Are You Offering the Sacrifices of Righteousness?

 

A Psalm of David: Psalm 4: Comments by Dennis Edwards

1 Here me when I call, O God of my righteousness: You have enlarged (or relieved) me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

David is reminding himself that his righteousness depends completely upon the Lord. We in ourselves are not righteous in comparison to God. We are incapable of reaching up to God in our own righteousness. Our own righteousness is stinking filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. We are dependent upon God Himself, coming into the world as the Second Person of the Trinity, laying down His life for us, to reconcile us with God. His blood covers our sins, and offers to us the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord to all those who believe.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost,” Titus 3:5. It is Jesus’ righteousness that saves us, through God’s mercy. “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast,” Ephesians 2:8-9. The gift of God is Jesus Christ to all those that believe.

The gospel message, the good news, is that God Himself has made a way of escape for us from our human condition because of the fall of Adam. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so, death passed upon all men, for all have sinned,” Romans 5:12. Mankind has inherited a tendency to rebel against God from Adam. However, Jesus is the door to eternal life and offers an escape from the cycle of sin and death. Jesus said, “He that hears My word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death into life,” John 5:24.

Apostle Paul explains, “Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (Jesus) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous,” Romans 5:18-19. “For He (God the Father) has made Him (God the Son) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus),” 2 Corinthians 5:21. “And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith,” Philippians 3:9.

Our sins have separated us from God, but through Jesus’ submission and obedience to God, through His willingness to go to the cross for our sake, we can now be clothed in Jesus’ righteousness through our faith and obedience to Him. “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them (the new believers) gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name,” John 1:12. “Wherefore, God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” Philippians 2:9-11.

In the second half of the first verse, David is reminding God of His past faithfulness to hear David’s prayers and he implores God to hear him once again.

2 O you sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love vanity and seek after leasing (or sin)? Selah

David compares himself in contrast with the men of the world that love the things of the world and follow after sin and pride. Apostle John has written, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever,” 1 John 2:15-17.

3 But know that the LORD has set apart him that is godly for Himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto Him.

The word sanctify means to set apart or be separated for a sacred purpose or for religious use. God has set apart His people to be an example to the world. Apostle Peter explains, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light,” 1 Peter 2:9. Apostle Paul also wrote, quoting from the Old Testament: “Wherefore, come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing (sin, in whatever form it tempts you); and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord almighty,” 2 Corinthians 6:17-18.

As we set apart ourselves for God, God will bring His presence upon us. Jesus promised, “If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him,” John 14:23. “If you shall ask anything in My name, I will do it,” John 14:14. God will answer our prayers because we are abiding in Him and being obedient to Him.

4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

God wants us to get quiet before Him. In the psalms we read, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth,” Psalm 46:10. It is in those quiet moments with God that we receive His strength. “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength,” Isaiah 30:15b. If we stop for a moment to enjoy God’s creation during a sunrise, or sunset, or a walk under the stary sky at night, or by sitting on a quiet beach, or in almost any nature filled environment, we can feel His presence and hear His voice. Before we start the day, we can also commune with God through the gift of prayer, and let His presence commune to us the needed strength and wisdom for the day.

Apostle Paul admonishes, “Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7. If we seek the face of God early in the morning or in the evening, God’s presence will go with us and give us peace. In Isaiah we find, “I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Me, because he trusts in me,” Isaiah 26:3.

5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

As we expressed earlier, our only righteousness is in Jesus. However, David wrote, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise,” Psalm 51:17. Therefore, God wants us to be humble and broken before Him. Elsewhere David penned, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit,” Psalm 34:18. Apostle James wrote, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” James 4:6b. The Lord also has spoken through Isaiah, “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word,” Isaiah 66:2b. Are we humble and God fearing? If so, God will attend to our prayers.

Elsewhere, Apostle Paul says our lives should be a living sacrifice to God. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable with God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove (or demonstrate) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God,” Romans 12:1-2. We should live our lives in sacrificial service to God and our fellow man. We do that by having our lives transformed by God’s word and Holy Spirit. We love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul; and we love our neighbour as ourselves, Matthew 22:37-39.

6 There be many that say, Who will show us any good? LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance (or presence) upon us.

Though there may be doubters and unbelievers all around us, the Lord will put His spirit, His presence, upon us if we fear Him and follow in His steps. His presence shall go with us, Exodus 33:14.

7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

God presence is better than wealth and riches. In the psalms we find, “The law of Your mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver,” Psalm 119:72. God’s word is such a comfort and strength that its effects are better than material benefits. Habakkuk says, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk upon the high places,” Habakkuk 3:17-19.

Did ever see a mountain goat climbing on the sides of a mountain sometimes in the most precarious places? God promises that if we walk in extreme praise, in the face of whatever difficulty in life we may be facing, whether it be health, family, or finances; He will keep us and give us feet like a mountain goat, in that, like a mountain goat, we will be able to keep our feet even in the most difficult and dangerous places. If we are able to praise God through our testing’s and our afflictions, He will make our feet to stand, and we will run and keep our balance, even in the winds of adversity.

8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for You, LORD. Only make me to dwell in safety.

If we are abiding in Jesus, following His word, listening and obeying the voice of the word and the voice of the Holy Spirit in our conscience, we can have the peace of God that passes all understanding. The psalms tell us, “Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing can offend them,” Psalm 119:165. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you shall have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, (be encouraged), I have overcome the world,” John 16:33.

Our peace is in Jesus, He is our peace. He has said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” John 14:27. As we keep our minds stayed on Him, He gives us His peace that passes all understanding. We can rest assured, because we trust in Him, and in His promises to us. Apostle Paul, also affirms, “Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you,” Philippians 4:9. The psalmist tell us, “Because you have made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, your habitation; there shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come nigh your dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways,” Psalm 91:9-11. Lord, keep us in Your ways. Let us dwell in the secret place of the most High, under the shadow of Your wings, Psalm 91:1.