TEXT: Psalm 60:1-5
READING: Isaiah 59:1-21
SUBJ: The effect of the Lord upon His people in every way – personal, ecclesiastical, and national.
AIM: That we should be affected by our understanding of the power of God and His exercise of it as we behold His dealings with men.
INTR: I first heard this passage preached many years ago and was much impressed by the acknowledgment of divine sovereignty as we see here.
1. What I heard then was a declaration regarding certain doctrines and their impact upon us, but I don’t think that captures the intent of the Psalmist and what he was experiencing here.
2. What I do understand here is that the message is from a most deeply spiritual man to those designated as the Lord’s people. And as is often the case, a bold declaration of salvation is inserted.
3. As we behold the happenings in the world today, we must conclude that we are seeing some hard things. The question is are we astonished and how does it affect us.
THESIS: While we are amazed at occurrences among men and wonders of nature what we should be astonished at is the Lord God Himself and His judgments both now and in the future.
I. What God had done (v. 1)
1. The timing of this Psalm and the reflections of David as He had witnessed the failures in Israel with Samuel, the further declined under Saul.
1) We are not living in the theocracy as did David and yet we are part of a nation claiming to be under God.
2) Do we wonder that the Lord has not done even more; do we see the hand of God in all
2. As David came to the throne, he found himself in the midst of trouble among the people and attacks from the enemies without.
3. He did what men are often reluctant to do: He identified the reason and did not separate himself from it.
1) It was personal, and it was because God was displeased with them. He had cast off and scattered them!
2) It was reason to pray and seek mercy and the prayer was for the Lord to be turned to us.
4. What God has done even now? We witness strife and division in our land and abroad.
II. What they had felt (v. 2)
1. Whether there had been literal earthquakes is uncertain.
2. What happened was that the whole system under which David and the nation had served had been disrupted
1) Saul had murdered the priests; Evil men had been put in office
2) Civil authority had broken down and insurrections were happening
3) The military was in a poor state.
3. He prayed for the breaches to be healed.
III. What they were shown (v. 3)
1. We first note that this was the Lord’s people and David saw them as before God.
1) These were hard things in that they had the effect of revealing the depravity of men and
2) Perhaps the lack of concern on the part of the Lord’s people.
2. The suitable effect is to be astonished at the effect of God bringing judgment.
1) Hardships were experienced in many ways, but
2) Perhaps it was the amazement of what occurs when God is not dealing favorably.
3. David sees this as a call to return. The Lord often deals in the way a physician might in administering a cure that may seem worse than the disease and so the provocation to confess their looseness and self-seeking.
IV. What God has given (vv. 4-5)
1. It is precious to see how quickly the mercy of the Lord prevails with a remedy of His making – the only one suitable.
2. A banner in the midst of battle is seen as a rallying point. Consider the “Star Spangled Banner.”
3. Consider: And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: Exodus 17:15
1) The meaning is “the Lord our Banner.”
2) It is certain that we are to continue to hold the banner of the Gospel high wherein Christ is declared the victor.
3) An ensign for the nations – And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10)
4. We would further note that with which we are drawn to Him and the rallying point of the redeemed, He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Song of Songs 2:4.
5. The gift to them that fear Him is Christ our Lord and He is to be held high!
6. The prayer of verse 5 is the desire for the intervention of the divine Right Hand in the interest of the Lord’s beloved – Christ is His right hand.
