Series: Psalms
Title: God Gives Great Deliverance
Text: Psalm 18: 29-50
Date: August 7, 2014
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
We will try to finish up Psalm 18. Read v50
Remember this is Christ speaking in the day
God the Father delivered Christ from all his enemies. Christ took human flesh to show his people the
glory of God. Christ trusted the Father to show his people the faithfulness of
God. He is declaring the faithfulness of
God here. And he said, “I and my Father are one.” Therefore…
Proposition: As we
see in this Psalm, the faithfulness of God toward Christ as he trusted his
Father, we see the faithfulness of Christ toward those who trust Christ.
Title: God
Gives Great Deliverance
I. FIRST, WE HAVE A DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST’S ENEMIES AND
OUR ENEMIES.
A Troop—Psalm 18: 29: For by thee I have run through
a troop
It means a crowd of enemies, a large band of
enemies, a well-organized troop like a trained army. Christ faced the “troop of hell”—Christ sent
the Holy Spirit of God to warn every believer:
Ephesians 6:12…we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
[not men only] but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
A Wall—Psalm 18: 29:…and by my God have I leaped
over a wall.
That which Christ faced as the Representative
and Substitute of his people is described as a wall. First, there is the broken
law in the garden which stood between God and his people. Then there is the
middle wall of partition—the old covenant law—which stood between God’s elect
Jew and God’s elect Gentile. These two broken laws make up one giant wall that
no sinner can scale. The law is too high, too broad, for a sinner. We come into
this world sinners. Left to ourselves we would have remained forever separated
from God and from our brethren.
Violent Man—Psalm 18: 39
….those that rose up against me…40:…them
that hate me….43:…the strivings of the people…48:…the violent man.
Man—you
and I—were the enemy of God. (Col 1: 21) The heart and actions of Christ’s
enemies are described. Christ’s enemies constantly rose up against him. Together
we were continually striving against Christ together as one violent man. We did
this because of our hatred for Christ.
Vain Religion—Psalm 18: 41: They cried, but there was
none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
Then notice this description of Christ’s
enemies—they were vainly religious. King Saul rejected God and opposed God’s true
king, David, all the while, calling on God.
1 Samuel 28:6: And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the
LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
Those
that rejected Christ did so calling on God. It is a picture of all who will not
hear God, who reject the gospel, who reject Christ. When men reject Christ, God will not hear, and
will eventually turn a man over to reprobation.
Proverbs
1: 22: How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners
delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23: Turn you at my
reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words
unto you. 24: Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my
hand, and no man regarded; 25: But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and
would none of my reproof: 26: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock
when your fear cometh; 27: When your fear cometh as desolation, and your
destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28: Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me
early, but they shall not find me: 29: For that they hated knowledge, and did not
choose the fear of the LORD:…33: But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell
safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Zechariah
7: 11:…they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their
ears, that they should not hear. 12: Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant
stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts
hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath
from the LORD of hosts. 13: Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and
they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of
hosts:
So these were Christ’s enemies and that which was he was
up against: the troop of hell, the wall of the broken law, violent men who hate
Christ and vain religion. Brethren, that describes us by nature. So why then
did God save us? Grace alone! God would have a people to praise him for his
grace—that is the only reason.
II. SECONDLY, WE SEE HOW COMPLETLELY CHRIST
CONQUERED HIS ENEMIES AND GIVES GOD HIS FATHER THE GLORY.
Before we look at these scriptures, let me
remind you that Jesus is the Son of God—God in human flesh. Only God could
speak and make the storm to obey his command, speak and cast demons out of men,
speak and raise Lazarus from the dead. Christ is God Almighty! But as the
Servant of Jehovah—as the one Faithful Man serving God to establish righteousness
for all his people, Christ looked to his Father even as he commands us to look
to him alone. So now, let’s see how Christ conquered all his enemies and hear
Christ give God his Father the glory.
The Troop of Hell—Psalm 18: 29: For
by thee I have run through a troop;
God was
in Christ, one, so that by God Christ conquered the devil and all his troop.
Colossian 2:15: And having spoiled principalities
and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Christ’s
victory over the devil and his troop is victory for all Christ’s people, all
God’s elect, those who shall be brought to believe on him by God.
Hebrews 2: 14: Forasmuch then as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;
that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is,
the devil; 15: And deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage.
Christ delivered us from the devil’s bondage by purging
our sin and justifying us on the cross. Christ delivers us from the devil’s
bondage by binding the strong man, entering his child—the devils’ house—creating
in us a new man to cast all our care on Christ.
So like as Christ praised the Father, who
shall we praise? We praise Christ Jesus.
Praising the Son, we praise the Father. Christ said, “I and my Father are one.”
1 John 2:23: Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not
the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
2 John 1:9: Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in
the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of
Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
The Wall of the Law—Psalm 18: 29: and by my God have I leaped
over a wall.
Concerning the wall of the law, God was in
Christ when Christ Jesus removed the curse of the broken law for his people, by
being made a curse for us. God was in
Christ when Christ fulfilled the law of Mt. Sinai in perfect righteousness: in
precept and penalty for all his people.
2 Corinthians 5:19
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation.
What Christ did—all those in Christ—did in
perfect righteousness. Therefore, through faith in Christ we establish the
whole law of God, even as Abraham did before as yet the law at Sinai was ever
given.
When Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec,
hundreds of years before Levi was even born, scripture says, “Levi…paid tithes
in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met
him.” (Heb 7: 9-10) Same is true for
each elect child. We paid all the debt we owed to God in Christ because we were
in the loins of Christ when he paid our debt.
Wicked Men and Vain Religion—Psalm 18: 37: I
have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till
they were consumed. 38: I have wounded them that they were not able to rise:
they are fallen under my feet. 39: For thou hast girded me with strength unto
the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. 40: Thou
hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that
hate me. 42: Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast
them out as the dirt in the streets. 43: Thou hast delivered me from the
strivings of the people;
God was in Christ when Christ led captivity
captive and overcame the world. Now, as the GodMan, Christ is risen and delivered
from the strivings of the people. Christ has the reigns over the whole universe
to do with his enemies as he will.
Brethren, when Christ conquered all his
enemies, he conquered all our enemies. So he speaks into our hearts “be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16: 33) Just as he gives his Father the
glory, so we give Christ the glory—“For thou hast girded me with strength….thou
hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.”
Believer, our faith—oh, what little, fragile, wavering
faith we have. When our faith does not even exist, the only reason you and I
are regarded as perfectly Faithful is because Christ is the Faith of our faith.
We must abide in Christ, abide in his doctrine, abide in his house with his
people, “for without me ye can do nothing.” (Jn 15: 5) Since we can do nothing
but by Christ that means even our abiding in him is by the faithfulness of
Christ Jesus working in us. (Gal 2: 20)
III. THIRDLY, CHRIST DECLARES WHAT HAS AND SHALL COME TO
PASS NOW THAT HE IS RISEN
Christ is Head Over All—Psalm 18: 43: and
thou hast made me the head of the heathen:…
When God the Father raised Christ from the
dead, this is what the Father did for Christ his Son, he made him Head over the
heathen.
Christ finished the work he entered covenant
to accomplish—
John 17: 4: I have glorified thee on the earth: I have
finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Likewise, God the Father fulfilled his
covenant promise to his Son—
John 17: 5: And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine
own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
That promise was to give Christ all power. So
now as all power in heaven and in earth is given to the GodMan seated at the
right hand of the Majesty in the heavens:
Ephesians 1: 22: And hath put all things under his feet,
and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Brethren,
every wicked king, every good king is under Christ’s control. Every evil
that happens, all good that happens, Christ is overruling all for the good of
his church in this earth for his glory. There is a glorified Man in heaven that
is God and this GodMan—“doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and
among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto
him, What doest thou?” (Dan 4: 35)
All God’s Elect Shall Serve Christ—Psalm 18: 43:…a
people whom I have not known shall serve me. 44: As soon as they hear of me,
they shall obey me:
This is the sure result Christ brings to
pass. You and I who believe are the fulfillment of this. We were heathen
Gentiles. We were without Christ and without God, and without hope in the
world. The text means we were a people who appeared to be unknown by God. It appeared only those in the nation of Israel
were God’s elect. But this is that mystery revealed.
Ephesians 3: 6: That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,
and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
It declares God’s people are a spiritual
people, elected unto salvation before the foundation of the world. Most in Israel believed they were
saved simply because they were the natural sons of Abraham. Imagine the shock in those natural sons of
Abraham—who could point to the genealogy and show you they came from Abraham—when
Christ told them they were not Abraham’s children
John 8:39: They answered and said unto him, Abraham is
our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do
the works of Abraham.
What works did Abraham do? The work of God is that you believe on him
whom he hath sent. That’s the work
Abraham did.
Galatians 3:7: Know ye therefore that they which are of
faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Yet, right here in Psalm 18, and many other
places, in the very scriptures which the Jews had, God declared his people are
a spiritual people—an elect people—called out from among Jew and Gentile—not
natural sons of Abraham. Still, having the scriptures many still believe God
will save Israel because they are the natural sons of Abraham.
Likewise, many believe they will be saved
because their father’s believed the gospel or some other natural thing. They are ignorant of the mystery of the
gospel—ignorant of the truth that salvation is by God’s electing grace, redeeming
grace, and regenerating grace. Ignorant of the truth that Salvation is of God
the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit—that is what we see in this
Psalm. God’s children are born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
of the will of man, but of God.” (Jn 1: 13)
Yet, as ignorant and dead as God’s people are
in our flesh, this is the effectual result Christ works in each of his redeemed
people, “As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me.”
All God’s elect shall hear the gospel, “As
soon as they hear of me.” Not before, not without hearing of Christ, not with
natural ears—but all shall hear with God-given spiritual ears. Paul said we are
made
Ephesians 3: 6:…partakers of his promise in Christ by the
gospel: 7: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of
God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8: Unto me, who am
less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach
among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9: And to make all men
see [all God’s elect] what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus
Christ:
So Christ promises, “As soon as they hear of
me, they shall obey me.” All shall obey when Christ gives a new
heart. To disagree is to deny God, deny the scriptures, deny Christ his glory:
Isaiah 55:4: Behold, I have given him for a witness to
the people, a leader and commander to the people. 5: Behold, thou shalt call a
nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto
thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
We see it begin to be fulfilled in those to
whom Christ sent the gospel at first:
Acts 13: 45: But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they
were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by
Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 46: Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and
said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to
you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of
everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47: For so hath the Lord
commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou
shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 48: And when the
Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as
many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Christ’s Word Shall Not Return to Him Void—Psalm 18: 44: the
strangers shall submit themselves unto me. 45: The strangers shall fade away,
and be afraid out of their close places.
Also, to show us how sure Christ’s words is,
concerning those who shall submit in true obedience, he gives a sure word
concerning those who shall submit in hypocrisy.
When he says, “the strangers shall submit themselves unto me”, here the
word “submit” means “lie”. The margin reads "yield a feigned obedience.” These
are those natural sons of Abraham, who followed Christ for a while, as well as
Gentiles who make an outward profession of faith which is false.
What shall come of these?—“The strangers shall fade away, and be
afraid out of their close places.” Their “close places” are their false
refuges. Refuges like: “we be sons of Abraham”; “what works must we do that we
might work the works of God.”
We meet with folks like this. They come for a
while. They have refuges: “Our fathers
were Baptist”, “I was dedicated when I was 8 days old”, “I let God save me”, “I’ve
done this, I’ve done that.”
Then they hear the message, like as they heard
Christ speak. He said to them, “Your fathers ate manna in the
wilderness—natural bread—and they are dead.” Christ was telling them you who
trust in your fathers are as dead as your fathers. He said, “But he that eateth
this bread—Christ’s body—shall live forever.” Except you believe on Christ, you
have no life in you.” (Jn 6: 49-59) False disciples hear that message in our
day and do the same as they did in Christ’s day,
John 6: 60: Many therefore of his disciples, when they
had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?...66: From that
time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Believer, as much as your heart aches for
those who leave the gospel, don’t be discouraged by it, Christ is showing us
his word is true. The hypocrites shall yield a fake obedience unto Christ then
the strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their false refuges. When we see even the negative promise brought
to pass it assures us that the positive promise shall be effectual also. Christ’s
word never returns to him void, it accomplishes God’s purpose in them that
believe and in them that perish! (Is 55: 11; 2 Cor 2: 15)
V. LASTLY, CHRIST ACCOMPLISHES THIS WORK IN HIS PEOPLE
BECAUSE IT IS CHRIST SPEAKING THROUGH THE GOSPEL WE PREACH—Psalm 18: 49: Therefore
will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto
thy name.
Right here tonight, that is what Christ is
doing in this Psalm—among us Gentiles—through the preaching and hearing of the
gospel. Throughout this Psalm, Christ is giving thanks unto the LORD, singing
praises unto his name. From our text, this is what Christ is teaching us—let’s
be sure to get the message—
Look to Christ—Psalm 18: 30: As for God, his way is
perfect: The word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust
in him. 31: For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
Christ says look to him on the cross, as he
trusted the Father, and you learn who God is and how faithful God is, “As for
God, his way is perfect: The word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all
those that trust in him. For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save
our God?”
God was perfect in all his way toward Christ. And Christ is the Perfect Way. Christ is the Word
of the LORD tried in the furnace on Calvary’s cross proven faithful and true. Therefore, we can be sure, God is a Buckler—a
Shield—to all that trust in Christ. There is no other God but our God.
Brethren, what other supposed god is a Rock
save our God! Every man-made god depends upon man. No other religion speaks of
a God who is holy and righteous—who maintains his holiness and righteousness
while showing mercy to sinners. God alone does not depend upon his subjects for
anything! Who is a Rock save our God!
Christ Alone Strengthens and Delivers—Psalm 18: 32: It
is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. 33: He maketh
my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
Christ declares as he trusted the Father, the
Father strengthened and delivered him, “It is God that girdeth me with strength,
and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me
upon my high places.”
Sinner, if you rest in Christ this is what
Christ shall do for you. Through faith
in Christ, God gird the believer in Christ’s righteousness—making our way
perfect—in perfect righteousness and perfect holiness in Christ Jesus. Through faith in Christ, God makes our feet
immovable—like the deer—upon his high places.
The high places are one, in Christ.
Two, in his church under the sound of the gospel. Three, at God’s right hand, accepted in the
Beloved.
Christ Alone Teaches—Psalm 18: 34: He
teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Just as God taught Christ his Son, likewise, through
the gospel, God in Christ teaches his people—“He teacheth my hands to war, so
that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.” Satan fired fiery darts from his
brass bow but Christ the Word defeated him.
Therefore, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty—through
God, through Christ. The word of God
breaks Satans’ bow, casting down all high things
Christ is our Shield—Psalm 18: 35: Thou
hast also given me the shield of thy salvation:
Christ was raised from the grave. God did not
suffer his holy one to see corruption. So Christ is the shield of God’s salvation.
He has given us faith to trust in him and through faith Christ is our Shield.
Ephesians 6:16: Above all, taking the shield of
faith--[faith in Christ]—wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery
darts of the wicked.
Christ is our Rock—Psalm 18: 35:…and thy right hand hath holden
me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. 36: Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that
my feet did not slip…46: The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the
God of my salvation be exalted.
Christ was held up by God’s right hand and
Christ is God’s right hand to hold up his people. God raised Christ making him
great. The LORD God liveth and Christ our Lord liveth! Blessed be my Rock. By
his grace he enlarges our steps, delivering us to walk in liberty, setting us
on Christ the solid Rock.
The Summation of All—Psalm 18: 50: Great deliverance giveth he to
his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed to David, and to his seed for
evermore.
In the last verse, Christ sums it all up, “Great
deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed.” God gave
great deliverance to Christ his King, his anointed. And in Christ, through
faith in him, God gives great deliverance and great mercy to all his people, “to
David, and to his seed for evermore.”
Believe this gospel which our Redeemer
declares concerning himself and the triune God in him. By his great mercy he
has delivered all his people in Christ to God’s right hand, delivered us from
all our enemies, he shall show us mercy all our days, all for the sake of
Christ our Redeemer!
Believe Christ
today!
Amen!