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Sermon #5245

Godly or Ungodly

A Sermon on Psalm 92:1-15

Originally preached Oct. 1, 1961

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Scripture

Psalms 92:1-15 ESV KJV
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody …

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Sermon Description

Humanity living life before God is the theme of Psalm 92 and the Bible as a whole. In this sermon on Psalm 92:1–15 titled “Godly or Ungodly,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes the opportunity to walk through the psalm and observe the life of people before God’s presence. What are the two types of people in this world? Listen to hear the only distinction that truly includes all people in one of two categories—the godly and the godless. The listener is encouraged to stop thinking about themselves and start thinking about the God who made them. Don’t be fooled; God’s wrath is coming and all need to be prepared. “Those planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in His courts.” Christians can rejoice in the Lord always because His promises are always true. There is a strength and joy that is found in the believer. Despite the droughts of life that come, the believer is kept and preserved in the Lord. Flourish by listening to the teaching of Scripture and learn to understand life in terms of God.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. There are two types of people in the world: the godly and the ungodly.
  2. The godly praise and thank God, the ungodly do not.
  3. The ungodly are like brute beasts, ignorant and foolish. They live wicked lives and will be destroyed.
  4. The ungodly think they are successful like springing grass but will perish. They do not understand God's ways or judgment.
  5. The godly understand themselves, God, life and God's plans. They praise God for who He is, His works, mercy, and purposes.
  6. God allowed evil and the ungodly to flourish for a time but will judge them. The godly understand this.
  7. God strengthens and preserves the godly like palm trees and cedars. They are useful and fruitful even in old age.
  8. The godly stand on the rock of God's righteousness. They are planted in God's house and flourish.
  9. To be planted in God's house means believing and receiving the truth. It means being in Christ.

Sermon Q&A

What is the Main Theme of Psalm 92 According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the main theme of Psalm 92 is man in his relationship to God. He explains that this is not only the central message of this psalm but also of the entire Bible. As he states in the sermon:

"This psalm has as its theme what is, of course, the theme of the whole Bible, and that is the theme of man in his relationship to God. That is, I say, the message of the whole Bible. The Bible is a great textbook of life. It's a very practical book."

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the Bible is concerned with showing us how to live properly as human beings in relationship to our Creator, not merely to provide abstract information.

What Are the Two Types of People According to the Psalm?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the Bible, including Psalm 92, divides humanity into just two categories:

  1. The godly (Christians, saints, the redeemed)
  2. The ungodly (non-Christians, sinners, the lost)

He emphasizes that while the world creates many divisions (political, economic, social, intellectual), the only distinction that ultimately matters is whether a person is godly or godless. As he says:

"The Bible everywhere tells us that there are two kinds and types of people. We all are living in the same world, living the same life, subject to the same vicissitudes. Nevertheless, says the Bible, it's quite clear that there are two main types of individual."

He stresses that this distinction is not superficial but radical and profound, affecting every aspect of a person's life both in this world and in eternity.

How Does Dr. Lloyd-Jones Describe the Ungodly Person?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several key characteristics of the ungodly person from Psalm 92:

  1. "A brutish man knoweth not" - The ungodly person lives more like an animal than a human, governed by instincts and desires rather than rational thought about ultimate matters.

  2. "Neither doth a fool understand this" - Beyond being brutish, they are fools who are confident in their ignorance and won't listen to instruction.

  3. "When the wicked spring as the grass" - Their life is characterized by wickedness, defiance of God, and a lifestyle that "springs up" quickly but has no real substance or durability.

  4. They flourish temporarily but "shall be destroyed forever" - Their success appears impressive but is ultimately transient and leads to destruction.

As Lloyd-Jones puts it: "The brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this. He thinks that his great success is permanent. He thinks it's something solid and durable. He doesn't know that he's going to be destroyed forever and all that belongs to him."

Why Do the Godly Praise God According to the Sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the godly person praises God for several key reasons:

  1. For God's being - "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy name, O most high." The godly person recognizes God's greatness and majesty.

  2. For God's character - "To show that the Lord is upright. He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in him." They praise God for His righteousness, holiness, and truth.

  3. For God's works - "Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work." This includes creation, providence, and especially redemption.

  4. For God's loving-kindness and faithfulness - "To show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night."

  5. For God's purposes and sovereignty - The godly person understands God's ultimate plan to judge evil and establish righteousness, which gives them hope even in troubled times.

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that understanding these aspects of God produces joy: "Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work."

What Is the Key Difference Between the Godly and Ungodly Person in Difficult Times?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, a crucial difference between the godly and ungodly person is their reaction to troubles and tribulations. The godly person:

  1. Can rejoice even in tribulations - "Christianity, this godly way of life, is something that not only makes a man glad when the sun is shining in the heavens and when everything is going well, it makes him glad. It makes him rejoice in the very midst of tribulations."

  2. Has stability like a cedar or palm tree - "It doesn't matter whether the Christian is in a land of drought, in a howling wilderness with hell let loose round and about him. He is kept, he is preserved."

  3. Stands on a sure foundation - "He is my rock, the rock of ages. And he's got his feet planted upon it. And the billers are rolling and the hurricane is howling, and the whole world seems to be overwhelmed. But he's on a rock that can never be shaken."

The ungodly person, by contrast, has no such foundation and cannot maintain joy or stability when their circumstances turn against them.

Old Testament

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.