The Lord remembers

[0:00] We shall now turn to words you will find in the book of Psalms. Psalm 106.

[0:18] The book of Psalms. Psalm 106. We shall read from the beginning of the psalm.

[0:36] Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever.

[0:53] Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

[1:12] Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people. O visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

[1:41] And so on. Especially at the fourth verse.

[1:52] Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people.

[2:02] O visit me with thy salvation. And so on. The psalmist is fond of using this form of address.

[2:31] As he approaches his God. Again and again he says, remember me.

[2:51] He also says, remember not against me former sins. That is to say, he lays much emphasis on what he calls the Lord's remembrance.

[3:16] He is intensely interested in what the Lord remembers concerning him.

[3:26] Needless to say, he does not mean that the Lord forgets anything.

[3:39] That there is any fear in the memory of the Lord.

[3:54] For strictly speaking, there is not with him what we call memory. Our memory takes to do with what is past.

[4:08] With the Lord there is no past. As there is no future. He is in the eternal present.

[4:29] Hence we are not to think of this word remember. As we would think of it in relation to a fellow creature. Yet there is no future.

[4:39] Yet there is no future. Yet there is something in it. Which is calculated to bring to our notice. That there are certain things in the Lord's presence.

[4:55] In which we are to be intensely. Yea supremely interested. What are his thoughts concerning us?

[5:19] Granted that there is a God. Granted that he is supreme over his whole creation. Granted that he is supreme over his whole creation.

[5:32] It becomes a matter of the utmost importance. What this God thinks.

[5:45] Or resolves our purposes. Concerning each one of us. And not to be interested in this.

[5:59] Is tantamount. To atheism. At least. In its practical. If not in its speculative form.

[6:13] What does God think of me? What is his purpose regarding me? These are questions.

[6:24] Of far reaching importance. Well it is with this. That the psalmist is engaged.

[6:36] When he uses the term. Remember me. He addresses himself. To the supreme being.

[6:47] With this petition. That the Lord. Out of the riches. Of his grace. Out of the fullness.

[7:00] Of his loving kindness. Would. Remember him. He is not afraid.

[7:13] As it were. Of being forgotten in the crowd. He is not afraid. Of. As it were. Passing. Unnoticed. For he knows.

[7:24] That the eyes. Of the Lord. Behold. All the inhabitants. Of the earth. That he searches. Their heart. And trieth.

[7:35] Their ways. That trieth. Their ways. Is. But. It is with a special. Recognition. He is here concerned.

[7:47] That the Lord. Would take cognizance of him. In a special way. Hence. He believes.

[7:59] That there is such a way. That the Lord. Does. Remember. In a special way. As distinguished.

[8:11] From. A general way. His loving kindness. Is over all his works.

[8:25] It is he. Who maintains. The creation. Which he called into being. It is he. Who regulates.

[8:36] And guides. The course of. That creation. That is. A general. Recognition. That he takes. Of all.

[8:47] That he has. Called into being. But here. There is something. Special. Which he calls.

[8:58] A favor. Lord. Remember me. With. The favor.

[9:10] Which thou. Bearest. Unto. Thine. Ode. Remember. Me.

[9:20] With. This. As if he had said. Whatever else. May be denied me. Whatever else.

[9:31] I may have to forego. Grand. Thine. That. Thou. Wilt. Remember me.

[9:42] With this. And. If thou. Wilt. Remember me. In. This way. Whatever else.

[9:52] Is denied me. Is of. Small account. God. He sees this.

[10:03] Then. As. Being above all else. Are more to be desired. Than all else. Something. Which has. A place of its own.

[10:16] Yet. A supreme place. In his. Scale. Of. Values. The favor.

[10:31] Thou. Bearest. To thine own. Now. What type. Of favor. Is this. In other words.

[10:42] What is he praying for. What is the substance. Of his petition. When in general.

[10:57] He calls this. A favor. That is. He discounts. All. Merit.

[11:09] On his own part. He doesn't come. And say. No. I deserve this. I ought to have this. Others have it.

[11:21] So. Why shouldn't I. Because. He mentions. That this is. A favor. Which is. Extended. To God's own.

[11:36] Now. There are those. Who adopt. That type. Of attitude. Who. In a demanding.

[11:46] Way. Would like. To think. That God. Is under obligation. To them. To do certain things.

[11:57] For them. And. The nerve. Of their argument. Is this. That. If he has done it. For others. Then.

[12:08] He ought. To do it. For them. Otherwise. They accuse. God. Of. Our reality. Well.

[12:25] He. That cometh. Unto God. Must. Believe. First. That. He. Is. And.

[12:40] This expression. That. He. Is. Implies. That. He. Is. Necessary. And. Eternally.

[12:53] Which. In. Turns. Which. In. Turn. Implies. That. He. Is. Sovereign. He. That. Cometh. Unto God.

[13:04] Must. Believe. That. God. Is. Sovereign. In. Other. Words. That. He. Has. A. Right. To. Do.

[13:15] What. He. Will. With. His. All. That. He. Is. Not. And. Cannot. Be. Under. Any. Obligation. To.

[13:25] Any. Creature. In. Any. Circumstances. What. So. What.

[13:36] The. Psalmist. Requests. Is. A. Favour. The. Lord. Would. Show him. A. Favour. And.

[13:49] The. Very. Terminology. Used. Of course. Discounts. Any. Merit. Or. Any. Worthiness. Any.

[14:00] Deservedness. On. Whose. Part. At. All. As. He. Had. Said. Lord. I. Know. That.

[14:12] I. Don't. Deserve. It. I. Know. That. I. Am. Not. Worthy. Of. It. Nevertheless. Grant.

[14:23] Me. This. Favour. Remember. Me. With. This. Favour. He.

[14:34] Comes. In. The. Spirit. Of. A. Supply. And. Humbly. Beseeching. The. Lord. To. Be. Favourable.

[14:46] Unto. Him. Now. Those. Who. Would. Adopt. A. Different. Appitude. To. Whom. We. Have. Already. Referred.

[14:58] Would. Brand. This. As. Being. Unworthy. Of. One. Humanity. There.

[15:11] Are. Those. Who. Maintain. And. Who. Asserve. That. To. Pray. Like. This. Is. To. Deserve. Our. Humanity. That.

[15:25] No. Man. He. Should. Bring. Himself. To. Such. A. Condition. As. This. Well.

[15:37] Of. Course. That. Thinking. Is. Governed. By. Certain. Presuppositions. And. The. Question.

[15:48] That. Comprehends. All. These. Presuppositions. Is. This. What. Is. Man. What.

[16:01] Is. Those. Those. Thoughts. Of. Man. Necessarily. Regulate. Those.

[16:12] Thoughts. Of. What. He. Ought. To. Do. And. What. He. Ought. Not. To. What. Is. He. Or. Who.

[16:22] Is. He. If. He. Is. A. Creature. Who. Is. Able. To. Look. After. His. Own. Interests.

[16:34] If. He. Is. Indeed. Master. Of. His. Fate. And. Captain. Of. His. Own. Then. Indeed. He.

[16:45] Should. Never. Be. Found. In. A. Position. Like. This. He. Should. Never. Humble. Himself. To.

[16:56] This. Lever. If. This. Is. The. Type. Of. Deed. He. Is. If. He. Is. The. Measure. Of. All. Things. If. He. Is. An.

[17:06] Autonomous. Being. Who. Has. His. Destiny. In. His. Own. Hands. Well. In. That. Case. He.

[17:17] Ought. To. Go. About. His. Daily. Business. With. His. Head. High. In. The. Air. For.

[17:27] He. Will. Be. Indebted. To. None. He. Will. Seek. A. Favor. Of. None. But. If.

[17:38] It. Should. So. Happen. That. Man. Is. Not. That. Type. Of. Cretel. At. All. That. He. Is. A.

[17:48] Being. Who. Is. Dependent. For. All. That. He. Is. And. For. All. That. He. Can. Have. On. God. If.

[17:59] He. Lives. Moves. And. Has. His. Being. In. Another. And. Daddy. To. This. If. His. Life.

[18:10] Is. One. Serious. Of. Dishonor. Done. To. The. Being. In.

[18:20] Whom. He. Lives. Moves. And. Has. His. Being. In. Other. Words. If. He. Is. What. The. Scriptures. Call. A. Sinful. Treatment.

[18:31] Then. No. Position. Is. More. Appropriate. Nothing. Is. More. Reason. Other. Than.

[18:42] That. He. Should. He. Should. Be. Found. As. A. Suppliant. Beseeching. The. Favor. Of. The. Lord.

[18:52] And. Especially. When. The. Lord. Is. Pleased. To. Remind. Him.

[19:03] Of. This. Havor. For. In. A. Certain. Sense. Under. The. Gospel. Administration. All.

[19:14] God. Stealings. With. Us. Are. Reminders. Of. This. Great. And. Glorious. Fact. That. There. Is.

[19:25] Such. A. Favor. With. God. That. There. Is. A. Mercy. With. Him. That. He. Delights. In. Doing. Good.

[19:35] To. The. Unworthy. And. The. Undecent. And. That. Part. Of. The. Proof. Of. That. Fact. Lies. In.

[19:49] His. Exhortation. To. His. His. Creatures. Commanding. Them. Inviting.

[20:01] Them. To. Partay. Of. This. Favor. For. This. Is. The. Essence. Of. The. Gospel. Of.

[20:12] God's. Grace. It. Is. A. Proclamation. That. God. Has. Favor. That. He. Has.

[20:22] Good. Will. To. The. Undeserving. And. The. Unworthy. And. The. Very. Proclamation.

[20:33] Of. That. Fact. Lays. All. Who. Hear. It. Under. The. Obligation. To. Seek. To.

[20:45] Pray. For. To. Ask. Consistently. And. Sincerely. And. Supremely. For.

[20:55] This. Favor. Which. The. Lord. Has. To. Bestow. Upon. This.

[21:08] Is. Then. How. We. Find. The. Psalmist. Whatever. Other. Views. Others. Might. Have. Of. God. And. Of. Man. The.

[21:19] Views. Which. He. Cherished. That. Which. He. Believed. Concerning. God. And. Concerning. The. Duty. That. God. Required. Of. Him. Led.

[21:29] Him. With. The. Blessing. Of. The. Lord. Himself. To. This. Position. And. Condition. We. Find. Him.

[21:40] As. It. Were. Alone. Shut. Out. From. The. Cloud. Meditating. Upon. God.

[21:50] And. Himself. And. That. Meditation. Leading. Him. To. This. Lord. Remember. Me. With.

[22:03] This. Favor. Favor. In. His. Favor.

[22:13] His. Life. But. Then. There. Was. Historic. Evidence. To.

[22:24] The. Fact. That. There. Is. Favor. With. God. It. Is. Not. A. A. A. Assertion. Which. Has. No. Evidence. To.

[22:35] Back. It. Up. As. The. Psalmist. Understood. It. It. Was. A. Favor. That. Was. Constantly. Being. Shown.

[22:47] A. Favor. That. Was. Continuously. Bestowed. It. Is. The. Favor. He. Says. Which. The. Lord.

[22:57] Bestows. On. His. Own. Remember. Me. With. The. Favor. Which. Thou. Showest. Unto. Thy.

[23:08] Lord. There. Was. Erasmus. A. Proof. That. Such. A. Favor. Existed. And. That. It. Was. Bestowed. By. God.

[23:20] And. The. Psalmist. Knew. Himself. Those. On. Whom. He. Would. Say. God. Had. Bestowed.

[23:30] This. Faith. And. He. Speaking. Of course. First of all. In the context. Of. What. The. Lord. Had. Done. Previously. For. His.

[23:40] Life. And. That. Context. Is. Narrowed. Down. Till. He. Thinks. Of. What. The. Lord. Has. Done. Previously. For.

[23:51] Himself. There. Were. Certain. Things. That. Couldn't. Be. Accounted. For. But. By. This. Very. Fact. That.

[24:02] There. Is. Favor. With. God. This. Offered. The. Most. Intelligent. Explanation. Of. Certain. Phenomena.

[24:13] With. Which. The. Psalmist. Was. Well. Acquainted. Supplied. A.

[24:23] Reason. For. Certain. Things. Of. Which. He. Himself. Knew. And. It. Is. Always. The.

[24:34] Same. If. We. Approach. Life. And.

[24:46] Take. Into. Consideration. All. The. Facts. Even. All. The. Facts. That. Come. Within. Our. Own. Aguintas. Within. Our. Own. Knowledge. There.

[24:57] Are. Certain. Things. That. Cannot. Be. Accounted. For. But. On. The. Ground. That. There. Is. Favor. With. God.

[25:09] And. That. He. Bestows. This. Favor. That. He. Makes. It. No. This.

[25:21] Is. The. Only. Rational. Explanation. There. Is. The. Psalmist. Of course. Was. Able.

[25:31] To. Assess. These. Facts. And. Hence. There. Is. Nothing. Incongruous. To.

[25:42] Himself. In. What. He. Is. Doing. He. Is. Quite. Conscious. That. He. Is. Doing. Something. That. Is. Eminently. Reasonable. When. He. Is. Seeking.

[25:53] The. Favor. Of. The. Law. The. Favor. Which. He. Bestows. Upon. His.

[26:04] All. What. Kind. Of. Favor. Was. This. It. Was. Favored. What. Of. What. What. What. What.

[26:14] What. What. What. What. What. There. Are. Two. Or. Three. Things. We. May. Say. About. It. It. Is. Eternal. Favorite. It. Is. Eternal. Favorite. And.

[26:28] We. At. Luke. In. Spencer. It. Does. Know. At. Its. Beginning. If.

[26:40] We. May. Use. The. Language. It. Is. Not. Something. That. The. Lord. Does. Of. The. Spur. Of. The. Moment. It.

[26:53] Is. Something. Which. He. Has. Purposed. And. Planned. Before. The. Foundation. Of. The. World. Before.

[27:09] The. Earth. Was. God. Purposed. To. Show. Favor. To. The. Undeserving.

[27:20] And. The. Unworthy. And. With. This. In. View. He. Himself. Planned.

[27:31] And. In. Process. Of. Time. Accomplished. A. Way. By. Which. This. Haven. Could. Come. Out. To.

[27:42] The. Unworthy. And. The. Undeserved. It. Is. Eternal. It. Is. Not. Something. That. As.

[27:52] It. Were. Sprang. Into. Be. Yesterday. It. Is. What. The. Lord. Hath. Before. Him. From.

[28:04] Ever. Last. And. This. Of course. Is. What. We. Find. In. New. Testament. Especially. In.

[28:14] The. Epistles. Of. Paul. This. Is. What. He. Calls. The. Grace. Of. God. The. Divine. Favor. This.

[28:27] Is. The. Grace. Of. God. And. You. Know. How. Fond. Paul. Is. Of. Using. That. Word. Grace. He. Traces.

[28:38] Everything. Worth. While. In. The. Life. Of. Sinful. Man. To. Grace. By. Grace. Are. He. Saved.

[28:48] By. Grace. Are. He. Kept. By. Grace. Are. He. Delivered. From. The. Dangers. And. The. Pitfalls. Of. Life.

[28:59] Everything. Is. By. Grace. Or. Of. Grace. Now. This. Is. The. Favor. Which. The. Lord. Shows. Unto.

[29:10] His. Order. It. Is. Grace. And. So. So. Deeply. Does. This. Enter. Into.

[29:21] The. Operation. Of. God. Towards. The. Sinful. Sons. Of. Men. So. Deeply. We. See. Does. It. Enter. Into. That. Operation.

[29:32] That. God. Himself. Is. Called. The. God. Of. All. Grace. The. God. Of. All. Grace. He.

[29:44] Is. The. God. Of. Grace. He. Is. In. Himself. An. In. Exhaustible. Founding. Of. Grace. That. Is. Of.

[29:55] Favor. It. Is. Eternal. And. Because. It. Is. Favor.

[30:06] And. Because. It. Is. Eternal. It. Is. Therefore. Unchangeable. It.

[30:17] Doesn't. Change. With. The. Changes. Of. The. Creed. To. It. It. Is. Is. Not. Something. Which. One. May. Have. Today. And. Which. May. Be. With. With. Drown. Tomorrow.

[30:30] The. Favor. That. God. Bestows. On. His. Own. Is. A. Favor. That. Is. Unchanging. And.

[30:41] Unchangeable. No. Wonder. That. That. A. Man. Who. Thought.

[30:51] Of. Himself. Has. Been. Utterly. Inadequate. For. The. Duties. Of. The. Day. Utterly.

[31:03] In. Insufficient. Of. Himself. To. Me. The. Trials. Of. Time. No. Wonder. Though. We.

[31:13] Find. Him. As. A. Suppliant. Beseeching. God. To. Remember. Him. With. This.

[31:24] Favor. The. Favor. That. Is. Unchanging. And. Unchangeable. It. Would.

[31:34] Be. No. Favor. At. All. If. We. Could. Think. Of. It. As. Being. Bestowed. For. Any. Reason.

[31:45] Whatsoever. In. Connection. With. The. Creature. That. Is. Any. Meritorious. Reason. It. Would. Be. No. Favor. It. Would. Be. No. Comfort.

[31:55] If. It. Were. Changing. Separate. How. Anyone. Can. Derive. Comfort.

[32:05] From. A. Gospel. That. Says. You. May. Be. Saved. Today. And. Lost. Tomorrow. Is. Something. Which. Is. Beyond. Our. Comprehension. It.

[32:18] Is. Not. A. Gospel. At. All. And. Blessed. Be. God. That. Is. Not. The. Gospel. Of. His. Grace. The.

[32:28] Gospel. Of. God. Favor. Is. A. Proclamation. Concerning. An. Unchanging. Favor. The. Favor. That. Has. Its. Grounds.

[32:39] Not. In. The. Creature. But. In. God. Himself. And. As. He. Changes. Not. So. His. Favor.

[32:50] Changes. Not. Oh. Then. That. The. Lord. Would. Remember. Me. With. This. Favor. Why? Among other things.

[33:00] Because. The. Psalmist. Would. Have. Replied. I. Am. So. Changeable. Myself. I. Am.

[33:11] So. Changeable. My. Frames. And. Feelings. My. See. Everything. That. Is. Mine. Is. So.

[33:21] Changeable. Hot. Today. Perhaps. Cold. Tomorrow. And. Most. Of. The. Time. Neither. Cold. Nor. Hot. How.

[33:38] Encouraging. It. Is. Then. To. Think. Of. A. Favor. That. Doesn't. Change. Of. An. Attitude. Of. God. That.

[33:49] Cannot. Be. Changed. That. Has. Its. Ground. And. Reason. In. God. Himself. Surely. There. Is. Something. Here. To.

[34:00] Lift. Up. One. Said. There. Is. Something. Here. To. Encourage. The. Most. Disconcited. The. Most. Discouraged. The. Most. Perplexed.

[34:13] There. Is. If. We. Could. Only. See. It. There. Is. Here. All.

[34:24] That. We. Need. And. All. That. We. Can. Decide. Our. Trouble. Is. Not. In. God's. Favor. Not.

[34:35] In. Its. Nature. But. Our. Trouble. Is. In. Our. Selves. It. Is. Our. Blime. It. Is.

[34:45] Our. Our. Our. Our. Ignorance. Our. Unbelief. That. Shuts. Out. From. Us. The. Glory. Of. God's. Favor.

[34:56] The. Favor. Which. He. Bestow. Upon. His. All. This. Remember.

[35:07] Me. With. The. Favor. It. Is. Unchanger. Thirdly. It. Is.

[35:17] Sufficient. For. Everything. And. Therefore. For. Anything. That. May. Come. In. One. Way.

[35:29] From. Time. To. Eternity. This. Is. God. Own. Testimony. My. Grace. Is.

[35:40] Sufficient. And. That. Is. Precisely. What. The. Psalmist. Means. By. Saying. The. Favor. Thou. Bearest. To. Thine. Own. It.

[35:50] Is. Sufficient. There. Can. Be. No. Situation. In. Which. This. Favor. Is. Not.

[36:00] Sufficient. Sufficient. To. Meet. All. Exigencies. Sufficient. To. Meet. All. Contingencies. Sufficient. Sufficient.

[36:11] To. Meet. All. Possibilities. Remember. Me. With. This. Favor. For.

[36:22] This. Is. Precisely. What. I. Need. A. Favor. That. Is. Eternal. A. Favor. That. Is. Unchanging. A.

[36:33] Favor. That. Is. Sufficient. No. Wonder. Then. Though. He. Would. Say. Whatever. Else. I. Am. Denied.

[36:44] Whatever. Else. In. The. Providence. Of. The. Lord. I. May. Be. Called. Upon. To. Forgo. Let. This. Be. Mine. And.

[36:55] All. Shall. Be. Well. All. Shall. Be. Well. Now. And. All. Shall. Be. Well. To. All.

[37:05] It. He. Remember. Me. With. The. Favor. Thou. Showest.

[37:17] Unto. Thine. All. A word. In. Conclusion. Thou. Showest. The.

[37:29] Is. Ora. It. Is. Left. In. The. Of. Objective. Fact. Something. Of. Which. One. Might. Say. Well. I. Know. That. Exists. At. Is. I.

[37:41] Don't. Put. Out. Any. Argument. Who. Disprove. It. But. What. Of. It. why the psalmist says that the Lord chose this favor to his own it not only exists for them but they are made to realize that it does exist and that it is for them this as someone has said was the greatest discovery he ever made that the grace of God in Christ was for himself the Lord chose it he gives them to see the certainty of it he doesn't leave it in the region of speculation he convinces them that this is so and he does so by visiting them with his salvation there is a communication between the Lord and the soul of his people that is to them the most holy place a communication which they cannot describe to others a communication which can be understood only through experiencing it he visits them with his salvation and when he does so how far off the point how utterly pointless is any argument that can be brought against we have said before granting there is a God granting that he is gracious it's alright to grant that but what about the conviction the certainty of it well it is the Lord himself who can do that and when he does that when he visits with his salvation then no one can raise a question they are already answered and they are answered by the presence of the Lord the light of his countenance dispels all doubt as to whether there is such a light this then is that for which he prays and may the Lord be merciful to us be so direct and instruct us as that this shall be your own prayer also in sincerity and truth

[41:01] Lord remember me with the favor thou bearest unto thine o'er let us pray O Lord do thou bless us bless us with the consciousness of thy presence which is the proof of thy being and the illustration of thy character may it please the blessed one so to deal with us as that we shall know that thou art and that thou art the reward of them that diligently seek if we knew this if we were persuaded of it in the inner man then it would of necessity govern our whole universe of thought it would govern our life in all departments of activity lift upon us the light of thy countenance and take away all those sins for the Redeemer's sake

[42:27] Amen Amen