Psalm 119:121-128. It’s High Time!
126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.
Dr.Vance Havner says, “civilisation today reminds me of an ape with a blowtorch playing in a room full of dynamite.
Charles Lindbergh - American Air Mail Pilot "I have seen the science I worshiped, and the aircraft I loved, destroying the civilization I expected them to serve."
1. The Daring of the Prayer! ”It is time for thee, Lord, to work.”
To pray like that there must be an understanding of:-
The Word Of God, The Will Of God, The Way Of God.
Daniel had so thoroughly mastered the Word of God as given to Jeremiah, he had so marked the passing of the years, that he could pray, “It is time, O Lord, for thee to work”
2. The Discerning of the Prayer! ”For they have made void thy law”
God's Lordship is Dismissed, God's Love is Despised, God's Law is Discarded.
The psalmist sees this as a time when God must act.
Moral apathy and spiritual apostasy are such that God’s Word has been set aside.
We are rapidly approaching the time when the Lord will work:-
in Rapture, in Retribution (judgement) or in Revival!
The Great awakening on the Isle of Lewis!
The parish minister of the church at Barvas on the Island wrote.
”The spirit of the Lord was resting wonderfully on the different townships of the region.
”Of the hundreds who found Jesus Christ as Saviour during this time on Lewis and other Islands, a full seventy five per cent were saved before they came near a meeting or heard a sermon preached by myself or any other minister.”
3. The Duty Of The Prayer! ”It is time for thee, Lord, to work.” Prayer.
Although David was one of the greatest Saints in Scripture and one of the greatest Sages
one of the greatest Sovereigns, he was also one of the greatest Sinners.
Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
A. The Pleasure Felt when sin is cleansed!
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
B. The Penalty Faced when sin is concealed!
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
David had always been a Healthy man for he had lived an active, busy, outdoors life. But sin had sapped his physical strength, Psalm 32 tells us “his bones waxed old”
David had always been a Happy man, - known as the sweet singer of Israel, but no more! Horror at his sin drove him to sobs and groans, Psalm 32 “Roaring all the day long.
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me.”
David had always been a Holy man,- seeking God's Word, God's Will, God's Way.
David had also always been a Hearty man, attracted others to him, but no more.
“My moisture is turned to the drought of summer”.
C. The Pardon Found when sin is confessed!
Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
D. The Path Followed when sin is conquered!
Psalm 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
1. The power of prayer! - “For this shall everyone that is godly pray”
2. The power of position! “pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found:"
3. The power of peace! “Thou shalt preserve me from trouble”
4. The power of praise! ”Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance”
Paul and Silas in prison The whole prison rings as they sing and their song leads to what? The salvation of their jailer!
4. The Diligence of the Prayer! ”It is time for thee, Lord, to work.”
Respect For:-
The Person Of God - not so much a command as a request
The Power Of God - for thee, - God can do what we can never do.
The Praise Of God - for they have made void thy law.
The Provision Of God - Ps 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
I. THE BIBLE IS INFALLIBLE IN ITS BEGINNING. - for God wrote it.
Psalm 19:7, "The law (Word) of the Lord is perfect."
II. THE BIBLE IS INDESTRUCTIBLE IN ITS CONTENT.
Its content is so powerful and precious, Satanic evil forces try to destroy it - but it lives!
III. THE BIBLE IS INVINCIBLE IN ITS EFFECT.
Ps 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
IV. THE BIBLE IS INCOMPARABLE IN ITS BLESSING.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
V. THE BIBLE IS INDISPENSABLE IN ITS PLACE.
Ps 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Sir Walter Scott poet and novelist - "The most learned, acute, and diligent student cannot, in the longest life, obtain an entire knowledge of the BIBLE.
The more deeply he works the mine, the richer and more abundant he finds the ore."
When he lay dying, he said to his son-in-law, Lockhart, "Son, please bring me the Book."
The son-in-law was a bit uncertain "Sir, which book? Which book?"
"My son, there is just one Book. Bring me the Book." Sir Walter's BIBLE.
