cheekbone. Thou hast broken the teeth of
the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the
Lord. Thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. Now, so David was a man
who underwent many trials and troubles in this world. And primarily,
I believe, the purpose of those trials and troubles that he underwent
was in order to illustrate the trials and troubles of the Lord
Jesus Christ. So that when David is speaking
these psalms, he is actually speaking the words of the Lord
Jesus Christ as he was compassed about with his enemies. And it is interesting here that
this is a psalm that was written by David on the occasion of fleeing
from Absalom, his son, And you remember Absalom was his son
who slew his brother because his brother had forced himself
upon Absalom's sister, which was his stepsister. And so Absalom
held a great grudge against him and desired to destroy Amnon
and ultimately did. And of course, when he did, Then
his father David banished him from his presence. And later
on, through the urgings of Joab, he brought Absalom back to be
an outcast. And Absalom then used that opportunity make Himself to be accepted among
the children of Israel. And I think about Absalom, and
I thought about the fact that Absalom is very representative
of this old sinful flesh, because it never ceases to try to gain
the ascendancy. Absalom hitched up a team of
horses, it says he rode in this fine chariot and he went through
the streets and he had a glorious presence and he wanted everybody
to look at him and everybody did. They said, well, man, David,
he's just riding along on a donkey, and here's Absalom, he's coming
into town in a chariot with all these fine horses, and he made
out like he was really concerned about all the people. And he
listened to the problems that they had and everything. And
they said, well, he really cares for us. He really wants to help
us. Isn't that how the flesh comes
to us? Now, I've got something that's
better for you if you'll just listen to me. That's how our
flesh works, and it is indeed the enemy of the King. It is
the enemy that we face daily. But David says, Lord, how are
they increased that trouble me? Many are they that rise up against
me. The enemies of the Lord, and
in this case the enemies of King David, were easily identified
in one way and not so easily identified in another. Now, when
the Lord Jesus came and He walked among men, there were many that
seemed to be His friends, that ultimately turned out to be his
enemies. Because you remember that many of the Jews, the Pharisees,
the leaders of the Jews, when he began his ministry, they listened
to what he had to say. And they said, this man is really
on track. But as he went along and as he
taught them and preached the truth of God to them and the
Word of God began to show them what they were by nature, they
hated that. And they became his enemies because
he told them the truth. Now that often happens. I've
seen it happen throughout my life being played out in various
church situations and what not. that everybody just loves somebody
who comes and is preaching. They love the preacher until
one day he says something to them that they don't like much.
And then all of a sudden, well, that's sorry, no good guy. He
said something to me I didn't like. And so it is. The enemies of the Lord, he said,
how are they increased that trouble me? Many are they that rise up
against me. Now as David looked at Absalom,
he knew that Absalom was trying to gain power. But it wasn't
just Absalom, it was that Absalom stole, the Scripture says Absalom
stole the hearts of the people. And so that the people in general,
in great numbers, were for Absalom and against David. And it was
a pretty bleak situation. And David fled from the face
of Absalom. And he didn't have any hope really
of getting the throne back because he didn't want to kill his own
son. But yet, he knew that his son would kill him. Now that's
really the way of the flesh, is it not? I mean, we love our
flesh. We love our body. We love the
things we like, don't we? But you know our flesh will kill
us. because it will lead us to do things that will destroy us
if the Lord doesn't so do it. I mean, that's just a common
thing. Sometimes I'm kind of, I guess, fascinated because probably
I'm much like these people that show my 600-pound life. And you
see these people that just eat and they know that what they're
doing is killing them. They just keep right on doing
it. And that's just the way the flesh is. I mean, we know the
things that are harmful to us and yet we continue on in them.
And while the flesh is our enemy, yet we don't want to kill it,
do we? I mean, we don't want to do away with it completely
because we like it. But it is a trouble to us. Many
are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of
my soul there is no help for him in God." Now that's certainly
the enemies of God's people, which being the flesh, being
the main tactic that the flesh uses against the sons of God,
is to tell us, well, God's not going to help you. You're ultimately
going to be cast out because you are not worth anything. And you know, there is a lot
of truth in that. We are not worth anything. And if we had
to come into the presence of the Lord based on our worth,
we would perish. But you see, the truth of the
gospel is quite contrary to that truth which is set forth by our
flesh in order to destroy us, that we are of no value, when
in reality we are of no value, but the Lord has placed a value
on us because He loved us. What is man without mind, beloved?
Really, the answer to that question is there is not a thing in the
world that God ought to take notice of in a man. Now the philosophers
of today, they tell us, oh, well, man, he's just this wonderful
creature, you know, and you've all got self-worth and you just
need to pamper yourself and listen to your inner man and just, you
know, I'm okay, you're okay, we're all doing good, you know,
think positive thoughts and all of those things. When in reality,
the Scripture indicates to us that we are sinners. And why should God take notice
of us? And the answer is, He shouldn't.
I mean, logically speaking, the Lord ought to just destroy the
whole bunch of us. Be done with it, move on. But
the glorious thing about the Gospel is that it shows us that
God who is rich in mercy to sinners, He is that One who came and died
for sinners. And so it's not that he didn't
die for us because we had worth. He died for us because he had
mercy. See, there's a big difference. Now, the most preaching today
is preaching that God saved men because they deserved to be saved. No, they don't deserve to be
saved. None of us do. But by the mercy of God, And
so the enemies of God sometimes speak the truth, but they don't
speak the whole truth. They tell us there is no help
in God. Logically speaking, there isn't. Wouldn't be. If you were
God, you wouldn't help the people God helps, would you? If you told somebody to do something
time and time and time again, and every time they didn't do
what you told them to do, and you fed them and clothed them,
and you gave them good things, and yet they bit your hand when
you tried to feed them, what would you do? Pretty soon you
would just cast them off and be done with it. But you see,
God who is rich in mercy, He will not cast off that people
that He loves. with an everlasting love. And
so their word is ultimately false because it's not true against
the sons of God, but it is nonetheless a word that cuts deep to the
heart. But thou, O Lord, art a shield
for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. The Lord is
the Restorer of His people. And the Lord alone can give a
man hope. I mean, this is a pretty bleak
picture, but the Lord is, as David said, and I believe even
as this is the prayer of the Lord, but Thou, O Lord, art a
shield for me. You are the one who is my protector. You cast Your shield, Your covering
around me. My glory and the lifter up of
mine head. You are the one who will raise
me up to victory. I can't do it myself, but you
will. I cried unto the Lord with my
voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. He heard me from
that place where He is. Now the Scripture often speaks
of the Lord as being in the holy hill. He is in the holy hill
of Zion. And the holy hill of Zion is
the place where He dwells with His people. It is the kingdom
of God. It is where the Lord meets with
His people, and He hears His people. But He hears them from
the place where He is, not from the place where they put Him.
Now, I believe this is a true thing, that it is part of man's
nature There is a religious aspect to man's nature that he likes
the concept of worshipping a god. So religion is not the most common
thing in the earth. I mean, everywhere you go there
are men of religion. Isn't that true? I mean, even
in pagan cultures they have a religion. They have some form of consideration A deity. But you see, it's the
deity of their own choosing. It's the deity where they put
them. One of the things about the idols
of the heathen is that they made these idols because they could
hue out this statue, or whatever it was, and they could put it
in a certain place. And whenever they needed to talk
to this deity, they just went where that statue was, and there
he was. You know, just like when you
go outside and your dog is out there. And if you don't want
to mess with the dog, you shut the door and leave the dog outside.
And then when you get there, you know, I'd like to play fetch
with the dog. So I'll go out there and I'll
throw a stick and the dog will run after it. And then when I'm
tired of that, then I'll go back inside because the dog is always
going to be there, isn't he? I mean, you know a dog that likes
to run a stick after a stick, He was always right there ready.
I remember we did some work one time for some people and they
had a dog that he just, his whole life, from the morning when he
woke up in the morning until the night, was to run after a
stick. And he would have a stick and
you couldn't even get any work done because you'd throw a stick
and you'd throw it as far out in the woods as you could. And
he would go out in the woods, and he might be gone for fifteen
or twenty minutes, but he'd find that stick and he would come
back with that stick and he'd put it down at your feet and
he was ready to go again. Now that's really kind of how
I'd say the majority of people think about God, is that God
just wants to fetch your stick. And as long as you'll throw the
stick, God's just happy to do it. Well, let me tell you what,
the Lord hears from His holy hill because He is where He is. And the only place that He will
hear from is that place where He is, and He is the one who
will determine when He meets with people. And you can't put
God in a corner, get Him in a box like a brother Al was saying.
Some people think you can paint God into a corner. And you can
say to God, well now God, you said this, so you've got to do
it. Well look, God doesn't have to
do anything. But thank God, in His mercy,
He does hear. But He hears from His holy hill.
And He does hear the prayers of those that call upon Him,
those whom He loves. Because the only people who actually
call upon the true and living God are those whom He loves.
Because you see, men won't call upon the true and living God
unless God causes them to. Now, they'll call upon a God
of their imagination, which men do all the time. But only as
the Lord moves a man will he pray and call out to the true
God. I laid me down and slept. I awaked,
for the Lord sustained me. You know, there is no way, there
is no peace for the sons of God except in the Lord. But in the
Lord they do have peace. They can lay down and sleep.
Now David was pursued by Absalom who was wanting to kill him at
every turn, but he said, I laid down and slept. Why? He could
sleep in the midst of his enemies. And so I think of this when the
Lord slept in the boat, when the disciples, The Lord caused
a storm to come up and the disciples were all fearful. And where was
the Lord? He was asleep in the boat. He
wasn't concerned. He said, what are you all worried
about? You all act like there's some
danger here. He said, there's no danger here. Because you see,
he knew who the one was that controlled the winds and the
seas. And David says, I laid me down
and slept. I awaited for the Lord to sustain
me. Now think about this. When you
lay down to sleep at night, you are as good as dead. Isn't that
right? I mean, you are completely out
of it. If the Lord doesn't wake you
up, you are not going to wake up, are you? It's not up to you. It's not in your power. And so
it is that we understand the Lord sustains us even while we
sleep. And you know, there used to be
a little prayer that parents taught their children, and I'm
not a big one for teaching children little recitation type prayers,
but this one, it says a truth in it. Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And if I should die before I
wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take."
The Lord does sustain His people, whether in life or whether in
death. And whether He calls us to wake up from sleep or we just
pass right on from this world into the next were in the hands
of the Lord. I will not be afraid of ten thousands
of people that have set themselves against Me round about." You
know, the Lord Jesus, when He stood there in that throng, in
that judgment hall, and all of those Jews had gathered there,
and there was none that spoke in His behalf, they were gathered
there against Him. They were set against him round
about. But when he was in the presence
of Pilate and Pilate said, Don't you know that I have power to
put you to death? He said, You don't have any power
at all. He says, I have power to lay down my life and take
it again. So he will not be afraid of ten
thousands of people. And we learn from that that if
we be in the hands of the Lord that none can touch us. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my
God, for Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone. Thou hast broken the teeth of
the ungodly." You know, there are certain areas of the body
that are very debilitating when they are struck. If somebody
takes and whacks you on the cheekbone, that is a hurtful thing. He kind of discombobulates you
a little. That's what happens when boxers
get knocked out. I mean, they get hit on the cheekbone. Of course, all the physics of
that causes their brain to hit their skull or whatever. They
can tell us how that happens. But David is describing here
a very hurtful way in which the Lord has dealt with the enemies
of God's people. He has smitten all mine enemies
upon the cheekbone and has broken the teeth of the ungodly." He
broke their teeth out. And you know, when you think
of an animal or something gnashing upon you, if a dog or something
was coming after you and all of its teeth had been knocked
out, you wouldn't worry too much about it, would you? I mean,
he's not going to hurt you much with his gums. But he can hurt
you pretty bad with his teeth. But you see, the Lord hasn't
knocked out or hasn't kept the enemies of God from chewing on
us. They chew on us all the time, but they don't have any teeth.
See? I mean, they can cause us fear.
I mean, if a dog's coming at you and he's fixing to bite you,
you might be in fear because you don't know that he doesn't
have any teeth. But when he gnashes upon you with his gums, He has
no power. Thus broken the teeth of the
ungodly. That was an awful thing back
in these times for a person if they got their teeth knocked
out. Because it wasn't like you could go down to the dentist
and get you a set of dentures. You were just pretty much done
for. You were going to have a life of eating soup. That was about
the deal there. The Lord has broken the teeth
of the ungodly. And then he closes this with
the most glorious declaration, and which we come today to remember
in all of its glory, salvation belongeth unto the Lord. It's His possession. He said,
I'll show mercy. to whom I will show mercy." Salvation
belongs to the Lord. If a man is going to have salvation,
it is going to have to come from the Lord. I mean, the Lord is
the only one that can give salvation, because He is the only one that
has it. It belongs to Him. And then He says, "...thy blessing
is upon thy people." Therein, dear brethren, as we come to
remember the Lord's death until He comes again, is what we remember. I mean, the
Lord didn't just die, but He died to bless His people. He
died for the benefit of His people. He didn't die for His own benefit,
but He died to manifest the glory of His grace in benefiting His
people. He delights to show mercy. You
know, that's a wonderful thing when we consider that this God
who rules in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of
the earth delights to show mercy to those that call upon His name.
And He has demonstrated the giving of His mercy. the sending forth
of His mercy, where mercy and justice have met together, and
that is in what we remember today, as we remember the Lord's death
till He comes again. For surely therein is the salvation
of the Lord. There is salvation nowhere else
but in the blood of Jesus Christ.