this evening, considering Psalm
35. Now, as I've been studying through
these Psalms, and as I began to read and study and meditate,
upon this psalm, and that's what I do. I look at it for a day
or two, and read it, reread it, and study it, and do some word
searches, and look at it again, and then meditate on it, and
then consider it one more time, and then again, and then try
to ask the Lord to give me a message for you this evening. As I began
to read and study and meditate upon this psalm, David looked
exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ for all help, all strength,
all salvation, all defense, all deliverance. David held out no
hope that he in himself could defeat the enemy, that he himself
could satisfy God in his holiness, what the law of God required.
David held out no hope that in himself he could satisfy God
or defeat the enemy. Too great, too mighty, too big. Even so, likewise, you who believe
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, don't you look exclusively
unto the Lord Jesus for all salvation, for all hope, for all righteousness. Can't you say with David, although
it be not so with my house, he hath made with me an everlasting
covenant, ordered in all things, and is sure, this is all my hope
and all my salvation. Can't you say with Peter, as
he stands boldly, him and John before that council, that we're
considering to put away their ministry, to put an end to their
ministry, yea, even to take away their life. And Peter boldly
said, if you want to know in whose name this cripple was healed,
let it be known unto you this day that through the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ this man does stand before you here whole
and neither by the way neither is there salvation in any other
for there's no other name under heaven given among men whereby
we must be saved only through Christ now as we study this gospel
let us look as we study this psalm rather, let us look for
the gospel of Christ. And that's what we do when we
read the scriptures. We look for the gospel. We look
for the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. We look for the good news of
salvation for sinners. The blessing that God has in
store for His covenant people, for whom the Lord, for Christ,
does justify His people by His blood. We read in Romans chapter
5, I think you considered that last week, and it reminds me
of a statement that Spurgeon made years ago, he said, if I
had just five words to preach, and that's all I could preach,
would just repeat these five words, it would be that Christ
died for the ungodly. Christ died for the ungodly. He came to seek and to save that
which is lost. He's going to save every last
one of his lost sheep. Not one will be missing. I like that scripture over there
in Hebrews 2, talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, Behold,
I and the children, we're all here, not one of them missing. All that the Father has given
to me, our Lord said, they will come to me, and I will no way
in no way cast them out. I'll raise every one of them
up. The last day not one of God's elect will be missing. All will
be redeemed by His glorious blood sacrifice, effectual, eternal,
powerful to the putting away our sin and the satisfying of
God's holy law and justice. Now, point number one, the first
thing we see In this psalm is the Lord Jesus Christ as a sinner's
advocate. The sinner's advocate. The mediator. The intercessor. Notice verses
1 and 2. And this is the title of the
message found in verse 2. Stand up for my help. David here
cries unto the Lord, Lord plead my cause. with them that strive
with me fight against them that fight against me take hold of
shield and take hold of buckler and stand up for me I'm too weak
to stand for myself and here we see the Lord Jesus Christ
as I said earlier advocate mediator intercessor intercessor plead
my call stand up for my help now notice also verse 23 David says, Lord, stir up yourself,
stir up thyself, awake to my judgment, awake to my need, even
unto my cause, my God and my Lord. Again, he says down in
verse 27, let them shout for joy and be glad that favor my
righteous cause. Let them say continually, let
the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity
of his servant. Lord, stand up for my help. We have as believers, now think
about this, we have as believers the unique opportunity, delight,
and pleasure of the Lord Jesus Christ representing us and standing
up for us. Now let me give you several things.
First of all, as the surety of the everlasting covenant. As
that surety of that covenant of grace. The surety is a guarantor. He makes it good to the satisfaction
of God. I'm trying to find Hebrews chapter
7. Turn there if you want to follow
with me. Hebrews chapter 7. The Lord Jesus Christ is called
the surety of the better testament. The better sacrifices. The better
high priest. Hebrews 7.22 says, By so much
was Jesus, the Lord Jesus, made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests,
because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death.
But this man, because he continueth ever, he has an unchangeable
priesthood. Those priests died year after
year after year. They brought many sacrifices
that never put away sin. He offered one that did put away
sin. By the one offering, He perfected
forever them that are sanctified. Wherefore, He is able also to
save them, His covenant people, His elect, to the uttermost or
forevermore. And they come to God by Him.
Our Lord said, I am the door, by me if any man enter in, by
me if he enter in, he shall be saved. he shall be saved he shall
go in and out and he shall find plenty out of sin out of bondage
into liberty the glorious liberty of the sons of God wherefore
he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto
God by him seeing that he ever lives to make intercession for
us he's a surety of that covenant now we have a good picture of
that over in Genesis chapter 43. You remember the story of
the children of Israel, how they ended up in Egypt and how they
went down there and how they sold out their brother Joseph,
that is the sons of Jacob, sold out Joseph and he was sold into
captivity. Well, God had another purpose
in all of that and raised up Joseph to be king down in Egypt. And the brethren came seeking
bread, came seeking corn, and he sent all the brethren back
but Benjamin. He kept Benjamin, remember? In
Genesis 43 verse 9, Joseph gave the men instruction to bring
Benjamin, but anyhow, here's what it, no, or to bring Benjamin
back, but here's the point I'm trying to make. Judah stood up
as the surety for Benjamin. Now in Genesis 43 verse 9, I
will be surety for him. Of my hand shalt thou require
him. If I bring him not unto thee,
set him before thee, and let me bear the blame. Judah is saying,
I will be surety For Benjamin, I bear all the responsibility
and if I don't bring him home. Here's the point. Here's the
point now. I remember the story now. I ought
to research this better before I try to say these things. But Joseph required for the brethren
to bring Benjamin down into Egypt. That was the story. And Jacob
said, Now, Joseph is not. You're not taking Benjamin, my
favorite son. And Judah stood up and said,
You let him go. I'll be surety for him. Now,
the Lord Jesus Christ came out of the tribe of Judah. He's a lion of the tribe of Judah. Earlier, Reuben stood up and
said, I'll be surety for Benjamin. You send him down there with
me. And Jacob said, no, it's not going to work with Reuben.
You see, that doesn't fulfill the type. It had to be Judah.
Judah. The point I'm trying to make
is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the guarantee of our salvation. He is responsible to accomplish
my salvation. He is responsible to accomplish
my salvation. Stand up for my help! Just as
Judah said to Jacob, You send Benjamin with me, and if I don't
bring him back, you require that at my hand. Didn't the Lord Jesus
Christ say the same thing unto the Father, all that the Father
hath given to me? I'll bring them home. I'll bear
the responsibility. I'll pay their debt. I'll fulfill
God's law. I'll do all those things, and
I'll bring them all home. Not one will be lost. The Lord
Jesus Christ is that surety of the covenant of grace. Something
else, the Lord Jesus Christ stands up for our health, not only as
a surety of the covenant, but as the obedient and righteous
servant unto death. The obedient and righteous servant
unto death. In Philippians chapter 2, He
became obedient unto death, even, even the death of the cross. You see, it's His righteousness,
it's His faithfulness, not mine. His faithfulness. Stand up for
my help. Turn to Galatians chapter 2. Galatians, it's through the faithfulness
of Christ that we have salvation. It's not by our faithfulness.
How frail and how puny and how fickle. Just think how miserable
you'd be if you thought that your salvation depended upon
your faithfulness. Now I want to be faithful, but
I can't be faithful enough. to satisfy God in all things. But I tell you, I have one who
does stand up for me. I have one who does stand up
for my help, who is the faithful, righteous servant, who obeyed
God in every jot and tittle of that law, who worked out for
me a perfect righteousness unto God. And this is the faithfulness
by which we are blessed through Christ. Galatians 2.16. Did I
tell you to turn there? knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ."
Now, if you get any modern, that's why I think the King James, just
stick with it now, don't go to these other, you may consult
these other translations, but here's what they'll do with that
verse. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of
the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. They'll change that word
from of to in. That changes the whole meaning
of the gospel. It's not through my faith. It's through His faithfulness. By the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Him.
Now there's our faith. It's God-given that we might
be justified. Now watch it. Justified by the
faith of Christ. Now you look at any modern translation
and they'll switch that around. They'll switch that around. And
it says this. That's just not the only isolated
place of it. There's other places that that
is given to us. Find over here at Philippians
3. I think there's another one here. Philippians 3.9, this is one
of my favorite texts in Scripture. Philippians 3.9, Be found in
him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ. The faith of Christ. You see, he's the obedient, righteous
servant unto God. Stand up for my help, Lord. Stand
up for my help as the charity, as the obedient righteous servant.
It says that in Isaiah 53, it calls him my righteous servant.
He shall justify many, for he shall save his people from their
sin. The Lord Jesus Christ, not only
as a charity, as the obedient righteous servant, but as a lamb
and sacrifice of God. Lord, stand up for my help. You
know, sin is pretty difficult to put away. Matter of fact,
the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. All my
repentance, all my doing, all my giving can never put away
sin. Sin is difficult to put away. It took the appointed Lamb of
God to put away sin, and he did so not with the blood of bulls
and goats, but with his own blood. Seeing we have a great high priest
that has passed into the heavens, he didn't bring the typical animal
sacrifice. But his own blood and with the
sacrifice of his own blood God bought the church with his own
blood He obtained for us eternal redemption with his own blood
Stand up for my help Lord as my surety as my righteousness
as my sacrifice unto God John identified the Lord Jesus Christ
as the lamb of God the lamb that's of God God's Lamb to do God's
business in redeeming God's sheep and in doing so in such a way
that's honoring to God's holy justice. Not only that, the Lord
Jesus Christ stands up for our help as the advocate as the sacrifice,
as the obedient servant unto the Lord whereby he worked out
for us a perfect righteousness. He said I didn't come to destroy
the law, I came to honor the law of God for us. Christ is
the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth and
as the advocate and intercessor the Lord stands up for us. Now
and eternally. How about that day of judgment?
It's appointed unto men once to die, and after that, after
that judgment, would you dare, would you even entertain the
thought of standing before God's holy, infinite, eternal justice
in the puny merit of your flesh? Would you even, even entertain
such a notion? Not at all. Not a believer wouldn't.
Believe it or wouldn't, in that day of judgment, and the Lord
Jesus Christ will stand up for my help. He'll answer for me.
I've put away his sin. I've worked out righteousness
for him. I've given him salvation. Lord, stand up for my help in
that day. There is therefore now no condemnation
to those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, He is
my mediator now, and He will be my mediator and advocate.
Not as long as I hold out, but eternally. Eternally. He saves
us with an everlasting, everlasting salvation. He is the mediator. You know, there's just one. There's
one God and one mediator between God and Men, that is the God-man, the
Lord Jesus Christ. He's not the advocate for all.
He's not the mediator for all. He's the mediator of His covenant
people. And He is our advocate. He is
our advocate. Lord, stand up and advocate for
me. You wouldn't even, if you were in serious trouble with
the law, of the state of, we're in Tennessee, we're in the state
of Tennessee, if you were in serious trouble with the law
and the law of Tennessee had a charge against you, you would
not dare go before the Supreme or the Supreme Court or any court
in the state of Tennessee to represent yourself, would you?
To deal with matters legal and just by the state, the laws of
the state of Tennessee, you wouldn't go, you wouldn't do that, you
wouldn't go there. And yet men think they can stand before God
and come before God without the appointed advocate and mediator,
the Lord Jesus Christ. That's insanity! That's what
that is. Judgment, where have you gone?
Reason, where have you fled to? That's insanity! My friend, we
need an advocate. We need a mediator. We need an
intercessor. We need a charity. We need a
sacrifice. We need a righteousness. You
see what David's pleading here? Lord, stand up for my help. Stand
up for my help. You see in the Lord Jesus Christ,
When He stands up for us in the gospel, He gives us a complete
victory over all things. We are more than conquerors through
Him that loved us. It says in 1 Corinthians 15 that
He has given us the victory, the victory, the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ. He's our victory. You know, I'm
not among those who are saying, you know, we're living a victorious
life. Christ is our victory. Christ is our victory. That kind
of seems to me like a little bit of a boast in the flesh. Those who say, you know, we're,
we're, or those who even go so far as to advocate, you know,
we're living above sin. Oh no. The only time I've ever
lived above sin is, and I'm making light here, but the only time
I've ever lived above sin is when I've stayed in a motel on
the second floor over someone down on the first floor. That's
the only time I've lived above sin. I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner in need of someone
to stand up for my help. We have the victory only in Christ
Jesus, my friend. Now here's the second thing. That first point is pretty good,
isn't it? Well, I've got three more, so
hold on. We see the Lord, you folks are an easy bunch to preach
to, we see the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Savior of sinners. Verse 3, it says, draw out also
the spear and stop the way against them that persecute me and say
unto my soul, I am Thy salvation. He says it again
in verse 9. My soul shall be joyful in the
Lord, and it shall rejoice in His salvation. This is a faithful
saying and worthy of all acceptation that the Lord Jesus Christ came
to save sinners. We rejoice in His salvation. His salvation. Find Psalm 37,
39. the Lord shall help them and
deliver them verse 39 I'm sorry Psalm 37 39 but the salvation
of the Lord is of the right the salvation of the righteous is
of the Lord he is their strength in the time of trouble the salvation
of the righteous is of the Lord it's of the Lord we rejoice in
his salvation the salvation of the Lord's people now listen
It's totally of His doing. His doing. He planned it. He
planned it a long time ago. The Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. He planned it. He purposed it. He accomplished it. He applies
that salvation. And He will, in God's own time,
finish it to its ultimate end to make us just like Christ. That's what predestination is
all about. Religious people who are lost, they think predestination
is an ugly word. No, it's a Bible word. Predestination
has all to do what God is going to make those people just...
He predestinated them to be just like Christ, conformed to His
image. Who doesn't want to be like the
Lord Jesus Christ? Every believer does. That's a
blessed, blessed gospel truth. He predestinated us to be conformed
to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, we rejoice in Him
as the only Savior. I want to show you two testimonies
of two dear believers who found the same hope and comfort as
David did. Luke chapter 1. Luke 1. Luke 1, verse 47. Luke 1. 47. Mary said, Luke 1, 47, verse 46, we'll begin
there. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify
the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Mary's hope was not in herself.
Mary's hope was not the fact that she was blessed of God,
highly favored among women to give birth to the blessed Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ. But her hope and her rejoicing
was not in herself. Her hope and her rejoicing was
in God, my Savior. I like that term. Paul uses it
in Titus and in Timothy. God, my Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ, is salvation. Salvation is in a person. It's
in Christ. Now Luke chapter 2. Now turn
there. Luke 2. Luke 2 28. Luke 2 28. You remember
the story of Simeon? just and devout, waiting for
the coming of the Messiah. And when they brought the babe,
the Lord Jesus, when he was eight days old, to circumcise him according
to the custom of the law, even as an infant child, he was obedient
to the law of God. being circumcised the eighth
day was considered the most valid legal circumcision. And then Simeon took him up in
his arms and blessed God, verse 28, and said, Lord, now let us
thy servant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have
seen thy salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ is all
of God's salvation. Everything that God has provided
for any guilty sinner is in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him dwells
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in Christ Jesus we
stand. What's the word? Complete in
him. Complete. That means nothing
need be added. If I'm complete, that is full. If you take that cup and fill
it all the way up till it runs over, can you put any more in?
We're full in Christ. In Christ dwells all the fullness
of Godhead in a body and we stand as believers completely justified,
completely forgiven, completely sanctified. He is our sanctification. He is our righteousness. It says
that in 1 Corinthians 1.30, doesn't it? But of Him are you in Christ,
who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. That, according as it is written,
He that would glory, let him glory only in the Lord. So, our hope of salvation, our
hope of salvation is in Christ alone. That was David's hope.
David's hope wasn't, you know, I've been king. No. No. His hope was in Christ. His Savior. His Lord. Now here's point number
three. Christ was David's joy. David's
peace. And Christ is our joy. In Psalm
35, look down at verse 9. My soul shall be joyful in the
Lord. It shall rejoice. in His salvation. My soul shall be joyful. Now it doesn't say we're joyful
in the heartache, the trouble, the trial. Those things hurt. They hurt. We don't rejoice in
the pain, the anguish. We rejoice and we are joyful
in Him is our joy. in hymns are peace. You see what
I'm saying? He is our joy. We shall rejoice in His salvation. Again in verse 18 in our text. Christ is our joy and we give
thanks. I will give thanks. I'll give thee thanks in the
great congregation. I'll praise thee among the people. Christ is our joy. He's the object
of our worship. Again in verse 18. Well, I said,
verse 18, verse 27, let them shout for joy, let them give
thanks, and let them shout for joy, be glad, be glad, that favor
my righteous cause. Yea, let them say continually,
let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity
of his servant. So we joy as believers, we joy
in Christ Jesus. Turn over here to Philippians
chapter 3. Back to Philippians chapter 3 and this time let's
consider verse 1 for just a moment. Philippians 3 verse 1. Finally my brethren, now consider
when Paul is writing this letter to the Philippians, he's in jail.
He's in Rome, he's in prison. But he says here in Philippians
3, verse 1, "...Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you,
to me, indeed, is not grievous, but for you it is safe, Beware
of false preachers, beware of dogs, beware of evil workers,
beware of those who would mutilate the flesh and call that righteousness
concision. For we are the true Israel, which
are circumcised in the heart, which worship God in the spirit,
that rejoice in Christ Jesus, and we have no confidence in
the flesh." Christ is our joy. He is our peace. He is our happiness. Therefore in Philippians chapter
4 verse 4, chapter 4 verse 4, Rejoice in the Lord always. When? Always. And again I say, again
I say it. Rejoice in the Lord. We joy in
Him. Now, we joy in His person, who
He is. We joy in His person. Who is
the Lord Jesus Christ? He's God. Mary said, I rejoice
in God, my Savior. We rejoice in His person, who
He is. He is totally and fully 100%
God. And He's the God-man, mediator. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. How can He be God and man in
one blessed person? I don't know. I can't explain
it. But it's so. The Word of God
says so. I believe it. I can't explain
it. You know, preaching is not explaining.
Preaching is declaring. I declare unto you that He is
God. Our Lord said, he's seen me, he's seen the Father. I and
my Father are one. Paul said, without controversy,
great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. Justified, vindicated by God
the Holy Spirit. Scene of angels preached. unto
the Gentiles, and received up into glory. We joy in His person,
don't we? The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and full of truth. And of His
fullness have we all received grace for grace. You know, there's
a reason right in that verse there. The reason for grace.
Can you think of any reason for grace? grace, grace for grace,
of His fullness have we all received grace for grace. The only reason
for grace, God being gracious unto us, is because He is gracious. I'm not deserving. He's merciful. I don't merit His mercy. I don't
merit His favor. It's the sovereign favor of God.
He'll be gracious to whom He will be gracious, but He will
be gracious. We glory in His person. We glory in His redeeming,
redemptive work. For He has redeemed us from the
curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For the law of
God says, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things
which are written in the book of the law to do them. Get a
copy of William Huntington's book on the believers. What's
the title of that book? The Believer's Rule of Life.
I think that's what it is. William, honey, I was reading
some of that here the last couple weeks. Oh, it's excellent. Get
a copy of that and read it. The Believer's not under the
law. He's under Christ. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Dead to the law
through the body of Christ. Preacher, what's your position
on the law? Dead. Dead. It's already killed me. It cannot take any effect upon
me. Dead to the law. of the body
of Christ. Through Christ being crucified,
the law of God has executed my substitute, my surety, therefore
being satisfied, it has no claim on me. Not at all. Christ has redeemed us from the
curse of the law being made a curse for us. He's made a curse for
us. Cursed is everyone that continues
not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them. You remember the book of Galatians deals with that issue
of law and grace, doesn't it? Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ has set us free and be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage. We've been set free. free from
the law, oh happy condition, Jesus had died and there is remission. There's a song I'm trying to
remember about the law and its demands. And the gospel bids
a sweeter song. Run, run, the law demands. Run,
run, the law demands. But gives me neither feet nor
hands. The gospel bids a sweeter song. It bids me fly and gives me wings. John Bunyan. Look it up and read
the rest of it. We're free from the law through
the body of Christ. For the law shall not have dominion
over you, for Christ has set us free, free from the law. Oh, blessed, happy condition.
We joy in His glorious work, what He did, who He is, and we
joy in His salvation. And you know, there's a well
of salvation that we rejoice in. Turn to Isaiah 12. Isaiah
12, verse 2. Behold, Isaiah 12, 2. Behold, God is my salvation.
I will trust and be not afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength
and my song. He has become my salvation. Therefore
with joy shall you draw out of the wells of salvation. In that day shall you say, Praise
the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doing among the people,
and make mention that his name is exalted, and sing unto the
Lord, for he hath done excellent things. This is known in all
the earth." We draw water out of the well of salvation. Our
Lord said there'll be a well of water springing up into you,
in you, that brings forth everlasting life. Well, that's point number
three. Here's the last one is this.
We see the Lord Jesus Christ as our defender and as our deliverer. In Psalm 35 verse 10, All my
bones shall say, Lord, who is like thee? Now, there's this. Take your pencil and mark this.
Who is like thee? Deliver us, the poor. from Him
that is too strong for Him. I can't deal with my sin. It's
too much for me. It's too strong for me. Look
over here at Psalm 38. Psalm 38, verse 4. My iniquities
are gone over my head as a heavy burden. They're too heavy for
me. You see that? Psalm 38, 4. They're too heavy
for me. All my bones shall say, Lord,
who is like unto thee which delivers the poor from him that is too
strong for him? Yea, the poor and needy from
him that spoileth him. Who is like unto thee, O Lord?
Who is like unto thee? Down in verse 17. The Lord is
our Deliverer, Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my
soul from destruction, from their destruction, my darling, from
the lions. David's only hope of being delivered
was through Christ and Him alone. Now, two things here, two things
I see here, maybe three. There is no deliverer like the
Lord Jesus Christ. He is called in Romans 11 36,
the deliverer shall redeem and deliver all his people. No one
delivers like he does. not even UPS, not even FedEx. No one delivers like the Lord
Jesus Christ. He delivers completely, totally,
and forever. He delivers us from all sin,
from all our sin. The question is asked in verse
10, who is like thee? Anybody like, you know anybody
like him? Does he have an equal? Isaiah said repeatedly, I'm God.
Beside me there is no other. There's no other Savior. There's
only just God and Savior. But that phrase there brought
this verse to my mind, Exodus 15. Exodus 15. Who is like thee? Now that's
a good phrase. One of you men get a message
on that. Who is like thee? There's none
like him. There's none like him. Look what
it says here in Exodus 15. Now, I talked about Israel being
in Egypt. Now they've redeemed, and they've
gone through the Red Sea, and the enemy has been destroyed.
And they are singing on the other bank, being completely delivered
by the power of God. And they sing this song in Exodus
15. Verse 11, who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods,
who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises,
doing wonders. Now notice the marginal reference
there if you have the Cambridge. It has all those references there.
And I'll let you go look them up. But stay here in the book
of Psalms and look at Psalm 71 verse 19. 71 verse 19. Who is like unto Thee, glorious
in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Psalm 71 verse
19. Thy righteousness also, O God,
is very high. Who has done great things, O
God? Who is like Thee? Who's like
Him? There's none like Him. There's
none like Him. Staying in the book of Psalms,
Psalm 86 verse 8, Psalm 86, verse 8. Who is like unto thee? Glorious
in holiness, fearful in praise. Psalm 86, verse 8. Among the
gods there is none like thee, O Lord, neither are there any
works like unto thy works. Our Lord said, My meat is to
do the will of Him that sent Me and to finish His work. Psalm 89, 8. Turn there. Psalm
89, verse 8. O Lord God of hosts, who is a
strong Lord, like unto Thee, or to Thy faithfulness round
about Thee? There's none like Him. No one's
faithful like Him. No one glorious in holiness like
Him. Now notice carefully the kind
of folks He does deliver and rescue back in our text. He delivers
the poor and needy. Not the rich and famous. They're
rich, they say, increased with goods and have need of nothing.
He delivers the poor. Now, if you can come in here,
if you can identify with these folks here, you have a strong
deliverer, an advocate, a mediator, an intercessor, the poor and
needy. the poor and needy. He delivers
the poor and needy. See what he's saying here is
salvation is for sinners. Find Psalm 40 verse 17. Psalm
40 verse 17, I am poor and needy. David said, yet the Lord thinks
upon me, thou art my help, my deliverer. Make no tearing, oh
my God. Poor and needy. Psalm 70. Turn
over there. Psalm 70 verse 5. I keep you
busy here. Psalm 70 verse 5. I'm poor and needy. Make haste
unto me, O God. Thou art my help. You remember
where we started? Stand up for our help. You're
my help. You're my deliverer. O Lord, make no tarrying. Make
no tearing. When we are delivered, we do
give thanks unto Him now and eternally. That is the eternal
occupation of the redeemed unto Him who loved us and washed us
from our sin in His own blood. Now, did I tell you there were
four points to this message? Well, I misled you because I
just found point number five. We see the Lord Jesus Christ
as our only righteousness before God. in verse Psalm 35 verse
24. Judge me, O LORD my God, according
to thy righteousness. Save me according to your righteousness,
and let them not rejoice over me. In verse 27, let them shout
for joy and be glad that favor my righteous cause, or this righteousness. Again down here in verse 28,
my tongue, now here's what we do, my tongue shall speak of
thy righteousness. and of thy praise all the day
long." Now, we don't go around bragging about our righteousness.
I trust you don't. Because all of our righteousnesses,
and it's plural, righteousnesses, are as filthy rags in His sight. But as believers, oh, I love
to talk about His righteousness. Now, I can come in there. I can
identify with His righteousness. Because He's given that to me.
That He is the Lord, our righteousness. It says that in Jeremiah. He
shall be called, it says in Jeremiah 23.5, He shall be called the
Lord, our righteousness. And did you ever notice the reference
that's given there, Jeremiah 33, 16, when it talks about the
righteous branch of the Lord, He shall come and He shall be
called, and then it changes, it changes the pronoun, whereby
she shall be called the Lord our righteousness. That's my
name. You see, when a lady marries
a man, she takes his name. And the church of the Lord Jesus
Christ is married to him. And what's true of the head is
true of the body. He's our righteousness. The head
is righteous, and so is his body. We stand complete in the Lord
Jesus Christ. So we talk of His righteousness.
Blessed is a man unto whom the Lord imputeth, imputeth, imputeth
righteousness without works. That's a blessed man. We talk
of his righteousness. It's a justifying righteousness
before God. Psalm 71 verse 15. And I would encourage you to
jot this down and read this entire psalm tomorrow. Tonight if you'd
like to. But definitely do it tomorrow.
Make a mental note right now and read Psalm 71. Look at verse
15. I will go in the strength of
the Lord, I'll make mention of thy righteousness, even thine
only. Now come in right here verse
18, now also when I'm old and gray-headed. Oh God, you know
when I started here I don't think I was near as gray-headed as
I am now. I'm almost white-headed. Now when I'm old and gray-headed,
O God, forsake me not until I've showed thy strength unto this
generation, thy power to everyone that has come. Thy righteousness
also, O God, is very high. Who hath done great things, O
God, who is like unto thee. His righteousness. See, we go
right back to where we started. I realize I read that verse a
moment ago, but it's a quote, as Paul Harvey used to say, it
is a quote worth re-quoting. Look at verse 19. I just read
verse 19. Let's try verse 24. In Psalm
71, My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the
day long. They are confounded. They are brought unto shame that
seek my hurt. You see, the believer... Believers
like David do not trust themselves, their righteousness. They don't
trust in themselves for righteousness. We're not righteous by our deeds.
It's not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to his mercy he saved us. Nor do believers go about to
establish a righteousness either to obtain God's favor or to remove
his wrath. That would be a miserable thing
to try to do, wouldn't it? How good you gotta be? Well,
you gotta be as good as God. To be accepted, it must be perfect
to be accepted. I can't do that. Forget it. Rest in Christ. He is the Lord
our righteousness. Believers like David look to
the Lord Jesus Christ who is made unto us our righteousness. No wonder the Apostle Paul said
he counted all things lost and ruined and dung that he might
win Christ and be found in Him in Christ. Not having that righteousness
which is of the law. I quoted that verse a while ago,
didn't I? But I'll quote it again. But
that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith. By faith.