Psalm

[0:00] Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that Thou bearest unto Thy people. O visit me with Thy salvation, that I may see the good of Thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, that I may glory with Thine inheritance.

[0:30] That one should be caused to pray unto the Lord after such a manner.

[0:45] The prayer most surely causes us to realise that such a prayer is brought forth as a consequence of longing and of need.

[1:08] If one was in the full and sweet reception of all of their soul's desires, there would be no ground for this pleading.

[1:29] Surely these words bespeak one who feels his need and who feels to be outside at the present time of the enjoyment which is the portion of the Lord's people.

[1:52] It may be that they have once known them, but they seem to be separated from them for a time and are grieved in consequence.

[2:10] Or it may be that these words are drawn forth as a consequence of a felt need and of a view that others have known and tasted these great things, but they seem to be without them in their own soul's experience.

[2:43] If we sit and meditate, are these the desires of our heart either through the desire for them to be renewed or the desire for them to be bestowed?

[3:11] And if these do sincerely express the desires of our heart, then we are favored in measure.

[3:32] He that is dead in trespasses and in sin, he who is carnal, does not know, cannot see these things, for they are the things of God, and the carnal mind is enmity unto him, and cannot know these things.

[4:02] So that while we may feel to be in a sad state, tried, afflicted, grieved, nevertheless, we are not left unto despair.

[4:20] You know there was a woman in God's word who had had an issue of blood 12 years, and she'd spent all that she had on physicians, and instead of being improved, she was rather the worse.

[4:46] she was in a very sad state. But then the word of God says, and she heard of Jesus.

[5:02] What a difference those few words make to the record concerning this woman. And when she heard of Jesus, it was effectual within her.

[5:27] And though her bodily condition was not improved by the hearing, yet there was given unto her a desire.

[5:42] And she was comforted in that she hoped for herself to prove the things that she had heard.

[5:58] So much so that she went unto him. And as she drew near, there was a crowd about him.

[6:14] But the desire and the confidence that was in her said, if I may but touch the hem of his clothes, I shall be made whole.

[6:33] Now she was not in possession of that which she desired above all things. But there was a desire to come unto him who alone could help and a belief that if she was enabled to come unto him, she would be healed.

[7:02] And as a consequence of this desire and that faith, she pressed through the crowd.

[7:15] touched his clothes and she was healed. Now I believe that it may be said in that particular respect that she knew what it was to be a recipient of that healing power which was in him.

[7:49] And she rejoiced together with all those that were healed of him. And by the healing and in the rejoicing they perceived the glory that was him.

[8:19] And they were made participators of those blessings that were in him. Now I know that these things were specifically natural.

[8:36] but the psalmist here he speaks and prays that the Lord would visit him with salvation and he declares that the consequence of the salvation of the Lord is the bestowing of good things a rejoicing in heart with the gladness of all those that are so blessed and that they might enter in and glory in with all of those that are thine thy mercy and thy grace.

[9:39] I want then to try and speak a little concerning the three things that are the consequence of those visits those love visits which the Lord makes unto his people wherein he brings salvation to them.

[10:05] Now the first that I may see the good of thy chosen. Now what is the chief good of the Lord's chosen people?

[10:21] Well surely this is the chief good of the Lord's chosen people.

[10:36] They are saved without money and without price. When you think of the Lord's deliverance of Israel of old, what was it that he bestowed upon them which constituted their salvation?

[11:08] He delivered them out of the hand of the enemy and the oppressor. He saved them for his name's sake.

[11:21] and spiritual Israel, how every one that thirst come ye to the water, come ye buy and eat without money and without price.

[11:40] the Lord has not made condition or charge or requirement in respect of his salvation.

[11:56] salvation. It is a salvation without money and without price. And springing from that great concept we needed to see wherein all our good is found and made known.

[12:26] And all the good of his chosen people is found and made known and resides in Jesus.

[12:39] In Jesus Christ the eternal Son. And in those Psalms that we read together consider how the 32nd Psalm began.

[13:00] Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. and what does this speak of but the salvation that is without money and without price.

[13:22] For it continues blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile.

[13:37] Now we see this good unto his chosen people in the covenant undertaking. Those things which were determined by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit before the world was.

[14:00] when we read those songs together we were reminded how the Lord looks down upon men, how he sees and knows their state, their need and makes provision for them in that 33rd chapter.

[14:32] Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine.

[14:47] And the Lord's eye was surely upon his people in the covenant undertaking.

[15:02] And how great a thing that is to have made known unto us. For it bespeaks unto us the union that the chosen of the Lord have and ever have had in Jesus Christ the Lord.

[15:30] In union with the Lamb from condemnation free the saints from everlasting were and shall forever be.

[15:47] you know that Jude speaks of that wondrous state of the Lord's chosen people when he says that they were preserved in Jesus Christ and called.

[16:09] God oh doesn't this show unto us some of that good that is unto the Lord's chosen people while they were unregenerate they were preserved.

[16:29] surely we know ourselves that except the Lord had looked upon us in mercy and with favour and in Jesus Christ his son we must have been cut off for sin.

[16:52] I know that the old nature says well what about all of those that know nothing and care nothing for the things of God they are spared they still continue but dear friend Asaph was concerned and anxious and tried by the same thoughts until the Lord took him into the sanctuary and that the wicked have wicked hearts is established and agreed but consider that our heart is no better than theirs and our imagination the work even as theirs work and that we do seek after these things is only a consequence of

[18:02] God's grace that he hath plucked us as a brand from the burning for while these go on and continue in that solemn way and path to hell and to destruction yet there is raised up in you a desire to see the good of his chosen they know no such desire and why do you because you've deserved it no on the contrary we're just the same as they are but there's only one reason one ground whereby we can be given these desires and preserved and that is as a consequence of the covenant undertakings before the world was because of those names that were written in the

[19:19] Lamb's book of life because in spite of our unregeneracy the Lord looked upon us with mercy and in favor and determined to show us that good and he took us and he plucked us as a brand from the burning surely one of those things that constitutes the good of the Lord's people is that he is pleased to call them out of darkness into his marvelous light to convey unto them the precious truths concerning his will concerning his love concerning his mercy and his grace and to make them participators in his mercy in his love and in his grace now the word says

[20:36] God commendeth his love unto us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us isn't that one of those things that constitutes the good of the Lord's people isn't it a great and a precious and a wonderful thing that God should commend his love unto the rebel the opposer one who is contrary in all mind and spirit and desire by sending his only begotten son into the world not merely to make a statement not merely to speak of the love of

[21:45] God but to demonstrate it to make it plain in as much as he declares I lay down my life for the sheep oh what wondrous love is this and God commends it unto sinners and he doesn't demand a state and a standing whereby they seek to improve themselves but he sees them in their deepest need and the covenant undertakings have met those deepest needs in the love of God and the love of

[22:46] Christ and he calls them that they might know it that they may have the blessings that flow from Jesus sufferings and death blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered now this real good God has made known unto his chosen and they are caused by faith to lay hold upon the preciousness and the glories that pertain unto salvation through blood for therein and thereby alone is transgression forgiven sin covered you know the

[24:01] Lord has done great things for his chosen people and while in some measure they do enter into the greatness of them yet there is so much that we are not able fully to comprehend or understand for even the angels look and wonder at this great and tremendous matter wherein under the covenant undertakings entered into before the world was the eternal son comes down takes the flesh of the creature walks through and about the earth declaring the father's will and in the fullness of

[25:14] God's purposes the father lays upon him the iniquity over that chosen people for him to bear in his own body and to bear the wrath of God in his own body on the tree that they might have their transgressions forgiven their sins covered and enter into those blessings that he hath prepared for them but you know there is also this good unto the Lord's chosen when he has called them and conveyed unto them that good that is theirs in the covenant of grace they still wander and he doesn't cut them off he doesn't turn away from them you know he says concerning the weak and concerning those who seemingly are but little and feeble and faint that the smoking flack shall be raised to a flame the bruised reed he will not break all the tenderness of his heart and of his love goes out unto them it isn't an expression of words only with no activity no fulfilling of that which he has spoken he nourishes them

[27:36] I often think of those words concerning Israel of old the Lord bore them and what a wondrous picture it sets before us all those years in the wilderness they were carried of the Lord and you know I believe David saw the same precious truth in the 23rd Psalm the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want and all the things that are written in that Psalm that bespeak the needs of the soul they are met and they are administered by

[28:43] Christ you know it says concerning the Lord's people they shall revive as the corn they shall grow as the vine now corn and the vine need much tendering much attention they need protection they need to be watched they need to be nourished equally does a lamb or a sheep and in every reference that is given unto us in God's word there is a showing forth of that love compassion understanding tenderness gentleness forbearance flowing out in

[29:52] Jesus Christ the Lord unto his chosen people and surely these things constitute that good which is theirs in him and by him well you know that in those psalms that we read together the psalmist in the sixth verse says for this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when they mayest be found surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble now all the chosen of the lord shall prove that these things are so unto them for in his holiness in his righteousness in his resurrection in his appearing before the throne all the things that are in those verses are met in him there is a way made for us that we might pray and be heard of the father whatever troubles whatever trials whatever dangers confront us they are met in his death and in his resurrection you know how that

[32:09] Paul speaks concerning the persuasions that were wrought in him by the Holy Spirit of God that nothing could separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus for by his sufferings his death and his resurrection we are made now it's not a suggestion it's not a proposition he hath taken us up and he hath brought us into that sweet and blessed place where God's word declares ye are accepted in him oh what real good there is in that word accepted in him and the word declares unto us to our greater good ye are complete in him dear friend if we are participators in the good of the

[33:39] Lord's chosen in as much as we have Christ what else can we need or desire beside him he is all and in all his dear people well though many trials many afflictions compass us about in as much as he is our hiding place the end and the consequence of those things are in this thou shalt compass me about with the songs of deliverance in other words whatever troubles may come not only is he our hiding place to shield us but he is the victor over all things so that we in him are delivered from our enemy and from the power of sin and death and hell and the consequence of this deliverance it brings forth songs songs of deliverance songs of praise songs of thanksgiving unto the

[35:23] Lord well I see that the time has gone but let me just mention this one thought in his appearing before the throne where he now is consider that he is entered in as the first fruit that where he is he's chosen shall be also but consider the real good that is unto the chosen though they may yet be in this present evil world not only does he appear as their intercessor as the mediator of the covenant but when we read of his entering in to heaven itself it is with that declared good obtained for and conveyed unto the chosen he has entered in having obtained eternal redemption for us this is the real good that is unto the chosen though we might still be found in this state this time state yet he is entered in having obtained eternal redemption for us can we desire anything more other than to enter in to that latter portion of that verse that we read that

[37:44] I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation that I may glory with thine inheritance for there are a people around the throne of God in heaven and they glory and rejoice in that eternal salvation which they now inherit and the desire of those that are found yet in this time state we are willing rather to be absent from the body and be present with the Lord to enter in to the fullness of that which is ours in

[38:52] Jesus Christ the eternal son may the Lord add his blessing non another and one us a the flame to on everybody moon came to the igen to to