We begin this morning in Psalm 119 verses 81 through 88, and this is another in the series of the grand thoughts of David. And here now is the 11th stanza, and we're going to speak on this subject today, the sanctified David. Beginning in verse 81, My soul fainteth for thy salvation, but I hope in thy word. Mine eyes fell for thy word, saying, Wilt thou comfort me? When wilt thou comfort me? For I become like a bottle in the smoke, yet do I not forget thy statuettes. How many are the days of thy servant? When wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? the proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law. All thy commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help thou me! They had almost consumed me upon earth, but I forsook not thy precepts. Quicken me after thy lovingkindness. So shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth. May the Lord bless the reading of His Word this morning, and may you be able to be blessed with the application of it in your life, in your sanctification. Again, just as a reminder, this is another one of those Psalms that doesn't have a title or an author. And though David is the author of the majority of the Psalms that we find in the book of Psalms, some believe that this wasn't David authoring this Psalm, but rather they believe that it was Hezekiah or one of the other music leaders of David's time, as they are noted as authors in some of the other Psalms we've already covered and will yet encounter. But myself, I can't help believe that this is David. And his record of some of his grand thoughts or deep meditations upon the scriptures he had come to read and ponder are certainly evident by the emotion that we see in this psalm, which certainly David was full of. I'm speaking of his emotions, David. was emotional. And those emotions show forth by the nuanced relational moods of David because of the deep relationship he had with Jehovah. David spent many hours in close communion with the Lord. That David had had a personal relationship with the Lord is found in the personal tone then of all of David's songs, poems, and prayers and shows up here in Psalm 119. Further, David was by all accounts a needy individual. Let me say it again. David was by all accounts a needy individual. that needed intimate fellowship with family and friends and most assuredly with the Lord. And that need for fellowship with the Lord, and certainly that deep relationship he had with the Lord, was the catalyst that made the Lord call David a man after his own heart, which could only be asserted by the Father. The Father recognizing David's deep desire and effort to have a relationship with the Lord, and certainly the Lord's desire to have a relationship with David. I remind you of Ephesians 1, verses 3-5, where we are told by the Apostle Paul, according to the good pleasure of His will. It is by His good pleasure that He desires with and even works at a continuous, deep, and abiding relationship with His elect people. I'm talking about God here. As I told you in the past, God desires fellowship with His elect people. It's in His DNA. And as man is made in the image of God, and God having breathed into man and making him a living soul, God also breathed into man that same desire for fellowship as demonstrated in David and David's psalm. Remember, the tenth stanza had as its title, The Seeking David, which we saw David seeking membership and fellowship with the local church of the undefiled of his day. In all of his grand thoughts, that is, his deep meditations that we read thus far or have read thus far, It becomes very clear early on that this is a chronicle of sorts of David's sanctification. For whomever the Lord calls, he also justifies. And those that he justifies, he sanctifies that they may be holy and blameless before him in love in this present world and in the world to come. And that certainly was so for David. just as it is predestined now in this church age for all new converts to be conformed to the image of God's own Son, Romans 8, 29, and 30, so it was in and for the Old Testament saints. The Lord said to Israel in Deuteronomy 7, 6, For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God. The Lord God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. And then in Deuteronomy 26 19, God goes further and says that He intends to make them high above all nations, which He has made in praise, and in name, and in honor, and that thou mayest be in holy people unto the Lord thy God, as He has spoken. Deuteronomy 26 19. Now in Deuteronomy 28 9, we read that the Lord has said that he shall establish them, again the Hebrews, to be a holy people unto himself as he has sworn unto them. If thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God and walk in his ways, then, and I'm paraphrasing, we will have fellowship together. That is the Lord with his people. This is achieved on the individual basis by progressive sanctification. That is, the studying, learning, fellowshipping with the Lord every day of your life, the Lord working in you to will and do His good pleasure, and to have relationship with you in it. thus progressive sanctification, was in process for the writer of this psalm. To see this, we look at the beginning of Psalm 119. Notice, if you will, if you have your Bible open there, to the first four verses of the psalm that the psalmist points us to the facts of this progressive sanctification in the lives of the undefiled. Verse one says, Blessed are the undefiled in the way Well, what way are we talking about? Well, we're talking about the way of the law of the Lord. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. Secondly, we see this sanctification in this verse. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with a whole heart. Sanctification causes one to do that. Verse number three, They also do no iniquity, they walk in his ways. Another sign of sanctification doing its perfect work in an individual. In this case, the church of the undefiled and the members of it. And then verse four, Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently, which only someone who is under the process of progressive sanctification will do. Each second clause in each of those verses speaks of that process. It is sanctification directed and processed by the Holy Spirit that makes these folks in the church of the undefiled do those things found in those first four verses. Seeing that these undefiled people are blessed that do these things. The psalmist here makes a personal plea for the same sanctification that leads to those same blessings the undefiled enjoy. Look at verse 5. Oh, that my ways were directed to keep thy statuettes. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with a brightness of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. that's him desiring this sanctification that he sees in the people of the church of the undefiled. Of course, no man is able to progress through sanctification by himself. The psalmist declares, verse 8, I will keep thy statutes. O forsake me not utterly, which in effect is him asking, Lord, help me keep thy statuettes. Thus, sanctification is evident in every stanza through verse number eight and through the rest of the psalm for that matter. And what has the psalmist gained from this ongoing sanctification? Well, from all that we can tell here, this sanctification has brought him and taught him to be fully reliant upon the Lord and His Word. That's what progressive sanctification does. Only those that have been regenerated, converted, and justified are operating in and through the process of sanctification as the Holy Ghost leads them. And out of that leadership of the Holy Ghost will come the full faithful reliance upon the Lord that every believer needs and should show. Understand completely that is the Holy Ghost, that is the activator, the facilitator, an operator of progressive sanctification in the life of every believer. And here in Psalm 119, stanza 11, he has now moved David by the progress of that sanctification to be fully reliant upon the Lord. Sanctification will ultimately bring you to that fact and position if indeed you are a child of God and will yield yourself to the discipline of the process. That sanctification has been yielded to you here by David, and David has disciplined himself to it. seen here the fact that there is not, and I repeat, there is not one hint of self-reliance in David's walk with the Lord here in the 11th stanza. Though he might have tried self-reliance in the past, progressive sanctification, this that the Holy Ghost is doing in David by the ongoing study of and meditation upon the Word of God, and has taught him, has now brought David to be fully reliant upon the Lord. even in here what appears to be a most terrifying time in his life. Sanctification was causing David to stay committed to the Lord and His Word. Again, that is fully reliant upon the Lord. Well, how do we know that progressive sanctification was causing David to be fully reliant upon the Lord? Well, notice, if you will, the facts of David's sanctification. First, the fact that David is walking in the law of the Lord as the undefiled do, we can see that David has been seeking the Lord with his whole heart. Remember that it is the ongoing ingestion and digesting of God's Word that clearly powers progressive sanctification. David declares in verse 81 that his soul fainteth for thy salvation, but I hope in thy word, he says. David clearly believes and understands that only God can rid the circumstances of whatever is ailing him, be it sin, be it sickness, or be it Satan. That's why he says in verse 81, But I hope in thy word. I understand that David is not looking for that salvation that would bring conversion. That's already happened, or else he would not be relying on the Lord in the first place. Rather, David here is looking for that salvation that would free him from his problem, his affliction, his oppressors, whoever and whatever they were. Sanctification by the ingesting and digesting of the Word of God had taught him that there was no one else to trust. nowhere else to go but to the Lord. I don't know about you and your church, but we sing that sometimes. The song is, Where Could I Go But to the Lord? And this is David's thinking now. His hope is believing the Lord's Word, trusting in Him. He has become fully reliant upon the Lord. He is hoping in the Lord's Word that he is ingested and digested. that he is is seen secondly by the fact that David is in the process of progressive sanctification as seen by the fact that David's continual searching of the Lord's Word. He's seeking the Lord and he's searching the Lord out through his Word. As a matter of fact, he's been doing so much. Verse 82, he says, Mine eyes fell for thy word. David has spent so much time searching the Scriptures, looking for an answer, or at best, hoping to find something in the Word to comfort him during his affliction. His eyes are near wore out. That doesn't mean he's lost his eyesight from studying the Word, but rather he spent a lot of time searching Word, so much so that he is extremely tired. And so in his discomfort, he asked the Lord, Sanctification was demolishing David's faith and self in human systems and satanic schemes. Everywhere in the Scriptures, he sees the sovereignty of God, and those omnipotent views of God destroys the supposed omnipotent David. All of David's self worth lay in a demolished heap, leaving David naked before God. And thus David asked the Lord, when will thou come for me? As David is asking for forgiveness for his ever believing he had any personal power to affect or effect anything pertaining to his life and existence. Which brings us thirdly to the fact of David's sanctification as we see in David's complete surrender to the Lord. He was seeking the Lord. He was searching for the Lord. Now he surrendered it to the Lord. that David has literally given up completely on the economy of self-worth and has thrown himself on the mercy seat of heaven in full surrender to the Lord is seen in verse 83 where David says that he has become like a bottle in the smoke. A bottle in the smoke is referring to animal skins and bladders that were used to hold wine, a wine skin, if you will. But if one allowed that skin to hang in the smoke inside a chimney or a fireplace too long to toughen it up, it would dry out and get hard and unusable. David is saying that like that unusable wineskin, he could no longer help himself in the least. There must be divine intervention. So David has fully surrendered himself to the Lord. He's trusting fully in the Word of the Lord. That is what sanctification does to you, friend. It reveals our inabilities to help ourselves or trust in the help of outside sources. David says, Yet do I not forget thy statutes? I'm fully surrendered to you, Lord, is what he's saying. And if God should allow an affliction or the enemy to kill him even, David has moved forward in his sanctification in his ultimate surrender to the Lord to the point that he can ask in verse 84, How many are the days of thy servant? In other words, have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way. Thou art the potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after thy will while I am waiting, yielded and still. How long are the days of thy servant? David goes on to say, When will thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? When will it be that you will solve my situation? But such was his relationship with the Lord that David neither fears death, nor does he fear to ask for the death of his enemies. Why not? Because he is fully reliant on the Lord. He's come to the full understanding of the sovereignty of God in all things, in all matters, in all situations. We have an understanding of this by what he says in verse 85. David writes, that the proud have dig pits for me which are not after thy law. Now it was against the law for anyone to dig a pit in order to hurt or harm anyone in the Old Testament, especially innocent persons. This was a matter of the law. Such traps were underhanded and immoral And God includes provision in there so that folks wouldn't use it to hurt others. And David firmly believed he didn't deserve this kind of treatment, that he was innocent. David reminds the Lord, verse 86, that all the Lord's commandments are faithful, so that these that persecute him, says David, persecute me wrongfully, help thou me. They had almost consumed me upon the earth, says David. And though they have done these things to David, and God has allowed them to do so to David, still David forsook not the Lord's precepts, verse 87. Why is David talking like that? Well, I'll tell you. He sold out. totally surrendered and fully subject to the will of the Lord. And seeing that he believes the Lord knows him inside and out, David says, Lord, I can do nothing but keep your commandments. Verse 88, he says, Quicken me, free me, help me after thy lovingkindness. These are direct requests, direct pleas and cries, if you will, made in full and utter abandonment of all sources, resources, and forces except for David's sovereign God. so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth is David directly and forcefully saying I have sealed thy word in my heart." I'm fully surrendered to you. Do what you must. Allow that that you will. Here I am. I'm yours. Sanctification have worked to David's favor. And he had not given in or given up nor would ever give up on the Lord or His Word, even if it cost his life or the life of his enemies. Now, I don't like to think or believe such things many times, but most people, including believers, When they don't get immediate results for their prayers, give up on God, get angry with God, and even turn from God. Why do they? Because they have not fully surrendered to the Lord. Sanctification has not done its perfect work in them because they have not surrendered themselves to the sanctification. true sanctification leads a true believer to completely defer to the Lord. Understanding what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 20 15, when the Lord Himself says, Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? And understanding that they belong to the Lord, they understand the Lord can do with them as He pleases. And it is His right to do as He pleases, when He pleases. And none can stay His hand or ask Him, what in the world are you doing? Whatever God's providence and His decrees and will dictate, that we must trust. Thinking of Providence, if we really look through the lens of the Word of God, stanza 11 is as much a visual of Christ as He lay in the Garden of Gethsemane, beseeching the Father for help as it is of David here beseeching the Father for help. In fact, the pleas are similar to Mark 14. Though this is not the Lord's sanctification, for He didn't require it, still in His humanity, we can see that Jesus was fully reliant upon His Father. here in the hour of certain death. Mark 14 verse 34, And Jesus saith unto the disciples, My soul's exceeding sorrowful unto death tear you here and watch. And then he went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour that was coming of his death His abuse, the very wrath of God poured out upon him, would pass from him. In verse 36, he even says, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee. Take away this cup from me, nevertheless not what I will, but what thou will. This is for reliance. Here is our Lord and Savior in His humanity, beseeching His Father to let this cup pass from Him. Jesus goes back out and finds His disciples sleeping and says unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst thou not watch one hour? In other words, couldn't you support me during this time? Verse 38, Jesus says to him, Watch ye and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The Spirit is truly ready, but the flesh is weak. And then he turned, went away, and prayed, and spake the same words again. Verse 40, Mark 14, And he cometh a third time, at your finding them sleeping, after he has prayed again the same thing, and tells them to sleep on now, take your rest, it is enough, the hour has come, behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go, lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. And immediately while he yet spake, cometh Judas, Lord of the Twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders, and they took him. Yet he was fully reliant upon his father. Though he knew that the father was not going to take the cup away from him. And you be glad that he didn't. There would be no salvation for us if the father had. I think John the Baptist may have felt the same way. He had been chosen to prepare the way of the Lord. He had announced the coming of the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. But John had been thrown in prison for pointing out the sin of Herod. After finding himself in such condition, he sent some of his followers to ask Jesus if Jesus was indeed the one, the Messiah, meaning the Christ. And all Jesus said to him through his messengers, Luke 7.22, go your way and tell John what things you've seen and heard, how the blind see, the lame walk, the livers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached, and nothing else. Jesus doesn't say one thing about freeing John from his dilemma. Jesus does not blow that prison to bits, to pieces, nor does he kill Herod and rescue John. Jesus allowed events to run their course which in effect was a good thing for John because the reward was so great. John would be absent from the body and put directly in the presence of the Lord in heaven. It was the same for Job, and Job was vocal about it. Sanctification had taught him, verse 15, Job 13, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, but I will maintain mine own ways before him. In other words, my self-reliance. No! My full reliance upon Him. Job 19.25, Job says, For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. Full reliance. Job 19.26-28, Job says, And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me. But ye should say, Why persecute we him? See, the root of the matter is found in me. To which Job says in chapter 23 verse 10, But he knoweth the way that I take. When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. There's a man that loved the Lord, hated evil, loved righteousness, fully reliant upon the Lord. David's sanctification is clearly seen long before Psalm 119 and Psalm 23. Verse 4, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Progressive salvation, the ingestion and digestion of the Lord's Word had brought David to this full and complete understanding, this full and complete surrender to the Lord. David's own son, Solomon, says in Proverbs 14, verse 32, The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, but the righteous have hope in his death. Full reliance upon the Lord. The Apostle Paul in Romans 8, 38 and 39 says, For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul is in full reliance upon the Lord. Now the question comes and has to be answered by you. Are you fully relying upon the Lord? Are you completely, thoroughly waiting upon Him in every facets of your existence? Is He your Lord? Is He the only one? That's a question you must answer. And the only way you'll ever get fully reliant upon him is to know his word, to ingest it, to digest it, and make application of it. The greatest thing I believe that has come from the study of God's Word is coming to the full operational sensibility of He being completely and utterly sovereign over all things. It has made me fully reliant upon Him. Oh, my friend, search the Scriptures. Seek Him out. Surrender to Him. For in that, you will find the great gifts of peace and contentment and joy unspeakable that will cause your soldiering here to be of no device but joy and blessedness. Thank you for listening today. God bless you. Have a great day.