The End (Through the Psalms) Psalm 52

Welcome to through this weekend. Ministry of the truth. Pulpit overtime will study all 150 Psalms with pastor Don Greene from Cruz Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio were glad you're with us is over the Psalms that as we join our teacher in the truthful for tonight. We have Psalm 52 to consider as we continue our systematic study of the Psalms you know it is the nature of our earthly lives.

It is the nature of all for our fallen world that we see and deal with the consequences of evil men and their actions and the consequences are often great and the question is what do we do with that and much of the Psalms is devoted to that. Let me remind you of something that was said early on before you turn to Psalm 52. I want you to go back to Psalm one to Psalm one.

I invite you to turn back to Psalm one which is the introductory song that's kind of the is kind of the entry gate into the entire Psalter all 150 Psalms are introduced by Psalm one and when we taught on this Psalm early on many months ago we said that Psalm 16. In a sense is kind of the theme of the entire Psalter. That's a little bit of an overstatement. Perhaps.

But Psalm one verse six says the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. And if you read the Psalms systematically numbers one through 150 you'll find that this theme in this one verse is often repeated.

It is expounded upon it is expanded on and so many of the Psalms are designed to help us work through the implications of that simple thing the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish, and that is meant to be an anchor through which you view all of life. Whether you are dealing with it on a personal level and people have oppressed you and wronged you and made life difficult for you in an ungodly way, or if you're viewing it on a on a world level at the level of nations and what happens in our world amongst leaders and nations. The same principle applies God is overall, God knows his people. He protects them carries them through and he deals with the wicked in his own way in his own time, but always with at the a decisive clarity in a decisive finality when he rises to act so the whole point of knowing these things all point of understanding these things is that you would have a considered meekness a considered trust, a considered spiritual composure as you go through life and you see wicked men prevailing for a time, wronging you for a time. You always fall back on that fundamental principle that the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish and and that settles your soul and that answers so many if not all of the things it would agitate us in life, whether it's inside your family dealing with a wicked spouse or whatever the case may be, you are designed. God has given you his word so that this is what you would continually come back to again and again. And here's the thing, beloved, if that basic premise about the Psalms is correct that so many of the songs are just designed to repeat this simple verse. The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way the wicked will perish. We might say will why do I need so many Psalms then if the principal is so simple. Well, maybe just maybe you and I are kind of slow to learn kinda slow to let it sink in.

Kinda slow to let that really take root in our lives and in our minds and let it focus so we get the benefit of a lot of repetition in the way that the Psalms teach us. So with all of those things in mind turn now to Psalm 52 if you haven't already. We will read Psalm 52 at the start.

What do we do when wicked people rise and prosper. What do you do in your personal life when you're suffering under the hands of someone who has it in for you unrighteously. Beloved write it down. It's as simple as this, we look to God and we trust him.

We look to God and we trust him. It doesn't have to be complicated and you don't need a lot of new theological theories to help you process things beloved. It is as simple as looking to God and trusting him and seeing how Scripture plays that out in your life so Psalm 52 will begin with the inscription at the start of the Psalm. It's a lengthy one for the choir director amassed school of David window at the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him. David has come to the house of Ahimelech verse one. Why do you boast an evil old mighty man the lovingkindness of God endures all day long.

Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor coworker of deceit you love evil more than good falsehood more than speaking what is right cell you love all words the devour. Oh deceitful tongue, but God will break you down forever. He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent and uproot you from the land of the living cell. The righteous will see, in fear, and will laugh at him, saying, behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and was strong in his evil desire, but as for me I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. I will give you thanks forever because you have done it and I will wait on your name for it is good in the presence of your godly ones. Psalm 52 gives us a stunning contrast between the wicked who plot against the righteous and the God who holds us in his hand. This is a song that is built on a contrast between the wicked and between God. The psalmist says were stands back and sees the conflict between the wicked and the God who will judge them and he comes to this conclusion. This is what what I'm about to say. In three short simple sentences is the lesson of the entire song. That is the point of what is to guide your thinking in those times of discouragement and persecution, even look to the end. Do not fear man trust God in some ways it's it's humbling I would die just to to to state things in such simple and such simple principles. It's humbling to teach it. It's humbling to say it on your part. It would in one sense it's humbling to hear it that that these things which are so simple and so basic need to be repeated again and again and again. And yet this is where Scripture leads us and sometimes you just need fundamental principles that you go back to multiple times a day. 365 days a year in order to let that shape your thinking you know someone said to me after the service on Sunday the kind of comment that was very insightful and very encouraging in and showed the a a grasp of of what biblical ministry is like she said to me you know it takes a long time for these things to sink in it. It sinks in overtime, you know, these are things that you hear want for all of their simplicity, they're not things that you hear wants and you master it, and then you never have to wrestle through it again the nature of our hearts are, as it were quick to distrust God. We are quick to forget the things that we know to be true, and we are quick to fear men who are in front of us, rather than trusting the God whom we know but we cannot see, and so if you keep those things in mind. Then you realize that the simplicity of these things look starting to get wound up already. The genius of God is found not so much in the complexity of the truth that he reveals in his word. Sometimes the genius of God is revealed in is found in the simplicity in which you find principles that shape your perspective on all of life as you go through a difficult life as you deal with difficult people. What you need to do is to go back to these fundamental principles look to the end. You already know, if you know anything about biblical revelation.

You already know the outcome you know that God deals well with the righteous and the id you already know the God judges the wicked in the end, you know that God will settle accounts in the end will if you know the outcome. Then what's there to agitate you in the meantime you're supposed to look at that end and say okay I can rest.

I can relax here. I don't need to be afraid of the wicked people who are threatening me with harm who perhaps would use their power to take away the things that I love her to make my life difficult or to make ministry difficult.

I'm not afraid of that. Why, because the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way the wicked will perish. It's like that the hub of a bicycle wheel that is the core around which everything moves in all of the spokes are connected to that one hub look to the end. Don't fear man trust God and everything turns on that as you go through life wanting to live a life that glorifies God its not all that difficult. In principle, but we struggle with it because were slow to believe and were quick to fear. Well, Psalm 52, based on the inscription that's given to us here is rooted in an episode in David's life from first Samuel 21 and 22 when I going to turn there is a very lengthy passage and for the sake of time, all simply kind of summarize it here. You may recall that David had a very close friendship with Jonathan, the son of King Saul and Jonathan at one point warned David to flee because Saul wanted to kill him and in the course of his flight. David went to a city called Nob one of the cities of the priests and he was alone and he went to the priest there and he lied to.

This priest named Ahimelech saying that Saul had sent him on a secret mission and that he needed supplies in order to further the mission that the king and sent him on. Well, Ahimelech granted that request gave David some supplies but not realizing that Saul actually wanted to kill David so when it came out later from the mouth of dough. Add that that Ahimelech had done that Saul interpreted what the priest done as an act of treason and dough egg was the chief of Saul's shepherds. He overheard that conversation between David and Ahimelech and eventually when it was convenient and the timing was propitious for them to do so. He told Saul about it and Saul commanded his guards kill the priests, the king ordered his guard to raise their hand against the priests of God guard said no way.

Not going to do it disobeyed a direct command from the king because they realize that that could not possibly be anything other than wicked. So what did Saul do you turn the dough egg and said to let you do it and dough egg gladly complied Scripture tells us that he happily killed 85 priests and many others in the city and when the time came when David heard about it, he realized that it was his lie that had set the stage for the slaughter of all of these priests and it's that context that gives us gives rise to Psalm 52 Psalm 52 is David's reaction to dough egg and in the midst of that that horrific slaughter. David lays out principles for us that help us understand the way that we respond way that we should think when wicked people rise when wicked people prosper when wicked people carry out their their dastardly deeds. I wonder if there were, perhaps times when the Romans were slaughtering Christians, if perhaps some of our ancestors in the faith turn to Psalm 52 and found comfort when the hand was being raised against them in innocent godly people were being slaughtered at the hands of wicked men. There is enduring application here and so what you see in Psalm 52 is a contrast between the way of the wicked in the way of God. It's a contrast between the way of the wicked in the way of God. And so that's what were going to see in this first part little look at the way of the wicked. As David addresses dough egg in the words that he says look at Psalm 52 verse one as we dive into the text now Psalm 52 verse one David says. Why do you boast an evil low mighty man, the loving kindness of God indoors all day long and in light of the slaughter that it taken place is rather striking that David actually opens with something that's a bit of a taught against the wicked man who had carried out this deed.

What is expressing his astonishment at the foolishness of the wicked man and and what actually proves to be his own self-destructive ways. The wicked always think that they are clever in their deeds. They they never contemplate the fact that there will be a time of accountability coming. They ride the wave of their present success. Their present power. Their present Mike to carry out their schemes and have no regard for what comes down at the other side of their acts they think they're clever and they love it that way. What is David doing David opens up and rebukes them, he rebukes this evil man, and this is the watch this.

This is the biblical rebuke to wickedness everywhere to wicked men everywhere. Psalm 52 calms and rebukes them in their unrighteousness in their ungodliness, and their persecution of the righteous.

What you boast in your evil low mighty man is mighty in temporary power, but the whole point is this the whole point of this song is this is that this these wicked deeds are ultimately going to boomerang on the man.

Why is that guaranteed verse one look at it there with me, the loving kindness of God endures all day long look. God is a God of loyal love to his people.

God is a God of complete veracity complete truthfulness complete faithfulness to his promises Scriptures told us in a multitude of ways over and over and over again that the Lord knows the way of the righteous. Our Lord Jesus Christ says that he is the good Shepherd and no one can pluck us out of his hand again and again and again you see these promises of Scripture that are like that and so knowing that God's promises endure forever knowing that God never betrays his people knowing that God is imperfect sovereign control, knowing that he is a God of perfect loyalty to his people.

What can the outcome be of those who attack us except disaster in the end, their ways are doomed to perish. Psalm one verse six the way of the wicked will perish. That is an unqualified statement of what God intends to carry out God has ordered a moral universe where wickedness fails in the end for us as God's people.

We are designed to appropriate.

That and believe it and trust in it and rest in it, and even rejoice in it before we see the outcome.

Here's the thing. Beloved your walk of faith is designed your walk of faith should be like this. You are so confident in the promises of God so confident in his loyal love that you say I know the outcome of this before it happens because I know the character of God, and I rest in that and I trusted and I am certain that I am certain of the way that God will deal with me and with wicked people and so when a wicked man, as it were, picks up a boomerang and flings it in order to attack the people of God. We can watch the flight of that boomerang going out and know that you know what, sooner or later that's going to curve and come right back. I don't know if and if you've ever actually thrown a boomerang and watch that happen. New kind of takes a little bit of time to develop the skill to do it. But one time I did it and I did it right and it's right in the daylights out of me because II through that thing out and it went out 50 yards or so I've been trying to get this down for days and days and days. This is when I was young kid, the one time that I didn't write it frightened me because I think came back and he was coming right up my neck and I just spinning around. It was going to decapitate me is a will and now I think I was last time I threw us a ride. This could this could hurt me here. Well, see that's a way that we think about. That's a way that we view what's what's going on with wicked people with wicked politicians with with wicked people in our lives with those who do evil to us. We realize that sooner or later that boomerang is going to come back and it's going to zero in on their own neck, and their wickedness is actually a threat to their own well-being, even though temporarily it seems like a threat to us. Here's the here's the perspective that you and I need to have this is the confidence in the strength from which we should live attacking God's people cannot turn out well in the end. And so for those who are currently orchestrating things politically to try to make things more difficult for those of us would uphold biblical righteousness. We look at them and we say were not afraid, we realize you may get the upper hand, we realize that you may expand your power. We realize that you may make life difficult for us for time maybe for decades. We don't know.

But you know what were not afraid because we realize that that boomerang turns and it is inevitable. It is part of the order of the universe that this cannot come out well for you in the end. So rather than flee in fear from them. We look at the assault square in the face and say know what you need to do is repent, you need to repent from your organized assault on the people of God on biblical righteousness because this can't go well for you consider your own well-being, you silly man, you silly woman. Think about your own well-being and put down your weapons of warfare against the people of God because he can't come out well for you in the end. Now there are two aspects to the wicked that set up the contrast in Psalm 51 Psalm 52 verse one routes. David's perspective in the loyal love of God. He knows God. God is set his favor upon him so he is secure and that is a way beloved brother and sister in Christ that is the way that you should think about all of life. It should be centered in your thinking.

It should be anchored in your mind. I am secure in the loyal love of Christ. No matter what else happens.

I am secure, he will not fail me. Larry pointed out in the song he will never ever ever forsake assets rooted in Hebrews 13, where there's a triple negative that says God will never ever ever forsake us, that becomes your defining perspective on life and all of a sudden when you let that anchor in when you let it sink in deep when you say I am braced that I accept it. I believe it by faith in God's perfect word. I rest on that. I believe the promise of Christ, then you say and therefore let it shape the way I view everything else, let's look quickly at the two aspects of the wicked that set up this contrast. First of all David addresses his character. David addresses his character. So this is a sub point the way of the wicked and David in the context of the way of the wicked addresses his character and it's very it's very interesting.

David almost takes the apostrophe to think about it like he takes the posture of a prosecuting attorney and he prosecutes this man's character with his spirit inspired words. Dan what does David say he calls attention to the fact that this this man's speech destroys and cuts people in its deceptive assault. Look at verse two. Addressing this wicked mighty man verse two.

Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor coworker of deceit. He says you're a liar and you love to destroy people with your tong and don't think you're getting away from it. Don't don't think you're getting away with it. This is evident and and I and and David takes in and exposes it by the power of the spirit of God, he exposes it and lays it out for everyone to see, and he goes on in verse three and addresses the heart that gives rise to those destructive words verse three you love evil more than speaking good falsehood more than speaking what is right. I love the way that David just calls a spade a spade. You, I love the fact that he that that there is there is none of the sissified speaking that marks political discourse today that marks the way so-called spiritual leaders want to speak and want everyone to like them and never have room for a convicting word speaks moral clarity into the fog of sin and wickedness and falsehood. Scriptures not like that scriptures not like that at all. This man that David was addressing no egg he had betrayed and slaughtered the priest. Why did he do that because he and his heart.

He loved wicked things he loved. He loved evil and David calls that out says your character is such that you love evil more than good you are. You prefer falsehood more than speaking what is right said it's a word of conviction that applies to our modern culture and society today is and it people prefer deception that makes them feel good over truth that would convict them of what is right and what is godly David. At the end of verse three says cell is a word the bids us to stop and pause and ponder what you just read. Here's what you're supposed to think David will David had in mind. No egg of the awful atrocity that he perpetrated on the priests of God, but this is the way that we are supposed to step back and contemplate when we see wicked people work in our own lives today when we see them hogging headlines and and being congratulated and prospering in the midst of it. Stop and think about what's happening. David says this man prefers sin over truth and what's he doing he he's gaining temporary benefit. This wicked man is, but he's not looking any further, he can't see beyond his nose. He says this gives me favor with the King. This gives me temporary power, and then everything beyond that, they don't consider what lies ahead what the outcome of it is the heart is so enraptured with the nature of evil and loving the sand and loving the sheer wickedness of it all that they have no other perspective. David goes on continues the prosecution says you love all words that devour oh deceitful tongue.

This is a this is a judgment of Scripture that applies to all who love sin not simply no egg and here's the thing.

Beloved is you are looking to live with discernment as you are dealing with people who bring manipulation to bear on your lives. People who deceive you, people who lie to you. You need to think with discernment about what's going on here that the deception and the lies on their tong are giving you a window into what their heart is like. Jesus said that the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart Mark chapter 7 there wicked times in their wicked lives point to a wicked character and so you exercise discernment based on that you you you make evaluations you understand what is going on in the midst of it in the nature of things in the way that God orders life is that sometimes in moral men get the upper hand. Sometimes liars ascend to power sometimes in in in your employment context in a political context sometimes in a church context.

Hopefully not here, but you most of you have been under the spiritual leadership of men who proved to be deceptive, haven't you, you know what that's like what he supposed to think in those times where is it where is it that you can find a measure of comfort and security and confidence that will motivate you to continue and persevere on without fear with a sense of ultimate triumph, guarding your heart rather than collapsing under the weight of bitterness, resentment, or fear, with the confidence that you have well the way of the wicked you consider their character. We've seen that. Now David pivots and looks at the end. What is the end of the wicked see blood. We just have to learn we have to learn to think biblically we have to learn to think spiritually. We have to learn to assess the environment in which we live and bring basic biblical principles to bear so that we see it clearly.

And so the were responding in a way that is responding to truth rather than the illusion of the prosperity of the wicked. That is around us look to the end. When you look to the end. What you see what you see is this the wicked are in the hands of a holy God there in is destruction there. Prosperity is temporary.

Look at Psalm 52 verse five and all it's a it's a frightful it's a frightful declaration of judgment.

If only the wicked would hear and understand. If only they would unplug their ears and open their eyes to see, they would realize the outcome is a pit for them. Verse five David says after having addressed is the character and said you love. What's wicked, deceitful your tongue is a razor you love evil falsehood more than speaking right now look at verse five is he addresses the end of the wicked. He says but God will break you down forever. He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent and uproot you from the land of the living. You know, if you read that verse a little bit too quickly, you miss the severity of what David is saying here but slow it down just kinda take it phrase by phrase. First of all, but God and and that's always a glorious praise in Scripture but God you were dead in your trespasses and sins.

Ephesians 2 but God, being rich in mercy is made us alive in Christ. God changes the whole equation here, a holy God changes the whole equation of the way that you view the wicked, and when what's God got to say about what's he going to do well look at the verbal phrases here break you down snatch you up tear you away uproot you is fierce for those that are here may be listening on the lifestream and you're not a Christian and you cherish evil in your heart.

Listen, this is a word of warning to you as well break you down snatch you up tear you away uproot you the collection of these verbal phrases picture a comprehensive devastating final judgment. When you view them in their totality break you down pictures the demolition of the house snatch you up is like using tongs with precision to snatch a coal out of the fire, just with a particular precision. You reach down and you snatch it out and separated from that which gives it heat tear you away pictures forcing someone away from his home uproot you gives the image of a tree, pulled up by a storm the house demolished a coal precisely remove from fire someone brought out of his house against his will, tree falling over and uprooted by from its very roots by a major storm. What's David saying here as he speaks and addresses this wicked man directly. He says I know what's ahead for you. It's as if the Scriptures are our poking its finger right in their chest and saying here's what's ahead for you. God is going to break you down.

God is going to snatch you up.

He is going to uproot you. Don't let your present prosperity fool you. The end of that is ahead for you is nothing but devastating final judgment though trifle with God because he will have the wet last say your evil ways will be stopped. God will God will hit you with a blinding fury that is beyond anything that you could contemplate, ensure wicked man, you have the upper hand for the moment, but don't you see that it's temporary. Don't you realize that you're a man who simply has his breath in his nostrils don't you realize that a self existent infinite Spirit of God dwells above you in unchallenged supremacy. An unchallenged holiness, and that he will vindicate his ways. Why, because he knows the way of the righteous, and he will make sure that the ways of the wicked will perish. Your posting in your wicked triumph when you should be trembling before God in fear. He looks at the wicked person say you have a completely wrong view of reality.

Though egg had slain the priests Scripture doesn't record it for us. But God certainly judged him and dealt with him and David starts to pivot now to those of us who belong to God belong to his kingdom in the New Testament era.

Those of us that the belong to Christ that have have turned from sin and have submitted to the Lordship of Christ have received that that blood atonement is that which would cleanse our souls from sin and reconcile us to a holy God who fear God in submit to Christ. David starts to pivot now look at verse six. He still addressing the wicked, but he brings the perspective the rights of the righteous to bear on and says the righteous will see, in fear, and will laugh at him, saying, behold, the man who would not make God's refuge but trusted in the abundance of his riches and was strong in his evil desire, what's David saying here he saying that somehow the righteous will see the judgment of the wicked, and they will recognize the laughable folly of the way that they pursued their lives.

They will recognize that God they will see and recognize that God has vindicated his judgment vindicated his righteousness at the fall of the wicked.

And here's the thing, beloved, here's the thing. This is the way that you think about life. This is the way that you should think about what you seeing in your country going on around you. The brief victory that wicked people have maybe in the courts.

Maybe in the ballot box may be in oppressing you in a private way, their brief victory there temporary success is only going to prove to be an accent color on their final due. It's only going to highlight all the more their folly. You know it's not a biblical phrase but you just realize, and in the way that my my mama used to speak to me, the bigger they are the harder they fall, the more wicked they are, the more the more obvious. There wicked triumph is in time, the greater the clarity and finality and vindication of the judgment of God on them will be and all of a sudden when that occurs in time when that plays out.

Were going to see in a in a fearful majestic sense of quiet hush. The vindication of the glory and the holiness of God against all that have opposed him in the complete settling of every account turned to justice. That's the end that lies ahead.

That's the outcome. And so in the context of Psalm 52's.

You're looking at this, you recognize the wicked character that can't last under the hand of a holy God that can't flourish forever. You see it happening. You say this is temporary by definition, because the way the wicked will perish. Then you look to the end and say God is going to have a judgment that will right every wrong commentator JJ Stewart Perrone says this commentator from the 19th century. He says there is such a thing as a shout of righteous joy at the downfall of the tyrant and the oppressor at the triumph of righteousness and truth over wrong and falsehood.

There will be a righteous joy that takes place when God settles the account when God brings forth his judgment and vindicates his righteousness against all the wicked of mankind forever and what I'd like to ask each one of you which side of that judgment. Are you going to be on you young people not too soon to start thinking about it, 10, 12, 14 years old or under, not old enough to understand what I'm saying. What side of God's judgment. Are you going to end up on think ahead.

Choose wisely because these things are real. This is truth that matters and that every man is going to give an account to for those of us that know Christ that are resting in him we step back and we look at this and we say okay III see what's happening here.

I get it Sadie stuff I get this time of the prosperity of the wicked that we go through personally. Politically, whatever. I understand this is just a parenthesis.

This is just a short period of time to walk through where my faith is tested where it grows more I look to God. Where I come to know him better. Where I glorify him, even if no one's paying attention.

I know that God's eye is on me because he knows the way of the righteous. So I walk through this and I don't let myself get swept up and caught up in everything that's happening around me. I can walk through with a measure of serenity and confidence. Why because I understand that God prevails over the wicked, and he keeps his people in the it can't be any other way. It can't be any other way. There can be no possible other outcome when a sovereign holy God reigns over all and so even in the midst of sorrow. This is sorrow and not even necessarily connected with things that are wicked just the sorrow of living in sin cursed world the brings sickness and death and setbacks. You come back to the same principles and say little rest in my God is loving kindness endures forever. I know that I belong to him. I know the Christ suffered for me on that cross. I know that he's brought me into his family. He's going to keep me and I'm going to rest in that spiritual reality matter what I see going on around me blow. Do you realize that that's a comfort for your soul.

Do you realize that that is sufficient that Christ's love for your soul in the Christ rule over the universe is sufficient to give you perfect spiritual rest in peace.

No matter what. Do you know that.

Do you believe it, you rest in it because that is the simplicity and the comprehensive study to make up a word of biblical Christianity. For those who trust in Christ better things are always in store now.

That's the first seven versus the way of the wicked David contrasts it now with the way of God. Second point here. The way of God, and in these two final concluding verses David contrasts the way of the wicked with the ways of God.

First of all, he having a spoke at length about the character of the wicked noun verse eight in a beautiful, parallel, he speaks about the character of God. Look at verse eight. I love this and you should love it to David says in verse eight, but as for me, he sees pivoting now right now is moving into his contrast is address the wicked. He spoken about their end, their character and now he pivots away from that and says now let's talk about the other side of reality. We've looked at the coin we seen the side that has the wicked dealing with it.

Now let's flip it over and see how see what we say about God and his ways.

What a great place to finish your thinking what we say about God's character will God will uproot the wicked with those who know him are going to take root. Look at verse eight. David says but as for me I'm not like the wicked, I'm in a separate realm from them. I reject that I repented of my own prior wickedness and now under the care of the sovereign holy God. He says unlike a green olive tree in the house of God.

I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever see David comes back to the loyal love of God, he opened the song that waited in the inverse one verse one again. He says the lovingkindness of God endures all day long.

The steadfast loyal love of God that can never fail. That's how he opened the song.

Now he comes full circle as he so often does in his Psalms, and he comes back to that theme and he says I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. This is why what were going to talk about on Saturday is so essential for your spiritual well-being. To know the character of God. To know the attributes of God to know who God really is, is he's really revealed himself to be changes your whole perspective on life. David says I know, and I trust in God's loyal love, he will never leave us. And he will never forsake us. Therefore I can trust him. I don't mind the repetition. I don't mind saying the same thing to you again and again and again, you can truly trust Christ with everything there is nothing in your life that is outside the purview of his omniscient seeing observation and care. There is nothing in your life macro or micro that is beyond the realm of his omnipotent power to address God has the power to do whatever he pleases to do. He has a loyal love for his people and he knows our every circumstance. He knows our every need and beloved those of you that are in Christ is that God that has set his protection upon you when he saved you in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now if you are under the care of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God who is self existent, who can never die, who can never lie can never fail who never breaks his promises. Who knows the way of the righteous. What can go wrong.

Truly what can go wrong and I say that being fully aware of some of the difficult circumstances you're facing the challenges from an earthly perspective are great. See were not here to preach men to men.

Are we were here to see what God says about himself and to bring ourselves under the umbrella as it were. David says unlike a green olive tree that sounds kind of funny to our ears. None of us I'm I'm I'm guessing that none of you have ever said you know what I'm like, I'm like an olive tree. If you said that in our American context, he would say I think you need help, but not so not so in David's day in David's culture and David's geography. This made perfect sense. The olive tree was a picture of stability and olive tree could live in. They do live for hundreds of years.

So these trees that that were there for generations prior were going to be there for generations to come were an ongoing testament of strength and stability and fruitfulness giving giving fruit that was essential to the economy giving fruit that was essential to daily life. David says unlike that stable olive tree that that abides in us strong and is stable.

He saying that's what I'm like, he says I have stability in the house of God in the presence of God unstable, despite the presence of the wicked that I've been talking about I'm stable and strong. I am secure and why my secure verse eight because I'm resting in the loyal love of my God.

The character of God endures in its righteous and it's loyal and it's loving toward his people. It's a complete contrast to the character of the wicked, evil, temporary, destined for judgment. David looks at the character and says this is temporary and is going on is going to pass away. It's going to evaporate under God's judgment, but that's not me I'm resting in God's character, faithfulness, and so on.

Secure I'm strong. You and I are in that position of security. We have hope we have strength we have confidence we have spiritual power, no matter what's happening around us. That's the reality of our position. David goes from the character of God to the end to the outcome that belongs to those who walk in the way of God. Look at verse nine. So sweet. This this should just fill you with us with a sense of anticipation and desire of what yet lies ahead for those of us who know Christ. Verse nine.

I will give you thanks for ever because you have done it and I will wait on your name for it is good in the presence of your godly ones. Do you know what the end of your trust in Christ is you know what the outcome is you know how it turns out for you, beloved, it turns out like this, you will be in his presence. You will see him face-to-face with the saints through all the ages you will be giving thanks and glory to his name in an an an an environment of splendid list that is beyond anything that we could ask or think that's the end that's the outcome for you and David says notice it's kind of interesting. The grammar here is translated force here. I'll give you thanks for ever because you have done it. You've done it. The outcome is so certain even though it's still ahead. The outcome is so certain.

The David can speak about it as a past event in the mind of God the outcome for his people is so certain that there is no distinction there is no condition between what God has promised and what God is already done. They are both of equal certainty and that is the refuge for your soul. Verse nine again. Oh God, I'll give you thanks forever because you've done it, one will I do in the meantime, I'll wait on your name Fritz good in the presence of your godly ones. Oh God, all gather with your people and we will trust in the fullness of your character represented by your name to the totality of your character. God is so good in your sovereignty is so late and you know the way of the righteous, and you know that I'm taking refuge in you. As you know what I'm going to do. I am just going to way with a sense of security and trust and serenity in my heart while I wait for you to do what I know for certain you're going to do now do I know it's certain because you've revealed it because you promise because your promises can never fail. Therefore, insurers, and I'm confident because I know your character because I know the outcome. Oh God, I am at peace.

So Christian friends, brothers and sisters in Christ fellow members of truth, community church, what do we do when wicked people rise in power. What we do when our leaders are opposed to everything we hold dear. Well first of all, let's just remember three simple principles as we close, and we can pick them up from these last two verses here. What the Scripture impart to you to anchor your soul. How do you respond first of all, you trust God you trust him with verse eight. David says I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.

You trust him this is a complicated you trust him know you trust him. You will not know you trust him. Haven't you seen the light. No trust in, and every time those impulses to anxiety burst up in your heart you preach yourself and say no.

I trust God. That ends the discussion.

I trust in the lovingkindness of God.

Secondly, you think God verse nine.

I will give you thanks forever and ever God rather than living in fear as I see this world going on about me is even family persecutes me as laws go against me in the midst of that father I'm not going to fear know what I'm going to do.

I want to give you thanks. I want to give you thanks for the Lord Jesus Christ.

When I give you thanks for your loving kindness. I want to give you thanks that you blessed me beyond what I deserve them to give you thanks for grace would give you thanks for the indwelling Holy Spirit to give you thanks for the blessed 66 books of the Bible to give you thanks for my hope of heaven going to give you thanks for the people who who love me in the way that you show kindness through the body of Christ and within my family gather so much for me to give thanks.

I don't have time to dwell on the wicked to give you thanks forever and ever. When give you thanks because your character is good to trust God. You think God and finally you wait on God, trust God. You think God and you wait on him. Blood were not living in a fantasy world.

Here were not pretending the life is easy.

Were not pretending that it's of no consequence that wicked people rise up around us were not saying that at all. What were saying is, is that we trust Christ enough to believe that it will be well for us. In the end, and that is our hope through the trials through the discouragement through the wickedness we trust him for the outcome which we know to be certain which we know will be good which we know will be blessing untold which we know the Scripture says that this momentary light of affliction, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is beyond all comparison.

That's our hope that's what were waiting for. That's what we trust God for. That's why we can give thanks for your hard anchor tonight. Beloved. Let's pray together.

Father take your word and seal it to our hearts.

You are worthy of our trust and of our praise. We know you through our Lord Jesus Christ. And we know the outcome.

We know the end of all things, and it turns out well for us. In the end because you know the way of the righteous Lord were righteous, not in our own merit, but through faith in Christ, we are reconciled through the blood of a substitute shed on our behalf, we thank you that you've reconciled us to yourself through the shed blood of Christ and our secure in that and we rest in that.

And if you love this enough Lord Jesus to spill your blood for our sinful souls. How much more now being reconciled to you. We have hope and confidence as we look to the future you'll never let us go. You'll never fail us will never turn away. You would never give wickedness the final say in your holy sovereignty and so were peaceful were joyful were confident as we leave this place tonight.

We pray for those who do not know you. We pray for those sinners, even in this room who have not yet turned to Christ.

We ask for the saving and converting power of your Holy Spirit to be unleashed on their soul in such a magnificent overwhelming way that they bend the knee to Christ. Even after years of rejection and hypocrisy in hard heartedness father for our nation from world just plunges deeper and deeper in the darkness, father, may we ask that you would send the spirit of revival, have mercy on others. Father, just as you have mercy on us, pray in Jesus name.

Well my friend. Thank you for joining us on through the songs you know if you're enjoying this podcast I think you would love to join our church on our lifestream on Sunday mornings at 9 AM Eastern or 7 PM Tuesday evening. Also, Eastern time. You can find that lifestream link@truthcommunitychurch.org again our lifestream link is found@truthcommunity.org.

We hope to see you there. God bless you. Thanks.Catherine, be sure to join us each weekend as we continue through the songs with Pastor Don Greene for church information God's complete sermon, library and other helpful materials@thetruepulpit.com this message is copyrighted by Don Greene.

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