“ Afflictions from God ” In discussing Psalm 39, Dr. Morecraft explains that David's attitude was to accept his afflictions as coming directly from God. As John Calvin wrote in his commentary on Psalm 39, "David regarded the secret judgments of God with such reverence and wonder, that, satisfied with His will alone, he considers it sinful to open his mouth to utter a single word against Him." That's the kind of attitude that God wants to see in us. Verse 11 says, "Thou dost consume as a moth what is precious to him." This means that sometimes God chastens us and brings us low and deprives us of that which we cherish but should not cherish, like a moth does in a closet. He doesn't always come upon us like Lot, but sometimes like a moth, silently, secretly, you don't know it, you're not expecting it. God's anger is eating away at what your heart cherishes until it's gone.
“ The wicked plot against the righteous ” Among other points in this sermon, Dr. Morecraft explains that in this life, in this country, the wicked plot against the righteous. Those who are in rebellion against God gnash their teeth when they think of those who are upright in conduct. Christians are against everything the wicked stand for. Christians represent everything that the wicked hate and everything they're trying to dissolve in this culture. There is in this culture, as in David's culture, a plot to try to discredit and destroy the people of God. But God's people are secure because He protects them. As John Calvin wrote in his commentary on Psalm 37:13, "he who sees the executioner standing behind the aggressor with drawn sword no longer desires revenge, but rather rejoices in the prospect of speedy retribution."
“ Excellent Definition of the Wisdom of God! ” God's wisdom is His ability to use His knowledge and His power to accomplish His purposes in such a way, that brings him the most glory, most benefits his people, and most confounds his enemies. Hallelujah!
“ The fear of God ” While discussing Psalm 36:1, Dr. Morecraft explains that to fear God is to stand in awe of Him. It is to so revere Him and adore Him that the chief desire of your heart is to worship Him fervently and earnestly. You stand in awe of Him because He is so incomprehensibly and incomparably majestic in holiness. You stand in awe every time you think about this great God.
“ Pray Psalm 35 ” Dr. Morecraft explains that today there are powerful forces in place and aggressively active in the political arena, the media, educational institutions, popular culture, and many churches, that are trying constantly to silence and discredit those of us who stand for Christ and His Word. They want to steal from us our country, our children, and our children's future. These people and institutions are constantly and deceitfully harassing us, and accusing us of things that are not true. They try to make us look like fools, and the only way to silence them is to pray Psalm 35. How are we to work to overturn their efforts to de-Christianize America? We must pray the prayer of Psalm 35 sincerely, continually, and fervently.
“ The tongue is a powerful weapon ” With regard to Psalm 34:13, Dr. Morecraft mentions the stupid little ditty, "sticks and stones may break my bones but words shall never harm me." He explains that it's wrong. Sticks and stones will break your bones and words can kill you. Words can destroy a marriage. Words can destroy a relationship. Words can drive somebody to suicide. Words can lift somebody out of a suicidal attitude to the heights of ecstasy and joy. Words are powerful things. Also, your tongue reveals your heart. There's a direct connection from your tongue to your heart. So that what you say (the themes of your ordinary course of conversation) is an expression of what fills your heart. Your tongue is a powerful weapon.
“ Waiting for the Lord ” In discussing Psalm 33:20, Dr. Morecraft explains that waiting for the Lord implies a quiet and submissive spirit. Somebody who waits upon the Lord is not anxious, not somebody who is worrisome. He is somebody who's at peace. He trusts the Lord with his life and his future. He's not somebody who just sits back and does nothing. He's somebody who, as he waits, conscientiously does all the duties that God has laid upon his life. Everything he knows to do right he's going to do no matter how long he has to wait for God's intervention. He's going to wait with hope and expectancy. He knows that God is going to intervene on his behalf. He waits in peace; he's not a nervous wreck on the inside; he conscientiously perseveres in what God has called him to do, and he knows that God's going to do what He promised.
“ True happiness ” In explaining the theme of Psalm 32, Dr. Morecraft quotes from John Calvin that "true happiness consists only in the free forgiveness of sins, for nothing can be more terrible than to have God for our enemy."
“ Hate and love ” In preaching on Psalm 31:6 ("I hate those who regard vain idols") Dr. Morecraft explains that Christians are supposed to love everybody and hate the wicked at the same time. You can't love and hate somebody at the same time if love and hate are just emotions. But they are more than that. Several verses in the Psalms mention hate. "Hate evil, you who love the LORD" (Psalm 97:10). If you love somebody, you're going to hate anybody that tries to hurt the person you love. And if you love good, you're going to hate evil. "I hate the work of those who fall away" (Psalm 101:3). "I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:104). "I hate those who are double-minded" (Psalm 119:113). "I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:128 ). "I hate and despise falsehood" (Psalm 119:163). "Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies" (Psalm 139:21-22). The Bible defines love as the fulfillment of the law of God. No matter what anybody does to you in this world, you may never break the law of God with reference to them. You cannot do evil that good may result. You love somebody by fulfilling the law of God with reference to them, making sure that you're treating them as God commands in His Word.
“ God’s anger and God’s favor ” As part of this sermon, Dr. Morecraft quotes from John Calvin's comments on Psalm 30:5: "We are hereby taught . . . with how much meekness of spirit, and with what prompt obedience [David] submitted his back to God’s rod. We know that from the very first bloom of youth, during almost his whole life, he was so tried by a multiplied accumulation of afflictions, that he might have been accounted miserable and wretched above all other men; yet in celebrating the goodness of God, he acknowledges that he had been lightly afflicted only for a short period, and as it were in passing. . . . If we are prosperous, we devour God’s blessings without feeling that they are His . . . but if anything sorrowful or adverse befall us, we immediately complain of His severity, as if He had never dealt kindly and mercifully with us. In short, our own fretfulness and impatience under affliction makes every minute an age; while, on the other hand, our repining and ingratitude lead us to imagine that God’s favor, however long it may be exercised towards us, is but for a moment. It is our own perversity, therefore, in reality, which hinders us from perceiving that God’s anger is but of short duration, while His favor is continued towards us during the whole course of our life."
“ The heart and the tongue ” Among other points made in this sermon, Dr. Morecraft explains that if somebody is trusting in the Lord, God's going to help him. If God helps you, you're going to rejoice in your heart and have a happy heart. There is a direct connection from the heart to the tongue. Whatever fills the heart is going to be expressed through the mouth. So if you are always complaining, always criticizing, with no joyful encouraging words seasoned with salt, what does that say about what fills your heart? But if your mouth is full of genuine heartfelt praise to the Lord, that tells you that your heart is full of praise.
“ Slander as persecution ” In preaching on one part of Psalm 27:12 ("For false witnesses have risen against me"), Dr. Morecraft explains that David is praying that God would protect him from slander, which in some ways is the most vicious form of persecution of Christians. He then quotes from William Plumer's Studies in the Book of Psalms: "Who can stand before false testimony? How it pierces the soul with anguish! It is the most intolerable species of murder. It kills by torture. When it extends to judicial oaths it shows the worst possible state of society." Slander is the most difficult form of persecution for Christ's sake to deal with. It is one of the most deadly.
“ The best sermon on tithing I've ever heard! ” Thank you for this. Great series, and this is the best explanation of - and defense of - tithing that I've ever heard!
“ Hating the assembly of evildoers ” Dr. Morecraft explains that in Psalm 26:5 ("I hate the assembly of evildoers, And I will not sit with the wicked"), David is saying that he does not want to associate or join himself to anyone who in any way opposes the Lord. He doesn't want to worship in any congregation that tolerates evil and does not worship according to His Word. Whether it's a liberal church, that doesn't believe the gospel and approves of abortion and homosexuality, whether it's a political party, whether it's any other kind of organization, he hates the assembly of people who oppose God. As William Plumer wrote, "No man ever dreaded or hated sin excessively." Plumer went on to say, "Death is not an evil to be compared with the loss of integrity." Bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33).
“ A pious ancestry ” In explaining the last part of Psalm 25:13, "his descendants will inherit the land," Dr. Morecraft quotes from William Plumer as follows: "The extent, to which under God we are indebted to a pious ancestry, is understood by few. Let men know that their conduct will have a vast bearing for good or evil on those who shall come after them." When you fear the Lord and He is instructing you in the way you should choose, not only will you yourself experience prosperity and health, but your children and your grandchildren will inherit the blessings of God as well.
“ The blessing from the Lord ” Dr. Morecraft explains that the phrase "He shall receive a blessing from the Lord" (Psalm 24:5), refers to the blessing from God that is comprehensive, that encompasses every area of life, that changes and enriches and influences everything a person does, all his relationships, everything that's important to him. Dr. Morecraft then quotes from William Plumer's Studies in the Book of Psalms that it is "the blessing which maketh rich and addeth no sorrow, including grace and glory, all of earth that is worth having, and all of heaven that [a believer's] capacities can embrace."
“ Still waters ” In discussing Psalm 23:2, Dr. Morecraft explains that there are all kinds of occasions in this life that Satan can use to fill us full of stress and anxiety. And the Lord Jesus Christ gives us freedom from those worries and those fears as we completely entrust ourselves and our families to Him. And it is because of that that Paul could say in Philippians 4:6, "be anxious for nothing," or in other words, "don't worry about anything," "but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Paul is saying there what the imagery of Psalm 23:2 means: "he leads us beside still waters." There's nothing in this life that you need to worry about. Nothing. Be anxious for nothing. Instead of being upset by things in your life that cause other people to worry themselves silly, you respond to those things with prayer, thanksgiving and supplication.
“ Christianization of the earth ” Dr. Morecraft teaches that there's coming a day when there will be global repentance. All the ends of the earth will turn to the Lord. All the families of the world's nations will worship the triune God. The prophecy of Psalm 22:27, "all the families of the nations will worship before Thee" has yet to take place. The future Christianization of the earth is certain due to the fact of God's universal sovereignty. Because God is the sovereign of the whole universe Who has everything under control, we can know for sure there's coming a time when the families and nations of the earth will bow in submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. Dr. Morecraft quotes Charles Spurgeon's comments on verse 27: "Out from the inner circle of the present church the blessing is to spread in growing power until the remotest parts of the earth shall be ashamed of their idols, mindful of the true God, penitent for their offences, and unanimously earnest for reconciliation with Jehovah."
“ Jesus will destroy His enemies ” In discussing Psalm 21:8-10, Dr. Morecraft explains that the Bible teaches Jesus will destroy His enemies and their children. Consider verse 10: "Their offspring thou will destroy from the earth and their descendants from among the sons of men." It's because Jesus is so loving that He responds this way to the enemies of His people who seek to destroy us. As William Plumer writes, "If this world could be made as the wicked would have it, if they could bring to pass all the evil that is in their hearts, earth would soon differ but little from hell." This explains abortion in the United States. Jesus is punishing the people who kill their babies by killing their babies. Abortion is Christ's punishment for abortion. He is wiping out the generation of those who hate life and who hate Him. That's a solemn thought but God often punishes sin with more sin. God punishes abortion with abortion by aborting whole generations of evil leaders. This does not justify abortion. Abortion is murder.
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