Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Series: Psalms Series

Title: No Good Thing Will He Withhold
Text: Ps 84: 11-12

Date: October 28, 2012

Place: SGBC, New Jersey

Psalm 84 was written for the sons of Korah, probably by David.  The theme of the Psalm is rejoicing—particularly, rejoicing in being able to assemble in the house of the Lord.

The actual house in which we worship God reflects our reverence for God.  We want the house to bear witness to that, even as all other aspects of our lives.  But it is not the house of sticks and stones, but God our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we gather together.

Not everyone who gathers to a public place worships God.  God is not worshipped in houses made with hands—God is worshipped in the spirit which God has created within his people, in the inward temple, in which Christ abides in his people. 

When Christ has truly gathered us, he makes his people to worship him in spirit and in truth. Then our:

·         Singing is singing directly to him.

·         Praying is praying directly to him.

·         Hearing is hearing directly from him.

This we ask for each time we assemble. Then are we truly blessed of God. That is why David longed to be in the Lord’s house.

Let’s read Psalm 84: 11-12.

Title: No Good Thing Will He Withhold

Divisions: I. What the Lord God is to us—sun and shield; II. What the Lord God gives—grace and glory; III. What God will withhold—no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. IV. The conclusion—O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee

As Side note: As we go through our text, learn what it is to meditate on God’s word. Meditating on God’s word is not some strange hocus-pocus.  Simply, read a phrase then take time to think of how it applies to Christ and our relationship to him. That is what we will do with this one verse in Ps 84: 11.

I. FIRST, WE ARE TOLD WHAT THE LORD IS TO THE BELIEVER—THE LORD GOD IS A SUN AND SHIELD

Notice, it says, The “LORD God” is.  In scripture, “God” is his name in relationship to creation and men in general.

Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

But when we read “the Lord God” it is his name in relationship to his covenant, elect people.

Exodus 20:2: I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

So our text is a word to his elect child.

CHRIST IS OUR SUN—For the LORD God is a sun.

God our Savior, Christ Jesus, is to the believer what the sun is to us. We need Christ like we need the sun in the sky. (Genesis 1)

Light and Life

Without the sun we have no light, no life. Without Christ we have no light, no life.

Genesis 1: 1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.2: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. 2: And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

In the beginning, God created Adam upright, like as God created the world.  But Adam sinned—he became without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Every chosen child of God is born into this world the first time, without form and void. Darkness covers the face of the deep—our hearts.

In regeneration, God makes his child a new creation by his Word--2: And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light--Christ formed in you is the Light, our old man is darkness--4: And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness—Christ our light keeps us separated from darkness.

Genesis 1: 16: And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17: And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18: And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

Christ is the Sun of righteousness who rules the day.  The believer is the recipient of his light like the moon.  In his light, his children are the light of this world—like as the moon in the night.  Christ becomes our Light and our Life by the new creation in regeneration.

2 Cor 4:6: For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Of thief law demands: Ex 22: 3  If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.  God’s elect are thieves—but when Sun of righteousness rises upon us, we find he shed his blood for us, made full restitution for us; we sold ourselves for nought, but Christ redeemed us being made a curse for us.

Can you imagine a world with no sun in the sky? No light, no life, ll revolves around the sun, it holds all in place.  Controls tides and so on.  Likewise, believer has no light, no life without Christ the Sun of Righteousness. All revolves around Christ.  He upholds all things, controls all things, by the word of his power. Christ—the Sun of Righteousness—is light and life—righteousness—for those upon his light arises.

Consistent

Think how consistent the sun rises in the sky.  We can depend on it to rise right on time each day—likewise we can depend on Christ. He shall rise upon each of his redeemed right on time.  And he continues to always rise for the believer right on time, at the right time. 

Mal 4:2: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

Growth

The sun grows us, likewise Christ. The sun gives more light as the day progresses—so does Christ to each child.

Pr 4:18  But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

It is the light of Christ our Sun that makes us fruitful and flourishing.

Ps 36: 8  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;…9…in thy light shall we see light. 10: O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

When the winter winds of this world chill us in sin and unbelief, Christ the Sun of Righteousness warms us in the beams of his love, enlightens us with the light of grace, cheers and refreshes our souls with the light of his countenance.

Note: This psalm says the Lord does this in the house of God, through the preaching of the gospel. v10: For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11  For the LORD God is a sun…

Always Shining

Then think of this: on a cloudy day even though we can’t see the sun for the clouds, the sun is still shining, even in the night. So is Christ.

2 Sa 23:4  And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

One Sun

The same sun gives light and life no matter where we are in the world.  Christ is Light and Life—the Sun of Righteousness—to each of his elect children no matter where they are in the world. 

John 8:12: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Application: We are like the moon getting our light from Christ the Sun.  When little light is in the moon, the world has come between the sun and the moon. Usually when we can’t see Christ our Light it is because the world has come between us and Christ.  Let nothing in this world take your affection from Christ.  Christ is our Sun.

CHRIST IS OUR SHIELD—the LORD God is a…shield:

Believers are weak, helpless, with nothing of ourselves to protect us. Sheep have no natural defenses.  When alarmed they run and run and run—but only in circles.

Shield of Faith

Believers are exhorted to take the shield of faith.

Ephesians 6: 16: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Taking the Shield of faith is to lay hold of Christ by faith. Christ is the Shield of faith.   

A Shield Shields

A shield stands between you and another. Note: Ps 84:9  Behold, O God, our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.  We ask God our Father to look upon Christ our shield.  Why? Christ stood between his people and divine justice and God is satisfied with his elect in Christ.

Believer, when we sorrow, hurt, look upon Christ.   

La 1:12  Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

When we see what he bore for us, shielding us from fierce wrath, it turns the pain of our little stumped toe into great joy—because since Christ bore the penalty owed by his people, it is well with my soul.

I John 2: 1: My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2: And he is the propitiation (atonement, the expiator, maker of amends) for our sins:…

Christ stands between the believer and the devil.

Heb 2:14: Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

All Encompassing Shield

Christ is our shield between us and all wickedness. Think on this, brethren, Christ is our shield better than just a little shield as we think of, Lord God is our shield round about us, all over.

Ps 5:12  For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

A believer is in Christ and Christ is in you—so we are surrounded on all sides by Christ—compassed—all around--as with a shield. He is with us; he goes before us; he is our rear-ward; he comes between us and the Egyptians

A mighty fortress is our God,

A bulwark never failing

Illus. Little boy sleeping in my father’s arms—all safe.  What power can our enemies have when the Lord Jesus is our shield? None. By Christ our "shield" we are safe  from all our enemies. He is stronger than any evil which can approach us.  Christ said, “All power in heaven and earth is given unto me.”

II. WHAT THE LORD GIVES— the LORD will give grace and glory

Grace is unmerited favor.  Salvation is all of grace: electing, redeeming, regenerating grace (Eph. 2:1-5), Justifying Grace (Rom. 5:1-9), Sanctifying Grace (Heb. 10:10-14), Preserving Grace (Phil. 1:6), Instructing Grace (John 16:13), Directing Grace (Pro. 3:5-6), Comforting Grace (John 16:7; Lam. 3:24-25), Reviving Grace (Isa. 57:15), Sufficient Grace (2 Cor. 12:9), dying grace, resurrecting GRACE.

The Lord Will Give Grace

Brethren, Christ our Head, our Lord and Savior Jesus

·         Ministered grace to us when he became our Surety from eternity

·         When he came and fulfilled the law and redeemed us from all iniquity by his own blood

·         When he sent the gospel to us in truth

·         When he sent forth the Spirit into our hearts

·         He gives grace so we increase with the increase of God.

·         When we are acting ugly—his grace humbles us

·         When we can’t even look to the Lord—he gives grace, lifting our head to him

·         We owe all to his grace—he will give grace.

The Lord Will Give Glory

Glory has something to do with the G.L.O of God.  It includes rest, happiness, safety; also honor, victory, immortality, triumph—It is seen in the face of Christ Jesus. 

Notice the order here. We cannot have glory first. Grace must come first to purge us, give us a new nature, a new heart to love God.  But if he gives grace, he will also give glory; grace is the SPIRIT's earnest and pledge of glory. It is the token of divine assurance.

In this life it means every trial, every valley, will end in seeing his glory. He WILL give us FRESH glimpses of his glory now.

In the life to come it means we will behold his glory.  If angels could describe it to us now, we could not possibly enter into it.  One day, every believer shall know final ETERNAL glory with the Lord.

Illustration: Hurricane is coming.  We’ve heard the report.  Watched the models. Do you seek a sign from Lord? Some came to Christ seeking a sign.

Mt 16: 2: He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3: And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4  A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

App. We’ve worked diligently to prepare for this hurricane.  Then knowing Christ is coming, knowing that all we see will be dissolved, and knowing the Lord will give grace and glory, give all diligence to prepare by going to Christ for grace.  Hold fast to Christ our Head] [from whom] all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, increaseth with the increase of God. (Colossians 2: 19)

III. WHAT WILL THE LORD WITHHOLD—no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

The very character of our infinitely good God is that God never restrains his goodness or keeps it back…from whom? 

From Them That Walk Uprightly

Those who walk uprightly are those who walk by faith, rather than sight; clinging to Christ, rather than this world. All who are born of the Spirit of God walk uprightly: not by our strength by his, not looking to our faith to his faithfulness.  Cast all care into his hand for he careth for you. Do so believing his promise.

No Good Thing Will He Withhold

Whatever good thing God judges we need, he will not withhold. Remember, he who promises to withhold no good thing owns all good things so they are all at his disposal. That will cure our anxious care.  Read it believer and remember this is God who cannot lie, “He promises to withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly.” 

Behold God’s liberality. Earthly benefactors may give, but not like our God.  As the heavens are higher than the earth—so his acts of liberality are higher than the biggest giver. 

Know also, God is withholding no good thing from me EVEN IN GIVING ME THE STORM.  After all our faltering, when he lifts our head to behold Christ, once again we see that our Sun and Shield, our Gracious Savior withholds no good thing from us.  This is how he gives us glory here now, by giving us a fresh  glimpse of his glory.

Go Home with This

Look nowhere else for righteousness, for complete acceptance with God but Christ.  And believer, just as you would not look to yourself for righteousness, don’t look to yourself for wisdom to know the way now.

Proverbs 3: 5: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6: In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7: Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8: It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 9: Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Ps 84: 11: For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

The conclusion of our song!

Ps 84: 12: O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee

Amen!