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PSALM

CHAPTER 24

1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

This song of David expresses three definite points, much like a sermon.

First, the earth belongs to the LORD. He is SOVEREIGN, for He is the CREATOR.

Verse 2 lets us know that David well understood the creation account of God in Genesis. God formed the earth FIRST as water. Then He caused the "dry land" to appear.

The earth rotates on its on axis and revolves around the sun. And the earth is tilted at 23 and 1/2 degrees. If the axis of the earth moved just 1/2 degree toward the sun, the North Pole would melt, and we'd all drown.

How magnificent is our God! Everything He has created was made in intricate detail.

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

The second point of this song deals with the question, "Who shall" go and dwell with God in His "holy place?"

The answer is found in verse 6. Those that "seek" God. They are compared to Jacob. Jacob was a sinner, but he was diligent about being obedient to God because he was surrendered to God. He recognized God as sovereign and begged God's mercy and forgiveness. Then he "sought" God daily.

And that is the description that is given in verses 4-5. People who recognize God as Sovereign and Master of their lives, and seek to obey Him are GIVEN "clean hands, and a pure heart." We certainly don't have them on our own! God GIVES them to us through the blood of Jesus Christ.

The person who is obedient to God is given "the blessing from the Lord" (verse 5). That blessing is to be called "righteous" by the grace of God's salvation.

7 Lift up your head, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

The third point of the song is that we should PRAISE GOD and allow Him to be LORD and MASTER of our lives.

The "gates" and "doors" of verse 7 refer to the eternal portion of our being; our spirits, or our "heart," if you will. We are to OPEN them to God and allow Him to come and be MASTER of all that we are.
If we desire to live with Him for eternity, we shall be obedient to His desires. His desire is that we surrender who we are to being what He wants.

Then, God grants us salvation, and we give Him the praise that is due His GLORY. He IS "THE KING OF GLORY!" He is MIGHTY and STRONG.

CHAPTER 25

1 A Psalm of David. Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. 3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

In keeping with the "sermon song" above, David "lifts up his soul" to God. He begs God to take control of his life.

Of course we ALL desire to live lives that are free from "enemies" which might conquer us. But our REAL enemy is SIN!

David's cry, as ours should be, is that God will defeat that enemy of sin for us. And all those that TRUST in God shall never be "ashamed."

4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. 5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. 6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

If we will allow God to "teach" us (verse 4), He will lead us in "truth" (verse 5). Only GOD can give salvation. Therefore, we are to "wait" on Him every day - all day. The word "wait" here means to SERVE! It is the Hebrew word qavah, which literally means "to twist together." All day, every day, we should try to intermingle our lives with God.

The word qavah also intimates an expectation. If a person twists four strands of rope together, he EXPECTS that rope to be STRONG! If our lives are intermingled with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost - we shall be STRONG! In return, God will "remember" to give us His "tender mercies" and NOT remember our sins!

8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. 9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

There is something that we do in the church which I pastor. It's a sort of immediate audience response thing. If I say, "God is good," the church responds with a resounding, "ALL THE TIME!" And then I will respond with, "All the time," and the church will again respond, "GOD IS GOOD!"

God IS good - He is good ALL the time! God is PERFECT in righteousness and can be no other way!

Only GOD can "teach sinners" the right way of life (verse 8). Only God can "guide" (verse 9) us in "judgment," or deliverance. And the only people God can do that with are the "meek," or the ones who are self-disciplined enough to surrender to His leadership.

When we truly surrender to God's leadership, we find that EVERTHING He teaches us is full of "mercy and truth" (verse 10).

11 For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. 12 What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

It is for God's own "name's sake" that He saves us.

Friends, let me interject a thought here.
Jesus DID die on the cross to pay the penalty of sin.
Jesus DID die on the cross to satisfy the atonement.
Jesus DID die on the cross because He loved us.
Jesus DID die on the cross to prove He has the power to put death away and has eternal life in His being.
Jesus DID die on the cross to satisfy all the prophecies of God in the Old Testament.
Jesus did die on the cross to satisfy the requirement of the law - the price of sin is BLOOD!
BUT the REAL reason Jesus died on that cross was for the GLORY OF GOD. It was for His OWN "name's sake." He IS God. He IS perfectly righteous, and will do that which is right!

Therefore, if we will submit to Christ, He will "teach" us the way HE chooses (verse 12). Then we shall know the "ease" (verse 13) of being forgiven and blessed.

The "secret" of God is His perfect righteousness. And, as I said in the discussion on Psalm 22, God wants to TRANSFER that righteousness to you and me. The "covenant" of eternal life is IN perfect righteousness. It was in perfect righteousness that Jesus died on the cross. And that perfect righteousness is what gives Him the power to have eternal life.

What a GREAT GOD we have! He wants to TRANSFER that to you and me. But He can only do that if we will "fear" (reverence) Him, and become "meek," self-disciplined enough to let Him TEACH us.

15 Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. 16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.

Therefore, this is our commitment to God (verse 15). And the result is that when we turn to Him, genuinely turn to Him, He will "pluck" our souls out of the "net" of sin!

He will indeed come and have "mercy" (verse 16), and save us.

17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. 18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. 20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

This life on earth is full of trouble, and the trouble is caused by SIN!
It is because of man's unrighteousness and unrighteous acts that we have TROUBLE! We suffer affliction and pain, hatred and shame (verses 18-20). And our greatest NEED is FORGIVENESS (verse 18).

When man turns to God, genuinely turns to God, He is preserved - "sealed" in the Spirit of Almighty God (Ephesians 1:13).

When a person repents from sinfulness and seeks God for mercy, then God SEALS him in His Spirit, and PRESERVES him for eternal life with God Himself!

WHAT A GREAT GOD WE SERVE!

Please continue in Bible Study with us.