Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/6400/psalm/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] If the Lord is pleased to help me this morning, I would direct your mind to Selm 34, the 34th Selm, and we will read in the way of a text, verse 6, this poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. [0:38] Verse 6, Selm 34, this poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. [0:56] Friends, what do we know about this text of ours this morning? Are we among the poor? Have we ever cried unto the Lord? [1:10] Has he ever heard us? Has he saved you and I out of our troubles? No doubt we've read this verse many, many times, over and over again through our lives, but if we have not entered into it experimentally, we know nothing really of the meaning of it. [1:40] This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him. I trust there's an echo, as it were, in our hearts this morning, that we may be able to say, yes, I'm that poor man. [2:00] I'm that poor woman. I'm that poor soul that has cried unto the Lord. I'm sure of this, if we know experimentally the first clause of their debts, as I've quoted, this poor man cried, we shall know, I hope we have known, the next. [2:28] The Lord has heard us. And also, if he has not saved us out of all our troubles, what do we read? [2:40] We read in the psalm that the righteous cry, And the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of some of their troubles. [2:55] Now, God's work is perfect. Delivereth them out of all their troubles. Well, let us try and speak a little this morning from these words. [3:12] This poor man cried. As you know, by nature, in our own strength and so on, there's no need for us to cry unto God. [3:31] The Pharisee, and I've mentioned this sometimes, or a number of times it may be, from this poor man, it's recorded in the word of the Pharisee. [3:46] He was in the spirit of the Pharisee, and he knew nothing, nothing whatever, of our text. He went to the temple, but he spoke, as we read it sometimes, in the 18th chapter of the Gospel according to Luke. [4:05] He thanked God that he was not as the publican. I give ties to all that I do, and so on. And he was standing on his own ground, and the ground seemed to be quite safe to him. [4:23] But he was a Pharisee indeed. We go back just for a moment, as it seems to come to my mind, of the Apostle Paul, when he lived as a Pharisee, as you know. [4:36] And he, and the one we've spoken, knew nothing of our text, nor do we by nature. If we are still in nature's darkness, and have never been quickened into life, what do we know? [4:54] We may know our text best in the letter of it, but as you well know, there must be a deeper work within our heart, and the work of grace, to come into it experimentally. [5:09] By nature, we are not poor. By nature, we are ready to do everything, and pride is the bottom of it. But the Lord will overthrow such a religion. [5:22] It's not of God. This poor man cried. Well, what was in his heart? What was in his breast? Something that he was not born with, and that is the grace of God. [5:37] We know, each of us know, the words of Christ when he was here, ye must. The Lord never gave any, did not hesitate in any way, as it were, to make it lighter for true believers, or for others. [5:58] Ye must be born again. And we can say, respecting this man, in our text, he was born again. Otherwise, he would never have cried unto the Lord. [6:12] He would not have known the God of Israel, as Jabez did of old. As you remember, in that short prayer of Jabez's, what did he say? [6:26] What do we read? He called upon the God of Israel. Well, these poor creatures, in their text, will call upon the God of Israel, and they will realize, by the grace of God given them, that they are poor, poor in spirit. [6:49] What did Jesus read? What did he preach upon the man? Blessed, he says, blessed are the poor in spirit. Well, this man, it's spoken of in our text this morning, he was a poor man, and the Lord announced him to be one of the blessed. [7:11] True, he was, for he cried unto the Lord, this poor man. Dear friends, are you and I among them, the poor in spirit? [7:27] Or are we, as it were, in full strength of our own, and we can do this and that, same as the Pharisee of old, it will come to nothing. By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. [7:44] It is the gift of God, this poor man cried. Poor, poor in spirit. [7:55] And these, I'm certain, are the ones that our Lord looks upon, and have referred to in the scriptures, a time and again. The poor man. [8:07] We read also, I believe, in the psalm, this morning, 41, blessed is he that considereth the poor. The Lord will direct him, in time of trouble. [8:23] Well, it's the very words of our text this morning, this poor man cried. So the Lord brings his dear people down low, makes them feel poor, and feeling poor, they need help, and they know what direction to go for help, unto the God of Israel. [8:45] And how that closing prayer, of Javis the fold, encourages any poor creature, that is in the text this morning. And the Lord granted him, his request. [8:59] This poor man cried. Life. It must be so naturally, they mustn't it. [9:13] If there's no life, there cannot be a cry. Even to obey, godly parents, and others listen, and others listen, for a cry, when a baby's born. [9:30] It's the cry they want to hear. It's because, they want to know, there is life, within the breast, within the soul. Poor man, he cried. [9:47] Cried. My mind goes to Ezekiah of old, as you know, the Lord spake to him, or by, sent the message to him, set thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not live. [10:05] What was the outcome of it? Well, this dear man, he had, as you know, spiritual life in his heart. [10:16] He was trying to rule the nation, in the fear of God. And, he, had this message, set thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not live. [10:30] What was the outcome of it? Well, as you know, he turned his face to the wall, and cried. Cried. [10:43] And the Lord heard that, dear man, as we read in the, in our text. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him. Are we among the people, dear friends? [10:56] Do we know what it is to cry? I often think of something deeper, in the cry, than there is, in a multitude of words. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. [11:12] And it is so, and some of us can testify of it. Well, in our text, it speaks of a cry. And what does that manifest to us? [11:23] The heart is burdened. The heart is heavy. This poor man cried. Cried. Going back to, the one we've already mentioned, he, though he was a king, though he had much, great responsibilities laid upon him, but he was a man, poor in spirit. [11:51] Yes, one can, one can, live, as it were, in a mansion, and have, much of this world's good, but he was poor in spirit. [12:02] Take Job for a moment. There was poor Job. He was a poor. Not financially, far from it. He is the wealthiest man, in the land of us, we read. [12:14] Possessing much cattle, and so on. And a large family. Gift, everything, that, naturally speaking, his heart was, needed, he had. [12:27] But he was brought, to cry, unto God. This poor man cried, under the temptations. And it may be, with one or more, here this morning, you know what it is, to be tempted, by that awful, spirit, the devil, goeth about, like a roaring lion, ready to devour. [12:51] And it brings a cry, into our heart. It may be this, according to the word, of God, resist the devil, and he will flee, from thee. [13:03] This poor man cried. And now, the Lord Jesus, went down, as you know, into the wilderness, to be tempted, of Satan, those forty days, and forty nights. [13:18] And I believe, there was this, in the heart of Christ, unto his father, that he may be able, to stand, against the wills, of Satan, the devil. [13:30] Oh yes, this poor man, cried, cried. What has been your cry, and mine? [13:50] Can you go back, my friends? Some of us can, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, years, seventy years, and we can remember, when we were crying, unto the Lord, under the burden, of our never dying soul. [14:11] Do you remember, when he first, quickened you, into life? You say, no I cannot. But are you quickened? That's the thing. Are you, in the text, if you are, we can say, you have been quickened, by the spirit, this poor man, cried, and the Lord, heard him. [14:36] No small mercy, friends, to be, in the text, and to be among, this poor man, that cried, do you cry, because you feel, you are, an unworthy, wretch? [14:50] Do you cry, at times, for, some evidence, that the work, of grace, is in your heart? Do you cry, sometimes, to know, whether your cry, is the cry, of a child, of God, or not? [15:04] Sometimes, sometimes, you fear, that the cry, is not of the Lord, it's only the creature. You fear, at times, it's just, an ordinary fear, and it does not, come forth, out of fear, of the spirit, within our hearts. [15:25] This poor man, cried, cried, unto the Lord, so did the psalmist, dear friends. Can you ride, above his head? [15:35] I cannot. Show me, or the poet said, show me, some token, Lord, some token, of thy special love. Show me, that I am born, of God, and that my treasure, is above. [15:49] He wasn't very high, was he? But he's in the text, this poor man, cried, be not silent, unto me, lest I be, like unto them, that go down, into the pit. [16:01] Life, in the soul. Well, when the Lord, gives spiritual life, we shall realize, in some measure, his holiness, and there will be, a trembling, before God, because of his holiness. [16:20] If my soul, the poor soul, sinner will say, if my soul, is sent to hell, thy righteous law, approves it well, he falls beneath it, this poor man, cried. [16:35] Cried, for some evidence, that he was, of the spirit. Cried, for some evidence, that God, the Lord Jesus, died for him. [16:47] Are you, in these exercises? Have I, any of you, this morning, known nothing, of these exercises, of soul? I'm going to speak, plainly, you're in a sad way. The Lord, doesn't carry, his dear people, on top of the mountain. [17:03] David, go approach there, sometimes, and we find it, in the latter part, of the book of Psalms. But poor David, was often, here, in the text, this poor man, cried. [17:18] Are you crying, because, of your burden, of sin? If so, be thankful. Be thankful. The dead, know nothing. The dead, doesn't know, anything, about sin, the consequence, of sin, or what, sin has caused, the Lord Jesus, completely blind. [17:37] Oh, how often, these words, come to me, when trying, to speak in his name. I thank thee, O Lord God, of heaven, and of earth, that thou hast, hid these things, from the wise, and prudent, and hath revealed, them unto babes, I obeyed in Christ, as the place, dear for it, as obeyed, poor, outblest, creature. [18:00] This is the pathway, to heaven, this is the way, where the Lord, will lead us, I believe, to make us, realize, how poor, we are. Now, though respecting, the burden, of sin, is sin, a burden, to you? [18:17] Is it? Dear, feed it, upon your heart, you know, there's such a thing, as saying it, there's such a thing, confessing, sin, in the letter of it, but what do we know, in the power of it? [18:31] That is, as the Holy Spirit, has unfolded our hearts, and made us feel, and see what dwells there, that is of sin, and wickedness, in the sight of God, the very thought, of foolishness, think of it, the very thought, of foolishness, is sin, and oh, how much there is, today, that draws our eyes, away from the truth, into the things of sin, oh, may we be, preserved, from it, this poor man cried, under the burden, what about the, publican, God, they says, God, be merciful, be merciful, unto me, a sinner, in that short prayer, there was a cry, there was a real cry, in his heart, this poor man cried, yes, he cried, under the burden, of sin, unbelief, do we know, anything of it? [19:34] It's a Sabbath day, oh, how many will be today, in Ireland, as well as in other, countries, throughout the world, there will be those, who are seeking, their own pleasure, things that are carnal, they know nothing, but a text, do you, do I, we have a nature, friends, that goes with the world, comes to my mind, perhaps there's no arm, in me, mentioned in it, it shows, what there is, in my heart, and it's in yours too, several years, several years, several years ago, I was going along, motoring along, I believe, towards Brighton, early one Sunday morning, feeling, writing the text, oh, [20:38] I felt to be so poor, so poor, and you know, I even envied, others, I saw a car, passing, me, a family in it, and their luggage, and I thought, yes, there they go, to enjoy themselves, no burden, of their heart, no burden, of sin, this poor thing, was left, as it were, for a few moments, to end with them, yes, this poor man, cried eventually, what may be different, why have I heard, his voice, and enter, whilst the room, while thousands, make a lefty choice, and rather, starve, than come, this poor man, cried, friends, then, well might we cry, under, under the burden, of our condition, our by nature, see, [21:39] God is so just, and so holy, he cannot, in any way, give any leave, if I might so speak, of sin, no kind, never mind, sometimes, there's a thought, well it's only a little sin, is that so, not so in the Lord's eyes, little sins, are great sins, in Jesus' eyes, you say, why should they be, because, friends, what did he suffer, oh, the agony, he suffered, in his own body, to deliver, these people, in the text, the poor man, cry, did he suffer, for you, sin, God, cannot look upon, with any degree, of allowance, any, a good degree, none, whatever, God, is holy, and we, are sinners, born in sin, and shaped, in iniquity, but, if the Lord, has a favor, toward us, for life, and for eternity, in the covenant, of his grace, and our names, written in the Lamb's, book of life, [22:59] Jesus died, on every, off, and he's, willing to hear, he listens, for the cries, of these poor creatures, traveling along, burdened, with sin, this poor man, cried, misgivings, unbelief, sinful thoughts, desires, imaginations, oh, my friends, oh, I cannot describe, what I feel, sometimes, what we see, in our causes, in the church of God, it will make those, who were born, of the spirits, and well taught, by the spirit, to bow, and cry, unto him, for mercy, this poor man, cried, yes, for himself, do we pray, for ourselves, and cry, unto the Lord, or it may be, for others, it may be, in the family circle, you think, for the moment, that poor Peter, he was, shut up in prison, was he not, but there was, for some poor, few poor creatures, not far hence, was crying, unto the Lord, that he would deliver, [24:21] Peter, death, would have been, the following day, but they cried, they sowed in tears, and how wonderful, the Lord appeared, for Peter, as you know, without me telling you, in prison, and how, the Lord, caused the gates, to be hopeful, and Peter, came forth, and went to the cottage, where the prayer, was being made, they couldn't believe it, do you know, what it is for us, to pray, and the Lord, has prayed your prayer, and you couldn't believe, he heard you, couldn't hardly believe, that he could, even answer it, there's been times, when I've asked, the Lord, for certain things, at the same time, I said, well can he answer that, especially in the matters, of the burden of sin, could he pardon, my sins, like a mountain, coming up before me, is it possible, for the Lord, yes it is, dear friends, it is, yes, and this poor man, he cried, he cried, well there's many things, that the Lord's dear people, cry for, pray for, and the apostle said, did he not, pray without ceasing, and the publican, [25:47] God be merciful, to meet us, and coming to our text, this poor man prayed, he cried, going back to Peter, for a moment, oh those poor creatures, blessed creatures, in the place, crying, praying, and the Lord, wonderfully delivered Peter, brought him to the house, and knocked at the door, and wrote, she was, struck down, in the way, in spirit, no doubt, to see Peter, oh my friends, it's the same God, today you know, he changes not, he's the same today, yesterday, and will be forever, in his power, that is to hear prayer, to answer prayer, blessed be his holy name, this poor man cried, let us come a little closer home, I can't get away, from these first four words, this poor man cried, did you come my friends, to the chapel this morning, the Lord knows, and the Lord knows, if we are speaking the truth or not, if we come with a cry, may there be a cry in your heart, hope there was, before you rose from your bed, this morning, during the night season, [27:09] Lord, come, come, give us a visit, may there be a word, in the season, may there be something, for my poor soul, it may be, in your heart, even in the early hours, of this morning, I believe, I can say before God, I cried bitterly, unto him, that he would come, and help a poor man, to speak, very much tossed about, in what text to take, and what word to bring, and I felt, well, this isn't a suitable word, for our friends, are brave, I had to bring it, that you come, asking the Lord, what for, what you prayed for, in your opening hymn, a crumb of mercy, is there something, in thy heart, this morning, hungering, and thirsting, after God, is there a cry, [28:11] Lord, come, bless my soul, with a crumb, bless my soul, with a touch, of that stream, that flows, from Calvary, I want something, the poor sinner, said, I must have something, and this is the poor man, that cried, unto the Lord, may there be, something for me, you come, into the house, of God, from time to time, and some of you, as you called, upon the Lord, in public, isn't there a cry, before you get here, that you may be, able to cry, in the spirit, when you arrive, and are called, upon the speaking prayer, this poor man, he cried, dear friends, this is the pathway, of the Lord's dear people, because the Lord's people, rose in need of help, and therefore, they are crying, unto him, this poor man, cried, and as I've hinted, this morning, in respecting, families, have you cried, for, one of your dear children, you who have got, a family, children, do you know, what it is, [29:28] I believe, dear friends, I can say, that I prayed, for my children, one especially, therefore, birth was given, oh, I will remember, that evening, previous, to the birth, of one of my children, I was chopping up, some wood, in the garage, and I said, Lord, I haven't felt, that spirit of prayer, for this child, we're expecting, and I believe, the Lord, gave me that cry, that spirit of prayer, in my heart, for that child, and the Lord, answered that prayer, and I believe, now I can see, some proofs of it, this poor man, cried, cried, yes, so, we journey along, in our pilgrimage, crying, unto the Lord, for the blessings, that we feel, our need of, coming to the house of God, in the house of God, and, oh, one feels it, in his, standing up, in his name, [30:43] I believe, this is the language, I believe, of every, servant of God, whom the Lord, hath raised up, this poor man, cried, I don't know, if I ought to say, this in the pulpit, but when I first, went out, to try and speak, in the name of Christ, one of the Lord's servants, that you know, they all knew, well, knowing glory, and he came to me, he says, you'll want, three steps, into the pulpit, Lord, help me, and greatly, fearing my need, at that time, I said, I need six, I have to repeat it again, Lord, help me, this poor man cried, cried, are you crying then, under the sin, burden of sin, for the forgiveness of sin, it follows, friends, if you were made, to feel your sin, you'll want to know, from the Lord, he has forgiven you, your sin, going back to Jabez, for the moment, oh, that thou wouldest bless me, indeed, you see, he knew what sin was, and he wanted the blessing, and the blessing is this, friends, to be pardoned, not in your own thoughts, not just coming to word, and saying, well, this poor man cried, [32:21] I'm that poor man, so I've got nothing, else to worry about, far, far from it, a poor soul, will want this, forgiveness, applied with power, and the unction, of the Holy Spirit, and the blood of Christ, sprinkled upon the conscience, to know, that he sins, so many, are forgiven, yes, poor man, cried, cried, I must just, for a few moments, turn, to the Lord Jesus Christ, this poor man, the Lord Jesus Christ, himself, you say, was he poor, in one sense, the word he was, I know, he was rich in grace, rich in good love, oh, manifested that was, in his life, and still now, so rich in his love, towards poor sinners, he said, [33:23] I came not to call, the righteous, self-righteous, but sinners, to repentance, well, this poor man, the Lord Jesus Christ, he knew what it was, to cry, in a far, deeper sense, than we do, when he was here, on earth, he cried, he cried, there was tears, well, spoken of, is it not, by the grave, shall we say, of Nazareth, the brother, of Mary, and Martha, and Jesus, wept, oh, what a sympathizing, heart he had, dear friends, I wish one, was more broken, and more often, broken, to be able, to sympathize, with those, in the path, of sorrow, but there, he wept, we read, this poor man, yes, we do not, alter, not one word, in these, four verses, of the commencement, of our text, this poor man, he, oh, what a poor man, he was, in many ways, reaching glory, as it were, yes, yes, really, the son of God, yes, and what did, the Lord Jesus say, and what did, [34:49] God the father, say of him, to his disciples, this is my beloved son, in whom, I am well pleased, but he is a man, of tears, this poor man, Jesus Christ, cried, cried, if it be possible, he says, if it be possible, let his cup pass from me, if it be possible, dear friends, if you thought of it this way, if, I speak with all reverence, if the father, had given him, his request, let his cup pass from me, there would be no salvation, we shouldn't be here, this morning, we'd have no gospel to preach, we'd have no scripture, oh, I'll go further, we would have no heaven, but Jesus said, nevertheless, nevertheless, think of it, nevertheless, whatever thy will is, father, give me grace, strength, the very, nevertheless, not my will is it, but thine, be done, therefore, he brought forth, redemption, he brought forth, satisfying his father, the law being fulfilled, every jot and tittle, as it were, from all eternity, was fulfilled, when Jesus, came forth, from the garden, of Gethsemane, and borne the sins, of all, that the father, had given him, which he did, to perfection, nothing left undone, dear friends, with, the work of Christ, nothing at all, what was the words, he said on the cross, it's going from me, for the moment, that there on the cross, he died, a perfect death, yes, fulfilling every, a jot and tittle, fulfilling everything, that the father, had given him, to do, and the father, helped him, and, smiled upon him, and gave him, strength, day by day, as it were, to continue, in that path, of suffering, oh, some of you, have heard me, express those words, and how deep, they lay sometimes, upon my heart, what he endured, no tongue can tell, to save my soul, from death, from hell, this poor man, he cried, [37:48] Jesus cried, on your behalf, he suffered, on your behalf, if you've been born, of the spirit, this poor man, poor in spirit, and friends, the more we know, of the Lord, Jesus Christ, the more is revealed, to us, the more, we shall feel, how poor, and rested, we are, yes, the Lord, makes us feel, this sometimes, we are so poor, so rested, so undone, so sinners, and it'll make us, feel to be so poor, and there's such a thing, as this, I don't seem, to get away, from these words, this morning, we see, sometimes, the grace, of God, in others, that we cannot, see it in our own, heart, in our own, experiences, this, there's no, being in times, when, perhaps you've heard, a poor man, speak in prayer, and he's, the language of his heart, by the blessing of God, has touched your heart, and you say, [38:57] I wish I could pray like, I wish I got, such a gift, shall I say, of grace, to be able, to pray, as that poor man, what do you see then, oh, you could see, how the Lord, has blessed one, and you look, with the end, your own heart, and you say, oh, this poor man, what can I do, where am I, yes, this poor man, poor and spirit, feeling so destitute, cried, now this is a mercy, dear friends, that these trials, I've somewhat hinted upon, this morning, that will bring us to prayer, it will, it will bring us, and lay us low, and where, low, yes, at the feet of Christ, with their eyes, looking upward, they looked unto him, and were lightened, and their faces, were not ashamed, when, when the Lord, lays us low, and shall I say, lifts us up a little, by his grace, ever on thy captain calling, make thy worst condition down, he will hold thee up, when falling, and lift thee up, when, down, this poor man, and may I say, then I will soon leave it, this poor man, your friend, cried, his prayer, and that will continue, dear friends, you see, there are some, who profess, pray, and such like, but sometimes, temptations come, and the world come, the worldly, fleshly, mind, and so far, and forget all their prayer, oh, it's not real, were the grace of God, their spiritual life, and the poor man, will cry, unto his God, this poor man, he cried, cried, something urgent, he wanted something, couldn't do without it, never leave me, nor forsake me, this poor man cry, now friends, just in my closing remarks, this morning, just a thought, you and I, are passing, hastily, through life, you know, you know you are, some of us, surveyed, many years, three score years, and ten, well past, four score years, past, years, often, feeding the mud walk, on its sake, are you among, the crying people, are you among, the poor, no soul, rich as it were, in himself, and in his good deeds, as a fallacy, will ever go through, the gates of heaven, no, you've got to be brought, there's a poor child, helpless, babe, as it were, [41:59] Jesus, we read, took up, a babe in his arms, a child in his arms, and spoke of them, as being blessed, no small mercy, friends, by the grace of God, to be brought, as a babe, to the feast of Christ, helpless, blessed, what can a babe do, what can a babe do, if no strength, nothing to feed himself, and we want the Lord, to feed us, with the bread of heaven, wash, can a babe, wash himself, no, the poor babe, in Christ, will go to him, for washing, Lord, wash me, in that fountain, wash me, it needs strength, and the Lord, will give it, yes, the Lord, shall I say, he honors, he honors the grace, manifested in the child, when one comes to him, in all these various deeds, and cry unto him, that he might give him, for they all come, in the same direction, perhaps, not from the creature, but through, our gracious God, are you ready, to meet him, this poor man cried, [43:24] Lord, the time is near at hand, to depart, this life, into eternity, will thou, accept one, is there, any hope, for those, blessed doors, the hope, is there, any hope, for one to come, and enter, into that place, where thou dwellest, is this your cry, is it, have I quoted, this morning, prepare me, prepare me, gracious God, to stand, before thy, each one of us, left a tongue, dear friends, to give an account, of the deeds done, evil, or good, yes, before our God, this poor man, he cried, to be washed, and cleansed, accepted, in and through, Jesus Christ, it's only, in and through Christ, that we can, ever enter, to, into the place, where we find, a trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, may it be, our lot, for his name's sake, [44:28] Amen.