Turn with me in your Bibles, please, to Psalm 73. 129 years with God. How good the Lord has been to you. Amen? We thank the Lord today for those faithful few who began this ministry 129 years ago. and they have passed the work onto you. Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. Amen? Psalm 73. By God's grace and mercy, I want to speak to you today for a few minutes on this subject, the goodness of God. an incentive to holy communion. I am indebted to the invaluable work of John Gill, great Puritan exegete. The goodness of God, an incentive to holy communion. Now, Lord, take this word and amplify it in our hearts. to the praise of your glory, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. The psalmist in this particular psalm observing the prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the righteous was tempted to think that serving God was in vain. Until he went into the house of God, amen, where he understood the goodness of God. Where he understood the goodness of God toward his covenant children. and perceived the final doom of the impenitent. And where, after coming into the house of the Lord, he acknowledged his folly. I want to draw four ideas to your attention. Verse one, the declaration. God is good to his covenant children, amen? The demonstration. How does God demonstrate his love, his goodness toward us? We are constantly under God's eye. Amen? And he holds us in the midst of danger. He guides us in the midst of doubt and afterwards takes us to glory. Amen? Verses 23 through 24. The revelation. God reveals his goodness to us as we worship him privately and corporately, verses 17 through 24. And finally, the exaltation. The goodness of God should stir us up to holy communion. Amen? We should desire God. We should make him our chief delight. Verses 25 through 28. Let's talk about the first idea. The first idea from the first verse, the declaration. God is good to his covenant children. Amen? Amen. Verse one, truly God is good to Israel to such as are pure in heart. This psalm begins with a strong affirmation of faith. God is good to his children. Amen? But this faith is tested. It is tested in verses 2 through 24. And in verses 25 through 28, the psalmist expresses unwavering trust in God. He begins first by extolling, by declaring the goodness of God in verse 1. What a joyful declaration. Amen? It reminds us of Psalm 106, verse 1. Praise the Lord. Oh, give thanks to the Lord. Why? For he is good. is good, for his loving kindness is everlasting. The psalm ends on a note of praise for God's goodness when the psalmist declares, whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart may fail, but you are the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Amen? Oh, the Bible says, taste and see that the Lord is good. How blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. So the psalm begins by extolling, by declaring the goodness of God. And we can say, like the psalmist, that God is good to Israel. Amen? In choosing them to be his people, above all the peoples of the world, in bringing them into a good land, in giving them his word, his statutes, and his ordinances, we can declare with the psalmist that God is good to Israel. Amen? But the church of the living God can join in this testimony, in this confession, and say, God is good to the church. Amen? Amen? Amen. God is good to the church in choosing us from the mass of humanity, in calling us, and redeeming us by his special grace. He is good not only to Israel, but also to the church. Amen? But we can also confess that God is good to all mankind. Amen? He himself, the Bible tells us in Acts 17, 25, gives to all people life and breath and all things. The Bible tells us he sends his rain on the just and on the unjust. God is good to Israel. Amen? God is good to his church. Amen? And God is good to all mankind. May his name be praised forever. Amen? Amen? But in this particular psalm, how does God demonstrate his goodness to his covenant children? So the first idea, the declaration. God is good to his covenant children. Now, the demonstration. How does God manifest His goodness to us? Look at verse 23. Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with your counsel and afterward receive me to glory. The demonstration of God's goodness. I am continually with God. Amen? We are upon the heart of God. We are in His hands. We are under His eye, under His wings of protection and care. He does not suffer us to apostatize. He does not suffer us to forsake His worship and service. He does not suffer us to totally lose our love and affection for Him. Amen? He is continually with us. And the psalmist adds that in the midst of danger, look at verse 23, what does he do? He holds us by the right hand. Amen. I remember taking my children into a mountain in Kentucky recently, and going down into the valley, my daughter cried out, Dad, I'm going to fall. And I stretched forth. I wouldn't call it a big right hand. Let us call it that for today. I stretched forth my big right hand and I said, hold on! And as I grabbed her by the right hand, she came down into the valley with ease. The psalmist reminds us, in the midst of danger, God holds us with his right hand. Amen? Now, church, we are not to assume that there is ever a time that God does not hold us. But in God's goodness, in his wonderful grace, he manifests his presence to us, especially at the times of great danger. the times when we are tempted to give up, to lose heart, to go back. God manifests his presence to us by holding us in the midst of danger. Amen? Did not the psalmist declare in Psalm 23 verse 4, when I go through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me amen did not the Apostle Paul declare at my first defense no one supported me but all deserted me but the Lord stood with me and he strengthened me amen You, the psalmist says, took hold of my right hand. You see, the psalmist was in danger of falling. Look at verse two. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled. My steps had nearly slipped. The psalmist was in danger of falling. The psalmist speaks of being afflicted daily. Look at verse 24, verse 14. For all day long, I have been plagued and chastened every morning. And he says he is in danger of falling. He is in affliction daily, even though he maintained his integrity. Look at verse 13. Surely, I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. The psalmist says, I am not one who defected. I am not one who backslid. He said, I maintained my integrity. I kept my heart pure. I washed my hands in innocence. But as he looked around him, The psalmist was troubled by what he saw. He saw the wicked prospering. Look at verse three. For I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. He saw their pride. Look at verse six. Therefore pride serves as their necklace. He saw their presumption. Look at verse eight. They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens. He saw their prosperity. He saw their pride. He saw their presumption. And the wicked troubled him. And the Bible tells us in verse three, he became envious. I know that has never happened to any of you here. And in the midst of this terrible siege, the psalmist was reminded of God's continual presence. Amen? Verse 23, look at it very carefully. Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You hold me by my right hand. Amen. The Psalmist in the midst of this awful affliction is reminded of God's continual presence. He was reminded that almost stumbling God took him by the right hand. Amen? With flesh and heart failing. Look at verse 26. With flesh and heart failing, God took him by the right hand. Overwhelmed by trouble, look at verse 14. God took him by the right hand. Tempted to turn back, look at verse 13. God took him by the right hand. God took hold of his right hand. hand. Amen? And this idea emphasizes that of rescue and covenant fellowship according to Isaiah 4, 1 through 13 and Isaiah 42, verse 6. The idea, God took me by the right hand, suggests not only rescue but also covenant fellowship. How does God demonstrate his goodness to us? He, in the midst of danger, holds us, and in the midst of doubt, he guides us. Amen? Amen? In the midst of doubt, look at verse 24, you will guide me with your counsel. Here is an honest confession that sometimes we doubt. This is an example of what we call in theology, aphides quaren intellectium. That is, faith questing for understanding. That there are sometimes things in our lives we don't understand. Things in the Bible we don't understand. Concerning our pilgrimage, where we are with the Lord, we can't make sense of it. The troubles we are experiencing, we can't make sense of it. And we sometimes doubt. But it is not Doubt characterized by unbelief. It is a fetus quorum intellectum. It's a faith that is questing for understanding. This is the honest confession that the Psalmist makes here. He says, when I saw the wicked spreading like a green bay tree, when I saw the affliction that I was experiencing, I began to experience doubt. But in the midst of doubt, he said, God guides us. Amen? For such is God, Psalm 48, verse 14. For such is God, our God, forever and ever. He will guide us until death. Amen? The psalmist acknowledges his doubt concerning holy living. Look at verse 13. He says it seems that holy living was a waste of time because of the afflictions that I'm Experiencing anybody's ever felt like that that serving God is in vain the psalmist experienced this he thinks about the grief and Discouragement to the body if he scandalized God's name look at verses 15 and 16 He said he'd come to such a place of doubt that he he was even tempted to scandalize God's name But he said that would do great injury to the body of believers, verses 15 and 16. Look at it. If I had said, I will speak thus, behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of your people. Even coming to the point where he wants to scandalize God's name. And in this dread state of doubt and despair, the psalmist acknowledges that God guides us in the midst of doubt. Amen? Perhaps the psalmist is teaching us that God does all things according to the counsel of His will. Perhaps this is what the psalmist is teaching us. We don't always understand how the Lord works, but in His wonderful providence, God superintends the affairs of our lives according to the counsel of His own will. Or perhaps the psalmist is teaching us that God, with his infallible Word, the Scriptures of Truth, which contains the will of God, by this revealed Word, which is wise and prudent and wholesome and enlightening, God gives us direction for holy communion. Or perhaps the Psalmist is teaching us that by his spirit, the Lord guides us in the ways of peace and truth and righteousness and holiness through this world and afterward to heavenly glory. Whatever the Psalmist is teaching us, we confess with him that in the midst of doubt, God guides us. Amen? And afterwards, He takes us to glory. Amen? Say hallelujah! He takes us to glory. Look at verse 24. You will guide me with your counsel and afterward receive me to glory. In verse 17, look at verse 17. until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I understood their end." In verse 17, the psalmist says that after going into the house of God, he perceived the afterward of the wicked. In verse 24, he says that he will inherit glory afterward. But the question I ask is, after what? After God has led us and guided us by his counsel through this wilderness, he will receive us to glory. After what? After all the afflictions and temptations in this weary world, God will receive us to glory. Amen? After we've passed through the valley of the shadow of death, God will receive us to glory. After death itself, and doubts, and fears, and storms, and shadows, and crosses, and losses, and betrayals, and defections, and sorrows, and griefs, God shall receive us to glory. Hallelujah. Amen. God shall receive us to glory. Genesis 5 24 says God shall take us up. Take us up into a glorious place. Amen. A house not made with hands. Into a city whose builder and maker is God. Into a glorious kingdom kingdom, into the glorious company of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, into the everlasting fellowship of angels and glorified saints, into everlasting joy and happiness, a joy enjoyed both in body and soul to all eternity, O the crowning glory of God's cross upon his face glory when he comes again. Amen? For the psalmist declares in Psalm 49 verse 15, for God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol. He will receive me, Selah. Amen? God will receive us to glory. That is the demonstration of God's goodness. That in the midst of danger, He holds us by the right hand. In the midst of doubt, He guides us with His counsel. And afterward, He receives us to glory. And now, the revelation. God reveals His goodness to us as we worship Him in private and in the body. Look at verses 17 through 24. until I went into the sanctuary of God, then He says, it's only after I went into God's sanctuary I understood the end of the wicked. Surely you set them in slippery places, you cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors as a dream when one awakes. So Lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved. I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant. I was like a beast before you, nevertheless. The psalmist says, it is only when I came into God's sanctuary, then I understood the goodness of the Lord. Amen? That's why the faithful preaching of the word of God is sacrosanct in the house of God. That's why you should honor your pastor. One thing that I love so much about your pastor is that he faithfully declares the word of God. Amen? It is only when I came into the house of God, the psalmist says, as the psalmist turns to God in worship, his perspective changes. Amen? Only after he came into the sanctuary, formerly he was envious. You remember that in verse 13? Before he came into the house of God, verse 13, he was envious. Verse 21, he was embittered. Verse 22, he was brutish. Formerly, his focus was on others. Look at verses 5 and 8 and 9 and 11. They, they, they. Look at it. We call this an anaphora in literature. Look at verse 5, they. Look at verse 8, they. Look at verse 11, and they, and they, and they. In literature we call this an anaphora. You have that succession of phrases for emphasis. They, they, they. That's formally. His focus was on himself. Look at verses 13 through 17. 13 through 17. I, I, I. If I had said, verse 13, surely I have cleansed. I, I, I. When I thought, until I went. The focus was on they, they, they, in a very pernicious and hurtful way, and on himself with self-pitying and self-centeredness. I, I, I. Now he comes into God's sanctuary in verse 17. And notice what happens. He comes into the sanctuary where the word was read and explained, where prayer was made, where fellowship was maintained with the saints, and communion with God was enjoyed. And though beset with temptation, the psalmist did not neglect public worship. Even though beset with doubt and affliction, he did not neglect public worship. He did not give up the house of God. And when he comes into the sanctuary, his spirit revived. Amen? Hallelujah! When he comes into the house of God, he was stimulated to holy affection. Corporate prayer, the ministry of listening, mutual edification, and corporate worship fortify the soul. against the devil's assaults. Church, if I can exalt you to do one thing among others, it is this, do not neglect corporate worship. Amen? Chastened, the psalmist acknowledges his sin. Verses 21 and 22. And now, enlightened when he comes into the sanctuary, he understands the end of the wicked. He understands their eschatological terrors, their sudden destruction, and their final accounting. Look at verse 18. Surely you set them in slippery places. You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation. As in a moment, they are utterly consumed with terrors. He understands the end of the wicked. He understands their personal rejection. He understands their everlasting shame and contempt according to Daniel 12 to God's presence. When he comes into the sanctuary, God's presence first convicting afterwards becomes the psalmist's delight. When he comes into the sanctuary, God convicts him. And after conviction and repentance, then the presence of God becomes his delight. Amen? Verses 21 and 22. Thus my heart was grieved. I was ignorant and foolish. He is first convicted until after conviction he comes to this glorious exaltation in verses 25 through 28. the exaltation. The goodness of God should stir us up to holy communion. Amen? We should desire God. We should make him our chief delight. Amen? The goodness of God should stir our hearts up. to holy affection. One commentator summarizes the Psalmist's situation. He was grasped, guided, and glorified. God holds us, guides us, receives us. With this assurance of God's work on his behalf, even though his situation is bleak, the Psalmist burst out into praise. Notice the situation hasn't changed. But his perspective has after he comes into the house of God. He can acknowledge to the praise of God's glory, whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart may fail, but heard is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Amen? The wicked and their attitude to heaven and earth contrasted with the saints and their attitude. The psalmist's sense of standing in the presence of God changes his outlook on on life, transforms his perspective. Verses 22 and 23. Verses 22 and 23. I was like a beast before you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You see that before you? And that with you, Luther emphasized this idea of constantly standing crumdale before God. That is, having a sense of God's presence continually in our pilgrimage. John Calvin has the same emphasis in his theology. He says we ought to live life negotium cum deo. business with God. You see it here in the psalmist, with you, before you. We have church, listen carefully, I'm wrapping up now, but listen carefully. Many of us have become intoxicated with ourselves. We need to recapture a sense of the majesty of God. Amen? In heaven! God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, Redeemer, Mediator, Savior, Head, Advocate, Intercessor, God the Spirit, Sanctifier and Comforter. We need to recapture a sense of the majesty of God, the sole object of our devotion, our trust, and our confidence. Amen. The love of God, the grace of God, the communion of the Holy Spirit. We need to recapture a sense of the majesty of God in an age that is spiritually starved and suffocates the presence of God, the church of God, needs to recapture this sublime truth that we live, Coram Deo, constantly in the presence of God. We must come to the point, Church, where we can testify, like the psalmist, that flesh and heart may fail, but God! My mother is 85. She's lost most of her mind, but there are times when I will say to her, I say, Mother, Read the scriptures to me. She can't read, so I'll tell her, say the scriptures to me. And I would give her a start. Though I speak, and she will recite the entire 1 Corinthians chapter 13. Then spake he a parable unto them, saying, what manner of man if he hath a hundred sheep? And I would say, continue, mother, and she would recite the entire parable. What am I saying, church? Flesh and heart are failing. Her mind is going, and the body is weak. When overwhelmed with distress, when hope is weak, when afflictions are many, the Lord sustains and supports us and at the moment of death, the very sting of death is taken away, its curse is removed, our souls go to be with our great God and Savior and our bodies will rise again glorious and incorruptible. God is our portion forever, both in this life and in the life to come. Amen? We should desire Him. We should join to Him in holy communion. Our hearts ought to be stirred up this morning that we would love Him with everything in us. God is good to His covenant children. And church, don't care what the tele-evangelists tell you. Good does not necessarily mean wealth, but God's presence. God's presence. The psalmist has moved from self-pity to empowered witness. And he can declare in the final verse, but it is good for me. to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord God. that I may declare all your works. Empowered witness. Church, why not go from here today and go tell your neighbor what the Lord has done for you? Why not go today and call some sibling and say, let me tell you what the Lord has done for me. One songwriter captures this idea when he said, after Lazarus was resurrected, he must have gone out and say something like this. I got to tell somebody. I got to tell somebody what Jesus did for me. Go tell somebody this afternoon. Ring it out. in Brooklyn, shout it in the Bronx, and declare it in Manhattan, and let the whole world hear that the goodness of God ought to stir hearts up to holy communion. May God grant it for our good and his glory. Amen. Amen. The goodness of God, the Lord is good. Let's bow our heads together. Brother D, would you come for our last hymn? You may be here and you don't know the goodness of God. You have not acknowledged it. Let's bow our heads together. Close our eyes. Would you ask yourself this question? Have I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior? The goodness of God is shown in the salvation of God given to us. Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to save you, to forgive your sins? Ask your own self, your own heart this question. And if you can say, I have. With our eyes closed, would you just raise your hand? You're saying, yes, I have trusted Jesus Christ to save me. I'm saved. I have eternal life. Would you just slip your hand up as a testimony to that? Amen. Is there someone who can not say that? Will you today believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to save you? Will you ask the Lord Jesus to come into your life to forgive your sins? Will you say, God, I know I'm a sinner. I believe that Jesus died, that He was buried, that He rose again. I'm calling on You to save me. You understand the gospel, you've heard it, but you've never acted on it. Would you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you? If there's someone here today and you're saying, I'm asking the Lord to do that today, I'm acknowledging my sin, I'm turning from it, and I'm trusting in Christ alone to save me, would you just slip up your hand as a testimony? Perhaps you say, I'm not ready for that, but I have questions, would you pray for me? I will not single you out, I will not embarrass you, but I will pray for you. Slip up your hand. Yes, amen. Someone else, I'm struggling, I'm pondering this. At the close of the service we invite you to speak to Brother Blake, to myself, to Pastor Smalls. We'll be glad to share with you from the Word of God how you can know you have eternal life. Our dear Father, we thank you so much today for your goodness to us. Lord, there may be someone here today who is facing a hard time. They're going through a season of doubt. Maybe they're in some danger. Lord, I pray you will show them that you are good. I pray you'll press upon their heart and mind the goodness of God. And just as Asaph said, truly God is good to Israel, that he would know, that she would know God is good to me. Lord, you know that lady. That man, that boy, that girl, that teenager, going through doubt. They know you. They love you. They're going through a hard time. They're even doubting maybe, is God really good? I pray, Lord, that you will impress upon their heart today that, yes, you are good all the time. Bless us as we worship through this song. Speak to our hearts as we cry out to you. May we glorify you for your goodness, and Lord, for any who have not yet trusted Christ, draw them to yourself, to the cross, that they would acknowledge Jesus as Savior and Lord and call on Him and be saved. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.