Secure in the Lord

Secure in the Lord | Psalm 125 August 6, 2023 Go ahead and open your bibles to Psalm 125 this morning as we continue in our series through the Psalms of Ascent. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "secure" or "security?" For me, it's usually physical. A security guard, or a security fence, or a lock or code for entry. Did you know that "the Great Wall of China is thousands of miles long, 30 feet high, and 18 feet thick and was built as security against the northern invaders. It is a massive construction, visible from outer space, and was intended to be impenetrable. In fact, impressive as it was, the wall was breached not by physically breaking the wall down but by a simple ruse: the gatekeepers were bribed. A wall is only as strong as the people protecting it; an economy is only as strong as the people working in it; a business is only as strong as its staff; an army is only as strong as its soldiers. We can build walls to protect us, but walls are as strong (or as weak) as the humans that guard them. One bribe and the gates will open." (Josh Moody) If the Great Wall cannot provide the security desired, then how can you and I be protected from our enemy? We will uncover this this morning as we study Psalm 125. Let's begin reading in verse 1: THE LORD SURROUNDS HIS PEOPLE 125 A SONG OF ASCENTS. 1 THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD ARE LIKE MOUNT ZION, WHICH CANNOT BE MOVED, BUT ABIDES FOREVER. 2 AS THE MOUNTAINS SURROUND JERUSALEM, SO THE LORD SURROUNDS HIS PEOPLE, FROM THIS TIME FORTH AND FOREVERMORE. 3 FOR THE SCEPTER OF WICKEDNESS SHALL NOT REST ON THE LAND ALLOTTED TO THE RIGHTEOUS, LEST THE RIGHTEOUS STRETCH OUT THEIR HANDS TO DO WRONG. 4 DO GOOD, O LORD, TO THOSE WHO ARE GOOD, AND TO THOSE WHO ARE UPRIGHT IN THEIR HEARTS! 5 BUT THOSE WHO TURN ASIDE TO THEIR CROOKED WAYS THE LORD WILL LEAD AWAY WITH EVILDOERS! PEACE BE UPON ISRAEL! Here's the main idea that we're going to uncover this morning: A Christian is secure when he puts his trust in the Lord. The main theme of this psalm, as we saw earlier, is security and protection. The psalmist uses familiar and literal illustrations to make his point known. First, Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains, so it is naturally protected from its enemies. Any physical, invading army would have to march through the mountain paths to get to them. But, as we will see, while the physical elements and geographical location can protect the City from her enemies, the Psalmist clearly states that true security comes from the Lord. How do we know this? Verse one tells us that those who trust in the Lord are like Mt. Zion. Mt. Zion as we see here, Psalm 48, and even in Hebrews 12 is immovable, and more than that, it represents the presence of God. For Christians, it represents our New Jerusalem, where we will dwell with the Lord for eternity. The Psalmist is very clear on whose destination rests in Zion - this mountain that cannot be moved and is protected by the Lord. Notice he identifies two groups: * God's People, and ... o Notice how they are described in this short psalm: * Those who trust in the Lord (1) * God's people (2) * Righteous (3) * Good (4) * Upright in their hearts (4) o These descriptive terms described those who lived by faith then, and of those who live by faith today. o Romans 1:17 tells us: 17 FOR IN IT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED FROM FAITH FOR FAITH, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. o It's because of faith that we have peace with God and can be called God's people, righteous, good and upright. o Then, there are two ways that those who are not God's people are described. I've decided to call that group ... * Everyone else o I'm not trying to be flippant here, but the fact of the matter is, if you have faith in Christ, you are God's people and this psalm teaches that He protects His people, and if you are not God's people, then you are against God. * Jesus taught this in Matthew 12:30 when He said: WHOEVER IS NOT WITH ME IS AGAINST ME, AND WHOEVER DOES NOT GATHER WITH ME SCATTERS. o Psalm 125 give us two descriptions of this person: * Wicked (3) * Crooked (5) * This idea of crooked here describes a path, and the one who goes off the path into their own way. So, there's the background of this psalm. Since we don't know who wrote it, or when it was written, we cannot be certain of the specific context, but what is seen is ... THE LORD PROTECTS This is what we see clearly in this Psalm. The text reveals that He does this in at least three ways: * He provides a strong foundation (1) o This - as we saw earlier - is directly related to the picture seen of Mt. Zion. o One commentator noted that this Psalm, "honors the confidence of His people, by protection and deliverance, and leaves hypocrites to the doom of the wicked." o In verse 5 we see that some of these turned aside to their crooked ways. What does this mean? John, in his first letter, tells us that in the early church, some of the false teachers came from within the church. o This is why we teach the Bible here at Thornydale Family Church. We want to teach the authority of the Scriptures. If we are grounded in the Word of God, then we honor Him. o In fact, during the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus taught: 24 "EVERYONE THEN WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND DOES THEM WILL BE LIKE A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE ROCK. 25 AND THE RAIN FELL, AND THE FLOODS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW AND BEAT ON THAT HOUSE, BUT IT DID NOT FALL, BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN FOUNDED ON THE ROCK. 26 AND EVERYONE WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND DOES NOT DO THEM WILL BE LIKE A FOOLISH MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE SAND. 27 AND THE RAIN FELL, AND THE FLOODS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW AND BEAT AGAINST THAT HOUSE, AND IT FELL, AND GREAT WAS THE FALL OF IT." o Hearing the Word is not enough, we must also do the Word, like the Lord's brother James reminded us in his letter. o The next way the Lord protects is that ... * He surrounds us (2) o We saw this picture already, God's City surrounded by the mountains. o The picture that I get is the same one I see from Jesus in Matthew 23 when Jesus laments over this same city. There, we see the picture of a mother hen protecting her chicks. In Hosea 12, we see a similar picture as well as in Deuteronomy 32. * It's the beautiful picture of a mother's love and how she would protect her children. * These are God's chosen people. He made a covenant with His people, and that included protection. o So, when we speak about His presence in our lives, we can also have confidence that He is surrounding us as well. Protecting us from evil. o Speaking of evil, next we see ... * He does not let evil rest (3,5) o Hear me out for a moment, as this may not mean what you think it means. o This effectively means that the Lord will not allow evil to settle down, to abide, or take up roots. o This means that it is temporary. o How comforting this is to know that the evil agendas that we face each and every day are temporary. So, you see, God here is the primary actor. However, there is a secondary actor in this psalm. That's you and I - the believer. That's where we're going to discuss: TRUSTING IN THE LORD What does this look like for you and me? Once again, I think there are at least three things this Psalm teaches us about trust, but first, let's define "trust." Pastor and scholar Skip Moen breaks down the Hebrew word for "trust" like this: "the sense of well-being and security that results from having something or someone in whom to place confidence. It is translated in the Greek Old Testament as 'hope', not 'belief'. It stresses the feeling of being safe and secure rather than the intellectual and volitional act in response to revelation. It means to live at ease because of confidence in God." Think about trust for a moment. Generally, we place our trust in many people and in places, sometimes without even knowing them. * The cook at the restaurant * The doctor * The pharmacist * The "experts" in media * The teachers at our kid's schools * Didn't we see that even China's army trusted those gatekeepers when we opened our time this morning? Pastor David Guzik said: "We can't properly put our trust in Him until we remove our trust in other things." Because trust requires action, the Christian can trust in the Lord as they ... * Stand firm on His foundation (1-2) o I know we talked about foundation earlier, but then we spoke about the Lord providing that foundation, here we see that we must stand firm on that foundation. o Even trusting that the Word of God - the Bible - is God's Word, and is Truth, requires faith. o I can remember well before I became a Christian. I had a hard time believing in the story of Adam and Eve. * To me, it was the same as "what came first, the chicken or the egg?" * There didn't seem to be a logical explanation on how life began. * But once the Holy Spirit grabbed hold of me, it was then that I could believe that the Scriptures are correct in its Creation account. And looking back, that is really the only logical conclusion, that an Intelligent Designer created the world and everything in it. Just like the shoes you're wearing, the clothes on your back, they all require a Designer and a Maker. o That is faith o The foundation of our faith is found in the Scriptures o When I began looking at Colleges for my Ministry studies, one of the first things I looked for and read was their Statement of Faith or their doctrinal statements. o I did the same thing when I searched for a church when we came to Tucson. o Why? I needed to have confidence that the Scriptures were being taught and that they believed that they are authoritative. o That is true of our everyday lives as well o We've all heard the term "fact check" * That's what we should be doing in life, fact checking against the Scriptures, and standing firm on its foundation. o Next .. * Don't let the enemy in (3) o The end of verse 3 puts that responsibility on us. o We must remember, that when we are tested or tempted, while God allows it, He is not the tempter. o James 1 urges us not to blame God for temptation o 1 Corinthians 10 reminds us that God always gives us a way out * He will not allow the temptation to be something that you cannot choose the right path o Proverbs 3:5-6 helps us with this: 5 TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. 6 IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE STRAIGHT YOUR PATHS. o God will not lead us astray. So, when we follow His path, His ways, we can be assured that He is leading us in the right direction. o So, when we begin to drift, it is because we've allowed it to come into our lives. o Paul gives us some encouragement and some direction in this as well when he urges the Ephesian churches to put on their armor to defend themselves against the enemies. o James, in his letter says we are to flee from the Devil o I love the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. When she attempted to seduce him, he ran out of that room as soon as he saw an opening. Legend has it that he later became the running back for the Chicago Bears. o So, we cannot let the enemy in, because he will get between you and your relationship with the Lord. o Next, and related ... * Turn aside from any sin in your life (4-5) o Isn't that what Joseph did? He left that sin behind. He determined that he wanted nothing to do with that sin. o Identifying those sins, understanding how they affect your relationships, and choosing to put them aside are critical in your walk with the Lord. o I smoked for the better part of eight years - I quit shortly after Gabrielle was born. Sometimes you hit a breaking point and must decide to make a change. * For me, it was hearing baby Gabrielle's little cough in the back of the car, and little Elizabeth asking me what that smell was, and maybe worse, Natalie not wanting to give me a kiss when I got home from work. That was it for me. It affected my relationships. o Sin affects your relationships. First with God, then with those around you. o What's your breaking point? This psalm shows us - just like we see in Romans 1 - that He will give you up to your passions. o But don't worry, the Psalmist closes with the victory of the Lord and the call for peace. * Did you catch that? * God's victory, not ours! Our response is obedience. o Just like Paul didn't end with the wrath of God in chapter one, he later reminded us that we were once slaves to sin, but now slaves to righteousness. He reminded us that in Christ, no one can separate us from His love. o But the Psalmist - and Paul - both remind us that we must put away anything that separates us from God. When we lean on the foundation of the Lord, when we don't give the enemy a place to stay, and when we put aside that sin in our lives we can have peace and security in the Lord. This is why we said earlier that, a Christian is secure when he puts his trust in the Lord. You see, it requires trust, it requires faith. It's that faith that helps us to celebrate, along with the psalmist, that the Lord surrounds us, that the Lord will not let evil rest. In the opening verses of this psalm, the psalmist said that those who trust in the Lord are like Mt. Zion and cannot be moved. This morning let's rejoice. Let's rejoice because we can be confident and secure because God is protecting us. All He asks for in return is that we trust Him. Will you trust Him? Will you be confident in His security over you? Will you join me as we celebrate the Victorious One? Let's pray. 2