One Holy Passion

[0:00] So, if you will, turn with me to Psalm 63. Psalm 63.

[0:19] I wanted to briefly draw your attention to your proclamation this morning. So, what you have already proclaimed with your mouth, you know, we read from Luke.

[0:36] As a body of believers, we proclaimed the gospel, proclaimed the sufficiency of Christ. The fact that a man who goes to war counts the cost.

[0:54] And the man who goes considers what he is after to be of great value. The victory, the conquest. And so, if any man is to come after Christ, he must esteem him of great value, of great worth.

[1:13] We sang, I need you every hour. A plea as a body, as a group of people that we need God desperately.

[1:27] And we sang in the following song, he's a wonderful, merciful Savior.

[1:41] The one that our hearts hunger for. And that's what Psalm 63 is about.

[1:52] It's about one thing that is needful. If we put a title to today's message, it would be one thing is needful.

[2:08] Or, putting it another way, one holy passion. If we ask that question, tell you what, let's stop right there.

[2:22] And let's read the word. Let's read the word. So, Psalm 63. A psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. Oh God, you are my God.

[2:39] Early will I seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for you. In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.

[2:50] So, I have looked for you in the sanctuary to see your power and your glory. Because your loving kindness is better than life. My lips shall praise you.

[3:01] Thus, I will bless you while I live. I will lift up my hands in your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. And my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips.

[3:12] When I remember you on my bed, I meditate on you in the night watches. Because you have been my help. Therefore, in the shadow of your wings, I will rejoice.

[3:23] My soul follows close behind you. Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek my life to destroy it shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword.

[3:35] They shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by him shall glory. But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

[3:51] So, the word. The psalm, 63. A psalm of David in the wilderness. A dry place. Two options for where this might have taken place.

[4:05] One when he was fleeing from Saul. The other from Absalom, his son. Both options. He was out in the wilderness. This one probably lends itself to be during the time frame in which he had removed himself from Jerusalem.

[4:19] With Absalom. Having set up a rivalry. Trying to usurp his throne. But in either case. David has gone out to the wilderness. And in this point.

[4:31] And in this time. Is when David begins to commune with God. This is when David begins to lift up his heart to God. And he begins to show us.

[4:43] The needful thing in life. Where his heart lies. His passion is. If we ask the question. What is the most important thing in life?

[4:54] Or what is most needful? What would we come up with?

[5:07] We could ask. What is it that should consume our time and our energy? And I think if we asked you.

[5:21] The answer would be different than if we asked you. We could go down this side and down this side. We could get out of board. Write it all down. And the thing is. I mean. Get on the internet.

[5:33] Do a quick Google search. What is most needful? And I thought. You know. Maybe you might have some general consensus. But it is. Across the board. What people. Apart from Christ.

[5:46] Mainly out there. Feel is of most need. Or most essential. In this life. To love.

[6:01] To be loved. Health. Wealth. To know yourself. To be yourself. To live your dreams.

[6:15] Relationships. If we turned it a little bit. And brought it back in. To maybe a more spiritual context. A little bit more.

[6:25] Along some biblical lines. What might we say is most needful? What should be of most importance? We might get answers like.

[6:39] To know God. To be loved. To love God. To be saved. Service.

[6:51] To love your neighbor. All answers that we probably are very familiar with. Inside the context of. Of maybe the local body.

[7:03] We would get all sorts of different answers. So the question begins. What is most needful? What is it that our hearts should run after? What is it that we should pursue?

[7:23] I think it also depends on the context in which we're coming from. Sometimes. How do we answer this when life is good? How do we answer this question when life is full of turmoil and struggle?

[7:37] And trial. How do we answer what is most needful? I think sometimes in our sorrow and our pain.

[7:48] It's easier to maybe focus on our need for God. Right? Because all of a sudden things aren't going well. And I'm struggling here. And I need something outside of myself. So it's easier to turn to God.

[7:59] But when things are going well. What is most needful? Well. I'm fat. I'm full. I'm happy. I have. Little needs. We might answer that a little differently. It's one thing to just ask the question.

[8:18] Really is. But it's another matter entirely to really attach that question to life itself. To actually try to submerge it into the workings of our everyday.

[8:30] Into our jobs. Into our relationships. Into our health. To encounter this question among the storms and the trials. Or the joys and triumphs of life.

[8:42] That's really where we're trying to submerge this question of what is most needful. And in a minute we're going to look at David. And how David begins to flesh this out for us.

[8:53] In the midst of his life. In the midst of this moment of being out in the wilderness. David is not a stranger to trials. Nor is his life.

[9:04] Both devoid of the goodness of God. If we follow him. We see both in David's life. And so. You know. Sometimes we look at it. And we hear an example.

[9:16] And it's like. But yeah. His life is like this. Or her life is like that. And my life is not like I. It's not like that. I live in this world.

[9:26] And they live in that world. And so David is a man who embodies both the blessing of God. God. A young man anointed by God to be king.

[9:37] Chosen by God himself. And yet also a man who spent an enormous amount of time fleeing for his life. Not just the fact that he was disliked.

[9:50] They wanted to flat out kill him. But. So David is a. Is a wonderful soundboard. To be having a psalm like this. Rising from his heart.

[10:01] Because he. He encompasses a wide spectrum of events in life. That we. In this room. In this body of believers. No matter where we at.

[10:12] Can really fully identify with. God's full blessing. His joy. In the triumphs of life. Or in the sorrows. In the pain. In the heartache. In the trials.

[10:26] So we're going to look at. Three. Three main points. From Psalm 63. Through the example of David.

[10:38] David. Who is. An example to us. Of. Purity of heart.

[10:52] A pure confession. And pure living. The points. Actually. That's. Is.

[11:03] Number one. The passion for God. We're going to look at. Praise. To God. And the pursuit of God. So those are going to be. The three points. I might have confused you. With those things. But I'm going to. I'm going to.

[11:13] We're going to match them up. The points again. Are passion for God. Praise for God. And a pursuit of God. So.

[11:25] Verses one and two. I know. We. You guys are used to looking up there. So you're just going to have to. Follow with me. Back and forth. As we go. But. So our passion for God. Purity of heart.

[11:38] In verses one and two. This word passion. I want to. I want to just give you a quick definition. Okay. The definition for passion is intense.

[11:51] Driving or over mastering. Feeling of conviction. A strong liking or desire. For. Or devotion to. Something. Coming from the inside.

[12:02] And pushing outward. Seated in our emotions. And our desires. That is what passion is. So when we say we want to have a passion for God. We want to have this intense driving.

[12:16] This feeling of conviction. This. Desire. Strong desire. Or devotion to. God. Coming from the inside. And pushing outward.

[12:27] Seated in our emotions. And our desires. That is a passion for God. David begins his psalm by saying.

[12:41] Oh. God. There's a declaration there that David makes. It's a. It's a. It's a statement. The word he's using here.

[12:52] Is. The. The word. Elohim. Which he's declaring God. To be sovereign. He's declaring his kingship. His. Supremacy.

[13:03] Supremacy. Over all things. He's. Acknowledging. Also. To. The difference between. His state. And who God is. Oh.

[13:15] God. Ruler. Over all. Supreme. Over all things. And then. So he.

[13:25] He begins. And we heard this. In the. In the Bible study. He begins with a high view of God. Who is God. Over all things.

[13:37] Creator of all things. When we first see the. The. The first use of Elohim. Is where? Genesis. In the beginning. God. God. But then he goes on.

[13:47] And he. And he says. After that. God. You are. My God. So. So. David. Takes it from. Okay. You are a. A powerful.

[13:59] And an. Awesome. And a sovereign. God. But not only are you that. But you are personally. Mine. So David. Brings it in. To this. Personalized. Owning.

[14:10] Possessive. Kind of. Relationship. He brings it into clarity. For himself. Who is this God? Well. He is my God. He is not just.

[14:21] The creator of the universe. He is not just out there. But he is. He is mine. So he has a clarity of position. And he has a boldness.

[14:33] I like the way that David really gets after it. God. My God. You ever felt like you are in the midst of something. And it is like. Okay. I need you.

[14:44] I need you to be mine. I need you to be. Close to me. Not far off. And David says this with full conviction.

[14:55] Which states something very clear to us. Is that. He is not hoping. That God will be close. He is not hoping. That somehow this is going to work out.

[15:06] That somehow God applies to him. It is from a point of conviction. And we are going to unpack that a little bit later on. On through the psalm. As to why David is referring to this. But it is coming from a place of conviction.

[15:21] And he goes on. Early. Will I seek you. Now the word early there. Is obviously. First importance. It is.

[15:32] It is. It is. It is. It is. First thing. It is. In other words. It is.

[15:42] It is the first thing. That my heart is going to run to. It could be first in time. It could be. First in affection. It.

[15:53] It. It. It. It. Will. Be. What I. Do. At the very beginning. So for us. We could often. Say. The first part of the day. When we are getting out of bed.

[16:03] But David kind of unpacks this. Is that it is. It is not just a moment in time. This is. Continuing on. We are going to get to it. A little bit later. That David is dealing with. Around the clock.

[16:15] Kind of issues. Because we are going to get into the night seasons. A little bit later on. So this is early. This is first thing. I want to seek you early. Yes, it's early in the day, but it's also first in my heart.

[16:26] It's early in my affections for things. I am going to seek you early. But early also indicates an earnestness, a pursuit.

[16:41] I will seek you. It's not later. It's not at some other time. It becomes now, early, I'm going to seek you.

[16:51] I'm going to do it. I'm going to run to that. I'm going to make it the priority. The first thing that I do, I'm going to go seek you, is what David says. I will earnestly seek you early.

[17:04] We're encouraged in Matthew 6.33 to what? Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Seek first. And then everything else is taken care of.

[17:17] All these other things are added to you. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. David, in just a couple other psalms before, in Psalm 27, and I was going to quote it, but I'm going to read it real quick.

[17:35] David says this in verse 4 of Psalm 27, One thing I have desired of the Lord, and that will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.

[17:54] For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion, in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me. He shall set me high upon a rock. One thing I will seek.

[18:07] First thing. This also indicates to us that it's a discipline of life. Early. It becomes habit.

[18:18] It becomes habitual. It becomes what I long for. My soul thirsts for you. There's a longing. And a dependency.

[18:37] Thirst is... Let's go ahead and illustrate that. The wilderness wasn't the only thing dry.

[18:48] My mouth is about as dry as it comes. So, maybe that's because I'm nervous. Maybe it's not. I don't know. But it's dry. So, anyway. David, my soul thirsts for you.

[19:01] There is a need in His spirit. It's the present status of His life in the midst of His circumstances.

[19:18] There's a funny thing about thirst. You know, when we ask the question, what's most needful? One of those things we could turn to physical. Our bodies need what? Food. They need water. They need air. There's essentials there, okay?

[19:30] Well, we don't create the air, so that's already there. But our bodies need food. They need water. Remember we sang? You are the one that our hearts hunger for. David is declaring, my soul thirsts for you.

[19:43] Now, scientifically proven, we could probably do away with... Could get along without food longer than we can water. Our bodies have an enormous amount of percentage-wise that our bodies are made up of.

[19:56] And when the body begins to not have water, it begins to do some bad things, weird things.

[20:07] Things get really crazy, especially where David's at in the wilderness. If you're not drinking water, it can happen very fast that your body begins to use that water.

[20:20] Just on a regular day, our body eliminates about a gallon of water. Just sitting there in the pew, doing the things that you do, wherever you're at, without physical activity, per se, of like working out, your body will use about a gallon a day.

[20:38] Now, go outside where it's hot. Exercise. Your body goes up. Well, when the body begins to run out of that, there becomes a longing. Meaning, when you get thirsty, your body has already started to dry up.

[20:54] Okay? So, this thirst that he's talking about is an essential thing in life. In fact, if you ignore it too long, your body begins to demand it.

[21:07] If you mentally put that off, I'll do that later. I'll go get a cup of water. I'll go drink something later. Eventually, your body says, you know what? If you won't give me water, I will get water. And it starts withdrawing that out of the systems in the body.

[21:19] And to do that, it isolates things. And it shuts things down. And it becomes catastrophic. But your body itself has a demand. And this is the same kind of picture that David is painting for us here.

[21:31] My soul thirsts for you. It is essential. It is something that cannot be overcome. It cannot be delayed. It cannot be ignored. My soul thirsts for you.

[21:48] And then I love how David goes on from there. But he kind of drags something else into it. And he says, but not just my soul. But my flesh longs for you.

[22:00] Oh God. I don't know about you, but sometimes I find it very hard to say that my flesh longs for God.

[22:14] But what's happening here is there's a desire inside the soul of David that is beginning to draw with it even the fleshly aspects of his life.

[22:25] His life out there in the desert running from those that pursue him, the circumstances of his life that he is experiencing in the body is beginning to cry out, we need God.

[22:39] I need God. I need my God. And I long for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. Parched.

[22:49] No life. It's isolated. It's weariness. So I have looked for you in the sanctuary. Not just a place where God can be seen, but where God dwells.

[23:04] David wants the dwelling of God. Not just. Not just to know him. Not just to see him.

[23:16] But he wants to experience him as if in his very presence. So I have looked for you in the sanctuary to see your power and your glory. To have your presence.

[23:28] To be so real. To see the manifest display of the power and the glory of God. God in action. My soul longs for this. My soul longs to see his might and his workings.

[23:39] My soul longs to see the goodness of God. Where do I get that? I get that out of Exodus. When God. Moses asked God.

[23:50] Can I see your glory? And it says that God caused his goodness to pass before Moses. My soul longs for that. So that is a passion for God.

[24:05] There's this longing. This intense. This. I said pureness of heart. The word pure there is singleness. There's nothing else inside of it.

[24:17] When you purify a metal. You completely remove the dross. Matthew 5.8. Right? The pure in heart. Blessed are the pure in heart. For what? They shall see God.

[24:29] That's David's cry. My desire is to see you. It comes. That desire. And the fulfillment of that desire. Comes out of the pure heart.

[24:40] The heart that has a singleness of focus. That is undivided. That is unmixed. So we have to have a passion for God.

[24:54] Now again. This is David in the midst of circumstances. And the midst of trials. Okay? Number two. Praise for God. David moves into this declaration of passion for God.

[25:07] That his. And he moves. And he begins. After having this high view of God. And this recognition that he needs God. He begins to sing to God. He begins to praise to God.

[25:18] He begins to lift up his voice to God. And this is generated by an elevated perspective. It is fueled by a sovereign sustenance.

[25:29] And it is motivated by meditation. And we're going to find that in verses three through six. The intro into this is David declares.

[25:42] Because your loving kindness is better than life. Note the contrast. Your loving kindness is better than my life.

[25:59] What you have. What you provide. Is better than what I have. It's better to me than this present circumstance. This present reality. What you supply.

[26:10] Who you are. Is more. Of more value to me. Your loving kindness is better than life. The goodness. The kindness and faithfulness of God.

[26:20] And the glory of his presence. With the goodness of his life. David. And I wish I had eyes like David. To see things.

[26:31] Is that to him. This is not. This is not. This is a statement. Another statement. Because your loving kindness. Is better than life. David is declaring it to be a more present reality.

[26:44] Than the current circumstances of his life. Your faithfulness. Your loving kindness.

[26:54] This word loving kindness. Is. It's love. Stemming from mercy. I'm sure others could do a better job.

[27:05] Of unpacking that. But. This concept is that because God has had mercy. He has loved us through his mercy. That's what David is declaring you. I experience your love through your mercy.

[27:17] Is better. Than this life. That's what David is saying. And that is of. Of. Of. Of. Of. Of. Of. Of. Of. Of. Or. Or. Or. More real.

[27:27] Reality. Than where I currently am in the midst of the wilderness. With somebody pursuing me for my life. That is of more value. And more. More real.

[27:38] More real. More real. What is the greatest display of God's loving kindness towards us?

[27:51] The cross. Where the justice of God is upheld. The wrath of God is satisfied. And mercy is poured out.

[28:03] Now. So if we have a holy God. A high view of God. He's holy. He's righteous. And we are not. Obviously we are not.

[28:16] It helps us see who we are. That we are wicked. We are desperate. We are in need. Of something outside of ourselves. And what God has provided through Jesus Christ.

[28:27] Is the. Through his death. And his burial. His resurrection. Is. The satisfaction for his wrath. So that his justice can be satisfied. And if we believe and repent.

[28:39] And put our faith in Jesus. We receive mercy. We receive grace. In abundance. It becomes ours to feast on.

[28:52] It becomes our daily sustenance. It can be what we long for. And are satisfied by. Doesn't loving kindness sound wonderful?

[29:09] It can be yours. If you don't know it. Haven't experienced it. It is yours in Jesus Christ.

[29:20] Through repentance of sin. And faith and trust in him. You can have this soul. Satisfying experience. Of feasting on the loving kindness.

[29:32] Of God. Love through mercy. David says my lips shall praise you. He's calling to remembrance. The goodness of God.

[29:44] Past and present. Present. You know Romans 5.8. When we were still sinners. Christ died for us. It's not based in goodness.

[29:55] My lips shall praise you. Job said it this way. The Lord gives. The Lord takes. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Those statements are a satisfaction.

[30:11] In the loving kindness of God. Above present circumstances. So David moves on. I will bless you as long as I live. The kneeling.

[30:23] The adoration. The thankfulness. Overflowing. So as God pours out loving kindness. What happens to us?

[30:33] Something begins to pour out of us. Something begins to flow forth from our hearts. Jesus said if any man thirsts.

[30:45] Let him come to me. And out of him shall flow rivers of living water. So there begins to be something that flows out of us. So this passion for God. God. This.

[30:56] This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. To. Know him. This desire to have him. To experience him. To dwell in the midst of his presence.

[31:06] It begins to. To flow out of us. When we experience this loving kindness. This drawing near of God. It flows out of us in praise. And he begins to say. So I will bless you as long as I live.

[31:18] This blessing is based on him savoring the loving kindness of God. And I will lift up my hands in your name. I will praise you.

[31:28] I will worship you. In thanksgiving. It's just this attitude. My whole being. Is involved in this worship of God. Because of his loving kindness. And in verse five.

[31:42] My soul is satisfied. As with marrow and fatness. My soul is satisfied with marrow and fatness. Two words here.

[31:52] The word for marrow is the choicest of all portions. And I'm thinking marrow, fatness.

[32:02] You know this is kind of two words for the same thing. And as I looked at it. It's kind of interesting. Because David has talked about the sanctuary. About God and the sanctuary. But the word that he uses here for fatness.

[32:16] It describes the ashes of the sacrifice. The ashes of that which was choicest. That was delivered to God upon the altar in worship.

[32:28] That is what David is talking about here. When he says my soul is satisfied with marrow and fatness. Who is satisfied with the choicest of things.

[32:39] That is God. That is God. That is God. That is God. It's like incense rising.

[32:52] God is satisfied with it. He is pleased with worship. Well David is saying I want to be satisfied in the same way. With the same thing.

[33:03] Basically. I know that sounds strange. But with your food. I am satisfied. With what delights you. What delights the heart of God.

[33:16] Worship. Our surrender to him. Our responding to his greatness. His glory. His goodness. His goodness. But it also says I'm satisfied.

[33:32] So there's no more longing. There's contentment. There's resting. It's like I have taken my fill.

[33:45] And I am satisfied. You ever eaten that good meal? And you just lean back. And it's like oh. We do that at my house when my wife cooks. I do.

[33:56] That's a privilege I have. And it's just. Oh. Okay. I'm full. I'm satisfied. I don't need any more. I want more. I probably ate too much. And that's what David's talking.

[34:09] I'm satisfied. I'm full. The result of that. My mouth offers praise with joyful lips.

[34:22] When God gives to us his best. Then what we return to him will be our best. When we are satisfied in what God has done through his work of Jesus on the cross.

[34:35] Through his mercy and his grace. When we are satisfied in him because of what he has done. There's no greater thing. Than to completely remove.

[34:48] To completely remove. The penalty of our sin. In Jesus Christ. There's nothing more God can do. He has poured out his.

[34:58] His. Very best. He gave his only son. His very best. So when God pours that out in us. And we are satisfied in it.

[35:10] We return it to him with our best. The praises of joyful lips. We rejoice in it. We exalt in it. We praise in it. Notice David. David is using the word joyful.

[35:21] And he's sitting in the wilderness. He's running. From somebody who pursues him for his own life. And David's saying. But what comes from my mouth.

[35:32] Which flows from my heart. Is joyfulness. Joyful praise. Because I am. I'm not looking at the wilderness. I'm reflecting on it.

[35:42] I'm seeing the realization. Of my current circumstances in it. And the pursuit of man upon me. But. But my soul is satisfied in you. My delight is in you.

[35:57] And my mouth will offer praises with joyful lips. And this is vocal praise. As well as just mental recognition. That's why it says lips. It's. You know.

[36:08] We don't always have to come to church. To praise God. To. Declare. What his word says. We do it where we're at. In the midst of our circumstances.

[36:19] In the midst of the life that we live. Which leads us to the third thing. The pursuit of God. Which is. Pure living. In verses six through eight.

[36:31] David says. When I remembered you on my bed. I meditate on you. In the night watches. I do very little meditating. In the night watches. At my house.

[36:43] When I go to bed. It's night time. But I often wished. I was. Like David. Where when. The few times I do wake up.

[36:54] I find God. Even there. In the midst of the night watches. Maybe David is staying up. Just to. Experience God. Maybe David is.

[37:05] Because of his circumstances. Awake at night. But in. Either case. He's awake. And he is. Seeking God. He's. Meditating. Is the word that's used here.

[37:17] He's thinking. He's pondering. He's. He's remembering. The goodness. Of God. I'm thinking of you. Of who you are. What you've done.

[37:29] I'm looking back. At my day. And I. I'm. I'm noticing. How you have. Interjected yourself. Into where I'm at. Currently.

[37:40] And he begins. To see the goodness. And the loving kindness. Of God. That is how David knows. This is. These statements. That he's made. Not longings.

[37:51] And he's longing for God. But he's making statements. About his loving kindness. He's. He's making statements. About satisfaction. Because. He knows. What God has already done. He's meditating. On the goodness of God. What God has already done.

[38:02] That's. We're looking back. At where God has been. That's what David's doing. And he's remembering. These things. He's. He's bringing them forth. So. David. In a sense is. In the night season.

[38:13] At night. When everything's gone to bed. I am pursuing you. By remembering. What you have done. For you have been my help.

[38:26] That meditation. It prompts. The remembrance. Of his salvation. It prompts. The remembrance. Of his deliverance. And in the shadow of your wing.

[38:37] I. I sing for joy. The shadow of the wing. Security.

[38:49] Safety. You know. When that chick. Is tucked up. Underneath that wing. Wing. In the midst of a storm. Or in the presence.

[39:00] Of a predator. There is safety. You ever seen. Around here. We got lots of quail. You ever seen them running around. Well. When. You know. You ever. They get gathered up. Boy. Those little things are running everywhere.

[39:11] Especially when. It's like. Ah. Where's mom? And they're like this big. And they're running. They're like. Ah. Where's mom? As soon as they get to mom. It's like. Okay. I'm good. I found safety. I found security.

[39:23] I found goodness. So there's an. There's a rejoicing. In the midst of the storm. But there is also peace. And the absence of fear. We rest.

[39:41] And we rejoice. In the shadow of his wing. We can be safe. And happy. And again. I would draw your attention.

[39:53] To the fact that David. Is in the wilderness. Running from somebody. Who seeks his life. I sing for joy. I am safe. And I am happy. In you.

[40:06] And this is brought about. Through David's meditation. His security. His safety. His strong rock. His hiding place. He is able to stay there.

[40:16] And declare the goodness of God. Because he meditates. He goes back. He thinks back. He looks back at what God has done. He remembers it. He brings it forth. Which makes him.

[40:30] To make another declaration. My soul will cling to you. My soul will cling to you. So close to be attached. Like glue.

[40:43] To pursue. Hard after. Like. In your step. You know. Sometimes I got a. Four year old son. Who was chasing me around the house.

[40:54] This morning. And. You know. He wants the shirt. Just like dad. And the belt on. Just like dad. And. He wants to know what dad's doing. And you know. You're constantly turning around. And there he is. Boom.

[41:04] Right there behind you. You know. I don't know how many times. I've run over him. He's like. He's like. Oh. Oh. Hey man. You know. But he's. He's just. Just. I just want to be with you.

[41:16] I want to be where you are. As close as I possibly can be. I'm going to touch you. That's the picture of David.

[41:29] My soul clings to you. And so. You have this picture of David. Also holding on to something. I'm clinging to you.

[41:40] I. Because you are the safe place. You are the refuge. I'm going to hold on to you. But then he makes a unique. Declaration to follow that.

[41:51] Is that. Though I may be holding on to you. Your right hand upholds me. You sustain me. In my position.

[42:02] And in my pursuit. You. Hold me up. And those times. And in the midst of our trials. And tribulations. When we're holding to God.

[42:13] And it's like. I'll cling to you. And I know this is a good thing. And then we get tired. Right? It's like God. He's bearing up. He's upholding.

[42:27] He is. Providing. Constancy. In this. Pursuit of him. He enables us. To pursue him. He enables us.

[42:40] He holds us fast. In finding our delight. In his glory. Which leads us to the last thing.

[42:53] And I forgot to mention it at the front. But this is a confidence in vindication. Or a protection. By God. Which is verses 9 through 11. But those who seek my life to destroy it. Will go down into the depths of the earth.

[43:05] They will be delivered. Over. To the power of the sword. They will be prey. For foxes. And so.

[43:15] David has already declared who God is. And so. Basically. He's saying. It doesn't really matter where I'm at. Because the end result. Because of who God is. Because of his constancy. Because of his loving kindness. Because of his surety.

[43:26] Because of his. Um. His upholding. Those that pursue me. Will face. His justice. Those that come after me.

[43:39] They will receive just retribution. The one who ends up winning in the end. Is the one who's safe and secure in Jesus Christ. Christ. And so.

[43:53] David is saying. You know. I might be in the wilderness. I might be the one that's running. But the one that is safe and secure is me. The one that is pursuing me. The one that is not.

[44:04] In Christ. Is the one that winds up. With. Destruction. David declares in verse 11.

[44:19] But the king. Even though this happens to him. The king will rejoice in God. This is kind of a. Best as I can tell. This is a declaration about himself.

[44:31] I will. I. Will rejoice in God. The king. Will rejoice in God. Because God. Is. For him.

[44:42] That's the declaration. Of David. The king will rejoice in God. Because God. Is. For. Him. Do you realize. That we have. A God. Who delights.

[44:53] To be. One hundred percent. For us. That is his desire. To be one hundred percent. For us. What he wants from us.

[45:06] Is a delight in that. To respond to that. In praise. And thanksgiving. And repentance. And. And. Everyone.

[45:18] Who swears by him. Will glory. And that is either by God himself. Or the one who swears by the king. Again. This is a. If this is with. David and Absalom.

[45:29] This is a divided kingdom. So you have some that are with. Absalom. Some that are with David. Or. David and Saul. And there's a division there. There are people with David. In this wilderness place.

[45:40] And those that. Trust in God. Others will begin to glory in God. So the way we handle. And we respond in the circumstance. And how God is working.

[45:51] Begins to work for the glory of God. To those. Who see it. And then he ends.

[46:01] For the mouths of those who speak lies. Will be stopped. So in the end. Wickedness is judged. And brought to nothing. Kind of reminds you of Romans 8.31. If God is for us.

[46:13] Then. Who can be against us? John Piper put it this way. The deepest longing of the heart.

[46:24] Is to know and enjoy the glory of God. The longings of our heart. They start. With passion. From a pure heart.

[46:35] Is where it needs to come from. Which lead us to praise. Which is a pure confession. And are followed by pursuit.

[46:51] Which is pure living. A high view of God. In the midst of our circumstances.

[47:03] In the midst of this life. Good or bad. For David in this case. Bad. We would say bad. But it's not always bad.

[47:16] But a high view of God. Leads us. Number one. To repentance. A correct view of ourselves. Where we're at. The midst of. What our circumstances are in life.

[47:28] But it also leads us. To a confidence. And an assurance. And a resting. In Jesus Christ. That allows us to make.

[47:41] Firm the declaration of our mouth. That. God is who he says he is. And he deserves the affections of my life.

[47:54] The passions of my heart. Remember that. Intense driving. That feeling of conviction. That strong liking or desire.

[48:07] And devotion to. Coming from the inside. And pushing outward. Seated in our emotions. And our desires. And it's all the result. Of remembering. Who God is.

[48:19] And who God is. Is who he says he is. In his word. Not who our circumstances dictate. And we begin to praise him.

[48:30] By remembering. What God has done. Looking back. And calling that forth. You've done this. And you've done that. And you've done this.

[48:41] And you've done that. And I will find safety. And I will find shelter. I will find rest. In the midst of where I am. David.

[48:54] The cry of his heart. One thing is most needful. That I pursue you. Because in you. Everything that I need.

[49:05] The deepest longings of my heart. My soul. Are satisfied. In you. If you would. Take a moment.

[49:15] I'm going to close in prayer. But. This time in prayer. But I would like. After that. Just take a moment. To. Think about.

[49:26] What God is saying. From his word. And just. Let God. Speak to you. Or. Maybe if there's confession.

[49:38] You can. Confess. And repent. To God. Father. I thank you for your word.

[49:49] Which is true. I thank you for the comfort. Of your word. I thank you for the encouragement. Of your word. Lord. Your word. That reminds us. Of your loving kindness.

[50:01] And that your loving kindness. Is better than life. I thank you. That we can trust you. That you are worth.

[50:13] Trusting. Because you are God. And you are good. And that we can rest in that. Lord.

[50:27] Work in our hearts. As we struggle. To believe this. To. To. To walk in it. To fully. Rest in. Who you. Are. And Lord.

[50:41] May our lives. Become reflections of that. May our lives. Be lived out. In. Among each other. Connected.

[50:51] Lord. As we begin to see you working. We can see it in each other. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.

[51:02] Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.

[51:14] Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.