Psalms

[0:00] Let us turn to the 119th Psalm, the 119th Psalm, reading verses 174, 175.

[0:20] The 119th Psalm, verse 174. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord, and thy law is my delight.

[0:41] Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee, and let thy judgments help me.

[0:56] The first part of the 175th verse is that which is laid chiefly upon one's mind.

[1:07] And their prayer to the Lord is that he will grant enlargement of heart and of utterance.

[1:18] In this 119th Psalm, surely we have set forth every feeling and exercise which comes upon the Lord's people as they journey onward through this life unto the life to come.

[1:44] This psalm is very expressive, very experimental. And my friend, if you find your prayer here in this psalm, then you belong unto the Lord's people.

[2:04] You are a companion of the psalmist, one who feared and loved his God. Quicken me according to thy righteousness.

[2:19] Read this psalm through it, your letter, and see all the earnest prayers, all the longings of the heart. Let my soul live.

[2:33] This is the burden, friend, of one's feelings. Are there those present here in the Lord's house at this time who had this exercise heavy upon them?

[2:51] Let my soul live. My dear friend, it is a cry of a living soul. Such a soul cannot be said to be dead in trespasses and in sin.

[3:07] But such a one belongs to those of whom we read in that second chapter, the epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, and you, Hathie Quicken, who were dead in trespasses and in sin.

[3:26] Let my soul live. Let my soul live. Why? Why, my friend? Because it is already alive, already aware of that death which is felt within.

[3:47] I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord, and thy law is my delight. Such a soul cannot be dead, can it?

[4:02] Such a soul must indeed have been quickened by the Holy Spirit, for these desires are not natural. They are not products of the flesh.

[4:16] I have longed for thy salvation. O Lord, and thy law is my delight. Let my soul live.

[4:28] What did the psalmist need? What did he pray for? What did he reach out after? A living exercise and participation in these things.

[4:46] One thing to be alive unto God, friend. It is one thing to have a measure of lively hope in our hearts, and to feel that all will be well.

[4:59] That he who has helped us hitherto will help us all our journey through. But it's another thing to feel animated in these things.

[5:13] To feel to be alive unto God. I'm sure that such souls that pray this prayer are alive unto God, but they are not satisfied with that which they feel, and with that which they experience.

[5:34] And their language is more like this, My soul cleaveth to the dust, quicken thou me. My soul lies cleaving to the dust.

[5:49] Lord, give me life divine. From vanity and every lust, turn off these eyes of mine. Let my soul live.

[6:02] Let my soul live. I long for it, friends. I long to feel my soul to be alive. Don't want to live at this poor dying race.

[6:18] One's love so cold and faint. I long for thy salvation, O Lord. Such a one then sees the Lord's salvation to be that which may well be longed for, because of its value, of its preciousness, of its blessedness.

[6:43] I long for thy salvation, O Lord. There's only one salvation, dear hearer. Only one salvation worthy of the name, and that is the Lord's salvation.

[7:03] That which saves not merely the body, but that which saves the soul. that which delivers from the rock to come, from the condemnation of the breaking of God's holy law, and that which bestows every blessing that God can give.

[7:28] Thy salvation. In the 70, in the 51st Psalm, David prays thus, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.

[7:48] Let us not, my friends, shrink from these things. This word was somewhat upon one's mind, but in the feeling of my desire, I feel the Lord settle me to this present word, that this feeling, this word was somewhat upon my mind, and the God of hope fill you with all peace and joy in believing.

[8:22] peace and joy in believing the God of hope. There's nothing to hope for, my friends, and no one to hope in, which is worthy of hope, but in him.

[8:37] I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord. I have longed to know it. I have longed to experience it.

[8:49] I have longed for the blessings. I have longed for the comfort of it. I have longed for the communications of it.

[9:00] I have longed for thy presence in it. these longings, my friend, are of the Holy Spirit, and they well up from the soul.

[9:19] They're not merely things upon the surface, just mere cogitations of the mental activities or of the mind.

[9:33] They are such things that often cannot be expressed. They well up within the children of God, and they long.

[9:45] They long. Such longing, friends, will never be disappointed. not in the issue. Never, never.

[9:57] For the Lord has not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth. He has not said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye my face in vain.

[10:11] Never, never, never. my soul, take courage from the Lord, believe and flee his holy word.

[10:26] To him alone do they complain, nor shall they seek his face in vain. Though the corruptions of your heart daily new cause of grief impose pain pray that thy lust may all be slain, nor shalt thou seek his face in vain.

[10:57] Upon him call in humble prayer, thou still art his peculiar care, he'll surely turn and smile again, nor shalt thou seek his face in vain, but I have longed for thy salvation.

[11:18] Why? I have felt the need of it, Lord. I am poor and needy. I see the blessedness of it.

[11:32] I see the consummation of it in heaven. Oh, I have longed for thy salvation and thy law, thy word, thy precepts are my delight.

[11:48] Thy law is my delight. Now let my soul live. Let my soul live. Let every gracious principle, everything which thou hast bestowed, let it be lively, animated, in exercise.

[12:13] May faith be strong and pierce the sky. The disciples, we read, said unto the Lord, increase our faith.

[12:26] Lord, teach us to pray, as John also, taught his disciples to pray. Let my soul live. Let my soul be lively in prayer.

[12:40] Let me pray, Lord, when I do pray. Let me pray, when I do pray. Let my soul live. Let my faith be increased.

[12:55] Let it truly centre and rest upon thee. And send Lord out thy light and thy truth.

[13:05] Let them guide me. Let them lead me to thy holy hills and to thy tabernacles. Lord, let my soul live in thy word.

[13:21] May I see therein all that sets forth thy beloved son. May I dig in the minds of thy word and find unto the joy of my heart that pearl of great price.

[13:40] Let my soul live. My friends, there is no room. There is no room surely for half measure in these things.

[13:54] These are precious things. These are necessary things. These are things upon which hangs the eternity of our souls.

[14:08] And where shall we spend eternity? Let my soul live in the solemnity of the consideration of these things.

[14:20] things. And if need be, Lord, then search through my heart and know my thoughts. Try me.

[14:33] See it there be any wicked way in me. Let my soul live. Surely friends, you can feel the depth in this beyond that which is expressed or will be expressed that my soul is.

[14:53] Here is no prayer for the body of such. Here is no prayer for earthly comforts. Here is no prayer to be saved from sorrow or from grief.

[15:08] Here is no prayer for an easy pathway. But here is a vital prayer for the good of the soul. Let my soul live.

[15:19] My soul live. Such a one that knows the import and the weight and the truth of the words of the Saviour when he said, what shall it profit a man?

[15:34] if he gain a whole one and lose his own soul. And such a one knows this too, by experience that none can keep alive his own soul.

[15:53] My friend, we have that grace which the Lord has imparted. If so be in his mercy, he has imparted it. and that grace is kept alive in so far as he keeps it alive.

[16:12] Let my soul live, Lord, and let my soul live in honour, not in dishonour.

[16:24] love. Lord, let my soul live above these earthly things, and may my very affection be centred upon things above where Christ sitteth, and not on things on the earth.

[16:45] Let my soul live. Lord, friend, the feeling excels the expression let my soul live, and it shall praise thee.

[17:01] You see, in the heart of every living soul there lies the desire to praise and to honour God. And so it must ever be.

[17:15] For we read this, God's own word, wherein he says, this people have I formed for myself, they shall show forth my praise.

[17:31] A living soul, my friends, a soul alive, unto God shows forth his praise. Let my soul live then in every greatest activity, we we must speak of the Lord's house and of the services of the Lord's house.

[17:56] Let my soul live, let my soul live and it shall praise thee. Now a soul that liveth, my friends, need to be kept alive and the soul that liveth need it to be fed.

[18:18] And the Lord has promised that which some of us constantly pride. We constantly pride. The Lord has promised to abundantly bless the provision of his house and to fill his poor with bread.

[18:40] He promised that. Thus my friend shall your soul live in the house of the Lord. But look you, what means may the Lord take?

[18:59] What way shall he use to make your soul live? I thought of Newton's him on the way down. I ask the Lord that I might grow in great love and faith and every grace.

[19:20] Might more of his salvation know and seek more earnestly his face. And the writer supposed that in some favoured hour the Lord would answer his request and bring that which he required of his hand flooding into his soul that it might live.

[19:45] But what does the hymn writer say that which I trust many of us have proved? Instead of this he made me feel the hidden evils of my heart and let the angry powers of hell assail my soul on every path.

[20:08] Oh my friend it has won in such a case your prayer has been answered although it may well be in such a way as almost drives you to despair.

[20:25] Now let my soul live in the exercise of prayer. Well how should that be brought back? By the Lord bringing you continually into a large place.

[20:41] My friend that is good. That is to be prayed for and long for and when the Lord is gracious that is to be experienced but that is not likely to be the way in which the Lord will answer such a prayer as this let my soul live the Lord will will surely in measure show the death the death that lingers there and then there will be a living in prayer there will if it takes the form of that 51st psalm which remains you know there's a soul alive there friend some consider that a very morbid a very introspective a very gloomy psalm some of us are thankful to

[21:43] God that it is preserved in his holy word for us you know that prayer of David as he prayed that prayer my friend his heart was set free his heart was set free he had answer to his prayers friends create him a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow David was able to tell the sinners round what a dear saviour he has found for he said then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee let my soul live in prayer let my soul not be dead in this gracious activity and my dear friend whatever you desire it is the

[23:06] Lord's way as you know it is his way that you inquire of him for these things that he shall do them for you I know you possibly hear this word very often but never forget it the Lord who promised many things to his ancient people and who has promised and does promise many things to his present spiritual Israel says this I will yet for these things be inquired of by the house of Israel to do them for to do it for let my soul live let my soul live then in the enjoyment of thy salvation for which I long for which

[24:06] I had long for which I do long let my soul live in love friends in love I'm not an old man but still I'm not a young man and as I go on through life I see love to be one of the sweetest graces one of the sweetest my friends it is the best thing that we have left in our fallen nature and surely it is one of the best gifts that God can give love love to the brethren love to the Lord's people love to those who walk the way that we walk love to the Lord love to his health love to souls let my soul live you know

[25:08] Paul writing said that if I bestow all my good to the poor give my body to be burned and yet have not charity I am nothing Lord let my soul live let my soul live in all that which shines forth so eminently and so blessedly and so clearly and so lovely in the Lord Jesus let my soul live let my soul live in obedience let me be subject to his will let me prostrate all my desires and subordinate them unto him let thy good spirit rule my heart and govern all my words and ways let grace abound in every part and teach my tongue to sing thy praise let my soul live and it shall praise thee shall praise thee the soul alive to

[26:40] God praises him praises him God from whom all blessings flow.

[27:20] My friend, is your soul alive enough to praise him? From whom all blessings flow, and it shall praise thee.

[27:36] How does God praise then? God is praise with our lips, but we think, friends, he is praise more in our lives.

[27:52] I find room in my own heart for that oft-repeated prayer, and it makes nothing for me that it sadly is oft-repeated by many, many, alas, who do not realize the import of it, but I have room for that prayer in my heart, that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to thy service, and walking before thee in holiness and in righteousness all the days of our lives.

[28:39] My friend, this is nothing but our reasonable service. Nothing. And when we shall have done all that by the grace of God we may ever do, we are to say, we are but unprofitable service.

[28:58] We have only done that which we ought to do. Let my soul live then, and it shall praise thee.

[29:10] It shall praise thee in the humility of my mind, heart, and spirit. It shall praise thee in the quietness and the sobriety of my walk.

[29:27] Let my heart live, and it shall praise thee. One of our hymns says something like this. It occurred to the mind, friend.

[29:38] I mention these things as the Lord brings them to the mind. One of our hymns says something like this. Such never think they're laid too low if Jesus on them pity shows.

[29:56] A soul that lives, my friend, isn't lifted up high. No. That's no safe evidence of a soul alive unto God that is always upon the mountaintop that knows no changes.

[30:17] I grant this, my friend, that some are more favoured than others. And let us beware of what judgment we make, how we do these things.

[30:35] Let us exercise gracious restraint in these things. Some are favoured. Some do walk much in the joy of their Lord.

[30:47] But methinks that those that ride high sink the deepest. They do. I know where I'd rather be.

[30:59] I would rather, if the Lord be pleased, I would rather sail on a smoother course. I would not be lifted up with air.

[31:12] Neither would I sink with despair. He safely leads my soul along. His loving kindness oh how strong.

[31:30] You know your part, my friend. You begin to realise the way in which the Lord leads you. It may be that you feel much deadness at times.

[31:44] Much carnality. Much indwelling sin. And you know what it is to pray let my soul live. Bring my soul out of prison.

[32:00] Your beloved esteemed pastor knows what it is friends to pray this prayer let my soul live. the Lord's servants have many many reasons for praying this prayer.

[32:18] One can feel one can feel tolerably comfortable in their state as it is before God and yet feel their soul to be dead and dried up when it comes to setting forth the mysteries of godliness may feel to have a thrice comfortable hope within their breath but feel so unable so and lie in the second thought of these things.

[32:56] Lord let my soul live and it shall praise thee. Now Lord let my soul live in obedience in obedience to those words follow me around these days the words of the Lord Jesus to John when John said I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me and Jesus answered suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness let my soul live and it shall praise thee in all thy appointed way oh that the

[34:03] Lord would guide my way to keep his tattoos still oh that the Lord would grant me grace to know and do his will and it shall praise thee praise thee it shall praise thee in that which by thy grace as thou shalt make my soul to live I shall be enabled to bring forth fruit unto thy praise my dear friend is it any concern of yours that you may be barren or unproofful are you satisfied with a measure of assurance in these things and do you not desire to show forth the praise of your

[35:13] God remember again the words of Jesus and we should give heed to the words of Jesus I feel that they are so plain and so well known that often we do not pay the heed unto them that we should Jesus said herein is my father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples so shall ye be my disciples let my soul live then my friends this is eminently an inward word although we have set before you very briefly a few things that can be seen for it should be with the

[36:20] Lord's people each world without exception it should be with them that knowledge is taken of them that they have been with Jesus otherwise surely it casts a shadow doesn't it doesn't it cast a shadow doesn't it begin to bring in a question we read of our disciples that when they saw that they were unlearned and ignorant men they took knowledge of them that they have been with Jesus and the world takes knowledge friends world takes knowledge I would speak to our young friends and hope that older friends were full there I remember in the days of the war in another county

[37:20] I might have been Somerset pool I remember at this time and I retired to rest and that building was by no means sound proof and I heard myself and my life being discussed by fellow workmates and to my utter accomplishment I heard which was the praise of my God and I wept upon my pillow let my soul live and it shall praise thee my friend it's a wonderful thing when a horse in their life brings forth a little praise to Jehovah the God of all the grace the God of hope but still having said what we have said friends this is for the most part an inward exercise one may be observed by others and thought to be enjoying the exercise of life in the things of

[38:38] God and yet the one concern may feel to be like a dried up and dead branch I know that let my soul live let my soul live tomorrow Lord when I come into contact with those who scorn thy name let my soul live let me not fall into a spiritual spirit into carnality and spiritual death let my soul live why that's our prayer friends then ultimately ultimately our soul shall live shall live in the perfect joy and life and enlargement and peace of heaven cannot say what subject was upon my mind quite recently but I know

[39:46] I said as it were this to myself concern the Lord's people it may be that in my feelings I was speaking to others but I know this thought came sweetly to my mind and to my heart for his people my friends the Lord has done the same as the Lord Jesus Christ did literally when he was at that wedding in Cana of Galilee because the one who had charge of those things said that most most most set before men the good wine and after men had drunken they set before them that was not so good but they have left the best wine unto the end and the Lord has reserved for his dear people the best wine friends the best is yet to come all who all who have longed for the salvation of the

[40:48] Lord all who find it in their hearts that his law is their delight all who pray this prayer and mean it let my soul live and it shall praise thee and let thy judgment help me they shall join in the songs of the redeemed friends and their souls shall live forever as they behold the Lamb of God now the Lord has his blessing for his name is sake hoard how Into a chap with usingixo and act