2. The Character of God’s Blessed Psalm 36:5-6

Text:  “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth al thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases.” 

Psalm 103:1-3.

Good morning, ever-thankful Christian!  As soon as your eyes open, or even before they do, each morning – your heart (your inner essence, not the great blood pump!) lifts up thanksgiving and praise to the Lord God Jehovah, Who has utterly and thoroughly blessed sinners such as thee and me.  The primary character of the true, Spiritually regenerate, Bible-believing Christian, is his/her constant thankfulness for the Sovereign grace of a wonderful and merciful Lord God Almighty.  Hallelujah!

Verse 5.  “Thy mercy, O Lord is in the Heavens. When we can measure the Heavens, then shall we bound the mercy of the Lord.  Towards His own servants especially, in the Salvation of the Lord Jesus, He has displayed grace higher than the Heaven of Heavens and wider than the universe.  Oh, that the atheist could but see this, how earnestly would he long to become a servant of Jehovah!”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 175)

Verse 5b: “Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.  Far, far above all comprehension is the truth and faithfulness of God.  He never fails, nor forgets, nor falters, nor forfeits His Word.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 175)

God’s faithfulness to Hell-deserving sinners such as we cannot be fully understood by the human mind of fallen mankind.  It is granted to us by God’s own grace – unmerited favour – it cannot be worked for, nor earned, nor bought.  The Source of God’s faithfulness to us, ‘His people’ whom He has elected to save before time began, is His own great heart of Divine love; and as so, cannot ever be taken from us again.  Praise His gracious and loving Name!  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour Lord God He is!

“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”  (Jeremiah 31:3)

IF you and I, therefore, are indeed the born again children of such a faithful Lord God – are we not also duty bound to show a similar faithfulness to Him, and to the truth of His Word, in our daily lives? Of course we are!  Our word should also be our bond.

Verse 6.  “Thy righteousness is like the great mountains.  Firm and unmoved, lofty and sublime.  As winds and hurricanes shake not an Alp, so the righteousness of God is never in any degree affected by circumstances; He is always just.  Who can bribe the Judge of all the earth, or who can, by threatening, compel Him to pervert judgement?  Not even to save His elect would the Lord suffer His righteousness to be set aside.  Right across the path of every unholy man who dreams of Heaven stands the towering Andes of Divine righteousness, which no unregenerate sinner can ever climb.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 175)

In the Lord God’s great and Sovereign grace - and all through the full Atonement victory Sacrifice of His dear Son, Jesus Christ, at Calvary’s Cross – He sees fit to impute (put to our account) His impeccable and pure righteousness unto us, and robes us in it.  The precious, sinless Blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, covers all our sin.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed my with the garments of Salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”  (Isaiah 61:10)

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”  (Psalm 32:1)

Being robed in Christ’s righteous robe of sinless Blood – we too should seek to manifest righteous character, and shun all unholy association with sin and error. 

God’s truth and sound Bible doctrine should always be worth dying for, in order to maintain it.  There is far too much ‘easy-believism’ abounding in this day.

“A.D. 1551. In the year 1551, the wife of Jeronimus Segerson was drowned for the sole reason that she did not believe in infant baptism. The court asked Mrs. Segerson concerning baptism. She replied, “I acknowledge but one baptism, even that which was used by Christ and his disciples, and left to us.” “What do you hold concerning infant baptism?” asked the sheriff. To which she answered, “Nothing but a mere infant baptism, and a human institution.”

“On this the bench stood up and consulted together, after which sentence was pronounced upon her. She was shortly afterwards put in a sack and drowned. Her husband had previously been burned at Antwerp for his faith. In one of his letters he said: “I had rather be tortured ten times every day, and then finally be roasted on a gridiron, than renounce the faith I have confessed.” Others were stretched upon the rack, or suspended by the hands, while heavy weights were attached to their feet. The matron and maiden, the minister and layman, alike suffered the same fate. These were Baptists, and their persecutors were Catholics. The persecutions occurred in Belgium and the Netherlands.” (http://www.baptists.net/history/2011/09/chapter-17-anabaptists-or-baptists/

“In lonesome cell, guarded and strong I lie,

Bound by Christ’s love, His truth to testify,

Though walls be thick, the door no hand unclose,

God is my strength, my solace, and repose.

“In a letter to Jeronius Segerson, written in the prison at Antwerp to his wife, named Lysken, who likewise lay a prisoner there.”  (Treasury of David, page 175)

Thought:  Given that we have such a history, strewn with Christian martyrs of faith, surely it is time to start getting serious about our character in Christ Jesus’ service?