Back in the 118th Psalm, many
commentators believe that this was the psalm that was sung when
the foundation of the temple was laid, when it was being rebuilt,
restored for the worship of God. Many believe that this psalm
was sung on that occasion. I want to read just a portion,
a couple of verses, and I tend to agree with that because these
verses are pretty well what we read of in the psalm in the first
and the last verses. But in Ezra chapter 3, we read
this. And when the builders laid the
foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priest in
their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of
Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord after the ordinance
of David, king of Israel. And they sang together by chorus
in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord, because he is
good, for his mercy endureth forever toward Israel. And all
the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord,
because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. You'll notice in Psalm 118 that
verse 1 and verse 29 are the same. The Psalm begins and it
ends the same. It speaks of God's mercy. That's the theme, the mercy of
God. Mercy is a great part of God's
goodness and one that concerns us very much as needy sinners. And what a blessed wonder it
is, and one that we should be always thankful for. Despite
our sins, and they're not light things, it required the death,
nothing less than the death of the Son of God, to put away our
sins. But to despite our sins, and
what was necessary to take them away, God's mercy endureth forever. In all of our trials, no matter
how long, no matter how severe, God's mercy endureth forever. And to borrow the words of old
Newton from his famous hymn, through many dangers, toils,
and snares, amidst them, going through them, God's mercy endureth
forever. There's never a change in God's
mercy. Never. Like himself, God's mercy
is unchanging, immutable. He abideth faithful. He cannot
deny himself. And there will never be an end
to God's mercy. As we read there in verse 1 and
verse 29 of this psalm, it endureth forever. It's indestructible. God's mercy can never be destroyed. His mercy is not dependent on
our thankfulness. Aren't you glad for that? Or
rather, our faithfulness. Aren't you thankful? His mercy
is not dependent upon our faithfulness. It's no wonder we're exhorted.
Give thanks unto the Lord. His mercy endeareth forever. And the life of every child of
God, like this psalm, begins and ends with the mercy of God
Almighty. And for a long time, we weren't
aware of that. Indeed, we couldn't be aware
of it until we came to know the Lord. But now we know according
to His word and promise, His mercy has always been upon His
people. Turn, if you will, to Psalm 46.
There's a few verses there that states this very thing. Very
comforting psalm. And it reminds us that from our birth,
Till our death, God will be with us. Till our old age, he promises
that he'll be with us. In Isaiah 46, verse 3. Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob,
that you and I, and all the remnant, the remnant according to God's
election, of the house of Israel, which are born by me, from the
belly, which are carried from the womb. I was there when you
came into this world. Now, parents don't always plan
the birth of their children, but God Almighty does. He is
all. He says, I was there when you
came into the world. I carried you from the womb.
And that's not all. Look what he promises in verse
4. And even to your old age, I am
he, and even to whore hares will I carry you. I have made and
I will bear, even I will carry and deliver you. I won't desert
you. The old hymn writer expressed
it like this. Good old hymn. One verse of it
says, Lord, when I'm growing old and feeble, stand by me. But our Lord promises more than
that there, doesn't he? He doesn't say simply to stand
by us. He says, I'll carry you. I'll
carry you. I'll bear you. Not merely stand,
but carry you. I was there when you entered
this world, he says. And I'll be there when you go
out. I find that so comforting. Though
I'll walk through the valley, and the only thing that'll prevent
that, if Christ comes in my lifetime. Otherwise, I'll go the way of
the grave. I'll go the way of all flesh. But the psalmist said, though
I'll walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I won't
be afraid. I'll fear no evil." How could
he say that? Fear no evil? That's a way he'd
never been before. That's an experience he'd never
had and he would never come back to tell us about it. How would
he know that he wouldn't be afraid and the words are here? Because
thou art with me. I'll be with you. We read in
Isaiah 46, when you leave this world, then it is well with my
soul. It'll all be well with my soul. Even with all the mystery, all
the uncertainty, all the things that I don't know about that,
God promises this to every one of His own over and over in His
Word. I'll be with you. I'll never
leave you nor forsake you. We have our comfort in that blessed
assurance from God's own word. As in other of the Psalms, most
of the Psalms, God is praised for his faithfulness to his people. They never seem to tire of seeing
of that blessed, blessed certainty. Turn back, if you will, to Psalm
73. Psalm 73. I think one evidence But the inspiration of Scripture
is the fact that the men who wrote it don't try to gloss over
their sins. They tell the truth about themselves. If this was purely just the work
of a man, he wouldn't do that. He wouldn't do that. People that
write biographies tend to gloss over things about themselves
that are not very flattering. David doesn't do that. Here in
the 73rd Psalm, verse 22, considering what he had just confessed to,
he concluded this. So foolish was I and ignorant. Ignorant. I was as a beast before
thee. That's true. That's just the
honest truth. That's just the way it is, Lord.
Not very flattering, but it's true. I think that's why we're
drawn so much to the Psalms. We read our own history there,
don't we? We identify with those things.
We know what it's like, by God's mercy, to be on the mountaintop,
to commune with our God, but we also know what it's like to
be in the valley, to cry out, I've sinned against thee, O God.
We've had that experience, and we read all these things in the
checkered life of the son of Jesse. Yes, I was a fool. I acted
foolishly and ignorant, like a man that didn't even know God. Behave no better than a brute
beast before you." But look what he says in the next verse, nevertheless. I like that word, don't you?
Nevertheless, thou art continually with thee. I am rather continually
with thee. Never less mercy. Never less mercy. whether we're
aware of it or not. Nevertheless, mercy. Nevertheless. Nevertheless of his constant
supply of grace. Nevertheless, I am continually
with thee. At all times, in all places,
you can't go too far. There's not a time that I won't
be with you. In all the circumstances of your
life, No matter what they may be, no matter what you may pass
through, I'll be with you. David himself is a good example
of this, as I said. When David was singing, when
he perhaps sat on a mount, just as a young man, still living
at home with his father, the youngest of his brothers, he
sat there tending the sheep. That was the lot, usually, the
custom for the youngest son to do that. You remember when His
brothers were out fighting the Philistines. David wasn't even
considered worthy enough to go with them. He stayed at home.
As he, on one occasion, perhaps sat on a mount overlooking his
flock, his sheep, all his heart was made to soar above, and he
sung, the Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall
not want. Oh, but we also find him so far
from singing, we hear him sobbing. I've sinned. I've sinned. I'm guilty. I'm the man. I've sinned against my faithful
God. Nevertheless, Nevertheless, I
am continually with thee." That's why I say, aren't you thankful
that God's mercy is not dependent upon, not determined by what
we do? It's not measured to us by what
we deserve, but by His abundant grace alone. Nevertheless, I
am continually with thee. Why? Why? David says here, because
God just won't let me go. He won't let me go. He's bound
me to his heart. Thou hast holded me by my right
hand. You parents, and I can identify
with this. I remember when my children were
very young, just starting to walk, just learning to walk.
and you'd be beside them, remember? They'd begin to totter, perhaps
coming to you, and you'd reach out, take their hand, and oh,
how they would grip your hand, wouldn't they? When they got
a little older, still not old enough to cross the street by
themselves, I would take their hand as we crossed the street,
and how tightly they would grip their little hand in mine, and
I'd tell them, I'm not going to let you go. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to let you go. And child of God, our Heavenly
Father tells us again and again in his Word, nevertheless, I'm
not going to let you go. I will not lose my hold on you. Remember our Savior's words to
Mary. Mary came to his tomb, the sepulcher,
where he was buried, thinking he was still there. Because the
Sabbath drew on, she had to hurriedly prepare his body when he was
taken down from the cross and didn't have time to finish. So
she comes back three days later to finish preparing his body
and encounters him. He reveals himself to her. When
he speaks her word, or her name rather, Mary. Mary. Nobody speaks like him, Bonnie.
Nobody does. We try to comfort, we try to
help, do what we can, but oh, nobody speaks like him. Speaks through her heart. speaks
to our heart, comforts us as only he can do. But on that occasion,
he said, Mary, go tell my brethren. Isn't that remarkable in a sense? What a blessing. Go tell my brethren. You mean that outfit that denied
you? You mean those fellas just a
few days before all forsook you when they came in the garden
to take you? They all left you? You mean those? And that one
that denies that he even knew you? Oh yeah, they're my brethren. They're my brethren. They've
not ceased to be my brethren. You go tell my brethren. And
say unto them, nothing's changed. Tell them to meet me just where
I told them before. Meet me on Mount Olivet. Tell my brethren, I'll send them
unto my Father and your Father. Tell them that, Mary. I'll send
them to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. Remember,
when the disciples asked the Lord, teach us to pray, He said,
when you pray, say, our Father. Our father. My God is your God. And my father is your father. We're brethren. He's not ashamed
to call us brethren. Yes, his mercy endureth forever. Now look again, if you will,
back at Psalm 118. We'll spend the remainder of the time for
a few moments considering verses 22 and 23 and 24. Let's read them together again. David wrote, The stone which
the builders refused has become the headstone of the corner.
This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and
be glad in it. Now, historically, It refers
to David himself. This happened to him. He was
anointed by Samuel in the house of his father Jesse to be the
next king over Israel. But he was rejected by Saul,
who was the king at the time. But he was God's chosen. He was
God's choice. God had ordained David. God said, I set one down and
I set another up. He put Saul aside, Saul he rejected,
and his purpose was for David to take his place. Therefore,
because God purposed it, David ascends the throne in God's appointed
time. After many a trial, regardless
of what Saul wanted, regardless of all of his efforts to prevent
it, David ascends the throne of Israel. That was God's purpose. Enough said there, isn't there?
Enough said. That's God's purpose. No need
to expound that. I mean, that explains it itself,
doesn't it? That's why it came to pass. God
willed it. It was His purpose, and what
He purposes, He brings to pass. But prophetically, as you're
well aware, historically, it refers to David. But prophetically,
David spoke of one greater than himself. These verses refer to
one greater than David. One who was David's king, the
son of David. Our Lord applied these words
to himself in Matthew chapter 21. He had spoken a parable that
was very unflattering to the religious leaders, and they perceived
that he spoke of them in the parable, and he did, about the
unjust husbandman. And he told them, he said, have
you never read in Scripture, and they had, but just as blind
as they could be, have you never read in Scripture the stone which
the builders refused has become the headstone of the corner,
and this is the Lord's doing, and it's marvelous in our eyes?
He said, he's talking about me. Paul used the same words, or
rather referred to the same Verse here in Psalm 118 in Ephesians
chapter 2. So did Peter in Acts and in 1
Peter chapter 2. And the builders were the religious
leaders of Christ's day. He was speaking to the Pharisees
and the scribes and the chief priests. They rejected Christ. The teachers, the instructors,
those who were supposed to be leading the people. When the
Messiah came, that day, spoke of, looked for, studied all the
Old Testament scrolls concerning all the Word of God. When he
appeared, they didn't recognize him. He came unto his own, and
his own received him not. On the contrary, they said, we
don't need you. We have Abraham. Abraham's our
father. We can trace our roots all the
way back to him. We'll not have you rule over
us. The leaders rejected. I once
heard Brother Henry Mahan say years ago, if there's one place
in our day where you dare not preach the gospel, it's in the
average church. Isn't that sad? And nothing's
changed since I heard Henry make that statement 30 years ago.
The leaders said he must go. And finally they stirred the
people to cry out, crucify him, crucify him. And even after he
was crucified, even after he bowed his head and gave up the
ghost, even after he had cried, it's finished, the work's done,
even after his body was taken down and put in that tomb, they
still weren't content. They went to Pilate. and said,
we remember, we remember that that deceiver said, isn't it
strange that his enemies remembered his words but his apostles didn't? We remember that that deceiver
said while he was yet alive, after three days I will rise
again. Set a guard out there. Because
what will probably happen, some of his followers, his disciples,
will come and steal his body, and then they'll spread the rumor
that he rose from the dead just like he claimed he would, and
all of this will have been in vain. Seal the tomb. Put the seal, the stamp, of Roman
authority on there and set a guard. And Pilate did. Pilate did. What a waste of time. What a
waste of effort. Because Jesus Christ rose from
the dead just exactly as he said he would. Destroy this temple. Destroy this temple. Do your
worst. And in three days, I'll raise
it up again. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians
chapter 15, now is Christ risen from the dead. That's worth repeating. Now is Christ risen from the
dead. Now. Now. Now. Right now. At 6.31. Right now. The King of Glory sits on His
throne. Our glorious, effectual Redeemer
is calling out all of his elect. All of his elect. Just as he
prayed, Father, I will that all those whom you have given me
be with me where I am. And he's gathering them. He's
gathering them one by one. And one day, when he's gathered
that last one the Father gave him before the world began, that
last one for whom he entered this world for, that last one
that he died for, He'll say, time will be no more. And He'll come to take us home
to be with Him. And Paul said, your faith's not
vain. If Christ is dead, yet dead,
your faith is vain. But, oh, now is Christ risen
from the dead. You're no longer in your sins.
And that resurrection vindicated every claim he made to deity. And it proved beyond any doubt
God's satisfaction, everlasting satisfaction, with his son's
sacrifice of himself, him offering himself without sin to God. Paul said in Romans 4 and 25,
he was delivered for, because of, because of our offenses.
But he didn't stop there, did he? And he was raised again for,
because of our justification. Because we were justified, God
raised him from the dead. Look at verse 22 again. The stone
which the builders refused, the same was made the headstone of
the corner. All this is the Lord's doing
and it's marvelous in our eyes. This is a day, the day of Christ's
exhortation, the day of Christ's resurrection, the day of Christ
entering glory victoriously which the Lord hath made and it's marvelous
in our eyes. And we can say the same about
our day. Be glad in it. Do we not have
reason to? What marvelous things God has
done for his people today. Today. Today. Think about it. We've enjoyed fellowship with
the God of glory. Imagine that. Imagine that. God Almighty allowed sinners
like you and I to enter into His presence, to bow before His
throne and to worship Him, to have fellowship with the triune
God. Imagine that. Our Lord, the night
of His arrest, before His arrest, He prayed that high priestly
prayer and said, Father, this is life eternal, that they might
know Thee, the only true God. and Jesus Christ whom thou didst
send. You mean a man, a mortal man
can know the everlasting God? That's what the Lord Jesus Christ
said and this is what the prophet, listen to what Jeremiah wrote.
You know the verse in Jeremiah chapter 9 verse 23. Thus saith the Lord, let not
the wise man glory in his wisdom, Neither let the mighty man glory
in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but
let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and
knoweth me." Oh, a mortal can know God, that
I am the Lord which exercises lovingkindness and judgment and
righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight,
saith the Lord." What a wonder. What a wonder. Turn back there
from Psalm 118 to Psalm 65. Look at this verse. Psalm 65
verse 4. And is this not a marvel? Is
this not a marvelous thing in the eyes of those who know our
Lord? Verse 4, Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and calls
us to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. We
shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy
temple. God today has not changed. God has continued to be to us
the glorious sovereign of the universe, ever faithful, ever-loving,
the same Great Shepherd. Oh, our Redeemer is still the
Great Shepherd of the sheep. And as such, He still watches
over His own. Not one of his sheep has perished
today. And not one will perish tomorrow. As a matter of fact, he said,
they'll never perish. They'll never perish. Not one
that the Father gives me shall ever perish. We've all heard
of the seven wonders of the world. I can't name them. I can't name
them. I'm glad to see someone shaking
their head. They can't either. I can name a couple. I think
the pyramids are one. I won't go beyond that. Seven
wonders of the world. Oh, but what is that compared
to this? Compared to this. A sinner can
say, in truth, he can say, this is my experience. I know whom
I have believed. Now you compare some wonder of
the world to that. I know whom I have believed. That God that spoke all this
into being, that God who in the beginning created the heavens
and the earth, I know whom I have believed. I know that God the
man, that eternal word that was with God and was God and was
made flesh and dwelt among us. He revealed himself to me. He
came to me in a time of love and said, Thou art mine. I've redeemed you. and he called
me by his grace. I know whom I have believed. What a wonder. What a wonder. Oh, indeed, is that not marvelous
in our eyes? Turn back, if you will, to Psalm
84. As I said earlier, the theme of the Psalms is this. The wonder
of God's mercy to sinners. Psalm 84. Verse 8, O LORD of hosts, hear
my prayer. Give ear, O God of Jacob. All
sinners who know themselves to be sinners, they don't take it
for granted, do they? People today, they've been, oh,
what's the word? brainwashed into thinking that
God's obligated to save everybody, love everybody, Christ died for
everybody, therefore it's useless. That produces no wonder in anyone's
heart. Oh, but to know, to know, like
that leper, Lord if you will, if you will, Verse 8, O Lord
God of hosts, hear my prayer, give ear, O God of Jacob. It's
not something I take for granted, it's not something you have to
do, but will you? Behold, behold, O God our shield,
and look upon the face of thine anointed, look at me through
him. your anointed Christ. For a day and night courts is
better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and a shield. The Lord will give
grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold
from them that walk uprightly. Lord of hosts, blessed is the
man that trusteth in thee. This is the day that the Lord
has made. He calls the hours His own. Let
heaven rejoice, let earth be glad, and praise surround the
throne. What else has God done today?
Remember what He promised, our Lord promised. He that had begun
a good work in you will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ,
the day And now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed. You remember when Moses led the
children of Israel out of Egypt and they came to the Red Sea?
And they said, well, we knew this would happen. We just knew
this would happen. Should have stayed in Egypt.
They didn't think so when they felt the whip of the taskmaster,
but we should have stayed there. We could have died there as well
as here. And Moses goes to God. Then he comes back to them and
says, listen, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.
For these Egyptians that you see today, you're going to see
them no more forever. And our sins, our sinful nature,
one day, one day, will see it again no more forever. I'll be satisfied, David said. I'll be content. I'll be complete
while I awake in his likeness. And his blood is still cleansing
us today. His grace is still reigning grace. Being honest as David was, I
can say, oh, but I'm I'm still weak today. I'm not changed. I'm still a weak man today. Oh yes, that's true. There's
no denying that, but he's still the mighty God. Perhaps you say,
and I can identify with this too. Oh, but I feel so alone. Not so. You have a friend that
sticketh closer than a brother. You're my brother. And time would
fail, as the writer in Hebrews 11 said concerning God's redeemed,
time would fail to tell all that our faithful God has done. Time
would fail to rehearse all he's done for us today, today. But remember this, as we read
here, This is the Lord's doing and it's marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and
be glad in it. And when you go home and lie
down, may God allow you to sleep peacefully, casting all your
care upon him because he careth for you. And when in scenes of
glory We sing the new, new song to obey the old, old story that
we have loved so long. Oh, give thanks unto the Lord
for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Amen.