My Trust

to Psalm 73. Psalm 73. Last Sunday, a sister pointed out something to me that she said was a blessing to her. And after she did, I told her I was going to go write it down immediately because it was a blessing to me. She said that she had been reading Psalm 73, and she said when she read the last three verses, it perfectly described salvation to her. Salvation in her. It described what the heart's cry is to a soul that has seen salvation. Truly seen salvation, and I read it, And I thought, amen, that is the heart's cry of salvation.

Let's read the last three verses. Verse 26, it says, my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 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. That's good, isn't it? That truly is good. Is that not our soul's only hope and plea before God? That's it. That is it. Verse 26 says, my flesh and my heart faileth. There is nothing redeemable about this. Now let me stop the message. Examine yourself just right here, right now, as you sit in that pew.

Is there anything redeemable in you before God? Anything holy in you? Anything worthy? Are you worth anything before him? As I stand here in this pulpit, I can tell you from firsthand experience, there is nothing redeemable here. There is nothing of any value here.

Every one of us has to say, whatever it is that we thought was a righteousness, a righteousness in us before him, it has turned to filthy rags. Isn't that so? Filthy rags. That's what we're wearing. That's what I'm looking at and that's what you're looking at. Filthy rags. Filthy rags. Verse 26 says, my flesh and my heart, Bailey. But thank God, this is not about me. That's what I'm here to tell us tonight. If you don't get anything else out of this, here's what I'm here to tell us. This is not about me. It's not about you.

God Almighty is the strength of our heart and he is our portion forever. He is our portion forever. Now, the reason why this points us to salvation, the reason is because these are the very recorded words of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are the very actual words of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning the cross as our substitute. Christ cried this on our behalf. suffering in our sins, paying our debt.

If you have a center margin in your Bible for my flesh, do you see Psalm 40 verse 12? And then at the end of verse 26 for my portion, do you see Psalm 16 verse five? Let's look at both of those. Turn with me over to Psalm 40. Psalm 40 verse 6, it says, sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire. Mine ears hast thou opened. Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me. This is Christ speaking. Hebrews chapter 10 quotes this and tells us this is Christ speaking. Verse 8, he said, I delight to do thy will, O my God.

Yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation. Lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart. I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation. I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD. Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me, verse 12 says. For innumerable evils have compassed me about. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up.

They are more than the hairs of mine head. Therefore, my heart faileth me." That's amazing. That word faileth means forsaketh. He said, I have been forsaken. I've been forsaken. Christ endured that to save us because our flesh and our hearts failed us. He came and took that failure from us. He took that failure. That's what we are. Let me tell you what we are. Failures. Failures.

And he came and took that failure. from us he bore and endured and suffered all of our failure through death he caused his flesh and his heart to fail him he died and because he did that and endured that verse 16 right here says let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee Let such as love thy salvation say continually, the Lord be magnified. And that's what we do.

That is our response to what he endured. But in his dying moment, enduring that, he said in verse 17, I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me. Thou art my help and my deliverer. Make no tarrying, O my God. That's what he cried. from the cross, from the grave. He cried that for us. Make no tarrying to deliver me. And he worded it this way in Psalm 16. This is the other one. Turn over there to Psalm 16. Verse 10. It says, thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.

This is Christ speaking. This is the Lord Jesus Christ speaking. And in verse five, this is the other verse from our reference, verse five, it says, the Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. and of my cup, thou maintainest my lot." Our Lord Jesus Christ said these things in his dying moment of our redemption, and because he said these things, we can say these things.

Go with me back to Psalm 73. Now, with seeing Christ in this, we can see our response to Christ in this, and I have something here that just really struck me, and this may be of help to you, and it may not be of help to you, I don't know. But I have it, and so I'm gonna give it to you. You may really enter into this, you may really enter into this with me. I want us to read Psalm 73 from the point of view of a child of God who has seen the difference in false religion and true salvation in Christ. And I'll tell you a little bit more about it here in a second. Look at verse one.

It says, truly, God is good to Israel. He's good to his people. His chosen people. God is good to all. He gives rain and sun and air and life. But He is eternally good to His elect people. Verse one goes on to say, even to such as are of a clean heart, those who have been washed in the blood of the lamb. I want to clarify this because the average person will read that and think, okay, you got to be, you got to have a clean heart and God will be good to you. Well, the only problem with that is Genesis 6 verse 5 says, God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil continually.

Man, that's us. Jeremiah 17 verse 9 says, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Who could possibly know just how wicked these hearts are? In Mark 7 verses 21 to 23, our Lord said, from within, out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders. Let's not get to the hands or anything. Let's just stay in the thoughts, okay? adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, and evil eye. Blasphemy, pride, foolishness, all these things come from within and defile the man. I believe our Lord pretty accurately described the heart of all men and women. All right, so what's the hope then for any man or woman?

Here it is. In Ezekiel 36, our Lord said, I'm going to take that heart out of you. And I'm going to put in a new heart. He said, I'm going to sprinkle clean water on you and put a new spirit in you. And I'm going to replace your stony heart with my heart, my spirit.

He said, I'm going to do that. I must do that. I'm the only one who can do that. And that's why David said in Psalm 51, Lord, I need for you to create in me a clean heart. You must do that for me. Salvation is of the Lord. That's what all this means. That's what it's telling us. Salvation is of the Lord.

We don't earn it. It is freely given to us. Therefore, we have nothing to boast in. And that's the difference that I want us to see here in Psalm 73. All right. This is what I want us to see. Verse one. It says, 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. Now let me see if I can make clear what I want to make clear tonight. I've seen this psalm in a whole new light. I've seen it in a whole new light.

This is not just speaking of the riches of, you know, man and money and succeeding in the world. It's not just talking about, you know, grabbing the world by the tail. This is speaking of the riches and the poverty, riches or poverty of the soul before God. This is speaking of the ignorant lost riches of pride and man's self-righteous false religion and the wisely taught, humbled emptiness of a child of God's true worship before him.

That's this difference. And it's also, and we're gonna see this as we read it, it's speaking of the struggle that a child of God endures witnessing that difference. Now let me repeat that, really enter into this. This is talking about the struggle that a child of God endures witnessing this difference. You're about to see what I'm talking about. Look at verse 26 again. It says, my flesh and my heart faileth. But Psalm 73 is saying you don't see that in the lost men and women of false religion. That's what it's saying.

They are not attacked by the fiery darts of the adversary. And you are. They are not persecuted for the truth's sake. And you are. They are not constantly warring within their own members. Just this, oh, just this struggle. They are not warring within themselves. And you are.

They are not depressed over what they are by nature. They may be depressed because, you know, Stock market crashed or they, you know, doctor gave them a bad checkup, you know, whatever, but they're not depressed over what they are by nature. And you are. You want to know what a whole bunch of your depression is? What you are by nature. It's what it is. I just can't put my finger on it. Why am I so?

They are so happy in their pride and arrogance before God. They have so much pride and arrogance before God and they're so happy in it. They seem to be thriving in their self-righteousness. Religion is just thriving and just thriving. their confidence in their deeds and their works.

It's just astounding. They have no hesitation. They have no regard for their latter end. None whatsoever. They are not utterly consumed by guilt over what they have done, what they are, what they have done. They do not spend all of their time smiting their breasts crying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. They do not. They do not.

They are at peace with their flesh. That's so, isn't it? They are at peace with their flesh and peace. They're at peace with their mind and they're at peace with their heart and peace with their deeds. And they're at peace with their sin and peace with this wicked world. They're at peace with this world.

And from a fleshly human point of view, a child of God could say, I'm kind of jealous of them. I'm kind of jealous of them. I'm so ready to be done with this sin in me and I'm so tired of fighting. I'm so tired of warring. Sometimes I wish I could just have no regard to it like this blind, ignorant, lost, delusional, religious world does. I'm kind of jealous of them. Everybody gets along. It don't matter what you believe. I'm fine. You're fine.

But with that, a child of God will always say, thank God. He always brings me back to my senses. He always brings me back to my senses. Now this is what Psalm 73 is about. I'm gonna, we're gonna just read it quickly here. I'm not gonna, it's not gonna take forever. But look at verse one. It says, 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, for I was envious at the foolish. when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."

False religion. Man's foolish, wicked, false religion. And that's what false religion is. It's foolish and it's wicked. Verse 4, for there are no bands in their death. That means no bonds, no fetters. They are not in bondage. Now, they're in bondage. They are in bondage, but they don't feel like they're in bondage. And it's because they don't know they're in bondage. It has not been revealed to them that they're in bondage. So their ignorance is bliss. Ignorance is bliss. Just religion is bliss, bliss. Oh, you know, everything. Verse five, they are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men. They know nothing of what David was enduring in Psalm 51. They know nothing of what that publican was crying in Luke 18. God be merciful to me, the sinner.

Verse 6, therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain. Violence covereth them as a garment. That perfectly describes the Pharisee in Luke 18. I'm happy with me. I'm proud of me. Look at me. Verse 7, their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. Righteousness is in the flesh. Plenty. I mean, you could say they have a lot of money, but not everybody has a lot of money. And I tell you what man has by nature. Plenty of righteousnesses before God. Worthinesses before God, more than I could possibly need. Like that rich young ruler said, all these things have I kept from my youth up. What could I possibly lack?

Verse 8, they are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression. How? How do they do that? Verse 8, they speak loftily. So loftily, John the Baptist said, I must decrease. Peter said, humble yourselves, humble yourselves. Verse 9, they set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth. against the heavens, just walking through the earth with their tongue. Therefore his people return hither hither and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

And they say, how does God know? And is their knowledge in the most high? They honestly live so wickedly in this world, but they think God's not looking. All this vileness takes place in their minds and in their hearts, but they think that doesn't count. That's one thing I'd love for religion to know. Let everyone in religion know the thoughts in the mind count. The thoughts in the heart count. It counts.

Verse 12, behold, these are the ungodly. who prosper in the world, they increase in riches, self-righteous riches. Verse 13, verily 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, behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. This is what that means.

By God's grace, the Lord has revealed the truth to us, the truth concerning God, the truth concerning man, the truth concerning salvation. He has revealed the truth concerning the hypocrisy of man's false religion. But he said, if I try to condemn them in their flesh for what they're doing, I would only be condemning myself and condemning all of God's people because we're no better than they are. But for the grace of God, there go I. They are ungodly. What were we? Ungodly. Who did God commend his love to? Who did Christ die for? Romans 5 says, the ungodly. If it were not for God's grace, this would be us.

Verse 16, when I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. A labor in my eyes, this whole thing, it's just too painful for me. Verse 17, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end. This thriving of the flesh, He said, it's just too painful to see until I understood their end.

This is why we come back to God's word and come back to God's word and come back to God's word. This is the reason why. For our hope and our sanity in being able to get through life in this world, we need to constantly be reminded of the reality of our latter end. the reality of the latter end of the soul that is without Christ, and the reality of the latter end of the soul that is with Christ. the certainty and the surety and the stability that we have in Christ.

Verse 18 says, Surely thou did set them in slippery places, thou cast 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 shall despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I and ignorant. I was as a beast before thee.

Nevertheless, I am continually with thee. You want to talk about a blessed people? This is why we continually come back to God's Word. What does this fleshly religious world have? Nothing. Nothing. What do God's people have who struggle with all these things? They have so many struggles within, so many struggles without. What do they have? Everything. Everything we have Christ in spite of ourselves. We still have Christ. We still have the Lord Jesus Christ in spite of all of our. Let me just again, let me stop the message. We have never worshipped God like we should. I've never preached like I should. You've never heard like you should. We've never paid attention like we should. We've never.

You know, given our, with worship with your whole heart. Something in there is given to something else at every given moment. We still have Him. Nevertheless, we are still with Him. And it's because He is still with us. Verse 23, nevertheless, I am continually with thee.

Thou hast holding me by my right hand. You're holding me. You won't let me go. Don't you love Isaiah 41? Fear not. Thou worm Jacob, I'll help you. I'll sit right beside you and hold your hand. Verse 24, thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory. You will guide me with your word. This word will be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. And every time I get sideways, this word will bring me back. This word will bring me straight back to the Lord Jesus Christ. Who cares what happens on this sinful earth? Who cares what happens? We're going to glory. We're going to glory. We're marching to Zion. Beautiful, beautiful Zion.

Verse 25, it says, Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. After it's all said and done, this is every child of God's heart cry concerning his or her hope of salvation before God. Verse 25, whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

My flesh and my heart faileth. And it is, it's failing in this world. In a minute we're gonna walk out, we get a little strength in here, you're gonna walk out that door and start failing again. But, God is the strength of my heart, and he's my portion. He's my portion forever. For lo, they that are far from thee shall perish. Lord, draw us nearer. This is life eternal that we might know thee. They that are far from thee shall perish. Thou hast destroyed all them that go a-whoring from thee. Who went a-whoring from him? We did. Well, I thought we had to be destroyed. We were in Christ on the cross. And that's our hope that we will not be left alone to be destroyed outside of Christ.

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. How do we draw near to God? He calls us, draws us, holds our right hand, won't let us run away, hedges us about, sits us down, closes, puts us in our right mind, seats us together in heavenly places with Him. He does it all. And it's good. All things work together for good.

To God's people. 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. And that is what God's people do, and that's what we do, and that's what we rejoice in. Unlike this religious world who puts their trust in their own works. Our hope is in thee. It's His works. Based on how I respond to this world and respond to the things that happen in this world, I don't want my trust to be in me. I want it to be in Him. It's in Him. His works, His salvation. That is our hope. Christ is our hope. Lord, draw us nearer. Draw us nearer. You are our hope.

I'm going way over but I don't care. I'm going to quote Psalm 121 and I'm not leaving it out. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills. From whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord. This is salvation. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved. He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper. The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil. He shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and even forevermore. We will declare that, won't we? We will declare and we will rejoice in his works. Amen.

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