Psalms 3 - Wells of Living Water Commentary

Bible Comments
  • Psalms 3:1-7 open_in_new

    The Prefatory Psalms

    Psalms 1:1-6, Psalms 2:1-12, and Psalms 3:1-8

    INTRODUCTORY WORDS

    The first chapter of the Psalm is its preface. You may call it, if you wish, the prefatory Psalm. It gives you the key that unlocks the whole Book. Let us enter into this Psalm by the way of the 24th of Luke; there it says that "all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me." These words tell us that the chief personage of the Psalms is not David, but Christ.

    The newspapers carry big, black type headlines, the sub-headlines follow in a finer print, and then there is given the main body of the article. God often puts the striking headlines first; then He gives you, perhaps, the second headline; and then the great body of His message. The newspapers sum up the whole article at the top of the column. Of course, if you are interested in the details, in the intricacies, you go on down through the whole reading. When you open your Bible the first thing you see is, "In the beginning God." There is your striking headline for the whole Bible. When you come over into the New Testament, it begins: "The Book of the generation of Jesus Christ." There is your headline for the second division of the Bible.

    The Book of Romans, the opening Book of the Epistles, begins: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God, concerning His Son Jesus Christ."

    Now, let us approach the Book of the Psalms. The first chapter opens up like this: "Blessed is the man." These words convey the big black type headlines for the Psalms. If the Book of Psalms, according to Luke 24:44, is a Book written about one man, the Lord Jesus Christ, then the "blessed man" of the first verse is none other than He. The Holy Spirit is not talking primarily about David or about saints in general. When you consider that the Book of Psalms, like all the rest of the Bible, centers in Jesus Christ, you cannot miss the personnel of the opening verse; this is especially vivid when you remember that the 1st Psalm is the preface to the Book as a whole.

    Now, what is the second headline, the sub-topic of the Book? Here it is: "The ungodly are not so." This expression "The ungodly" or its equivalent, runs through the whole Book. Two chief characters offset each other: "Blessed is the man" "The ungodly are not so." These are the two outstanding men of the Psalms The "blessed man" is the Lord Jesus Christ, and in Him all His saints; the "ungodly one" is the antichrist and with him all of those who follow him.

    I. THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD'S BLESSED MAN (Psalms 1:1-3)

    First, His character is described. It is negatively stated and then positively stated.

    Negatively three things are said: "Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly who standeth not in the way of sinners who sitteth not in the seat of the scornful." We need not now enlarge on these three constructive and consecutive statements; we merely wish to emphasize that they can be truly said of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Where else is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly? Where else is the man who standeth not in the way of sinners? Perhaps you might say the lineage, or the line, or the descent of sinners. In either case, Jesus Christ is the answer to the query. He never sprang from the loins of sinners, nor did He ever walk in their pathway. The Christian who has ceased to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, and to stand in the way of sinners, can claim such a distinction only because he is in the blessed Man, empowered by the One who knew no sin. Christ never was a sinner. Of Him it was said: "That Holy Thing that shall be born of thee." There is none other who could encompass his whole life and say, "I am the blessed man, who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners."

    Now, what about sitting in the seat of the scornful. Jesus Christ was "separate from sinners"; He never was part or parcel with those who defamed His God.

    Saints may go outside the camp with Him, bearing His reproach; they may never have fellowship in a church or a denomination where men scorn the Lord; they may never sit in the seat of those who defame the Word of God; they may refuse to darken the door of apostate churches, or to support the ministry of those who blaspheme the Son of God: yet, such an attitude is a victory of grace. "Blessed-ness" belongs inherently only to the One who was never found in the seat of the scornful. The next chapter tells us the fuller meaning of what this "scorning" includes.

    Now, positively stated. "But his delight is in the Law of the Lord; and in His Law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

    Every word just quoted was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. He delighted in the Word and He was the Word; He was like a tree planted by the rivers of water and all of the rivers of water sprang from Him; all He did prospered even though He died upon the Cross in shame and spitting and in seeming defeat.

    The Lord Jesus shall yet vindicate every word spoken of Him by the Psalmist. He was a victor on the Cross, for there He despoiled principalities and powers. He is, even now, a victor, for He sits exalted far above principalities and powers. When He comes again He will be a victor over every foe, for He will cast down every power that lifts itself up against Him "Whatsoever He doeth shall prosper."

    II. THE BANE OF THE UNGODLY (Psalms 1:4-6)

    "The ungodly are not so." How quickly the scene changes "The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away." The Lord will destroy the antichrist with the breath of His mouth. Like the chaff will He blow him away. When Christ sends forth judgment unto victory the ungodly one will be "like" a reed shaken of the wind and tossed; like a smoking flax that is quenched. "Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment."

    Thus, the prefatory Psalm not only presents Christ and the antichrist facing one another, but it also presents the prosperity of the former and the overthrow of the latter. This is the same story that runs through the Psalms as a whole; you will find it everywhere. The time is coming when only Christ and those who are in Him shall stand; while the antichrist and those with him shall be swept away.

    III. CHRIST VERSUS THE ANTICHRIST (Psalms 2:2-4)

    The second Psalm brings the conflict between Christ and the antichrist to a climax. We must turn our faces toward a far distant vista. This second Psalm has never met its fulfillment during the thirty centuries since David wrote.

    "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed." The scene is one of the nations raging; of the peoples imagining a vain thing. Against whom are they raging? Against the Lord. Against whom are the kings of earth setting themselves? Against the Lord. What is the vain thing the people imagine? Why do "the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His Anointed"?

    It is because Armageddon has come. As the age draws to its close and the antichrist is revealed, the world will vainly strive to throw off all show of allegiance to Christ.

    What is the language of the kings of the earth, the rulers and the peoples? They say: "Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us." The nations fret under the constraints of Christianity and of Christ. Against Christ, and against everything that names His Name or bears His impress they will arise saying: "Let us break away their bands from us." The antichrist will come as a religionist, but denying the Lord Jesus Christ, and everything that takes its color from Christ. For this cause the apostate nations and apostate Christendom will the more quickly rally to his standards.

    What is the next scene? "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh." The rapture of the saints (the Body of Christ) has evidently taken place. On the earth the tribulation rages, and the antichrist has been made manifest. The man of sin is heading the nations, and gathering them together against the Lord. The Lord, sitting in the heavens, laughs. He holds them in derision. What cares He though ten thousands are gathered against Him. He knows His power. He laughs at the madness of those who oppose Him. He holds their attempts in derision. He knows His strength.

    That will be an imposing spectacle when the antichrist, clothed with Satan's power, gathers together the armies of the earth. The world will tremble and be afraid, but He who sits in the heavens will laugh. He will cry: "Come on to the battle." He will deride them.

    IV. CHRIST CROWNED KING (Psalms 2:6)

    In spite of the fact that the nations have gathered to dethrone the Son and to cast Him out, the Father declares: "Yet have I set My Son upon the holy hill of Zion." And addressing the Son, the Father says: "Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession" (A.S.V). No power on earth or in hell can keep the Lord from His rightful throne. He will come and He will reign. The Father will say to the Son, "I will declare the decree, * * Thou art My SON; this day have I begotten Thee." Your mind goes back to the immaculate conception, "Therefore that holy thing that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God." Your mind goes back to the baptism, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Your mind goes back to the transfiguration, "This is My Son, My chosen, hear HIM."

    Thus, in the hour of tribulation, God thunders to the gathered hosts, His decree: "Thou art My Son." Then, to the Son He saith: "Ask of Me and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance." No wonder that Christ, sitting at the right hand of the Father, holds the flaunting threats of the gathered nations in derision. He will vex them in His sore displeasure. God will yet set His King upon the holy hill of Zion.

    Let us go a little deeper into the Father's words: "Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee." Here we have the Father's vindication of both the Virgin Birth and the Resurrection.

    In the expression "I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession," we have the far-flung vision of what will be brought about after Christ has vexed the nations and cast out the antichrist like chaff before the summer threshing-floor. It is then that God puts His King on the holy hill of Zion. The Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ will be established after the antichrist is overwhelmed and never before. So let us not anticipate it ahead of time; neither let us join in worldly movements to establish the Kingdom. The mission of the Church is to take out of the nations a people for His Name. It is not to bring in the Messianic Kingdom. The Second Psalm tells how the Kingdom is to be brought in. Christ does not send forth His Church to carry His evangel to the uttermost part of the earth in order to establish the Kingdom. The Scripture is plain: "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron"; and, "Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Thus will the nations learn righteousness.

    This is, briefly, the message of the Second Psalm.

    V. A STRIKING ILLUSTRATION (2 Samuel 14:25; 2 Samuel 15:4; 2 Samuel 15:10)

    "And in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom." The antichrist will outshine all the great men of the world; he will be universally wondered after; there will be none like him on all the earth.

    "And Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him." This demonstrates Absalom's pride. The antichrist will lift himself up above all that is called God, or that is worshiped.

    "And Absalom said, moreover, Oh, that I were made judge in the land." When the antichrist comes, he will lay deep the plot and the strategy against the Son of God. He will seek to take Christ's heirship unto himself, and to make himself king.

    And Absalom said unto his father, "Let me go and pay my vow which I vowed to the Lord in Hebron." The antichrist will enter world scenes as a religionist. There are ecclesiastics all over this land who are even now prepared to receive the antichrist. There are ecclesiastics prominent in Church circles, who know nothing of the Gospel of the Son of God, they know nothing of the vital fellowship of saints; they preach another gospel, which is not the Gospel, and they proffer a fellowship builded on a program, or, on a ministration, and not on the "unity of the faith."

    When the antichrist comes, many of the supposed theological "far-i-sees" will bid him royal welcome. He will not at the first say, "I am God"; he will undoubtedly come with flattering and elegant phrases, posing as a great religionist. The antichrist will make a league with all apostasy, now existing in the world. He, like Absalom, will come under pretense of a fervent piety.

    Now, let us observe the outcome of Absalom's perfidy. The story of David's flight is told as follows: "All the people wept with a loud voice; and all the people passed over; the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron." How remarkable it is that David went over the very brook, which the Lord passed en route to His Gethsemane. What next: "And David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives." The Lord Jesus left this earth by way of the same Mount of Olives, and went up into Heaven an exile from His Davidic throne. During His absence the antichrist will come into power as a usurper.

    VI. THE PRAYER OF DAVID AS HE FLED FROM ABSALOM (Psalms 3:1-8)

    We now study the prayer which David offered as he fled from Absalom, after he had passed over Kidron, and had gone up by the Mount of Olives. While his followers, men and women, rested and slept, David slipped away and prayed. I want you to read his prayer in Psalms 3:1-8

    When Zadok came out to follow David in his exile with the ark (2 Samuel 15:24-29), David said, "Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me again, and shew me both it, and His habitation: but if He thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him."

    Let us leave David out of our thought, for a moment, and apply this prayer to Christ. Imagine the Lord Jesus Christ praying on the Cross and saying, "Lord, how are they increased that trouble Me, many there be that rise up against Me. Many there be which say of My soul, There is no help for Him in God." How those words remind us of the cry of the mob that surrounded the Cross! They said: "He trusteth in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him": for He said, "I am the Son of God." Christ never wavered, He never doubted, He said: "But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for Me and My glory, and the lifter up of My head."

    David said, I wakened for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands that beset themselves against me around about.

    Thus, did Christ awaken: He came forth from His tomb and from Hades a Victor, able to laugh at any onslaught that Satan or his antichrist might bring.

    There is, however, another vision of the maledictions voiced in the third Psalm.

    Not only did the enemy malign Christ during His earth-life, and as He hung upon the Cross, but after the antichrist in seeming victory, has, Absalom-like, swept everything before him, then the enemies of Christ will the more cry out against Him.

    The whole world will marvel after the "beast"; his sway will be wonderful. Then will many rise up against Christ and say:

    "Away with Christ, He was an impostor and untrue; every claim He ever made was false; even God repulsed Him and refused Him aid and He died in shame, the helpless victim of those who hated Him."

    With many words will they defame His Holy Name. Yet, even as they cry, the Lord will be seated in the heavens with the Father, receiving from Him the promise: "I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.

  • Psalms 3:1-8 open_in_new

    David's Trust in God

    Psalms 3:1-8

    INTRODUCTORY WORDS

    As an introduction to the Third Psalm we want to give you a vision of the young man Absalom, the son of David, who is described as the basis of David's prayer as he fled from Absalom.

    1. Absalom's pride. The 15th chapter of Second Samuel tells us that Absalom "Prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him." The chapter preceding says: "In all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty."

    We have often read how pride and a haughty spirit go before a fall. He that exalteth himself shall be abased. He that lifteth himself up, shall be made low. Every lofty look and the haughtiness of man shall be bowed down and humbled. Our hearts ache for poor Absalom. His glory became his shame; his pride became the stumblingblock over which he fell to his destruction.

    2. Absalom's perfidy. It was so that Absalom, the one greatly admired, would rise up early and stand by the way of the gate. Thus, as the people passed to go in unto King David for judgment, Absalom first of all would greet them kindly and then say, "See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee." Thus Absalom sought to create dissatisfaction in the mind's of the people concerning his father David. He even went so far as to say, "Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!" Yea, Absalom even went so far as to do obeisance unto those who were far beneath his royal dignity. He even put forth his hand and took and kissed them. Thus did Absalom to all Israel, who came to the king for judgment: and so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

    3. Absalom's insurrection. After forty years Absalom came to David and sought leave of absence, saying that he had vowed a vow unto the Lord in Hebron. Under the guise of Divine worship and fidelity to God, and under the kiss of his father, he arose as if to go to Hebron, However, he sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel saying, "As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron."

    4. David's flight. When David heard what Absalom had done, and how the hearts of the men of Israel were after him, he arose and fled, and he and all his servants passed over. They went by the way of the brook Kedron, and up by the way of the Mount of Olives. We are beginning to see, in this brief outline of Absalom's pride, perfidy, and insurrection, and in David's flight, a very graphic story of Satan and the antichrist in their conflict against the Lord Jesus.

    Our Lord too went down by the brook Kedron, and up by the way of the Mount of Olives. He who had gone about doing good, was despised and rejected of men. Christ also saw that the hearts of His people were not with Him.

    5. David's prayer. The chapter we are studying in the Psalms carries this heading, "A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom." With all of this before us, we are sure that we will be able to appreciate the study of the Psalm itself.

    If we would only look for it, we would find the story of Christ in either His life, His rejection and death, or in some other phase of His character, on practically every page of Scripture.

    I. DO SAINTS HAVE TROUBLE? (Psalms 3:1-2)

    1. Satan goeth about seeking whom he may devour. Our first verse opens with the words: "Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me." This certainly was the story, in a nutshell, of David's whole life. When he was a shepherd boy he had to meet the bears and the lions as he guarded his sheep. When he was sent into the courts of King Saul, he had to face the javelin and the wrath, in general, of King Saul.

    While still a youth David found it necessary to flee to the mountains. He hid himself in the dens and in the caves of the earth. He passed over into the land of the Philistines. In all of his many trials, the sorest of them all, was the one brought upon him by his own son Absalom, whom he loved.

    2. In the world ye shall have tribulation. The lot of David is the lot of us all. There is no life without its clouds. There is no saint without his troubles. The nearer we walk to God, and the more valiantly we serve Him, the more will we be opposed.

    Mrs. Neighbour and I have just come over to Cuba. We were twenty-four hours on the water. All the way from Tampa to Havana we had the calmest of seas. Our ship, however, was built for stormy weather. Others have told us how the boat rolled and tossed, when struck by a storm.

    3. Hated of all men for My Name's sake. For His dear sake who was hated for us, we should be willing to be hated for Him. Shall the servant expect more than his Lord? If they have called the Master of the house, "the Lord of flies," shall we not expect to be called the same? Therefore, "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach."

    II. THE PROTECTING LORD (Psalms 3:3)

    1. "Thou * * art a Shield for me."

    2. "Thou * * art * * my glory."

    3. "Thou * * art * * the Lifter up of mine head."

    1. "Thou * * art a Shield for me." David is recounting, in Psalms 3:3, how in all of his difficulties there was One who was with him. Not only that, but he said: "Thou, O Lord, art a Shield for me."

    A shield not only protects the soldier of the Cross, but it also receives the arrows which otherwise would pierce him. The Lord is our shield: that is, the brunt of everything cast against us, falls upon Him. Has He not said, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you"?

    Upon the Cross, Christ took our stripes, suffered in our stead, being made sin for us. That spirit which the Master showed in His Calvary death, lives with Him still. Whenever He sees an arrow about to strike one of His own, He still jumps in front, and lets the arrow fall, as it were, upon Himself. He is our Shield.

    2. "Thou * * art * * my glory." Here is something that is illumined and made to shine the brighter by the context. In all of David's suffering, he not only found the Lord ready to take his sorrows and bear them for him, but he found the Lord ready to give unto him His glory. Where is he, who would not gladly trade his suffering for the Lord's songs; his shame for the Lord's glory?

    This is just like the Christ of Calvary. On the one hand He bore our sins in His own body upon the Tree. On the other hand, He gave us all of the glory which was His. Hear ye His words: "The glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them."

    3. "Thou * * art * * the Lifter up of mine head." When weak and fainting by the way, the Lord puts His hand beneath us and lifts us up. Had it not been for the Lord, David would have fallen, never to rise. How tender is God's compassion toward us! If, like Elijah, we want to die; or, like Jonah, we utterly fail; the Lord lifts up out head.

    III. A PRAYER THAT WAS HEARD AND ANSWERED (Psalms 3:4)

    1. David's sin in the case of Bathsheba. As we read Psalms 3:4, we cannot but feel that David is crying unto the Lord concerning his sin in the case of his slaying of Uriah, and his marriage with Bathsheba.

    David was a man of God. He was even a friend of God, and yet, it is possible for such an one to sin, if, for the while, he ceases to walk with God. Here is one thing about the Bible that makes it shine as a dependable, inerrant Book: it records not only the good, but the bad things concerning the children of God.

    David sinned, Moses sinned, Abraham sinned, Peter sinned. This, by no means, suggests that they had to sin, although they were, by nature, sinners. God's grace, in each case, would have been sufficient for victory.

    2. David's prayer of repentance. The 51st Psalm records this prayer. As we read it, how the genuineness of David's repentance, and the depths of his yearnings, stand forth! Thank God there is forgiveness for all of those who seek His face, confessing their sins; even as it is written, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

    3. David's forgiveness. David said: " I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His Holy Hill." God always hears when we cry. However, when we come to the Lord, we must come believing in His grace. Answered prayer is one of the joys of the Christian's life.

    Deliverance from our sins, and full forgiveness, open our mouth with praise. David said: "Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness."

    IV. RESTING IN THE LORD (Psalms 3:5)

    1. "I laid me down and slept" Rest in sins pardoned. Why should not David have laid him down and slept? During a period of some two years his bones had waxed old, through their roaring all the day. He had passed through two years of anguish and of heartache. Now, since he had confessed his sin, and sought and found pardon, he naturally laid himself down and slept. He had found peace, perfect peace.

    And why should we not lie down and sleep? Our sins are washed away, our sins are gone. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace." Even though there is no rest to the wicked; even though the wicked are like the sea with its waves dashing, and they cannot rest; the one with his sins forgiven cannot be as they. Nay, when Christ entered into our troubled heart, He said: "Peace, be still," and there was a great calm.

    2. "I awaked" a new undertaking. As soon as David had found rest in the Lord, He was fully awake to his new opportunities in service. He had said: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." He had said: "Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me." He had said: "Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit." Then he added these significant words: " Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways."

    3. "The Lord sustained me" strength imparted. Such is always the case. First, forgiveness; then, rest and testimony, a new power in service, and a new victory in temptation. This was Peter's experience. When he was forgiven he was restored to service, and strengthened to a new task.

    Thank God, we are not left in any depleted and weakened condition when we are restored from our backslidings. Following forgiveness, the Lord gives power. We find His grace is sufficient to meet every need.

    V. A NEW SENSE OF ASSURANCE (Psalms 3:6)

    1. "Perfect love casteth out fear." " I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about." All fear of the enemy had passed. A new assurance had caused David to lift up his head. Even Absalom's perfidy, and his trained army seeking to destroy him, gave him no fear. He believed in God and was not afraid.

    So it always is: when we have a commission from Heaven and we are walking in fellowship with a victorious Christ, we take His victory. We know there is nothing too hard for the Lord, and we know that it is a conquering Lord who fights for us.

    2. "One * * shall chase a thousand." There came into the mind of David, in the hour of his great extremity, remembrances of the days of old. He remembered how, as a ruddy youth, he had gone out unarmored, with but a sling and five smooth pebbles, to meet the giant Goliath.

    He remembered how, in the early days, after he had been crowned king, God had given deliverance upon deliverance to his armies from every foe. With all of this before him, and with the promises of God ringing in his mind, he cried out: "I will not be afraid of ten thousands." And why should we be afraid? Our God is still able to deliver.

    3. "Ye shall receive power." Here is the promise which God left with us. "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." There is no task too great, no call of God too difficult, for the conquest of an unwavering faith. Our Lord said: "All power is given unto Me." Then He promised that power unto us, and told us to "Go."

    The Apostle Paul said: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

    VI. THE FAITH THAT COUNTS IT DONE (Psalms 3:7)

    1. The prayer with the enemy gathered around. Here is the prayer which David prayed in the hour of his extremity: "Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God." David did not look to his own strength, for he had none. He did not look to his own armies, for his armies had gone over to Absalom. He looked unto God.

    It is when we are weak that we are strong. It is when we are nothing, and have nothing, that we possess all things. David simply asked God to rise up. He knew, and we know, that when God once arises and unsheathes His sword, the victory is always ours.

    2. By faith David. The next expression in David's prayer is enough to enroll him among God's galaxies as one of the heroes of the faith. David said: "Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly."

    Faith counts as done, that which faith knows is not yet done, but will be done. It is written: "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." David's prayer of faith said: "Thou hast," when God actually had not. Such a prayer always brings results.

    3. Believing before receiving. This is what God expects of us. Let us look at "receiving" from this angle. God, in His inerrant Word, has foretold many marvelous coming events. Let us live in the full assurance of all these things. Some people want history to verify prophecy before they will believe prophecy, and count it sure. True faith says: "The Word of God, in its prophetic statements, is made sure." True faith says, It is, because God says, It shall be.

    Faith looks afar and gives substance to the things hoped for. Let us ask God to give us the faith of our fathers, that we may find our names enrolled among the overcomers.

    VII. ASCRIBING GLORY TO GOD (Psalms 3:8)

    1. "Where Christ is all in all."

    2. Salvation, the gift of God.

    3. Praise is comely.

    1. "Where Christ is all in all." The last verse of our study and of our chapter, is the climactic statement of David's prayer. With all the fervor of his spirit he cried out: "Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: Thy blessing is upon Thy people." This cry of faith reminds us of Jonah's words, from the belly of the fish. He, too, cried out: "Salvation is of the Lord."

    David's cry of faith reminds us, again, of the Lord's words upon the Cross, "It is finished." Christ seemed to be saying: "Salvation is now a completed work."

    In the 22d Psalm, after Christ had said: "Save Me from the lion's mouth," He cried, "I will declare Thy Name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee." In connection with this it behooves us to remember that immediately after His resurrection, He said: "Go tell My brethren."

    In the 69th Psalm, after the vision of the Cross, Christ said, "Let Thy salvation, O God, set Me up on high."

    2. Salvation the gift of God. David's words are true from various viewpoints. Salvation from our enemies is of God. Salvation from our sins is from God. The salvation of our bodies is from God. The angel told Mary, "Thou shalt call His Name JESUS: for He shall save * *" and He does save. "There is none other name tinder Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

    3. Praise is comely. A favorite verse with my wife is, " Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me (God)." Certainly the Church of the first-born on earth should praise Him; and the great volume of Gospel hymns and songs do praise Him. The Church also of the first-born, which is in Heaven, praises Him.

    What a wonderful time it will be when we all gather around the throne of God and sing the great magnificats of our salvation.

    AN ILLUSTRATION

    David had many difficulties along his earthly pilgrimage. However, all of these things only worked out God's glory in his life. Miss Amy Carmichael tells the following:

    "The hills of Southern India drop steeply towards the Indian Ocean. From the high rocks where the ibex find safe foothold, you can see the waves that continually wash up in vast quantities two kinds of precious sand. One, monazite, is magnetic. It is composed largely of thorium (the name looks back to the Scandinavian Thor), and is used in making incandescent gas-mantles. Monazite glistens, but is of a dull color. The other, ilmenite, is even more magnetic. The pure thorium oxide is extracted and used as the finest pigment in white paint and enamel. The valuable sand is separated from the other sand (which looks far more valuable, for it often seems all garnet and crystal and jacinth), first by magnet, and finally by vibrating tables down which it is run, and where the magnetic impurities are separated out by gravity.

    The process of water-grinding in the sea (by which the particles of ore are detached from the original rock), friction of grain upon grain in the rough and tumble of the waves, the influence of a force which we name and use but cannot explain, the tedious, tiny agitations of the vibrating tables which call into effective cooperation the mighty pull of the earth all these processes work together to bring forth from a black sand, whiteness, and from a dull-colored sand a substance which helps toward illumination.

    And the first of these is the breaking up of the rock in the bed of the sea; the discipline of renunciation. It is a figure of the true. First the severance: that which is death to the old order of being, then many a blow that we call blinding, little unexplained constraints, tedious minutes of shifting circumstance that out of mere dust of the sea something good may be prepared for the use of Him whom we call Master and Lord.