Would you turn with me to the
79th Psalm? This has always been a very special
psalm to me. It's about the destruction of
Jerusalem. And when I read this psalm, It
makes me think this is what sin feels like in me. I think about
that as we read this psalm, the 79th psalm. Oh, God. The heathen are come into thine
inheritance. Thy holy temple. Have they defiled? They have laid Jerusalem On heaps, the dead bodies of thy servants
have they given to be meat under the fowls of the heaven, the
flesh of thy saints under the beasts of the earth. Their blood
have they shed like water round about Jerusalem, and there was
none to bury them. We are become a reproach to our
neighbors, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about
us. How long, Lord? Wilt thou be angry forever? Shall
thy jealousy burn like fire? Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen
that have not known thee, upon the kingdoms that have not called
upon thy name. For they have devoured Jacob
and laid waste his dwelling place. Oh, remember not against us former
iniquities. Let thy tender mercies speedily
prevent us or go before us, for we are brought very low. Help
us, oh God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name and
deliver us and purge away our sins for thy namesake. Wherefore should the heathen
say, where is their God? Let him be known among the heathen
in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants
which is shed. Let the sighing of the prisoner
come before thee. According to the greatness of
thy power, preserve thou those that are appointed to die. and
render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach,
wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord. So we thy people
and sheep of thy pasture will give thanks forever. We will
show forth thy praise to all generations. Let's pray. Lord, how we give thanks. For who you are. For the revelation of yourself. For the gospel of our blessed
son. For the salvation that's in him.
Lord, how we thank you for your word. Lord, accept our thanksgiving.
We're so very thankful. Bless us with your presence,
cause your gospel to be preached. Lord, forgive us of our sins
and cleanse us. Give us grace to each take the
lowest seat in the house. Bless us for Christ's sake, in
his name we pray, amen. Now, like I said, this is a psalm
that I have always loved to read when I feel to some measure the
weight of my sin. I've loved this 79th psalm. Now, this psalm is about the
destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The details
of this destruction are given in 2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36,
Jeremiah 39, and Jeremiah 32. Now, look at these first four
verses, and you can see what Nebuchadnezzar did to Jerusalem. And I think it's so amazing that
Nebuchadnezzar, I believe, was saved during this time. You know,
the Lord saves the most unlikely. people. Nebuchadnezzar would
be one of them. As a matter of fact, Nebuchadnezzar
was used to read or to write scripture. Look at these first
four verses. Oh God, the heathen are coming
to thine inheritance, thy holy temple. Have they defiled? Talking about the tavern, you
know, the holy of holies, the place where the blood was brought.
They have laid Jerusalem on heaps. The dead bodies of thy servants
have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the
flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. They weren't
even given a barrel. They became carrion for wild beasts. Their blood have they shed like
water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.
We are become a reproach to our neighbors and a scorn and derision
to them that are round about us. Now, the holy of holies was
defiled. Jerusalem was leveled. And like I said, this to me feels
like what I feel when the Lord gives me some revelation of my own personal
sinfulness. You feel like the heathen have
come into the temple and leveled it. They weren't even given a
burial. They're just carrying for vultures and beasts of the
earth. And this is how the neighboring nations have come to view them,
a reproach, a scorn and a derision. So these are the people of God. Verse five. How long, Lord, will thou be
angry forever? Shall thy jealousy burn like
fire? Now this is a very instructive
verse. This tells us that the psalmist
says, this is all my fault. I have brought all of this on
myself. All my sin is all my fault. I'm not a victim. It's not brought
on by bad circumstances or bad luck. All my sin is all my fault. I can't take any refuge in anything. It's all my fault. And your anger
is burning because my sin is all my fault. Now, this is so
important. If I don't take personal responsibility
for my sin, now if I'm a victim, If it's not my fault, if it's
even the fault of my evil nature, if that makes me think that I'm
excusing and someone, well, you know, what do you expect? I'm
not really going to ask for mercy. It's only when all my sin is
all my fault that I sue for mercy. And that's what he's saying.
Notice, he talked about all these horrible things that have happened
to Jerusalem. And he says, how long, Lord,
will thou be angry forever? Shall thy jealousy burn like
fire? You know, God is a jealous God. That's said several times in
scripture. He's a jealous God. He's jealous of his honor. He
hates idolatry, false views of himself, false gospels, because
they're derogatory to him. He's a jealous God. And he says,
will your jealousy burn like fire? Then he says in verse six, pour out thy wrath upon the heathen
that have not known thee and upon the kingdoms that have not
called upon thy name. Now that's a very strong statement. He says, pour out your wrath
on people who have not known you. Do you know it's a crime
to not know God? It's worthy of death to not know
God. Why do you say that? Well, turn
to Romans chapter one. Hold your finger there in Psalm
79. There's no excuse for anyone who does not know God. Verse 18, for the wrath of God
is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men who hold down the truth in unrighteousness because that
which may be known of God is manifest in them for God has
showed it to them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen. being understood by the things
that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they
are without excuse. Now you can say this with regard
to every human being that doesn't know God, they're without excuse. Creation says God is and he ought
to be sought. And if I don't seek the Lord,
I'm like these people, look in verse, 21, because that when
they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their
foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible
God into an image made like to corruptible man. They humanized
God. Or to birds and forfeited beasts
and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them
up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to
dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth
of God into a lie and worshiped and served the creature more
than the creator who is blessed forever. Amen. Now that's why
he says, let your wrath be poured up poured upon the heathen who
don't know your name, because they could know your name and
reject who you are. And he says also in verse six,
those people who have not called upon thy name. I love the scripture,
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. These people say, Nope. Nope. And that's why David says,
let your wrath, that's a, that's a powerful statement, but let
your wrath, pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not
known thee and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy
name or seven for they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his dwelling
place. Now I love the way the Lord's
people are called. Jacob. Jacob. Do you remember when Jacob was
wrestling with the Lord? Well, the Lord was wrestling
with him. The Lord initiated this, not Jacob. And he brought
him down and he said, what's your name? And he answered, Jacob. Healed, supplanter. Jacob is a deceitful man, and
that's how he answered the Lord. What's your name, Jacob? That's
when the Lord said, you're no longer Jacob, you're Israel. Gave him a new name. But God's
people, I think it's interesting, they're called Jacob, they're
called Israel throughout the scriptures. Now look what he
asks, verse eight. Oh, remember not against us former
iniquities. Let thy tender mercy speedily
prevent us, for we're brought very low. Help us, O God of our
salvation, for the glory of thy name, and deliver us and purge
away our sins for thy namesake. Now, may the Lord put this prayer
in the heart of each one of us, even now. Now, he asked for five
things in those two verses. And he gives the Lord three arguments
why he should have those five things or his ground of wanting
those five things. But notice who he's speaking
to. Help us. Verse nine. Oh, God
of our salvation. That's who we're praying to at
this time. The God of our salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. That's not cliche. That's reality. Salvation is of the Lord and
he's praying to the God of our salvation. Now look what he asked
for in verse eight. Oh, remember not against us. former iniquities. Now my marginal reading says
the iniquities of them that were before us. Don't let us be held
responsible for the sins of our fathers. Well, I'm not too worried
about the Lord doing that. We got enough iniquities of our
own that we don't even need to worry much about the iniquities
of our fathers. my own iniquities. Remember not against us former
iniquities. Now that's iniquities, every
iniquity we've committed up to this point. Now this is what
I love about forgiveness. He says remember not. Remember not against us any of
these iniquities. Now I want you to think about
this. If I'm a believer, when I'm in heaven, And I will
be in his presence, basking in his glorious favor, his sunshine. Do you know when God looks at
me, he will not remember one sin of mine. That's what the scripture says.
He will not remember their sins and their iniquities. I will
remember no more. And there's only one way that
can happen. I've had my throat stretched
many times back when I had that esophagectomy. And they would
give me this ear most of the time to where I would not remember
it took place. Paul, what's that called? You
know what I'm talking about. I would not be all the way under, but
when I kind of came back around, I wouldn't remember it. But you know what, I could still,
my throat would still feel, I knew it happened. I knew it happened. I couldn't remember it. I'm thankful
for that drug. Because if you don't remember
it, it's not near as bad, is it? I'm thankful for that drug. But
the fact of the matter is, I'm still aware of it. That's not
the way God's non-remembrance is. The reason he doesn't remember
is there's nothing there to remember. The sins have been expunged from
the universe. They're gone. I have a history,
an accurate history of every event of my life, and it's all
good. Now that's what he's talking
about when he says, remember not against us. former iniquities. Do you want any? You know, I
don't remember what they all are. As a matter of fact, I don't
remember most of them. And he's got a perfect memory.
And there's nothing there for him to remember. That's what
the psalmist is asking for. Remember not against us former
iniquities. And then he says in verse eight,
let thy tender mercies speedily Prevent us. Now that word prevent,
I could take it as let your mercy prevent me from sinning against
you. But that's really not what that word means. That word means
go out before me. I don't only want his mercy behind
me. I want his mercy in front of me all the time. Mercy just behind me. To clean
up my mess, no, I need mercy before me. God's prevenient grace,
grace before grace. Let thy mercy, now that word
mercy, it's the same word David used when he said, have mercy
upon me, oh God, according to thy loving kindness. According
to the multitude of thy tender mercies. blot out my transgressions. And that's the mercy. He says,
let that mercy go before me. Let it precede me. I don't wanna have a second without
his mercy surrounding me. That's what he's saying. Let
thy tender mercy speedily prevent us for we are brought very low. Here's why we need your mercy,
because we're so low. We're so down, we're so helpless. He doesn't say let your mercy
come before us because we've done this and we've done that.
No, we are very low. Now what that is talking about
is blessed are the what? Poor in spirit. How many times
did David say, I'm poor and I'm needy. I'm poor, I don't have
anything to bring to the table and I have great needs. Now this
is the psalmist argument, do this for us because we've been
brought very low. Verse nine, help us, help us. One of the things I love about
the Syrophoenician woman, that's one of my favorite stories in
the Bible. In Matthew chapter 15 and Mark
chapter 7, the story of the Syrophoenician woman. Now she came to the Lord,
asking for mercy, and the scripture says the Lord answered her not
a word. As far as she could tell, he
wasn't having anything to do with her. He ignored her. What did she do? She continues
to cry for mercy. That didn't stop her. Do you
know if you need mercy, nothing will stop you from asking for
mercy? Nothing. If that's what you need. She
continued and then he said to her, I'm not sent but to the
lost sheep of the house of Israel. And she's asking for mercy and
he says in no uncertain terms, I have only come for the elect. That's exactly what that means.
I have only come for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
You know what the scripture says she did? She worshiped him, saying, Lord,
help me. If you don't help me, I can't
be helped. That's where I'm at. If you don't
help me, it's over for me. You know, there's nobody that
comes to the Lord like that, that he turns away. Lord, help me. Help me. Help us. Oh, God of our salvation. And
look at his reason for the glory of thy name. Now this I'm sure. If the Lord helps me and saves
me and gives me mercy, I will be the biggest trophy of grace
in heaven. I will be the biggest proof that
salvation really is all of grace. And you know every believer feels
that way about themselves. You know, you're the only one
that really knows you. Nobody else does. except the Lord, but
you know you better than anybody else does. And you know that
you will be an absolute trophy of grace, giving God all the
glory in your salvation. Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of thy name, and deliver us. You know, here's
a good prayer to pray. Deliver me. Deliver me, I don't
care what the case, I don't care what the circumstance, I don't
care what the sin, deliver me. And purge away our sins for thy
name's sake. Now that's purge, that's make
atonement for, cover them. Make them to not be, that's what
atonement is. Make them to not be, and do so
for thy name's sake." Not because of anything that I have to say,
you ought to do this for me, but do it for your name's sake,
for Christ's sake. Ephesians chapter four, verse
32, be kind. tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, I love this, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven
you. That's the only reason God needs. He does it for Christ's sake. Purge away our sins for thy name's
sake. Verse 10, wherefore should the
heathen say, where is their God? And that's what the heathen would
say when they, you see the heathen have no love for our God. And
when they see us floundering, they say some God they have,
where's their God? They talk big about God, where
is he? Wherefore should the heathen
say, where is their God? Let him be known among the heathen
in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants,
which is shed. Let them know by that. Now verse 11. Let the sighing of the prisoner
come before thee. Now the only way you can understand
that is if you're a prisoner. And the only one who knows anything
about being in prison to sin is a believer. An unbeliever
doesn't have any understanding of that because they don't understand
what sin is. They're okay. Kind of like that Southern Baptist
statement that was, this was back years ago. I'm okay, you're
okay. The sighing of the prisoner. I think Paul expresses that so
clearly in Romans chapter seven. The good that I would, I do not. I can hear him sigh. The evil
that I would not, That I do, and I can hear him sigh. I know that in me, that is in
my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. I can hear him sigh. We know
that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. The sigh. You know what it's
called? Bless are they that mourn. Blessed
are they that mourn. Now, someone says, I'm not in
any prison. Well, this doesn't mean anything
to you then. But this says to a believer, let the sighing of
the prisoner come before thee. According to the greatness of
thy power, preserve thou those that are appointed to die. kept
by the power of God through faith unto salvation. I need preserved,
don't you? I need the Lord to preserve me,
to cause me to continue in the faith grounded and settled. I need him to preserve me. And I know the only way I'll
be preserved is by the greatness of his power. 12, and render unto our neighbors. That's talking about the people
making fun of them. Where's your God? Look where
you're at. I mean, the bodies of your people are not even given
a burial. Vultures come and pick apart
their bodies and the wild beasts of the earth eat the the unburied
bodies is carried Who are you? What kind of God do you have
when all this stuff is happening to you? Well, what does the psalmist
say render unto our neighbors sevenfold unto their bosom their
reproach wherewith they have reproached us Oh Lord, no, it
doesn't say that does it? It says, render to them sevenfold
into their bosom the reproach wherewith they have reproached
thee, O Lord. Now this is what the psalmist
was grieved at, the reproach of the heathen of his God. He
said, render to them sevenfold the reproach wherewith they have
reproached thee, O Lord. Verse 13. So we, thy people, you know, God's got a people. They will be to me a people.
I'll be to them a God. God's got a people. I love what
is said of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thou shalt call his name Jesus,
for he shall save, who? His people. His people. What a blessing of grace to be
the people of God. If God be for us, who can be
against us? His people. So we thy people
and sheep of thy pasture, the Lord's my shepherd. Because my
shepherd is the Lord I shall not want. So we thy people and
sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks forever. There's really only one This is the first response to
grace. Yes, love. Yes, dedication. There's a lot
of appropriate responses. But this is the first response. Give thanks. Give thanks. So we, thy people, the sheep
of thy pasture will give thanks forever. We will show forth thy
praise to all generations, the generations following. Now, this
is one of the one of the many reasons to always have our kids
in church. They need to hear of his praise
of the generations following. That's the our children, our
grandchildren, their children. I don't know when the Lord's
going to come back. I hope today, don't you? Really, really, don't
you hope he comes back today? I do. I will be so thrilled if
he comes back today. But until he comes back, if we
have another 200 years, I hope we're always showing from the
generations his praise, his praise. You know, I want to, I want to,
and I want us all to show forth to all generations his praise.
He gets all the glory in every aspect of salvation, from election
to glorification and everything in between. That's what we want
the generations to hear, don't we? His praise. And as long as we have some time
here on earth, may that be our employment to show forth the
generations to come His praise. It's a wonderful psalm, isn't
it?