Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/24574/psalm-quality-good/. 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] Psalm 34, verse 6. Psalm 34, verse 6. [0:35] Psalm 34, verse 6. [1:05] That the Lord's people have good reason to rejoice. Not what they are done or able to do. [1:18] But what the Lord has done for us, given us confidence that he is able to do it again. And take us under his care and that beautiful indulgent eye of his. [1:36] To watch over us and to keep us. So he starts on that wonderful note. I will bless the Lord at all times. [1:51] His praise shall continually be in my mouth. I realize some, they don't think it right to bless the Lord at any time or to praise him. [2:07] They always finger these things over. As if that soul has something suspicious about them. [2:18] But that is not so. With regard to his soul. He said, my soul shall make her boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. [2:33] Why should the humble shall make them glad. Why? Surely it is by way of encouragement. [2:48] Yes, that we would make our boast in the Lord. Yes, some might say, well you have done very well being brought through these various things. [3:03] But no, he said we make his boast in the Lord. And how we need to remember that. You know sometimes it is to come out of the pulpit and someone will say, you have done well. [3:23] The Lord has helped you. I say we would make our boast in the Lord. And as the good, the Lord's servant in Scotland said one day, it is as good as the Lord does make it. [3:41] I say, in hearing we would make our boast in the Lord. We may not be very able. We may be not very eloquent. [3:53] Yet I say the Lord still uses the poor and the simple to expound his word. And cast it away, cast it abroad amongst all people. [4:08] Like good seed in the ground. Yet we make our boast in the Lord. He comes to verse 3 and says, Oh magnify the Lord with me and let us exhort his name together. [4:27] I like that expression together. There is no competition, you know, when we speak of the goodness of the Lord, of competing with someone else. [4:43] No, none at all. But together we would indeed praise his great and holy name. As he does favour all his people. [4:55] Yea, he calls them his children. We may call them our brothers, our sisters. Because we are very much alike in this sense. [5:07] That when a soul is born again, it's not being born of the flesh, but is born and taught of the Holy Spirit. [5:20] The Holy Spirit, friends, is not the author of confusion. He doesn't teach me one thing and you another. [5:32] Friends, he teaches us our great need of Jesus Christ. And this is the point of rejoicing, is it not? [5:44] That the Lord has been good to us and his mercy endures forever. He says, I sought the Lord and he heard me. [5:58] And delivered me from all my fears. I say, do you want to get rid of your fears? I do find your fears is something that gives you encouragement. [6:14] No, my friend. We know this. He delivers us from our fears. And I say how we seek the Lord's face often. [6:29] That he would deliver us from all our fears. As the hymn might have put it. Be gone unbelief. [6:40] My saviour is near. And for my relief shall surely appear. My friend, he gets rid of our fears. I say, another man writes, Why those fears? [6:56] Behold, tis Jesus hold the helm And guides the ship sent to waft us through the deep. Friends, oh how valuable. [7:10] How glorious. How needful is Jesus unto his people. Then he goes on to say, They looked unto him And were lightened And their faces were not ashamed. [7:29] So he speaks of his people That they looked unto him And they were lightened Or in other words, enlightened The Lord shone upon them Gave them understanding Gave them vision That they had never had before A new experience to them I say they were lightened From their own foolishness And ignorance We might well say often Why did I not see that before? [8:13] And thus we are brought here to remember Oh that we are poor and needy So poor and needy Of all the things That we require Are not found In oneself But must essentially Be found in Jesus Christ Who is able to supply All our need So speaking of these verses Previous to this verse I come to This verse Six This poor man cried And the Lord heard him And saved him Out of all his troubles I heard an account Of a young man Who went Before the deacons Seeking To be a candidate [9:13] For baptism And His leading His leading Testimony Was This poor man Cried And the Lord Heard him And alas One of the deacons Said to him Is that all you've got To tell us? [9:40] I thought you were going To tell us something The poor man Went away Disheartened He was not at all Encouraged But leaving I say Behind his heart And mind That another In profession Knew nothing Of the things That he had Passed through Had handled And tasted And felt Himself So I say Oh he could say This poor man Cried And the Lord Hard him I say When Oppressions Come Upon us And we are Brought to Dismay By those Perhaps We thought Would encourage Us We are brought To turn To the Lord I say How often That happens Yea with those Especially in their [10:42] Early Experiences I'm not going to say In life Their early Experiences It was not long After I was brought To Put on Jesus By Open profession Of baptism That I went To see A man I was compelled To go and See him Not out of Choice And then Thus he Turned and Railed On me And said Let me tell You If you don't Believe these Things Then you are Not a child Of God Friends I was In the Getting up And going From that Place I can't I got so Distraught And so Dismised Not A child Of God Being a Hypocrite But on [11:42] Open Profession Forcely Oh I say How troubled I was And as I Was going Down That garden Pass These words Came to me And I Didn't know Where they Were found In those Days My Witness Is in Heaven And my Record Is on High Friend It made Everything Right Surely It did And we Could surely Say This poor Man cried And the Lord heard Him And saved Him Out of All his Troubles Friends What a Marsy It is That he Saves us From Our Troubles How What he Gives us Peace Peace Oh peace By his Cross Peace In Jesus Christ The great [12:43] Shepherd Of the Seat Of his Sheep Peace In Jesus Christ The great Controller Of the Sea Yea Gives us Peace With Jesus Christ Knowing That our Last Minutest Circumstance Is subject To His Eye Peace In Jesus Christ Knowing That not A single Shot Can hit Till the God of Love Sees Fit I say How Wondrous That is And we Have to Say When Deliverance Comes Whether It be Quick Or Slow This Poor Man Cried And the Lord Hurt Him And Saved Him Out Of All His Troubles And When You Can Join With [13:44] The Psalms In Union And say Yes And this Poor Man Cried He Is To Together And you Turn Around And find Others Who say Yes And this Poor Man Cried And discovered Many More Have been In that Identical Place And position As you And the Lord Has never Turned Them Away The Lord Is Ever Faithful The Lord Is Ever Good And Therefore I say This Poor Man Cried And Why Have You Not Cried Or Why Is It You Have Cried And Have Not Yet Hurt Him I Don't Think There Is Any Thought On Your Own Because I Say He Will Ever Keep His People Inquiring At The Throne Of Grace For [14:44] He Has Said I Will Be Inquired Of Him Yes Indeed That He Might Do These Things For Us Friends Oh What A Mercy That Is To Be Brought To Know The Long Suffering And Mercy Of God To Know What We Require Of Him This Poor Man Cried And The Lord Held Him And What Would He Mean By Being A Poor Man I Don't Assume For One Moment That He Was Talking About Earthly Goods No But He Saw Himself Poor In All In All In All The Things That Are Goods In Himself And Such A Void Without The Lord Jesus Christ Yea Oh [15:45] This Poor Man Cried And When The Lord Does Come And To A Poor Sinner That Cries Surely He Is Rich For He Appears For Him Works In Him And For Him Too Now What Is Thy Poverty Oh This Night Why I Cannot Tell But Oh How Often One's Poverty Arises Because They Are Attacked On Every Side By The World And You Say Well It's Not Quite Like That I Seem To Be Allured Side By The Attractions Of The World Well Really That Is The Same Thing Isn't It Satan Uses Those Things He Knows Will Make Be Effective In Your Heart By Nature And Thus Get You Concentrated On [16:45] So Many Things That Are Not Relevant To Your Soul Salvation I Say This Poor Man Cried As It What A Mercy If We're Brought To The Feet Of Jesus Like The Lord Brought Through His Dying Love Unto Mary Yes Brought Her There Oh She Cried Unto The Lord I Have No Doubt Whatsoever We Find Mary Magdalene Crying Unto The Lord In This Way She Had No She Did Not Recognize Her Lord And Master So Near So Close Yet Unable To Dishon The Lord Jesus Christ To Be With You In [17:46] You And For You For Thus He Says She Says To Him If Thou Hath Born Him Hence Tell Me Where Thou Hath Lied Him Oh I Say Poor Unlady Searching Looking Cannot Find Him But There He Discovers Himself To Her And Hell Why With One What One What What a Wonder There Is Someone Said I Want More Than That Well Mary Magdalene Didn't No He Did Not It Caught Her To Rejoice That Jesus Was Risen From The Dead All He Said Was Mary And Should We Expect A Lot More Than [18:46] That I Be Careful What I Say Here But Jesus Had Said My Sheep Hear My Voice And They Follow Me And Again He Says By The Psalmist And They Know His Voice And They Follow Him He Calls Them Out One By One So David In The 23rd Psalm Said My Cup Runneth Over What Cup Is That The Cup That The Lord Himself Gives Us To Drink Of Poor And Needy We Can't Get It To Ourself But The Dear Shepherd Of The Sheep He He Gives To Drink And Drink Abondantly Of His Love And Mercy It [19:46] Is He That Has The Cup It Is His Possession And So I Say The Sheep Being His Possession He Makes For Their Provision Yes Poor And Needy Totally Dependent Upon The Lord That Doesn't Satisfy Independence By Nature But Friends It's Got To Go It's Got To Go Independence Often Makes Us Poor And Needy Does It Not He Bring Us Dependent Entirely Upon Him He Doesn't Despise Us For That No Indeed He Leads His Sheep For And Thus Gives To Them Those Green Pastures And To Lie Down In Green Pastures [20:46] And We Know This That When The Sheep Has Had Its Will It Lies Down It Lies Down To Digest What It Has I Say Does He Make You To Lie Down In Green Pastures That Your Soul Might Be Filled To The Fall Although You Are Poor And Needy You Haven't Paid A Penny For It It's His Provision His Provision To To Live To To Live To To To Feed Upon It Sabbath By Sabbath And Day By Day Or So Oh Poor Death You To Mars A earth [21:52] S and needy. We have not the dissonance to know what we need. [22:08] But I say it is good to rejoice in this. It is the Lord that feeds us and it is that food that does sustain us. [22:21] It sustains us in that way where we thought we could never go and would never endure. I shall never forget in joining the church feeling like this I feared it wouldn't last for long. [22:42] There would be a breakdown on my behalf. I indeed would lose my way completely. Bring shame and disgrace upon the church of God. [22:55] Oh what a poor and needy creature I felt. Lord. But Lord I say but praise is great and holy I am having obtained the help of God why we continue unto this day. [23:15] Without the help of God we would not continue for unleady. We obtain it through his love to us because he gives it to us freely. [23:30] See we have it not of our own. We come back to my point. He provides for our every need. [23:46] This poor man cried and the Lord heard him. This is a wonderful truth isn't it? that he hears us and that other people may not hear us literally so but my friend the Lord can and send help and deliverance. [24:12] I remember three years ago and I had a fall and was in real trouble and I couldn't lift myself up from the ground. [24:26] I called and called and called. I was getting tired and more weak as the minutes went by and thus I came to that point to say Lord appear for me and send help from my sanctuary with the same my son appeared. [24:55] I say what a mercy that was but I'm sure of this had it not been I wouldn't be here today. I say this poor man cried and the Lord heard him. [25:12] It softens our hearts does it not? He doesn't forget us in our deep distress. he doesn't let us perish in our misery. [25:24] Oh this poor man. It indicates this is a personal matter and you know all true religions are personal matter and there's what the old people used to say something you handled tasted and filled. [25:44] the dear old friend that Sonic Shaw used to say dear old Mr. Beavis he said those things we have summered and wintered with how true that is this poor man cried in the summer he cried in the winter too different situation different environment but still so poor and so needy and the Lord's love and mercy appearing for his people I say how true this really is he heard him and saved him he heard him why how gracious and how condescending the Lord is that he not only heals but he saves that is a wonderful truth oh [26:51] Jonah described it like this out of the belly of hell cried I I say who but God could help Jonah in the solemn plight he was in in running from the presence of the Lord why was he on that ship in disobedience to God why did God prepare a great fish for him because God would have mercy and compassion upon him so that fish prepared swad him up was he any better off there my friends he was there the place of the Lord would bring him that he might teach him and instruct him yes indeed see how he speaks with regard to that experience they that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercies that's what he was indeed doing he was seeking the vanities of this world which lied unto him and in so doing he forsook the mercy of the [28:17] Lord we wouldn't point the finger of scorn at Jonah but remember we are not one bit better than he so he said out of the belly of hell cried I and what did he say salvation is of the Lord that was his witness and his record of what the Lord had done for him yes out of the belly of hell cried I the Lord heart your friends when what we read with regard to that which God had prepared that the fish did vomit him up on dry ground still alive still kept preserved still indeed to be made willing to go on and do the Lord's will yes this poor man cried but [29:19] I say there's another point we need to remember he might well have questioned what if that great fish should vomit me up in a place the opposite direction to where I ought to go but it put him on his way and the direction to which he should go this poor man cried and the Lord heard him is it a trial unto you and me that we are walking in the right direction and that we're not walking contrary to his word and his commandment many will say I know I'm right in what I'm doing because the Lord blesses it but be sure of this the [30:22] Lord will never bless our error and the Lord will never bless our rebellion and if we're walking contrary to his ways be sure of this he will deal with us and in dealing with us we shall cry unto him what a turn around what an alteration the Lord does bring in a poor sinner's heart and saved him out of all his troubles saved saved what a word that is we say well I have saved that and why have you saved it to stop it being destroyed to keep it for future generations to keep it for another time I say and he saved him out of all his troubles but it was troubles that he saved him from that which would have consumed him that which were in he would surely have died under his own sin and rebellion to [31:42] God my friend mercy indeed that he lifts the poor sinner up out of the depths of destruction and turns him around and causes him to come unto him with gracious repentance in his heart and soul he saved him out of all his troubles how many troubles arise because we are rebellious to God and determined that there will be no repentance found in us self justification is often the root cause of a rebellion against repentance friends it may be you know you ought to repent but you cannot relieve you out of his trouble I say what a mercy that he through troubles he softens our hard hearts and makes us willing in the day of his power to say light will be done and he saved him out of his troubles but my friend let's come to the most vital point and it's this there's no greater trouble that a man can have than soul trouble so often in hearing the testimony of some young people to die there's no soul trouble there doesn't appear to be any need of the [33:36] Lord Jesus Christ and perhaps it may not be just young people but let me move away from that area I wouldn't stand here as a critic but oh I say of that which is reality this poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out his troubles when the Lord brings in conviction of sin and your soul is in real trouble when you hear those words that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance who then can turn me around or to me and change me oh none but he who is able to save friends he comes does he not a hard heart that is real isn't it do you know what a hard heart is [34:41] I suppose it would be just to say that some people's hearts may be harder than others but there I cannot tell you that entirely because I say I only know the hardness of my own heart when the Lord's presence is not with my friend he saved us out of his troubles a hard heart we want no dealings with the Lord Jesus Christ we are up to think that we are as good as the next person and what have we done indeed to deserve this or that that is trouble because more troubles come upon us but I say when the Lord opens our heart and eyes oh I say what a weary land we see and discover you say well there's nothing here for me [35:43] I have been pursuing vanity and my soul stands in awe of the judgment day I say there is a time appointed unto man once to die and after death the judgment yes indeed how solemn that is I say are we prepared for that great day and I like the words of the hymn writer the solemn words the more I strove against sin's power I sinned and I sinned and stumbled yet the more friends we get worse and worse through our own efforts and endeavors I say who can we turn to and who can we cry unto I that he delivered us out of all our troubles where shall I come before the [36:49] Lord how shall I make an offering unto him what can I bring as an offering for the atonement of my sins nothing I've got to bring nothing at all of my own making or providing will the Lord provide for me will the Lord indeed save me out of my troubles why yes he will he truly is worthy to be praised is he not among the people he saved me out of all his troubles when by his grace he gives you a spark of faith to turn your eyes to Jesus and his precious and all atoning blood my friend the only thing that can deliver us out of our troubles otherwise whatever we do whatever we might say hell will still be our portion [38:03] I say who can deliver us from the depths of hell who can deliver us from the pit of destruction friend no one can save us can I for I say we fall further and further day by day friend he lift the poor sinner up yet he cannot lift himself up and draw his poor sinner unto himself he saves him from deep despair he saves him from all his sins and transgressions that are labelled against him why everyone because the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ it cleanses us from all sin save my friends from the stain of sin the evidence of sin the witness [39:05] I say that we are sinners before almighty God that we are unrepentant sinners determined sinners saved from all that but being born again I say what a mercy he quickens by his spirit what a salvation that is what has happened what has taken place we may not be able to really discover Jesus speaks of the work of the holy spirit like the wind it blows wheresoever it lists we do not know from what direction it came or where it went so in like manner the work of the holy spirit we know it is vain by the solemn yet beautiful change he has wrought within us yea brought now to seek his face friend we are on safe ground if we are brought to seek his face if he has quickened us by his spirit we are surely born again save us from our form of conversation the manner and way in which we speak [40:33] I say a poor sinner born again is brought to speak different to what he used to speak and instead of saying I did this and I did that and I will do this and that I show you what a good Christian I am my friend how different you say the Lord hard me and delivered me out of all my troubles he worked in me and for me too now to make me a different man to have an appetite and diet of different things I have been used to before I say he delivers us from all our troubles he leadeth me says the psalmist in paths of righteousness for his dear name sake leadeth me in paths of righteousness art thou happy with this can you rejoice in this this poor man cried and the [41:49] Lord heard him he didn't know which way to go he has one word for you and one word for me and that is follow thou me amen you