Psalm 85. It doesn't say who the writer
of this psalm is. Sometimes it tells us, and this
one does not. Different men have speculated,
but that's just speculation. But it is clear that whoever
God used to pen this psalm was a believer. This psalm is a prayer. It's a personal prayer for mercy.
It's a prayer to God and it's God's answer to the prayer. So
I just want to go through this psalm, this whole psalm, and
see if this is our Look at Psalm 85, verse 1. It says, Lord, thou
hast been favorable unto thy land. Thou hast brought back
the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity
of thy people. Thou hast covered all their sins. Thou hast taken away all thy
wrath, thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine
anger." Six glorious truths. Six glorious truths about our
God. He says, Thou hast, Thou hast,
Thou hast, Thou hast, Thou hast, Thou hast. Isn't that wonderful? Verse 1 says, Lord, thou hast
been favorable. And that word means well pleased
unto thy land. Well pleased unto thy land. First
of all, this prayer is to the Lord. And that means Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ. Lord,
you have been so favorable to us, favorable to thy land. We
ruined it. We ruined it. I ruined it. You know what I did in that last
20 years since you saw me? I ruined it. We defiled it. We made this land, our own selves,
desolate. Absolutely desolate. We sold
it to sin. That's what we did. We sold it
to sin. The whole land, it was in bondage
to sin. But look at the end of verse
one. It says, Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Lord, you liberated your people. Liberated your people. Lord,
you came in as a thief in the night and you opened all the
prison doors. If I was in prison, I think that
would be the best news I ever heard in my life. There's somebody
who comes through and he opens all the prison doors and he sets
the prisoners free. Are you serious? Yes. You brought them back to that
glorious liberty that's in Christ. Verse 2 says, Thou hast forgiven
the iniquity of thy people. Even though they ruined the land.
Even though they rebelled against you. The end of verse 2 says,
Thou hast covered all their sin. That word silah means just think
about that. Because we don't. We just don't. God has covered the sin of all
His people. And you know what we sinners
do? Yeah, that's great. Oh, man. All our sin is covered. Turn over to Psalm 32. Hold your
place right there and look at Psalm 32. Psalm 32, verse 1 says, Blessed
is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Is that a blessed man or what? We don't have any idea how blessed
that is. We really don't. We don't have
any idea how blessed that is. One day we're going to. One day
we're going to. We're going to stand before our
God as He calls names forth, and the record is shown. And
as He punishes men and women to hell, He sends sinners to
hell for their sin. When He calls our name and says,
where is the record? Lord, there's not one. Well then,
come on in. It's covered. It's covered. All we see is blood. Well, then,
come on in. Back over in Psalm 85, verse
3 says, Thou hast taken away all thy
wrath. Why? Why has He taken away all
His wrath? Jacob, his people. The reason is because there's
no more sin on his people to offend him with. I'm still living it out until
the day I die, those sins are on me and I'm going to live them
out. But the ones that I haven't even committed yet, 40 years
from now, maybe. Those are already paid for. Those
are already covered. There's no more sin to rebel
against Him with. Not in Christ. Verse 3 says,
Thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. You know, He's angry with the
wicked every day. But Christ has made the captivity
of Jacob holy. I can't enter into that. I cannot
enter into that. I am not holy. Oh, yes, I am. No, I'm not. Yes, I am. No, I'm not. Yes, I am. I can't enter into that. In Christ, God's people are righteous. They're sinless. They're pure.
And in Christ, all of God's anger is turned away. It sounds too
good to be true. Brother Tony and I were talking
on the way up here. Why would anybody not want to fall in love
with the Gospel? It is so free. It is so full. Why would anybody want the bondage
of works? This prayer has begun by setting
forth six undeniable truths. Six facts that can be understood
and believed through the reading of God's Word. We just read them.
We just read them. So far this prayer could have
been prayed and it should have been prayed by anybody who can
read God's Word. Right? Verse 1 says, Thou hast been
favorable unto Thy land. Thou hast brought back the captivity
of Jacob, Israel and his seed. Verse 2 says, Thou hast forgiven
the iniquity of Thy people. Thou hast covered all their sin. Is there any doubt in our minds
that God has done this for His people? Is there any doubt in
our minds that God has done this for His people? We know that
God will do this for His people, don't we? We know God will do
this for His people. But now this prayer is about
to get personal. Look at verse 4. It says, Turn
us. Turn us. Lord, turn us. Turn us. It says, turn us, O God, of our
salvation and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Brother Henry used to say all
the time that salvation is roughly 18 inches. Did you ever hear
him say that? Salvation is roughly 18 inches. the distance it takes
to get from the head to the heart. It's about 18 inches. Lord, my
head knows that you're going to do these things for your land.
I know that. My head knows that you're going
to do these things for your people, all of the people that God the
Father chose to put in Christ. I know He's going to do that
for His people. I know He is. What my heart is dying to know
is, what about me? What about us? What about us? Lord, you're going to cover the
sin of your people. Lord, I have sinned. Will you
cover mine? Lord, I acknowledge my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me. Lord, I know that the soul that
sinneth shall surely die. I know that. So verse 4 says,
Turn us, O God, of our salvation, and cause Thine anger toward
us to cease. Please, Lord, please. This is
what I need. I've been sitting under the gospel
since... I don't remember not sitting under the gospel. That don't do me any good. I need one thing when I get to
the end of this life. It might be in a couple of hours.
We're about to drive back home. Today could be the end of my
life. I need one thing. Lord, turn me. Lord, save me. I know you're going to do these
things for your people. Save me. I need to be one of
your people. Save me. Don't let me know the
five points in my head. Don't let me know what people
call the doctrines of grace, which the Word calls the doctrine
of Christ. Lord, save me. Verse 5 says,
Will thou be angry with us forever? Wilt Thou draw out Thine anger
to all generations? Wilt Thou not revive us again? Lord, revive us again. I need to know. Those two on
the road to Emmaus, they said, did not our heart burn within
us? Lord, would You squeeze my heart and let me know You just
squeezed it. Let me know that You are mine.
I am His and He is mine. Verse 6 says, Will thou not revive
us again that thy people may rejoice in thee? Show us thy
mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. Lord, I know these
things. I need to know them. I need to
know them. Lord, I believe. Help thou my
unbelief. Lord, revive us again. I want to believe that my sin
is covered. I don't want to just believe
that he paid the debt of sin. I want to believe he paid for
my sin. I want to believe he paid for Gabe Stoniker's sin. But my sin is so great. It is so great. I want to read
this to you. I'm sure you've heard this. A
man named John Newton wrote this. He says, "'Tis a point I long
to know." This is something I need to know. "'Oft it causes anxious
thought. Do I love the Lord or no? Am I His or am I not?' Am I playing
church? If I love, why am I thus? Why this dull and lifeless frame? Hardly sure can they be worse
who have never heard His name. Could my heart so hard remain? Prayer a task and burden prove. Every trifle give me pain. if
I knew a Savior's love? When I turn my eyes within, all
is dark and vain and wild, filled with unbelief and sin. Can I deem myself a child? Am
I one of His children? I need to know this. If I pray, or hear or read. Sin is mixed with all I do. You who love the Lord indeed,
tell me, is it thus with you? Yet, yet, I mourn my stubborn will. Find my sin a grief and thrall. Should I grieve at what I feel
if I did not love at all? Could I joy his saints to meet,
choose the ways I once abhorred, find at times the promise sweet
if I did not love the Lord? Lord, decide this doubtful case,
Thou who art the people's son. Since upon thy work of grace,
if indeed it be begun, let me love thee more and more. If I
love at all, I pray. If I have not loved before, help
me to begin today." I sat right over there 20 years ago, the
last time. And Brother Scott Richardson
was standing right here. And if in the last 20 years I
have not fallen on my knees and begged my God for mercy, forgiveness,
and if He has not sent His Spirit and caused me to cry out in love
and adoration to Him, let it start halfway through this message
right now. Let me start right now. Lord,
this is my prayer. Have mercy on me, a sinner. What is the remedy for conviction
of sin? What's the comfort? What's the
consolation for fear of judgment and wrath? We're going to go
stand before God. Look at Psalm 85, verse 8. It says, I will
hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace unto
His people and to His saints. That is the only thing that will
ease my doubts. You know that? That's the only
thing that's going to bring relief to my heart. Rest to my head. Verse 8 says, I will hear what
God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace unto His
people and to His saints, but let them not turn again to folly. What is this folly He's talking
about? It is leaving the rest and the
comfort of God's Word. That's what it is. How can peace
be spoken to my heart if I don't hear what God the Lord will speak?
You know that? How on this earth can peace be
spoken to my heart if I don't hear what God the Lord will speak?
Lord, open my ears and let me hear. Let me hear. Lord, let me hear. I want to
pray that every time I hear a man preach. Lord, let me hear. And let my brethren hear. But let me hear. Let me hear. But here's what God has to say.
Here's His answer to this sinner's prayer. Verse 9 says, Surely
His salvation is nigh them that fear Him. Isn't that wonderful? When sin
comes upon us, the reality of what we are comes upon us. And
it causes us to say, no, wait a minute. Do I love the Lord
or no? I've got to go stand before God. That strikes fear in me. He says,
I am not them that fear me. The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom because he is near those that fear him. He's near
them. Psalm 27 says, The Lord is my
light and my salvation. Christ, the Lord, is my salvation. Surely Christ is near them that
fear him. Look at Psalm 34 with me. Psalm 34, verse 18 says, The
Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth
such as be of a contrite spirit. That's the best news a sinner
with a broken heart could ever hear. James said, Draw nigh to
God and He will draw nigh to you. I love that. I love that. Draw nigh to God and He will
draw nigh to you. How can I draw nigh to God? I
need that. How can I draw nigh to Him? In
prayer. In heart. In thought. In word. In song. Lord, I need You. I cannot come
unless You draw me. I cannot draw nigh unto You.
Would you draw me? Yes, I will. Back over in Psalm
85, verse 9 says, Surely His salvation is nigh
them that fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. That glory may dwell in our land.
Turn with me over to Zechariah chapter 2. That's the second
to the last book in the Old Testament. just before Malachi. Zechariah 2. Verse 5 says, For I, saith the
Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will
be the glory in the midst of her." Christ is that glory. Christ is the glory that dwells
in the midst of her. Look at Revelation 21. Revelation 21, verse 1 says,
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and
the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And
I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God
out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And
I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle
of God is with men. And He will dwell with them,
and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with
them and be their God." Our Lord answers this prayer for mercy
by saying, I am near and I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving. I will dwell with you. Can you imagine one day, here
we sit, And our Lord said, where two
or three are gathered in my name, I'm there in the midst. But these
physical eyes cannot see Him. One of these days, as Job said,
I know with these eyes, I'm going to see Him. I'm going to see
Him. And the land that I dwell in,
with the brothers and sisters I live with, God is going to
be there. And we're going to see Him face
to face. And it's going to be glorious. It's going to be glorious. We're back over in Psalm 85. Verse 9 says, Surely His salvation
is nigh them that fear Him, that glory, glory Himself may dwell
in our land. Now look at verse 10. This is
what God has to say to a begging sinner. Verse 10 says, mercy
and truth are met together. Oh Lord God, what are you going
to do with me? What are you going to do with
me? What about us? What about us? What are you going
to do with us? Well, mercy and truth met together. Where did they meet? They met on a place called Golgotha's
Hill. What happened there on Golgotha's
Hill? Verse 10 says, righteousness and peace kissed each other. How? How can the truth about
my sin have anything to do with mercy? How can righteousness, absolute
holiness, absolute justice have anything to do with peace? How?
Verse 11 says, truth shall spring out of the earth and righteousness
shall look down from heaven. How was any of that possible?
Truth sprang out of the ground. That's exactly how it happened.
Truth sprang out of the ground. What does that mean? What does that mean? Go to Isaiah
53. Isaiah 53, verse 1 says, Who
hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the
Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him
as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground. He hath
no form nor comeliness. And when we shall see him, there's
no beauty that we should desire him. Now look at verse 10. It says, Yet it pleased the Lord
to bruise him. He hath put him to grief. When
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. Now this is righteousness looking
down from heaven. Verse 11 says, He shall see the
travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their
iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a
portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the
strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death. And
he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bared the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors." How could righteousness
kiss peace? How could truth meet with mercy?
Christ came. Christ came. John said the law
was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Back over to Psalm 85. Verse 12 says, Yea, the Lord
shall give that which is good, and our land shall yield her
increase. If you notice the three words,
that which is, they're in italics. So that means they were added
by the translators. Let's read it without the help of the translators.
Verse 12 says, Yea, the Lord shall give good. Good. Our Lord said there is
none good but God. For God so loved this world He
gave this world God, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, His only begotten
Son. And because the Son of God came,
and because He redeemed sinners from absolute ruin, verse 12
says, our land shall yield her increase. Our land is going to
live again. We're all looking at each other
and we're looking at a bunch of dead, bodies, dead flesh. It's going to live again. It's going to live again. Life
has come. And therefore, fruit of His Spirit
is going to come. Our God answers our prayer by
saying in verse 13, righteousness shall go before Him, that's Christ,
and He shall set us, us, What about us? He's going to set us
in the way of his steps. He's going to set us in the way
of his steps. Here's what he's saying. Look at Jeremiah 23 with
me. Jeremiah 23, verse 5 says, Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and
a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and
justice in the earth. In his days, Judah shall be saved,
and Israel shall dwell safely. And this is His name wherewith
He shall be called, the Lord our righteousness." Now go to
Jeremiah 33. Jeremiah 33 verse 15 says, In those days and at that time
will I cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David, and he
shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall
Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely. And this
is the name wherewith she shall be called, the Lord our righteousness."
Her name is His name. His steps are her steps. As He is, so are we. In our text in Psalm 85, verse
13, it says, Righteousness shall go before Him and shall set us
in the way of His steps. Our Lord is going to say, Come. And we are going to start marching.
That's what's going to happen. He's going to set us in the way.
I love that song, Marching to Zion. The last verse says, Then
let our songs abound, and every tear be dry. We're marching through
Emmanuel's ground. We're marching through Emmanuel's
ground. The fairer world's on high. Why? It's because He's set us
in the way of His steps. That's why. Well, I pray that
the Lord will bless his word to our hearts and bless you. I love you dearly. I'm thankful
for this opportunity.