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David's Designation of Praise

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• Psalm 18, beginning there in verse 35, David says, "Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip."

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• Now, very quickly, let me just point out the major points that we've covered in Psalm 18, just to bring you up to date. Of course, in verse 1, we looked at David's determination where he said, "I will love thee, O Lord, my strength." And of course, there we understood what love is. It consists of an attitude, affection, as well as action. If you have a biblical attitude, you will have biblical affection, and that will result in biblical action. And then, of course, we saw the reason why David said, "I will love thee, O Lord." We looked at all of these titles in verse 1 and verse 2, and David said the Lord is his rock, his fortress, his deliverer, his God, his strength, his buckler, the horn of his salvation, and his high tower. Then in verses 3 through 6, we looked at David's distress. And of course, he pointed out for us that he was in great distress. And I showed you from Scripture that oftentimes when we forget God, God backs each of us up against the wall where we can remember. And David was in great distress and he said in verse 6, "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: and he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before his ears."

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• Then in verses 7 through 19 we looked at David's deliverer and saw how God made haste to help him after he cried unto God in prayer. And then in verses 20 through 28, we looked at David's deportment. And I pointed out how that if we want to be delivered by God, we need to act biblically and scripturally and obediently. And that's all that David is saying in that particular section. And then, of course, in verses 29 on down to verse 33, we looked at David's defense and how that God was indeed his defense. He said in verse 29, "For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall." And then he talks about all that God has done for him. Verse 32, "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." And then last week, I dealt just with verse 34, and I entitled the message, "Lord Teaches to Fight," for David said, "He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms."

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• Now, today we're going to come to David's designation. In fact, this is David's really designation of praise. David was indeed a mighty warrior. There's certainly no doubt about that. And according to Psalm 18 and verse 34, which I explained last week, it was God who taught David to fight. And so over and over in the psalm, David is attributing all honor and glory to God. Now, in verses 35 through verse 36, David is specifically designating God as the author and the source of all of his blessings. David does not look to his skill, his tactics, his resourcefulness, or his abilities. No, he looks beyond that and he sees God and he basically proclaims that God is his all and in all.

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• So in verse 35, he says, "Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand hath holden me up, thy gentleness hath made me great, thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip." Now, I want you to see today four simple truths from these two verses. I want you to see, first of all, God's grace. For David says, "Thou hast given me thy salvation." Secondly, God's preservation, "Thy right hand is holding me up." Thirdly, God's condescension, "Thy gentleness has made me great." And fourthly, God's benevolence, for he says, "Thou hast enlarged my steps." So let's look, first of all, at God's grace, where David says there in verse 35, "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation."

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• Let me give you a quote to begin with, from George Gilpin, and he wrote this in 1852 in reference to Psalm 18. He said this, "We find this as existing between David and God, the delivered and the deliverer, beautifully pursued throughout this whole psalm. I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. I will call upon thee, O Lord, who is worthy to be praised. He sent from above. He took me."

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• "He drew me out of many waters. Thou wilt light my candle. Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation. Thou hast girded me with strength unto battle. Thou hast given me the necks of mine enemies. Thou hast made me the head of the heathen." It has been ingenuously argued that the existence of the "I" suggests inevitably the polar opposite, the thought of the "Thou," that the personality of man proves thus the personality of God. But be this as it may, David's perception of that personality is nowhere as intense as it is here.

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• He seems not only to see, but to feel and to touch the object of his gratitude and worship. And so what Gilpin is simply pointing out is in this psalm, there's a great intimacy that is expressed between David and God. Now, when David says in verse 35, "Thou hast also given me the shield of my salvation," he's giving us a metaphor, and a metaphor which you and I should understand.

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• So you have to ask this question: How is God our shield of salvation?

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• Now, remember, if you would, I've already explained in this psalm the difference between a shield and a buckler. The word for shield here is the Hebrew word magen, which is the word for buckler. But however, the shield, you remember, defends only a small area of the human body, but the buckler, the entire body can be hidden behind it. So, David is using that word, he's saying, "Thou hast given me the shield, the buckler of thy salvation," something that my entire being can be hidden behind. And remember, I also pointed out that the Hebrew word for salvation is Yeshua, and the Hebrew word for Jesus is Yeshua. So the word Jesus literally means salvation. So he says, "Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation." I want you to understand, according to verse 35, that David is pointing out and emphasizing that it is God who provides salvation. Notice what he says, "Thou hast also given me the shield of..." what's that next word? "Thy salvation." It is God's salvation. Salvation did not originate with man.

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• Man does not initiate salvation. Salvation originated with God. It's interesting, when God revealed to Moses the tabernacle, God begins with the inside and goes outward. That is, He began with the Holy of Holies, proceeded to the holy place, and then the tent. But when Moses set it up, Moses set up the tent and then worked outward inward. In other words, what the Scripture is showing us is that man's response to God is only because of God's grace, God's initiation, God's origination. Everything is of God.

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• Do you remember when our Lord said that He is the Alpha and the Omega? The Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, the Omega, the last letter of the Greek alphabet. He's the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I submit to you, He's not only the beginning and the end, He's also everything in between as well. See, Jonah 2, verse 9, Jonah said it like this, "Salvation is of the Lord."

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• Now, let me show you this from Scripture. David said, "Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation." If you will turn very quickly in your Bible, holding Psalm 18 to Genesis chapter 15, you will see the very first time the word shield occurs in the Bible. Genesis 15, and I want you to look at verse 1 and notice if you would please what is being said and by whom it is being said. So in Genesis 15 and verse 1, the Bible tells us this, Genesis 15 verse 1, "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Note, if you would, the word of the Lord came to Abram. In other words, Abram was not seeking God. God came to him. God was the originator. God was the initiator. God came to him and said, "Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield."

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• May I point out the fact that when God found Abraham originally, initially, where did God find him? In Ur of the Chaldees. Abram was an idolater, worshiping false gods. Abram was not seeking God. He was not looking for truth. No. God came to him and God revealed Himself to him and said, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy father's house." So David said, "Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation." Since God is our shield, like the Bible says in Genesis 15 in verse 1, when He told Abram, "Fear not, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward," since God is our shield, it necessarily follows that God is our salvation.

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• Now, let me show you how that is used throughout Scripture. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 33 and verse 29. Deuteronomy 33 verse 29. Just a couple of passages. Deuteronomy 33, and look in verse 29. Deuteronomy 33 verse 29: "Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thine excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places." Note that: "Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord," and then he identifies the Lord as the shield of thy help. Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 84 and look at verse 11. Psalm 84 and verse 11. Psalm 84 and verse 11. Here the Bible says, "For the Lord God is a sun and a shield: the Lord will give grace and glory."

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• "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." Notice the Lord is the sun and shield, but notice in Him being our shield, it is God who gives us grace. It is God who gives us glory.

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• Now turn right over to Psalm 115. And look if you would there beginning with verse 9. Psalm 115 in verse 9. It's interesting how this word shield occurs in reference to God over and over in the Bible. Psalm 115, look in verse 9: "O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great." Why? Because He is our shield. Since He is our shield, He's our salvation. That's why over and over the Bible tells us that we're to trust in Him. It's no wonder the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6 and verse 16, "Above all," help me out now, "above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."

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• The shield of faith. What is the shield of faith? It's the shield of salvation which God gives. David said, "Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation." And do you realize God's shield of salvation not only talks about our spiritual salvation, but it also talks about temporal salvation as well. Do you remember in the book of Philippians? Paul is asking the Philippians to pray for him. And he said, "This shall also turn to my salvation." Well, what's Paul talking about? Wasn't Paul already saved?

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• I mean, he was the mighty apostle. Yes, he was already saved, but he was not talking about a spiritual eternal salvation. Paul was in prison. And he was talking about a temporal salvation. "This will turn to my salvation." In other words, I will be delivered from prison. So when the Bible tells us that God is the shield of our salvation, it is God's grace that not only saves us spiritually and eternally, it's God's grace that saves us temporally in time and in history as well.

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• Now, go back to Psalm 18, because I want you to see the second thing. Notice verse 35, Psalm 18 verse 35. He says, "Thou hast also given me the shield of my salvation." Then he says, "Thy right hand hath holden me up." So you don't have God's grace. You now have God's preservation. "Thy right hand hath holden me up." We must consider the fact that it is God who preserves us until, in, and through His salvation.

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• Let me ask you a series of questions. I want you to think about this. Don't answer out loud, but answer in your own mind. Here's my first question: Why did you not die before you were saved? Well, you could say because of God's grace, that's true. But it's also because of God's preservation. God allowed you to live until you were converted by the grace of God. God preserved you. He did not allow you to die until by grace you heard the gospel and you believed in Jesus Christ. Now, here's my next question: Why did you not die immediately after you were saved? The answer is because of God's preservation. God not only preserved you until you were saved, He's now preserved you through His salvation, and He's allowed you to live and to serve Him and minister on Him and to worship Him and have all of these things that He's given you that you may richly enjoy. That is God's preservation. Now, let me ask you another question. Here's my third question: Why is it

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• that God allows you to live through last night and come here today and listen to this message? What's the answer? God's preservation. You know, some folks didn't live through last night. Some folks may be alive, but barely and are unable to hear the word of God. All I'm trying to show you: it is God's preservation. David said in Psalm 18, "Thy right hand hath holden me up." Now I want to show you how grace and preservation go together. If you will look in your Bibles to Psalm 3 and verse 3. Psalm 3 verse 3. Psalm 3 verse 3. And I want you to see the word shield.

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• And it's connected with this thought as well. Psalm 3, verse 3. He says, "But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head." Now, I want you to pay close attention to this little phrase, "the lifter up of mine head." Let me give you what old John Gill said about this phrase, "the lifter up of my head." Listen carefully. He wrote, "The Lord was the lifter up of David's head when he brought him to the throne and afterwards gave him victory over all of his enemies. For so the phrase of lifting up the head signifies"—and then he gives the scriptures—"and he was the lifter up of Christ's head when he raised him from the dead and exalted him both with and at his right hand to be a prince and a savior and gave him a name which is above every name. And he is the lifter up of the heads of his people in conversion, when he raises them from a low estate and sets them among princes to inherit the throne of glory, and when he gives them comfort, peace, and joy, which causes them to lift up their heads, whereas in sorrow and mourning and distress the head is bowed down like a bulrush."

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• "And when He gives them boldness and confidence at the throne of grace, now, through the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon them, so at the bar of judgment hereafter, through the righteousness of Christ put upon them, as they shall not be ashamed nor confounded, and He will be the lifter up of their heads in the resurrection morning, when they shall appear there with Christ in glory." How does God lift up our heads? Not just by giving us victory, not just by saving us, but He's the lifter up of our heads in allowing us not to be confounded or ashamed. Did you know that over and over in the book of Psalms, the Bible says, "He that trusteth in the Lord shall not be ashamed." Confusion belongs to those who do not trust the Lord. But those of us who trust in the Lord have confidence toward Him. We have confidence in prayer. We have confidence in death. Why? We belong to the Lord. He is the lifter up of our head.

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• Now, if you look back in Psalm 18, when David says—now, watch carefully—"Thy right hand hath holden me up." Certainly, David was correct when he said, and you don't have to turn there, when he said in Psalm 5 and verse 12, "For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield." So God is going to bless us, He has blessed us, and He is going to comfort us. Now, He said in verse 35, "Thy right hand hath holden me up." It is true that the plain, simple truth of that phrase indicates that it was God who kept David from falling into the snares and mischief which he feared and which his enemies had designed for him. Now, when the Bible talks about God's right hand holding us up, have you ever

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• thought about the fact that oftentimes the wicked wonder how Christians can endure what they endure? You stop and think about those martyrs. You think about those men and women who were tied to stakes, and wood piled around them, and then set fire, and as the flames licked up around them, they sang hymns and psalms and praised God as they died. You think of saints who've gone through some of the most extreme difficulties, and were still able to praise God.

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• Charles Haddon Spurgeon said it like this: "Secret support is administered to us by the preserving grace of God, and at the same time, Providence kindly yields us manifest aids. We are such babes that we cannot stand alone. But when the Lord's right hand upholds us, we're like brazen pillars which cannot be moved." And that's true, folks. Now, obviously, in the context when David says, "Thy right hand hath holden me up," obviously in the context, he's teaching us that it is the power and the grace of God that preserves us and sustains us. However,

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• I want us to look at this phrase just a little more closely. And I think you're going to see something that might really encourage you. David said in verse 35, "And thy right hand hath holden me up." I want to call your attention to the phrase "right hand." And here's what I want you to do. I want you to follow me in a number of scriptures. First of all, I just want to show you some scriptures that emphasize the right hand. Then I'm going to show you some scriptures that will explain that. So I want you to hold Psalm 18, but turn back to Psalm 16. Psalm 16 and let's go through the Psalms very quickly and let me show you the emphasis upon the right hand. Look in Psalm 16 and verse 11. David says, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Look in Psalm 17 in verse 7. "Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them."

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• Notice, "O thou that savest by thy right hand." Now look in Psalm 48 and verse 10. Psalm 48 and verse 10. Psalm 48 verse 10.

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• "According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness." Now should you note that God saves by His right hand. Now His right hand is full of righteousness. Look in Psalm 60 and verse 5. Psalm 60 and verse 5. Psalm 60, verse 5.

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• "That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me." Wow. Save with thy right hand. Look in Psalm 63 and verse 8. Psalm 63 verse 8. "My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me." One last passage before I show you the meaning. Look in Psalm 73 and verse 23. Psalm 73, verse 23. David says, "Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand." Wow. Now, God's right hand saves. God's right hand is righteous. God's right hand is power. God's right hand saves, God's right hand preserves. Had you ever wondered why there is so much emphasis in the Bible on the right hand?

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• You know, we use this expression all of the time. I use it especially in reference to my grandson. Someone will say something concerning my grandson and I usually put my arm around him and say, "Well, he's my right hand man." What's your right-hand man? It's someone who you depend upon, someone who helps you, someone who supports you. You know the answer to this. It's a very simple question.

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• When God raised Christ from the dead, where did He place Him? At His right hand. So you've heard of the right hand man. Look in your Bibles, go back to Psalm 21 and let's follow this through the Psalms now. We'll go to Psalm 21, then Psalm 80. Look in Psalm 21 and verse 8. Very interesting. I don't know if you'll remember it, but four or five years ago, I preached two messages on this text. Psalm 21. Look if you would please at verse 8. Here's what God says: "Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee." Wait a minute. "Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee." Isn't that unusual? Thine hand shall find out all your enemies, but your right hand is going to find out those who hate you. Now look in Psalm 80 and verse 17. Watch this prayer. Psalm 80 verse 17. Then we're going to Psalm 110, OK. Psalm 80 verse 17.

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• Look what the Scripture says. Psalm 80 verse 17: "Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself." So now the right hand is not just a right hand. Now the right hand is the man. Now the right hand is the Son of Man whom thou madest strong for thyself. Now look in Psalm 110. Psalm 110 and verse 1. Psalm 110 verse 1.

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• Watch carefully. Psalm 110 in verse 1, "The Lord"—that is, Jehovah, the Father—"said unto my Lord"—that is, Christ—"Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Skip down to verse 5. You want to know who the right hand is? "The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head." Do you remember what he said, "Thy hand shall find out thine enemies; thy right hand shall find out all those that hate thee"? And now, he says, that right hand is the son of man whom he made strong for himself. And now that right hand is destroying the Father's enemies. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 118, beginning there with verse 15. Psalm 118, verse 15. Watch this.

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• Psalm 118 verse 15: "The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly." Oh, did you know? It's Psalm 110 that is quoted so often in the New Testament. And here's what is quoted: "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thy enemies thy footstool." When David said, "Thou hast holden me up by thy right hand,"

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• it is not just simply the presence and the power of God. It is that. But David is being upheld by the Messiah, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to what John Gill said concerning this phrase, "Thou hast upheld me with thy right hand." John Gill said, "Christ may be said to be the right hand of God, being as dear to Him as His right hand, and being exalted at it, and because by Him He communicates all good things to His people, and with Him upholds and sustains them." Who is the right hand of God? It's none other than Jesus Christ. And what David is saying, it is actually Jesus Christ who preserves me.

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• I want you to look in your Bibles, before I leave this point, to the book of Jude. Turn there, right before the book of Revelation, you have that little tiny book of Jude. And I want to show you something that's in this book. Notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 1. Notice verse 1, Jude verse 1. Only one chapter in it, so verse 1. "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and"—what?—"preserved in Jesus Christ, and called."

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• Who is it that preserves us? Jesus Christ. Who preserved David? God's right hand. Who is God's right hand? Jesus Christ.

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• Now to show you two verses that I've really chosen basically as my life verses. I use these all the time. Look at verses 24 and 25. I love these verses.

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• "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever." Note what he says, "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling." What does He do? He preserves you and presents you faultless. What does He do? He preserves you that you may be presented before Him faultless, before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.

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• Certainly, we have David rejoicing, not just in God's salvation, but also in God's preservation. Jesus Christ is the right hand of God. Jesus Christ is the one who saves and delivers, protects and preserves us. And the Apostle Paul hit the nail on the head when he said in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 18, listen now, "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Notice what he said, "And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom." Are you listening? It is God's preservation that is the source of our perseverance. We persevere in repentance and faith only because He enables us by His preservation. If God did not preserve us, we would never persevere. We may persevere. We may stand strong and stand true only because of His preservation.

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• Now look back to Psalm 18. Because there's a third thought here. David said in Psalm 18 verse 35, "Thou hast given me the shield of my salvation." That's God's grace. "Thy right hand hath holden me up." That's God's preservation. Now he says thirdly in verse 35, "Thy gentleness hath made me great." So now we have God's condescension.

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• Now, the word gentleness here is capable of several different translations. It is the Hebrew word anva, which is usually translated and can be accurately translated as gentleness, meekness, humility, and condescension. Now, I chose the word condescension because I believe that the word condescension includes all of these other words. Let me give you a quote by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Spurgeon is talking about this phrase, "Thy gentleness hath made me great." And he's going to tell you the different ways that this word can be interpreted and translated. Here's what he says: "There are several readings of this sentence. The word is capable of being translated 'by goodness have made me great.'

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• David saw much of the benevolence in God's action towards him, and he gratefully ascribed all his greatness, not to his own goodness, but to the goodness of God. Or it could be read 'by Providence have made me great,' which is indeed nothing more than the goodness of God in action. Goodness is the bud of which Providence is the flower. Or goodness is a seed of which providence is the harvest. Some render it, 'thy help hath made me great.' But thy help is simply another word for providence. Providence being the firm ally of all the saints, aiding them in their service to the Lord. Certain learned commentators tell us that the text means, 'thy humility hath made me great.'

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• "By condescension may perhaps serve as a comprehensive reading combining the ideas which we've already mentioned as well as that of humility. Listen carefully. It is God making himself little, which is the cause of our being made great. We are so little that if God should manifest his greatness without condescension, we should be trampled under his feet. But God, who must stoop to view the skies and bow to see what angels do, looks to the lowly and contrite and makes them great."

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• "While these are the translations which have been given to the Adopted Texts of the original, we find that there are other readings, so 'my discipline,' etc., 'has increased me.' But then he goes on to say, still the idea is the same. David ascribes all his goodness to the condescending goodness and graciousness of his Father in Heaven. Let us all feel this sentiment in our hearts and confess that whatever goodness or greatness God may have put upon us, we must cast our crowns at His feet and cry, 'Thy gentleness, or thy condescension, or thy humility has made me great.'"

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• Now let me show you what Spurgeon meant when he talks about God making Himself little. Certainly we have a great God. And God has not necessarily reduced His being. That's not what he's talking about. But look in your Bibles to Psalm 113. Psalm 113. And notice, if you would please, verses 5 through 9. Look in Psalm 113, beginning with verse 5. Here's what Spurgeon meant. Watch carefully, Psalm 113. In fact, let's read verse 4.

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• "The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens."

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• Now look what he says: "Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself"—or who condescends—"who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord." Now look what he says: "Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself?" In other words, God is so great and so glorious and so majestic.

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• It is a condescension on His part. It is a humiliation on His part to even notice the earth and the skies and we who inhabit it. He humbled Himself to behold us. And what does He do? He lifts us up out of the dunghill. He lifts up the poor. He lifts up the barren woman. He blesses her with children. All of this is God's marvelous, gracious condescension.

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• Who is like unto the Lord? It is the marvelous condescension of God, His gracious humility, His wonderful goodness that He stoops to pay attention to any of us. Ask yourself this question: Who am I that God should notice me? I'll tell you who you are. You were a sinner and you were wicked and deserving of damnation. But God, in His condescension, in His humility, humbled Himself to behold your estate and your condition.

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• And He sent His Son, Jesus Christ. I want you to turn—I was going to quote it, but I want you to turn to Philippians chapter 2. Since we're talking about God's marvelous condescension, "Thy gentleness, thy meekness, thy humility, thy condescension has made me great," David says. I want you to see this marvelous condescension of our Lord, the book of Philippians. Notice, if you would please, chapter 2. Philippians, chapter 2, beginning there with verse 5. Watch it now, Philippians 2, verse 5: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Who was Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ was and still is God. He is the eternal, immutable, infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, sovereign God of heaven and earth. What did He do? Here's what He did. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God."

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• In other words, He was not going to fight to maintain His station in glory. No, "but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." You're talking about condescension. You're talking about humility. You know, my gentleness. God the Father humbled Himself to see our need, and God the Son humbled Himself and left His glory to come as a man and as a servant to die. No wonder David said, "Thy gentleness, thy humility, thy goodness, thy condescension, have made me great."

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• Let me tell you something, folks. We are what we are only by the grace of God. And we have what we have only by the grace of God. I don't care what gifts you have. I don't care what talents you have. I don't care what earthly possessions you possess. Whatever you are and whatever you have, God gave you. And you need to say, "His gentleness, his humility, his condescension has made me great."

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• I want you to look back to Psalm 18, and now, if you would please, to verse 36, because there's one last point and I want you to see God's benevolence. God's benevolence. Notice Psalm 18 verse 36, David said,

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• "Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip." Notice again: "Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip." When we talk about God's benevolence, we're talking about a type of God's love. And God does indeed demonstrate His love to us in many ways. One of those ways is that He enlarges us. He blesses us. He brings us through and out of all of our troubles.

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• You've got to remember the context of this psalm. The context of this psalm was David was being hunted and persecuted, not only by Saul, but by numerous enemies as well. All of them wanted to kill him. Many times David was hungry, many times he was thirsty. Many times he was in grave danger and God brought him out of all of it. God brought him through it. I love what Spurgeon said, he said talking about this verse, he said, "A smooth pathway leading to a spacious possession and camping grounds has been open for David."

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• "Instead of the threading, narrow mountain paths and hiding in the cracks and corners of caverns, he was able to traverse the plains and dwell under his own vine and his own fig tree. It is no small mercy," said Spurgeon, "to be brought into full Christian liberty and enlargement, but it is a greater favor still to be enabled to walk worthily in such liberty and not be permitted to slip with our feet. To stand upon the rocks of affliction is the result of a gracious upholding, but that aid is quite as much as needed in the luxurious plains of prosperity." What did he say? You need God's preservation. You need God's grace, not only in times of affliction, but in times of prosperity.

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• Now, let me just give you some scriptures. You don't have to turn there. Here's what David said in Psalm 31 in verse 8: "And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room." Now, set my feet in a large room. In Psalm 118 and verse 5, David said, "I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place." What is David saying? This large place is in contradiction to a straight, narrow place. When you're in a straight, when you're in a fix, when you're in a bind, when you're in a narrow and can't move, you're being tormented and persecuted and harassed. But now when God opens and gives you a large place, that's a little different. In Proverbs 4, verse 12, the Word of God says this: "When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble." In other words, if we run obediently, our steps are not going to be straitened.

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• We're going to run in a large place. Now, look in Psalm 18. Look at what David said in verse 36. He says, "Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip." What David said there is exactly the same as what he said in verse 19. Go back to verse 19. We've already covered it. "He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me." You know something, folks?

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• We should not only stand amazed at God's salvation. We should stand amazed at God's preservation. We should stand amazed at God's condescension and we should stand amazed at God's benevolence to us. It should bother us. It should cause us to wonder that God should bless us, even any and all. I mean, look how full of sin we are, even in a sanctified state. Our prayer is tainted with sin. Our most holy actions are tainted with sins. We're still sinners. And yet God humbles Himself to bless us. And what David is doing in verses 35 and 36, he is designating God as the source of all of his blessings and the one who's worthy of all praise.

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• Now, let me make two applications. The first one is this. David has indeed designated God as the source of his praise. And now, therefore, he's going to give God worship and honor. I want to show you—I want you to turn to Psalm 103. I want to show you how specific David got. And I believe how specific you and I should also get in giving God praise for what He's done for us and to us and through us. Now watch this. Look at Psalm 103, beginning there in verse 1. David says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name." Now, wait a minute. "Bless the Lord, O my soul."

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• Not just my mouth now. All that is within me, my heart, my affection, my everything I have. Bless the Lord. Why? "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Think of everything that God has done for you. You wives need to learn to thank God for that old smelly, snoring husband.

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• At least you still have one. Some women don't. That's a fact. And the men need to thank God for their wives, whether they're round, plump, slender, it doesn't matter. Some men don't have them. We need to learn to thank God for our food. We need to learn to thank God for our families. We need to learn to thank God for our finances. We need to learn to thank God for everything. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

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• Now, I want you to turn to one last passage because here's my second application. I want you to turn to Psalm 50. Because although I can quote this verse, I want you to see it. Here it is in black and white. Look in Psalm 50. I'm going to ask you a question. Would it not be decorous on our part? Would it not be wonderful on our part if each child of God designated a specific time each day to thank God for everything that God has done for us that day and throughout our lives? You say, "Now, Pastor, I really genuinely want to glorify God." If so, look at Psalm 50 and verse 23. Are you looking? Here it is. God says, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me."

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• "And to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God." If you really want to give God glory, then give God praise for everything He's done in your life. Do it daily. He blesses you daily. He blesses you hourly. Do it daily. Do it hourly. Every time God brings it to your mind. And if you want to see more of His blessings, what do you do?

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• Well, look at verse 23 again. "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God." If you want more blessings, live more obediently. That's simple enough. That's simple enough. We need to learn to say with David, "Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation. Thy right hand has holden me up. Thy gentleness has made me great, and Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet slip not." Make sure you give God all the praise for everything in your life and your family. Let's pray.

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• Father, speak to our hearts. Help us, dear Lord, to love Thee, to praise Thee. Help us to remember this one verse, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me." Father, You've let us live this day. You've given us breath and life and health and strength. You've provided for us. You've protected us. You've preserved us. And we glorify Thy name. We give You, Father, the praise and the honor for all that You've done for each of us. And we humbly acknowledge, Lord, we are what we are only by the grace of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we ask Thee to accept our praise and our thanksgiving. In His name we pray, Amen and Amen.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:00:59Z