Look at verse 10. Be still. That's hard to do. It is for me, is it you? Be still
and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. Now this is language that's worthy
of God because it leaves no room for doubt. It's not a speculation. or hear say this is God speaking
and God says without a doubt I will be exalted among the heathen
and I will be exalted in the earth. In verse 8 he tells his
church come behold the works of the Lord and then in our text
he says be still and know among all the tumult The commotion,
the upheaval spoken of in the psalm going on in the world all
around us. We're reminded of this, verse
5. God, God. The believer's comfort
rests on his God. God is in the midst of her. Again,
our attention, our focus is directed back to him. God is in the midst
of her, that is, his bride, his church, his redeemed, his chosen. She shall not be moved. God shall help her, and that
right early. Therefore, David says in verse
2, in view, in light of God being our refuge, our strength, our
very present help in trouble, David says, therefore, therefore,
What should we do with that glorious truth? Therefore, David says,
we'll not fear. Why should we fear? With such
a refuge, with such a strength, with such all-sufficiency of
God and being a very present help in trouble, therefore we
will not fear. And again our text, be still,
be still and know that I am God. The title of my message is, and
I thought about half a dozen possible titles, but finally
I settled on blessed quietness. Blessed quietness. As I said,
the hardest thing for me to do is to be still. Be still. It goes against our nature, doesn't
it? Doesn't it go against our nature,
that is our old nature, this flesh? Is that not a part, at
least a part of that warfare of the spirit lusting against
the flesh, and the flesh against the spirit, so you cannot do
the things you still have an inclination, a tendency, a desire
to do? Is that not what made Paul cry
out, O wretched man that I am? considering that battle that
he spoke of in Romans chapter 7. Indeed it's hard for this
flesh to stand still and trust God. Like Peter, when that mob
came to the garden and it was obvious that they were coming
to arrest the Lord, to take away Peter's Lord. He said, shall
we smite with the sword? And you know what he did. Drew
the sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant.
But you remember what our Lord said. Now Peter was leaning up
on the arm of flesh. He did it afterwards. Doing that's
what led to him denying his Lord, trusting his ability, his flesh,
his own strength. But our Lord said to him on that
occasion, Peter, put up thy sword into the sheath, the cup which
my father hath given me, shall I not drink it? The weapons of
our warfare are not carnal. They're not carnal, but spiritual. Let me read you a verse of scripture
in Isaiah chapter 28. I like this. Therefore, thus saith the Lord
God, behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, for a foundation,
a stone. And our Lord applied this verse
to himself. When he was discussing it with
the religious leaders of his day, he said, the stone which
you've rejected has become the headstone of the corner. But
God says, Isaiah 28 verse 16, I lay in Zion for a foundation. Oh, child of God, child of God,
look at your foundation. A stone, a tried stone, a precious
cornerstone, a sure foundation. And he that believeth shall not
make haste. Shall not make haste. Just be still and know that I
am God. You remember when your children
were still young at home and you would tell them from time
to time, usually at bedtime, now it's time to settle down. It's time to time out and calm
down. God tells his children, our Heavenly
Father says, be still. Be still and know that I am God. I am that I am. Eternally, everlastingly
God. Again, our children sometimes
after going to bed would wake up in the middle of the night
crying, had a bad dream. Remember that, Mom, Dad? And
we'd go to them, put our arms around them and say, hush now,
Just be quiet. Be still. It's just a dream. Don't be afraid. I'm right here. God says, my little children,
be still. Be still. Behold thy God. I am thy God. Turn, if you will, to Psalm 127.
127. Look what David says here. Verse 1 of Psalm 127. Except
the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.
Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up
early, to set up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so
he giveth his beloved sleep. so he giveth his beloved sleep."
Oh, the sweet, sweet sleep that God is pleased by his marvelous
grace to grant to his beloved. Oh, how sweet to just lay down
and rest and to know that he that keepeth Israel shall never
slumber and sleep. I like that picture in John's
Gospel. or where our Lord for the third
time has prayed, and combining all accounts of the four Gospels,
we know that he sweat great drops of blood. We know that he arose
several times and came back to the elect of the elect, Peter,
James, and John, that inner circle, and each time he found them sleeping. Oh, I looked for comforters,
but there was none. I have trodden the winepress
alone, and of the people there were none with me. But then after
our Lord arises for the last time and comes back and finds
them yet sleeping, he says, sleep on now. Sleep on now and take
your rest. Isn't that a marvelous picture
of the great shepherd of the sheep watching over his sheep? Sleep on now and take your rest.
So he giveth his beloved sleep. I love the picture in Acts chapter
7 where Stephen, That faithful deacon, preacher of the gospel,
was brought before the Sanhedrin because he was preaching that
Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Christ. Indeed the Christ,
that the stone which the builders had refused was still made the
headstone of the corner, and this was the Lord's doing, that
Christ rose from the dead, and they hated that message. They
hated it. And in Acts chapter 7, let me
read you a few verses of that account. Stephen is drugged from
the temple and we're told, he said, behold, in verse 56, I
see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing on the right
hand of God. Now these people standing around
with the stones in their hands ready to murder him, they were
the religious folks. The meanest folks in the world
are religious folks. Look at verse 58 or verse 57. They cried out with a loud voice
and stopped their ears and ran up on him with one accord. Religious
folks always make a lot of noise, a loud commotion. Have you noticed
that? It's so common in our day. Folks
that are going about to establish their own righteousness and not
submitting to the righteousness of God always put on a big show,
calling attention to themselves. That's what it does when you're
trying to establish your own righteousness. But look, if you
will, here in Luke or listen, I'm sorry, in Acts chapter 7
verse 59, and they stoned Stephen. calling upon God and saying,
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried
with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
And when he had said this, he fell asleep. He fell asleep. This angry, bloodthirsty
mob are slinging stones at him, stoning him to death, and we're
told in the midst of all that uproar, all that commotion, all
that hate, Stephen falls asleep. Be still, be still, and know
that I am God. Sleep on now, the master said.
Sleep on now and take your rest. To every sinner, to every sinner
that has ceased from his own works, ceased from going about
trying to establish his own righteousness, unlike the Pharisees. Our Lord
said the Pharisees are a noisy bunch. They like to stand on
the street corner. They want everybody to see how
religious they are. When they say their prayers,
they make long prayers and say them in public so everybody will
see them and say, look at them, aren't they something? He said
they make the border of their robes wider than it should be. They enlarge the phylactery so
everybody will see how religious they are. They're loud, loud. They do it to be seen of men.
Oh, how blessedly different to be brought to this place. to
the end of myself and forced to shut up, be still, stand still,
and like Job who said, I heard of you. Be still and know that
I am God. Job found out, didn't he? Him
and his so-called friends had for days sat around discussing
theology. Why God does this? And why God
does that? And why God doesn't do the other?
Then God appeared on the scene and said, Stand up, Job. Stand
up. Behold, be still. Stand up. Answer me. Answer me. Where were
you, Job, when I laid the foundations of the world? Where were you
when I set the stars in their course? Where were you, Job?
Tell me if you can answer. And Job said, I've heard of thee
with the hearing of the ear. But now my eye seeth thee. And
what effect did it have upon you, Job? I abhor myself. Job said, I'll put my hand over
my mouth and bow down in the dust. That's what grace does.
Oh, and thank God that God in his mighty grace brings sinners
down. Aren't you glad he brought you
down, Lester Buckner? Because if he didn't, you never
would have come down. If he hadn't have brought you
down by his grace, you'd have remained just like me, a haunty,
proud rebel. Oh, be forced by grace to stand
still, to be quiet. Then, like Moses told the children
of Israel at the Red Sea, be still. Stand still. Be quiet. And see the salvation
of the Lord. And oh, when you do, then, then
you can lie down and sleep. You can rest with the sweet assurance
Like that man sitting in that dungeon cell in Rome, waiting
to be executed. You read his last words and you
would never think that he was facing death, unless he told
us himself. But oh, he had this sweet, sweet,
blessed assurance. Timothy, I'm not ashamed. I'm not ashamed because I know
whom I have believed. I like that, John. I like that. It doesn't much matter. As a
matter of fact, I can go further than that. It doesn't matter
at all. It doesn't make a lick of difference
what I know, what I think I know, if I don't know what Paul said. I know whom I have believed. Oh, you could fill this building,
you could fill thousands of buildings with what this preacher doesn't
know and understand. Oh, but my assurance, my comfort,
my peace, that which allows this sinner to lie down in sleeping
peace is this, I know whom I have believed. And Paul said, let
me tell you about him, Timothy. I'm persuaded. I'm persuaded. Paul was that young man in Acts
7 that guarded the cloaks of those men who were stoning Stephen.
That was him. We're told in the next chapter,
the very first verse, that that same young man saw Yit breathing
out threatenings and slaughter against the people of the Lord.
Hated Jesus of Nazareth. Oh, but he found out. that Christ,
rather Jesus of Nazareth, was not the imposter that he thought,
was not the deceiver that he thought, but he met him on the
Damascus road and found that he was the sovereign God of all,
and he bowed down before him. And years later he said, Timothy,
let me tell you what I've learned. I can't deny this. It's been
burned into my heart, Timothy. I know whom I have believed and
I'm persuaded. Oh, blessed, glorious persuasion.
I'm persuaded that he's able. He's able. That's what gives
me comfort. He's able to keep that which
I've committed unto him against that day. Yes, in the midst of
all the commotion, all the tumult, Stephen fell asleep. Oh, so he giveth his beloved
sleep. Let me read you another verse
or two. I think I did this same passage in Isaiah 43, Sunday. Listen, children of God. Listen
to what the Lord says to you. But now thus saith the Lord that
created thee, O Jacob, And He that formed thee, O Israel, fear
not. Fear not. Why? For I have redeemed thee. I have redeemed thee. Oh, he
can't be talking about that redemption that didn't actually redeem.
Oh no, that's a figment of this religious generation's imagination. No, when he says, I have redeemed
thee, then it follows your mind. You're mine. I have called thee
by thy name. Thou art mine. I redeemed you. I redeemed you. I especially
laid down my life for you. I did something for you, O Israel,
O you, Jacob, that I didn't do for everybody else. I redeemed
you. Therefore, when thou passest
through the waters, I will be with thee. I won't lose you. I've redeemed you. You're mine. and through the rivers they shall
not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the
fire thou shall not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee. Not one object of his care ever
suffered shipwreck there. See the haven full in view. Love divine shall bear you through. Be still and know that I am God. We've often said, and how true
it is, hindsight is 20-20. Isn't it? Hindsight is 20-20.
Oh, I would that I would honor God by trusting him, not after
he brings me through the storm, but while I'm passing through
the storm, to know that he doeth all things well. Oh, for grace
to trust him more. He is God. He is God. Be still and know that I am God,
all-powerful, all-wise. Always, in verse 1, a very present
help in time of trouble. The Hebrew is even stronger.
In the original Hebrew, it says, in an exceeding help in trouble. Exceeding. Beyond what you need. More than what you need. He giveth
and he giveth, and he giveth more grace. Has that not been
your experience, child of God? Has that not been your experience?
Let me use this illustration. There was a man years ago, a
preacher of the gospel, a man named George Young. He labored
in obscurity, pastored little what we would call country churches.
Today there's not even a reliable record of exactly when he was
born or when he died. Wasn't taken much notice of. And often his income wasn't enough
to support his family, his wife and children. And he worked as
a carpenter as well as pastoring small churches. And finally,
finally after a great deal of effort and years of sacrifice,
He and his wife were able to move into a small house that
they had built for themselves. And they were all delighted,
so thankful for this little place. But soon, soon, some people who
hated the gospel that he preached, while he was off preaching it,
burned their house down. Some years later, that man sat
down and wrote to him that Bobby just sang to us. George Young
said, in shady green pastures so rich and so sweet, God leads
his dear children along. Doesn't he? Hasn't he? Where
the water's cool flow bathes the weary one's feet, God leads
his dear children along. But as he found out, that's not
always the case. And as we have found out as well.
Sometimes on the mountain where the sun shines so bright, yes,
he leads his dear children along. But sometimes in the valley,
in the darkest of nights, he leads his dear children along.
Oh, but, thank God, he never quits leading them along. I am with you always, even to
the end of the world. a good sidebar to that story. After George Young died, a man,
knowing the popularity of the hymn that he wrote, wanted to
find his widow, his wife, who was still living. So he got an
address and went to look her up. He stopped at a filling station
and the attendant, remember when they had attendants at filling
stations? He asked him where the place was, the address that
he had. And the man said, that's the county poorhouse. And he
said, mister, when I say poor, I mean poor. It's three miles
that way. And he went up the road. And he went in and he found
the widow of George Young, an elderly woman living in surroundings
far from comfortable. And he found her just radiant,
radiant. with the grace of God. And she said, you know, since
I've been here, since I've been living here, someone almost every
month new comes here to live out their last days. And so many
of them don't know my Savior. And she says, I have the joy
of telling them about the Lord Jesus Christ. She said, isn't
it wonderful how God leads his dear children along? Yeah. Some through the waters and some
through the flood, and some through the fire, but all through the
blood. Some through great sorrow, but they will not drown. But God gives a song in the night
season and all the day long. God does lead them along. The song, here is Psalm 46, assures
us of that over and over again, does it not? Again, verse 1. God is our refuge and strength.
Verse 7, the Lord of Hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is
our refuge. Again, in closing, the last verse,
11, the Lord of Hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge
at the beginning of our journey, during our journey, and at the
end of our journey. Jesus Christ is our refuge. Jesus
Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. What a sufficient,
mighty refuge this sinner found him to be. When I was awakened
by the thunders of God's law, made aware for the first time
in my life, hearing the soul that sinneth, it must die, and
John, I found out I didn't have a hiding place. Didn't have a
hiding place. No place I could hide. And I
thought to myself, God must punish me. How can God remain God and
not send me to hell? Man, you talk about miserable. I was afraid to go to sleep at
night, dreaded waking up the next day. All I thought about,
I'm going to hell. And I deserve to go. And there's
nothing I can do to stop it. Nothing I can do to prevent it.
I think I probably have told you the story of hiding. One day, instead of hitchhiking,
man, I didn't want to be seen by anyone. So I started walking
along the railroad tracks, thought I could hide from people, thought
I could hide from God. And every railroad tie that I
put my foot on seemed to shout back in my face, man, you're
lost. You're lost. You're lost. Oh, but as that old hymn says
that Brother Daniel Parks likes to sing so much, God Almighty, in sovereign grace,
he wrapped in thick Egyptian night and fond of darkness more
than light, madly I ran the simple race, secure without a hiding
place. But, but, but God, But Christ,
but mercy, but his great salvation, but thus the eternal counsel
ran. O mighty love, arrest that man. I felt the arrows of distress
and found I had no hiding place. Indignant justice stood in view.
To Sinai's fiery mouth I flew, but justice cried with frowning
face. This mountain is no hiding place. place. No hiding place. I've had people tell me all my
life, well, salvation is easy. It's simple. Oh John, I didn't
find it easy. I found it impossible. It's impossible. But oh my soul, that thunder,
that thunder from Sinai, that lightning flashing over the head
of this guilty sinner, saying, this soul that sinned, it must
die. And I ran and I ran. And my soul, I fell down, I looked
up, and lo and behold, the law had chased me to Mount Calvary,
where I saw Jesus Christ, my hiding place, and nothing is
so wonderful as that. Paul said, let me tell you about
a miracle. I was before a blasphemer, an
injurious, a persecutor, but I obtained mercy. Oh my soul, how can this sinner
ever get over that? When it pleased God, I just can't have, I don't have
words. I don't have nothing in my notes.
to describe that. Pleased God? God found pleasure? God was pleased to reveal his
son to this sinner? Oh, my soul. No wonder the hymn
writer went on to say, should storms of seven vengeance roll
and shake this earth from pole to pole, no flaming bolt shall
daunt my face, for Jesus is my hiding place. A few more rolling
suns at most shall land me safe on heaven's coast. There I shall
sing the song of grace to Jesus Christ, my hiding place. He became my refuge, and he still
is my refuge, and he will never not be my refuge. When our journey is over, verse
11, The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. And what a refugee he is. Notice,
last of all, let's go back to the heading of the psalm. We've
worked our way back to this. But notice the very title of
the psalm itself is a testimony to the free grace and mercy of
God That is the theme of the psalm. To the chief musician,
for the sons of Korah, oh my, that seems a free grace, unmerited
mercy, and everlasting love. The sons of Korah? Really? This psalm was given to them
to sing in the worship of God? Korah? You remember who that
rebel was? He led a rebellion against God's
appointed leader, Moses, and against God's appointed high
priest, Aaron. Let me read you just briefly,
just briefly, the outcome of his rebellion. And it came to
pass, as he made an end of speaking, that is Moses, all the words
that the ground clave asunder that was under them, that is
Korah and those that he persuaded to rebel with him, and the earth
opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their houses and
all the men that appertained under Korah and all their goods. They and all that appertained
to them went down alive into the pit and the earth closed
upon them and they perished from among the congregation. And in Numbers chapter 26, let
me read this to you. And the earth opened up her mouth
and swallowed them up with Korah when that company died, when
the time the fire devoured 250 men and they became a sign. Notwithstanding, the children
of Korah died not. Oh my soul. The children of Korah died not. There even then was as there
is now a remnant according to the election of grace and guess
who they were? The sons of Korah. Can you imagine,
can you imagine how the descendants of Korah must have sang this
blessed hymn. There are several in the Psalms
given to them for the singing. Verse 2, for example, therefore
will we not fear though the earth be removed and the mountains
be carried into the midst of the sea just as that earthquake
opened up and swallowed up their ancestors. Though the waters
thereof roar in thee trouble, though the mountains shake with
the swelling thereof, Selah, Selah." Mr. Spurgeon said, perhaps
they were so filled with gratitude that they addicted themselves
to the singing of the songs of praise to the glory of that God
who spared them. Who else could sing with more
heart with more gratitude than those who had been spared according
to God's election of grace. I don't think they would have
had a problem with election, do you? I don't think they would
have had a problem with hearing that it's not of him that willeth
nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Yes, the foundation of God standeth
sure. Oh, how they must have sang!
knowing that only God and His grace had made them to differ
from another. But let's leave the sons of Korah
for a minute because I've seen relatives of my own, I'm afraid,
that have gone down to the pit. I'm afraid that even now they're
in hell Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is never quenched. And I'm no better than they were. Who made this rebel to differ? Why am I not there as well? Listen. He brought me up also
out of a horrible pit, out of the murray clay, and set my feet
upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a
new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. Oh, how this chosen, redeemed,
caught sinner should sing praises to God. Children of God, the
next time, the next time you hear the thunder, and see the
dark clouds and the wind contrary, and you're passing through the
storm, be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among
the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. Once when my daughter was very
young, maybe four or five years old, I thought she was in bed
sleeping. And I was up, it was late, thinking about God's goodness
and grace to this rebel. Thinking about who made me to
differ from another. And was just weeping and thanking
God. And I felt something snuggle up next to me. And I looked, and it's that little
blonde-headed daughter. And she looks up crying. I said,
Misty, what are you crying about? She said, Daddy, what are you
crying about? I said, Misty, I'm happy. She said, Daddy, I am too. And
I took her. I picked her up and put her back
to bed and said, you hush now. You be still. Everything's alright. Hush now. Be still. And know that our God is God. God bless you. Thank you for
your attention.