Preaching Through the Psalms -- Psalm 15 -- The Portrait of a True Worshipper

A PORTRAIT OF A TRUE WORSHIPPER

TEXT:  Psalm 15:1-5

Psalms 15:1-5 KJV  A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?  [2]  He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.  [3]  He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.  [4]  In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.  [5]  He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

I.                 INTRODUCTION—TRUE WORSHIP IS CONNECTED WITH HOLINESS

-This Psalm needs to be one of the most regularly visited psalms in our Bibles.  We often look to various psalms to encourage us, ones like Psalm 23, 42, 91, and 119, but Psalm 15 is one that needs to resonate with every child of God. 

-Psalm 14 is about a polluted man, a sinner. . . the fool has said in his heart.  Psalm 15 is about a perfect man, the saved. . . who will abide. . . who will dwell?

Preaching Through the Psalms -- Psalm 14 -- The Folly and Future of a Fool

THE FOLLY AND FUTURE OF A FOOL

TEXT:  Psalm 14:1-7

Psalms 14:1-7 KJV  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.  [2]  The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.  [3]  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  [4]  Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.  [5]  There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.  [6]  Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.  [7]  Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

I.                 INTRODUCTION—PSALM 14

-There are certain patterns in Scripture that it helps to look out for.  When there are words that are repeated, they should get our attention.  There were times when the Lord would say, “Verily, verily” (Truly, truly) and then He would launch into a lesson.  What is notable about the use of that phrase is that it is only used in the Gospel of John.  In fact, it appears twenty-five times.  Some of the most powerful doctrinal issues that are raised in Scripture when the Lord used those words. 

-But it is extremely rare when you find a portion of Scripture that appears three times.  This is one of the passages that is linked to two others.  Psalm 14 is almost identical to Psalm 53 (only verses 5-6 are different) and it is used again in Romans 3:10-12 by Paul.

Preaching Through the Psalms -- Psalm 12 -- When the Faithful Vanish

WHEN THE FAITHFUL VANISH

TEXT:  Psalm 12:1-8

Psalms 12:1-8 KJV  To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.  [2]  They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.  [3]  The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:  [4]  Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?  [5]  For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.  [6]  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  [7]  Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.  [8]  The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

I.                 INTRODUCTION—ORIGIN OF THIS PSALM

A.               Where The Psalm Came From

-This psalm is another one where there isn’t a clear event in the life of David that is pointed to.  Some scholars seem to think that is it one where he has faced deceit and dishonesty in his court after he was the king.   In fact from historical study, we could derive the fact that he probably had to deal with more deception and dishonesty than we could even imagine. 

-Our world today is filled with liars and false flatterers and there are times that the righteous hardly know who to trust. 

Preaching Through the Psalms -- Psalm 11 -- Stay and Fight

STAY AND FIGHT

TEXT:  Psalm 11:1-7

Psalms 11:1-7 KJV  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?  [2]  For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.  [3]  If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?  [4]  The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.  [5]  The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.  [6]  Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.  [7]  For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

I.                 INTRODUCTION—A MAN WHO WAS DETERMINED TO STAY AND FIGHT

On June 26, 1949 there was a funeral in Tel Aviv, Israel, like none that world had ever seen or known before.  The newspapers reported there were tens of thousands of people present in and around the Great Synagogue on that day.  In the main hall of the synagogue a glass box that was five feet long held thirty porcelain urns.  The newspapers reported that inside of these thirty urns were the ashes of an estimated 200,000 Jews who had been murdered in the Holocaust. 

Preaching Through the Psalms -- Psalm 10 -- A Prayer of Justice for the Wicked

Psalms 10:1-18 KJV  Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?  [2]  The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.  [3]  For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.  [4]  The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.  [5]  His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.  [6]  He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.  [7]  His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.  [8]  He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.  [9]  He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.  [10]  He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.  [11]  He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.  [12]  Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.  [13]  Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.  [14]  Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.  [15]  Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.  [16]  The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.  [17]  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:  [18]  To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

I.                 INTRODUCTION—THE MATTER OF INJUSTICE

-When Paul made mention of something that we may have overlooked in our rapid, hurried, and sometimes desperate look at the Scriptures.  But if Paul had the stature of one of the greatest saints and preachers who has ever lived, I think that what he may have spoken should warrant our attention. 

Preaching Through the Psalms -- Psalm 9 -- Praise for the Power of God

Psalms 9:1-20 KJV  To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.  [2]  I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.  [3]  When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.  [4]  For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.  [5]  Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.  [6]  O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them. 

Preaching Through the Psalms -- Psalm 8 -- The Glory of the Lord

Psalms 8:1-9 KJV  To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.  [2]  Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.  [3]  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;  [4]  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  [5]  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.  [6]  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:  [7]  All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;  [8]  The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.  [9]  O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

I.                 INTRODUCTION—A “NATURE” PSALM

-This psalm is another that has been written by David.  Just to refresh your memory, from Psalm 3-41, it is noted in the superscription, “A Psalm of David.”  There are only two that do not have this notation with those being Psalm 10 and 33.