Indeed, if you're weary of sin, there's a fountain that's already been, has already flowed from Emmanuel's veins. If you're weary of sin, come to Christ, the blessed Savior. If you would, go back to Psalm 65. Verse 1, praise waiteth for thee, O God and Zion. Zion is the church. Zion is the people of God. Those chosen under salvation, those redeemed by the Savior, by His cross death, those who have been reconciled to God, Zion, Zion, those who have been brought by effectual grace into the kingdom of God. He says, praise waiteth for thee, O God. The word waiteth is a kind of a peculiar word because literally it means silenced. That is, praise it silently waited for thee. Praise for our God is, it isn't making a loud noise. I typically get up early and I turn on the local news, and when I get tired of hearing it two or three times, I'll switch and see something else that's on, and that program is talking about praising the Lord. It's clapping their hands and waving, and it's all swaying in sequence, you know. And then the speaker said, isn't it wonderful to praise the Lord? Well, here it says, praise waiteth for thee in silence. In silence. We praised the Lord when we sang a while ago, so that wasn't done in silence. But as we sit and we reflect upon the person of God, the greatness of God, the glory of God, God the Father who ordained our salvation, God the Son who bought us with His sacrificial death, God the Spirit who called us, who quickened us, who brought us by magnificent grace into the fold of salvation. We praise the Lord from our hearts and we're so overjoyed by the grace of God to us. Do you not find sometimes that before God, you just, you're silent? It's a thanksgiving that flows out of your heart. Though no words may come forth from your mouth, still you silently exalt and worship the Lord. One writer said of this word, waiteth, which if you have a concordance, you can look it up. It does mean silence. One writer said that any verbal attempt to praise the Lord and glorify the Lord falls so far short of that which He's worthy of. God is fit and worthy to be praised with all the angelic voices and with all the voices of mankind. But since our honorable efforts to praise Him and glorify Him fall so far short of that which He is worthy to receive, it's as though a lot of times our praise is just silent as to what God deserves. Do you not feel in your own hearts as the people of God that that glory which our Lord so deserves for creation, for all the things that he's made, for his marvelous providence, which from verses 5 through the end, the psalmist praises the Lord for His wonderful providence of all the things that He's continually doing. Do you not feel so often that your praise comes so far short of that which God is worthy of that you feel like you haven't praised Him at all? It isn't all of this. It isn't the hand clapping. It's not the dancing around on the stage. It's rendering glory to our God from deep within you, from an attitude of reverence that God has instilled within you. Therefore, praise waits for thee, O God. in Zion. And unto thee shall the vow be performed, that which we have promised. We have promised to follow Him. We have entered into, as it were, a covenant with God, to trust and not doubt, to believe and not fall into despair. Oh God, help me to be faithful to that which I have endeavored to vow before thee or to promise before thee, to trust, to believe, to follow, to be filled with faith, to be ever looking to Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. He says in the second verse, O thou that hearest prayer, As surely as God is the God of mercy, as surely as God is the God of grace, as surely as God is the God of salvation, He is the God who hears prayer. You don't have to pray audibly for God to hear you. Well, Hannah prayed. In 1 Samuel, she prayed, she moved her lips, but she didn't make any noise. She didn't pronounce the words. The Lord knows the desire of your heart. and He hears your cry, when you can't even put into words, not audibly and maybe not even in your own mind, you can't vocalize or you can't put into words that which you truly desire, He hears. He hears when you pray. Just as surely as He has shown you mercy, Just as surely as He has forgiven you of your sins through the bloody death of the Lord Jesus Christ, He hears the words of your heart. When you lay in the quietness of the night, and you're just thinking about the goodness of the Lord to you, and then you're thinking about your own requests, rest assured, our God neither slumbers nor sleeps. He hears you when you cry out to Him. And though the words may not come out, and maybe you don't even make known to any other person the matters that you pray about, God knows, God hears, and He answers in His time. He will never turn a deaf ear to any of His children. So speak to Him with the great confidence that the Lord hears and is interested in what you have to say. Maybe you feel like I do sometimes. People not really interested in what you got in the words coming out of your mouth. I promise you your heavenly father is. He adopted you into his family. He predestinated you from old eternity. He predestinated you to be one of his children. Well, what earthly father would turn a deaf ear to one of his children? Oh, how much more does our Heavenly Father hear us? And when you pray, just you're speaking to the Lord from your innermost being. Know that he hears prayer. And he answers prayer. And then there's an interesting statement there or another interesting statement, the last of verse two, unto these shall all flesh come. Who's that? Well, it's not a reference to the Jews because they never referred to as all flesh. These are Gentiles. These are Gentiles. And all flesh, even Gentiles, shall come to God through Christ Jesus. You see, the Lord has chosen a people out of every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue. And the Gentiles shall come to Christ Jesus by faith, just like so many Jews did. In the Old Testament, the Lord primarily spoke to the Jewish people, and the word was sent forth to Jewish people, and the preachers were Jews. But in this era in which we live, the gospel age, we'll call it, God calls a people from every corner of the earth, all flesh, in other words, all kinds of people. Even people like us. People who had no thoughts of the true God. People who had no interest in the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace. This gospel comes to us in power. It has come to us in power. And we're brought to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He says in the third verse, inequities, inequities. That's how I like to think of that word, inequities. Those things, those thoughts, those motives that are not equal to perfection, which is everything. He says, iniquities prevail, they're mighty against me. Do you feel like your iniquities are so heavy they could sink you into the lowest part of hell? Think of your innermost thoughts and feelings. Do you not have to confess, I am just full of iniquity? I'm not equal to the perfection that God demands. Think of it this way, I'm not equal to the perfection of Christ himself. After all, he is the standard. How far short do you fall of the perfect standard of the Lord Jesus Christ? And you have to say, I'm a miserable failure. And the psalmist says, My iniquities prevail, they're mighty. They're mighty against me. They're so mighty I can't do anything about them. They're so heavy that they sink me down low. Iniquities prevail against, they're against me. They're against me. And then he says, as for our transgressions, When you read the word transgression, kind of think of rebellion. Our rebellious wills, our rebellious attitudes, our transgressions. Oh, thank God for this next phrase. Thou shalt purge them away. David, he looks by faith into the future. He sees the Son of David. He sees the Lord Jesus Christ. He looks to him who would come. And though iniquities prevailed against David and they prevailed against us, and though we were full of transgressions, full of rebellion, one would come. who would purge them away, who would wash them away. Consider all of the iniquities and transgressions of all of God's people of all ages. They would be charged to the account of the sin bearer, Christ our Savior. And he would go to the cross of Calvary and all the divine wrath and fury of God's judgment would fall on him on account of our iniquities and transgressions. And he would then bear them away, take them away, purge us. Turn with me, hold your place here, turn with me to Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1. Verses 1 through 3. Hebrews 1, 1 through 3. who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory and express image, of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power." That's talking about Christ now. He says, when he had by himself, had to be by himself because nobody else could bear our iniquities. Nobody else could bear the weight of our iniquities or carry our transgressions. when He had by Himself purged our sins, washed them away. And when He washed our sins away, He then gave us that righteousness that He Himself established for us by His obedience through life and His obedience to death. For our iniquities and transgressions, He gave us a perfect righteousness. And it's so perfect that even God Himself cannot find a fault with it, because it's the righteousness of the Son of God. Christ purged us, that's why He came. He came to save His people from our sin. I know he set an example for us how we ought to live, there's no question about that. But make sure you understand this, he came to die. This was the mission which he had agreed to carry out in the covenant of grace way back in eternity past. He would come. and all the iniquities and transgressions and sins of his people would be laid on him. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. They were made to meet. All the iniquities, all the transgressions and sins of all of his people of all ages were made to meet on him. And he died under the wrath of God willingly. Voluntarily. He endured all the wrath that our sins deserved. He drank the cup of damnation dry. And when justice was satisfied, justice as it were said, I've had enough. That's all. That's all the wrath there is for all of the people of God for all ages. Christ said, well, it's finished then. It's finished. And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. What had he done? I'll tell you what he had done. Purged us of our sins. There's a purging there. And then the Spirit of God comes to us in quickening grace, in regenerating grace in the new birth. and assures us that the work has been done. That my sins, my iniquities, my transgressions have been answered for. Somebody else took them and somebody else paid for them and I bear his righteousness that he established for me. And this is what David is saying. Thou shalt purge them away. And we look back and say, he has purged them away. I know we still feel and own up to our sins. I realize that. But realize this, child of God, don't live in the past. I feel the Lord so bad. You have and everybody else has too. Remember this, they're all purged. They're purged from the very mind and heart of God. He says, their sins and iniquities, read Hebrews chapter 10, their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. God help us to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, everything is settled, because he died for them. Can we not enter in with confidence into our Savior's work of redemption? Yes, they prevail against, they're mighty. Somebody said, well, yeah, I've had a few little sins. I don't know anything about little sins. I don't know anything about little iniquities. We kind of categorize and we label sins and iniquities and transgressions, they're all an affront to the sovereign God. He hates them all. And he dealt with all of our sins and iniquities and transgressions in the Savior 2,000 years ago. Can you not rejoice in that? He said, well, He gave me a clean slate then, but boy, I've messed it up. No, you haven't. He washed them all away. He purged you. He purged you. We sing that song, Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb? Are you purged? Everybody who comes to Christ by faith has been washed and purged. Now look at verse four, blessed, blessed, happy, highly favored. To be envied is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell or abide in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Who is this man whom God has chosen? Three things. Number one, the God-man. Blessed is the God-man. God chose him. Hold your place here and turn to Isaiah chapter 42. This is the man God chose. Isaiah chapter 42 and verse 1. Isaiah 42 and verse 1. God says, would you listen to God? Would you listen to God? He says, behold my servant. Who is his servant? Who is his faithful servant? Isaiah 53, who is his righteous servant? Who is God's servant? Well, it's the one that God upholds. And God identifies the Lord Jesus, our Savior, as being mine elect, in whom my soul delighted. Or to put it another way, I'm well pleased with him. I'm well pleased with him. I have put my spirit upon him, not by measure, but the fullness of his spirit. And he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Who is this man? Who is this man who is blessed of God? He's the representative man. He's the God man. Let us praise and adore him. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest. Let me give you another reference. Turn to Psalm 89. And I'm sure most of you know this, but I want everybody to know this. In Psalm 89, Especially here, but so often through the Psalms, whenever you read the name David, think of Christ Jesus. Most of the time, most of the time, the psalmist is referring to the Savior. Psalm 89. Look at verse 19. Psalm 89, 19. Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and says, I have laid help upon one that is mighty. Mighty? You see, our Savior had to be God Almighty. Is he not said to be in Isaiah chapter nine, the mighty God, the everlasting Father? I have laid help upon one that is mighty. I have chosen one out of the people." Who's he talking about? He said, I have found David my servant, and with my holy oil have I anointed him. Christ is this chosen man. blessed, happy, joyful, delight, highly favored, is this God-man whom God has anointed Him to draw near to. None of us can draw near to God in and of ourselves. How do we draw near to God? By Christ. How does Christ draw near to God? on the basis of his own inherent perfection, righteousness, and holiness. He enters right into the presence of God. He's God's fellow. He's God's associate. He's God's son. He's God's equal. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest. And second, I'll say this. I think David is also referring to, though primarily he's referring to Christ, David is also referring to himself. God chose him. Samuel, go down to the house of Jesse and anoint the new king. And he goes down there and And Jesse says, well, let me bring out my oldest son. Boy, he's a big brawny fella. He's worthy to be the king. Lord said, no, not him. What about the next one? No, not him either. Went right down the line and Samuel said, well, hey, Jesse, you got any more boys? Well, yeah, I got one more boy, but he's a shepherd boy. He's out there looking after my sheep. Go get him. And they bring David in. And the Spirit of God says to Samuel, that's the one right there. That's the one I choose. Not the strongest. Not the best looking. The one that was least thought of. I mean, Jesse brings out his favorite sons, as it were. No. David is the man whom God chose. And David recognized that. And I'll tell you this, one of the people fuss about God's electing grace. Shame on them. David didn't fuss about God saving grace. He said, oh, how blessed I am. God chose me. Which brings me to the third application of this. He's talking about all of God's elect. Blessed, you see, the man whom, that's italics. Blessed are the people. whom God has chosen, chosen unto salvation, chosen before the world began, chosen unto grace. Blessed is that man, blessed is that people whom God has, of his own sovereign will and pleasure, determined to show them grace eternally. in Christ Jesus. Are you a believer? I'm not asking for a show of hands. But deep in your heart, do you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? What a serious question. Is He your trust? Is He your great high priest? Is He your all? Is it your prophet to teach you? Your priest who makes intercession for you? Your priest who offered to God the sacrifice that satisfied His justice? Is it your priest? Is it your king? Your Lord? You say, by the grace of God, yes. He's my prophet, priest, and king. I can tell you why you believe. Because God chose you unto salvation. You see, election's not a cruel doctrine. It's a wonderful, it's a lovely doctrine. Because if God has taught you anything about your sinfulness, you know this deep down in your heart, if God had not chosen me, I'd still be in false religion or in the bars or somewhere else, but I surely wouldn't be in here rejoicing in the gospel of the grace of God. We unashamedly trace our salvation back to the council chambers of God in eternity past. And we say, we bless the name of our God. I believe right now because I'm a chosen vessel. I'm a vessel of mercy. And out of the mass of mankind, I am still awed. by the fact that the Lord chose me. And of this choice, I know this, wasn't because anything that God foresaw that I would do. For knowledge is not what God foreknew, but who God foreknew. For knowledge is God's foreordination. The only reason I believe the gospel, and if you're a true believer, the only reason you believe the gospel is because in the eternity of God, no time really, God ordained, He chose, He picked you to be one of His children. Now, if that don't float your boat, if that don't put a little wind in your sails, I don't know what will. And as a result of that, look at the next phrase. Since he chose us under salvation, he causes us to approach to him. That's effectual grace. That's drawing grace. He pulls us up out of the miry clay. He puts our feet on a rock. He causes us to approach to Him. You would not have come to Christ had God not caused you to approach. And He chose you and He caused you to approach that you would dwell in His courts. Dwell with God. How can I dwell with God? You ever think about that? I'm a sinner from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. How can I ever dwell with the holy God in Christ? And I'm gonna dwell with him forever. I don't know about you. I don't know about you. I don't know your heart. Can't speak for you. I can speak for me by the witness of the Holy Spirit. I've been brought to believe the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord, as my Savior, as my Redeemer, as my Prophet, Priest, and King. And I look forward one of these days to dwelling in his courts. How holy you think the courts of God are. I'm going to dwell there. but not because of any goodness of mine, but because of whom the Savior is. And we'll be satisfied, look at that, we shall be satisfied with the goodness of our house. That's when we'll really be satisfied. There's nothing down here that can satisfy you, nothing of this world's production that can satisfy you or me. But we'll be satisfied then. When are we going to be satisfied? When we enter into His courts of praise. And these shackles of sin, they're going to fall off. We won't have to bother with them anymore. We will awake in His likeness, in His holy temple. and we're going to stay there. We're going to stay there. We'll stay with Christ forever. That sound good to you? It sure sounds good to me. This is a salvation all of God. Well, let's sing the closing song, shall we? Get your hymn books and let's sing 291, Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah. 291. I tell you, let's just sing the first stanza. 291, let's stand together. Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah Pilgrim through this barren land I am weak But Thou art mighty, hold me with Thy powerful hand. Grail Heaven, Grail Heaven, feed me till I want no more. Feed me till I want no more. you you you you you you you you you you Yeah. you Yeah. you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you