Psalm 62

English Charismatic Fellowship July 1993

Psalm 62:2

He alone is my rock and my salvation

He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

This evening I want to focus in on Christ alone is my rock , my salvation and my fortress.

Three key words:

1. ALONE

2. ROCK

3. SALVATION (and with it fortress)

1. ALONE.

Some of the definitions of alone are

"without others help".

"only" or "exclusively". You alone can help me.

1.1 Without others’ help

Much of the Book of Isaiah is devoted to warning the Kings of Judah, be it the evil Ahaz or the godly Hezekiah not to trust in people. In these cases alliances with the King of Assyria or the King of Babylon would not bring the peace that these kings were looking for. ONLY THE KING OF KINGS CHRIST HIMSELF.

What ALONE is not:

1.1.1 Jesus plus:

1.1.1.1 RICHES

my money/my prosperity/my family.....

1 Tim. 6:17 Command those who are rich in the present world not to be arrogant nor put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain but to put their hope in God

who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Money is neutral, but it is the love of money that is condemned.

1.1.1.2 SELF CONFIDENCE:

He who trusts in himself is a fool

But he who walks in wisdom is kept safe (Ps 28:26).

Job 28:28: The fear of the Lord that is wisdom.

1.1.1.3 Lukewarm: Money and pride of possesions can also bring with it:

Lukewarmness.

Rev. 3:1516: I know your deeds that you are neither hot nor cold....because you are lukewarm I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Being a Christian in not a Divine Insurance policy to insure you against HELL FIRE.

You cannot live according to the World’s principles and according to God’s principles.

Let me illustrate this.

Babylon is often used to depict satan and his power on earth, especially in the Book of Revelation. Jerusalem is used to picture the city of God.

Just as you cannot physically have one foot in Babylon and one in Jerusalem (as they are 1000 miles apart) so you cannot spiritually have one foot in Babylon and one foot in Jerusalem.

Note the first commandment: You shall have NO OTHER gods but Me.

1.2 Exclusivity

It is very precious this exclusivity that God wants with us. It is as intimate as a marriage. Indeed the Church is often referred to as the Bride of Christ.

The Lord wants a RELATIONSHIP with Himself

John 15:4 ABIDE IN ME.

We need to cultivate this relationship. With times of prayer and times of quiet.

Psalm 46:10 : Be still and know that I am God.

Elijah in 2 Kings 1:115 shows this well.

The evil King Ahaziah had had an accident and sent messengers off to the false god BaalZebub of the Philistines to see if he would recover. Elijah met his messengers and told them that since the King did not enquire from God himself he would die. The messengers relayed the message and the king sent troops to get Elijah.

Instead of running away, Elijah relied on God and called down fire from heaven to destroy the troops. Two sets of 50: 100 men in total. Then when the

third troop came, and the commander asked for the prophet’s mercy, the angel of the Lord told him to go with that troop to the king (v.15) and so Elijah went

fearlessly and told the King of God’s message. That the King would die.

Elisha in 2 Kings 6:15-18 was surrounded by enemy troops in Dothan. He prayed that they would be smitten with blindness by the Lord and they were.

1 John 4:4 :You dear children are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

If he ALONE is our support, we will overcome as we ABIDE IN HIM.

He is then the FOUNDATION of our lives which brings me to the next point.

The second point I want to look at is

2. ROCK:

In Matt. 16.16 Peter says to Jesus: You are the Christ, to which Jesus replies

in verse 18: Simon you are Peter and on this rock will I build my church.

The foundation of the Rock Peter was his Faith in Jesus as the Christ.

In Gk Peter is PETROS

Rock is PETRA (from which we get our

English word PETRIFIED)

In aramaic which Jesus probably spoke PETER and ROCK are the same word KEPHA. In French the same word too PIERRE.

This profound revelation from the Father was the Rock on which God has chosen to build his Church.

Rock is defined in the dictionary as:

i) a firm and dependable support