for us tonight that I trust will
be a blessing to each one of us here and help all of us who
know the Lord as our Savior in a particular area. I want you
to turn, if you will, to Psalm 119. Psalm 119. I know that many of you, probably
most of you, when I announced Psalm 119, there are two things
that you know, you recognize immediately about this psalm.
The first probably is that it is the longest psalm of the Psalms,
176 verses. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew
alphabet, and this psalm was written In 22 sections, the alphabet,
as our alphabet would be the beginning letter, A, but theirs,
of course, is different. But in each of these 22 sections,
there's eight verses, and each of these eight verses, sentences,
if you please, they all began with the same Hebrew letter. And we believe that the psalm
was written, composed like this, because it made it so much easier
for memory to commit to memory the word of God. You and I live
in a time when we are so blessed to have the scriptures before
us, to have our own Bibles. All of us have a Bible, I'm sure.
And if we don't, we can purchase one, fairly inexpensive. And the second thing that all
of us recognize when I announce the Psalm 119 is that this psalm
is all about the Word of God. That it is all about the Word
of God. But have you ever noticed this?
Not only is it all about the Word of God, but how many prayer
petitions or prayer requests are found through this psalm.
I spoke to us recently on Psalm 119 and verse 18, which says,
open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of
thy law. And a verse that I have prayed
many times is the words in verse 159, quicken me, O Lord, according
to thy loving kindness. But I want to speak to us tonight
from verse 49. And this too is one of these
requests. Remember the word unto thy servant
upon which thou hast caused me to hope. In this verse of scripture,
we have a wealth of information that is helpful to us in prayer. And the title of my message is
simply, Remember Thee Word. For that is exactly what David
did in this verse. He prayed and asked the Lord,
remember thee word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me
to hope. And I have three points that
I want to make tonight. My first point is simply this.
God's redeemed children are always needy. Let me say that again. God's redeemed children are always
needy. Our Christian experience begins
when we are made aware by God the Holy Spirit to know our great
need of a Savior. our great need of a Savior. When we are made to know that
we are sinners and that our sins deserve the wrath of God, that
if God gives us what we deserve, each and every one of us without
exception, if God gives us what we deserve, then we will spend
eternity under the wrath of God, separated from God, out of His
presence in everlasting destruction. And when we are made to know
our need of a Savior, then we cry out. We cry out in our need
for mercy. We don't cry out for justice.
If we do, we make a terrible mistake. But we cry out for mercy. We cry out for the God of all
grace to be gracious unto us. We pray like the psalmist prayed
in Psalm 130, out of the depths. And he doesn't tell us what the
depths were that he was in, but every believer, every child of
God knows something of the depths of sin, the conviction of sin. That heavy weight, remember,
that Pilgrim had when he left the city of destruction. His
neighbors didn't have it. They didn't feel any weight.
They were fine and dandy. They felt good living in the
city of destruction. They were content. But God, in his wonderful grace,
brought him under conviction so that he had a load of guilt
upon his back. And David said, Out of the depths
have I cried unto thee, O Lord. And in that time, our prayer
was, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. And how thankful
we were and how thankful we are that we read in that same place
after David said, Out of the depths have I cried unto thee,
O Lord, that he then said, There is forgiveness with thee. that
thou mightest be feared. How thankful, how thankful we
are that there is forgiveness with him. This is the grace of
God that bring us salvation. The words of one of Isaac, watch
him say it so well. Why was I made to hear thy voice
and enter while there's room? when thousands make a wretched
choice and rather starve than come. T'was the same love that
spread the feast that sweetly drew us in, else we had still
refused to taste and perished in our sins. God's redeemed children
are always needy. Our Christian experience begins
when we are made to know our need for a savior and we cry
out for mercy out of the depths, oh Lord, I have cried unto thee. But second, our Christian experience
continues through this life of having needs. of having needs. Have you ever
noticed or have you ever thought about the needs which are expressed
in the model prayer that the Lord gave his disciples? You remember when they came and
they asked him, Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples
to pray. And so the Lord gave what we
call the model prayer. But have you ever noticed the
number of needs that we're taught to pray and ask God to supply? The first need is give us this
day our daily bread. And so we learn, yes, we have
the privilege of prayer concerning the needs of this life, our physical
life, as we go through this world. But we always have the new life. The new life that we have received
in the new birth. And it always has spiritual needs. That is, give us this day, our
daily bread, for our bodies, but always for our souls. We
have need daily. Every day, a need. We're needy. That's the point I want to make. That as we go through this world,
saved, yes, on the way to glory, yes, but still needy. And as long as we are in this
world, we will continue to have needs, to be needy. The second request that I see
concerns the need, forgive us our sins. You remember that in
that model prayer, forgive us our sins. Do we ever live a day? Do we ever live an hour? That
we do not need His forgiveness? I don't. And then here's another need.
Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil. Now that's
a need, that's a need that we experience every day, isn't it?
As long as we are in this world, we will be subject to temptation. And yes, to the evil, to the
evil one. That is Satan, who goeth about
like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And never,
believer, never get to the place where you are convinced that
you cannot be tempted to such a degree that you fall into sin. Peter thought like that, didn't
he? The scripture says, take heed, lest thinking you stand,
that you fall. No child, as long as we're in
this world, we have needs. I cannot imagine any saved person
who could ever say any day, well, this is a day that I'm free from
needs. I don't have any needs today.
I don't need to pray. I don't need to ask the Lord
to remember thee word unto thy servant upon which thou hast
caused me to hope. I just don't need that today
because I have no needs. I just don't believe that'll
ever be true of a child of God in this world. I've encouraged
myself often with the words in Psalms 40 in verse 17. But I am poor and needy, yet
the Lord thinketh on me. Amen? I am poor and needy, yet
the Lord thinketh upon me. Thou art my help and deliverer. Make no tearing. Oh my God. In other words, I need help now.
Not five minutes, not 10 minutes, not tomorrow. Make no tearing. I need help now. Every child
of God understands to some degree what the Apostle Paul expressed
in those several paradoxes that he gives us concerning himself. And these are true of every believer. He said, as unknown and yet well-known. Every child of God, we're needy. We are unknown, yet we are well-known. You say, what does that mean?
It means like the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 3 in verse 1. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not. We are unknown in this world. God's children, we are unknown.
And yet at the same time we are known. What did Paul write in Romans
8 in verse 29? For whom he did foreknow. Yes,
we're unknown by the world, but yes, we're very well known by
God, foreknown before the foundation of the world. For whom he did
foreknow. He also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren. We're always needy. Another paradox
that he gives as a child of God is sorrowful. Always sorrowful. You say, and yet rejoicing. Sorrowful and at the same time
always rejoicing. You say, explain that to me.
We have an old nature, don't we? a sin nature that causes
us sorrow. Because if we could, we would
live without any sin. That's our desire. That's our
prayer. But we know that's not our experience.
But at the same time, while we are sorrowful, we're always rejoicing
in Christ. Why? Because our Savior, He doesn't
change. Our salvation is sure. He is
the same today as He was yesterday and shall be forever. And He,
as our head, as the forerunner, has taken possession of heaven
for us. And just as sure as He's there
tonight, one day we too will be there with Him. Paul said,
Rejoice in the Lord. Again I say unto you, Rejoice
in the Lord. And, you know, if we look within
and we think, well, I'm going to find some joy here. No, you're
not. No, you're going to find some
sorrow there. That's what you're going to find. You're going to
find some disappointment. You're going to find some discouragement.
But when we hear the Word of God and rejoice in Jesus Christ
our Lord, then we are always rejoicing. Another parable. Every child
of God is poor, yet makes many rich. How's that possible? Poor in ourselves, poor. And Paul was financially poor. The Lord Jesus Christ was financially
poor, wasn't he? He had not a place to lay his
head. The foxes have their holes, and
the birds have their nests, and the Son of Man had not a place
to lay his head, but yet making many rich. Well, how does a poor
person make others rich? The gospel. The gospel. God's given you and I the gospel
for us to share with others. And those who hear the gospel
and believe the gospel, then they too are made rich. For you know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, and we cannot even
begin to understand what that means, can we? He was rich. He always shared the glory of
heaven. And yet for your sakes, he became
poor. That you through his poverty
might be made rich. But the point I'm making is,
Every child of God always has needs while we're here in this
world. Now the second point I want to
make is this. God's redeemed children are many
times given a special word of God. Let me say that again. God's children, God's redeemed
children are many times given a special word of God. Now I see this in our text when
David asked the Lord to remember the Word. The Word. There was a particular Word. The Word upon which the Lord
had caused him to hope. Now you and I, we have the whole
written Word of God. There's nothing to be added to
the Word. There's nothing to be taken away
from the Word. We have all the Word of God.
David had a very limited portion, probably only the Pentateuch,
the first five books of the Bible, but he had enough. And God had
given him a word. And that's what he is asking
the Lord to remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou
has caused him to hope. We have the whole written word
of God contains many promises, but listen, it's not unusual. And I know many of you can witness
to what I'm saying here tonight. It's not unusual for a child
of God, for a believer, to have one promise in particular upon
which the Lord has caused you to hope. Now you know that a
special word that I'm talking about. When I say God's redeemed
children are many times given a special word of God, you know
when I say that I'm not speaking about any word that doesn't come
from this word. I'm not talking about some dream
or some vision or some letters you saw in the sky or anything
like that as a special word, but I'm talking about a word
out of God's word that God has sealed upon your heart, a promise
of His that is special to you. Think of how many of God's children
have hoped upon this word of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ, in John
6, in verse 37, he said, all that the Father giveth me shall
come to me. And him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out. How many of God's children, do
you think, struggling with doubts, fears, have hung upon that word
there? That word where the Lord promises
him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. You say, how do you go to him?
By faith. Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life
freely. By faith. Believe. I know many of God's children
have asked the Lord to remember that word unto them.
Two, who I know recently told me of a special word that God
had given them at this time. One told me that, it was Job
13 in verse 15. Though he slay me, yet will I
trust him. This was a lady, and she told
me, she said, I printed that out, And she said, I believe
she said she pasted it on the walls somewhere in her house.
She said, so I see that every day. Though he slay me, yet will
I trust him. A special word to her at this
time. Another told me this, that a
special word to her is this word in 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse
18. In everything give thanks, for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. And so
when she prays, she remembers this verse and no doubt pleads
this verse. Personally, I have reminded God
many times of Jeremiah 33 and verse 3. I'll give it to you. I've reminded God. It's His word. It's what you said. Call unto
me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things
and things which thou knowest not. That's his word, isn't it? Yes. And on that word, the word,
he has caused me to hope. I've got several words. I'm sure
you do too. But the third point, God's redeemed
children are taught to ask God to remember his word to them
upon which he has caused them to hope. God's redeemed children,
we are taught to ask God to remember His Word to us upon which He
has caused us to hope. You might ask, are you sure about
that preacher? Asking God to remember? Asking
God to remember? Yes, I'm sure. I'm just as sure
as I may be. I'm sure even though God knows
all things, And it's only the sins of his people that he said
he will not remember. And yet I'm sure that he tells
us to ask him to remember the word upon which he has caused
us to hope. I'm sure because we have both
precept and example. Here this precept, here we have
this precept in our text tonight, isn't it? Isn't that what David
is doing? Sure it is. Listen to it again. Remember the word unto thy servant
upon which thou hast caused me to hope. That's what he's doing
here, isn't it? Asking the Lord to remember the
word upon which God had caused him to hope. Well, in Isaiah
chapter 43 and verse 26, this is God speaking, put me in remembrance. That's God speaking. That's God
speaking to his people. Put me in remembrance. And I
believe there's a passage there in Isaiah which speaks of God's
prophets as being his remembrances. If that's a word, his remembrances. We are to put him in remembrance. And then we have examples, many
examples, but I want you to look at this one back in Genesis chapter
33. This example of Jacob. He's praying. And he's scared. You say, scared? Yeah, he's scared. He's about to meet his brother
Esau. And the last thing he heard about Esau, Esau was going to
kill him. He's scared. Genesis chapter
33 and verse 9. And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee. He's praying. I pray thee, if
now I have found grace in thy sight. You know, you don't come
into God's presence demanding. You come asking, don't you? That's
what prayer is. Part of it, that's not all. Giving
thanks is a very important part of prayer. but making requests,
and we ask, we pray, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then
receive my present at thy hand. For therefore, I have seen thy
face. That doesn't seem to be the right,
32. That's when he's talking there
to Esau, look back to 32. Genesis 32, verse 9. And Jacob
said, O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac. He's
a God of the covenant, isn't he? He's a covenant God. The
Lord which set us unto me return unto thy country and to thy kindred
and I will deal well with thee. I'm not worthy of the least of
all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast showed
unto thy servant. For with my staff," can you imagine
that? That's all he had. For with my
staff, I passed over this brook. And now he's coming back, he's
got four wives, 12 sons, one daughter at least, and a lot
of cattle, a lot of wealth. Who gave him all that? God did.
God did. Now I've become two bands. Deliver
me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand
of Esau, for I fear him. I told you he was afraid. I fear him. Lest he will come
and smite me and the mother with the children. Now notice. Now Lord, thou saidest. This is your word. I will surely
do thee good and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which
cannot be numbered for multitude. But now how is that going to
take place if my brother Esau comes and destroys me and my
wives and our children? How is that going to happen? Thou saidest, take the word of
God, the word. the word of God upon which he
has caused you to hope, and take that to the Lord in prayer. That's
the best kind of praying there is, when we remind God of what
he has said, what he has promised to us. Now, when we ask him to remember his
word unto us, upon which he has caused us to hope. Here are three
things that we should remember. We're asking him to remember
the word upon which he has caused us to hope. Here are three things
we should remember. Number one, he cannot lie. God cannot lie. Titus 1 and verse
2, in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised
before the world began. He cannot change. We hope in
God's word because it is the word of him who cannot change. Number two, remember this. Not
only remember that he cannot lie, he cannot change, But remember
this, he spared not his own son. He spared not his own son. Romans 8 and verse 32. He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also How shall
ye not with him also freely give us all things? Freely. God's in the business of giving
freely, isn't he? Eternal life is a gift. I give
unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish. He gives. He gave His only begotten
Son. Well, seeing He spared him not,
how shall He not with him also freely give us all things? We
hope in God's Word because it is the Word of Him who loves
us with an everlasting love, a love so great and so sacrificial
that he gave his only begotten son. He spared not his own son. And number three, he is all wise. He cannot change, cannot lie. He spared not his own son, and
he is all wise. We know that His word, upon which
He has caused us to hope, whatever word it is, upon which He has
caused you to hope tonight, in a time of need, will be verified
at His best time and way, because He is all wise. I want to give
an example tonight, a true example, Something that happened to me
several years ago, probably no more than five, I met a man for
the first time as far as I know. And I know I haven't seen him
since about five years ago. I knew his grandfather. His grandfather
was a faithful man of God. This man, when I met him, you
could tell by his attitude, he had no interest in the things
of the Lord. His grandfather's probably been
gone now for 25 or 30 years. But God saved this man. Within
that last five years, God saved him. And he went to the pastor
there in the church and told the pastor he wanted to be baptized.
The Lord had saved him. And his pastor tells me, gives
a good testimony, good witness. And I thought to myself, now
I read years ago in a message by Charles Spurgeon, he told
of an experience like this. A man in his congregation had
two sons, and he prayed for them, that God would save them, and
he died. The man died. And the two sons
came back for the funeral, burying their father. They came back
to watch their father die, actually, and then they were there for
the funeral service. And then the Lord saved those
two young men. Father prayed for that. I know,
I just know in my heart, the grandfather I'm talking about
had prayed for his son for years and years and left this world
behind. His son was lost. But in God's
time, in God's way, he was converted. So we know that God cannot lie,
that he spared not his own son, and that he is all wise in his
own time and way. We may not live to see what we're
asking, what we're praying for. But remind God when you pray,
take a word, his word, not a word, his word, the word, and remind
God. And that's the way he would have
us to pray. I pray that this will be a blessing,
this message tonight, and a help to all of us as we pray. And we always have needs, don't
we? I know I do. We always have needs. Ask, and
you shall receive. Knock, and it shall be opened.
Seek, and you shall find. That's his word. All right, David.