What a beautiful hymn, beautiful
words, truth concerning the sins of God's people, though red like
crimson, white as snow, washed in the blood of Christ. If you
will tonight, turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 91. Psalm
91. He that dwelleth in the secret
place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the
Almighty. I will say of the Lord, he is
my refuge and my fortress. My God, in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee
from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings
shalt thou trust. His truth shall be thy shield
and buckler. Thou shall not be afraid for
the terror by night, nor for the air that flyeth by day, nor
for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction
that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy
side and 10,000 at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh
thee, Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward
of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord,
which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation, there
shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy
dwelling. For he shall give his angels
charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear
thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a
stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion
and adder, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample
under feet. Because he hath set his love
upon me, therefore will I deliver him. I will set him on high because
he hath known my name. He shall call upon me and I will
answer him. I will be with him in trouble.
I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy
him and show him my salvation. I would like to introduce my
message tonight with an observation. And at the end of the message,
I would like to give a testimony, a word of testimony. But a word
of observation. I'm convinced that since the
coronavirus pandemic came just a few weeks ago now, that this
psalm probably has been turned to and read more than any other
psalm and possibly more than any other portion of scripture.
The last Sunday morning that we were able to meet when this
was all just beginning, I opened the service reading this psalm. And that evening, one of the
men told me, he said, you know, I've been thinking about that
psalm as I've heard about this virus. In that same week, I watched
another church's streaming service. We didn't have a streaming service
at First Wednesday night, and so I watched another church's
service, a pastor friend of mine, and they opened their service
reading this psalm. And then two weeks ago, I received
a CD recorded message from one of the missionaries that our
church supports, and he was preaching from this psalm. So that's my
observation, that this psalm, a favorite psalm of many of God's
children, no doubt, that this psalm has been turned to probably
more than any other psalm, maybe any other part of scripture.
And I have two parts to the message. First, why is it? Why is it that God's people turn
to this psalm in such times? Well, I want to point out three
things to answer that question. Why is it that God's people turn
to this psalm in such times as we are going through at this
time? First, this psalm contains some of God's promises of protection. You know, the scriptures tell
us that God has given us exceeding great and precious promises. And I know that primarily that
refers to the promises of the new covenant, but not exclusively. We have these many promises given
to us throughout the word of God. And remember this, all the
promises of God are yay and amen in Christ Jesus. But this psalm
contains some of God's promises of protection. That's the first
thing I want us to look at. This psalm contains some of God's
promises of protection. And we'll look at these four
promises of protection for God's people in this psalm. First of
all, protection from Satan. Protection from Satan. If you
notice in verse 3, the psalmist said, the snare, he shall deliver
thee, surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler. And this applies or this pertains
to Satan himself. And he is like a fowler who tries
to entrap fowls, birds, and he lays his snares and his traps
and he does that. But the promise here is to the
child of God, he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler. Now, Satan, you know this, but
let me remind us of this. Satan cannot destroy the relationship
between a child of God and his heavenly father. In other words,
that relationship cannot be destroyed. Once a person is born of the
Spirit of God, once a person is brought into the family of
God, he or she will always be part of the family of God. Satan
cannot destroy that relationship, but his purpose and his attempt
is to destroy the fellowship between a child of God and his
Heavenly Father. The Lord Jesus Christ taught
us to pray. And I'm ashamed and I feel convicted
that I don't, and I don't know if I speak for you, but our Lord
taught us to pray, deliver us from evil. That's part of that
model prayer. And many of the commentators,
the old writers say that what that actually means is deliver
us from the evil one. And we should be cognizant of
the fact that we do have an enemy. An enemy called Satan. I know
we have other enemies, the flesh and the world, but Satan also. The scripture says that he goeth
about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. And the Lord Jesus Christ taught
us to pray. Deliver us from the evil one. And we have this promise here
to plead. And you know that's the best
way to pray. That's the best way always to pray, is to take
one of God's promises and to relate that unto him. Lord, this
is your promise. This is what you have said. This
is the best way to pray. I remember Jacob, the old patriarch
Jacob. That's the way he prayed. He
said, Lord, you said, Lord, you said return. I'm just doing what
you said. And then he was expecting God
to take care of him. And that's the way we should
pray. Deliver us from the evil one and here we have his promise. Surely he shall deliver thee
from the snare of the fowler. Now we have a number of examples
in the Word of God which are given to us of how God protects
his children from Satan. I thought about Job. how Satan
tried to catch him, to ensnare him, to cause Job, and this is
what Job said to God. He shall curse thee to thy face. Now, Satan obviously knew that
he could not destroy that relationship between Job and his heavenly
father, but what he was trying to do is to bring Job into bondage
out of fellowship and out of communion with God, and by doing
the things that God allowed him to do. Satan could not touch
Job. He could not touch anything that
Job had without God's permission. Remember this about Satan. He's
still God's devil. He's still God's devil, and he
cannot do any more or any less than what God allows him to do,
my friends. And that was his attempt to ensnare
Job. You let me have him. You let
me take away what he has, his possessions, his family, and
eventually even his health, and he will curse you to your face. Well, he learned that wasn't
true. He learned that God's children do not serve the Lord. for what
they get out of the Lord. In other words, for these physical
blessings. That's not the reason God's children
serve the Lord. God's family, God's children
serve the Lord because we love Him. We love Him because He first
loved us. And listen to this concerning
Job. After God allowed Satan to take
his family and take all of his goods, all of his livestock and
everything, this is what Job said. The Lord gave and the Lord
hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
And I want you to notice this, that Job recognized that it was
the Lord who gave and it was the Lord who took away. Can you
bless a God who takes away? Or can you only bless God when
He gives? We should be able to bless Him
at all times when He's giving as far as the material things
and the creature comforts of this life. Yes, bless the Lord. Recognize that these gifts come
from Him. Every good and every perfect
gift cometh down from Him, the Father of lights, but also Are
we able to bless him when he takes away, takes away some of
these creature comforts? Well, Job was able to do that,
and I know it was the grace of God, because just as this Psalm
says, surely, surely he, that is God, shall deliver thee from
the snare of the fowler. Who delivered Job from the snare
of the fowler? God did. See, this is what I'm
saying here. God's children turned to this
Psalm in such times Because, first of all, it contains some,
and I point that out, some, not all, but some of God's promises
of protection. The first one is protection from
Satan. Now notice the second one, protection
from evils. In verses five and six. Thou shalt not be afraid for
the terror by night, nor for the air that flyeth by day, nor
for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction
that wasteth at noonday." Here are four evils which are named. The terror by night, the air
flying by day, pestilence walking in darkness, destruction wasting
at noonday. Now four is the number If you
are into biblical numbers, you know four is the number of the
earth, the world, the four corners of the earth. And what I see
here in looking at these four evils, which are mentioned, I
am reminded that there is not any evil in this world. It's
God's world, this is my father's world, it's God's world, and
there's not any evil in this world that is not under his control
and supervision. If it were, then whatever it
was, and I've read some writers who, in emphasizing this, point
out the fact if there was one grain of sand, how tiny is that? If there was one grain of sand
in this world over which God had no control, we would not
be safe. We would not be safe. But my
friends, there's no evil in God's world that He is not controlling. We know it's impossible that
anything is too hard for God. Listen to this verse in Romans
11. For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things, to
whom be glory forever. Be glory forever. Of Him, that
is creation, of Him. Through Him, that's God's providence. To Him are all things, to whom
be glory forever. So we see here, there's a promise
of protection. from Satan, there's a promise
of protection from evils. And then third, there's a promise
of protection from death, the noisome pestilence. We see that
in the last part of verse three, from the noisome pestilence. And many believe that David was
the author of this psalm. We're not told who wrote the
psalm, the human author, we know that It was inspired by God the
Holy Spirit, as all scripture is. But many believe that David
was the author and that he wrote this psalm in that time of pestilence. When God sent a pestilence in
the land of Israel, and that pestilence came because of David's
numbering of the people. David's disobedience unto God
in numbering the people, and God gave David the choice of
three things, and David chose to fall into the hands of the
Lord. And so for three days, this pestilence was in the land. Now listen, three days, how many
people died? 70,000 people. 70,000 people died in those three
days. A pestilence, what a pestilence. Think about, when I prepared
this message, I think about this. Now, that was the land of Canaan. That was Palestine. That was
the land that God described as a land flowing with milk and
honey. When we think about a land flowing
with milk and honey, and now there's a pestilence in the land
killing 70,000 people, how it should make us think about the
fact of what sin has wrought in this creation. Sin brought
death into this world. And if we think about a train, you've got the engine
up at the front, and then you've got all those boxcars behind
it. And sin brought death into the
world, first of all, but all these other things came along
with it. the sickness, the pestilence, the droughts, the famines, hurricanes,
all of these things are in this creation of God. I understand
they're all under God's control. I know that. But still, they
would never have been here if sin had not entered into God's
creation. Man has himself to blame. People
like to blame God, don't they? They like to say, well, how could
there be a good God and these things happen? But man, our father
Adam and us in him, our representative, we're the ones who disobeyed
God and God told Adam what would result in his disobedience. And
we see the repercussions. We see that all the time. These promises are fulfilled
Here, this promise, protection from death, the noisome pestilence. These promises are so fulfilled,
now listen, so fulfilled in believers that a believer cannot die till
the Lord permits. He cannot, she cannot die until
the Lord permits. Death is still, under the power
and control of God. But as we walk through this world,
listen to these verses in Proverbs chapter three, verse 23 through
26. You may want to turn there, it's
close by. Proverbs chapter three, and beginning
in verse 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way
safely. That's the way, God's children,
we walk in this world safely. And thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt
not be afraid. Yea, thou shalt lie down, and
thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear.
Some people just live in fear all the time. Remember, Paul
told Timothy, God hath not given us the spirit of fear. You see,
who gives us the spirit of fear? Not God. Our flesh, Satan. But here we
are told, when thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, yea,
thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not
afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked
when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence,
and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Now, in the case
of the Lord Jesus Christ, it was certain that no form of disease,
no assault of men would end his life. You remember what he said
in John chapter 10, speaking of himself as a good shepherd.
He said, no man taketh my life from me. I lay it down of myself
and I shall take it again." And then he said, this commandment
received I from my father. The Lord Jesus Christ was the
one individual that no form of disease or assault could end
his life because he had received that commandment from the father
to lay down his life and nothing could take it. So that's the
first thing that I point out to us, that God's people turned
to this psalm because of the promises, some of God's promises
of protection. But second, this psalm contains
some of God's promises of preservation, not only protection, but preservation. Notice in verse 11 and 12, for
he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all
thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their
hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Now there's
much we do not know about the angels, the ministry of angels.
We do know this from Hebrews 1 and verse 14, The question
is asked concerning angels, are they not all, all angels, are
they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them
who shall be heirs of salvation? Now, it's not certain that every
child of God has a guardian angel. I'm sure we've all heard that
and some people believe that. And I believe that people think
that maybe from this verse in Matthew chapter 18, the Lord
Jesus Christ said, take heed that you despise not one of these
little ones. For I say unto you that in heaven,
their angels do always behold the face of my father, which
is in heaven. Well, let me point out to us
quickly four things that we know from the word of God of how angels
may minister to God's people. First of all, the feeding of
God's people. The feeding of God's people may
be ascribed to angels. And I say this because, remember,
for 40 years in the wilderness, Israel was fed. And they were
fed, according to Psalm 78 and verse 25, with angels' food. Now, they called it manna. But obviously, if it was angels'
food, and angels, they don't need food to live. They're pure
spirits. So if it was angels' food, it
was food that was prepared. God gave, yes, God sent the manna,
but God used the angels preparing the food and delivering the food
outside their tents. So one ministry of angels is
the feeding of God's people. And we know in the case of Elijah,
we see that as well. And then another ministry is
angels many times direct us. They direct us on our journeys
as we go. from place to place on a journey. Angels many times direct us and
not only direct us on our journey, but they protect us on the journey.
And I want to point that out. I want you to see that in the
scripture. If you look back to Genesis 24, Genesis chapter 24 and verse seven, two verses I want
us to read here. This is Abraham, Genesis 24,
verse 7. The Lord God of heaven, which
took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred,
and which spake unto me, and that swear unto me, saying, unto
thy seed will I give this land. Now notice, he's telling his
servant. His servant's going to seek a
bride for Isaac. And Abraham tells his servant,
He shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife
unto my son." Well, here goes this servant out with, I don't
know, remember how many camel loads of things he was carrying,
going to look for a bride for Isaac. And you know the story.
Look down in that same chapter to verse 48. This is the servant now. And
I bowed down my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord
God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to
take my master's brother's daughter unto his son. You see, Abraham
told his servant, an angel will direct you. And he did. He directed him there. Remember,
he got to the well and And Rebecca came, and you know the rest of
the story. Then another ministry of angels
is the presence of angels around God's servants. And we see this
in 2 Kings, 2 Kings chapter 6. Elisha's servant got up one morning,
and I assume he walked outside and washed his face and got the
sleep out of his eyes and looked up, and lo and behold, All around
him, all around him and his master, there were Syrian soldiers, chariots,
all of that around him. Look in chapter 6 of 2 Kings
verse 15. It says, And when the servant
of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold, and host
encompassed the city, both with horses and chariots. And his
servant said to him, Alas, my master, How shall we do? What shall we do? And he answered,
that is, Elisha answered and said, Fear not, for they that
be with us are more than they that be with them. Then Elisha
prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may
see. And the Lord opened the eyes
of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was
full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. So not only do we see the ministry
of angels in the Word of God is feeding God's people, directing
and protecting God's people in journeys, but their presence
with God's people. And then we know this too. that
at death the angels carry or escort, I should say, the believer
into heaven. Remember those chariots of fire
and horses of fire that took Elijah up into heaven? What were
they? No doubt they were angels. Now,
so we see this psalm. Why do God's people turn to this
psalm? Because it has many of God's
promises for God's protection, as many of God's promises for
preservation. And one other thing, this psalm
contains one of God's promises of His covenant or of His constant
presence. Notice in verse 15, I will be
with him in trouble. Now God has promised to never
leave nor forsake His people. And here it is that even in trouble,
God will be with them. Now, there would be no call,
there would be no call for this promise if God's children were
never in trouble. God's children are in trouble
from time to time. Remember the apostle Paul said
this, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in
despair. persecuted, but not forsaken,
cast down, but not destroyed. So God's promise of protection,
preservation, and presence. So yes, it seems natural in times
of trouble for God's people to turn to this song with God's
promises. Now, the second part of the message,
and I'll close in just saying this, I recognize two things
about this song. First, this psalm applies to
the Lord Jesus Christ. First of all, it applies to the
Lord Jesus Christ, no doubt about it. But second, this psalm applies
to all of God's children. And it applies to all of God's
children because all of God's children dwell in the secret
place of the Most High. all of God's children. You see,
the secret place of the Most High is the presence of God. And believers dwell in the secret
place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty
because we are in union with Christ. We are in union, one
with Him. And this name almighty here is
a Hebrew name for God, Shaddai. And that means all sufficient,
all sufficient. And God is all sufficient for
his people always who abide in the shadow of the Most High. Now the long life, the long life
that is promised in this psalm is eternal life, eternal life. That is God's free gift to all
who trust in his son for all their salvation. Now, I said
I wanted to give a word of testimony. 50, 50, how many years? 54 years ago, my wife and I were
preparing to go to Mexico. We had three children at the
time. The Lord blessed us with a fourth child when we were there
in Mexico. But in family devotions, we learned
this psalm. My wife and I, and I think probably
our oldest two children, we learned this psalm. And at that time,
it was sort of our psalm. We just took it as a psalm. God
promising us protection and his watch care over us. And here
it is all these years later, 54 years later, and I can put my
seal to the promise. God is faithful. God is faithful
to his word, he's faithful to his promises. And I would encourage
all of us to memorize the Word of God, take it, commit it to
memory, commit it to your heart. And what a blessing it is as
you go through life, and especially take the opportunity if you have
small children, to teach them the Word of God. Because before
you know it, let me tell you by experience, before you know
it, they'll be up, grown, and gone. And so while you have the
opportunity, take advantage, parents, to teach your children
and show them by your life the importance of the gospel, the
importance of worship. Well, I pray the Lord would bless
this word. I know we're gonna have another
hymn, number 303, Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me. Number 303, and I pray that the
Lord would bless His word, all of you tonight, all of us here. Thank you, Bill.