3. The Praise in David’s Prayers Psalm 86:9-13

Text: “All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord; and shall glorify Thy Name. For Thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone.”

Psalm 86:9.

Good morning, thankful Christian!  When another mere mortal is asked by you to do some task, and they do it – it is customary and reasonably good manners for you and I to thank that person for their service to us.

Praying to the Living Lord God Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and earth and all things, and receiving our petitions from His Omnipotent and Holy hand really should be inspiration to give Him all the praise, and all the thanksgiving we can possibly give.  This is what makes us truly ‘thankful Christians’.  Praise be to the Lord!

“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name. Bless the Lord, O may soul, and forget not all (or any) of His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles.”  (Psalm 103:1-5)

Verse 9. “All nations…shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord; and glorify Thy Name. When nations worship and obey the great and only Lord God, Jehovah: all is well with that nation.  When nations decline from Christian faith, and not only allow dust to gather on its Bibles, but actively seek to pervert and disobey the Law of the Lord God – they cannot be blessed by that same Lord God Almighty. Observable fact!

The Western nations have abandoned the Commandments of the Lord God Jehovah – and are, therefore, under His fiery judgement.  A Holy Lord God cannot bless sin!

Verse 10. “Thou art God alone. Alone wast Thou God before Thy creatures were; alone in Godhead still art Thou now that Thou hast given life to throngs of beings; alone forever shalt Thou be, for none can ever rival Thee.  True religion makes no compromises; it does not admit Baal or Dagon to be a god; it is exclusive and monopolizing, claiming for Jehovah nothing less than all. The vaunted liberality of certain professors of modern thought is not to be cultivated by believers in truth.  “Philosophic breadth” aims at building a Pantheon and piles a Pandemonium; it is not for us to be helpers in such an evil work.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 364)

The First Commandment is: “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3)

“Jesus saith unto him (Thomas), I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6)

Truly thankful Christians seek at all times to worship the Lord God in the revealed truth of His own God-breathed Word.  There is no such liberty given of God to worship Him in any other manner. God’s truth is a pure joy to all those whom the Spirit of God has quickened to know Christ in a ‘born again’ Spiritual experience.  Taking God at His own Word is a number one necessity for all who are elect of the Father, given to the Son; and quickened by God the Holy Ghost. Faith, God’s gift to His elect souls, enables true believers to receive the purity of God’s truth, and to be at all times truly thankful to Him for such an Eternal blessing.

“Sanctify them (the elect, genuine Christians) through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth.”     (John 17:17)

“The entrance of Thy Words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (Psalm 119:130)

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” (Psalm 19:7-8)

There is nothing as satisfying to the Spiritually regenerated heart than seeking to teach others the Bible truths which God the Spirit teaches us.  If there exists no real soul’s desire to read and study and hear God’s truths revealed in our written KJV Bibles – it is wise to doubt one’s very Salvation. God’s Word brings Spiritual life to us, as we lie in Spiritual death, like the ‘valley of dried bones’ in Ezekiel’s vision. (Ezekiel 37:1-10)

“So I prophesied (spoke God’s Word) as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone…”(Ezekiel 37:7)

You and I receive faith to believe, God’s gift to ‘His people’, when we hear/read the inspired Word of the Lord God Jehovah.  We cannot ever be saved without hearing the Gospel of Christ, and Him Crucified for our sins.

We can never be Eternally found, if we never realise that we are, in fact, Eternally lost in sin and guilt before our Holy Lord God.

“So then faith cometh by hearing (reading), and hearing by the Word of God.”          (Romans 10:17)

After being so graciously delivered from the guilt, shame, and Eternal punishment for our vile sins against the Lord God – should it be any wonder that our profoundly thankful hearts continue to love God’s Word, and study to show ourselves approved in its teachings?

Verse 11. “Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth. If the Lord God has saved us by Spiritual regeneration (born again); we shall always thereafter seek to know how He would have us live our lives for Christ Jesus – we are thankful to be taught how to walk in God’s truth. When we seek to walk in His truth, we are assured of God’s constant Presence, and "…in His Presence is fulness of joy, at His right hand there are pleasures for ever more." (Psalm 16:11)

Verse 12. “I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with ALL my heart.  When my heart is one, I will give Thee all of it.  Praise should never be rendered with less than all our heart, and soul, and strength, or it will be both unreal and unacceptable.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 364)

Verse 13. “And Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest Hell.  There are some alive now who can use this language unfeignedly, and he who pens these lines most humbly confesses that he is one.  Left to myself to indulge my passions, to rush onward with my natural vehemence, and defy the Lord with recklessness of levity, what a candidate for the lowest abyss should I have made myself by this time.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 365.)

Thought: The author of this Bible Lesson was saved in cell nine, H Block 6, of the maximum-security Maze Prison, Northern Ireland, in 1979 – believe me, I am a most grateful and thankful Christian.  “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound…”

2. The Faith of David’s Prayers Psalm 86:6-8

Text: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he/she that cometh to God must believe that He is (actually exists), and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

Hebrews 11:6.

Good morning, faith-filled Christian!  By God’s Sovereign grace alone, He has saved us.  He has, by His grace and love for us, ‘His people’, granted us His Divine gift of real faith: the ability given to naturally sinful mankind with which we might believe (trust) God’s Word, come in faith to Christ, the Living Word; and be forgiven of all sin; washed in Christ’s precious Blood, and be partakers of Eternal life in Him. 

This is saving faith, the gift of God to us.  Without God’s Divine gift of this saving faith – not one soul could ever be saved.  We have God’s own Word on this Spiritual and Scriptural fact.

“For by grace are ye saved through FAITH; and that (faith) not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works (anything you or I could ever do), lest any man should boast.  For we are His workmanship, CREATED in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained (predestinated) that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

The lie often told from pulpits today is that God has CREATED you and me. Nonsense! You and I are NOT Created beings!  The Lord God Created the earth; the angels; and Adam. He Created all the original animals, and Adam alone was Created “…in His own image, in the image of God, Created He him.” – a three-part creature, consisting of body, soul, and spirit, just as God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He Created Eve from the rib of Adam.

“And God said, Let US (three-Personed God) make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26) The Lord God Created Adam, and then Eve from Adam. Biblical fact.

Adam/Eve fell from grace through disobedience in Eden’s Garden – they sinned against the command of God NOT to eat of the tree of good and evil, and as a result, died Spiritually speaking, and according to the warning of the Lord God that they would immediately die (Spiritually). 

“And the Lord God commanded the man (Adam), saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely DIE.”  (Genesis 2:16-17)

All humankind BORN after that fall from God’s grace, are BORN (as opposed to Created) in the fallen image of Adam/Eve and with a totally DEAD SPIRIT, unable to even understand the things of God. Check this out now for yourselves, beloved readers.

“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son IN HIS OWN LIKENESS (fallen, dead in trespasses and sin), AFTER HIS IMAGE; and called his name Seth.” (Genesis 5:3)

“But the natural man (BORN in Adam’s image) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him/her: neither can he/she know them, because they are Spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”  (1 Corinthians 2:5)

Dear Reader: IF you believe what you have just read without doubting its truth: YOU are a ‘faith-filled Christian’. The Lord is encouraging you that, what you truly believe is from Him, and not from some stranger with a keyboard and a computer.  You are filled with God’s gift of faith, that you might indeed believe (trust) and receive God’s truth, from His Word.  Hallelujah!  Thank you, dear Lord God, for genuine Christian faith. David prayed in faith.

Verse 6. “Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. Here are repetitions, but not vain repetitions. When a child cries, it repeats the same note, but it is equally in earnest every time, and so was it with the suppliant here.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 364)

David had the Divine gift of faith from God, exercised it in fervent prayer, and therefore pleased God, as our Bible text for today teaches us: “…Without faith it is impossible to please Him…” (Hebrews 11:6) God rewards us when we pray to Him in true believing faith.

“Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

Verse 7. “In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee: for Thou will answer. There can be no reason for praying if there be no expectation of the Lord’s answering. Who would make a conscience of pleading with the winds or find a solace in supplicating the waves? The mercy seat is a mockery if there be no hearing nor answering. David, as the following verses show, believed the Lord to be a living and potent God, and indeed to be “God Alone”, and it was on that account that he resolved in every hour of trouble to call upon Him” (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 364)

Today, in this increasingly antichristian world, you and I shall have trouble after trouble – as the would hurtles towards Hell, and wallows in Sodomy and vile sin. Calling upon the Living Lord God for His help, guidance, direction and protection, is as necessary today as breathing to all who would unashamedly and publicly serve the risen Christ Jesus. Fact.

It is vain to call in prayer or worship to ‘good luck charms’, dead man-made ‘saints’; Mary, so-called ‘queen of heaven’ – or any would be Protestant prelate or Pope. A useless practice.

Verse 8. “Among the gods (small g) there is none like unto Thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto Thy works. What have the false gods ever made or unmade? What miracles have they wrought? When did they divide a sea or march through a wilderness scattering bread from the skies? O Jehovah, in Thy Person and in Thy works, Thou art as far above all gods as the Heavens are above the nethermost abyss.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 364)

“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness o any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.”         (Exodus 20:3-6)

‘Faith-filled Christians’, by God’s Sovereign grace alone, are filled with faith to both believe and receive God’s instructions; God’s love and grace; God’s every-day blessings – and to raise up our highest thanksgiving and praise to Him for such merciful care and love from Him.

Thought: “Among the gods there is none like unto Thee, O Lord.” Glory! Glory!

Psalm 86: “A Prayer of David” 1. The Plea of David Psalm 86:1-5

Text: “Bow down Thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.  Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O Thou my God, save Thy servant that trusteth (trusts, and continues to trust) in Thee.”

Psalm 86:1-2.

Good morning, prayerful Christian!  When we say we love someone, it naturally follows that we desire deeply to be in the presence of that person continually – to share that love with them; to give and receive love with them; to admire, share fellowship, and adore the person we love.

Should this not also be true when we say we love the Lord God Who has saved us by bearing our vile sins upon His sinless Self; hanging with our sins attached to Him on a cruel Roman Cross; suffering the penal sufferings that you and I justly deserved for our sins against God and our fellow man; and redeeming us by the shedding of His own sinless Blood to grant us a covering for the disgrace of our sins?  I think we should be in constant worship and adoration of, and with, this wonderful Saviour Lord, and to constantly seek to be near Him.

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7)

Our love for Christ is proven by the personal desire we have to worship Him in prayerful fellowship, and share such Spiritual love constantly.  Have you got this deep desire?  David had, and expresses his love for the Lord prayerfully in Psalm 86.

“Title: “A Prayer of David”.  We have here one of the five Psalms entitled Tephillahs, or prayers. This Psalm consists of praise as well as prayer, but it is in all parts so directly addressed to God that it is most fitly called “a prayer”.  A prayer is none the less but all the more a prayer because veins of praise run through it. This Psalm would seem to have been specially known as David’s prayer; even as the Ninetieth is “the prayer of Moses”. (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 363)

In the opening verses of Psalm 86, we find David making a heartfelt plea to the Living Lord God Whom He loves and seeks to serve.  What an example this should be for you and me, as redeemed Christians.  Too often we neglect the place and the position of prayer to God.  Too often we seek our worldly comforts, the arm-chair and, perhaps, a television programme, instead of settling our minds on the Lord God in prayer, and praising Him for all He is and has provided for us as ‘His people’. (Matthew 1:21)

“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”  (Philippians 4:19)

Verse 1. “Bow down Thine ear, O Lord, hear me. In condescension to my littleness, and in pity to my weakness, “bow down Thine ear, O Lord.”  When our prayers are lowly by reason of our humility, or feeble by reason of our sickness, or without wing by reason of our despondency, the Lord will bow down to them, the infinitely exalted Jehovah will have respect unto them.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 363)

Verse 1. “…For I am poor and needy. Poverty of Spirituality is infinitely worse than scarcity of temporal provision. Some think themselves self-sufficient if their bank accounts are healthy; or the crop in their field is in full bloom, or church-career prospering. However, we do well to assess all things in Spiritual mode, for many today who think they are rich, are known as debtors in the eyes of our all-knowing Lord God.  It is, perhaps, time for us all to weigh ourselves in His balance, and make sure we are actually ‘in the faith’ at all!

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove (test) your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”  (2 Corinthians 13:5)

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17)

If ever ‘the church’, international and universal, needed to make personal and National pleas to the Lord God – for forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration to Bible-believing Christianity, it is NOW.

Being ‘politically correct’, seeking to ‘offend no one’; is NOT Bible-believing Christianity.  Dead religion can never save a soul from our sin.  God’s Word is truth!

Earnestly contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints, is what God requires of us, ‘His people’.  Repent, so-called ‘progressive Christian’!  (Jude 3)

Many today have ‘progressed’ right out of the genuine Protestant Christianity under which many of them have been formally ordained, taking the vows of The Westminster Confession of Faith. Many today reading this urgent Christian message, do not even know what the Westminster Confession of Faith is!  The world’s views have crept into ‘the church’, as predicted in the Book of Jude – and woe betide those be-frocked charlatans with split fish-mouthed hats of ‘the established churches’ who have opened the door to all sorts of sodomy, perversion, and doctrinal error, and sin in the name of the ‘politically correct’ god of Hell!

“For there are certain men/women crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4)

Verse 3. “Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto Thee daily. When God the Spirit indwells a true Christian believer, He cannot abide any sin committed, and we feel profoundly, the grief of our indwelling Holy Lord God.  No conviction of sin – no Salvation!

“And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)

Genuine conversion to Christ always produces a deep inner grief when we sin, fact. This brings forth, therefore, a deep longing to be recleansed in our daily state, forgiven by the Lord, and that besetting sin forsaken. The evidence of our Spiritual condition, brings forth a sincere plea to God for restoration: “For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive…” (V.5)

Thought: David’s prayer should inspire and inform our personal prayers to the Lord. There are none as ‘poor and needy’ as professing Christians today.  Time to get real!

3. Sin Cleansed – Joy Abounds! Psalm 85:9-13

Text: “Surely His Salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land.  Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from Heaven.”

Psalm 85:9-11.

Good morning, Sin-cleansed Christian!  I know you by the joy glowing from your face, as, even in times of temporal trouble, it also glows from mine.  Why do our faces glow with Spiritual joy?  Because we are indeed, ‘Sin-cleansed Christians’!  Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!

“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 all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”  (Psalm 103:1-5

The soul that professes to have been redeemed by the Lord God, yet fails to give Him a full measure of open praise – needs to revisit the entire concept of Eternal Salvation in Christ!  There is no such person as a thankless, praise-less Christian!  Selah (now think on this!).

Back-slidden Christian: tarry not at the pig’s trough of sin – return to the joy of the Lord.

Verse 9. “Surely His Salvation is nigh them that fear Him. If to seeking sinners Salvation is nigh, it is assuredly very nigh to those who have once enjoyed it and have lost its present enjoyment by their folly; they have but to turn unto the Lord, and they shall enjoy it again.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 361)

Sinners who have never been permitted entrance into the full Presence of the Living Lord God Jehovah, literally, do not know what they are missing, never having had that joy and peace. Those that have tasted sugar, but never pure honey, know nothing of the supreme difference in quality and sweetness.  Those who live in the night cannot fully appreciate the wonder of the morning sun, or smell the freshness of the grassy fields at break of day.

However, having once experienced in all fullness such beauty and blessings – such experiences must always be sorely missed if taken away.

There is no one to be pitied and prayed for more than the genuine backsliding Christian who has allowed the sin, and lust, and greed of their old nature to lure them out of full fellowship with the Lord Who has redeemed their never-dying souls from sin.  King David knew the depth of such loss, when he sinned, wilfully, against the Living Lord God.  He cried out:

“Cast me not away from Thy Presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy Salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.” (Psalm 51:11-12)

Genuine repentance from our sin, is our passport to a renewed joy in God’s Presence.

Verse 10. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. This happens when unsaved sinners, or backslidden Christians, sincerely repent, turn away from, our sin and cast ourselves on the Eternal mercies of our Holy, yet loving Lord God.

Here is what the faithful Matthew Henry (1662-1714) has to say on this matter:

“(1) When in every congress mercy and truth meet, in every embrace righteousness and peace kiss, and common honesty is indeed common, then glory dwells in a land, as the sin of reigning dishonesty is a reproach to any people.

(2.) Of the return of God's favour, and the continuance of it, thereupon. When a people return to God and adhere to him in a way of duty, he will return to them and abide with them in a way of mercy. So, some understand this, man's truth and God's mercy, man's righteousness and God's peace, meet together. If God find us true to him, to one another, to ourselves, we shall find him merciful. If we make conscience of righteousness, we shall have the comfort of peace. If truth spring out of the earth, that is (as Dr. Hammond expounds it), out of the hearts of men, the proper soil for it to grow in, righteousness (that is, God's mercy) shall look down from heaven, as the sun does upon the world when it sheds its influences on the productions of the earth and cherishes them.

(3.) Of the harmony of the divine attributes in the Messiah's undertaking. In him who is both our salvation and our glory mercy and truth have met together; God's mercy and truth, and his righteousness and peace, have kissed each other; that is, the great affair of our salvation is so well contrived, so well concerted, that God may have mercy upon poor sinners, and be at peace with them, without any wrong to his truth and righteousness. He is true to the threatening, and just in his government, and yet pardons sinners and takes them into covenant with himself. Christ, as Mediator, brings heaven and earth together again, which sin had set at variance; through him truth springs out of the earth, that truth which God desires in the inward part, and then righteousness looks down from heaven; for God is just, and the justifier of those who believe in Jesus. Or it may denote that in the kingdom of the Messiah these graces shall flourish and prevail and have a universal command.”  (Matthew Henry 1662-1714, in Mathew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible)

Verse 10. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  These four Divine attributes parted at the fall of Adam and met again at the birth of Christ.” (George Horne,1730-1792)

When the Lord Jesus Christ made His Atonement for our sins, at Calvary’s Cross – it was a full and complete Atonement (at-one-ment), between a thrice Holy Lord God and the elected souls of sinful mankind.  For the redeemed, born again, Christian – all is Eternally well.

“It was good for Joseph that he was a captive; good for Naaman that he was a leper; good for Bartimaeus that he was blind, and for David that he was in trouble.  Bradford thanked God more for his prison than for parlour or pleasure. All things are for the best unto the faithful, and so God’s mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” (John Boys, 1560-1643)

Genuine, soundly saved backsliding Christians all testify of the pure peace, joy, and blessings experienced – when once they quit their backsliding, confessed and forsook their besetting sins; and were gloriously restored to full fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

“…Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, said the Lord of Hosts…” (Malachi 3:7)

Verse 13. “Righteousness shall go before Him; and shall set us IN THE WAY of His steps. Full joy of heart, soul, and mind, is found only IN Christ Jesus.

 He is THE WAY, the truth, and the life – no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. Joy abounds in Christ alone.

Thought: Psalm 85: Sins forgiven and detested, equals full joy restored in Christ.