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?

Psalm 36: 'Cursed' and 'Blessed' Continued 1.The Character of the Cursed Psalm 36:1-4

Text:  “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit…Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

                                                                                                           Matthew 7:17-20.

Good morning, clear-discerning Christian!   Because you spend quality time studying the Word of God contained in the sixty-six canonical books of your Spiritually inspired KJV Bible – you can clearly discern between what is good and what is evil; what actions, words, even thoughts are obedient to the Lord God, and what are not.

Choosing at all times, and to the best of your regenerate ability, to be obedient to God and continually being conformed to the perfect image of Christ Jesus daily -  you stand out as being ‘different’ from those around you who are devoid of a similar Spiritually quickened character.  Thus, your witness and testimony brings glory to the Lord God Who has redeemed your never-dying soul through His Atonement Sacrifice for you and I at Calvary’s cruel Cross.  You do well, beloved Christian, you do very well.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”  (Matthew 5:16)

The ungodly are not so; they too are clearly discerned by the ‘fruits’ of their carnal lives of disobedience and total disrespect for God and the Holy things of God; their chaotic lives of sin and continual disobedience are themselves the fruits of unbelief, and it is a disgrace to even think briefly of what such people are now involved in doing and saying, publicly, day by day.  TV writers and actors beware, God is not mocked!

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God?  Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexual), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (sexual-perverts), nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.”  (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Obedience and disobedience to God is clearly and starkly defined – we have no excuse if we practice sin against God’s Holiness!  God must punish all sin!

Psalm 36:  “It is The Song of Happy Service: such a one as all may join in who bear the easy yoke of Jesus.  The wicked are contrasted with the righteous, and the great Lord of devout men is heartily extolled; thus obedience to so good a Master is indirectly insisted on, and rebellion against Him is plainly condemned.” (C.H.Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 174)

“But as He which hath called you is Holy, so be ye Holy in all manner of conversation (entire lifestyle); because it is written, Be ye Holy; for I am Holy.”  (1 Peter 1:15-16)

Verse 1.  “The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.  Men’s sins have a voice to godly ears.  They are the outer index of an inner evil.  Wickedness is the fruit of an atheistic root.  If God be everywhere, and I fear Him, how can I dare to break His laws in His very Presence?”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 174)

This total lack of fear of the Lord God is manifested continually, in this increasingly apostate 21 Century, by many reprobate writers of television programmes and Hollywood film script-writers.  How often do we hear the pure and Holy Name of Jesus Christ being blatantly penned into the dialogue of soap opera dramas and major movie productions as the most gross expletives and swear words!  What offence!

This now common practice of uttering Christ Jesus’ Name as a curse-word, linked to the most foul language imaginable, has been perpetrated so much that the reprobate world of the unsaved do not even notice it is happening!  Their ears are become deaf to the unholy utterances of Satan’s servants in the television/film industry.

As a contrast: if the name of Islam’s Mohammed were to be abused in this same manner – we would see militant Muslim acts of ruthless terror on our streets!

In such a seemingly short period of ten years, it has become universally fashionable to use the pure and Holy Name of Jesus Christ in the foulest contexts during public viewing times.  And it is a long time since I have seen sound Bible-believing Christians being portrayed by this same group of incorrigible sinners as anything other than the crazy geek, or the fanatical religious murderer.  What shameful, anti-Christian writings!

“Not having the fear of God before his eyes,” has become inwoven into proceedings in criminal courts.  When a man has no fear of God, he is prepared for any crime.”  (William S. Plumer 1802-1880)

Verse 2. “For he flattereth himself in his own eyes. God fearing men see their sins and bewail them.  Where the reverse is the case, we may be sure there is no fear of God.  To smooth over one’s own conduct to one’s conscience (which is the meaning of the Hebrew) is to smooth one’s own path to Hell.”  God detests blatant apostates!

Verse 3. “The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. This pair of Hell-dogs generally hunt together, and what one does not catch the other will; if iniquity cannot win by oppression, deceit will gain by chicanery. The open sepulchre of the throat reveals the foulness of the inner nature.”(C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 174)

Verse 4.  “He deviseth mischief upon his bed.  His place of rest becomes the place for plotting.  His bed is a hotbed for poisonous weeds.  He hath the Devil for his bedfellow, who lies abed and schemes how to sin.  God is far from him.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 174)

Thought:  Note the character of the cursed and be separate from him/her NOW! If one lies down with dogs, one will most certainly catch fleas.  Come away!

7. God's Sovereign Will Revealed! Psalm 35:26-28

Text: “…Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.  And my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day long.”

                                                                                                             Psalm 35:27-28.

Good morning, Sovereignly preserved Christian!  God is Supreme, God is Sovereign, God is in absolute and total control of all things that He has Created – and our Bibles teach us that He has Created all things.  Glory and praise to our Sovereign Lord God!

Genesis 1:  In the beginning God.  There was nothing before the Lord God decided, in His own Sovereign will, to Create a world, a creature who would worship Him, and an order which He alone would sustain.  All exists because God exists, and without Him we are less than nothing.  This is the only healthy attitude to maintain before such a Holy and Almighty Person such as God.  When we take this attitude, the Lord God blesses us with the reality of His Presence and blesses all those that bless us, and curses all those who would dare to curse us.  This is the Gospel truth!  Hallelujah!

“In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth.”  (Genesis 1:1)

“So God said, Let us (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Triune God) make man in our image (a tripartite being, body, soul, and spirit), after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him: male and female created He them.”  (Genesis 1:26-27)

Genesis 12: God Chose and Blessed a people.  God chose (elected) and blessed a people with His special favour, a people that would be used to reveal His will to, by this time, Fallen mankind; a people through whom He would bring forth a Redeemer for His chosen people - Christ Jesus, Who would pay the huge penalty for Adam’s sin, his failure in Eden’s Garden where the Lord God had placed him. 

All whom God chose in Eternity (God’s elect) would be Spiritually and temporally blessed by Christ and His Victory that would come at Calvary’s Cross, when the Christ of God would take the sins of the Father’s elect upon Himself and suffer the punishment we deserved; and bear all our sins away.  The Christ of God would be our scape-goat; suffer and die as our Substitute; and with His sinless and precious Blood, redeem us from all our sins.  Wow!  What a Saviour Lord God we love and serve!  Praise the very Name of Jesus!  There is Eternal Salvation in no other!  (Acts 4:12)

“Now the Lord had said unto Abram (later Abraham), Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”  (Genesis 12:1-3)

Psalm 35: 26-27.   Because of the truth of what I have just written above, the Psalmist David was inspired of God to pen verses 26 & 27 of Psalm 35.  These verses again reveal the Sovereign will of Almighty Lord God Jehovah.

“Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.” (Psalm 35:26)

This is how the Lord God inspires us to pray against our enemies who refuse His law and His grace – the reprobate, those who are not ‘elect of God’, those who are in fact, Spiritually rejected by Him, and thus Eternal enemies of those whom are ‘the elect’.

“Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” (Psalm 35:27)

This is the inspired prayer we, ‘the elect of God’ must pray for those who are a blessing unto us and favour our righteous cause – i.e. to be born again of God and to serve the risen Christ in obedience to His revealed will, in His inspired Word.  This is a fulfillment of the Sovereign will of God to bless those who bless us, ‘His people’, and to curse all who curse us and hinder our righteous cause to serve Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Judgement Day Approaches:  The ultimate fulfillment of this great prophetic truth and the order that the Lord God has ordained in His message to Abraham, is hurtling towards its God-designated time. 

This same Eternal message is fast reaching the ultimate conclusion: those that have blessed God’s people shall be separated unto the right hand of the Returned Christ Jesus as ‘the sheep of His pasture’, ‘His people’, and Eternally blessed with Heaven. 

On the other hand, those that have cursed God’s elect people, will be separated unto Christ’s left hand and will hear the terrible words of Christ: “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels: for I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.  Then shall they say, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto You?  Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily (truly) I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these (His people, ‘the elect’), ye did it not unto Me.  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life Eternal.”  (Matthew 25:41-46)

Thought:  What, therefore, should ‘the elect of God’ cry out continually?  Verse 28 of Psalm 35 proclaims the answer: “And my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day long.”  Hallelujah!  Praise God for His grace to us!  Amen, praise ye the Lord!  Amen.