SURPRISING GRACE
PSALM 73:23
PSALM 73:23
Introduction:
This is the second Psalm ascribed to Asaph, and the first of eleven consecutive Psalms bearing the name of this eminent singer. Some writers are not sure that Asaph wrote them, but incline to the belief that David was the author and Asaph the person to whom they were dedicated. Asaph was A Levite, one of the leaders of David’s choir and Psalms 50 and 73-83 inclusive are attributed to him. He is mentioned along with David as skilled in music, and a “seer,” 2 Chronicles 29:30, “Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.”
In this Psalm David had just been confessing to God his foolishness and ignorance. However, the text shows that David was saved and accepted in the presence of God.
I. “NEVERTHELESS I AM CONTINUALLY WITH THEE”
A. David belonged to God by faith in his Savior.
1. He had a clean heart, John 1:47, “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”
2. David was not one to be downcast or discouraged long, Psalms 42:11, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
3. By God’s power in his life, David was determined to do God’s will, Psalms 16:8, “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”
B. David was continually in God’s presence as are all believers.
1. We are continually upon God’s mind, Psalms 139:2, “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.”
a. He knows our wanderings, Psalm 56:8, “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”
b. He knows and understands our thoughts, John 2:24-25, “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men , 25- And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”
2. We are continually before God’s eyes, Psalms 139:3-5, “Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4- For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5- Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
3. We are continually in God’s hand, Psalms 37:24, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”
4. We are continually on God’s heart, 1 John 4:9, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
a. God thinks upon us, Psalm 40:17, “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.”
b. He is there to uphold our life, Psalm 54:4, “Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.”
c. He is our helper, Hebrews 13:6, “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
II. GOD’S LOVE IS AS STRONG AS DEATH
A. God declares the strength of His love, Song of Solomon 8:6, “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.”
1. In Old Testament times a seal was used to indicate ownership of a person’s valued possessions, Jeremiah 32:44, “Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.”
2. So God has put his seal upon us, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22- Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”
B. God sees us in Christ who is the strength of His love.
1. He sees us washed in the blood of the Lamb, Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”
2. He sees us wearing garments that are washed in the blood of the Lamb, Revelation 7:14, “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
3. These are robes of righteousness in which He has clothed us, Isaiah 61:10, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketha himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
III. WE ARE ACCEPTED IN GOD’S PRESENCE
3. These are robes of righteousness in which He has clothed us, Isaiah 61:10, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
IV. WE ARE ACCEPTED IN GOD’S PRESENCE
A. We are continually in His favor in every situation, Psalms 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
1. He stands at our right hand, Psalms 109:31, “For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.”
2. He is our keeper, Palms 121:5, “The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.”
B. We stand continually in His presence because of the Blood of Jesus Christ, Revelation 1:5-6, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6- And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
CONCLUSION
To conclude these thoughts we look at verse 24 of our text: “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” David was sure of God’s wise counsel and of his salvation in the Lord.
Earlier in this chapter David had abhorred his sin and confessed it to the Lord. “Nevertheless,” he concluded, “since I belong to Christ I am continually with God!”