HYMNS THAT DEMAND WORSHIP!
SERMON #7
By Ivan G. Casteel
HE HIDETH MY SOUL!
Psalm 27:5; 1 Cor. 10:4
Ps 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (KJV)
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Saviour to me,
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away,
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day.
With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
And filled with His fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, O Glory to God
For such a Redeemer as mine!
When clothed in His brightness, transported, I rise
To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
I’ll shout with the millions on high.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.
(His hand is Jesus Christ)
INTRODUCTION: This is one of the many great Fanny J. Crosby hymns. She wrote so many great songs about praise and glory for the Lord. Usually when I read the words to her hymns it brings tears to my eyes, and joy to my soul.
There are some hymns that demand worship. This is one of those hymns. It just causes one to realize what we have in Jesus Christ the Lord. It makes me envision who Jesus really is. I can see Him in all of His glory and my soul is magnified with the awareness of Him, and yet so many churches are leaving the worship through hymns for the contemporary substitute. Those that are saved in the contemporary churches will realize when they get to heaven and the singing that will take place around the throne of God for all eternity. Many of them won’t even know the songs.
Today I want to talk to you about a very comforting message in one of the all time great hymns. HE HIDETH MY SOUL!
I. FIRST STANZA.
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Saviour to me,
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.
A. It Describes The Person Of The Lord. A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,
1. It describes Him as a wonderful Savior. Is He wonderful to you? If you know Him in the free pardon of sin and forgiveness you will answer affirmative.
2. Isaiah also described Him as Wonderful. Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (KJV)
He is wonderful because He is the Lamb of God.
Wonderful describes who He is.
Wonderful describes what He is.
He is wonderful. He is wonderful because He, being God, can place himself in the life of a human being. That happened to me in April 1952. A country boy from Eastern Oklahoma repented of my sin toward God and asked Him to save me and forgive me. He did, and that’s a wonder that cannot be explained by any definition.
B. It Positions The Sinner In The Lord. A wonderful Saviour to me,
“Christ in me” - makes me a Christian.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (KJV)
Ro 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Ro 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Ro 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Ro 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (KJV)
There are a very few born again folks who really understand what we have by being “In Christ.”
C. It Pronounces The Security In Christ. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
This speaks of the high altitude of the mountains. The rocks are cleft or split, and in that cleft there is safety from all the storms of life, as well as the wiles of the devil. He has taken us and hidden us in the highest of highest. Satan cannot reclaim anyone from that place of security.
This would refer to our redemption being solid and secure. Our soul would be the redemptive element of man thus it is solid and secure in the cleft of the Rock of Christ. Ps 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
Ps 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (KJV)
D. It Perceives The Vast Joy In The Lord. Where rivers of pleasure I see.
He turns our sin into joy – He turns night into day – He turns the darkness of this life into the noonday light.
Every Christian knows what joy there is in serving and living for Christ.
If there was some way of opening the blinded eyes of the lost world and allow them to see the joy – peace – the happiness that comes with being in Christ – millions more would come to Him. That’s why it is so important that we share our testimony both by mouth and by living before the lost world so they can see the rivers of pleasure and covet the same thing we have. What else can we offer them? Nothing.
II. SECOND STANZA
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away,
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day
A. The Greatness Of The Lord Is Given. A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord
There are no words to describe His greatness. How could man possibly describe God.
Ps 8:1 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! (KJV)
B. The Weight Of The Burden Is Lifted. He taketh my burden away
The burden talked about here was my sin. My sin would have condemned me to hell. He lifted that burden and replaced it with a crown of joy. An inheritance of His kingdom.
All of us have experienced those times when our sin was so heavy and the load was about to weight us down to the ground, and Jesus in His mercy and love comes down and takes the burden away. Then we can sing, “A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord, He taketh my burden away,”
In 1962 my wife gave birth to twin boys. One of them didn’t have an opening into his stomach and it wasn’t discovered for about 3 or 4 days. He had not taken any nourishment since birth. Finally, surgery was performed on him and he had lost down to just under two pounds. The doctor told me following the surgery that we should go ahead and make funeral preparations that the baby would never live. I wasn’t the most spiritual person on all the world, but I did know God, and I knew that He could do the impossible. As I stood there looking into that ICU Pediatrics ward, I ask the Lord to spare the baby’s life. I told the Lord that if He would do that I would do anything He wanted my to do. I don’t think it is right to make bargains with the Lord, but I did anyway. The next day the nurses said that he had taken an ounce of formula, and then the next a little more and then even more. I want you to know that the Lord took the weight of that heavy burden away. About three weeks later we took the baby home and he became a strong healthy child. The burden was lifted.
C. He Keeps Me Steady In His Love. He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
There is no wavering or shaking when we are in His hands.
Ps 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (KJV)
D. He Is The Strength Of A Christian. He giveth me strength as my day.
Ps 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (KJV)
III. THIRD STANZA
With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
And filled with His fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, O Glory to God
For such a Redeemer as mine!
A. Bountiful Blessings Are Announced. With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
It’s very likely that we aren’t even aware of all the blessings He gives us. We always equate our desires and blessings with material or earthly surroundings, while the Lord is dealing with us in heavenly matters. Therefore often times we do not recognize what He is doing for us.
B. The Fullness Of His Power Is Felt. And filled with His fullness divine,
C. The Overflowing Of His Glory Is Expressed. I sing in my rapture, O Glory to God
D. He Is A Personal Redeemer. For such a Redeemer as mine!
He is not just the Redeemer of the world, He is my redeemer. He purchased my salvation. He died on the cross for me.
IV. FOURTH STANZA
When clothed in His brightness, transported, I rise
To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
I’ll shout with the millions on high.
A. The Changing Into His Likeness. When clothed in His brightness, transported, I rise
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (KJV)
We will be changed from that sinful and corruptible body.
When this moment happens then we shall begin to experience what John was telling us in Rev. 4.
Re 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (KJV)
B. The Jubilation Of Meeting Him In The Air. To meet Him in clouds of the sky
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (KJV)
Would there be any here today that would not look forward to this day with great anticipation? If so, then you need to come and prepare for that day, because it is very near.
C. The Perfect Salvation Was Purchased Through His Love. His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
D. Rejoicing Of All Saints. I’ll shout with the millions on high.
V. THE CHORUS
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.
A. Security In Christ. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
He is the rock of our salvation.
B. Satisfaction Is In Christ.
Ps 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. (KJV)
C. He Went To The Depths Of Hell To Redeem Our Soul. He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
D. His Hand Speaks Of Christ. And covers me there with His hand, Isa 41:10.
Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (KJV)
Ps 37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. (KJV)
Jer 42:11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. (KJV)
Ps 98:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. (KJV)
Song 8:3 His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. (KJV)
CONCLUSION: Everything that we have talked about in this sermon was made possible because of Christ’s willingness to go to the cross for each of us. Ro 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (KJV)
His death on the cross provided everything that the Christian enjoys. Everything was granted to us because of the cross.
Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. (KJV)
There is a sadness that we must consider and that is that most of the world’s population will not experience the satisfaction of the “Hiding Of The Soul”.
All that He has done for each of us will be to no avail to anyone who does not receive His gift. Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)
INVITATION
BETH HAVEN BAPTIST CHURCH MINISTRIES
PO BOX 891523
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73189-1523
405-691-8701
This sermon and thousands of others are available on a CD Disk that may be purchased for $75.
If interested contact the above address.
