Okay, Psalm 62, truly, and notice
that word there, if you have a marginal reference, that word
can also be rendered, only, only, my soul waiteth upon God, from
Him cometh, from Him cometh my salvation. Now many of the well-known
preachers of the past have called this psalm the only psalm. I preach this message other places
and I introduce the message usually by saying, turn to the only psalm. And they kind of look at me with
their head, well, you know, there's 150 psalms, but this is called
the only psalm because of this word that's repeated over and
over again. In verse 1, he says, only my
soul waiteth upon God. In verse 2, he only is my rock
and my salvation. And then in verse 4, They only
consult and purpose to cast the believer down. They delight in
lies. And then verse 5, wait thou only,
only upon God. And then in verse 6, you see
why this is called the only psalm? He only is my rock, my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not
be moved. He only. is all of God alone. Grace alone, Christ alone, the
Word of God alone. Now I want to couple some of
these verses together because they are repeated. In verse 1
and verse 5, essentially they say the same thing. Verse 5,
My soul wait thou only upon God, for my salvation And my expectation
of hope, hope of pardon, hope of righteousness, a justifying
righteousness before God is from Him, from Him and Him alone. Now, a three-fold lesson here
is given. The first one is this, upon whom do we wait? He says, wait upon who? Upon whom do we wait? We wait
upon God. Now, this is God that's not a
penitent God, not a frustrated God, not the idols of men. He's
talking here, King David, talking about waiting upon God who is
God, who rules and reigns over all things in creation, providence,
and salvation. We wait upon one and we serve
one who is the Almighty Sovereign King. He is a God of all providence. And I mean by that, of Him and
through Him and to Him are all things to whom be glory. It says
in Romans chapter 11. He worketh all things after the
counsel of His own will. He is a God of providence and
He's too wise to make any mistakes. Matter of fact, He never has
made a mistake. He does all things well. Shall
not the God of all the earth do right? Turn over here to Psalm
115. Psalm 115. Our God is in the heavens. You see it? Psalm 115, verse
3. Our God is in the heavens. And
He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased to do. That's what God
does, because He's God. in creation, providence, and
salvation. He is not only the God of all
providence, He is the God of all power. Of all power. This is God who is God. It says
that down in verse 11. Power belongs to God. Now how much power does He have?
He has so much power that God, when He spoke creation into existence,
He said, let it be and it was. He speaks all things by the word
of His power. He is a God of all power, and
He's too strong to fail. Matter of fact, He cannot fail. His purpose will stand. He said,
I've spoken it, I'll bring it to pass, I've purposed it, and
I will do it. That's what the Scriptures teach,
that God is God. He's a God of all providence,
He's a God of all power, and He's a God of all wisdom. His
purpose, His counsel shall be done. It shall be done. Now turn
back to Psalm 33 and let's see what the book says. Psalm 33. See what God says about Himself.
You know, He describes Himself in this book. It's His book.
And He describes Himself as the Almighty King of kings and Lord
of lords. Psalm 33, look at verse 8. Let
all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the
world stand in awe of Him. For He spake, And it was done. I can't speak like that. No man
can speak like that. He decrees what He decrees come
to pass. He spake and it was done. He
commanded. He commanded and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth the counsel
of the heathen to naught. He maketh the devices of the
people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord. Look
at verse 11. The counsel of the Lord standeth forever. the thoughts
of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God
is the Lord and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."
You see, he speaks and it's done. He commands and it stands fast. His counsel shall be done. He's a God of all providence.
Too wise to make a mistake. What he does is right. He's a
God of all power. Too strong to fail. And He's
a God of all wisdom, whose counsel and purpose shall come to pass. This is a God in whom we worship. This is a God in whom we live
and move and have our being. Now, that's upon whom we wait. We wait upon God. Secondly, how
do we wait? Well, it's answered here in the
text. How do we wait? It says here
in verse 1, we waiteth upon God, and notice in the marginal reference
it says, we wait silently. upon God. We wait patiently upon
God. We wait sincerely upon God, resigned
to His will, waiting upon the Lord. Turn back to Psalm 40,
verse 1. We wait upon the Lord, not complaining,
not arguing with God's purpose. We wait as believers, resigned
to His will, silently, patiently waiting upon the Lord. Psalm
40, verse 1, ìI waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined
unto me, and heard my cry.î ìHe brought me up also out of a horrible
pit.î Now itís worth waiting on, isnít it? Isnít Godís blessing
worth waiting upon? ìHe brought me out of a horrible
pit, out of the miry clay, set my feet upon a rock, and established
my goings.î He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise
unto our God. Many shall see it in fear and
shall trust the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh
the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn
aside the lies. Oh, I waited patiently for the
Lord, and he heard my cry, and blessed me." Our Lord taught
us to pray this way. Thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven. and believers are resigned to
his will. Like the story of Eli. You remember
Eli in 1 Samuel chapter 3. Eli had two boys that were rebel
boys. Eli was the priest of God. And
he didn't take care of his family evidently and these two sons
of his, they were rebels. And they misused the office of
the priest and they took advantage of the people. And God told young
Samuel, go tell the old man Eli that I'm going to kill both those
boys. Well, Samuel kind of hesitated for a while, but finally he went,
and Eli said, you tell me what God told you or it's going to
be on you. Well, he finally told the old
man, and he told him, he said, God's going to kill both of your
boys. Remember what he said? It's the Lord. Let him do what
seemeth good in his sight. It's the Lord. Let him do what
he will. Like Job. You see, we wait patiently
upon our God. Resign to his sovereign will
and purpose. Wait upon him. Like Job. Job was a man who was blessed
of God. A man after God's own purpose
and heart. He had many things. God blessed
him materially. He had many children. God took
everything away from him. He took his cattle, his servants,
his camel, his family, his wife said, Joe, why don't you just
curse God and die? His wife turned on him. But you
know what? He said, the Lord gave, the Lord
had taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. He was resigned
to God's sovereign will, God who is God. I desire that. I
desire that, to be resigned to his will and to wait upon the
Lord. So this threefold lesson here,
upon whom do we wait? Upon God who is God. How do we
wait? Patiently. Resign to His sovereign
will. What do we wait for, thirdly?
What do we wait for? It's answered in the text here.
From Him cometh my salvation. Down in verse 5, wait thou only
upon God, for my expectation and my hope of pardon, forgiveness
and salvation is From Him. What do we wait for? All blessings. All spiritual blessings in Christ
Jesus. Salvation is of Him and salvation
is from Him. He is my hope. The Lord Jesus
Christ alone is all my hope before God. We have a good hope through
what? My efforts? Through my obedience? No, we have a good hope through
grace. And it's the grace of God alone.
is a good hope in Christ Jesus, and we wait upon God because
He's the God of salvation. My salvation is from Him. He's
the God of salvation. Oh, Simeon, waiting for the consolation
of the Lord, for the coming of the Messiah, and God promised
him he wouldn't die until he'd seen the Lord's Christ. And when
they brought the babe in, to circumcise him after the manner
according to the law on the eighth day, considered the most valid
circumcision, the eighth day. Simeon, when they brought the
young baby into the temple, he took him up in his arms, he said,
can I hold him? Took him up in his arms and said,
Lord, let me depart. Mine eyes have seen thy salvation. My friend, salvation is in a
person, the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, Upon whom we wait? God who is God. How do we wait?
Silently, like Simeon waiting for the consolation of Israel.
And then he rejoiced when he saw the Savior. Salvation is
in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. And what do we wait for? All
spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. You see, the whole of
our salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord and
His planning. When did He plan salvation? Salvation is older
than creation. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ in the purpose of God and the decree of God is older
than creation. It's older than the fall. Before
Adam ever sinned and fell and plunged the race into total ruin
and wreck, the Lord Jesus Christ stood as a mediator, as a surety
of the covenant, as a lamb slain before the foundation of the
world. Salvation is of the Lord. in its planning. I tell you,
I'm going to wait upon God. I'm going to wait upon God. And
that salvation is of Him in its planning. It's of Him in its
performance. Now look at Psalm 58. Salvation
is of the Lord in its performance. You see, salvation is not God
done all He can do and now He expects some performance out
of you. That's not the salvation that's taught in Holy Scripture.
Holy Scripture teaches that salvation is all of God in its planning
and its performance. I can make good on that. Psalm
57, look what it says right here, verse 1. Be merciful unto me,
O God, be merciful unto me, For my soul trusteth in thee, yea,
in the shadow of thy wings, while I make my refuge. Now he's looking
and he's giving the mercy seat upon which atonement was made.
Until these calamities be overpassed, I will cry unto God most high,
unto God that performeth most things for me. Did I misread
that? I did misread that, didn't I?
I did on purpose. To make a point. Because that's
what religion, that's what the religion of men say in our day.
God's done all He can do and the rest is up to you. I'll cry
unto God most high, unto God that performeth all things for
me. Now look at verse 3. He shall
send from heaven and save me. He sent from the highest resources,
from heaven itself. God sent forth His Son, made
of a woman, made under the law to redeem them. He shall send
from heaven and save me from the reproach of Him that will
swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth."
And He did. The Lord Jesus Christ, He is
truth. He is mercy. So the whole of
my salvation is of the Lord in His planning, in His performance,
and in His perfection. It's perfection. God who has
done a good work in you, He will perfect it, He will perform it,
He will finish it. In Him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily and in Christ the believer stands. How
does he stand in Christ? What does that scripture say?
Complete, perfect, perfect in Christ Jesus. That's right. Every
sinner in Christ is a saint, sanctified. He is my sanctification. He is my righteousness. He is
my wisdom and redemption. So salvation of the Lord and
His planning, performance, perfection, and its power. Its power! Salvation of the Lord in its
power. Now what does it take? What kind
of power we're talking about? What kind of power does it take
to raise a dead body from the grave? Now, would you say that
that takes mighty power, almighty power, sovereign power to raise
a dead body? Well, my friend, that's exactly
what God does in salvation. He raises us from the dead. Spiritually, we were dead in
sin and God quickens and gives us spiritual life. We believe,
how do we believe? Ephesians 1, 19 says, we believe
according to the working of His mighty power. Faith is not something
that's conjured up within me. Salvation and faith is a gift
of God. the gift of God. We believe according
to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in us. And then the next verse, you
know what it talks about? The same power that it took to
raise the dead body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that takes
power. That's the same power it takes
to raise this dead sinner to enable me to believe God. You see, my problem is that this
is the reason that salvation is all of God. And the reason
salvation must be by the mighty power of God because of my condition.
It's just not that I'm wounded or bruised. In Adam all what? In Adam all died. Therefore God by his mighty power
must give me life. You see what he's saying here
in this psalm. Wait thou upon God from him comes my salvation. My soul, verse 5, wait thou only
upon God, for my expectation is from Him, of Him, and in Him. Now I want to look at verse 2
and verse 6 together. Notice Psalm 62, verse 2, He
only, He only is my rock, my salvation, He is my defense,
I shall not be greatly moved. Now look at verse 6, He only
is my rock, my salvation, He is my defense, I shall not be
moved." Now, He only, He only, we can look at several words
here and we could enlarge on each word, but He, He, God who
is God, He, and then only, and then He's mine. He's my rock. He's my salvation. The Lord Jesus
Christ is all and in all. He is the only foundation upon
which God has laid. We read that in Isaiah 28, 16. Let's turn back over there. Isaiah
28, 16. You see, we can safely rest upon
the foundation that God has laid. Isaiah 28, 16. He is the only rock. He is the
only foundation. Other foundation can no man lay
than that which is laid, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah
28, verse 16, Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I
lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious
cornerstone, a sure, it's a sure foundation. He that believes
on him shall not make haste, will never be forced out, will
never be confounded, will never be ashamed of this foundation. You see, He only is my rock. He's my foundation. He only.
Our Lord said, upon this rock I'll build my church and the
gates of hell cannot prevail against this foundation that
God has laid. He is only my rock. He is only,
look back to the text again, He only is my Savior. No other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved. He is the only Savior. Now turn to Isaiah 40. Isaiah 40. He only. He only is
my rock. He only is my Savior. Isaiah 40. Excuse me, Isaiah
45. Isaiah 45. Verse 21, and bring them near, yea, let
them take counsel together, who hath declared it from ancient
time, verse 21, who hath told it from that time, have not I
the Lord, and there is no God else beside me, a just God and
Savior. There is none beside me, there
is no other Savior, but God our Savior. Look unto me, and be
ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there
is no other." He is all of my salvation. He's the only foundation. He is the only Savior. He is
this rock. I turn back to Psalm 62, and
then turn one page to Psalm 61, and look at this. David prayed
this way, Psalm 61. Hear my prayer, O God. Attend,
hear my cry, O God. Attend unto my prayer. Psalm
61, verse 1. From the end of the earth will
I cry unto thee. When my heart is overwhelmed,
lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a
shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide
in thy tabernacle forever. I will trust in the covert of
thy wings." And he's talking there again about that mercy
seat. That's our refuge. Christ, He is our mercy seat.
So He only is my foundation. He only is my Savior. And then
look back at the text again. He only is my defense. He's my defense. He's my hiding
place. He is my refuge. He is my defense. He is my advocate. When you sin,
we have an advocate with the Father. He's Jesus Christ the
righteous. You see, He only is my defense.
What is your defense against your sin? What, are you going
to defend yourself? No, he's my defense. He's my
defense. In the court of God's justice,
he's my defense. He's my advocate. He's my mediator. He's my lawyer. He undertakes
my case and he's never lost a case. He wins every one. He's my defense. The law would accuse me. He said,
I've honored the law. Sin would accuse me. He said,
I put away his sin. You see, he's my defense. I cannot
be moved. That's why he says there, I shall
not be greatly moved. And then he says, down in verse
6, he seems to grow in confidence. He said, I shall not be moved. I shall not be moved. You see,
to move the believer, now listen to this. To move the believer,
you've got to move the rock. You see, the believer is fastened
to the rock. To move him, you've got to move the rock, and the
rock's not moving. That rock is God. That rock is God. When the Apostle Paul in Acts
chapter 20 was headed toward Jerusalem, and they came and
told him that bad times were waiting for him, and he said,
none of these things move me. He knew he was resting on the
rock, The Lord Jesus Christ. The believer cannot be moved.
The believer cannot be charred. The believer cannot be lost.
The believer cannot perish. The believer cannot be condemned.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who were in Christ Jesus. Now look back at the text again.
That's a pretty good start, isn't it? He only is my salvation,
my rock, my defense, my Savior. In verse 3 and 4, let's consider
these two verses. In verse 3 and 4, the believer
is not without enemies. How long will you imagine mischief
against a man? He's talking here about those
enemies of the gospel that would accuse us falsely. And God says,
you're going to be slain. The enemies of the gospel, God
will take care of them. He will fight our battle. You
see, He's our defense and He's our offense too. We take the
sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. How long will
you imagine mischief against a man? You shall be slain, the
enemies of the gospel shall be slain as a bowing wall, ready
to fall over, as a tottering fence, ready to collapse. They
only consult to cast the believer down from his excellency. They
delight in lies. The enemies of the gospel do.
They delight in lies. They don't delight in the truth.
They bless with their mouth. They talk so piously and religiously. Some of you have been watching
probably the Pope's over here. And he, oh, he just, oh, I tell
you, they call him Holy Papa. Ain't nothing holy about that
man. He's an imposter. He's a false,
he's a phony. He's as phony as can be. That's
what he is. Oh, ain't nothing holy about
that man. And he's certainly not anybody's
spiritual father. He's, it's just absolutely Ridiculous
some of the things that go on, but they bless with their mouth. They show religious piety outwardly,
but our Lord said they curse inwardly. Our Lord said this
in Matthew 15 about those hypocrites, about those Pharisees. He said,
they honor me with their mouth, and they draw nigh to me with
their lips, but their heart is far from me. And that's religion
in our day. They have such outward religious
piety and there's no truth to them at all. The believer is
not without enemies and the enemy is without any foundation. He's
without salvation. Matter of fact, he's on sinking
ground. He says that in Matthew chapter
7, doesn't he? Let's turn and read that, Matthew
chapter 7, because it makes a comparison between the believer and the
false professor. And those who claim, Lord, we
preached in your name, and Lord, we've done this in your name,
and Lord, we've cast out demons, and Lord, we've done many wonderful
works. And he said, depart from me, I do not know you. I never
knew you, you that work iniquity. Matthew 7, look at verse 24.
Therefore, whosoever heareth, Matthew 7, 24, heareth these
sayings of mine, and doeth them, I liken him to a wise man who
built his house upon a rock. That's the believer. He's a wise
man. He's been made wise in Christ. God's made him wise to rest upon
the Lord Jesus Christ. The rock, the rain descended,
the floods came, and blew upon the house, and beat upon the
house, and it did not fall. Why? Because it was founded upon
a rock, and that rock is Christ. Everyone that heareth these sayings
of mine, and will not believe them, will not do them, shall
be likened to a foolish man. The fool hath said in his heart,
there is no God." That's what the fool says. "...shall be likened
to this foolish man that built his house upon the sand. The
rain descended, the floods came, and the wind blew, and it beat
upon the house, and it fell." Oh, I tell you, and great was
the fall of it. Those resting upon Christ Jesus,
they're on that solid ground, that solid rock. The enemy is
without foundation, he's without salvation, he's without a refuge,
and he has no defense. As a matter of fact, God mocks
the enemy. You know that? Turn to Psalm
2. Psalm 2, rather. Psalm 2. You say, well, preacher,
you shouldn't talk about those other folks. I think it's time
somebody started talking. about and exposing those who
are phonies. There's too much that goes on
in the name of God that's an abomination. Our Lord said to
those Pharisees, you are they which, and you talk about those
things that are highly esteemed among men. And our Lord said,
those things are abomination unto me. Those who justify themselves
before men by their deeds. That's godly. But He mocks them here. Look
at Psalm 2. Look at verse 1, Why do the heathen rage, and
the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against
His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, let
us cast away their cords from us. He that sits in the heavens
shall laugh. God's not disturbed. God's in
control of all things, even the phonies. He's in control of all
things. He that sitteth in the heavens
shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision. He shall speak
unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hills, Zion. I will declare
the decree the Lord has sent unto me this day. Have I begotten
thee? I tell you, my friend, the believer
resting on the rock His salvation is certain and sure, and that
rock is the Lord Jesus Christ alone. It's not the rock in the
church. It's not the rock in my baptism. It's not the rock
in my, no, my work. No, it's the rock alone. Christ
alone is all our salvation. Now, it says there, they delight
in lies. They've made lies their refuge.
They pray unto a God that cannot save. It's no wonder their only
purpose is to is to cast a believer down from his only hope. It's
no wonder they play the hypocrite before God. Now, look at verse
7. Psalm 62, verse 7. In God, in
God is my salvation and my glory, the rock of my strength and my
refuge is in God. Now notice carefully. Salvation
is not only from Him, salvation is in Him. In God. is my salvation. In God is my
glory. In God is the rock of my strength. In God is my refuge. You see it all. It's all not
only from Him, but salvation is in Him. In our Lord Jesus
Christ. He is my Savior. He is God my Savior. He is my glory. We glory only
in the Lord Jesus Christ. God forbid we should glory save
in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. And He is my strength.
He is my refuge. He is my strength. Turn to Psalm
46. He is my refuge and strength. Psalm 46. You see, He is God my Savior. Do you ever notice in the book
of Titus how many times Paul says that over and over again?
He is God my Savior. My Savior is none other than
God Almighty, the God-Man Mediator. Psalm 46, verse 1, God is our
refuge and strength of every present help in trouble. Therefore
will not we fear, though the earth be removed, though the
mountains be carried in the midst of the sea. God is our refuge,
strength of every present help in trouble. We will not fear
and we will not be moved. In God is our strength. You see
what he's saying there? My glory, my refuge is in God. He's made unto the believer.
He is my refuge. He is my righteousness before
God. I'm not going around and around
and about to establish a righteousness of my own hand, my own doing. I'm resting in the Lord Jesus
Christ. He was called the Lord, our righteousness before God. But of Him are you in Christ,
who of God is made unto me. Wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. You see, in God is my salvation,
my glory, the rock of my strength, my refuge is in Him. You get a hold of what he's saying
there? He only. Of Him, from Him, and in Him.
Now, notice verse 8. Psalm 62 verse 8. Now, trust
in Him. Trust in Him at all times. Trust in Him at all times. Well, it doesn't say trust in
Him when you're feeling good. It doesn't say trust in Him when
you feel you're saved. Most of the time, I feel I'm
lost, to be right honest with you. And trust in Him at all
times, you people. Pour out your heart before Him.
God is for us. God is refuge for us. You see what he's saying there?
That being so, God who is God. Trust and rely upon Him at all
times. Believe Him at all times. Turn
over here to Psalm 31. Look at this. You see, my times
are in His hand. Psalm 31. Look at this, verse
14. Trust in Him at all times. Psalm
31, verse 14. I trusted in thee, O Lord, I
said, thou art my God. My times are in thy hand. deliver me from the hand of my
enemies, and from them that persecute me, make thy face to shine upon
my servant, save me for thy mercy's sake." Trust in Him at all times. Now, look back at the text again.
Trust in Him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before
Him. Cry unto Him. Present your case
before Him. He encourages us in the Scripture,
saying, We have a great high priest that is passed into the
heavens. Let us come boldly unto the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need. Trust in Him at all times, and
there pour out your heart before Him. God is our refuge. If God be for us, it says there,
He's for us. God is for us. If He's for us,
It is. Who can be against us? Huh? That's what it asks in Romans
chapter 8, doesn't it? If God be for us, who can be
against us? Who can lay anything to the charge of God the elect?
It is God who justifies. Who is He that condemns? Christ
has died. He rather raise it again and
send it to the right hand of God. Oh, that gives me encouragement. In God, God is for us. Now trust
in Him at all times. Trusting Him at all times for
all things. We trust Him. Now, look at verse 9. Now, we're to trust Him at all
times. And here's the reason why. Look
at verse 9. Surely, you wouldn't trust where God curses, would
you? Don't trust the flesh. Trust in Him at all times. Don't
trust yourself. Trust Him at all times. And here's
the reason being, all flesh is grass. Surely men of low degree
are vanity, men of high degree, what are they? God said, let
God be true to every man alive. There's no high and low. We're all grass, all flesh is
grass, all wicked and sinful, guilty to pray before God. To
be laid in the balance, they're all together. Nothing. Men individually,
collectively are a big zero. Turn to Psalm 39, look at this. Remember what Daniel said to
that king in Babylon? You're found and weighed in the
balance and found wanting. And here's the reason why. Psalm
39, Lord, verse 4, make me to know my end, the measure of my
days, what it is that I may know how frail I am. Oh, wretched
man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? In
Romans 7, Paul cries out unto God, Behold, thou hast made my
days as a hand breath, and my ages as nothing before thee.
Barely every man in his best state is altogether zero. Vanity, oh my goodness, nothing
but sin. Nothing but filthiness before
God. I dare not present it. He says
in Isaiah 65, have you ever read that scripture? Isaiah 65. He said, it's smoking my nose! Away with it! All our goodness
stinks in the counsel of God, in the judgment of God. We're
nothing but obnoxious to Him. Even ourselves stink. They tell
me that rotting dead flesh, I've never seen human flesh. They
tell me that's just awful to smell. I've never smelled it.
I've smelled some animals that have died, and that's obnoxious.
But they tell me rotting human flesh has a terrible odor, and
that's exactly what we are before God. A rotting, stinking, dying
corpse in and of ourselves, banishing nothing before God. You wouldn't
trust that, would you? No wonder Paul said, away with
that, away with all my works. And he, as he talks about everything
that he was in religion in Philippians chapter three, and he said, oh,
I counted all but dung and ruin and lost. All but dung. That's pretty strong language.
Manure. All my religious of the, religious of the past and present
is nothing but a pile of manure. Away with it. Oh, that we might
win Christ and be found in him. Not having our own righteousness
which is of the law, but that which is through the faithfulness
of Christ. The righteousness which is of God by faith. So
trust not the flesh. Now look at verse 10. Trust not
poverty. Trust not riches. Don't set your
heart upon these things. Poverty doesn't mean that God's
smile and favor is upon you. Nor does it mean because God
has given you wealth and riches. That doesn't necessarily guarantee
His favor either. It's not poverty, it's not riches.
Trust none of those things. I'm telling you to trust the
Lord Jesus Christ alone. Trust not these things. Don't
set your heart upon them. Set your heart upon Him. Now,
look at verse 11 and 12, and I'll quit here. God has spoken
once. Now, does He need to speak anymore?
God has spoken once. God only needs to speak once.
His Word is final. His Word's final. His Word's
immutable. His Word's infallible. His Word's
omnipotent. His Word's successful. He speaks
once, and it's done. It's done. But I tell you what,
twice I've heard this. We need to hear it many times,
over and over and over again. We need to hear this many times.
We need to hear it over and over. Add no wonder James said, let
every man be swift to hear. slow to speak, slow to anger,
all power. And here's what God has spoken.
Here's what we need to hear repeatedly again and again and again. Well,
preacher, you harp upon sovereignty too much. I'm not talking about
sovereignty. I'm talking about God who is
sovereign. There's a difference. God who is God. I'm not preaching
the sovereignty of God. I'm preaching God who is sovereign.
God has spoken once, twice have I heard this power, sovereignty,
glory, honor belongs to Him alone. God is God. Whatsoever He pleases,
that's what He does in heaven, earth, seas, and all deep places.
And look what He says in verse 12. All power belongs to God. And you know what? All mercy
too. All mercy belongs to God. He's
spoken this once. Oh, I want to hear it again and
again. He delights to show mercy. Turn over here, I believe it
is Psalm 86. All power belongs to God, but
let us never forget, He said, I will have mercy. I will have
mercy. God's going to show mercy. He's
going to show mercy to whom He will, but my friend, let us never
forget, all power belongs to God, but He also, all mercy belongs
to Him. He will have mercy on His people. I told you to turn to Psalm 86.
He will have mercy on whom he will. Psalm 86, 9. For thou,
Lord, art good and ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy unto all them
that call upon thee. He's plenteous in mercy. God
delights to show mercy. I'm going to be a mercy beggar.
How about you? If God delights to show mercy,
And His greatest glory is to show mercy. And if that's what
I need, I'm going to take my place before His sovereign throne
as the mercy beggar and say, God, be merciful to me, thee
sinner. For thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive, plenteous
in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. I preached this morning
at Zebulun and a young lady came out the door and she said, I
need salvation. I need this salvation in Christ. And I said, He delights to show
mercy, call upon Him, ask Him for mercy, seek the Lord. But
thou art, verse 15, but thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion,
gracious, long-suffering, plenteous in mercy and in truth. I'm going
to call on the Lord as a mercy beggar and ask Him to have mercy
upon me, knowing He delights to show mercy. In closing, God
has spoken once, twice have I heard this, power, power belongs to
God. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth
mercy, for thou rendest to every man according to his deeds. All power to justly condemn the
wicked, the wages of sin is death, and he has all mercy in rewarding
the believer, not in a way of merit, but rewarding the believer
in the way of grace, the whole inheritance of grace. You see,
those who choose to stand by their depraved and fallen will,
God will deal with them in judgment justly by His power and His omnipotence. He will judge them by that righteous
standard of Christ. And those who by God's grace
have been blessed to look to the Lord Jesus Christ and to
be found in Him, they will be blessed and rewarded according
to the way of grace and grace alone in Christ Jesus. And He will give them the whole
inheritance of grace and entitle them to all grace now and all
glory hereafter in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's by His grace and
His grace alone. You see, He blesses us on the
merit of His work. And He gives that freely and
imputes that to us freely by His grace. Well, what do you
think of the only psalm? That's a good psalm, isn't it?
You take that and you study that and read that and consider these
verses the rest of the week. And I pray the Lord will bless
His Word.