PSALM

I COME TO DO THY WILL, O GOD
PSALM 40:1-17

Introduction:

David spoke of our Lord here in this psalm. The Apostle Paul put all doubt to rest concerning this in Hebrews 10:5-9. David confines the meaning to him who came into the world to do the Father’s will.

He did not write concerning David himself, but concerning his antitype and son, who is called by his name, Ezekiel 37:24,25, “And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25- And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.” Hosea 3:5, “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.”

I. DAVID’S PERSONAL THANKSGIVING vv. 1-3

A. I waited patiently on the Lord, v. 1; Isaiah 25:9, “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

B. He lifted me out of a horrible, tumultuous pit, vv. 2-3; Matthew 13:50, “And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

1. He set my feet upon a rock, v. 2; Psalms 27:5, “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.”

2. He put a new song in my mouth, v. 3; Revelation 5:9, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”

a. A song of Praise, Psalms 103:1, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

b. A song of Trust, Psalms 31:1, “In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.”

II. GOD GOODNESS TO HIS SAINTS vv. 4-5

A. Blessed is the man that MAKES GOD HIS TRUST, v. 4; Psalms 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

“A man may be as POOR as Lazarus, as HATED as Mordecai, as SICK as Hezekiah, as LONELY as Elijah, but while his hand of faith can keep its hold on God, none of his outward afflictions can prevent his being numbered among the blessed.” –Spurgeon.

B. God’s GREAT WORKS, v. 5; Revelation 15:3, “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”

C. God thoughts are upon His people, Psalms 40:16-17, “Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified. 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.”

III. THE MESSIAH’S DIDCATION TO GOD’S WILL vv. 6-10

A. “I come to do thy will,” the offering of the body of Christ, vv. 6-7; Hebrews 10:10, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

B. “I delight to do thy will,” vv. 7-8; John 4:34, “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”

C. I have declared thy righteousness, vv. 9-10; Psalms 71:16, “I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.”

1. Divine Righteousness was his theme, Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

2. He never shunned in his ministry to declare the whole counsel of God, Matthew 11:27, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”

CONCLUSION

REMEMBERING

PSALM 38:1-22

Introduction:

The most wonderful features in this Psalm, are the DEPTH OF MISERY into which the psalmist gradually plunges in his complaints in the first part of it, the SUDDEN GRASP AT THE ARM OF MERCY AND OMNIPOTENCE that is made in Psalms 38:8, “I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.” And the EXTREME HEIGHT OF COMFORT AND CONSOLATION that it reaches in the end. —Benjamin Weiss.

As we study this psalm let us REMEMBER how the Lord has dealt with us during our life.

I. REMEMBERING PAST TRIALS AND PAST DELIVERANCE

A. The Rebuke of the Lord for sins, Psalms 6:1, “LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.”

1. David was very aware of his sins, Psalms 88:15, “I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.”

2. David felt God’s wrath as being hard upon him, Psalms 88:7, “Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves.”

B. God hides His face from us for a moment because of our sins, Isaiah 54:8, “In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.”

1. God will not look upon our sin, Habakkuk 1:13a, “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:”

2. God’s “EVERLASTING KINDNESS” is seen in His mercy, Jeremiah 31:3, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

3. God has given us “EVERLASTING CONSOLATION” through His grace, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,”

II. REMEMBERING THE DEPRAVITY OF OUR NATURE

A. Remembering our sins, God’s rebuke IS RICHLY DESERVED, Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

1. Every man walks after the IMAGINATION of his EVIL heart, Jeremiah 16:12, “And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:”

2. The evil in man’s heart brought about the FIRST destruction of this earth, Genesis 6:5, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

B. David saw that HIS SINS were a heavy burden TOO MUCH FOR HIM, v. 4; Psalms 69:1-2, “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. 2- I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.”

1. Job questioned God about his sin, Job 7:20-21, “I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? 21- And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.”

2. The Lord invites man to come unto Him with his burden of sin, Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

a. The Lord has borne our sins to the Cross, 1 Peter 2:24, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

b. God is satisfied with His Son’s sacrifice for our sins, Isaiah 53:11, “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”

III. REMEMBERING OUR MANY ENEMIES

A. His enemies laid SNARES for him, Psalms 119:110, “The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.”

B. His enemies SOUGHT his HURT, Psalms 35:4, “Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.”

C. His enemies spoke MISCHIEVOUS THINGS, Psalms 64:3, “Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:”

D. His enemies DEVISED AND IMAGINED DECEITS all the day long, Psalms 64:5, “They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?”

IV. REMEMBERING OUR GRACIOUS GOD

A. The Lord is our HOPE, v. 15; Psalms 39:7, “And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.”

1. That He will HEAR us, Psalms 38:15, “For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.”

2. That He will ANSWER our prayers, Psalms 138:3, “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.”

3. That He will have MERCY on us, Psalms 123:1-3, “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. 2- Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. 3- Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.”

B. The enemy is STRONG, vv. 19-20; Psalms 73:4, “For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is FIRM.”

1. They call EVIL GOOD, Isaiah 5:20, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

2. They have NO LACK of resources, Psalms 73:12, “Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.”

C. Hurry to HELP ME, Lord, vv. 21-22; Psalms 71:12, “O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.”

CONCLUSION

I WILL TAKE HEED TO MY WAYS
PSALM 39:1-13

Introduction:

The psalm is addressed to the Chief Musician, even to Jeduthun. He was one of those ordained by the King’s order “for song in the house of the Lord with cymbals, psalteries, and harps,” 1 Chronicles 25:6, “All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.” —Charles H. Spurgeon.

The occasion of it is thought, by some, to be the rebellion of his son Absalom; so Theodoret thinks it was written when he fled from Absalom, and was cursed by Shimei; or rather it may be some sore affliction, which lay upon David for the chastisement of him; (see Psalm 39:9,13, “I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. 13- O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.”) And the argument of the psalm seems to be much the same with that of the preceding one.” —John Gill’s Exposition

I. SORROW BURDENS DAVID WITH UNBELIEVING THOUGHTS vv, 1-2

A. David speaks within his heart:

1. I will be careful not to sin with my tongue, v. 1; Psalms 34:13, “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.”

a. The tongue should be always an instrument of praise, Psalms 35:28, “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.”

b. The Lord should control the tongue, Psalms 45:1, “My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”

2. I will bridle my mouth before the wicked, v. 1.

a. We should purpose that our mouth not offend, Psalms 17:3, “Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.”

b. Our word should be acceptable in the sight of the Lord, Psalms 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”

B. David was silent, but he could not remain silent, v. 2; Jeremiah 20:9, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”

1. He held his peace “even from good,” Psalms 38:14, “Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.”

2. David had to express himself, Acts 4:20, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

3. A born-again believer cannot contain himself, Job 32:19, “Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.”

II. HIS GRIEF DEMANDS UTTERANCE vv. 3-6

A. David’s heart was hot demanding utterance, v. 3; Luke 24:32, “And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”

Silence is an awful thing for a sufferer, it is the surest method to produce madness. Mourner, tell your sorrow; do it first and most fully to God, but even to pour it out before some wise and godly friend is far from being wasted breath. —Charles H. Spurgeon.

B. The Lord made David aware of his circumstances, v. 4; Psalms 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

1. David prayed that God would make him aware of the brevity of his life, Psalms 119:84, “How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?”

2. He realized just how frail his life was, Jonah 4:8, “And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.”

Think of eternity, and an angel is as a newborn babe, the world a fresh blown bubble, the sun a spark just fallen from the fire, and man a nullity. Before the Eternal, all the age of frail man is less than one ticking of a clock. Charles H. Spurgeon.

C. David decides that man AT HIS BEST STATE is altogether vanity, vv. 5-6; Psalms 89:47, “Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?”

This is the surest truth, that nothing about man is either sure or true. Take man at his best, he is but a man, and a man is a mere breath, unsubstantial as the wind. Man is settled, as the margin has it, and by divine decree it is settled that he shall not be settled. He is constant only in inconstancy. —Charles H. Spurgeon.

III DAVID RECOGNIZES GOD’S DIVINE HAND WORKING vv, 7-13

A. My hope is in thee, v. 7; Psalms 38:15, “For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.”

B. This is a fair sign when one begs for freedom from his sins, v. 8; Psalms 25:11, “For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.”

C. David is purged of his sullenness and sweetened with submission, v. 9; 1 Samuel 3:18, “And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.”

D. David’s silence in his sorrow did not prevent him from praying, vv. 10-13; Psalms 25:16-17, “Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. 17- The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.”

1. His rebuke, v. 11; 1 Corinthians 11:32, “But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”

2. Hear my prayer, vv. 12-13; Hebrews 5:7, “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;”

CONCLUSION

THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN
PSALM 37:3-9, 23-31

What the Psalmist means by “a good man” is one that has trusted Christ as his personal Savior. The Scriptures declare that outside of Christ, man is not good: Psalm 14:3 declares, “They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

Here we find some of the promises made to the “good man” who would serve the Lord faithfully in this life.

I. TRUST IN THE LORD,

V. 3, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”

Faith in Christ brings spiritual life, Romans 10:9-10, 17; 9,10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10-For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation

17-“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

A. God’s Promise – you shall “dwell in the land.”

1. The promised land — to Israel this meant Caanan.

2. To the Christian it means that we will dwell in the presence of the Lord.

II. DELIGHT THYSELF ALSO IN THE LORD

V. 4, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

A. Be happy in the Lord. Psalm 94:19 ”In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”

B. The desires of your heart.

1. “Desires” — petitions or requests. Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

2. “Heart” — the inner man.

a. Physical needs are included.

b. Spiritual needs such as peace, joy, hope, etc. are the principal consideration here. Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.”

III. COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE LORD

V. 5, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

A. “Commit…” Hebrew = “Roll thy way upon.” The Portuguese translation uses the word “Intregar” which means to “surrender” or “deliver” your way unto the Lord. Proverbs 16:3, “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

B. “Way” — direction, path, journey. 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

IV. REST IN THE LORD

V. 7, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”

A. “To be silent ”– Many times we are talking when we should be listening. Ecclesiastes 3:7, “A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;”

B. “To be still ” — Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

C. “Wait patiently for him.”

1. The steps of a good man, vs. 23-25.

a. “Are ordered” — established by the Lord, Psalm 37:31, “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” Psalm 44:18, “Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way.”

b. “He delighteth in his way.” The faithful believer is happy in his service to the Lord.

c. “Though he fall…” Psalm 145:14, “The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

2. “He shall not be utterly cast down…” (cast away or out), v. 24, ”Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”

Conclusion

The Lord does not forsake his children. Psalm 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Psalm 37:28, “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.”

NO FEAR OF GOD
PSALM 36:1-12

Introduction:

David refers to himself as a servant of God in the introduction of the psalm. The apostle Paul, in quoting part of this psalm (Romans 3:10, etc.) to prove that Jews and Gentiles are all under sin (v. 9) and that all the world is guilty before God (v. 19). Consider the following thoughts.

I. DAVID DESCRIBES THE REBELLIOUS

A. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit, v.3.

1. The words of the foolish man, Psalm 14:1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”

2. God’s evaluation of man, Psalm 14:2-3, “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3-They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy (Heb.-stinking): there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

a. The sinner has no understanding of God, Romans 3:11, “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”

b. All people without exception are unrighteous outside of Jesus Christ, Romans 1:18, 29-31, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 29-Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30- Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31-Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:”

B. Man deceives himself, v. 2; Deuteronomy 29:19, “And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:”

1. His heart is perverse, Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

2. Man loves to oppress others, Hosea 12:7, “He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.”

C. He devises (to invent or plan) mischief upon his bed, v. 4; Genesis 6:5, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

1. Sin always occupies their mind, Proverbs 4:16, “For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.”

2. Sin burns in their hearts, Hosea 7:6, “For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.”

II. DAVID EXTOLS THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE LORD

A. The baseness of the wicked turns David’s contemplation to the glory of God, vv. 5-8.

1. David thinks on the goodness of God, v. 5; Psalm 52:1, “Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.”

2. He thinks of God’s righteousness, v. 6; Psalms 145:17, “The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.”

3. He thinks of God’s lovingkindness, Psalms 31:19, “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!”

B. David remembers that those who learn to put their trust in God shall be received into his presence, vv. 9-10; Psalms 16:11, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

1. He knows that God is the source of life, v. 9; Isaiah 12:3, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”

2. In the Lord David saw the light of life, John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

III. DAVID SEES THE DANGER AND END OF THE SINNER

A. David see the errors of the unbeliever, v. 11; Jeremiah 2:13, “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

1. They have forsaken the fountain of living waters, Jeremiah 2:17, “Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?”

2. The have built themselves cisterns that hold no water, 2 Peter 2:17, “These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.”

B. David sees the defeat of the wicked, v. 12; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 3-Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”

CONCLUSION