If you'll turn with me to Psalm
106, I believe the Lord's given me a message. And as Brother Gary said, that
will comfort your heart and give you peace that passes
all understanding. In verse 1, the psalmist writes,
Praise ye the Lord. That's a good way to start any
psalm, isn't it? Any writing. Praise ye the Lord. Oh, give thanks unto the Lord,
for He is good. For His mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts
of the Lord? Who can show forth all His praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment,
and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O
Lord, with the favor that Thou bearest unto Thy people. O visit me with Thy salvation. There is no prayer that is pure glorious or spiritual than one
that comes from a heart filled with praise. That prayer that
comes from a heart made pure by Christ Himself is truly praise unto the sovereign
God, isn't it? Oh, that a man has been taught
of God, he'll praise the true God of heaven and earth with
words of truth, Why? Because God has revealed to him
that truth. Oh, give thanks unto the Lord,
for he is good. He's good. Christ said to that
rich young ruler, he said, why callest thou me good? There's
none good but God. God is good. He's good in and
of himself. He is especially, especially
good to the elect of God. Why? Because His mercy endures
forever. If He ever loved me, He loves
me still. If He set His affection on me
before the foundation of the world, His mercy towards His
people will endure forever. Forever. That's a long, long
time. Forever. If God saved me, then I'm saved
forever, because His mercy endures to me forever. That's not hard
to understand, is it? But impossible to believe, unless
God gives you the eyes to see, the ears to hear, the heart to
believe. Now let me ask you this, if we
do not praise God for the mercies we've already received, how? How can we ask Him for more? Let's consider that for a moment
in a practical way. If I make a request unto you,
if I ask you a great favor in which you're not obligated to
do or provide, but you graciously provide it to me anyway. And
let's say that I don't thank you or show any appreciation
or gratitude to you for the great mercy that you've shown me. How
will you feel the next time that I ask you to be gracious to me?
Now you just think about that for a moment. If you're anything
like me, and I've got reason to believe that you are, you'd
say, probably say, well that's no good scoundrel. He didn't
even thank me or seem grateful the last time that I helped him
and showed him grace and mercy in the time of need. So let me
ask, is it any different than when we don't praise our great
and sovereign God for the things that He's done for us? For the
mercy and grace and provisions that He provides for us daily.
No difference is it? When we ignore praise to our
Almighty, we fail to acknowledge our obligation to the Great Giver,
God Almighty. All good and perfect gifts come
from above, from the Father in Heaven. He's the Great Giver,
isn't He not? He not only gives us our daily
provisions, the things that we need, but to those His called,
His people, His elect, oh, especially to them. He gives grace and mercy
and salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And in
verse 2, and we see from this that a prayer of praise is given
by a man who knows something about a sovereign God. and the
power of God Almighty. In verse 2 he asks, who can utter
the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can utter? Job said in Job 9.10, he said,
God which doeth great things past finding out. Or past finding
out. Yea, and wonders without number. Paul said in Romans 11.33, he
said, Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways
past finding out. In John 21.25, John said,
And there are also many other things which Christ did. The
witch, if they should be written, every one of them, if we could
write them all down in a book, all the things that Christ did
that aren't mentioned in the Scriptures, he said, I suppose
that even the world itself could not contain the books. It should
be written. Volume upon volume. Things pass
numbering. that Christ has done, that Christ
did in His time, and still does. Our Lord Jesus Himself said,
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethesda! For
if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in
Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in cycloth
and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall
be more tolerable for them, more tolerable for them, at the day
of judgment than for you. And Capernaum, which are exalted
above heaven, shall be brought down to hell. Why? For if the mighty works, the
acknowledging of God's sovereign works, and all things which had
been done in thee had been done in Sodom, It was a horrific city
that God destroyed. If those things had been done
in Sodom, the mighty works that Christ did, it would still remain
to this day. Oh, this writer knows something
about the sovereignty of God. And in verse 3 he writes, Blessed
are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness
at all times. What does it mean to keep judgment?
Well, it's to know something of God's justice. It's to know
something of God's holiness. It's to know something of His
truth and His faithfulness. It speaks of those who love His
Word. Love His Word. Those that love
His laws, that His statues, His ordinances. And then he says,
"...that doeth righteousness at all times." How in the world does a man,
a sinner, do that? Well, it's those who continually
believe in Christ for righteousness. That's what it means. My righteousness
is filthy rags. It's not even worth mentioning. I'd be ashamed to talk about
my righteousness. But where is my righteousness,
my true righteousness found? It's found in Christ. And to
do with righteousness at all times means that I continually
believe in my Lord and Savior for my righteousness. Oh, He
was made to be sin, He that knew no sin, that I and you might
be made the righteousness of God in Him. Oh, may we continually
and never ever forget, in verse 4, He says, Remember Me, O Lord, with the favor that Thou barest
unto Thy people. Now that is my prayer this morning. Remember me, O Lord. Remember me. Not, remember me
in my works of righteousness that I've done. No, not that
way. Not at all in that way. Remember me, O Lord, according
to Your mercy, by what You say in me. Remember me, the psalmist
says, with favor. Remember me with favor. Remember
me, O Lord, with the favor, not just any favor either, the favor
that You give unto Your people. Well, that's favor, isn't it?
It's unmerited favor. It's undeserved grace. Oh, remember me, O Lord, with
favor. That's only in Christ. That's
only in Christ. When God now looks at this wretched,
depraved sinner, He sees His wondrous and glorious Son. Oh, that's substitution. That's
salvation, isn't it? And look at the last six words
of verse four. Oh, visit me with thy salvation. First, I would have you notice
that the chief concern of this psalmist is salvation. That's my chief concern. Salvation. To be reconciled to a holy God. How can a wretched, depraved
sinner be reconciled unto a thrice holy God? Webster defines salvation as
the deliverance from the powers and sin, but he means much, much
more than that. God's people have received a
double reward. Their sins are forgiven and they've
been given the perfect righteousness of Christ. What a wonderful word
that is, salvation. Salvation is the one thing that
all men need. All men. And when it's given
to them, it conveys to them innumerable mercies. Mercy after mercy after
mercy for all time and for all eternity. What did the psalmist
say? Mercy endureth forever. Everything
good, dear friends, is wrapped up in that word, salvation. Now, I want to take about three
minutes to read through the rest of this psalm, and you'll see
what the psalmist means by salvation in Christ. This pictures each
and every one of us by nature. As you know, God delivered Israel,
his people, out of Egypt. Let's just start reading in verse
6. It says, We have sinned with
our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not thy
wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude
of thy mercies, but they provoked them at the sea, even at the
Red Sea. Nevertheless, there it is, Ray. Nonetheless. He saved them for
His namesake, that He might make His mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red Sea also,
and it was dried up. So He led them through the depths
as through the wilderness, and He saved them from the hand of
Him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. And the waters covered their
enemies. There was not one of them left. Then believed they
His words, and they sang His praise." But look at the next
verse, they sung for God. They sung for God. His works,
they waited not for His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the
wilderness, and tempted God in the desert, and He gave them
their requests, but sent leanness into their soul. They envied
Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, the saint of the Lord. The earth
opened, and swallowed up Dathan, and covered up the company of
Abiram. And a fire was kindled in their company, the flame burned
up the wicked. They made a calf in Horeb, and
worshipped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory
into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgot
God their Savior, which had done great things in Egypt, wondrous
works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea.
Therefore He said that He would destroy them, and had not Moses
His chosen stood before Him in the breach to turn away His wrath,
lest He would destroy them." What a picture that is of Christ.
Yea, they despised the pleasant land. They believed not His word. They murmured in their tents,
and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. Therefore He lifted
up His hand against them to overthrow them in the wilderness, to overthrow
their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.
They joined themselves also unto Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices
of the dead. Thus they provoked him to anger
with their inventions, and the plague broke in upon them. Then
stood up Phinehas, and he executed judgment. And so the plague was
stayed, and that was counted unto him for righteousness unto
all generations forevermore. They angered him also at the
waters of strife, so that he went ill with Moses for their
sakes, because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake
unadvisedly with his lips. They did not destroy the nations
concerning whom the Lord commanded them. but were mingled among
the heathen and learned their works, and they served their
idols, which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their
sons and their daughters unto devils." and shed innocent blood,
even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom
they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted
with blood. Thus were they defiled by their
own works." By works of righteousness I have done. Defiled by their
own works. "...and went a-whoring with their
own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the
Lord kindled against His people, insomuch that He abhorred His
own inheritance." God abhorred His own inheritance. And He gave
them into the hand of the heathen, and they that hated them ruled
over them. Their enemies also oppressed
them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.
Many times, many times did He deliver them, but they provoked
Him with their counsel and were brought low for their iniquity. Now look at verse 44. Here's
the salvation of the Lord. Nevertheless, He regarded their
affliction when He heard their cry. And He remembered for them
His covenant, and He repented, changed His mind according to
the multitude of His mercies. He made them also to be pitied
of all those that carried them captives. Save us, O Lord our
God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto
Thy holy name, and to triumph in Thy praise. Blessed be the
Lord God of Israel for everlasting to everlasting. And let all the
people say, Amen. And he ends it the same way,
start, Praise ye the Lord. Now I just want to keep you for
a few minutes, but I want you to listen carefully to what I
say. The first thing the psalmist says here is that God saved his
people out of Egypt. Do you know what they were? They
were a nation of captives and bond slaves. God Almighty worked
with a high hand and an outstretched arm to bring them out of their
captivity. You know what He did when He
sent Moses there. He brought the plagues one after
the other. Ten of them. And though they
didn't understand His wonders, yet nevertheless He saved them.
That's what verse 44 says. Is this not the salvation I ask
you, dear friends, in which you and I also delight? Salvation
by the sprinkled blood of Christ. Salvation by Him as the sacrificial
Lamb. Salvation by the right hand of
God and His stretched out arm. Salvation which reveals His faithfulness. Not mine. I have none. I'm not
faithful to God Almighty. Think His blessed name that He's
always faithful to me. Oh, it reveals His faithfulness,
His mercy, His forgiveness, and His power. And the psalmist says
in verse 4, those six little words, Oh, visit me with thy
salvation. Or the second thing I'd have
you take notice of is the psalmist speaks first of salvation, but
then notice that he speaks of the condescension of our God
and Savior. He says, oh, visit me with thy
salvation. Lord, I cannot be saved unless
you visit me. Is that not right? I can't be
saved, Lord, unless You visit me in mercy and in grace. Oh, don't visit me as one saved,
but visit me with Thy salvation. I need Your salvation, Lord. I'm lost until You come to me. Oh, come, Lord, and visit me
as a Savior. Come and visit me as a physician.
I'm sick. I'm sick. Pay me a visit of mercy, a visit of grace, tenderness. Oh, great and glorious God, I
beg You to come and visit me. Pass me not, O gentle Savior. Hear my humble cry. While on
my third hour calling, please don't pass me by. Visit me, O
Lord, with Thy salvation. I'm a prisoner. I'm waiting execution. Why? Because I'm guilty. Yet
come, Lord. Visit me. Visit me. I like Mephibosheth. I'm lame,
weak. I don't have a leg to carry myself
on. I can't come to your house, Lord.
I don't have legs. I'm lame. So would you come to
my house? Would you visit me? My heart's heavy. It's deceitful
above all things. It's desperately wicked. Please
come and visit me. If I cannot come to you, would
you please come and visit me? Notice the third thing, a personal
necessity. Lord, I need you more than any
other. Please visit me. Please visit me. Unless you come to me, I shall
be a wretch undone forever. Oh, visit me with thy salvation. Friends, it's always unwise to
make your necessity, your personal necessity, appear little. Our need is so great that we
can't ever exaggerate it. Can we exaggerate our need? Absolutely
not. Don't ever make your need appear
little. When you come before God, don't
try to make yourself out to be a little sinner. No. It's not likely that you
can make yourself appear more guilty than you are. I had a fellow one time tell
me, he said, so and so said something horrible about you. I said, it's
probably true. Probably true. Oh no, not what
he said. No, I said it's probably true.
If I hadn't done it outwardly, I've done it or thought it inwardly. Oh, don't diminish your need,
dear friends. Don't diminish your need. The
wise thing to do is to state your case with the Lord and it's
blackness and it's badness. And then cry to Him, oh visit,
visit me with thy salvation. Visit me. Visit me to save me. If a soul ever needed saving,
Lord, I'm that soul. Would you visit me?" If there
was ever a sinner in despair, I'm that sinner. Lord, come and
visit me with Thy salvation. Now, let me ask you, if you were
drowning in the depths of the ocean, and I've used this example
a lot, would it seem selfish that you desired a life raft?
Well, it seems like it's all about you. I'm lost. I can't
be saved by your professing of Christ. I can't be saved if the
Lord visits you in grace and mercy. He's got to visit me if
I'm ever to be saved, if I'm ever to see redemption. Does
it seem selfish that I would want a life raft if I'm drowning?
Now, I know we're to pray for one another, and we do. And I
know that we should pray for the whole church of God. But
with the great necessity that I have as a sinner, that you
have as a sinner, I must pray, O Lord, remember me. Remember
me. Visit me with Your salvation. Oh, I tell you, when your soul
is in danger, it's not selfish, is it? It's not selfish to seek
first the Kingdom of God. It's a necessity. If we don't,
we're going to perish. And the last thing that I want
to mention to you is the specialness in our text. Notice those two
words, thy salvation. Oh, that's a special, special
thing, isn't it? Thy salvation is the kind of
salvation being described in this psalm, and it's the only,
only salvation there is. God's salvation. It's the salvation
wrought by omnipotent grace. It's the salvation of enduring
love. It's a salvation where mercy
and truth are met together. It's a salvation where righteousness
and peace, Glenn, have kissed each other. Thy salvation. When the psalmist says, Thy salvation,
you know what he means? Real salvation. Real salvation. It's a sovereign work of grace.
It's a supernatural work. It's a resurrection work in raising
the dead into life everlastingly. Only God can do that. It's a complete salvation. It
delivers the sinner from the love of sin. God's taught me
to hate my sin. That which I once loved and took
pleasure in, God causes me now to hate. Religion tells us that
it saves a man from getting drunk, from lying, from stealing. It's
a salvation that saves my friends within as well as outwardly.
It's a complete salvation. Oh, may God grant us the grace
to never be content with a salvation which is not the work of God's
divine grace. There was a preacher who was
visiting a jail. And one of the men who was there
for stealing said, Hey, preacher, you remember me? He said, I am one of your converts. And very politely and respectfully,
the preacher replied, yes, I remember you. And he continued though, and
he said, dear sir, you may have been one of my converts, but
if you had been one of the Lord's converts, you wouldn't be here
for stealing. Thy salvation. God's salvation. That's what we need. That's what
we must have. Oh, there's a lot of religious
converts in the world. And you'll find them everywhere
except heaven. You won't find them there. What we must have is a divine
visitation from God Himself. God's salvation, thy salvation,
is also an eternal salvation. An old faithful preacher was
once asked whether he believed in the final perseverance of
the saints. Well, he said, I don't know much
about the final perseverance of the saints, but I firmly believe
in the final perseverance of God. I believe with all my heart that
He which hath begun a good work in me will carry it on to completion."
It's a complete salvation. It's an eternal salvation. It's
God's salvation. We persevere in the faith, dear
friends, for one reason only. You know what it is? It's because
God keeps us. Not anything in us. God keeps
us. That's why we persevere to the
end. No other reason. And you've heard me tell the
story many times now about someone who asked Brother Mahan if he
believed once saved, always saved. That was a big thing when I was
growing up in free will Baptist churches. Do you believe once
saved, always saved? Brother Mahan calmly responded,
it all depends on who saved you. Did God save you? Or did you
save yourself? Now listen, if God saved you
my friends, then the answer is yes. Once saved, always saved. His mercy endures, how long? Forever! Forever! Did you save yourself? Or did
God save you? The difference between the two
is life everlasting. That's the difference. Lord, visit me with Thy salvation. There is no other. There is no
other salvation. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and what? Thou shalt be saved. Has the Lord given you eyes to
see Christ? Has He given you ears to hear
the glorious gospel of the unsearchable riches of Him and Him alone?
If He has, thou shalt be saved. We live in a world today, don't
we, of uncertainty. Seems like nothing's for sure
anymore. Nothing seems for sure. But I'll
tell you most definitely what is a sure thing. Salvation to
those that believe on Him. What think ye of Christ? That's
on the front of the bulletin. What think ye of Christ? Whose
Son is He? Has God given you eyes to see
His salvation? If not, pray those six words
with all your heart. Get on your knees and beg God.
Lord, visit me. Remember me. Visit me with Thy salvation.